Research from JAMA — Association of Sexual Violence and Human Rights Violations With Physical and Mental Health in Territories of the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Research from JAMA — Association of Combatant Status and Sexual Violence With Health and Mental Health Outcomes in Postconflict Liberia

Research from JAMA — Human Rights Abuses and Concerns About Women's Health and Human Rights in Southern Iraq — ContextAlthough human rights abuses have been reported in Iraq, the full scope of these abuses has not been well documented.ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of human rights abuses since 1991 in southern Iraq, along with attitudes about women's health and human rights and women's rights and roles in society, to inform reconstruction and humanitarian assistance efforts in Iraq.DesignCross-sectional, randomized survey of Iraqi men and women conducted in July 2003 using structured questionnaires.SettingThree major cities in 3 of the 9 governorates in southern Iraq.ParticipantsA total of 1991 respondents representing 16 520 household members.Main Outcome MeasuresRespondent demographics, information on human rights abuses that occurred among household members since 1991, women's health and human rights, opinions regarding women's rights and roles in society, and conditions for community health and development.ResultsRespondents were a mean age of 38 years and were mostly of Arab ethnicity (99.7% [1976/1982]) and Muslim Shi'a (96.7% [1906/1971]). Overall, 47% of those interviewed reported 1 or more of the following abuses among themselves and household members since 1991: torture, killings, disappearance, forced conscription, beating, gunshot wounds, kidnappings, being held hostage, and ear amputation, among others. Seventy percent of abuses (408/586) were reputed to have occurred in homes. Baath party regime-affiliated groups were identified most often (95% [449/475]) as the perpetrators of the abuses; 53% of the abuses occurred between 1991 and 1993, following the Shi'a uprising, and another 30% between 2000 and the first 6 months of 2003. While the majority of men and women expressed support for women's equal opportunities for education, freedom of expression, access to health care, equality in deciding marriage and the number and spacing of children, and participation in community development decisions, there was less support among both men and women for women's freedom of movement, association with people of their choosing, and rights to refuse sex. Half of women and men (54% and 50%, respectively) reported agreeing that a man has the right to beat his wife if she disobeys. Fifty-three percent of respondents reported that there were reasons to restrict educational opportunities for women at the present time and 50% reported that there were reasons to restrict work opportunities for women at the present time.ConclusionsNearly half of participating households in 3 southern cities in Iraq reported human rights abuses among household members between 1991 and 2003. The households surveyed supported a government that will protect and promote human rights, including the rights of women. However, currently, neither men nor women appear to support a full range of women's human rights.

Since its post-World War II inception, the science of record linkage has grown exponentially and is used across industrial, governmental, and academic agencies. The academic fields that rely on record linkage are diverse, ranging from history to public health to demography. In this paper, we introduce the different types of data linkage and give a historical context to their development. We then introduce the three types of underlying models for probabilistic record linkage: Fellegi-Sunter-based methods, machine learning methods, and Bayesian methods. Practical considerations, such as data standardization and privacy concerns, are then discussed. Finally, recommendations are given for organizations developing or maintaining record linkage programs, with an emphasis on organizations measuring long-term complications of disasters, such as 9/11.

(2002). Statistics and Slobodan: Using Data Analysis and Statistics in the War Crimes Trial of Former President Milosevic. CHANCE: Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 17-24.

Objective: To provide a better understanding of any associations between Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration, previous head injury, and mental health symptoms among former combatants in Liberia. Methods: A cluster-sampled national survey of the adult household-based Liberian population. Findings: Former combatants with reported head injury were more likely to experience major depressive disorder symptoms, suicidal ideation and attempts, and current substance abuse. Former combatants with head injury are 2.83 times more likely to have major depressive disorder symptoms, and those with suspected traumatic brain injury are five times more likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder. Interpretation: The poor mental health of former combatants in Liberia, both child and adult, might be mitigated if Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration programming assessed participants for head trauma and traumatic brain injury using simple screening methods. The specific health and mental health needs of ex-combatants—a highly vulnerable group—will need to be addressed by Liberia. If left untreated, ex-combatants with high rates of suicidal ideation and post-traumatic stress disorder might be susceptible to re-recruitment into new conflicts in the region.