This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide an overview of the effectiveness of digital physiotherapy interventions on pain, physical functions and quality of life for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

A systematic search of electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Scopus and Cochrane Library, was conducted on 19 February 2025.

We included randomised controlled trials which compared digital physiotherapy interventions to standard physiotherapy care for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Main outcomes included pain, physical functions and quality of life.

25 studies met the inclusion criteria, and 18 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. The primary author conducted the initial search, selected articles and extracted data from eligible studies, which were independently checked by a second reviewer. Risk of bias (ROB) was assessed by Cochrane ROB-2 tool. Quality of evidence was evaluated by the GRADE approach.

Overall, digital physiotherapy was associated with a small but statistically significant improvement in physical function (SMD=0.24, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.35); an overall meta-analysis was not performed for pain and quality of life due to considerable heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses revealed both video-conferencing and app- or web-based physiotherapy significantly reduced pain (SMD=–0.53, 95% CI –1.06 to –0.01 and SMD=–0.47, 95% CI –0.70 to –0.25, respectively) and physical function (SMD=0.32, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.54 and SMD=0.30, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.50 respectively). Digital physiotherapy interventions with individualised exercise components also reduced pain (SMD=–0.43, 95% CI –0.66 to –0.21) and improved physical function (SMD=0.30, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.43), when compared with non-exercise interventions.

There was moderate-quality evidence to support the use of digital physiotherapy interventions in improving pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Subgroup analyses revealed low-to-moderate quality evidence in using video-conferencing and app-/web-based physiotherapy and interventions with exercise components to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis. Overall, there were limited high-quality trials in drawing a robust conclusion. High ROB and huge heterogeneity were observed across studies. Further research should minimise the ROB and investigate the effect of different digital modalities, intervention components and length of follow-up.

Immunisation is one of the most valuable, impactful and cost-effective public health interventions which delivers positive health, social and economic benefits. Globally, 4 million deaths worldwide are prevented by childhood vaccination every year. In Ethiopia, despite huge progress being made, the routine immunisation coverage has never reached the targeted figures and planned goals. Pastoralist communities are often disproportionately under-vaccinated, and there is often a confluence of interrelated factors that drive this outcome. This study enables us to identify factors affecting immunisation service utilisation in the pastoralist communities of Ethiopia, which helps to design effective and context-specific interventions.

This study aims to explore the behavioural and social drivers (BeSDs) of routine immunisation among the communities with high numbers of zero-dose and under-immunised children in Afar, Somali and Gambella regions of Ethiopia.

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in three selected regions of Ethiopia (Gambella, Somali and Afar) from 9 November 2023 to 30 December 2023. Purposive sampling was used. A total of 33 interviews were conducted in the three regions. Sample size was determined based on idea saturation. Data was collected using interview guides. The interview guide was developed after reviewing relevant literature, desk review and using the journey to health and immunisation framework. A separate interview guide was developed for the journey mapping exercise, in-depth interview, healthcare workers discussion guide, focus group discussion and observation. Data was analysed thematically.

Behavioural (lack of awareness, lack of reminder/forgetting, misperception about vaccines, negative previous experience, lost card and fear of post-vaccination adverse events).

Structural (language barrier, long distance from home to facility, high cost of transportation, long waiting time, limited training of healthcare professionals and incentives, inconvenient service hours, shortage of health professionals, disrespect by the healthcare provider), Socio-cultural (competing priorities, low community engagement, lack of decision-making autonomy, limited husband involvement, workload, rural residence and larger family size were the commonly mentioned barriers to routine immunisation uptake. On the other hand, structural (house to house visit by health extension workers, counselling about adverse events, presence of outreach service, affordability (free of charge)), behavioural and socio-cultural (knowledge of adverse event management, and respect from community) were enablers to routine immunisation service uptake in pastoralist communities.

The study found several individual and contextual factors affecting routine immunisation uptake in pastoralist communities. Context-specific and tailored interventions which address zero dose drivers should be designed so as to enhance vaccine uptake. The findings suggested the need to design context-specific interventions to address the aforementioned barriers to immunisation.

