Saudi Arabia-United States collaboration in health research: a formula for success

Mental Health and Well-Being of University Students: A Bibliometric Mapping of the Literature

The purpose of this study is to map the literature on mental health and well-being of university students using metadata extracted from 5,561 journal articles indexed in the Web of Science database for the period 1975-2020. More specifically, this study uses bibliometric procedures to describe and visually represent the available literature on mental health and well-being in university students in terms of the growth trajectory, productivity, social structure, intellectual structure, and conceptual structure of the field over 45 years. Key findings of the study are that research on mental health and well-being in university students: (a) has experienced a steady growth over the last decades, especially since 2010; (b) is disseminated in a wide range of journals, mainly in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and education research; (c) is published by scholars with diverse geographical background, although more than half of the publications are produced in the United States; (d) lies on a fragmented research community composed by multiple research groups with little interactions between them; (e) is relatively interdisciplinary and emerges from the convergence of research conducted in the behavioral and biomedical sciences; (f) tends to emphasize pathogenic approaches to mental health (i.e., mental illness); and (g) has mainly addressed seven research topics over the last 45 years: positive mental health, mental disorders, substance abuse, counseling, stigma, stress, and mental health measurement. The findings are discussed, and the implications for the future development of the field are highlighted.

International research collaboration

It has been argued that whilst globalisation brings with it significant challenges, it also provides an opportunity for unifying health care activity and that of related research practices across international boundaries. Internationalisation, often confused with globalisation, is a process that can lead to a more extensive pattern of activity and collaboration. International research collaboration in health care has intensified and is frequently regarded as an indicator of quality and a way in which to develop and disseminate scientific knowledge to newly developing countries. There is however little substantive information for researchers new to the global research network on how best to manage the challenges posed by international collaboration, nor ways in which to measure the effectiveness of the same. In this paper we begin by examining the importance of international research collaboration before outlining some of the challenges of global information management. Drawing upon our own experience of jointly funded research initiatives and transnational working, alongside the available literature, we signpost some of the possible processes, practicalities and problems encountered when attempting to establish common ground.

Trends in epidemiology and management of breast cancer in developing Arab countries: a literature and registry analysis

BACKGROUND

Registries and research on breast cancer in Arabic and developing countries are limited.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Medline, WHO and IAEA publications, national, regional, hospital tumor registries and abstracts. We reviewed and analyzed available data on epidemiological trends and management of breast cancer in Arab countries, and compared it to current international standards of early detection, surgery and radiation therapy.

RESULTS

Breast cancer constitutes 13-35% of all female cancers. Almost half of patients are below 50 and median age is 49-52 years as compared to 63 in industrialized nations. A recent rise of Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASR) is noted. Advanced disease remains very common in Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Palestinians and others. Mastectomy is still performed in more than 80% of women with breast cancer. There are only 84 radiation therapy centers, 256 radiation oncologists and 473 radiation technologists in all Arab countries, as compared with 1875, 3068 and 5155, respectively, in the USA, which has an equivalent population of about 300 million. Population-based screening is rarely practiced. Results from recent campaigns and studies show a positive impact of clinical breast examination leading to more early diagnosis and breast-conserving surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Arab countries with a young age of around 50 years at presentation. Locally advanced disease is very common and total mastectomy is the most commonly performed surgery. Awareness campaigns and value of clinical breast examination were validated in the Cairo Breast Cancer Screening Trial. More radiation centers and early detection would optimize care and reduce the currently high rate of total mastectomies. Population-based screening in those countries with affluent resources and accessible care should be implemented.