Publications

PurposeWilms tumor is the commonest renal malignancy in childhood. Survival in high-income countries is approximately 90%, whereas in low-income countries, it is less than 50%. This study assessed treatment outcomes of patients with Wilms tumor at a Kenyan academic hospital.Patients and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective medical record review of all children diagnosed with Wilms tumor between 2010 and 2012. Data on treatment outcomes and various sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected.ResultsOf the 39 patients with Wilms tumor, 41% had event-free survival, 31% abandoned treatment, 23% died, and 5% had progressive or relapsed disease. Most patients presented at an advanced stage: stage I (0%), II (7%), III (43%), IV (40%), or V (10%). The most likely treatment outcome in patients with low-stage (I to III) disease was event-free survival (67%), whereas in those with high-stage (IV to V) disease, it was death (40%). No deaths or instances of progressive or relapsed disease were recorded among patients with low-stage disease; their only reason for treatment failure was abandonment of treatment. Stage of disease significantly affected treatment outcomes (P = .014) and event-free survival estimates (P < .001). Age at diagnosis, sex, duration of symptoms, distance to hospital, and health insurance status did not statistically significantly influence treatment outcomes or event-free survival estimates.ConclusionSurvival of patients with Wilms tumor in Kenya is lower compared with that in high-income countries. Treatment abandonment is the most common cause of treatment failure. Stage of disease at diagnosis statistically significantly affects treatment outcomes and survival.

Street-connected children and youth (SCCY) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have multiple vulnerabilities in relation to participation in research. These require additional considerations that are responsive to their needs and the social, cultural, and economic context, while upholding core ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. The objective of this paper is to describe processes and outcomes of adapting ethical guidelines for SCCY's specific vulnerabilities in LMIC.

Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014.Background. The relative importance of traumatic events (TEs) in accounting for the social burden of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could vary according to cross-cultural factors. In that sense, no such studies have yet been conducted in the Spanish general population. The present study aims to determine the epidemiology of trauma and PTSD in a Spanish community sample using the randomly selected TEs method. Methods. The European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD)-Spain is a cross-sectional household survey of a representative sample of adult population. Lifetime prevalence of self-reported TEs and lifetime and 12-month prevalence of PTSD were evaluated using the World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Reports of PTSD associated with randomly selected TEs were weighted by the individual-level probabilities of TE selection to generate estimates of population-level PTSD risk associated with each TE. Results. Road accident was the most commonly self-reported TE (14.1{%}). Sexual assault had the highest conditional risk of PTSD (16.5{%}). The TEs that contributed most to societal PTSD burden were unexpected death of a loved one (36.4{%} of all cases) and sexual assault (17.2{%}). Being female and having a low educational level were associated with low risk of overall TE exposure and being previously married was related to higher risk. Being female was related to high risk of PTSD after experiencing a TE. Conclusions. Having an accident is commonly reported among Spanish adults, but two TE are responsible for the highest burden associated with PTSD: the unexpected death of someone close and sexual assault. These results can help designing public health interventions to reduce the societal PTSD burden.

© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.Background: The high burden of witnessing traumatic events has been demonstrated in previous research in South Africa. However, previous work has focused on PTSD rather than a broader range of psychopathological outcomes. This study examined the association between witnessing trauma and multiple outcomes including mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Methods: Regression models measured the odds of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders among those who reported witnessing in the South African Stress and Health Study. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to examine whether witnessing was associated with earlier onset of mental disorders. Results: Witnessing trauma was more commonly reported among males and those with low-average education. Posttraumatic stress disorder, mood, and anxiety disorders varied significantly with witnessing status, and witnessing was associated with exposure to a higher number of traumatic events compared to other types of traumatic events. Respondents reporting witnessing trauma had elevated odds of mood and anxiety disorders, but not substance use disorders. Conclusion: Witnessing trauma is common in the South African population and results in increased risk of mood and anxiety disorders. Interventions aimed at reducing the burden of trauma and its outcomes must now increase their focus on bystanders and other observers, rather than just focusing on those directly affected.