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading contributor to disability globally. It has a substantial impact on the lives of those who experience it, and places considerable economic burden on healthcare systems. Despite these impacts, and the consistency of guideline recommendations, many individuals do not receive recommended LBP management. Structural barriers to accessing timely, evidence-based care, as well as public uncertainty about where to seek appropriate management, can influence the care individuals receive. Telephone and digitally based helplines assist to overcome many traditional barriers to accessing care and offer a scalable platform to improve the delivery of guideline recommended management for LBP. However, uptake of such services can be limited without targeted promotion and patient-centred design. This project aims to codesign, implement and evaluate an upgraded component of an existing Australian helpline service, tailored for people with back pain and supported by a media awareness campaign. This protocol outlines the codesign process, implementation and planned evaluation of the helpline.

This protocol uses three complementary frameworks—an iterative codesign process, the Practical Robust Implementation Sustainability Model, and the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework—to guide the codesign and development, implementation and evaluation of an upgraded helpline for people with LBP. The codesign process involves key stakeholders, including consumers and clinicians, to inform the development and implementation of both the upgraded helpline service and the media campaign to raise awareness and uptake of the helpline. Data sources will include a pre–post cohort of helpline service users, routinely collected service data (eg, monthly call rate) and health system data to evaluate the broader population level impact (eg, rates of emergency department presentations for LBP in the Australian region targeted by the media campaign). Implementation evaluation will include Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance as well as internal and external environmental factors that influence the success of these outcome measures.

The project was approved by the University of Sydney’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HE001081). This project involves collaboration with consumers, clinicians and other stakeholders to interpret, translate and disseminate research findings to relevant audiences.

This study aimed to assess construct validity against commonly used patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), test–retest reliability and responsiveness of seven Dutch-Flemish Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computerised adaptive testing (CATs) in Dutch adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), and assess their acceptability in healthcare providers and people with T2D.

A cross-sectional observational study in people with T2D and qualitative study involving both people with T2D and healthcare professionals.

Participants with T2D were recruited from the ongoing Hoorn Diabetes Care System cohort in the West-Friesland area of the Netherlands. Additionally, people with T2D and advanced chronic kidney disease were recruited at the outpatient clinics of Amsterdam University Medical Centre and ‘Niercentrum aan de Amstel’, both in the Amsterdam area of the Netherlands. The healthcare professionals involved in the qualitative part were recruited at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre.

314 people with T2D (age 64.0±10.8 years, 63.7% men).

Participants completed seven PROMIS CATs (assessing (1) Physical Function, (2) Pain Interference, (3) Fatigue, (4) Sleep Disturbance, (5) Anxiety, (6) Depression and (7) Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities), and PROMs measuring similar constructs. After 2 weeks and 6 months, participants completed the CATs measures again, together with seven Global Rating Scales (GRS) on perceived change in each domain. Construct validity was assessed using Pearson’s correlations. Test–retest reliability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Measurement error was assessed by the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC). Responsiveness was assessed by correlations between change scores on the PROMIS CAT and GRS. Acceptability was assessed through focus groups and interviews in healthcare providers and people with T2D.

Except for Fatigue, all PROMIS CAT domains demonstrated sufficient construct validity, since ≥75% of the results was in accordance with a priori hypotheses. All seven PROMIS CATs showed sufficient test–retest reliability (ICCs 0.73–0.91). SEM and MDC ranged from 2.1 to 2.7 and from 5.7 to 7.4, respectively. Responsiveness was rated as insufficient in this study design as there was almost no change in participants’ own rating of their health compared with 6 months ago according to a global rating of change.

During the focus groups and interviews, healthcare providers and people with T2D agreed that CATs could serve as a conversation starter in routine care, but should never replace personal consultations with a doctor. If implemented, participants would be willing to spend 15 min to complete the PROMIS CATs.

The PROMIS CATs showed sufficient construct validity and test–retest reliability in most domains in people with T2D. Responsiveness needs to be evaluated in a population with poorer diabetes control or in a study design with longer follow-up. The CATs are well accepted to be used in care to identify relevant topics, but should not replace personal contact with the doctor.

Neutropenic fever (NF) has a crude mortality rate of 3–18%. International guidelines recommend that all patients with NF receive ultrabroad-spectrum antibiotics (UBSAs) within 1 hour of emergency department (ED) registration. However, over 70% patients presenting to hospital with suspected NF (sNF) cannot access absolute neutrophil count (ANC) result within 1 hour, do not have NF and do not require UBSAs. In ED and hospitalised patients with sNF, we hypothesise that the ASTERIC protocol effectively and safely reduces the use of UBSAs compared with standard care alone.

