Background: Homelessness has become a complex issue with profound impacts on society. Social determinants like housing significantly impacts human well-being in numerous ways, ranging from physical safety to appropriate access to necessities such as healthy food options and medical care. This research seeks to delve deeper into understanding how being homeless can affect mental health outcomes. Methodology: A literature review conducted following a systematic method was integral to our research process. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus, utilizing a combination of keywords related to homelessness, mental health, and their impact. Results: The reviewed studies consistently highlighted the prevalence of mental health disorders among homeless individuals, ranging from depression, suicide, alcoholism, substance abuse, and Schizophrenia. The evidence highlights the complex relationship between homeless status and psychological well-being, noting that lack of secure housing can trigger and exacerbate mental illness. Conclusion: This review emphasizes the significance of providing homeless individuals with essential mental health aid and secure housing accommodations cannot be underscored enough. By recognizing the relationship between homelessness and mental health, society can work towards implementing effective strategies that promote recovery and social inclusion for this vulnerable population.

Background: The use of skin bleaching products is considered a common trend in dark-skinned women in West Africa, Surprisingly, only a few studies have been carried out on this subject in West Africa. The objectives of the study are to determine the prevalence, active component, complications, and mechanism of action of the key ingredients of skin bleaching products. Methods: This review article was conducted by searching PubMed (MEDLINE) and EMBASE using the search terms “ Use of skin bleaching products” and “West Africa” with a focus on articles from 2002 to 2022. Certain criteria were used to include or exclude articles from our study. Results: All articles reviewed revealed a rise in the prevalence of use of skin bleaching products ranging from 25% to 58.9% in women from Sub-Saharan Africa. The most common components found include hydroquinone, corticosteroids, mercury, and caustic agents. Some complications that result from the use of these products include skin atrophy, hyperpigmentation of skin around joints, Striae atrophicae, skin infection, and secondary adrenal insufficiency. Conclusion: The rise in the prevalence of the use of skin bleaching products in West African women has resulted in a corresponding rise in detrimental health conditions. Hence, Educating people concerning the harmful effects of the components of skin-lightening products should be employed and the government should put policies in place to reduce or legally prohibit the use of these products as the harm inarguably outweighs any perceived benefit.

A feared complication of ischemic cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is hemorrhagic transformation and it increases the length of hospital admissions, results in poor clinical outcomes and increases mortality. This study aims to identify risk factors of hemorrhagic transformation, discuss the pathogenesis of transformation and prognosis of the condition from original studies conducted within the past 10 years. PubMed and EMBASE are the major databases used. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and are a mixture of retrospective and prospective studies. The sample size ranges from 32 to 1484 patients. Generally, the mechanism of hemorrhagic transformation identified involves the release of reactive oxygen species and metalloproteinase as a result of cerebral ischemia. Metalloproteinase further causes a breakdown of the extracellular matrix, thereby giving rise to the extravasation of cellular components. Some identified risk factors include: age, use of antithrombotic, the subtype of ischemic stroke, the severity of stroke and hypertension. Prognosis is linked to the type of hemorrhagic infarctions according to the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II (ECASS II) with patients with either hemorrhagic infarct type 2 (HI2) and parenchymal hematoma type 2 (PH2) having the worst functional outcome.