Weaponised uranium and adverse health outcomes in Iraq: a systematic review.

Background: The US military first deployed depleted uranium (DU) weapons in Iraq during the Gulf War in 1990 and in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Research into the health impacts of DU has been mired in debate and controversy. Research funded by the US government has denied the health risks posed by DU to the Iraqi population, while opponents have claimed that DU is responsible for increased rates of birth defects and cancers in Iraq.

Heavy Metal Toxicity in Armed Conflicts Potentiates AMR in by Selecting for Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Co-resistance Mechanisms.

has become increasingly resistant to leading antimicrobial agents since the 1970s. Increased resistance appears linked to armed conflicts, notably since widespread media stories amplified clinical reports in the wake of the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. Antimicrobial resistance is usually assumed to arise through selection pressure exerted by antimicrobial treatment, particularly where treatment is inadequate, as in the case of low dosing, substandard antimicrobial agents, or shortened treatment course.

High-Cost Cancer Treatment Across Borders in Conflict Zones: Experience of Iraqi Patients in Lebanon.

Purpose: Conflict-induced cross-border travel for medical treatment is commonly observed in the Middle East. There has been little research conducted on the financial impact this has on patients with cancer or on how cancer centers can adapt their services to meet the needs of this population. This study examines the experience of Iraqi patients seeking care in Lebanon, aiming to understand the social and financial contexts of conflict-related cross-border travel for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

A conceptual framework for capacity strengthening of health research in conflict: the case of the Middle East and North Africa region.

Background: In conflict settings, research capacities have often been de-prioritized as resources are diverted to emergency needs, such as addressing elevated morbidity, mortality and health system challenges directly and/or indirectly associated to war. This has had an adverse long-term impact in such protracted conflicts such as those found in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), where research knowledge and skills have often been compromised. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for health research capacity strengthening that adapts existing models and frameworks in low- and middle-income countries and uses our knowledge of the MENA context to contextualise them for conflict settings.

Solving the jigsaw of conflict-related environmental damage: Utilizing open-source analysis to improve research into environmental health risks.

Investigation of the environmental impacts of armed conflict has been made easier in recent years with the development of new and improved methods for documenting and monitoring environmental damage and pollution. For decades, research into conflict-linked environmental damage and its links to human health have been overlooked and research underfunded, hindering a complete humanitarian response and effective post-conflict reconstruction. Recent developments in the field of open-source investigation have shown promising results due to the increased use of mobile phones, access to the internet and freely available methods for remote observation by satellite.

Developing institutions for cancer care in low-income and middle-income countries: from cancer units to comprehensive cancer centres.

Global cancer centres operate across different sizes, scales, and ecosystems. Understanding the essential aspects of the creation, organisation, accreditation, and activities within these settings is crucial for developing an affordable, equitable, and quality cancer care, research, and education system. Robust guidelines are scarce for cancer units, cancer centres, and comprehensive cancer centres in low-income and middle-income countries.

A summary and appraisal of existing evidence of antimicrobial resistance in the Syrian conflict.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in populations experiencing war has yet to be addressed, despite the abundance of contemporary conflicts and the protracted nature of twenty-first century wars, in combination with growing global concern over conflict-associated bacterial pathogens. The example of the Syrian conflict is used to explore the feasibility of using existing global policies on AMR in conditions of extreme conflict. The available literature on AMR and prescribing behaviour in Syria before and since the onset of the conflict in March 2011 was identified.

Antimicrobial resistance in the context of the Syrian conflict: Drivers before and after the onset of conflict and key recommendations.

Current evidence describing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the context of the Syrian conflict is of poor quality and sparse in nature. This paper explores and reports the major drivers of AMR that were present in Syria pre-conflict and those that have emerged since its onset in March 2011. Drivers that existed before the conflict included a lack of enforcement of existing legislation to regulate over-the-counter antibiotics and notification of communicable diseases.

(Dis)connectivities in wartime: The therapeutic geographies of Iraqi healthcare-seeking in Lebanon.

The proliferation of conflicts across borders of Middle Eastern States has transformed the landscapes of health and healthcare across the region. In the case of Iraq, state healthcare has collapsed under the strain of protracted conflicts. Meanwhile, Lebanon's post-war healthcare system is booming, and becoming more privatised.

Changing therapeutic geographies of the Iraqi and Syrian wars.

The health consequences of the ongoing US-led war on terror and civil armed conflicts in the Arab world are much more than the collateral damage inflicted on civilians, infrastructure, environment, and health systems. Protracted war and armed conflicts have displaced populations and led to lasting transformations in health and health care. In this report, we analyse the effects of conflicts in Iraq and Syria to show how wars and conflicts have resulted in both the militarisation and regionalisation of health care, conditions that complicate the rebuilding of previously robust national health-care systems.

Challenging the stereotypes: men, withdrawal, and reproductive health in Lebanon.

In Lebanon, coitus interruptus or withdrawal remains a widely practiced method of family planning. Our research sought to understand the role of men in reproductive health in Lebanon by focusing on this common practice. Our main questions were: Why is it that the practice persists when more effective modern methods of family planning are available? How is the decision taken to practice withdrawal? When is withdrawal practiced and with whom? And, finally, does the practice of withdrawal affect sexual pleasure and the sexual relationship more generally?To answer these questions, we embarked on a small exploratory study using in-depth interviews with 16 open-ended questions.