BACKGROUND Screening is the main preventive method for cervical cancer in developing countries, but each type of screening has advantages and disadvantages. To investigate the most suitable method for low-income areas in China, we conducted a health economic analysis comparing three methods: visual inspection with acetic acid and Lugol's iodine (VIA/VILI), ThinPrep cytology test (TCT), and huma...

INTRODUCTION Survivors who lost their homes in the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami were forced to live in difficult conditions in temporary housing several months after the disaster. Body weights of survivors living in temporary housing for a long period might increase due to changes in their life style and psychosocial state during the medium-term and long-term recovery phases. The aim...

Environmental disasters cause deaths, injuries, and destruction of familiar surroundings. Social networks and routines that structure daily life are often left in disarray. To surmount subsequent crises, survwors must master painful feelings, solve problems, and accomplish important tasks, even while they are confused, bereaved, and displaced. Otherwise, coping failure leads to a vicious spzral...

Two earthquakes struck the NW region of Albanian territory on 21 September 2019 (Mw = 5.6) and 26 November 6.4). The epicenters seismic activity were located offshore Durrës, one Albania’s most populated cities, 30 km from capital Tirana. Various aftershocks followed subsequently. While there no reported injuries, a number buildings sustained significant damage near epicenter following initial ...

Breast cancer exposes hidden psychological fears and raises fundamental questions about mortality, selfimage, and sexuality. It conjures fear of pain, disfigurement, and metastases to bone, liver, and brain. All of us have known young women stricken suddenly with aggressive breast cancer that leads to rapid deterioration, immobility, and death. More common is indolent breast cancer, perhaps con...

Healthcare infrastructure and medical schools in Syria have been greatly compromised by military conflict and humanitarian disaster. Medical students and healthcare professionals reached out for remote learning opportunities. Surprisingly, they desired a curriculum in evidence-based medicine. We report on a curriculum that was delivered to 126 learners using an online remote delivery platform. ...

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was observed in children in Bakool region, Somalia, an area where VL has not been reported before. We describe the extent of the problem in this war- and famine-stricken area. A retrospective analysis was done of all cases admitted to a VL treatment centre between July 2000 and August 2001. Patients with longstanding fever, splenomegaly and a positive direct agglutin...