Broken yet Brave: Arabic Women's Experience of a Breast Cancer Diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Arabic women and is often diagnosed in advanced stages, resulting in an increased likelihood of requiring a mastectomy. Despite this, there is a lack of contemporary literature exploring Arabic women's experiences of breast cancer and its sequelae. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between 2019 and 2022 of Arabic women diagnosed with breast cancer. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clark. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified: (a) Broken yet brave describes participants' experiences when diagnosed and (b) Making decisions about treatment and experiences of support detailing their lack of decision-making autonomy and perceptions of support. DISCUSSION: Arabic women believe in the concept of fate and faith, and their cultural conditioning is to prioritize family over themselves, often with limited support. They lack autonomy in decision-making due to the patriarchal society they live in.

An Examination of COVID-19 Medications' Effectiveness in Managing and Treating COVID-19 Patients: A Comparative Review.

Background: The review seeks to shed light on the administered and recommended COVID-19 treatment medications through an evaluation of their efficacy. Methods: Data were collected from key databases, including Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. Other platforms included WHO and FDA publications. The review's literature search was guided by the WHO solidarity clinical trials for COVID-19 scope and trial-assessment parameters. Results: The findings indicate that the use of antiretroviral drugs as an early treatment for COVID-19 patients has been useful. It has reduced hospital time, hastened the clinical cure period, delayed and reduced the need for mechanical and invasive ventilation, and reduced mortality rates. The use of vitamins, minerals, and supplements has been linked to increased immunity and thus offering the body a fighting chance. Nevertheless, antibiotics do not correlate with improving patients' wellbeing and are highly discouraged from the developed clinical trials. Conclusions: The review demonstrates the need for additional clinical trials with a randomized, extensive sample base and over a more extended period to examine the potential side effects of the medications administered. Critically, the findings underscore the need for vaccination as the only viable medication to limit the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread.