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Introduction. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of socioeconomic determinants on the quality of life of Moroccan women with breast cancer two years after their diagnosis who are followed up at the National Institute of Oncology (INO) in Rabat. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted between May 2019 and September 2020. The sample size was 304 women. Data were collected using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR 23 questionnaires in the Moroccan dialect. Results. The mean age of participants was 53.5 ± 12.4 years, where the majority resided in urban areas and more than half were illiterate. Moreover, three-quarters of the survivors were not working, and almost all have basic medical coverage. Nearly one-third of the respondents had experienced discrimination from those around them, and nearly half attributed the decrease in income to their state of health. In addition, 38.2 percent of participants stated that they had great difficulty living on their monthly income after the illness, whereas more than half of the survivors had a good quality of life in terms of overall health (GHS/QOL). Besides, social function obtained the highest score, while emotional function obtained the lowest score. Furthermore, financial difficulty was the most distressing symptom. Indeed, income adjustment after the disease, discrimination, distance between home and treatment center, professional status, and medical coverage were correlated with GHS/QOL. Regression analysis revealed that income adjustment after illness and discrimination were significant predictors of GHS/QOL. Conclusion. The data suggest establishing a financial support program and the development of education and awareness-raising policies to combat discrimination.

Morocco is a traditional supplier of medicinal and aromatic plants to the world. This activity has resulted to the exploitation of wild plants than dried plants for herbal needs and food flavors. Many species are used for the production of plant extracts and other aromatic essences mainly for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry. Among these metabolites, there are essential oils that are mixtures of aromatic substances present in the form of tiny droplets in the leaves, fruit peel, resin, branches, and wood. These oils, however, is endowed with antioxidant properties. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity of essential oils of three moroccan aromatic and medicinal plants: Thymus vulgaris, Mentha spicata, and Citrus limonum. The oil extraction was performed by steam distillation in a Clevenger type apparatus. Also, the antioxidant activity of these oils was evaluated by the method of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), in comparison with the antioxidant synthetic, ascorbic acid. In the present work, the results showed that the antioxidant activity of three essential oils studied by the trapping method of free radical is moderate. Also, the oil of Thymus vulgaris has a strong activity which exceeds that of ascorbic acid. This was followed by the European Scientific Journal April 2017 edition Vol.13, No.12 ISSN: 1857 -7881 (Print) RésuméLe Maroc est un fournisseur traditionnel du marché mondial en plantes aromatiques et médicinales. Cette activité met en exploitation aussi bien des plantes spontanées que des plantes séchées pour les besoins d'herboristerie et les aromates alimentaires. Un grand nombre d'espèces sont utilisées pour la production des essences végétales et autres extraits aromatiques destinés essentiellement à l'industrie pharmaceutique et cosmétique. Parmi ces métabolites, on trouve les huiles essentielles qui sont des mélanges de substances aromatiques présentes sous forme de minuscules gouttelettes dans les feuilles, les écorces des fruits, la résine, les branches et le bois. Ces huiles représentent un groupe très intéressant, qui sont dotés de propriétés antioxydantes. Cette étude a pour objectif d'évaluer l'activité antioxydante des huiles essentielles de trois plantes aromatiques et médicinales marocaine : Thymus vulgaris, Mentha spicata et Citrus limonum. L'extraction des huiles a été réalisée par hydrodistillation dans un appareil de type Clevenger et l'activité antioxydante de ces huiles a été évaluée par la méthode de DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), en comparaison avec l'antioxydant synthétique, l'acide ascorbique. Dans le présent travail, les résultats obtenus ont montré que l'activité antioxydante des trois huiles essentielles étudiées selon la méthode de piégeage du radical libre est modérée et que l'huile du Thymus vulgaris a une forte activité qui dépasse celle de l'acide ascorbique suivie de l'huile du Mentha spicata tandis que la plus faible activité a été observée chez Citrus limonum.

Introduction. The aim of this study is to document time intervals in cervical cancer care pathways, from symptom onset to disease detection and start of treatment, and evaluate how clinical, sociodemographic, and treatment factors influence delays throughout a patient’s clinical pathway. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted at the FEZ Oncology Hospital of the Hassan II University Hospital Center in Morocco. Results. 190 medical records of cervical cancer patients were collected. The dominant age group was 35–44, the median patient delay (PD) was 6 days, the median healthcare provider’s delay (HCP) was 21 days, the median referral delay (RD) was 17 days, the median diagnostic delay (DD) was 9.5 days, the median total diagnostic delay (TDD) was 16 days, the median treatment delay (TD) was 67 days, and the median health system interval (HSI) was 92 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that age was associated with the patient delay, the healthcare provider’s delay, the diagnosis delay, and the health system interval. The diagnosis year (the year in which the patient was diagnosed (either before 2012 or during 2012 as well as the other study years (from 2013 to 2017))), all investigations done prior to admission to the oncology hospital, and the age of first sexual activity were significantly associated with healthcare provider’s delay. Conclusion. The integration of a model and standard care pathway into the Moroccan health system is essential in order to unify cervical cancer care in the country.

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