Effects of Scalable, Wordless, Short, Animated Storytelling Videos on Flu Vaccine Hesitancy in China: Nationwide, Single-Blind, Parallel-Group, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Low influenza vaccination rates in China pose a serious public health threat. The vaccination prevents infection, but widespread vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier. Short, animated storytelling videos may help by conveying health messages in an engaging, culturally neutral format that transcends literacy barriers.

The global burden of disease attributable to suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study.

Background: Suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake remains a significant global public health concern. This study aimed to estimate the global intake and the disease burden attributable to suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake.

Methods: In this Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021, we evaluated the number, age-standardized rates (ASRs), and estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) in deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake among adults aged over 25 years, across 21 regions and 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021.

National evidence on glucose-lowering medication use for diabetes from 62 low- and middle-income countries.

Given rising diabetes prevalence globally, access to diabetes treatments is gaining urgency. Yet, it remains unknown which glucose-lowering medication types people with diabetes across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) use. In this cross-sectional analysis, we pooled nationally representative data of 223,283 adults aged ≥25 years in 62 LMICs from 2009 to 2019.

Burden of chronic respiratory diseases and their attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2021: Results from the global burden of disease study 2021.

Background: Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) remain a substantial global public health challenge, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize trends in CRD burden across various populations by examining differences by sex, age, and sociodemographic index (SDI).

Methods: We performed a systematic analysis using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study, covering the period from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and territories.

Effects of generative artificial intelligence on cognitive effort and task performance: study protocol for a randomized controlled experiment among college students.

Background: The advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI) has shown great potential to enhance productivity in many cognitive tasks. However, concerns are raised that the use of generative AI may erode human cognition due to over-reliance. Conversely, others argue that generative AI holds the promise to augment human cognition by automating menial tasks and offering insights that extend one's cognitive abilities.

Effects of scalable, wordless, short, animated storytelling videos on hope in China: a nationwide, single-blind, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial.

Background: People with higher levels of hope are more likely to be vaccinated. Short, animated story (SAS) videos have shown promise for communicating health messages and boosting hope in certain populations. We explored the potential of scalable SAS vaccine promotion videos for boosting hope levels among Chinese adults.

Does home-based screening improve hypertension diagnosis, treatment and control? A regression discontinuity analysis in urban India.

As part of India's efforts to expand primary healthcare services, several state governments are implementing or considering home-based hypertension screening programmes to improve population-wide diagnosis and blood pressure (BP) control rates. However, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of home-based screening programmes in India. Using six waves of population-representative cohort data (N=15574), we estimate the causal effect of a home-based hypertension screening intervention on diagnosis, treatment, and BP using a novel application of the Regression Discontinuity Design.

Unintentional Injuries Requiring Medical Attention in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: Evidence from Nationally Representative surveys in 12 Countries.

Background: Despite a high burden of injuries in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), a lack of empirical evidence on mechanism, location, and distribution of unintentional injuries requiring medical attention (hereafter injuries) hinders informed health system policy development.

Methods: Using individual-level data from nationally representative surveys conducted in LMICs between 2014-2019, we describe the weighted annual prevalence of non-fatal injuries, their mechanisms, environments in which they occur, and characteristics of people injured, in individuals aged 15-64 years. Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated to evaluate associations of injuries with individual-level characteristics.

Optimizing hypertension management in China: care cascade insights and individual determinants from a national survey.

Objectives: Hypertension is common in China, and its prevalence has been increasing. However, it remains inadequately controlled. This study examined patterns of patient attrition across the stages of hypertension management in the general population and their variations across subpopulations, and assessed the role of individual-level determinants of hypertension management.

The potential of nighttime urine samples for epidemiologic research on sodium intake: Evidence from a population-based cohort study in Switzerland.

Background: The gold standard for measuring sodium intake is based on multiple 24-h urine sodium (UNa) collections, which are logistically complex and pose a high burden on study participants. Its major alternative, spot urine sampling, has been shown to lead to systematic bias in sodium intake estimation. Nighttime urine collections are a potential alternative, as they place a substantially lower burden on participants and are thus less likely to lead to underestimation of UNa compared with 24-h urinary collections.

Regional mobility and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: Evidence from China.

China's Zero-COVID Policy imposed stringent restrictions on citizens' mobility to curb the spread of COVID-19. While effective in reducing viral transmission, these measures may have inadvertently delayed or deterred vaccine uptake by fostering a heightened sense of security. This study examines the relationships between intra- and inter-regional travel mobility and individual hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines (HCV), leveraging the Baidu Mobility Index and data from a cross-sectional survey of 12,000 participants.

Herpes Zoster Vaccination and Dementia Occurrence.

