Volume 1 April 2021 STATistical applications for undergraduate research exploration The field of statistics is the study of learning from data. Statistical learning causes you to utilize the best possible strategies to gather the information, utilize the right investigations, and adequately present the outcomes. Statistics is an urgent procedure behind how we make disclosures in science, settle on choices dependent on information, and make predictions. Statistics is an energizing field about the rush of discovery, learning, and challenging your assumptions. LIFESCI 3LL3 - Living Systems Laboratory Practicum is a lab-based statistics course that provides students with the opportunity to explore various areas of study within the Life Sciences in a small- group learning environment. Students work with large data sets and SPSS software to gain knowledge in the field of scientific research. They learn to develop research questions, run appropriate statistical tests on their data, and compose the basic requirements for a scientific manuscript. This STATure (STATistical applications for undergraduate research exploration) publication is a compilation of the final report submissions created by the students in the Winter 2021 course. Each report is unique, and tells an interesting statistical story while facilitating the formation of new learning. I hope you enjoy learning about statistics as you read these reports. Dr. Janet Pritchard (Course Creator and Instructor) Cover Art – An artistic impression of Dr. Muriel Bristol (1888-1950) who claimed to be able to tell whether the tea or the milk was added first to a cup. This lead Dr. Ronald Fisher (1890-1962) to devise the steps to test this hypothesis and eventually create the foundations for modern statistical science. (downloaded from https://thedailyomnivore.net/2015/06/08/lady-tasting-tea/) Inside Art - A Bird in Flight. Hamid Naderi Yeganeh (1990-) is an Iranian mathematical artist and digital artist. He is known for using mathematical formulas to create drawings of real-life objects, intricate illustrations, animations, fractals and tessellations. This image was chosen for this initial STATure publication to represent taking flight of this exciting course. Wikimedia Creative Commons. (https://archive.org/details/ABirdInFlight_201504) Editor – Russ Ellis TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Oral Contraceptive Use Improves Relationship Satisfaction with Living Partner and Children in Women Aged 16-50 with Suicidal Thoughts 12 Exploring the Perceptions of Perceived Mental Health Among Young and Older Adults in Ontario in Relation to their Level of Concern for their Physical Health and Financial Impacts due to the COVID-19 Pandemic 22 A Weak Relationship Between Education and Cigarette Consumption Behaviours Among Canadian Females: A Cross-Sectional Study 33 The Positive Relationship Between Fruit Intake and Girls’ Self-Esteem: A Cross-Sectional Study 40 Cardiovascular Disease in Women Over 50: The Impact of Exercise on Reducing Systolic Blood Pressure and LDL Cholesterol 50 Effect of Education and Age on Ontario Women’s Preference for Receiving an Abortion when Maternal Health is At Risk 59 The Impact of Education Level, Sex and Smoking Status on the Health Consciousness of Adults: An Observational Analysis on Smoking in Canada 1994 71 Effects of Financial Obligations on Generalized Anxiety Symptoms in Female Adults during COVID-19 80 Investigating the Association Between the Psychological Well-Being and Active Commuting by Walking in Canadian Individuals Aged 15-29 Years Old 90 Mental Health Perceptions Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic Amongst Canadians of Indigenous Identity or Minority Status Aged 30-49: An Observational Study 102 Investigating Differences in Prevalence of Physical and Intellectual Impairments Across Canadian Provinces: Pediatric Cohort 113 Immigrant Canadians experienced different psychosocial outcomes than non-immigrants in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic 124 Analyzing Differences in Contraception Method Awareness and Pregnancy Prevalence in Women with Different Education Levels Living across various Canadian Provinces 136 The Impact of Financial Stress on Anxiety Levels in the COVID-19 Pandemic 146 Association between Alcohol Consumption in Males aged 15-30 years & Self-Reported Mental Health 156 The Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health According to Age and Urbanization 166 The Impact of Education Level on the Rate of Cocaine Consumption in Canadian Men and Women Age 20 - 30 is Inconclusive: An Observational and Cross-sectional Study 175 The ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C in Males Compared to Females who Have Had a Previous Heart Attack and Among Different Weight Categories 184 Correlation Between Low-Fat Diet, Weight and