Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders and Their Associated Risk Factors Among People Living with HIV in Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study.

While life expectancy of people living with HIV is increasing, their burden of non-communicable diseases, including mental health disorders, is growing as well. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence and identify the risk factors associated with mental health disorders among this population in Rwanda. This cross-sectional study enrolled people living with HIV from 12 HIV clinics across Rwanda using random sampling. Trained HIV nurses conducted the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to estimate the prevalence of major depressive episode, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Sociodemographic, psychosocial, and HIV-related data were also collected. Associated risk factors for being diagnosed with one of the mental health disorders were assessed using modified Poisson regression with robust error variance. Of 428 participants, 70 (16.4%) had at least one mental health disorder with major depressive episode being most prevalent (n = 60, 14.0%). Almost all participants were adherent to antiretroviral therapy (n = 424, 99.1%) and virally suppressed (n = 412, 96.9%). Of those diagnosed with a mental health disorder, only few were aware of (n = 4, 5.7%) or under treatment for this mental health disorder (n = 5, 7.2%). Mental health disorders were associated with experiences of HIV-related stigma and discrimination (aRR = 2.14, 95%CI 1.30-3.53, p = 0.003). The results demonstrate underdiagnosis and undertreatment of mental health disorders among Rwandan People Living with HIV. Using HIV nurses to diagnose mental health disorders could serve as a low-cost strategy for integrating mental health care with existing HIV services and could inspire the implementation in other low-resource settings.

Sertraline versus venlafaxine combined with psychotherapy in trauma-affected refugees - a follow-up study on a pragmatic randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Research on long-term pharmacotherapy for trauma-affected refugees is scarce. The purpose of this follow-up study of a randomised trial was to investigate the effects of sertraline compared to venlafaxine in combination with psychotherapy, 6 and 18 months after end of trial. METHOD: The primary outcome was PTSD symptoms, measured by the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ). The secondary outcomes included: Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25), somatisation items of the Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL), pain on a visual analogue scale, well-being on the WHO-5, Sheehan Disability Scale, Hamilton Depression and Anxiety scales and Global Assessment of Functioning. Moreover, the shorter version of the Recent Life Events (IRLE) was adopted to obtain information regarding the patients' treatment and life events between the follow-up periods. RESULTS: Out of 195 patients eligible for intention-to-treat analyses during trial, 116 participated in the 6-month follow-up and 97 participated in the 18-month follow-up. The results of our intention-to-treat analyses revealed no significant long-term differences between the groups on the primary outcome assessing PTSD symptoms (HTQ). For the secondary outcomes significant differences were found at the 18-month follow-up in favour of venlafaxine assessing symptoms of anxiety, depression and somatisation (HSCL-25 and SCL), although only in intention-to-treat and not per-protocol analyses. CONCLUSIONS: No conclusions could be drawn due to conflicting results between our intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.

Exploring expectations of neurofeedback treatment among trauma-affected refugees.

BACKGROUND: The use of Neurofeedback (NF) to assist individuals in learning to regulate their brain wave activity has shown promising results in reducing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD). However, few studies have focused on the patients' understandings of NF and even fewer explore the perspective of refugees. PURPOSE: To evaluate NF treatment for trauma-affected refugees by focusing on their expectations and understanding of NF. METHODS: This qualitative study was a part of a mixed method study carried out at an outpatient mental health centre in Denmark, offering 34 trauma-affected refugees 12 sessions of NF. In this qualitative study, a subsample of seven participants was interviewed. Using in-depth semi-structured interviews, the participants' thoughts and expectations prior to participating in NF treatment were examined. The analysis was carried out in four steps, using a hermeneutic and phenomenological approach. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in two themes: (1) Rationale and working mechanisms of NF and (2) Motivators for participating in the study. CONCLUSION: The findings show that NF treatment for trauma affected refugees was challenged by difficulties in communicating the message about the NF equipment capabilities as well as the expected treatment outcome. These challenges included e.g. health professionals' ability to explain and the participants' cultural frame of reference. This is consistent with previous research, showing that compared to the native population, the dissemination of health information to refugees is more difficult and comprehensive. Further studies on how to ensure mutual understanding of the content of NF and expected treatment outcome are needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05055037. Retrospectively registered on the 06/07-2021.

Plasma Levels of Pentraxin 3: A Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Urinary Bladder Cancer Patients.

