The 50 most-cited articles in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2024

) thresholds for screening and to guide progress and prognosis. By conducting a mini-narrative review of original articles, websites, editorials, commentaries, and guidelines, we sought to place BMI in the context of its appropriate use in population health, clinical screening, and monitoring in clinical care. The review covers studies and publications through 2023, encompassing consensus reviews and relevant literature. Recent consensus reviews suggest that BMI is a valuable tool for population surveys and primary healthcare screening but has limitations in predicting the risk of chronic diseases and assessing excess fat. BMI can guide nutritional and exercise counseling, even if it is inadequate for reliable individual risk prediction. BMI cut-offs must be reconsidered in populations of varying body build, age, and/or ethnicity. Since BMI-diagnosed overweight persons are sometimes physically and physiologically fit by other indicators, persons who are overweight on BMI should be more fully evaluated, diagnosed, and monitored with combined anthropometric and performance metrics to…

BACKGROUND: Chronic non-malignant pain represents a growing global public health priority. Chronic pain is multifactorial, with numerous biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to this pain syndrome. It affects not only the patients, impairing their quality of life, but also their family and social environment. Chronic pain is a diagnosis and requires effective and sustainable treatment strategies. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to critically review the available evidence on the importance of different approaches in treating patients with chronic non-malignant pain, emphasizing the effectiveness of integrating psychological and social factors within a multidisciplinary framework. METHODS: This was a non-systematic narrative review of the basic and recent literature analyzing approaches to the treatment of chronic non-malignant pain. The inclusion criteria for the papers were chronic non-malignant pain, treatment approach, review, and original research papers published in English in the last five years (PubMed search), and the basic literature was selected from the…

The connection between chronic psychological stress and the onset of various diseases, including diabetes, HIV, cancer, and cardiovascular conditions, is well documented. This review synthesizes current research on the neurological, immune, hormonal, and genetic pathways through which stress influences disease progression, affecting multiple body systems: nervous, immune, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, musculoskeletal, and integumentary. Central to this review is an evaluation of 16 Behavioral Stress Reduction Programs (BSRPs) across over 200 studies, assessing their effectiveness in mitigating stress-related health outcomes. While our findings suggest that BSRPs have the potential to enhance the effectiveness of medical therapies and reverse disease progression, the variability in study designs, sample sizes, and methodologies raises questions about the generalizability and robustness of these results. Future research should focus on long-term, large-scale studies with rigorous methodologies to validate the effectiveness of BSRPs.

BACKGROUND: Urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) is the most frequent histologic form of bladder cancer, constituting 90% of the cases. It is important to know the risk factors of UBC to avoid them and to decrease its recurrence after treatment. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of the risk factors associated with UBC incidence. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search from 2012 to 2024 was carried out in databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Medline with potential keywords such as "bladder cancer", "urothelial bladder cancer", "incidence of urothelial bladder cancer worldwide", "mortality rate of bladder cancer", "incidence according to gender", "treatment for bladder cancer", and "risk factors of bladder cancer". Smoking tobacco was comprehended to be the major risk factor for UBC. Smoke from tobacco products contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aromatic amines such as 4-aminobiphenyl, which are known to cause UBC. Smoking-related bladder cancer mortality ranks just second to smoking-related lung cancer mortality. For non-smokers, pollution…

This study addressed the harmful effects of artificial colors in pediatric populations, including children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as those without behavioral disorders. There is a consensus that synthetic food colorings have several impacts on consumers, especially pediatrics, due to their influence on sensory appeal, which can encourage preference for certain foods. The results revealed that these color additives are directly linked to a series of health problems, with a greater impact on children, including a predisposition to pathological conditions such as carcinogenic, allergenic, mutagenic, cytotoxic, and clastogenic activities, as well as gastrointestinal and respiratory problems, in addition to behavioral changes in children with and without diagnosed disorders. The harms of synthetic dyes in children with or without comorbidities are worrying and require a careful and proactive approach from parents, caregivers and public authorities.

Healthcare systems are transforming from the traditional volume-based model of healthcare to a value-based model of healthcare. Value generation in healthcare is about emphasising the health outcomes achieved by patients and organisations while maintaining an optimal relationship with costs. This scoping review aimed to identify the key elements and outcomes of implementing value-based healthcare (VBHC). The review process included studies published from 2013 to 2023 in four different databases (SpringerLink, PubMed, ProQuest and Scopus). Of the 2801 articles retrieved from the searches, 12 met the study's inclusion criteria. A total of 11 studies referred to value as the relationship between the outcomes achieved by patients and the costs of achieving those outcomes. Most of the studies highlighted the presence of leadership, the organisation of care into integrated care units, the identification and standardisation of outcome measures that generate value for the patient, and the inclusion of the patient perspective as the most prominent key elements for optimal VBHC…