This pragmatic, parallel, multicentre, type 1, hybrid effectiveness-implementation, stepped-wedge, before-and-after, cluster randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate whether antibiotic prescribing can be safely reduced through implementing a multifaceted antibiotic stewardship intervention (ASTERIC) in adult patients with sNF presenting to EDs. The sNF was defined as a fever with a single oral temperature of ≥38.3°C (101°F) within 24 hours before ED registration or a temperature of ≥38.0°C (100.4°F) sustained over a 1-hour period, following last chemotherapy or targeted therapy within 6 weeks for any solid tumour, or in any period following therapies against leucaemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, aplastic anaemia, multiple myeloma or recipient of HSCT. The study will involve eight hospitals in Hong Kong with variable baseline practice. We will include 704 adult patients (352 patients in pre-implementation and post-implementation periods, respectively) with sNF (tympanic temperature ≥38.3°C) and 48 staff participants (6 staff participants in each hospital). Healthcare professionals will receive a multifaceted stewardship intervention consisting of risk assessment tools, fast-track ANCs, a decision tool for patient management and antibiotic use, supported by an educational package and staff interaction programmes (ASTERIC protocol). Patients’ blood ANC, and cancer therapy and chronic illness therapy scores will be measured. The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) and Proctor conceptual frameworks will be followed for evaluation of implementation. The main outcome measures are the mean total dose of UBSAs prescribed in 7 days and serious adverse events at 30 days. Data analysis will incorporate intention-to-treat, per-protocol and as-treated analyses for service outcomes (effectiveness, safety, quality of life assessments and cost-effectiveness) and mixed methods for implementation outcomes, informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework. We expect that the study results will inform health policy with improvement in hospital services in treating stable sNF, evidenced by improved safe antibiotic stewardship, early antibiotic de-escalation and reduced costs and length of stay.

The institutional review boards of all study sites approved this study. This study will establish the ASTERIC protocol safely improves antibiotic stewardship and clinical management in adult patients with sNF. We will disseminate the findings through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and educational activities. All patients with sNF will be influenced by the new protocol which is agreed at hospital level. Randomisation is at hospital level, not patient level. Patient consent is sought for follow-up and data access, not for treatment. Staff consent is sought for interviewing.

NCT06794320.

Osteoporosis represents a growing public health concern in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where ageing populations and limited healthcare access contribute to high fracture rates and poor treatment adherence. Despite the existence of clinical practice guidelines, these often lack integration of stakeholder perspectives such as those of patients, healthcare providers, insurers and systems. Understanding knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to osteoporosis is essential to inform inclusive, culturally relevant strategies for prevention and management. This systematic review aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes (preferences) and practices (behaviours) of key stakeholders, including adults aged 50 years and older and healthcare providers, regarding the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in the MENA region.

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols guidelines, we conducted comprehensive searches of MEDLINE and Embase for studies published from January 1994 to January 2025. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts in duplicate. Title/abstract and full-text screening were completed by September 2025. Data extraction will begin in October 2025 and will be performed in duplicate using piloted standardised forms. Risk of bias assessment and data synthesis will follow, using validated design-specific tools and a narrative approach guided by the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis framework. The review was initiated in June 2025, and completion of analysis and manuscript preparation is anticipated in June 2026.

This review synthesises data from publicly available literature and does not involve primary data collection with human participants; therefore, ethics approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and deposition of study materials on the Open Science Framework.

This protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework.

To explore the experiences of different stakeholders on the balance of package training and deployment of highly skilled Human Resources for Health for specialised services in Tanzania.

An exploratory qualitative case study was used as part of a larger tracer study conducted by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) for its postgraduate programmes being a requirement for quality assurance. Semi-structured interview guides were used for in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). Qualitative content analysis was adopted to analyse the data.

The trace study was carried out in all seven geopolitical zones of the Tanzania mainland and Unguja in Zanzibar.

We conducted 14 FGDs and 301 IDIs. Participants included alumni, immediate supervisors at employment sites, MUHAS faculty, continuing students at MUHAS and management of professional councils in Tanzania.

Key findings revealed variations in demands and recognition within the scheme of services, even after registration by professional councils. Five main themes emerged from the qualitative interviews: Package training to improve service provision, Unprofessional collegial relationships or issues related to professionalism within interdisciplinary teams, Silence of scheme services on super specialisation in the medical cadre, Silence of scheme services on specialisation in the nursing cadre, Integrated scheme of services for specialties in pharmacy.