Urinary bladder cancer (BC) represents a major health issue, and identifying novel biomarkers for early disease detection and outcome prediction is paramount. It has already been established that the immune system plays a role in tumour initiation and progression in which the inflammatory marker pentraxin 3 (PTX3) might be involved, presenting a variety of functions in different cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether plasma levels of PTX3 could be used as a biomarker for patients with BC. Plasma levels of PTX3 were determined in 118 BC patients and 50 controls by ELISA. Patients with BC had significantly higher PTX3 levels compared to controls. The value as a diagnostic biomarker is probably limited, however, since no significant difference in PTX3 levels was seen between patients with non-muscle-invasive BC and controls; they were seen only between patients with muscle-invasive disease and controls. However, the potential value of PTX3 as a prognostic biomarker was indicated by significantly higher PTX3 levels in patients who developed metastatic disease during follow-up compared to patients who did not develop metastatic disease. The conclusions from this study are that plasma levels of PTX3 have limited value as a diagnostic biomarker, although they have potential as a prognostic biomarker for patients with BC.

Headache comorbidity in refugees and migrants with post-traumatic stress disorder.

BACKGROUND: Headache is often comorbid with post-traumatic stress disorder yet overlooked in health assessments of refugees. OBJECTIVES: To describe prevalence of severe headache among refugees with post-traumatic stress disorder and compare severity of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and treatment outcomes among those with and without severe headache. METHODS: This follow-up study used data from the Danish Database on Refugees with Trauma. Participants were recruited from 2009 to 2015 at a specialized psychiatric clinic. Prevalence of severe headache was computed by age, sex, and history of head injury or torture. Severe headache was defined as maximum headache scores on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, Symptom Checklist-90 or the Visual Analogue Scale. Groups with and without severe headache were described according to validated questionnaires before and after 12-18 months of multidisciplinary treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Regression analyses were used to analyze associations between headache at start of treatment and symptom burden post-treatment, controlled for pre-treatment scores and possible confounders. RESULTS: Among 403 female and 489 male participants, nearly all (97.5%) complained of headaches. Severe headache prevalence was 31.4% to 50.0% (depending on which questionnaire was used) and was significantly more common among females and those aged 30-49 years. There was no clear relationship between headache and head injury or torture. Participants with severe headache had heavier symptom burdens compared to those without severe headache. Post-treatment, headache prevalence by age and sex did not change significantly. Those without severe headache showed a tendency toward improvement in outcome measures; this was not seen among those with severe headache. Pre-treatment headache scores were correlated with all outcome measures. Regression analyses controlled for pre-treatment scores of the outcome variables showed associations between pre-treatment headache scores (Hopkins Symptom Checklist or Symptom Checklist-90) and post-treatment scores for intrusion, numbing, hyperarousal, anxiety, disability, and quality of life (all p < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Headache is a prevalent comorbid condition among refugees with post-traumatic stress disorder. Measures of pre-treatment headache severity appear to predict post-traumatic stress disorder treatment outcomes. Severe headache adversely affects post-traumatic stress disorder prognosis. Assessment and treatment options should be studied further.

The structure of ICD-11 post traumatic stress disorder in a clinical sample of refugees based on the International Trauma Interview.

BACKGROUND: The ICD-11 proposes fundamental changes to the PTSD diagnostic criteria, prompting thorough validation. While this is ideally carried out based on diagnostic interviews, most-and in the case of transcultural psychiatry all-studies have relied on self-reported measures. In this study, we used the International Trauma Interview (ITI) to assess the factor structure of ICD-11 PTSD symptoms in a sample of trauma-affected refugees. METHOD: The ITI was administered with a sample of refugees (n = 198), originating mainly from the Greater Middle East. The symptom ratings were subjected to a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), comparing the ICD-11 concordant three-factor model with alternative two- and one-factor models. RESULTS: The overall fit was adequate for both the two- and three-factor models, but favored the two-factor model. Results for both models indicated local misspecifications and that item 5, hypervigilance, displayed a suboptimal loading. CONCLUSION: The results generally support the use of the ITI in a severely trauma-affected refugee population, albeit with particular attention needed in the administration of item 5. The superior fit of a two-factor model warrants further testing across populations.

Penile cancer: long-term infectious and thromboembolic complications following lymph node dissection - a population-based study (Sweden).