BMI in males and females aged 18-34; BMI associated with Low Fat Diet 195 Cross-sectional Study: Single Parent Households do not have Significant Effects on Exercise and Diet in School-aged Boys 206 Single Status as a Protective Factor Against Illicit Drug Use in BC: An Observational Cross- Sectional Study 216 COVID-19’s Impact on Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study 224 Checking the Validity of COVID-19 Information is Associated with Increased Anxiety Levels in Canadians Aged 15 years and Older: An Observational Study 235 Cross-sectional study: Consumption above the Modified Canadian Guideline for Low-Risk Drinking Associated with Self-Reported Incidence of Back Pain Oral Contraceptive Use Improves Relationship Satisfaction with Living Partner and Children in Women Aged 16-50 with Suicidal Thoughts Authors: Khadija Brouillette, Cassandra Dumouchel, Olivia Kalau, Kathryn McQuillan INTRODUCTION Oral contraceptive (OC) medication, colloquially referred to as “the pill”, are a class of contraceptives that contain synthetic ovarian hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, which inhibit ovulation and pregnancy. OCs are classified as hormonal contraceptives (HC). Other HCs include Intrauterine Devices (IUD), injections, vaginal rings, or skin patches (Edwards and Quinter 2011). Researchers have identified potential positive and negative non-contraceptive effects of HCs including improved quality of life (QOL) and increased risk of suicidal ideation (Arowojolu et al. 2012; Edwards and Quinter 2011; Egarter et al. 1999). Positive Effects of Oral Contraceptives There is evidence to suggest that OC use is associated with improved QOL (Egarter et al. 1999). Women using OCs report higher levels of relationship satisfaction and general life satisfaction compared to those who are not using OCs (Taggart et al. 2018). Roberts et al. (2011) reports an association between women meeting their partner while taking OCs and certain relationship outcomes, such as reproductive behaviour and quality of family life. The reported improved QOL may be due to a reduction in fear of unwanted pregnancy, which in turn reduces stress and improves sexual experiences (Egarter et al. 1999). However, OCs have also been shown to have biological effects on socio-emotional behaviors. High levels of estrogen are protective against the effects of stress and fear while progesterone plays a role in emotional regulation (Montoya and Bos 2017). These findings may suggest OCs provide benefits beyond preventing undesired pregnancies. Studies have shown that the ovarian hormones in OCs influence emotional recognition and empathy, both of which are essential to be a caregiver and to navigate social relationships. This may explain the increase in relationship satisfaction in women who are taking OCs (Montoya and Bos 2017). Negative Effects of Oral Contraceptives Generally, negative side effects of taking OCs include physical and mental symptoms (Pietrangelo 2014). There is conflicting literature investigating the association between the use of OCs and suicidal ideations and/or attempts. In a placebo-controlled study, the general well-being, self-control, and vitality of participants taking OCs were significantly lower than the placebo (Zethraeus et al. 2017). Edwards et al. (2020) found that OCs did not significantly influence symptoms of depression, however women susceptible to depression/anxiety were more likely to stop using OCs. Further results showed that HCs containing only progestin, a synthetic progesterone, were positively associated with suicidal behavior, particularly after one month’s use (Edwards and Quinter 2011). Anderl et al. (2019) suggested that long term OC use in adolescents is associated with a risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). Similarly, results showed that women who had used OCs in adolescence were at a greater risk for depression in adulthood (Anderl, Li, and Chen 2020). Additionally, the use of HCs is positively associated with the likelihood of suicide attempts (Edwards and Quinter 2011). This association is STATure, Vol.1 April 2021 Page 1 particular to adolescent women not previously diagnosed with depression, women who have not taken antidepressants, nor taken hormonal contraceptives before the age of 15 (Skovlund et al. 2018). Social Support and QOL The literature suggests that in addition to OCs, professional and social support can influence QOL and relationship satisfaction (Koivumaa‐Honkanen et al. 1996; Wan, Jaccard, and Ramey 1996). A study on the relationship between social support and life satisfaction determined that married women benefit most from non-familial support, including psychologist or social worker help (Wan et al. 1996). In an analysis of perceived social support, anxiety, depression and QOL, research report that QOL can be improved by