Harmonization of the Health and Risk Factor Questionnaire data of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project: a descriptive analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project is a multistudy platform integrating the British Columbia Generations Project, Alberta's Tomorrow Project, the Ontario Health Study, CARTaGENE (Quebec) and the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health. This paper describes the process used to harmonize the Health and Risk Factor Questionnaire data and provides an overview of the key information required to properly use the core data set generated. METHODS: This is a descriptive analysis of the harmonization process that was developed on the basis of the Maelstrom Research guidelines for retrospective harmonization. Core variables (DataSchema) to be generated across cohorts were defined and the potential for cohort-specific data sets to generate the DataSchema variables was assessed. Where relevant, algorithms were developed and applied to process cohort-specific data into the DataSchema format, and information to be provided to data users was documented. RESULTS: The Health and Risk Factor Questionnaire DataSchema (version 2.0, October 2017) comprised 694 variables. The assessment of harmonization potential for the variables over 12 cohort-specific data sets resulted in 6799 (81.6%) of the variables being considered as harmonizable. A total of 307 017 participants were included in the harmonized data set. Through the cohort data portal, researchers can find information about the definitions of variables, harmonization potential, algorithms applied to generate harmonized variables and participant distributions. INTERPRETATION: The harmonization process enabled the creation of a unique data set including data on health and risk factors from over 307 000 Canadians. These data, in combination with complementary data sets, can be used to investigate the impact of biological, environmental and behavioural factors on cancer and chronic diseases.

Maelstrom Research guidelines for rigorous retrospective data harmonization.

Background: It is widely accepted and acknowledged that data harmonization is crucial: in its absence, the co-analysis of major tranches of high quality extant data is liable to inefficiency or error. However, despite its widespread practice, no formalized/systematic guidelines exist to ensure high quality retrospective data harmonization. Methods: To better understand real-world harmonization practices and facilitate development of formal guidelines, three interrelated initiatives were undertaken between 2006 and 2015. They included a phone survey with 34 major international research initiatives, a series of workshops with experts, and case studies applying the proposed guidelines. Results: A wide range of projects use retrospective harmonization to support their research activities but even when appropriate approaches are used, the terminologies, procedures, technologies and methods adopted vary markedly. The generic guidelines outlined in this article delineate the essentials required and describe an interdependent step-by-step approach to harmonization: 0) define the research question, objectives and protocol; 1) assemble pre-existing knowledge and select studies; 2) define targeted variables and evaluate harmonization potential; 3) process data; 4) estimate quality of the harmonized dataset(s) generated; and 5) disseminate and preserve final harmonization products. Conclusions: This manuscript provides guidelines aiming to encourage rigorous and effective approaches to harmonization which are comprehensively and transparently documented and straightforward to interpret and implement. This can be seen as a key step towards implementing guiding principles analogous to those that are well recognised as being essential in securing the foundational underpinning of systematic reviews and the meta-analysis of clinical trials.

Interventions to reduce postpartum stress in first-time mothers: a randomized-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The postpartum period can be a challenging time particularly for first-time mothers. This study aimed to assess two different interventions designed to reduce stress in the postpartum among first-time mothers. METHODS: Healthy first-time mothers with healthy newborns were recruited from hospitals in Beirut, Lebanon after delivery. The two interventions were a 20-minute film addressing common stressors in the postpartum period and a 24-hour telephone support hotline. Participants were randomized to one of four study arms to receive either the postpartum support film, the hotline service, both interventions, or a music CD (control). Participants were interviewed at eight to twelve weeks postpartum for assessment of levels of stress as measured by the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). RESULTS: Of the 632 eligible women, 552 (88%) agreed to participate in the study. Of those, 452 (82%) completed the study. Mean PSS-10 scores of mothers who received the film alone (15.76) or the film with the hotline service (15.86) were significantly lower than that of the control group (18.93) (p-value <0.01). Among mothers who received the hotline service alone mean PSS-10 score (16.98) was also significantly lower than that of the control group (p-value <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both our postpartum support film and the 24-hour telephone hotline service reduced stress in the postpartum period in first-time mothers. These simple interventions can be easily implemented and could have an important impact on the mental wellbeing of new mothers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (identifier # NCT00857051) on March 5, 2009.

Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding in an urban population of primiparas in Lebanon: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies up to 6 months remains low. Determinants of breastfeeding practices have been largely documented in high-income countries. Little evidence exists on possible predictors of breastfeeding behaviors in the Middle East. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of breastfeeding in Beirut and determine the factors that impact breastfeeding behavior in this population. METHODS: Data for this longitudinal study is nested within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessing the impact of a 24-hour hotline and postpartum support film on postpartum stress. Healthy first-time mothers delivering in the capital Beirut between March and July 2009, were interviewed at 1-3 days and 8-12 weeks post delivery. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding at 8-12 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: The overall breastfeeding rate at 8-12 weeks postpartum was 67%. The exclusive breastfeeding rate was 27.4%. Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding included maternal work (OR=3.92; p-value<0.001), planned pregnancy (OR=2.42, p-value=0.010), intention to breastfeed (OR=3.28; p-value=0.043), source of maternal emotional support (OR=1.87, p-value=0.039) and the use the postpartum support video, the hotline service or both (OR=2.55, p-value=0.044; OR=3.87, p-value=0.004 and OR=4.13, p-value=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of healthy first-time mothers who exclusively breastfeed in Beirut is extremely low. Factors associated with breastfeeding behavior are diverse. Future research and interventions should target different levels of the maternal-child pair's ecosystem. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00857051.

Expanding concern for women's health in developing countries: the case of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

BACKGROUND: Women's health is still largely associated with the notion of reproduction in developing countries despite a more varied disease burden, including noncommunicable conditions resulting from consequences of changing epidemiologic and demographic patterns on women's health. METHODS: The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Burden of Disease data base is used to derive for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) cause-specific rates of death and of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by age for adult women, and percent of total deaths and total DALYs for women in the reproductive ages, as related to maternal conditions and to three selected noncommunicable conditions, namely, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neuropsychiatry conditions. Inequalities by country income category are examined. RESULTS: Maternal health conditions still form a substantial component of the disease burden, with an increasing burden of cardiovascular disease and cancer starting in the late reproductive years and beyond. The burden of neuropsychiatric conditions is also high during the reproductive years, reflecting possibly the stress of multiple roles of women as well as stress of war and conflict that permeate the EMR. Women in low- to middle-income countries suffer more from maternal health conditions and less from neuropsychiatry conditions than women in high-income countries. CONCLUSION: The wider disease burden of women should be addressed making use of available reproductive health services taking special account of interactions between reproductive and noncommunicable conditions for better health of women during and beyond reproduction. Better measures of the burden of illness should be developed. There is a special need for improved health information systems in the EMR.

Locus of control moderates the relationship between headache pain and depression.

The aim of the current study was to triangulate qualitative and quantitative data in order to examine in greater detail the relationship between self-reported headache pain severity, depression and coping styles. Psychosocial scales, headache characteristic scales and in-depth interviews were administered to 71 adults with the diagnosis of primary headache. Regression analyses with the scales showed that greater self-reported headache pain severity was associated with higher levels of depression. A high internal locus of control weakened the relationship between the headache severity and depression variables. The qualitative data supported the relationship between pain severity and internal locus of control and, in addition, revealed that perceived efficacy of pharmacologic intervention might be a related factor. The results suggested that stronger coping skills might reduce depression among headache sufferers.