Health professionals are disproportionately affected by burnout compared to other occupational groups. This study aims to systematically review and meta-analyze thirteen occupational risk factors related to burnout syndrome among health professionals globally. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in August 2023. The protocol was registered in The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration number CRD42023396081. Using a random-effects model, this meta-analysis assessed the association between occupational risk factors and burnout, reporting odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The meta-analysis included 109 studies from diverse global locations. Key factors influencing burnout included workplace bullying, job stress, and poor communication, with protective factors such as supportive work environments, adequate staffing, and individual resilience. All risk factors examined showed a significant positive relationship with burnout incidence. Workplace bullying was strongly associated with increased burnout (OR 4.05–15.01,…

Social cohesion is a key factor within social determinants of health and well-being. Urban green spaces can provide environments that potentially facilitate meaningful and positive social interactions that promote social cohesion, equity, human health, and well-being. However, the lack of integration of existing research on social cohesion, urban green spaces, and public health in diverse (e.g., racially and ethnically) communities limits culturally relevant strategies to address health disparities. In this manuscript, we synthesize research on the potential of urban green spaces to promote social cohesion and public health in historically excluded communities. Particularly, we explore the development of social cohesion as it relates to the social environment, built environment, leisure opportunities, green space maintenance, safety, and green gentrification. We highlight key factors and their application to meet opportunities and challenges to social and public health. A conceptual framework is presented to provide an overview and illustrate connections found in the literature.

With the inclusion of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in both the DSM-5 and ICD-11, understanding the prevalence and diagnostic discrepancies is crucial for developing appropriate interventions. This study presents a meta-analysis of the prevalence of IGD based on two diagnostic criteria. We systematically searched the PubMed and Web of Science databases. A total of 22 studies were included in the final analysis. The analysis incorporated studies employing the DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria and focused on the impact of various factors, including study location, sample characteristics, sample size, and quality score, on the reported prevalence rates using a random-effects model. The pooled prevalence of IGD is 6.7% (95% CI: 5.7–7.7%). The subgroup analysis indicated significant differences in the prevalence rates of IGD (DSM-5 criteria) and GD (ICD-11 criteria) (Q b = 38.46, p < 0.01). There were also significant differences in IGD prevalence rates between different scales (Q b = 54.23, p < 0.001). Our findings indicate that different diagnostic criteria and different assessment scales…

BACKGROUND: Social media is an integral part of adolescents' lives and has a strong influence on development and wellbeing. Research examining adolescent social media use and wellbeing is confusing as findings are inconsistent, inconclusive and contradictory. To address this issue, digital wellbeing scholars recommend that researchers adopt a theoretical approach with the aim of increasing meaningfulness and applicability of findings. Hence, this review applies self-determination theory to investigate how adolescent social media use supports and thwarts the basic psychological needs of relatedness, autonomy and competence. Satisfaction of all three psychological needs is essential for optimal development and wellbeing. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using a systematic search of five databases relating to adolescent social media use. The preferred items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (extension for scoping reviews) was applied resulting in 86 included studies. RESULTS: Adolescent social media use both supports and thwarts relatedness, autonomy and…

This study addresses the crucial need for resilient healthcare systems, highlighted by recent global health emergencies such as the Ebola and COVID-19 crises. It identifies a significant gap in the current literature: a lack of practical, actionable frameworks for healthcare resilience. To bridge this gap, the research introduces an innovative framework that blends theoretical resilience concepts with heuristic approaches. This framework, rooted in the principles of monitoring, anticipation, recognition, and learning, is designed to enhance the crisis management capabilities of healthcare systems. The methodology involves a comprehensive literature review, combined with heuristic methods, culminating in a framework that is both academically sound and practically applicable. This framework guides healthcare systems through various stages of crisis management, including data collection, situation analysis, risk anticipation, and response evaluation. It provides a holistic approach to enhancing resilience in healthcare settings. Overall, this paper makes a significant contribution to…

Lung cancer is a leading cause of death with nearly 1.8 million deaths estimated worldwide in 2020. Although benzene is classified as a human carcinogen (Group 1) on the basis of its association with acute myeloid/non-lymphocytic leukaemia, there is still limited evidence that it may influence lung cancer risk. This study examined the potential link between benzene exposure and risk of lung cancer using a systematic review of epidemiological studies and meta-analysis. We searched through PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases up to 10 February 2023 to identify all articles on the association between benzene exposure and lung cancer (incidence or prevalence) and/or mortality. We extracted the risk estimates of the highest and the lowest reported categories of benzene exposure and conducted a meta-analysis using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity and publication bias were analysed using an I2 test and funnel plots asymmetry, respectively. Twenty-one studies were included in the final analysis, with a total of 10,750 lung cancer cases and 2899 lung cancer deaths. Overall, risk…

