Survival of patients with urinary bladder cancer in Jordan, 2005–2014

Background: Urinary bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Jordan. No research on survival from bladder cancer at the national level has been conducted before. Aims: This study aimed to estimate the probability of survival in patients with bladder cancer in Jordan and identify factors associated with survival. Methods: Data were obtained from the database of the Jordan cancer registry. All cases of urinary bladder cancer in Jordanians registered during 2005–2014 were included in the study (n = 2139). Data collected for each case included: age, sex, date of diagnosis, and stage and grade at diagnosis. Actuarial life table survival analysis was used to determine the overall survival probabilities. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to identify independent factors associated with survival. Results: The overall 1-, 3-, 5- and 10-year survival probabilities for urinary bladder cancer were 85%, 73%, 69% and 59%, respectively (standard error = 0.01 for each). No significant difference in survival probabilities was found between males and females (P = 0.642). The overall survival probabilities decreased significantly as age at diagnosis increased (P < 0.005). Better survival was observed in patients with early stage and well differentiated tumours at diagnosis. Conclusions: The survival of patients with bladder cancer in Jordan is comparable to that reported from developed countries. A high percentage of data was missing and the reporting of some variables was inconsistent. To improve the quality of cancer data, regular training is needed for hospital focal points on recording complete data

The prevalence and determinants of anaemia in Jordan

Background: Anaemia is a global public health problem particularly in low- and middle-income countries and may be associated with serious health consequences. Limited studies, if any, have examined the prevalence and risk factors of anaemia in Jordan at the national level.Aims: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia in Jordan for both sexes at the national level and to identify high-risk population subgroups.Methods: A national population-based household sample was selected from the 12 governorates of Jordan in 2017. A to-tal of 1125 males and 2797 females aged between 18 and 90 years were included. The prevalence of anaemia, overall and among subgroups of the population was estimated using Hb level as per WHO definition.Results: Results showed prevalence of anaemia to be 4.9% in males, 19.3% in non-pregnant females, and 27.4% in pregnant females. The age standardized prevalence rates were 4.9% in males and 19.3% in females. The age standardized prevalence rates were 4.9% in males and 19.3% in females. Anaemia was predominantly mild (males: 81%, non-pregnant females: 57%, and pregnant females: 65.2%). Sex, age, region, marital status, and education were significantly associated with anaemia. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) accounted for 68% of anaemic females and 38% of anaemic males.Conclusions: The prevalence of anaemia in Jordan is lower than previously reported by WHO and the majority of anae-mia was mild. Iron deficiency anaemia was the the most common type of anaemia, particularly in females. Flour fortifi-cation with iron and folic acid could have accounted for the decline of anaemia in Jordan.

Contexte : L’anémie est un problème de santé publique mondial, en particulier dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire, qui peut être associé à de graves conséquences pour la santé. Des études limitées ont examiné la prévalence et les facteurs de risque de l’anémie en Jordanie au niveau national.Objectifs : La présente étude visait à évaluer la prévalence de l’anémie au niveau national en Jordanie pour les deux sexes et à identifier les sous-groupes de population à haut risque.Méthodes : Un échantillon national de ménages représentatif de la population a été sélectionné dans les 12 gouvernorats de Jordanie en 2017. Au total, 1125 hommes et 2797 femmes âgés de 18 à 90 ans ont été inclus. La prévalence de l’anémie, dans l’ensemble et parmi les sous-groupes de population, a été estimée en utilisant le taux d’hémoglobine selon la définition de l’OMS.Résultats : Les résultats ont montré que la prévalence de l’anémie était de 4,9 % chez les hommes, de 19,3 % chez les femmes non enceintes et de 27,4 % chez les femmes enceintes. Les taux de prévalence standardisée selon l’âge s’élevaient à 4,9 % chez l’homme et 19,3 % chez la femme. L’anémie était principalement bénigne (hommes : 81 %, femmes non enceintes : 57 %, et femmes enceintes : 65,2 %). Le sexe, l’âge, la région, la situation de famille et le niveau de scolarité étaient significativement associés à l’anémie. L’anémie ferriprive touchait 68 % des femmes anémiques et 38 % des hommes anémiques.Conclusions : La prévalence de l’anémie en Jordanie est inférieure à celle précédemment signalée par l’OMS et la majorité des cas d’anémie étaient de forme légère. L’anémie ferriprive était le type d’anémie le plus fréquent, en particulier chez les femmes. L’enrichissement de la farine en fer et en acide folique pourrait expliquer la diminution de l’anémie en Jordanie.

The Bidirectional Relationship between Diabetes and Depression: A Literature Review / 가정의학회지

Diabetes is a major public health problem worldwide. Depression is a serious mental condition that decreases mental and physical functioning and reduces the quality of life. Several lines of evidence suggest a bidirectional relationship between diabetes and depression: diabetes patients are twice as likely to experience depression than nondiabetic individuals. In contrast, depression increases the risk of diabetes and interferes with its daily self-management. Diabetes patients with depression have poor glycemic control, reduced quality of life, and an increased risk of diabetes complications, consequently having an increased mortality rate. Conflicting evidence exists on the potential role of factors that may account for or modulate the relationship between diabetes and depression. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the most notable body of literature that dissects the various facets of the bidirectional relationship between diabetes and depression. A focused discussion of the proposed mechanisms underlying this relationship is also provided. We systematically reviewed the relevant literature in the PubMed database, using the keywords “Diabetes AND Depression”. After exclusion of duplicate and irrelevant material, literature eligible for inclusion in this review was based on meta-analysis studies, clinical trials with large sample sizes (n ≥1,000), randomized clinical trials, and comprehensive national and cross-country clinical studies. The evidence we present in this review supports the pressing need for long, outcome-oriented, randomized clinical trials to determine whether the identification and treatment of patients with these comorbid conditions will improve their medical outcomes and quality of life.