The medical management of menopause: a four-country comparison care in urban areas.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the medical management of menopause across urban areas in four countries which differ by level of income and degree of medicalization. METHODS: Surveys of health providers who advise women on the menopausal transition were carried out in Beirut, Lebanon (n=100), Madrid, Spain (n=60), Worcester, MA, U.S. (n=59), and Rabat, Morocco (n=50) between 2002 and 2004. Physician characteristics, hormone therapy (HT) prescribing practices, and concerns about the management of menopause were compared across countries using chi(2) and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Across sites, physicians were generally well informed about HT and thought that symptom alleviation and disease prevention were equally important. They had concerns about risks associated with HT, particularly breast cancer, and in 3 sites where the survey was conducted after the WHI (Beirut, Rabat, and Madrid) physicians changed their practices to prescribe HT less frequently, for shorter durations, or shifted to other medications. There were significant differences across sites in the recommended duration of HT, time spent talking with patients, perceived benefits of HT, tests recommended before prescribing HT, and concern about the risks associated with HT. Physicians in Madrid and Massachusetts were more likely to report that decisions about the management of menopause were difficult, but in all sites the main reason for difficulties was concerns about risks. The results also suggest discrepancies between physicians' perceptions and women's reports about the reasons why women consult at menopause. CONCLUSIONS: Prescription patterns and perceived benefits of HT appear to reflect local medical culture rather than simply physician characteristics. The impact of the WHI study was seen in prescribing patterns and concerns about HT. Physicians in all four countries were generally well informed. Financial support: NIH 5 900 000196.

Symptoms, menopause status, and country differences: a comparative analysis from DAMES.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate reported frequencies of menopausal symptoms among women in four countries, namely Lebanon, Morocco, Spain, and the United States, and to assess the relative role of menopause status, country of residence, and other factors in explaining differences in symptomatology. DESIGN: Surveys of representative samples of approximately 300 women aged 45 to 55 years in each site were conducted, using an instrument that includes demographic, health, and menopausal variables, in addition to perceptions and attitudes toward menopause. Statistical and textual analyses are used to examine differentials and the factors that influence them. RESULTS: The burden of symptoms and the frequencies of symptoms differ across sites, but hot flashes are reported everywhere by just under one half of the respondents. The most frequent symptoms are joint pain, fatigue, impatience/nervousness, sleep disturbances, memory loss, and one or more emotional symptoms. Menopause status is significantly associated with hot flashes and vasomotor symptoms and to a lesser extent with emotional and sexual symptoms. Smoking, schooling, employment, and age are also associated with the frequency of selected symptoms. Country of residence influences reported symptoms over and above other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Similarities among core symptoms and differences in the expression of symptoms were found across sites. Both biological (menopause status) and cultural (country of residence) variables influence symptomatology.

Symptom groupings at midlife: cross-cultural variation and association with job, home, and life change.

OBJECTIVE: To examine how symptoms at midlife grouped together by factor analyses in four different countries and to examine whether life changes were associated with symptom frequencies. DESIGN: The Decisions at Menopause Study was a multisite study of women aged 45 to 55 drawn from the general population in the United States, Spain, Lebanon, and Morocco. Semistructured questionnaires collected demographic, reproductive, and lifestyle information, along with 4-week recalls of 25 symptoms. Factor analyses were performed using symptom frequency data from each country. Symptoms frequencies were examined by chi analysis in relation to job, home, and life changes. Regression scores for individual factors were examined as dependent variables in relation to menopause status and life change while controlling for demographic and reproductive variables. RESULTS: The intercorrelation among symptoms differed in country-specific ways, eg, hot flashes grouped with vaginal dryness and sexual symptoms in Spain, with general somatic symptoms in Morocco, and did not cluster with other symptoms in the United States or Lebanon. In chi2 analyses, household change, not job change, was associated with increased symptomatology in Spain. Job change was a significant predictor of the first symptom cluster in the United States (mental symptoms) and Spain (emotional symptoms). Home change was a significant predictor of the third (mental) symptom cluster in Spain. Life change was a significant predictor of symptom clusters in Spain and Morocco. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-population comparisons demonstrate variation in symptom clusters. Regression analyses showed how the variables that predict symptom groupings (eg, job change, marital status, menopause status, or level of education) also differed in country-specific ways.