The findings highlight the demand for specialised training, challenges with professionalism and inconsistencies in the recognition and remuneration of specialists across medical, nursing and pharmacy cadres within existing service schemes. There is a need for harmonisation between specialisation/super specialisation and the scheme of services. This harmonisation is crucial to ensure the provision of quality healthcare services. Furthermore, harmonisation requires multistakeholder engagement to realise universal health coverage strategies.

This study aims to assess the burden and predictors of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among older age patients with diabetes attending comprehensive specialised hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia.

A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted among older patients with diabetes using a systematic random sampling technique.

The study was conducted at five comprehensive specialised hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia from 8 May to 8 June 2023.

The study included 832 diabetic individuals aged 40 years and above.

Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire and physical examinations.

In this study, a total of 832 participants were involved, with a response rate of 96.85%. The burden of AMD was 15.4% (95% CI 13.0% to 18.0%). Male sex (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.04, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.56), older age (AOR 6.91, 95% CI 3.17 to 15.08), diabetes duration of 10 and more years (AOR 3.00, 95% CI 1.91 to 4.69), higher body mass index (AOR 2.56, 95% CI 1.15 to 5.71), presence of hypertension (AOR 2.45, 95% CI 1.56 to 3.85) and family history of diabetes mellitus (DM) (AOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.40 to 3.76) were positively associated with AMD.

This study found that the prevalence of AMD among patients with diabetes was 15.4%. Older age, male sex, longer DM duration, higher body mass index, presence of hypertension and family history of DM were significantly associated with AMD. Targeted screening of at-risk individuals for AMD, public health awareness campaigns focusing on these factors and further research to understand the burden and underlying mechanisms of these associations with AMD are recommended.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of eye care service utilisation and associated factors among healthcare professionals in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia.

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a systematic random sampling method.

The study was conducted at public healthcare facilities in Gondar city, orthwest Ethiopia.

The study included 607 healthcare professionals who worked in public healthcare facilities in Gondar ity.

Data were collected using personal interview using a pretested and structured questionnaire.

A total of 607 study participants took part in this study with a response rate of 91.97%. The median age of the participants was 32 years (IQR 30–36; range ±6). The proportion of eye care services utilisation in this study was 27.68% (95% CI 24.11% to 31.25%). Being masters or higher degree educational status (adjusted OR (AOR)=4.81, 95% CI: 2.01, 11.46), having more than ten years of working experience in healthcare (AOR3.01, 95% CI: 1.51 to 5.99), being affiliated with general hospital (AOR 4.02, 95% CI 1.51 to 10.68) and specialised hospital (AOR 3.02, 95% CI 1.55 to 5.89), obtaining prior eye healthcare training (AOR 1.90, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.00) and having a higher monthly household income (AOR 3.59, 95% CI 1.89 to 6.81) were positively associated with eye care service utilisation.

This study revealed that the proportion of eye care service utilisation among study participants was low. Holding a master or higher degree, more than 10 years of working experience in healthcare, affiliation with general or specialised healthcare facility, obtaining prior eye healthcare training and higher monthly household income were significantly associated with a good level of eye care service utilisation.

To examine the predictors and differences of the nurses’ perceived cultural humility in clinical settings, as perceived by nursing students.

A quantitative cross-sectional design was carried out using the consensus-based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies checklist.

A governmental and a private university.

A non-random convenience sample of 264 nursing students from universities in Jordan was recruited.

The nurses’ perceived cultural humility in clinical settings.

After a pilot study to validate the adopted instrument for use in a student sample, an online survey using Google Forms was posted in August 2023. The acquired data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics from the Statistical Package for Social Sciences V.26.

On a 1–5 Likert Scale, a score of less than 4 indicated low nurses’ perceived cultural humility; thus, it was considered low (mean=3.51/5, SE=0.036). This cut-off was based on the scoring method employed by Sexton et al, which defined scores below 4 on a 5-point scale as low. The 95% CI for the overall mean score was 3.44 to 3.58. The highest means of the nurses’ perceived cultural humility in clinical settings were that nurses are considerate (mean=3.79, SE=0.060) and they already know a lot (mean=3.73, SE=0.052). The lowest mean of the nurses’ perceived cultural humility in clinical settings was that nurses are genuinely interested in learning more (mean=3.14, SE=0.073). Being trained in governmental hospitals, an average and junior nursing student predicted the nurses’ perceived cultural humility in clinical settings (t-test=13.55, p=0.001, R²=0.082, adjusted R²=0.071). At 0.05, the 95% CIs for the predictors were as follows: governmental hospital (–7.35 to –1.69), graduate point average ≤2.5 (–9.12 to –2.96) and junior level (0.09 to 4.37).

