Medicine, conflict, and survival
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In the context of the CARA Iraq Research Fellowship Programme, staff from Hawler Medical University in Erbil, Iraq and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the UK collaboratively conducted a multimodal research project analysing challenges and opportunities for reform of the primary care system in Iraq. Through a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods a range of challenges were identified, both in terms of services offered and the utilisation of those services. The collaborative study proved positive in terms of direct research outcomes, in boosting academia with skill development and use of new methodologies, and in reengaging displaced Iraqi academics.
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This article explores the relationship between the prevalence of 'birth defects' and environmental characteristics, and considers implications for targeting resources to establish the educational inclusion of children affected. A household survey in four governorates across Iraq in 2010, conducted under the auspices of CARA, achieved interviews with 6032 households and collected data on more than 10,000 children and young people. ⋯ Children living in Basra were found to be most significantly impacted. This finding adds to a growing literature on associations between potential sources of environmental contaminants and impact on the health of children living in affected localities,