Publications

Cancer screening: Theory and applications

Author(s):

Anssi Auvinen, Anton Barchuk

Year of publication:

The objective of screening is to reduce the public health burden from the target disease. For cancer, this means primarily prevention of cancer screening deaths. For some cancer types, a premalignant lesion can be detected by screening and treated, so that incidence of invasive cancer can be reduced. Before adopting a cancer screening program as a health-system wide policy, valid evidence of screening effectiveness in decreasing cancer mortality must be available from large population studies, ideally randomized screening trials.

Sexual Harassment in the Context of Medical Organizations: Asymmetries of Power, Intersections of Inequalities, and the Privatization of Experience

Author(s):

Anastasia A. NovkunskayaDaria A. Litvina, Daria A. Nikitina, Elizaveta V. Vlasova

Year of publication:

This paper addresses cases of social situations that can be identified as sexual harassment in Russian healthcare. Drawing on the intersectional approach and some prerequisites of the sociology of professions, the article reveals several dimensions of power asymmetry in the context of medical professions and organizations, and analyzes their synergistic effects. In particular, it examines the symbolic inequalities of different medical professions, emphasizing their gendered character.

International burden of cancer deaths and years of life lost from cancer attributable to four major risk factors: a population-based study in Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and United States

Author(s):

Harriet Rumgay, Citadel J. Cabasag, Judith Offman, Marianna de Camargo Cancela, Anton Barchuk, Prashant Mathur, Shaoming Wang, Prof Wenqiang Wei, Prof Peter Sasieni, Isabelle Soerjomataram

Year of publication:

Authors provide a comprehensive view of the impact of alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, excess body weight, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection on cancer mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) in Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Kingdom (UK), and United States (US).

Completeness of regional cancer registry data in Northwest Russia 2008-2017

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Rustam Tursun-zade, Ekaterina Nazarova, Yuri Komarov, Ekaterina Tyurina, Yulia Tumanova, Alexey Belyaev, Ariana Znaor

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

Data comparability and validity analyses found substantial differences across ten population-based cancer registries (PBCRs)in Northwest Russia, and only four out of ten met international standards. This study aimed to assess the completeness of the PBCR data of those registries. Eight out of ten regional PBCRs in Northwest Russia collected data with an acceptable degree of completeness. Mostly populated St. Petersburg and Leningrad oblast did not reach such completeness.

Gam-COVID-Vac, EpiVacCorona, and CoviVac effectiveness against lung injury during Delta and Omicron variant surges in St. Petersburg, Russia: a test-negative case–control study

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Anna Bulina, Mikhail Cherkashin, Natalia Berezina, Tatyana Rakova, Darya Kuplevatskaya, Dmitriy Skougarevskiy, Artemiy Okhotin

Year of publication:

Monitoring vaccine effectiveness (VE) remains a priority for epidemiological research throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. VE against infection declines with the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC), but VE against the severe disease remains high. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines used in Russia against lung injury during Delta and Omicron VOC surges.

COVID-19 vaccines effectiveness against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 during Delta variant surge: a preliminary assessment from a case-control study in St. Petersburg, Russia

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Anna Bulina, Mikhail Cherkashin, Natalia Berezina, Tatyana Rakova, Darya Kuplevatskaya, Oksana Stanevich, Dmitriy Skougarevskiy, Artemiy Okhotin

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

No studies estimated vaccine effectiveness of Gam-COVID-Vac and other vaccines used in Russia against symptomatic infection with Delta variant. In this population-based case-control study, the authors aimed to estimate the effectiveness of the Russian COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 during the recent outbreak caused by the Delta VOC in October 2021 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Vaccine effectiveness against referral to hospital after SARS-CoV-2 infection in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the Delta variant surge: a test-negative case-control study

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Mikhail Cherkashin, Anna Bulina, Natalia Berezina, Tatyana Rakova, Darya Kuplevatskaya, Oksana Stanevich, Dmitriy Skougarevskiy, Artemiy Okhotin

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

The results of a randomised trial showed the safety and efficacy of Gam-COVID-Vac against COVID-19. However, compared to other vaccines used across the globe, the real-world data on the effectiveness of Gam-COVID-Vac, especially against the disease caused by the Delta variant of concern, was limited. The authors aimed to assess the effectiveness of vaccination mainly conducted with Gam-COVID-Vac in St. Petersburg, Russia. They estimated the  vaccine effectiveness against referral for hospital admission, COVID-19-related lung injury assessed with LDCT, and decline in oxygen saturation.

Lost in transformation: comparative analysis of healthcare provision dynamics within urban systems of European Russia and France

Author(s):

Maria Gunko, Benoit Conti, Alexander Sheludkov, Sophie Baudet-Michel, Anastasia Novkunskaya

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

Since the 1990s, many countries have implemented healthcare reforms underlined by New Public Management principles and technological transformations. Although studies have examined these reforms from different viewpoints, the spatial implications of healthcare reforms have received limited attention. Addressing this research gap, authors investigate the long-term dynamics of healthcare provision on the urban level, tracing the differences (if any) between cities of different sizes and administrative statuses. 