This study contributed valuable insights into nurses’ cultural humility in clinical settings; further research is still needed. Low-reported nurses’ perceived cultural humility calls for immediate teaching strategies to integrate cultural humility within clinical settings and create more conducive learning environments. When examining the predictors and differences of the nurses’ perceived cultural humility in clinical settings, it became evident that hospitals had the most significant factor. It is essential to integrate cultural humility at an early stage of students’ academic level; they will treat their patients with a culturally oriented approach and will have positive perceptions of the nurses who mentor them. Hospitals had the most significant factor, specifically the type of hospital where students were trained (governmental vs private), which strongly influenced their perceptions of nurses’ cultural humility.

The Maharashtra Anaemia Study 3 (MAS 3) aims to (1) Investigate the nutritional, environmental, and economic impacts on haemoglobin concentration/anaemia, (2) Identify the underlying micronutrient causes of anaemia and (3) Investigate the association between anaemia and physical and cognitive development of Indian children during their first 18 years of life. This paper introduces the MAS 3 cohort, which consists of data collected from the participants in the prospective Pune Maternal Nutrition Study from the antenatal period to children at 18 years of age (1996–2014) in the Maharashtra state, India.

Recruitment of 2466 married non-pregnant women, and their husbands, took place between June 1994 and April 1996 in six villages, approximately 50 km from Pune city in India. Women were followed up monthly to identify those who became pregnant. A total of 797 pregnant women were followed up for data collection at or near gestational week 18 and 28, with further data collection for women and children occurring within 72 hours of delivery, for both live and stillbirths. Of the 797 women, 710 were included in the MAS 3 cohort, and long-term follow-up of children occurred at 6 years, 12 years and 18 years of age.

In the MAS 3 cohort, most mothers (73%) were aged between 18 and 25 years at the time of their final prepregnancy visit (baseline), and half (55%) belonged to families of middle-upper socioeconomic status (SES). At the children’s baseline (birth) visit, children had a mean birth weight of 2630 g (SD: 376), with one third (31%) of low birth weight. At the 6-year, 12-year and 18-year follow-up visits, data were available for 706 (99%), 689 (97%) and 694 (98%) children.

MAS 3 will be used to address a number of research objectives, including (1) Trends of haemoglobin and anaemia-related micronutrients from age 6 to 18 years, (2) Micronutrient causes of anaemia during childhood, (3) Prevalence and risk factors for maternal anaemia and childhood anaemia, (4) Impact of maternal anaemia on immediate birth outcomes and (5) Intergenerational risk factors associated with anaemia.

Despite the known haemostatic action of emicizumab (Hemlibra) in haemophilia A patients, its role in the prevention and control of bleeding in high-demand haemostatic situations, such as major surgery, remains to be determined. Patients receiving regular emicizumab prophylaxis often require concomitant factor VIII (FVIII) therapy during major surgery to prevent uncontrolled bleeding and to promote postoperative healing. However, there are limited prospective surgical data relating to concomitant FVIII and emicizumab use. Simoctocog alfa (Nuwiq) is a B-domain deleted recombinant FVIII produced in a human cell line without chemical modification or protein fusion with proven efficacy as surgical prophylaxis in adult and paediatric patients. The Nuwiq for Perioperative management Of patients With haemophilia A on Emicizumab Regular prophylaxis (NuPOWER) study aims to examine perioperative efficacy and safety of simoctocog alfa in haemophilia A patients on emicizumab prophylaxis undergoing major surgery.

NuPOWER is a prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicentre study that will be conducted at approximately 15 centres worldwide. Up to 28 male patients ≥12 years with severe haemophilia A and no FVIII inhibitors will be recruited. All patients must be receiving regular emicizumab prophylaxis and scheduled to undergo a major surgical procedure during which concomitant simoctocog alfa will be administered. The primary endpoint is the overall haemostatic efficacy of simoctocog alfa, adjudicated by an independent data monitoring committee using a pre-defined algorithm, and will consider intraoperative and postoperative efficacy assessments by the surgeon and investigator, respectively. Secondary endpoints include intraoperative haemostatic efficacy, postoperative haemostatic efficacy, number of allogeneic blood products transfused, perioperative FVIII plasma levels (as measured by FVIII activity) and thrombin generation, and safety parameters. In the era of non-factor therapy, NuPOWER will generate valuable prospective data on concomitant use of simoctocog alfa and emicizumab prophylaxis in patients with severe haemophilia A undergoing major surgery.