PURPOSE: To assess the long-term risks of infectious and thromboembolic events following inguinal (ILND) and pelvic (PLND) lymph node dissection in men with penile cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 364 men subjected to ILND with or without PLND for penile cancer between 2000 and 2012 were identified in the Swedish National Penile Cancer Register. Each patient was matched based on age and county of residence with six penile cancer-free men. The Swedish Cancer Register and other population-based registers were used to retrieve information on treatment and hospitalisation for selected infectious and thromboembolic events. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models with multiple imputation. RESULTS: The risk of infectious events remained increased for more than five years postoperatively in men with penile cancer compared with matched controls. The palpable nodal disease was the only predictor of these events, with risk increasing with the cN stage. The HR at one, three and five years and six months postoperatively was 8.60 (95% CI 5.16-14.34), 4.02 (95% CI 2.65-6.09) and 1.93 (95% CI 1.11-3.38), respectively. An increased risk of thromboembolic events persisted for three years postoperatively. The HR at one and three years postoperatively was 13.51 (95% CI 6.53-27.93) and 2.12 (95% CI 1.07-4.20). The results correspond well with the over-prescription of anticoagulants observed during this period. An association with bulky disease (cN3) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node dissection for penile cancer is associated with an increased risk of infectious and thromboembolic events. The findings of this population-based study show that the risks of these events remain increased more than five years for infectious and three years for thromboembolic events. Improved awareness of long-term complications following ILND is of importance both among patients and care givers to ensure early detection and treatment.

Elevated lipid class concentrations in females with anorexia nervosa before and after intensive weight restoration treatment-A lipidomics study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the plasma lipidome of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) before and after weight restoration treatment and report associations with AN subtypes and oral contraceptive pill (OCP) usage. METHODS: Quantitative shotgun lipidomics analysis was used to study plasma lipids of 50 female patients with AN before and after weight restoration treatment and 50 healthy female controls (HC). The AN group was assessed with blood samples and questionnaires before and after weight restoration. RESULTS: In total we quantified 260 lipid species representing 26 lipid classes of which 13 lipid class concentrations were elevated in patients with AN at admission compared with HC. Lipid classes remained elevated after weight restoration treatment of 84 days (median; interquartile range 28), and only the concentration of the ceramide lipid class increased between pre- and post-treatment (p = .03), whereas lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC, p = .02), ether-linked Phosphatidylcholine (LPCO, p = .02), and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE, p = .009) decreased. CONCLUSION: In AN, 13 out of 26 lipid class concentrations were elevated at admission and remained elevated post-treatment. Ceramides increased further between pre- and post-weight restoration treatment, which could be related to the rapid weight gain during re-nutrition. Further research is needed to elucidate the effects of weight restoration treatment on short- and long-term lipid profiles in individuals with AN. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Lipidomics research can increase the understanding of AN, a complex and potentially life-threatening eating disorder. By analyzing lipids, or fats, in the body, we can identify biological markers that may inform diagnosis and develop more effective treatments. This research can also shed light on the underlying mechanisms of the disorder, leading to a better understanding of the processes involved in eating behavior.

The Impact of Religion and Spirituality on Suicide Risk in Veterans and Refugees With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

ABSTRACT: It has been suggested that religion and spirituality have a protective impact on suicide risk in populations living with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This review sought to examine the association between suicide risk among veterans and refugees with PTSD and religion or spirituality as a modifying factor. Two databases, PubMed and Embase, were searched and 10 publications were identified and included. Seven publications found that religion or spirituality was associated with lower suicide risk. The findings in this study suggest that religion and spirituality contain social as well as psychological domains, which should be considered in future interventions and in strategies of prevention of suicide in populations with PTSD. Further high-quality research with well-defined terms of religion and spirituality that investigates the connection to suicide risk of veterans and refugees with PTSD is recommended.

Chronicity of posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid pain as predictors of treatment response for trauma-affected refugees.

