Stigma towards mental illness and substance use issues in primary health care: Challenges and opportunities for Latin America

Stigma towards mental illness and addictive disorders is a global problem and one of the main obstacles in tackling this issue remains the effective integration of mental health services into primary health care (PHC). In Latin America, information has significantly increased on the existence of stigma; however, little is known about effective interventions to prevent stigma and promote recovery-oriented practices in PHC. The aim of this study is to understand the existing evidence regarding mental health stigma in PHC with a special focus on the Latin American region. A scoping review of the literature related to mental health stigma in PHC was conducted. Two hundred and seventeen articles were evaluated; 74 met inclusion criteria and 14 additional articles were selected from references of search results. Results were subdivided into five different perspectives: users, family members and significant others, health professionals, contextual factors, and potential effective interventions. Only nine studies were based in Latin America, and only one described an intervention to reduce stigma in mental health services, not specifically in PHC. We found an urgent need to develop interventions to understand and reduce stigma in PHC settings, especially in Latin America.     

Imaging of pediatric adrenal tumors: A COG Diagnostic Imaging Committee/SPR Oncology Committee White Paper

Adrenal tumors other than neuroblastoma are uncommon in children. The most frequently encountered are adrenocortical carcinoma and pheochromocytoma. This paper offers consensus recommendations for imaging of pediatric patients with a known or suspected primary adrenal malignancy other than neuroblastoma at diagnosis and during follow-up.     

General Beliefs and Stigma Regarding Illicit Drug Use: Perspectives of Family Members and Significant Others of Drug Users in an Inner City in Brazil

People who use drugs are continuously subjected to harsh stigmatization through a process of relational and social degradation, which limits their possibility for recovery. This quantitative study explores the perspectives of family members or significant others of illicit drug users, regarding general beliefs about illicit drug use and their stigma. Respondents agree that most people do not trust people who use drugs, disregard individuals who have been hospitalized due to drug problems and do not think people who use drugs are as intelligent as the general population. These findings reveal a high level of public stigma regarding illicit drug use.     

Right hemicolectomy anastomotic leak study: a review of right hemicolectomy in the binational clinical outcomes registry (BCOR)

Backgrounds

Surgery remains mainstay management for colon cancer. Post-operative anastomotic leak (AL) carries significant morbidity and mortality. Rates of, and risk factors associated with AL following right hemicolectomy remain poorly documented across Australia and New Zealand. This study examines the Bowel Cancer Outcomes Registry (BCOR) to address this.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of consecutive BCOR-registered right hemicolectomy patients undergoing resection for colon cancer (2007–2021). The primary outcome measure was AL incidence. Clinicopathological data were extracted from the BCOR. Factors associated with AL and primary anastomosis were identified using logistic regression. AL-rate trends were assessed by linear regression.

Results

Of 13 512 patients who had a right hemicolectomy (45.2% male, mean age 72.5 years, SD 12.1), 258 (2.0%) had an AL. On multivariate analysis, male sex (OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.03–1.71) and emergency surgery (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.04–1.92) were associated with AL. Private health insurance status (OR 0.66; 95% CI 0.50–0.88) and minimally-invasive surgery (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.47–0.79) were protective for AL. Anastomotic technique (handsewn versus stapled) was not associated with AL (P = 0.84). Patients with higher ASA status (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.39–0.58), advanced tumour stage (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.50–0.63), and emergency surgery (OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.13–0.20) were less likely to have a primary anastomosis. AL-rate and year of surgery showed no association (P = 0.521).

Conclusion

The AL rate in Australia and New Zealand following right hemicolectomy is consistent with the published literature and was stable throughout the study period. Sex, emergency surgery, insurance status, and minimally invasive surgery are associated with AL incidence.     

Diabetes knowledge,attitude, and practice among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Kuala Muda District,Malaysia – A cross-sectional study

Diabetes is among leading public health concerns in Malaysia due to premature and preventable mortality involving macro and microvascular complications. Diabetes knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) are vital in diabetes management. The present study assessed the level of diabetes KAP among type 2 diabetes patients with associated and correlated factors through a self-administered questionnaire-based study on a convenience sample of 386 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Kuala Muda District, Kedah, Malaysia. Majority of the respondents possessed levels above the cut-off points for poor levels in knowledge (63.21%), attitude (62.69%), and practices (58.03%). Age, academic qualification, occupation, monthly income, current therapy type, comorbid diseases, and therapy preference were associated with KAP whereas the associations of disease duration, the best source of information about diabetes, and health status satisfaction were witnessed for attitude and practice. Academic qualification had strongest correlation for knowledge (r?=?0.785), attitude (r?=?0.725), and practice (r?=?0.709). Knowledge level was significantly correlated with attitude level (r?=?0.735), practice level (r?=?0.786), income (r?=?0.556), occupation (r?=?0.358), age (r?=?0.173), current therapy type (r?=?0.133), and diabetes education exposure (r?=?0.113). Attitude level had significant correlations with practice level (r?=?0.679), income (r?=?0.357), occupation (r?=?0.348), health status satisfaction (r?=?0.147), age (r?=?0.145), and gender (r?=?0.109). Practice level correlated significantly with income (r?=?0.448), occupation (r?=?0.317), age (r?=?0.173), health status satisfaction (r?=?0.167), and current therapy type (r?=?0.118). All associations and correlations were significant at P?<?0.005. Although overall having good levels of diabetes KAP, educational interventions are required to further improve diabetes KAP.     

Unilateral Labial Edema in a Female Adolescent: A Gynecologic Presentation of Rhabdomyolysis

Background

Rhabdomyolysis can be the result of vigorous physical activity. Typical signs and symptoms at presentation are muscle pain, weakness, or dark colored urine. There is no scientific literature associating rhabdomyolysis with gynecologic signs and symptoms.