COVID-19 pandemic in Saint Petersburg, Russia: Combining population-based serological study and surveillance data

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Dmitriy Skougarevskiy, Alexei Kouprianov, Daniil Shirokov, Olga Dudkina, Rustam Tursun-zade, Mariia Sergeeva, Varvara Tychkova, Andrey Komissarov, Alena Zheltukhina, Dmitry Lioznov, Artur Isaev, Ekaterina Pomerantseva, Svetlana Zhikrivetskaya, Yana Sofronova, Konstantin Blagodatskikh, Kirill Titaev, Lubov Barabanova, Daria Danilenko

 

Year of publication:

This study summarises results from four consecutive serological surveys conducted between May 2020 and April 2021 at St. Petersburg, Russia and combines them with other SARS-CoV-2 surveillance data. 

Giving birth in dying towns: Healthcare shrinkage in a depopulating Russian region

Year of publication:

The aim of this chapter is, firstly, to analyze inconsistencies in public policies – discrepancies between the state demographic (pronatalist) and healthcare policies in shrinking towns. Secondly, the study aims to highlight the individual experiences of people who are planning for and giving birth and healthcare practitioners who provide maternity services. Addressing  the above aims helps to better understand the everyday life in shrinking towns drawing on  empirical evidence from Tverskaya Oblast’, which emphasizes both regional and national features of healthcare functioning.

Infrastructural Breaks on the Road from Birth to Death in Contemporary Russia

Author(s):

Sergei Mokhov, Anastasia Novkunskaya

Year of publication:

This paper addresses the problem of infrastructural breaks in two systems — the funeral market and maternity care. The authors analytically problematize how dysfunctions in the operation of these infrastructures shape the experiences of funeral and childbirth in contemporary Russia. The authors propose the conceptual model of the ‘rite of passage’, supplemented with the sociology of repair joint with the anthropology of infrastructures.

The Academicians on Quarantine: Reflexivity and Fragility of the Privileged Group at the Start of Pandemic

Year of publication:

The goal of this article is to analyze the challenges faced by social researchers during the first months of the pandemic of 2020 when work-life issues were problematized and academic routine changed. The article is based on a dataset of diaries in which researchers with an academic background in social sciences and humanities were fixing their everyday life and reflecting on its changes.

Comparability and validity of cancer registry data in the northwest of Russia

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Rustam Tursun-Zade, Alexey Belayev, Malcolm Moore, Yuri Komarov, Nataliia Moshina, Ahti Anttila, Jaakko Nevalainen, Anssi Auvinen, Anton Ryzhov, Ariana Znaor

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

This study aims at assessing the comparability and validity of cancer statistics in regions of the Northwestern Federal District (NWFD) of Russia.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Saint Petersburg, Russia: a population-based study

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Dmitriy Skougarevskiy, Kirill Titaev, Daniil Shirokov, Yulia Raskina, Anastasia Novkunkskaya, Petr Talantov, Artur Isaev, Ekaterina Pomerantseva, Svetlana Zhikrivetskaya, Lubov Barabanova, Vadim Volkov

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

This study aims to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Saint Petersburg, Russia accounting for non-response bias.

Evaluation of the performance of SARS-­CoV­-2 antibody assays for a longitudinal population­based study of COVID-­19 spread in St. Petersburg, Russia

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Daniil Shirokov, Mariia Sergeeva, Rustam Tursun­zade, Olga Dudkina, Varvara Tychkova, Lubov Barabanova, Dmitriy Skougarevskiy, Daria Danilenko

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

This study summarizes an evaluation of antibody tests used in a serological study of SARS-­CoV­-2 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Researches validated three different antibody assays: chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) Abbott Architect SARS-­CoV­-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG), enzyme­ linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) CoronaPass total antibodies test, and ELISA SARS­-CoV-­2-­IgG-­EIA-­BEST. 

History and current status of cancer registration in Russia

Author(s):

Anton Barchuk, Alexey Belyaev, Olga Gretsova, Rustam Tursun-zade, Nataliia Moshina, Ariana Znaor

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

This article summarizes historical landmarks and the development of the standards of classification and coding of neoplasms in Russia and describes current population-based cancer registries' procedures and practices.

Emotional styles in Russian maternity hospitals: juggling between khamstvo and smiling

Тип издания:
Журнал
Year of publication:

The article explores emotional styles of Russian maternity hospitals and their recent changes. Researches focus on two emotional practices that characterise different emotional styles: the Soviet-associated emotional practice of khamstvo (rudeness) and the post-Soviet neoliberal practice of smiling.

Birth Systems across the World: Variations in maternity policy and services across countries

Author(s):

Sirpa Wrede; Anastasia Novkunkskaya; Johanna Sarlio-Nieminen; Edwin van Teijlingen

Тип издания:
Учебное пособие
Year of publication:

The chapter in a textbook by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. This chapter examines the global variation of birth systems in order to explain why maternity policy and service provision varу across countries.