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Setting The state of Baja California, Mexico had the highest prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Mexico in 2009. Objective To understand the socioeconomic burdens of MDR-TB disease and its treatment on patients in Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico. Design From July to November 2009, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 patients who were enrolled in a US-Mexico binational MDR-TB treatment program called “Puentes de Esperanza” (Bridges of Hope), which was designed to support MDR-TB patients. In-depth interviews were coded to identify major themes in patient experiences of MDR-TB diagnosis and care. Results While some patients were able to maintain their pre-MDR-TB lives to a limited extent, most patients reported losing their sense of identity due to their inability to work, social isolation, and stigmatization from family and friends. The majority of participants expressed appreciation for Puentes’ role in “saving their life.” Conclusion Being diagnosed with MDR-TB and undergoing treatment imposes significant psychological, social, and economic stress on patients. Strong social support elements within Puentes helped ameliorate these burdens. Improvements to the program might include peer-support groups for patients undergoing treatment and transitioning back into the community after treatment.

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Bullying is a problem for schools around the world, and is an important topic for research because it has been associated with negative outcomes on numerous social, psychological, and academic measures. Antibullying prevention and intervention programs have varied greatly in their outcomes, with some studies reporting positive results while others have reported little or no positive impacts. Prompted by accountability demands, many agencies have developed standards with which to assess whether social programs are effective. Antibullying program evaluations have not been systematically reviewed to determine whether these types of standards are being applied. The purpose of this study was to assess the rigor of recent peer-reviewed antibullying program evaluations. Thirty-one peer-reviewed evaluations of antibullying programs, published within the last 10 years, were identified and coded for study characteristics. Shortcomings were identified in many of these program evaluations. In order to improve evaluation practices, researchers should consider using more rigorous designs to identify cause-effect relationships, including control conditions and random assignment, using more appropriate pre-post intervals, using more advanced methods of analyses such as hierarchical linear modeling, and systematically verifying program integrity to obtain dosage data that can be used in the outcome analyses.

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