ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess knowledge of the Zika virus (ZIKV), use of contraceptives, and sources of health information in rural communities in the Dominican Republic. METHODS: Over 4 days in March 2017, a research team traveled to four rural communities in the Dominican Republic to provide healthcare services. Overall, 90 men and women consented to a voluntary verbal 12-question survey. RESULTS: Of the participants, 55% were not certain whether ZIKV is transmitted sexually; 75% of participants were either not sure or thought ZIKV was not present in their community. Charlas (informal discussions led by community health workers) were cited as the most common source for public health information. Prevalence of contraceptive use was 26.6% hormonal and 1.1% long-acting reversible contraception (LARC); 30.0% cited no use of contraception. CONCLUSION: Significant deficits in ZIKV knowledge, underutilization of LARCs, and socioeconomic factors exist that constrain the application of WHO recommendations for preventing ZIKV infection. Additional and more robust surveys are needed to assess public health education and interventions, critical for disease prevention in communities facing current and future epidemics.
Subject(s)
Contraception Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Health Education/methods , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Zika Virus Infection/psychology , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Dominican Republic , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Rural Population , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult , Zika Virus Infection/transmissionABSTRACT
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is a vexing clinical problem. In contrast to early stage disease, once CRC metastasizes to other organs, long-term survival is compromised. We seek to review the molecular pathogenesis, animal models, and functional genomics for an enhanced understanding of how CRC metastasizes and how this can be exploited therapeutically. RECENT FINDINGS: Mouse models may recapitulate certain aspects of metastatic human CRC and allow for studies to identify regulators of metastasis. Modulation of transcription factors, onco-proteins, or tumor suppressors have been identified to activate known metastatic pathways. CD44 variants, microRNAs and RNA binding proteins are emerging as metastatic modulators. SUMMARY: CRC metastasis is a multi-faceted and heterogeneous disease. Despite common pathways contributing to metastatic development, there are numerous variables that modulate metastatic signals in subsets of patients. It is paramount that studies continue to investigate metastatic drivers, enhancers and inhibitors in CRC to develop therapeutic targets and improve disease outcomes.