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second most common in women globally. CRC is considered a priority public health issue due to its incidence and the high associated costs. Surgery is the predominant therapeutic approach for CRC. Given the involvement of the intestinal tract in the surgical process, there is a significant increase in postoperative morbidity rates, and the average length of hospital stay (LOS) tends to lengthen. In this research, we employed the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology, specifically utilizing the DMAIC cycle, to identify and subsequently examine the effects of fast-track surgery on hospitalization times for interventions related to CRC at the AORN "Antonio Cardarelli" Hospital in Naples (Italy). The process analysis, guided by the DMAIC cycle, facilitated a reduction in the median LOS from 14 days to 12 days. The most notable improvement was observed in the 66-75 age group without comorbidities. The LSS approach provides methodological rigor, as previously recognized, enabling substantial enhancements to the process. This…

Physical rehabilitation and exercise training have emerged as promising solutions for improving health, restoring function, and preserving quality of life in populations that face disparate health challenges related to disability. Despite the immense potential for rehabilitation and exercise to help people with disabilities live longer, healthier, and more independent lives, people with disabilities can experience physical, psychosocial, environmental, and economic barriers that limit their ability to participate in rehabilitation, exercise, and other physical activities. Together, these barriers contribute to health inequities in people with disabilities, by disproportionately limiting their ability to participate in health-promoting physical activities, relative to people without disabilities. Therefore, there is great need for research and innovation focusing on the development of strategies to expand accessibility and promote participation in rehabilitation and exercise programs for people with disabilities. Here, we discuss how cutting-edge technologies related to…

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a rising global burden. Preventative strategies such as cardiac rehabilitation (CR) have shown a marked reduction in disease burden. Despite this, CR is underutilized worldwide. This study aims to identify the barriers to CR among patients diagnosed with CVD. METHODS: A scoping review of the literature was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. Four major databases, including CINAHL, PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Scopus, were used to obtain studies published between 2010 and 2023. Search terms such as "Cardiac rehab*", "Barrier*", "Cardiovascular", "Disease", and "diagnosis*" were utilized in order to obtain subject-specific studies relevant to the research question. RESULTS: From the initial 2098 studies, only 14 were included in the final analysis, consisting of both qualitative and quantitative designs. The thematic analysis included "healthcare system-related factors", "Socioeconomic factors", and "individual characteristics". Healthcare system-related factors were mostly related to the poor availability of CR…

BACKGROUND: Several studies suggest that environmental and climatic factors are linked to the risk of mortality due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; however, it is still unclear which are the most influential ones. This study sheds light on the potentiality of a data-driven statistical approach by providing a case study analysis. METHODS: Daily admissions to the emergency room for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are jointly analyzed with daily environmental and climatic parameter values (temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, carbon monoxide, ozone, particulate matter, and nitrogen dioxide). The Random Forest (RF) model and feature importance measure (FMI) techniques (permutation feature importance (PFI), Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) feature importance, and the derivative-based importance measure (κALE)) are applied for discriminating the role of each environmental and climatic parameter. Data are pre-processed to remove trend and seasonal behavior using the Seasonal Trend Decomposition (STL) method and preliminary analyzed to avoid…

Daily, the number of women who die around the world reaches an average of 800; these deaths are a result of obstetric complications in pregnancy and childbirth, and 99% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. This review probes the use of antenatal care (ANC) and skilled birth delivery (SBD) services in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and highlights research gaps using Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological approach. The screening of abstracts and full text was carried out by two independent authors who ensured the eligibility of data extraction from the included articles. An exploration of the data was undertaken with descriptive analyses. In total, 350 potentially eligible articles were screened, and 137 studies were included for data extraction and analysis. From the 137 included studies, the majority were from Ethiopia (n = 40, 29.2%), followed by Nigeria (n = 30, 21.9%). Most of the studies were published between 2019 and 2023 (n = 84, 61%). Significant trends and challenges with ANC and SBD services emerged from the studies. It is revealed that there are wide gaps in…

Psychological safety is essential for rest, recovery, and fostering social connections, particularly for health and social care workers (HSCWs) who frequently operate in high-pressure environments. These workers are prone to traumatic stress, which can elevate their sense of threat and undermine their psychological safety. This study aimed to validate the Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale (NPSS) among HSCWs in the UK (n = 443). The NPSS is based on polyvagal theory and assesses the dimensions of compassion, social engagement and bodily sensations. Internal consistency, test–retest reliability, convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity were examined, along with the scale’s dimensionality. A three-factor structure was confirmed, with internal consistencies ranging from acceptable to excellent across subscales. Validity was supported by significant associations with measures of team psychological safety, well-being, post-traumatic stress, burnout, body perception, and personality. The NPSS also demonstrated strong test–retest reliability. These results validate the…