Ethical approval has been received from institutional review boards/independent ethics committees, and the study will be conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. This work will be disseminated by publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts and presentations at scientific meetings.

CT EU 2022-502060-21-00; NCT05935358.

This study used data from the nationally representative Bangladesh household income and expenditure survey (HIES) 2022.

Eight divisions of Bangladesh.

14 395 households.

We examined how household consumption patterns across 20 expenditure categories were impacted by OOP health spending for NCD management, with a focus on income-level disparities.

In Bangladesh, OOP health expenditures for NCDs crowded out household expenditures on essential items like food and rent. Across all households, OOP health expenditures for NCDs by 10 US$ crowded out –3.8 US$ of expenditure on food (95% CI –5.1 to –2.5), and more specifically on protein-rich foods (–2.0 US$, 95% CI –2.8 to –1.2), spices (–0.2 US$, 95% CI –0.3 to –0.1), and restaurant and café meals (–0.9 US$, 95% CI –1.4 to –0.5). Crowding-out was also seen for tobacco, rent, durable goods and miscellaneous. In lower-income households, expenditures on food (–4.1 US$, 95% CI –7.2 to –1.1), restaurant and café meals (–2.0 US$, 95% CI –3.1 to –0.8), spices (–0.4 US$, 95% CI –0.7 to –0.09), and rent (–3.1 US$, 95% CI –4.5 to –1.6) were significantly crowded out.

This research demonstrates that NCD-related spending in Bangladesh reduces budgets for both food and non-food expenditures, with a stronger crowding-out effect on food items and rent, particularly in lower-income households. Effective financial and social protection mechanisms against NCDs are warranted to safeguard the consumption of the NCD-affected households in Bangladesh.

Patient safety culture plays a crucial role in reducing clinical errors. By improving healthcare professionals’ and patients’ understanding of human fallibility and error attribution, patient care can be enhanced, fostering greater engagement from both groups. A Just Culture approach, which balances accountability and learning from errors, is a key factor in fostering this safety culture. The DECIDE Project aims to: (1) examine the conceptualisation of human fallibility within and beyond healthcare, (2) identify barriers and facilitators to Just Culture adoption, (3) assess the impact of psychoeducational interventions on professionals’ and social leaders’ attitudes toward clinical errors and (4) develop a roadmap for Just Culture implementation in healthcare.

A 36-month mixed-methods study including qualitative research, a survey of 1255 healthcare professionals, an experimental study with 180 participants (60 per arm) testing interventions based on cognitive dissonance and reasoned action theories and a consensus conference to develop a Just Culture roadmap. Participants include professionals from hospitals, primary care, long-term care, nursing homes and social leaders in Spain. The qualitative data collected during stages 1 and 4 will be analysed using MAXQDA software. In identifying factors related to the implementation of Just Culture during stage 2, ANOVA, t-tests and multiple linear regression will be conducted. To examine the effects of the interventions in phase 3, a linear mixed-effects model for repeated measures will be employed.

This study has received ethical approval from three institutional review boards. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and policy recommendations aimed at integrating Just Culture into national and international patient safety strategies. By promoting a constructive approach to errors, the project could enhance incident reporting, strengthen professional engagement in safety policies and foster a culture of learning and accountability. Its findings will guide policy recommendations for integrating Just Culture into national and international patient safety strategies, with potential applications beyond Spain.

NCT06835517.

This study aims to assess how implementing a checklist for managing extremely preterm or extremely low birth weight infants can reduce mortality rates and morbidities.

A quasi-experimental, before-and-after study.

Neonatal intensive care unit at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, a national referral hospital in Indonesia.

86 infants were born at

Implementation of a modified Canberra Health Services extremely preterm-early management checklist during the initial management of extremely preterm or low birth weight infants, including humidified gas resuscitation, thermal management, early surfactant administration and standardised first-hour care protocols.

