OBJECTIVES: To estimate the required coverage and costs of a national screening strategy to inform the launch of an HCV elimination program.
METHODS: We designed an HCV screening strategy based on a "stepwise" approach. This approach relied on targeting of people who inject drugs in the early years, with delayed onset of widespread general population screening. Annual coverage requirements and associated costs were estimated to ensure that the World Health Organization elimination treatment targets were met.
RESULTS: In total, 6 million individuals would have to be screened between 2018 and 2030. Targeting of people who inject drugs in the early years would limit annual screening coverage to less than 1 million individuals from 2018 to 2026. General population screening would have to be launched by 2026. Total costs were estimated at MYR 222 million ($58 million). Proportional to coverage targets, 60% of program costs would fall from 2026 to 2030.
CONCLUSIONS: This exercise was one of the first attempts to conduct a detailed analysis of the required screening coverage and costs of a national HCV elimination strategy. These findings suggest that the stepwise approach could delay the onset of general population screening by more than 5 years after the program's launch. This delay would allow additional time to mobilize investments required for a successful general population screening program and also minimize program costs. This strategy prototype could inform the design of effective screening strategies in other countries.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study of women who underwent DBT and ABUS from December 2019 to March 2022 included opportunistic and targeted screening cases, as well as symptomatic women. Breast density, Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System categories and histopathology reports were collected and compared. The PPV3 (proportion of examinations with abnormal findings that resulted in a tissue diagnosis of cancer), biopsy rate (percentage of biopsies performed) and cancer detection yield (number of malignancies found by the diagnostic test given to the study sample) were calculated.
RESULTS: A total of 1089 ABUS examinations were performed (age range: 29-85 y, mean: 51.9 y). Among these were 909 screening (83.5%) and 180 diagnostic (16.5%) examinations. A total of 579 biopsies were performed on 407 patients, with a biopsy rate of 53.2%. There were 100 (9.2%) malignant lesions, 30 (5.2%) atypical/B3 lesions and 414 (71.5%) benign cases. In 9 cases (0.08%), ABUS alone detected malignancies, and in 19 cases (1.7%), DBT alone detected malignancies. The PPV3 in the screening group was 14.6%.
CONCLUSION: ABUS is useful as an adjunct to DBT in the opportunistic screening and diagnostic setting.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study where women aged between 20-80 years were recruited via convenient sampling from villages in Long Banga, Sarawak over a five-day outreach programme. Cervicovaginal selfsamples were obtained and screened for the presence of high-risk human papillomavirus DNA (HR-HPV) using the careHPVTM Test. A self-administered questionnaire was also administered to determine the sociodemographic and perception towards the self-sampling method.
RESULTS: The 55 women recruited consist of ethnic backgrounds of Penan (58.18%), Kenyah (25.45%), Iban (5.45%), Saban (3.64%), Kelabit (3.64%), Malay (1.82%) and Chinese (1.82%). The prevalence of HR-HPV was 1.85% (n=1/55). Nearly 80% of the women were unemployed, and more than half have had attended primary education. Nine (16.4%) have heard about HPV, and seven (13%) knew HPV infection could cause cervical cancer. Three of them had HPV vaccination, and only one (1.85%) knew the brand of the HPV vaccine. Although 40% preferred self-sampling over clinician-collection, only ten (18.2%) women have completed the self-collection perception questionnaire.
CONCLUSION: Primary HPV DNA screening using the selfsampling method can be carried out in the remote areas during the COVID-19 pandemic without compromising mobility restriction.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Hospital Tuanku Fauziah, Perlis, Malaysia from August 2015 to April 2016. FEV1/FEV6 and FEV1/FVC results of 117 subjects were analysed. Demographic data and spirometric variables were tabulated. A scatter plot graph with Spearman's correlation was constructed for the correlation between FEV1/FEV6 and FEV1/FVC. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of FEV1/FEV6 were determined with reference to the gold standard of FEV1/FVC ratio <0.70. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Kappa statistics were used to determine the FEV1/FEV6 ratio in predicting an FEV1/FVC ratio <0.70.