Predictors of treatment outcomes have received limited attention in the field of trauma-affected refugees. Symptom chronicity is potentially a particularly relevant predictor, as it would instruct earlier interventions for a population less familiar with psychiatric treatment options, and its identification may also reduce or delay the onset of comorbidities, such as chronic pain. Accordingly, this study examined the impacts of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) chronicity and baseline comorbid pain on treatment response in trauma-affected refugees. Multiple regression was used to analyze data from a randomized controlled trial of 318 trauma-affected refugees with PTSD that was conducted at a specialized psychiatric clinic in Denmark. Treatment response was measured by changes in symptoms of PTSD (Harvard Trauma Questionnaire) and depression (Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25). Duration of functional impairment was found to be a significant predictor of PTSD outcomes, p = .003, ΔR2  = .02, f2  = .03; it was not predictive of outcomes for depression. Baseline pain severity was a significant predictor of outcomes for both PTSD, p = .009, ΔR2  = .02, f2  = .02, and depression, p = .041, ΔR2  = .01, f2 = .01. These findings suggest that trauma-affected refugees with long-lasting functional impairment and a high pain score are likely to show less improvement from treatments for PTSD and depression. This points to a need for early intervention to prevent chronic functional impairment and suggests comorbid pain is an important therapeutic target.

Treatment adherence to psychotropic drugs among non-Western migrants: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Low medication adherence is a significant challenge in all medical fields and particularly in mental health treatment, where a lack of insight into one's own disease can repress the ability to adhere. In recent years, the increase in migration combined with a high prevalence of mental illnesses among migrants and the possible consequences of nonadherence, point towards the need for a focus on adherence with psychotropic drugs among migrants. AIM: To review current literature, exploring the potential impact of being a migrant from a non-Western country living in a Western country on the level of adherence to psychotropic medication and subsequently to discuss these findings. METHODS: A systematic review of studies investigating adherence among non-western migrants was conducted. The literature search was conducted using PubMed and Embase databases in October 2020. RESULTS: Seven observational studies were included, all ranging from moderate to high-quality. Six out of seven studies found an association between being a non-Western migrant in a Western country and low adherence to psychotropic drugs. CONCLUSION: Studies indicate an association between being a non-Western migrant in a Western country and low adherence to psychotropic drugs. None of the included studies investigated possible causes of the low adherence in migrants. Communication difficulties are, however, considered possible barriers to healthcare access and a contributing factor to nonadherence. There is a need for studies assessing the possible impact of interventions aiming at increasing adherence such as intercultural mediators and training of healthcare providers in cultural competencies.

Liquid biopsy as an option for predictive testing and prognosis in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical value of liquid biopsy as a primary source for variant analysis in lung cancer. In addition, we sought to characterize liquid biopsy variants and to correlate mutational load to clinical data. METHODS: Circulating cell-free DNA was extracted from plasma from patients with lung cancer (n = 60) and controls with benign lung disease (n = 16). Variant analysis was performed using the AVENIO ctDNA Surveillance kit and the results were correlated to clinical and variant analysis data from tumor tissue or cytology retrieved from clinical routine diagnostics. RESULTS: There were significantly more variants detected in lung cancer cases compared to controls (p = 0.011), but no difference between the histological subgroups of lung cancer was found (p = 0.465). Furthermore, significantly more variants were detected in patients with stage IIIb-IV disease compared to patients with stage I-IIIa (median 7 vs 4, p = 0.017). Plasma cfDNA mutational load was significantly associated with overall survival (p = 0.010). The association persisted when adjusted for stage and ECOG performance status (HR: 3.64, 95% CI 1.37-9.67, p = 0.009). Agreement between tumor and plasma samples significantly differed with stage; patients with stage IIIb-IV disease showed agreement in 88.2% of the cases with clinically relevant variants, compared to zero cases in stage I-IIIa (p = 0.004). Furthermore, one variant in EGFR, two in KRAS, and one in BRAF were detected in plasma but not in tumor samples. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that in the vast majority of advanced NSCLC patients a reliable variant analysis can be performed using liquid biopsy from plasma. Furthermore, we found that the number of variants in plasma is associated with prognosis, possibly indicating a strategy for closer follow up on this crucial patient group.