The primary outcome was the mortality rate. Secondary outcomes included comorbidities such as hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, acidosis, intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

A total of 86 extremely premature and/or extremely low birth weight infants were enrolled, 48 neonates prior to and 38 neonates after the use of the checklist. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups (median gestational age 27 weeks in both groups, median birth weight 795 g vs 868.5 g, p=0.09). Mortality at discharge showed a non-significant reduction from 52.1% to 47.4% (p=0.664, 0.91, 95% CI 0.64 to 1.30). Significant reductions were observed in IVH (79.2% to 28.9%, p

Implementation of a systematic checklist was associated with significant reductions in IVH and ROP, though mortality reduction was not statistically significant. These findings suggest potential benefits of structured early care protocols, but the observational design limits causal inference.

Bangladesh is highly prone to recurrent flooding that disrupts all four pillars of food security. This study aimed to explore the effect of household food insecurity on the underweight status of women in flood-affected areas of Bangladesh, which remains underexplored.

This is a cross-sectional analysis.

This study was conducted in eight sub-districts (upazilas) across eight districts in Bangladesh that experience severe to moderate river flooding, flash floods and substantial tidal surges.

A total of 532 women participated in the study. The inclusion criteria for participation were as follows: (1) being at least 18 years of age, (2) residing in the household for at least 1 year and (3) having experienced limited food access in the 4 weeks before data collection due to flood-related constraints.

Household food insecurity was measured using the U.S. Agency for International Development Household Food Insecurity Access Scale questionnaire. An underweight status was evaluated through anthropometric measurements of women. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) were estimated using robust log-linear models.

Moderate food insecurity was the most common (58.3%) among the participants. The prevalence of underweight was the highest (52.1%) in the severely food-insecure group and decreased significantly with improved food security. Severe household food insecurity was strongly associated with a higher prevalence of underweight individuals (aPR = 4.12; 95% CI, 1.60 to 10.60). An underweight status was also prevalent in women from moderately food-insecure households (aPR = 1.75; 95% CI, 0.68 to 4.55).

This study reveals a significant association between household food insecurity and underweight status, highlighting the major challenges faced by women living in flood-prone areas of Bangladesh. These findings emphasise the urgent need to address household food insecurity to improve nutritional outcomes for women in vulnerable communities.

Despite the important role of healthcare services in trauma recovery, many survivors of violence do not seek help. This study aims to examine rates of healthcare utilisation, including differences for physical violence versus rape, gender and physical injury (vs no injury) and obstacles to seeking care within 6 months following incidents of physical violence and rape.

The participants were randomly chosen from the National Population Registry in Norway and invited to participate in a telephone survey on violence exposure and health between June 2021 and June 2022 (N=4299, 49% women).

The sample included 1768 violence-exposed individuals. Of the women (n=749), 82.1% had experienced physical violence and 40.3% had experienced forcible rape. Of the men, most had experienced physical violence (98.6%) and a small percentage had experienced rape (3.5%).

Logistic regression models were used to investigate whether healthcare seeking differed by gender, type of violence (rape vs physical violence) and severity (physical injury). Barriers to accessing healthcare were also investigated using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

Healthcare seeking rates were low after rape (16.9%) and physical violence (24.2%), with somewhat higher rates among individuals experiencing both types of violence (39.9%). There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of healthcare utilisation between the three types of violence exposures when we controlled for gender, physical injury, violence characteristics and sociodemographic factors. Men were more likely than women to have sought healthcare (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.37, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.85, p=0.042). Physical injury was strongly associated with greater healthcare utilisation (aOR: 6.39, 95% CI: 4.85 to 8.41, p

Few victims seek healthcare shortly after experiencing rape or physical violence. Quantitative and qualitative findings indicate that many seek healthcare exclusively for severe physical injury. These results emphasise the need to improve health services’ outreach to victims of violence, who are at heightened risk of mental health issues and chronic illnesses.

Millions of patients receive general anaesthesia every year with either propofol total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) or inhaled volatile anaesthesia (INVA). It is currently unknown which of these techniques is superior in relation to patient experience, safety and clinical outcomes. The primary aims of this trial are to determine (1) whether patients undergoing (a) major inpatient surgery, (b) minor inpatient surgery or (c) outpatient surgery have a superior quality of recovery after INVA or TIVA and (2) whether TIVA confers no more than a small (0.2%) increased risk of definite intraoperative awareness than INVA.