Due to the increasing use of remote work, understanding the dynamics of employee support and its implications for job satisfaction and work–life balance is crucial. Utilizing the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory as a theoretical framework, this research investigated how feeling supported by leaders and colleagues at work fosters work–life balance and job satisfaction among remote employees. The study involved 635 remote workers (females = 61%, mean age, 46.7, SD = 11) from various service-based industries and public administration in Italy. Results from the structural equation model showed a total mediating effect of job satisfaction in the link between colleague support and work–life balance (χ2(22) = 68.923, p = 0.00, CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.955, RMSEA = 0.059 (90% CI = 0.044–0.075, p = 0.158), SRMR = 0.030), emphasizing the role of interpersonal relationships within the workplace in enhancing remote workers’ job satisfaction and, consequently, their work–life balance. Contrary to expectations, the study found no significant direct or indirect link between leader support and…

This paper describes a pluralistic framework to inform transformative change across community and healthcare domains to optimize the mental health of older adults in support of healthy ageing. An extensive review and analysis of the literature informed the creation of a framework that contextualizes the priority areas of the WHO Decade of Health Ageing (ageism, age-friendly environments, long-term care, and integrated care) with respect to older adult mental health. The framework additionally identifies barriers, facilitators, and strategies for action at macro (social/system), meso (services/supports), and micro (older adults) levels of influence. This conceptual (analytical) framework is intended as a tool to inform planning and decision-making across policy, practice, education and training, research, and knowledge mobilization arenas. The framework described in this paper can be used by countries around the globe to build evidence, set priorities, and scale up promising practices (both nationally and sub-nationally) to optimize the mental health and healthy ageing trajectories…

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impact of evidence-based practice (EBP) education programs on undergraduate nursing students, focusing on enhancing EBP competency, critical thinking, and problem-solving ability. METHODS: The search, conducted through PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science up to December 2023, included studies published in English and Korean and adhered to PRISMA guidelines. Qualitative appraisal of the studies was conducted using the revised ROB II for randomized trials and the ROBINS-I for non-randomized trials. For the meta-analysis, the effect size of the intervention was calculated as a standardized mean difference. RESULTS: In our study, 11 studies met our inclusion criteria, and 8 studies of those were included in the meta-analysis. The effect sizes for EBP competency, critical thinking, and problem-solving ability were 1.55, 1.29, and 0.65, respectively. The meta-regression analysis indicated that tailored education programs of 4-7 weeks and being in the 4th grade significantly enhanced EBP competency. CONCLUSION:…

Psychological capital (PsyCap) has been identified as an individual's positive psychological state of development that can help to reduce negative organizational outcomes. However, there is still a gap in understanding how PsyCap influences different aspects of organizations. This study investigates the mediating role of burnout in the relationship between PsyCap and turnover intentions among healthcare professionals. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 320 healthcare professionals. The estimation of the relationships between PsyCap, burnout, and turnover intentions was obtained through structural equation modelling (SEM). A mediation analysis was carried out using bootstrapping procedures. The results show that burnout has a significant and positive effect on turnover intention and PsyCap has a significant and negative effect on burnout. Moreover, burnout fully mediates the relationship between PsyCap and turnover intention. These findings suggest that PsyCap can effectively reduce negative outcomes like burnout, but its positive impact may be limited when considering…

INTRODUCTION: An estimated 5800 to 46,500 lives are lost due to homelessness each year. Experiencing homelessness and poor health are cyclically related, with one reinforcing the other. Mobile programs, which include vehicles that travel to deliver care, and street medicine, the act of bringing care to spaces where PEH live, may play a role in alleviating this burden by providing trusted, affordable, and accessible care to this community. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature on the role of mobile clinics and street medicine in providing care for PEH by searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science on 10 August 2023. Articles from 2013 to 2023 specific to programs in the United States were included. The protocol was developed following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The primary outcome was the role of mobile programs for persons experiencing homelessness. RESULTS: A total of 15 articles were included in this review. The descriptive findings emphasized that street medicine and mobile clinics provide primary care, behavioral health, and social services. The…

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of climate change on health services as categorized by the WHO’s Building Blocks for creating Climate-Resilient Health Systems. Objective: The objective was to conduct a systematized review of the published literature concerning the impact of climate change, using a thematic analysis approach to address our aim and identify areas for further research. Design: A search was conducted on 8 February 2022 using the Embase and PubMed research databases. Peer-reviewed scientific studies that were published in English from 2012 to 2022, which described at least one report concerning the impact of climate change on health services in LMICs, were included. Studies were organized based on their key characteristics, which included the date of publication, objective, method, limitations, participants, and geographical focus. The Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Results: Twenty-three studies were included in this review. Five areas of health services which align with the WHO…

The transition to higher education at University is a critical moment for young adults to acquire unhealthy habits regarding physical activity (PA) and adherence to a healthy diet. Negative behaviors might be maintained in the years to come with a major risk of suffering from a Non-Communicable Disease. This study aims to determine the relationship between diet and PA in the student community of University of Milano-Bicocca. Students between 18 and 30 years old completed an online survey (6949 students). Two analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), chi-square tests of independence, and a binomial logistic regression were performed to examine the relationship between adequacy of food consumption and PA, in association also with sociodemographic characteristics. Data show a strong correlation between behaviors analyzed, with a proportional positive association between PA and healthy diet. Nevertheless, a third of the sample students incur in incorrect habits for both diet and PA. Further, students performing intensive PA have the healthiest food consumption in general but the worst red meat…

