Trends in incidence and mortality of female breast cancer in Suriname for the period 1980–2014: Implications for the healthcare system

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to analyse current breast cancer burden in relation to demographic and socio-economic indicators. This paper presents preliminary analysis of temporal trends in incidence and mortality for 1980–2013. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: data were retrieved from the histopathology database, the mortality database and the General Bureau of Statistics. Crude five-year incidence and mortality rates were calculated and expressed per 100000 women. Data are presented with 95% confidence intervals and average annual per cent changes (AAPC) over each period. Statistical significance was tested using Chi-squared for trend. RESULTS: Breast cancer incidence increased by 48% between 1980–1984 and 2000–2004 (÷2 2.32, p = 0.0004), from 13.5 (95% CI 11.1, 15.9) to 19.9 (95% CI 17.4, 22.5). From 2005 onward, the incidence rose exponentially (÷2 48.54, p-value < 0.0000001), from 19.9 (95% 17.4, 22.5) to 48.9 (95% 45.2, 52.6). The AAPC between 1980 and 2004 was 2%, but increased to 16% between 2005 and 2014, signifying the substantial rise in incidence. The upward trend for 1980–2014 was statistically significant(÷2 399.07, p-value < 0.0000001). Breast cancer mortality increased by 80.3%, from 5.33 (95% CI 3.84, 6.82) to 10.50 (95% CI 8.56, 12.43) during the period 2000–2004, with an AAPC of 3.3% (÷2 17.71, p = 0.00003). From 2005 on, the increase was 9%, with an AAPC of 0.7% (÷2 0.40, p = 0.53). The upward trend for 1980–2013 was statistically significant (÷2 44.83, p < 0.0000001). CONCLUSION: Results show that breast cancer incidence in Suriname is increasing while mortality remains stable, suggesting improvements in diagnostic and treatment services. These results are a first step to understanding breast cancer burden and establishing an evidence-based cancer control programme.

Haiti Humanitarian Aid Evaluation Structured Analysis Summary Report

Ce document est un rapport résumé d'une analyse structurée de l'évaluation de l'aide humanitaire en Haïti suite au séisme de janvier 2010. L'objectif est d'évaluer la portée et l'impact de la réponse humanitaire apportée. Cette évaluation fournit des recommandations programmatiques pour le gouvernement (et la population) d'Haïti, les donateurs et les organismes exécuteurs qui ont pour but de favoriser la résilience du peuple haïtien et du gouvernement. Après avoir introduit la méthodologie utilisée, les résultats dans les domaines de la résilience sociale, économique, environnementale et infrastructurelle sont présentés.

Diel oviposition and fecundity of Anopheles oswaldoi in Trinidad, West Indies

The diel oviposition periodicity of wild-caught Anopheles oswaldoi collected from the forest-ecotone habitat of Valencia, Trinidad, was studied in the laboratory by recording the performance of of egg-laying individuals and a colony at 2-h intervals. Oviposition was almost exclusively nocturnal, with 95.3 percent of eggs and 91.3 percent of oviposition occurences being observed during the scotophase. During the rest of the day, only 4.7 percent of eggs (8.7 percent occurences) were recorded after dawn (0600-0800 h). Wild-caught females engorged on human blood under laboratory conditions matured, on average, 61.1 +/- 32.3 follicles (range 56-135). Ranges of 50-69, 70-89, 90-109, and >110 follicles were matured by 12, 4, 4, and 3 gravid females, respectively. These findings provide vector operators with a window of time to maximize the impact of insecticides on An. oswaldoi populations (AU)