Pain is a prevalent symptom in people living with dementia. Evidence shows that pain frequently remains unrecognised and untreated in this vulnerable population, leading to avoidable suffering. Effective pain management is hindered by multifactorial barriers at the individual, organisational and policy level. This study aims to achieve expert consensus on the key barriers to pain management in non-verbal people living with dementia and strategies to address these barriers within Portuguese residential care facilities.

An e-Delphi study will be conducted using two rounds of online questionnaires. The Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) framework guided the development of e-Delphi statements by linking identified determinants (i.e., barriers and facilitators) to intervention functions. Barriers were extracted from the literature reviews and mapped into the capability, opportunity and motivation–behaviour model. Intervention functions were then selected using the BCW linkage matrices and operationalised into practical strategies. A purposive and snowball sampling approach will be used to recruit a heterogeneous panel of experts across national residential care facilities, including nurses, physicians, managers and policymakers with relevant experience in dementia. During the e-Delphi rounds, participants will be invited to rate the relevance of each barrier and associated strategy(ies) on a five-point Likert scale and provide comments or suggestions. Consensus will be defined as ≥75% agreement on each statement.

Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Egas Moniz Ethics Committee (Ref. 1586), and all procedures will comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, scientific events and stakeholder networks, including residential care facilities, to inform future practice and policy in dementia care.

The study aimed to assess the trends and factors associated with modern contraceptive use among female youths (15–24 years) in Tanzania from 2004 to 2022.

We performed secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from four consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in Tanzania: 2004, 2010, 2015/2016 and 2022.

Tanzania.

Sexually active female youths (n=8659).

The use of any modern contraceptive method, coded as Yes or No.

The sample had a median age of 21 (IQR 18–22 years), with 63.7% aged 20–24 years. Modern contraceptive use among female youths increased from 24.6% in 2004 to 32.1% in 2022. Consistent across surveys, modern contraceptive use was positively associated with secondary or higher education level, having one or more live births and engaging in sexual activity within the month preceding the survey. Additionally, adolescents (15–19 years) demonstrated a weak protective association, indicating a reduced likelihood of modern contraceptive use compared with young women (20–24 years). In 2015/2016 and 2022 surveys, primiparous, multiparous and married/cohabiting women were more likely to use modern contraceptives than nulliparous women.

Modern contraceptive use among female youths increased gradually in Tanzania between 2004 and 2022 Tanzania DHS. To sustain these upward trends and reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, public health policies should consider the factors positively associated with modern contraceptive use, particularly among young women aged 20–24 years, married/cohabiting, who have initiated childbearing and those with high education levels.

Severe mental disorders are associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction. Identifying those subgroups at higher risk may help to inform more effective early intervention. The objective of this study was to compare metabolic profiles across three proposed pathophysiological subtypes of common mood disorders (‘hyperarousal-anxious depression’, ‘circadian-bipolar spectrum’ and ‘neurodevelopmental-psychosis’).

751 young people (aged 16–25 years; mean age 19.67±2.69) were recruited from early intervention mental health services between 2004 and 2024 and assigned to two mood disorder subgroups (hyperarousal-anxious depression (n=656) and circadian-bipolar spectrum (n=95)). We conducted cross-sectional assessments and between-group comparisons of metabolic and immune risk factors. Immune-metabolic markers included body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose (FG), fasting insulin, Homeostasis Model Assessment-Insulin Resistance (HOMA2-IR), C reactive protein and blood lipids.

Individuals in the circadian-bipolar spectrum subgroup had significantly elevated FG (F=5.75, p=0.04), HOMA2-IR (F=4.86, p=0.03) and triglycerides (F=4.98, p=0.03) as compared with those in the hyperarousal-anxious depression subgroup. As the larger hyperarousal-anxious depression subgroup is the most generic type, and weight gain is also a characteristic of the circadian-bipolar subgroup, we then differentiated those with the hyperarousal-anxious subtype on the basis of low versus high BMI (2 vs ≥25 kg/m², respectively). The ‘circadian-bipolar’ group had higher FG, FI and HOMA2-IR than those in the hyperarousal-anxious-depression group with low BMI.

Circadian disturbance may be driving increased rates of metabolic dysfunction among youth with emerging mood disorders, while increased BMI also remains a key determinant. Implications for assessment and early interventions are discussed.

The inadequate handling of obstetrical complications may be attributed to the suboptimal quality of prenatal care (PC) and a lack of trust in healthcare provider (HP) among pregnant women.

This study explores the perceptions of satisfaction among women without social security regarding the PC provided by public health services, and compares the dimensions of satisfaction between those who received group prenatal care (GPC) and those who received individual prenatal care (IPC), as well as to identify the dimensions of satisfaction most valued by women to support the inclusion of said dimensions in primary health guidelines.

We performed a qualitative analysis to explore women’s satisfaction perception regarding PC. Satisfaction was explored using the following dimensions: women-HP relationship, educational support, opportunity of PC, emotional support and perception of clinical procedures.

The study was conducted between 2015 and 2018 across eight primary health facilities, from which four implemented IPC and four implemented GPC. Semi-structured interviews were applied: 28 for women with IPC and 18 for women with GPC. The sample size was defined by theoretical saturation. Content analysis was performed using a combination of deductive–inductive process into dimensions and attributes. To analyse the relationship among dimensions and attributes, we performed onto semiotic networks. ATLAS.ti was used to analyse the information.

Women without social security who received PC care in public health facilities.

Women who received GPC reported higher satisfaction than those who received IPC. In GPC, the most valued dimensions were (1) women-HP relationship, particularly the continuity of care delivered by the same HP and (2) the trust in that same provider. According to semiotic networks, these dimensions showed interconnections with each other, but also connected with attributes of other dimensions. Therefore, they have the potential to enhance trust, communication, the effectiveness of educational activities and emotional support.

A holistic approach to GPC is essential for ensuring a positive prenatal experience. However, a hybrid model that incorporates elements of both IPC can further enhance overall satisfaction among women. Consistency in care, particularly by providing services in public health facilities with the same HP, should be a fundamental strategy in PC, as it can significantly improve women’s satisfaction.