The indiscriminate use of plastic products and their inappropriate management and disposal contribute to the increasing presence and accumulation of this material in all environmental zones. The chemical properties of plastics and their resistance to natural degradation lead over time to the production of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics, which are dispersed in soil, water, and air and can be absorbed by plants, including those grown for food. In agriculture, MPs can come from many sources (mulch film, tractor tires, compost, fertilizers, and pesticides). The possible effects of this type of pollution on living organisms, especially humans, increase the need to carry out studies to assess occupational exposure in agriculture. It would also be desirable to promote alternative materials to plastic and sustainable agronomic practices to protect the safety and health of agricultural workers.

In the rural United States, provider shortages, inadequate insurance coverage, high poverty rates, limited transportation, privacy concerns, and stigma make accessing mental healthcare difficult. Innovative, localized strategies are needed to overcome these barriers, but little is known about what strategies may be feasible in, or acceptable to, rural communities. We aimed to identify barriers youth face in accessing mental healthcare in rural Washington State and to generate ideas to improve access. METHODS: Semi-structured, key informant interviews were conducted by telephone with adult community members, including parents, teachers, and healthcare providers. Participants answered questions related to barriers to mental healthcare access that confront youth and approaches to improving access. Detailed, de-identified field notes were analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Limited resources and stigma were the two primary barriers to accessing mental healthcare that youth encounter in the community. Limited resources included lack of services and transportation,…

The Work Ability Index (WAI) is the most widely used questionnaire for the self-assessment of working ability. Because of its different applications, shorter versions, and widespread use in healthcare activities, assessing its characteristics is worthwhile. The WAI was distributed online among the employees of a healthcare company; the results were compared with data contained in the employees' personal health records and with absence registers. A total of 340 out of 575 workers (59.1%) participated; 6.5% of them reported poor work ability. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that the one-factor version best described the characteristics of the WAI. The scores of the complete WAI, the shorter form without the list of diseases, and the minimal one-item version (WAS) had equal distribution and were significantly correlated. The WAI score was inversely related to age and significantly lower in women than in men, but it was higher in night workers than in their day shift counterparts due to the probable effect of selective factors. The WAI score was also correlated with absenteeism,…

The toxicity and carcinogenicity of hexavalent chromium via the inhalation route is well established. However, a scientific debate has arisen about the potential effects of oral exposure to chromium on human health. Epidemiological studies evaluating the connection between ingested chromium and adverse health effects on the general population are limited. In recent years, a wealth of biomonitoring studies has emerged evaluating the associations between chromium levels in body fluids and tissues and health outcomes. This systematic review brings together epidemiological and biomonitoring evidence published over the past decade on the health effects of the general population related to oral exposure to chromium. In total, 65 studies were reviewed. There appears to be an inverse association between prenatal chromium exposure and normal fetal development. In adults, parameters of oxidative stress and biochemical alterations increase in response to chromium exposure, while effects on normal renal function are conflicting. Risks of urothelial carcinomas cannot be overlooked. However,…

Workplace bullying is broadly defined as a detrimental form of negative micro-political interaction(s) incorporating a range of aggressive interpersonal behaviours. While targeted toxic behaviour based upon legally protected grounds such as ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation is conceptualised as harassment, this paper positions harassment as a constituent subset of workplace bullying—distinct, but inextricably linked to the broader landscape of workplace predation and incivility. Meta-analyses of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies demonstrate a robust relationship between being bullied and compromised health, and some sectors, e.g., education, display higher than average levels of exposure, suggesting that contexts matter. The higher education sector is the focus of this scoping review. High rates of bullying have been reported in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), where many of the organisational factors that drive bullying are present. One systematic literature review has been carried out on bullying in HEIs, reviewing papers prior to 2013. Since the sector has seen…

Significant numbers of undergraduate university students are not meeting the physical activity guidelines recommended by the World Health Organisation. These guidelines suggest that university students should aim for 150-300 min of moderate or 75-150 min of vigorous physical activity. Strategic interventions need to be implemented to address this global public health concern. The aim of this study was to review the strategies and best practices to enhance the physical activity levels of undergraduate university students. Utilising the PRISMA guidelines, electronic databases-PubMed, Science Direct, Academic Search Complete, ERIC, Web of Science, CINAHL, SAGE, and SPORTDiscus-were searched between September 2022 and February 2023 using terms and synonyms related to physical activity, strategies, best practices, and undergraduate university students. Studies were critically assessed for their quality using an adapted version of the CASP and RE-AIM frameworks. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria for the review. The studies reported the use of social media platforms, mobile phone…