Importance: Recent evidence from a quasi-experiment in Wales showed that herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination appears to prevent or delay dementia. Exploiting a similar quasi-experiment in Australia, this study investigated the effect of HZ vaccination on dementia occurrence in a different population and health system setting.

Objective: To determine the effect of HZ vaccination on the probability of receiving a new diagnosis of dementia.

Safety and Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir in Patients With Advanced Kidney Dysfunction and COVID-19.

Rationale & Objective: Nirmatrelvir-ritonavir prevents COVID-19 hospitalization among high-risk adults, but safety concerns limit its use in advanced kidney dysfunction. This study examined safety and effectiveness outcomes from its off-label use in patients with advanced kidney dysfunction.

Study Design: Retrospective matched cohort study.

Prevalence of co-occurring forms of intimate partner violence against women aged 15-49 and the role of education-related inequalities: analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys across 49 low-income and middle-income countries.

Background: Women experiencing co-occurring forms of intimate partner violence (IPV; ie, physical, sexual, and/or psychological) often face more severe psychological and health consequences than those experiencing a single form. However, research on IPV co-occurrence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains limited. This study examines the prevalence of IPV co-occurrence in LMICs and its education-based inequalities.

Associations between education and ideal cardiovascular health metrics across 36 low- and middle-income countries.

Background: The relationship between education and cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains unclear. This study explores the associations between education and ideal cardiovascular health score (CVHS), as well as seven CVH metrics.

Methods: This cross-sectional study extracted data from the STEPwise approach to surveillance surveys in 36 LMICs between 2010 and 2020.

A natural experiment on the effect of herpes zoster vaccination on dementia.

Neurotropic herpesviruses may be implicated in the development of dementia. Moreover, vaccines may have important off-target immunological effects. Here we aim to determine the effect of live-attenuated herpes zoster vaccination on the occurrence of dementia diagnoses.

Accessibility and quality of care for adults with hypertension in rural Burkina Faso: results from a cross-sectional household survey.

Providing quality healthcare is essential to reduce the future burden of cardiovascular disease. We assessed the quality of care for people with hypertension in Burkina Faso using the Institute of Medicine (IoM) Quality Domains of effectiveness, timeliness of access, patient-centredness and equitability of care. We performed an analysis of cross-sectional household survey data collected from a population-representative sample of 4000 adults ≥40 years in Nouna, Burkina Faso in 2018.

Geographic disparities in hospital readmissions: a retrospective cohort study among patients with chronic disease in rural China.

Background: Frequent hospital readmissions place a significant burden on patients, families, and society. Many high-income countries have implemented financial incentives to reduce readmissions. In China, readmission metrics have also been introduced as part of the performance evaluation for secondary hospitals.

Prevalence, disparities, and trends in intimate partner violence against women living in urban slums in 34 low-income and middle-income countries: a multi-country cross-sectional study.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue, closely tied to social and neighborhood environments. The impoverished, overcrowded, and stressful conditions in urban slums may heighten IPV risk, yet evidence remains limited. This study aims to assess the prevalence, disparities, and trends of IPV in urban slums across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Functional dependency and cardiometabolic multimorbidity in older people: pooled analysis of individual-level data from 20 countries.

Background: The impact of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) on functional dependency (FD) is well established, but the temporal effect of FD on CMM and its mechanisms remain underexplored.

Design: A multicohort study pooled data from three international cohorts.

Setting: Data were sourced from the Health and Retirement Study (USA), the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (China) and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in 18 European countries.

The Effect of Length of Stay in Hospital on Patients' Health Outcomes: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

The causal effect of hospital length of stay on crucial patient outcomes such as readmissions or mortality is under-investigated and therefore unknown for the vast majority of the US population. Existing evidence stems from association studies that are unable to draw causal conclusions. This study leverages Medicare's two-midnight (2MN) and three-day (3D) rules as two natural experiments to establish causal relationships between hospital length of stay (LOS) and patient outcomes.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the 'eco-cooler' for passive home cooling.

Constructed with used plastic bottles, the eco-cooler has been widely adopted in resource-poor communities in Bangladesh and other countries. We tested the eco-cooler under controlled conditions using a scientific wind tunnel in a climatic chamber. In our tests, we used seven eco-cooler designs in 27 climate conditions typical of Bangladesh (temperatures of 40 °C, 35 °C, and 30 °C; humidity levels of 70%, 60%, and 40%; and wind speeds of 4.

Self-help digital mental health intervention in improving burnout and mental health outcomes among healthcare workers: A narrative review.

Background: Healthcare workers face burnout from high job demands and prolonged working conditions. While mental health services are available, barriers to access persist. Evidence suggests digital platforms can enhance accessibility.