How Good Is Online Information for Patients on the Treatment for Luminal Gastrointestinal Cancers? A Comprehensive Evaluation in English and Spanish.

The internet has become a necessary communication platform for health information. The quality of online material for patients varies significantly, and this is not different for material on gastrointestinal cancers. We aimed to assess English and Spanish online patient information addressing esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer treatment. Six independent Google searches were conducted using the terms: esophageal cancer treatment, gastric cancer treatment, colorectal cancer treatment, and their translations in Spanish. Websites were included in the top 50 results for each search. Readability was assessed using two validated tests for each language. Understandability/actionability, quality, and cultural sensitivity were assessed using Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), DISCERN, and Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool (CSAT), respectively. Pearson's chi-squared was used for categorical variables and Wilcoxon rank-sum (2 groups) or Kruskal-Wallis (> 2 groups) for continuous. One hundred twelve websites were analyzed. Readability levels were high in both languages (between 11th grade and university level) and significantly higher in English. Mean quality scores for English and Spanish were consistent with good quality. CSAT scores met the cultural acceptability with lower CSAT scores for gastric cancer treatment in English. Higher actionability scores were found in English for colorectal cancer. Also, there was a clear trend for higher cultural sensitivity and quality of Spanish material for gastric cancer treatment. Online patient information on esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer treatment, in English and Spanish, were at a readability level above the average literacy level and even significantly higher in English. Initiatives to improve online information on gastrointestinal cancer treatments are warranted.

Prevalence of depression among patients with chronic pancreatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) is a fibroinflammatory condition with debilitating symptoms. Quality of life is severely affected in patients with CP and they are likely to suffer from mental health disorders, including depression. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression in patients with CP. METHODS: MEDLINE (OVID), PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL Complete, Scopus and Web of Science were searched until July 2022 to identify manuscripts reporting the prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression (diagnosed clinically or with a validated scale without language restriction) in patients with Chronic Pancreatitis. The pooled prevalence was calculated using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by the inconsistency index (I2). RESULTS: Among 3647 articles identified, 58 studies were identified for full text review, and ultimately nine studies were included. A total of 87,136 patients were included in the studies. Depression was diagnosed clinically or symptoms were identified using validated scales including Center for Epidemiological Studies 10-item Depression Scale (CESD), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The overall prevalence of depression in patients with chronic pancreatitis was 36.2% (95%CI: 18.8-55.7). In the stratified analysis, depression prevalence according to the clinical diagnosis, BDI and HADS was 30.10%, 48.17% and 36.61%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of depression among patients with CP deserves a call-to-action due to its medical implications and worsening quality of life. Our findings raise awareness of the importance of screening patients with CP for mental health disorders. Further well-designed studies are needed to further characterize these findings.

Is Vitamin A Supplementation Associated With Anemia in Children Under 5 Years of Age in Peru: Secondary Analysis of the "Demographic Health Survey" 2015-2018?

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) affects 12% of Peruvians under 5 years of age. Recent studies have shown an association with hematopoiesis and iron metabolism. In Peru, 3-quarters of a million children have anemia. We aimed to identify an association between Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) and anemia in children under 5 years of age. A cross-sectional secondary analytical study from the Peruvian Demographic Survey and Family Health (DHS) was conducted. The primary outcome, anemia, was measured through hemoglobin concentration and adjusted by altitude. The DHS interviewer ensured the participant's VAS in the last 6 months through a structural healthcare card. The association was statistically significant using crude regression but disappeared when adjusted per socioeconomic level and gender. VAS was not significantly associated with a lower prevalence of anemia. Further studies are required to help identify the association between VAS and anemia.