OBJECTIVE: The present study explores the cross-cultural validation of neuropsychological assessments and their clinical applications in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), focusing on culturally adapted CBT (CA-CBT) across diverse populations and settings. METHODS: Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in multiple academic databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords related to cognitive behavioral therapy, cultural adaptation, and specific populations were used. The inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and pilot studies that assessed CA-CBT for various mental health conditions. RESULTS: The review included studies involving Chinese Americans, Latino caregivers, Syrian refugees, Jordanian children, Malaysian Muslims, Afghan refugees, Iraqi women, Japanese children and adolescents, and Tanzanian and Kenyan children. CA-CBT demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and psychosis. For instance, research has shown that CA-CBT is more effective…

With increasingly stringent emission limits on sulfur and sulfur-containing substances, the reduction and removal of sulfur compounds from fuels has become an urgent task. Emissions of sulfur-containing compounds pose a significant threat to the environment and human health. Ionic liquids (ILs) have attracted much attention in recent years as green solvents and functional materials, and their unique properties make them useful alternatives to conventional desulfurization organic solvents. This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of traditional desulfurization technologies such as hydrodesulfurization, oxidative desulfurization, biological desulfurization, adsorptive desulfurization, extractive desulfurization, etc. It focuses on the synthesis of ionic liquids and their applications in oxidative desulfurization, extractive desulfurization, extractive oxidative desulfurization, and catalytic oxidative desulfurization, and it analyzes the problems of ionic liquids that need to be solved urgently in desulfurization, looking forward to the development of sulfuric compounds as…

Most recent university campuses follow the North American model, built on city limits or countryside, with large separate buildings in open green spaces. Studies suggest that the prevalence and severity of mental health issues among university students has been increasing over the past decade in most countries. University services were created to face this growing problem, however individual-based interventions have limited effects on mental health and well-being of a large population. Our aim was to verify if and how the natural environment in campuses is focused on programs to cope with the issue of mental health and well-being among students. A systematic review of literature was undertaken with search in Scopus and LILACS with the keywords "green areas" AND "well-being" AND "Campus", following PRISMA guidelines. As a result, 32 articles were selected. Research on the topic is recent, mostly in the USA, Bulgaria, and China. Most studies used objective information on campuses' greenness and/or university students' perception. Mental health was usually measured by validated scores.…

The growing amount of evidence about the role of supportive care in enhancing cancer patients' outcomes has made healthcare providers more sensitive to the need for support that they experience during cancer's trajectory. However, the lack of a consensus in the definition of supportive care and lack of uniformity in the theoretical paradigm and measurement tools for unmet needs does not allow for defined guidelines for evidence-based best practices that are universally accepted. Contemporary cancer literature confirms that patients continue to report high levels of unmet supportive care needs and documents the low effectiveness of most of the interventions proposed to date. The aim of this critical review is to consolidate the conceptual understanding of the need for supportive care, providing definitions, areas of expertise and a careful overview of the measurement tools and intervention proposals developed to date. The possible reasons why the currently developed interventions do not seem to be able to meet the needs, and the issues for future research were discussed.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. Due to the development of chronic inflammation, periodontitis can contribute to the development of several systemic diseases, including thyroid disease. Thyroid pathology includes benign, malignant, and autoimmune conditions leading to hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or euthyroidism. Alterations in thyroid hormones, especially hypothyroidism, can reveal significant oral manifestations, including periodontitis. This scoping review aims to explore the probable causal relationship between periodontitis and thyroid disease, in terms of epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. The search strategy follows the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane were searched from January 2014 to January 2024, entering the MESH terms "periodontitis" and "thyroid". Of 153 initial records, 20 articles were selected and discussed. There is a high prevalence of periodontitis among patients with thyroid disease, including thyroid cancer. The causes at the basis of this…

Career adaptability and academic engagement are important processes in higher education. However, the relationship between these processes and their potential role in students’ life satisfaction still needs to be addressed. The present study aims to explore the role of career adaptability and academic engagement on higher education students’ life satisfaction. This study included 201 participants, 156 women (77.6%) and 45 men (22.4%), aged between 18 and 55 years (M = 21.13, SD = 4.51). Students answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale, the University Student Engagement Inventory, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Positive and statistically significant correlations between career adaptability and academic engagement, as well as between these variables and life satisfaction, were found. The results of a hierarchical linear regression analysis suggested that career adaptability and academic engagement statistically significantly contribute to explaining variations in life satisfaction. This study may lead to a better understanding of the…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) belongs to the group of neurodevelopmental disorders, and has a high prevalence, affecting 1 in 100 children according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). To be diagnosed with ASD, the child must have persistent deficits in communication and social interactions, and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Despite its prevalence, the etiology of ASD is still uncertain, with multifactorial characteristics, including those associated with the gestational period, where maternal exposure to biological, chemical, or physical hazards occurs, some of which have already been proposed as causes of ASD outcomes. Since pregnancy requires a balance between the maternal-fetal binomial, the breakdown of this balance caused by such environmental hazards can lead to altered fetal neurodevelopment, including ASD. With this firmly in mind, this review aims to compile the most recent data on the gestational causes that may be associated with the development of ASD to help health professionals identify risk factors and act…