Imagery rehearsal therapy and/or mianserin in treatment of refugees diagnosed with PTSD: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

Sleep disturbances are frequently part of the symptomatology in refugees with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has been suggested that targeting sleep disturbances may enhance the outcome of PTSD treatment. However, randomized studies on the effect of treatment focusing on sleep disturbances in refugees with PTSD are lacking. The aim of this study was to examine add-on treatment with imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) and/or mianserin against treatment as usual (TAU) alone in a sample of trauma-affected refugees with PTSD at 8-12 months follow-up. In a randomized controlled trial, 219 adult refugees diagnosed with PTSD and suffering from sleep disturbances were randomized to four groups (1:1:1:1) receiving, respectively, TAU, TAU + mianserin, TAU + IRT, and TAU + IRT + mianserin. The primary outcome was subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and the secondary outcomes included PTSD and depression symptoms, level of functioning and subjective well-being. The data were analysed using mixed models. The only significant effect of IRT was on level of functioning (p = .040, ES 0.44), whereas there was no significant effect of mianserin on any of the measured outcomes. Low adherence to both IRT (39%) and mianserin (20%) was observed. Contrary to our hypothesis, we did not find IRT or mianserin to be superior to TAU. The low adherence may potentially cause an underestimation of the effect of IRT and mianserin and indicates a necessity to further analyse the complex factors that may impact the motivation and ability of trauma-affected refugees to participate in and profit from available treatment options.

Risk of second HPV-associated cancers in men with penile cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the risk of HPV-associated oral cavity, oropharyngeal or anal cancer in men with penile cancer to test the hypothesis of an increased risk to develop a second HPV-associated cancer later in life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a population-based register study including all men in Sweden diagnosed with penile cancer between 2000 and 2012. For each patient, six men without penile cancer were matched based on age and county of residence. Data were retrieved from Swedish cancer and population registers, to assess the risk of oral cavity, oropharyngeal or anal cancer in patients with penile cancer. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Risks in men with penile cancer were also compared with the background Swedish male population by use of standardized incidence ratios. RESULTS: In total, 1634 men with and 9804 without penile cancer were included in the study. Among men with penile cancer, four men were subsequently diagnosed with oral cavity cancer, one with oropharyngeal cancer and one with anal cancer. Corresponding numbers among the penile cancer-free men were ten, two and three, respectively. There was evidence of an increased risks of all three cancers under study with an HR of 2.84 (95% CI 0.89-9.06) for oral cavity cancer, 3.66 (95% CI 0.33-40.39) for oropharyngeal cancer and 2.34 (95% CI 0.24-22.47) for anal cancer. When comparing the incidence of these malignancies between penile cancer patients and the background population, the patterns of association were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that men with penile cancer are at an increased risk of a second HPV-associated cancer of the oral cavity, oropharynx and anal canal. Considering that our study was based on small numbers reflecting the rarity of these cancers, larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Social zeitgebers and circadian dysrhythmia are associated with severity of symptoms of PTSD and depression in trauma-affected refugees.

The relation of aspects of rest-activity patterns, i.e., social zeitgebers, physical activity and circadian rhythm, to the severity of PTSD and depressive symptoms has not previously been studied. Doing so could provide valuable insight into possible targets for treatment. Our study explored these links in a population of 219 trauma-affected refugees diagnosed with PTSD who were seeking treatment. Data regarding social zeitgebers, such as affiliation with the labor market and contact with social network, and symptoms of PTSD and depression were collected from them. Furthermore, their levels of physical activity and circadian rest-activity parameters were calculated from actigraphy data. Bivariate correlation analyses and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to examine various aspects of rest-activity regarding relation to severity of PTSD and depressive symptoms. Several social zeitgebers were associated with severity of PTSD and depressive symptoms. The level of physical activity was unrelated to symptom severity, whereas a rest-activity pattern, with early onset of the most active 10 h, was associated with severity of PTSD, and a circadian rhythm with a large difference between periods of rest and activity was associated with severity of depression. Social zeitgebers, levels of physical activity and circadian rhythm parameters were all associated with each other. Social zeitgebers and circadian rhythm parameters were significantly related to the severity of PTSD and depressive symptoms-a relationship indicating that interventions targeting regularity of daily routines have a potential role in treating PTSD and depression in trauma-affected refugees.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02761161, April 27, 2016.

The Accuracy of Traumatic Memories in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Review.

ABSTRACT: This review sought to investigate the accuracy of traumatic memories in persons with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase were searched for articles, and 11 studies were included. Three different methods of studying memory accuracy were identified in the included articles: coherence, change in recollection of trauma over time, and remembering details of trauma. Three studies found a deficiency in the accuracy of traumatic memory. Despite some inconsistencies, most of the studies concluded that the memory of trauma is as accurate in people with as in those without PTSD. The only recurring difference identified across studies was in recollection of trauma over time. The findings are of importance both clinically and for the legal system.

