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Military personnel are a unique population with heightened vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), often exhibiting higher prevalence rates than civilians due to demographic, environmental and occupational factors. These vulnerabilities underscore the need for global prevalence estimates to guide effective, evidence-based interventions. This study aims to quantify the global burden of STIs among military personnel, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment.
This systematic review will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Guidelines (2020). Using the CoCoPop (Condition, Context, and Population) framework, a comprehensive search strategy will be conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health and Scopus to retrieve peer-reviewed records published between January 2010 and June 2025. Eligible studies will report numerical STI prevalence data among military personnel. Studies with insufficient information to calculate prevalence or those relying on self-reported STI data will be excluded. Data extraction will include study details, military descriptors, STI prevalence and diagnostic methods. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical assessment tool for prevalence and incidence studies. Prevalence estimates with 95% CIs will be reported for each STI and, where appropriate, pooled for curable STIs. Subgroup analyses will stratify prevalence by geographic region, service status, deployment status and socioeconomic factors. Heterogeneity will be evaluated within predefined subgroups using the I² statistic. Data will be presented in comprehensive tables and visualised with graphical tools, including forest plots for subgroup analyses and pooled estimates.
Ethical approval is not required for this review. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.
CRD42023472113.
The National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) published guidelines on caring for patients admitted to an in-patient epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) in 1997. These guidelines serve as the foundation for nursing practices in this specialized field. However, there is a significant variation in nursing knowledge and confidence in caring for this patient population. This highlights the need for a standardized epilepsy education program for bedside nurses in these units, which is currently lacking.
This initiative aimed to determine the best evidence-based strategies for improving nurse knowledge and confidence in caring for inpatients in the EMU. The evidence-based practice initiative used the seven step process, a systematic approach to implementing evidence-based practice in healthcare. It involves asking a clinical question, searching for the best evidence, critically appraising the evidence, integrating the evidence with clinical expertise and patient values, and evaluating the outcomes.
After completing the first three steps of the process, it was recommended that an educational program be developed. This program included modules on understanding epilepsy, recognizing different seizure types, managing seizures in an inpatient setting, and ensuring patient safety during video-electroencephalography (VEEG).
This initiative showed a significant improvement in nurses' knowledge and confidence in caring for patients admitted to EMU. Notably, the administration of anti-seizure medications (ASMs) became more consistent, and the response to different seizure types was more uniform.
Standardized educational programs for patients admitted to an EMU are needed. The evidence-based education program developed at a free-standing Midwest pediatric hospital may be helpful for nurses in other pediatric EMUs.
Standardized education improves nurse knowledge and confidence, but access and consistency across shifts remain challenges. A structured, evidence-based module series tailored to EMU care enhances nurse preparedness and promotes safer, more consistent patient care. Ongoing education and leadership support are essential to sustain these improvements.
FreshRSS 