This protocol was co-created by a diverse team, including patient partners with personal experience of TIVA or INVA. The design is a 13 000-patient, multicentre, patient-blinded, randomised, comparative effectiveness trial. Patients 18 years of age or older, undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery requiring general anaesthesia with a tracheal tube or laryngeal mask airway will be eligible. Patients will be randomised 1:1 to one of two anaesthetic approaches, TIVA or INVA, using minimisation. The primary effectiveness endpoints are Quality of Recovery-15 (QOR-15) score on postoperative day (POD) 1 in patients undergoing (1) major inpatient surgery, (2) minor inpatient surgery or (3) outpatient surgery, and the primary safety endpoint is the incidence of unintended definite intraoperative awareness with recall in all patients, assessed on POD1 or POD30. Secondary endpoints include QOR-15 score on POD0, POD2 and POD7; incidence of delirium on POD0 and POD1; functional status on POD30 and POD90; health-related quality of life on POD30, POD90, POD180 and POD365; days alive and at home at POD30; patient satisfaction with anaesthesia at POD2; respiratory failure on POD0; kidney injury on POD7; all-cause mortality at POD30 and POD90; intraoperative hypotension; moderate-to-severe intraoperative movement; unplanned hospital admission after outpatient surgery in a free-standing ambulatory surgery centre setting; propofol-related infusion syndrome and malignant hyperthermia.

This study is approved by the ethics board at Washington University, serving as the single Institutional Review Board for all participating sites. Recruitment began in September 2023. Dissemination plans include presentations at scientific conferences, scientific publications, internet-based educational materials and mass media.

NCT05991453.

Despite a high disease burden, care-seeking for mental health symptoms is low in Bangladesh, particularly among women.

To evaluate help-seeking behaviours for anxiety and depression symptoms among Bangladeshi women aged 15–49 and its association with women’s empowerment.

Data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2022 including 2881 women reporting anxiety or depression symptoms were analysed. Help-seeking behaviours, sociodemographics and women’s empowerment using the Survey-based Women’s Empowerment (SWPER) index were assessed. Logistic regression models were used to explore associations.

The mean age of participants was 33.3 years (SD 8.7); two-thirds lived in rural areas. In the SWPER index, 83% of women had high empowerment in the attitude to violence domain, 16% in social independence and 60% in decision-making. Among women with anxiety or depression symptoms, 18.7% sought help, mainly from spouses (43%) or family (52%), and 15% consulted doctors. Women aged >30 years (adjusted OR, aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.53), from rich households (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.89), and with secondary (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.01) or higher education (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.36) were more likely to seek help. High empowerment in attitude to violence (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.81) and decision-making (aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.68) correlated negatively with help-seeking.

Few Bangladeshi women seek help for mental health symptoms, relying on informal sources. Age, education, wealth and employment predict help-seeking, while high empowerment level in attitude to violence and decision-making domain of SWPER index shows an inverse relationship.

Sleep is a biological necessity with vital effects on all tissues and organs of the body. Preoperative sleep disturbance is associated with increased postoperative pain intensity and opioid consumption. Given that insomnia is a potentially modifiable risk factor, interventions targeting sleep prior to surgery may improve postoperative pain control and enhance key outcomes of recovery.

Promoting Sleep to Alleviate Pain-Arthroplasty (PROSAP-A) is a randomised, parallel group, two arm, controlled trial evaluating the effects of preoperative sleep-promotion on postoperative pain control, brain health and physical recovery. The main objective is to investigate whether preoperative insomnia treatment in patients scheduled to undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) may improve acute postoperative pain control. 100 adults with insomnia disorder (Insomnia Severity Index score >10 and confirmed Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria for persistent insomnia disorder), scheduled to undergo primary TKA or THA, will be randomised to preoperative cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) or an active comparator control intervention, sleep education therapy (SET). Both interventions will be delivered over 4 weeks in hybrid format through a digital self-guided platform in combination with weekly telehealth video sessions with a psychologist (CBT-I) or research nurse (SET). A video-assisted booster session will be provided 1–2 weeks postoperatively. The primary outcome measure is acute postoperative pain intensity, averaged over the first 7 postoperative days (POD). Secondary outcome measures include long-term postoperative pain control, changes in quantitative sensory testing variables (eg, temporal summation, conditioned pain modulation), sleep, cognition (eg, attention, memory, processing speed, executive function), mental health, health-related function, physical activity, quality of life and blood biomarkers. Participants will undergo on-site evaluation preoperative (preintervention and postintervention) and 6 months postoperative. Additional remote assessments will take place during POD1–7, 3 and 12 months postoperative.

The Swedish Ethical Review Authority has approved the PROSAP-A trial protocol. Results will be published in international peer-reviewed journals and summaries will be provided to funders and participants of the trial.

NCT06145516.