Teleworking has become an increasingly adopted modality in organizations. However, changes in working conditions have led to several challenges regarding its impacts on professionals' health. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review of the literature about the impact of teleworking on workers' mental health. The PRISMA protocol and VOSviewer were used to identify the main trends from the set of 64 articles. The co-occurrence analyzes showed combined relationships between this new type of work and its effects on workers' health, which resulted in four different clusters and a robust knowledge structure. Furthermore, the findings indicate that working from home has a dualistic nature. This study offers a prominent and promising framework regarding the teleworking impact on workers' health research agenda.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the current study examines the association between cyberchondria and health anxiety in the Pakistani population, with health literacy as a moderator. This study utilized a cross-sectional research approach, with data gathered through simple random sampling. The study enlisted 1295 participants from Pakistan aged between 18 and 70, 63% of whom were male and 36% of whom were female. The researchers found a statistically significant positive link between cyberchondria and health anxiety (β = 0.215; t = 1.052; p 0.000). The moderating influence of health literacy suggests that health anxiety has a significantly negative effect on the relationship between cyberchondria and health anxiety (β = −0.769; t = 2.097; p 0.037). Moreover, females had higher cyberchondria scores than males. Health-related anxiety did not differ between the sexes, and males had greater health literacy than females. These results emphasize the critical role of health literacy in the moderating effects of cyberchondria on health anxiety. Furthermore, they reveal significant gender…

This article reviews technological advances and global trends in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the SCOPUS database, following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, to identify relevant publications on technologies applied in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. An increase in scientific output since 2018 was observed, reflecting a growing interest in the technologies available for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, with terms such as "telemedicine", "artificial intelligence", "image analysis", and "cardiovascular disease" standing out as some of the most commonly used terms in reference to CVDs. Significant trends were identified, such as the use of artificial intelligence in precision medicine and machine learning algorithms to analyse data and predict cardiovascular risk, as well as advances in image analysis and 3D printing. Highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis and continuous monitoring of cardiovascular diseases, showing its potential to improve prognosis…

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many workplaces transitioned to remote work, which altered lifestyle behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis to understand if the transition to working from home due to the pandemic affected workers’ physical activity and sedentary behavior worldwide. We reviewed articles published between November 2019 and May 2022. Of an initial 3485 articles, a total of 17 were included, 15 of 17 were included for their physical activity (PA) comparisons (n = 36,650), and 12 of 17 (n = 57,254) were included for their sedentary behavior (SB) comparisons (10 studies have data for both PA and SB). This work is registered through PROSPERO (CRD42022356000). Working from home resulted in a significant decrease in PA (Hedge’s g = −0.29, 95% CI [−0.41, −0.18]) and an increase in SB (Hedge’s g = +0.36, 95% CI [0.20, 0.52]). Working from home impaired preventative activity behaviors, and these results are relevant to worker health as the future of work evolves beyond the pandemic.

Teledentistry offers possibilities for improving efficiency and quality of care and supporting cost-effective healthcare systems. This umbrella review aims to synthesize existing systematic reviews on teledentistry and provide a summary of evidence of its clinical- and cost-effectiveness. A comprehensive search strategy involving various teledentistry-related terms, across seven databases, was conducted. Articles published until 24 April 2023 were considered. Two researchers independently reviewed titles, abstracts and full-text articles. The quality of the included reviews was critically appraised with the AMSTAR-2 checklist. Out of 749 studies identified, 10 were included in this umbrella review. Two reviews focusing on oral-health outcomes revealed that, despite positive findings, there is not yet enough evidence for the long-term clinical effectiveness of teledentistry. Ten reviews reported on economic evaluations or costs, indicating that teledentistry is cost-saving. However, these conclusions were based on assumptions due to insufficient evidence on cost-effectiveness. The…

Aims: The aim was to examine how loneliness was associated with bullying victimization at school and online. Methods: We used data from the Danish arm of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study from 2022. The study population was a nationally representative sample of 11-15-year-olds who completed the internationally standardized HBSC questionnaire at school, n=5382. Multilevel logistic regression was applied to study the associations between bullying victimization and loneliness. Results: The prevalence of reporting loneliness often or very often was 9.0%; 6.3% of the sample experienced habitual bullying victimization at school and 4.8% incurred cyberbullying. There was a strong and graded association between loneliness and bullying victimization at school and cyberbullying. The associations were significant for boys and girls and the association between exposure to bullying at school and loneliness was steeper for boys than girls. The gradients were steeper for physical than cyberbullying. Students exposed to habitual bullying in both contexts had an…