Negotiating Engagement, Worthiness of Care and Cultural Identities Through Intersubjective Recognition: Migrant Patient Perspectives on the Cultural Formulation Interview in Danish Mental Healthcare.

This qualitative study presents migrant patient perspectives on using the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) in mental health assessments in Denmark. Empirical data consisted of 20 recorded CFI sessions and 16 patient interviews, coded with a constructivist grounded theory approach. Empirical findings prompted us to draw on the theoretical framework of intersubjective recognition in the analytical process. Our analysis showed how patients had multiple previous experiences of misrecognition in life and healthcare. This seemed to restrain their self-esteem and available positions for expressing preferences and reservations during the CFI and led to negotiations of worthiness of care. Despite occasional lack of flow and information in the recorded CFI sessions, patients subsequently recounted how they felt the CFI recognised the complexity and context of their cultural identities and illness narratives. Patients described how the CFI-guided provider approach of curiosity and empowerment carried significant meaning and left them feeling dignified, hopeful and engaged in future care. Intersubjective recognition is fundamental in all human interaction, but we argue that the recognising CFI approach is particularly important in vulnerable and asymmetrical mental health assessment encounters where access to care is determined and when working with migrants or other marginalised groups.

Well-Being and Self-Disorders in Schizotypal Disorder and Asperger Syndrome/Autism Spectrum Disorder.

We explored subjective well-being in two groups of young adult participants diagnosed with either schizotypal disorder (Sd) (n = 29) or Asperger syndrome/autism spectrum disorder (As/ASD) (n = 22). Well-being was impaired in both groups and was lower in the Sd group than in the As/ASD group. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between well-being and the presence of self-disorders. The negative effect of self-disorders on well-being was still significant when adjusted for diagnosis, age and gender, and level of function. The present findings point toward clinically important disorder-specific differences in the nature of impaired well-being between the Sd group and the As/ASD group, as there seems to be a self-disorder-driven additional contribution to impaired subjective well-being within the schizophrenia spectrum. These findings further nuance the understanding of fundamental and clinically important qualitative differences between the schizophrenia spectrum and the autism spectrum.

Prevention of trauma-related mental health problems among refugees: A mixed-methods evaluation of the MindSpring group programme in Denmark.

MindSpring (MS) is a community group intervention for refugees with the purpose of strengthening the participants' ability to cope with psychosocial problems, thereby preventing that premigration trauma and postmigratory stressors evolve into psychiatric disorders. The aim of the present project was to study the acceptability and impacts of MS. The study was a mixed-methods observational study including 92 Arabic speaking refugees. Participants completed a baseline demographic questionnaire, an outcome questionnaire and the World Health Organization (WHO)-5 well-being questionnaire (which is also validated as a depression screening tool) before and after the intervention. The paired t test showed a highly significant prepost difference on 12.84 points on the WHO-5. Participants' satisfaction was very high with a 98% overall satisfaction rate. The focus groups results supported these findings. The MS programme is an acceptable intervention for refugees. The significant improvement on WHO-5 suggests a positive impact on depressive symptoms and well-being.

Estimation of Relative and Absolute Risks in a Competing-Risks Setting Using a Nested Case-Control Study Design: Example From the ProMort Study.

In this paper, we describe the Prognostic Factors for Mortality in Prostate Cancer (ProMort) study and use it to demonstrate how the weighted likelihood method can be used in nested case-control studies to estimate both relative and absolute risks in the competing-risks setting. ProMort is a case-control study nested within the National Prostate Cancer Register (NPCR) of Sweden, comprising 1,710 men diagnosed with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer between 1998 and 2011 who died from prostate cancer (cases) and 1,710 matched controls. Cause-specific hazard ratios and cumulative incidence functions (CIFs) for prostate cancer death were estimated in ProMort using weighted flexible parametric models and compared with the corresponding estimates from the NPCR cohort. We further drew 1,500 random nested case-control subsamples of the NPCR cohort and quantified the bias in the hazard ratio and CIF estimates. Finally, we compared the ProMort estimates with those obtained by augmenting competing-risks cases and by augmenting both competing-risks cases and controls. The hazard ratios for prostate cancer death estimated in ProMort were comparable to those in the NPCR. The hazard ratios for dying from other causes were biased, which introduced bias in the CIFs estimated in the competing-risks setting. When augmenting both competing-risks cases and controls, the bias was reduced.