RESULTS: Spearman's correlation with r = 0.636 (P<0.001) was demonstrated. The area under the ROC curve was 0.862 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.779 - 0.944, P<0.001). The FEV1/FEV6 cut-off with the greatest sum of sensitivity and specificity was 0.75. FEV1/FEV6 sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 93.02%, 67.74%, 88.89% and 77.78% respectively. There was substantial agreement between the two diagnostic cut-offs (κ = 0.634; 95% CI: 0.471 - 0.797, P<0.001) CONCLUSIONS: The FEV1/FEV6 ratio can be considered to be a good alternative to the FEV1/FVC ratio for screening of COPD. Larger multicentre study and better education on spirometric techniques can validate similar study outcome and establish reference values appropriate to the population being studied.
METHODS: Cord blood samples were collected from 300 newborns of healthy mothers. Hematological parameters were determined and hemoglobin quantitation for all cord blood samples were performed using capillary electrophoresis system (CES) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
RESULTS: Majority of cord blood samples (63%) revealed Hb AF followed by Hb AFA2 (20%). Hb AFE was detected in 10.7% with the mean value of Hb E ranging from 2.3%-11.1%.
CONCLUSION: Hemoglobin E was detected in cord blood using capillary electrophoresis system. It can be recommended in areas where Hb E/β is prevalent. Implementation of a screening strategy using CE on cord blood sampling will identify the disease early. With regular follow-up on these patients, the status of their disease can be determined earlier and appropriate management implemented.
METHODS: A systematic search for prediction models for at least 50 per cent ACS in patients with LEAD was conducted. A prediction model in screened patients from the USA with an ankle : brachial pressure index of 0.9 or less was subsequently developed, and assessed for discrimination and calibration. External validation was performed in two independent cohorts, from the UK and the Netherlands.
RESULTS: After screening 4907 studies, no previously published prediction models were found. For development of a new model, data for 112 117 patients were used, of whom 6354 (5.7 per cent) had at least 50 per cent ACS and 2801 (2.5 per cent) had at least 70 per cent ACS. Age, sex, smoking status, history of hypercholesterolaemia, stroke/transient ischaemic attack, coronary heart disease and measured systolic BP were predictors of ACS. The model discrimination had an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 0.71 (95 per cent c.i. 0.71 to 0.72) for at least 50 per cent ACS and 0.73 (0.72 to 0.73) for at least 70 per cent ACS. Screening the 20 per cent of patients at greatest risk detected 12.4 per cent with at least 50 per cent ACS (number needed to screen (NNS) 8] and 5.8 per cent with at least 70 per cent ACS (NNS 17). This yielded 44.2 and 46.9 per cent of patients with at least 50 and 70 per cent ACS respectively. External validation showed reliable discrimination and adequate calibration.
CONCLUSION: The present risk score can predict significant ACS in patients with LEAD. This approach may inform targeted screening of high-risk individuals to enhance the detection of ACS.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review presents current evidence on the barriers and facilitators to engaging men in health screening.
METHODS: We included qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies identified through five electronic databases, contact with experts and reference mining. Two researchers selected and appraised the studies independently. Data extraction and synthesis were conducted using the 'best fit' framework synthesis method.
RESULTS: 53 qualitative, 44 quantitative and 6 mixed-method studies were included. Factors influencing health screening uptake in men can be categorized into five domains: individual, social, health system, healthcare professional and screening procedure. The most commonly reported barriers are fear of getting the disease and low risk perception; for facilitators, they are perceived risk and benefits of screening. Male-dominant barriers include heterosexual -self-presentation, avoidance of femininity and lack of time. The partner's role is the most common male-dominant facilitator to screening.
CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of barriers and facilitators to health screening in men including the male-dominant factors. The findings are particularly useful for clinicians, researchers and policy makers who are developing interventions and policies to increase screening uptake in men.