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of studies investigating the impact of occupational exoskeletons on work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risk factors. The primary objective is to examine the methodologies used to assess the effectiveness of these devices across various occupational tasks. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, covering studies published between 2014 and 2024. A total of 49 studies were included, identified through searches conducted in Scopus and Web of Science databases, with the search string launched in August 2024. The review identifies a growing body of research on passive and active exoskeletons, with a notable focus on laboratory-based evaluations. The results indicate that direct measurement and self-report methods are the preferred approaches in these domains. Ergonomic limitations and user discomfort remain concerns in some cases. The findings of this review may influence stakeholders by providing insights into the potential benefits of adopting exoskeletons and improving workplace ergonomics to reduce WMSD…

BACKGROUND: Access to radiotherapy services is critical for effective cancer treatment, yet patients in sub-Saharan Africa face numerous barriers to accessing these services. The region is experiencing a significant increase in cancer cases, with a more than 85% increase in cancer cases reported in the past decade, highlighting the critical role of radiotherapy in enhancing patient prognosis. This systematic review aims to explore the barriers to radiotherapy access in sub-Saharan Africa. The barriers explored will be used to inform the development of the framework to improve access to radiotherapy in the Gauteng provinces, South Africa. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published between January 2013 and December 2023. Studies reporting on barriers to radiotherapy access in SSA were included and put into four categories of barriers: health system factors, patient sociodemographic factors, patient factors, and provider factors. Data were synthesised using thematic analysis. RESULTS: This review identifies geographical,…

Adopting electronic health records (EHRs) offers improved communication and information sharing and reduces medical staff errors. Despite these potential benefits, EHR adoption often introduces new challenges for healthcare staff, including increased administrative burdens and workplace stress. This study examines the impact of EHR systems on the well-being and workplace stress of healthcare staff in a hospital setting. Using a qualitative multi-perspective research approach, 16 guideline-based interviews were conducted to explore experiences, insight, and perceptions surrounding the anticipated introduction of EHRs. Data analysis reveals a complex interplay between the perceived advantages of EHRs, such as improved data accessibility and patient safety, and the challenges related to increased workload. Based on interviewers' perceptions, emerging themes were categorized as technostress creators or inhibitors. The findings highlight a dual impact of EHRs: while participants acknowledged improvements in patient safety and information access, they also expressed concerns about…

Statement of problem: Urbanization has brought significant advancements in human well-being; however, it poses challenges to urban green spaces (UGSs), affecting environmental quality and public health. Research gap: Previous studies have established the importance of UGSs for urban well-being but have not sufficiently explored how the naturalness of these spaces—ranging from untouched natural areas to human-designed landscapes—affects mental health outcomes in the context of developing countries, particularly Brazil. Purpose: This study aimed to bridge the research gap by investigating the relationship between the degree of naturalness in UGSs and mental health among residents of Brazilian metropolitan areas. Method: Data were collected through an online survey involving 2136 respondents from various Brazilian urban regions. The study used Welch’s ANOVA and Games–Howell post hoc tests to analyze the impact of UGS naturalness on mental health, considering depression, anxiety, and stress levels. Results and conclusions: The findings revealed that higher degrees of naturalness in UGSs…

INTRODUCTION: Long COVID (LC) is a global public health crisis affecting more than 70 million people. There is emerging evidence of different pathophysiological mechanisms driving the wide array of symptoms in LC. Understanding the relationships between mechanisms and symptoms helps in guiding clinical management and identifying potential treatment targets. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods systematic review with two stages: Stage one (Review 1) included only existing systematic reviews (meta-review) and Stage two (Review 2) was a review of all primary studies. The search strategy involved Medline, Embase, Emcare, and CINAHL databases to identify studies that described symptoms and pathophysiological mechanisms with statistical analysis and/or discussion of plausible causal relationships between mechanisms and symptoms. Only studies that included a control arm for comparison were included. Studies were assessed for quality using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute quality assessment tools. RESULTS: 19 systematic reviews were included in Review 1 and 46 primary studies in…

In a digitally oriented society, smartphones provide continual online accessibility to daily life while simultaneously predisposing adolescents to engage in prolonged connections for various purposes, thus escalating the risk of Internet addiction (IA). Cognitive processes such as multitasking and attentional shifting are frequently associated with smartphone activities. Additionally, online engagements may serve as emotional strategies for regulating negative states (e.g., boredom and distress), redirecting attention towards more gratifying activities, such as social media contents. This study delves into cognitive-emotional processes (i.e., emotion regulation, attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, and multitasking) and emotional/behavioural factors (i.e., emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationships, and prosocial behaviours) that may be implicated in smartphone activities and technology addiction among adolescents. A community sample of Italian high school students (N = 676; 42.2% females) completed the Smartphone Distraction Scale…