Psychosocial Interventions for Children and Adolescents after a Disaster: A Systematic Literature Review (1991–2015)

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic literature review is to analyze the psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents after disasters. METHODS: We conducted a review of the extant research literature from 1991 to 2015 via a comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed and PsyclNFO databases. The keywords employed in this research included: ‘child’, ‘adolescent’, ‘youth’, ‘disaster’, ‘posttraumatic’, ‘psychosocial’, ‘therapy’ and ‘intervention’. The researchers followed the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 850 articles were screened for their eligibility and fifty-nine were found to meet the study criteria. The final data analysis was performed based on the disaster type, study design, type of intervention, sample size, age, school grade, number of sessions, setting of intervention delivery, providers, approach and parent involvement. RESULTS: Countries worldwide have experienced various kinds of disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, vessel accidents, tornados, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, war, fire, terrorism, and traffic accidents. The types of psychosocial intervention that were conducted after these disasters included: psychological first aid, psychological debriefing, psychoeducation, trauma focused cognitive behavior therapy, eye movement desensitization reprocessing, prolonged exposure therapy, group play therapy and arts therapy, project interventions, school-based interventions and web-based interventions. CONCLUSION: The findings of the systematic literature review suggest that an appropriate psychosocial intervention could be utilized as evidence-based mental health treatment for children and adolescents after disasters.

Billroth I Anastomosis after a Radical Subtotal Gastrectomy The Safety of the Double-Stapling Method

PURPOSE: We compared the safety of the double-stapling method with that of the hand-sewn method when performing a Billroth I anastomosis (BI) after a radical subtotal gastrectomy. METHODS: Fifty-three (53) patients who received a BI with stapler from February 1998 to April 1999 were compared with 24 patients who received a BI with the hand-sewn method from January 1996 to December 1998. All the patients were divided into three groups according to the type of reconstruction: Group 1 (n=42), double- stapling method, Group 2 (n=11), anastomosis through posterior gastric wall, and Group 3 (n=24), hand- sewn method. The length of the greater curvature, lesser curvature, and proximal margin and the number of resected lymph nodes were compared for radicality, and the incidence of complications was reviewed. ANOVA and the chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean ages were 55.2+/-10.8, 59.8+/-9.7, and 54.7+/-11.9 years for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The sex ratios were 2.2:1, 1.2:1, and 1.4:1. The lengths (cm) of the greater curvature were 17.2+/-2.5, 18.4+/-2.5, and 18.6+/-3.3, and the lengths of the lesser curvature were 10.4+/-1.5, 10.9+/-1.6, and 10.7+/-2.1; however, the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The lengths of the proximal resection margin were 5.4+/-2.5, 8.2+/-3.3, and 6.0+/-3.2 (p<0.05), and the numbers of resected lymph nodes were 25.3+/-8.3, 19.1+/-5.8, and 32.+/- 13.7 (p<0.01). We experienced no complication in any group, except one case of leakage in the hand-sewn group. CONCLUSION: The double-stapling technique is a safe operative method in BI after a radical subtotal gastrectomy with its very low complication rate. Especially, the so- called Tornado method is a more useful method since it doesn't need a gastrotomy in the remnant stomach.

Billroth I Anastomosis after a Radical Subtotal Gastrectomy The Safety of the Double-Stapling Method

PURPOSE: We compared the safety of the double-stapling method with that of the hand-sewn method when performing a Billroth I anastomosis (BI) after a radical subtotal gastrectomy. METHODS: Fifty-three (53) patients who received a BI with stapler from February 1998 to April 1999 were compared with 24 patients who received a BI with the hand-sewn method from January 1996 to December 1998. All the patients were divided into three groups according to the type of reconstruction: Group 1 (n=42), double- stapling method, Group 2 (n=11), anastomosis through posterior gastric wall, and Group 3 (n=24), hand- sewn method. The length of the greater curvature, lesser curvature, and proximal margin and the number of resected lymph nodes were compared for radicality, and the incidence of complications was reviewed. ANOVA and the chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean ages were 55.2+/-10.8, 59.8+/-9.7, and 54.7+/-11.9 years for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The sex ratios were 2.2:1, 1.2:1, and 1.4:1. The lengths (cm) of the greater curvature were 17.2+/-2.5, 18.4+/-2.5, and 18.6+/-3.3, and the lengths of the lesser curvature were 10.4+/-1.5, 10.9+/-1.6, and 10.7+/-2.1; however, the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The lengths of the proximal resection margin were 5.4+/-2.5, 8.2+/-3.3, and 6.0+/-3.2 (p<0.05), and the numbers of resected lymph nodes were 25.3+/-8.3, 19.1+/-5.8, and 32.+/- 13.7 (p<0.01). We experienced no complication in any group, except one case of leakage in the hand-sewn group. CONCLUSION: The double-stapling technique is a safe operative method in BI after a radical subtotal gastrectomy with its very low complication rate. Especially, the so- called Tornado method is a more useful method since it doesn't need a gastrotomy in the remnant stomach.