BMC Public Health

Abstract Background Iron and vitamin D deficiencies remain important public health concerns among adolescents. Despite the implementation of school-based supplementation programs in Iran, adherence to supplement use remains suboptimal. This study explored school health professionals’ perspectives on the barriers and facilitators influencing adolescents’ adherence to iron and vitamin D supplementa…

Abstract Background This study aims to examine the prospective associations between college students’ baseline psychological symptoms and their subsequent physical fitness outcomes to provide a scientific basis and practical reference for the formulation of mental health education in colleges and universities and strategies for promoting their physical fitness. Methods This retrospective cohort s…

Abstract Background Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with prevention and early detection dependent on the public awareness of its risk factors and warning signs. However, knowledge of cancer-related symptoms and modifiable risk factors remains limited in many populations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Limited research exists examining general cancer aware…

Physical activity is generally associated with lower depression risk, but an intensity-only questionnaire cannot distinguish the context in which activity occurs. We examined whether considering household food-related consumption alongside a self-reported vigorous-activity indicator helped characterize subsequent depressive-symptom risk. We analyzed Harmonized China Health and Retirement Longitud…

In 2021, Sierra Leone added stillbirth, early neonatal death (END), and late neonatal death (LND) fields to its electronic Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (eIDSR) system. The scale, distribution, and stability of reporting had not been assessed against expected deaths. We compared the first five years of notification with benchmarks: deaths expected under published neonatal and still…

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic condition requiring continuous management. Without a healthy lifestyle and regular treatment, it can lead to severe complications that greatly reduce the patients’ quality of life. Although support for medication management is well-studied and recommended in clinical guidelines, there is a growing need for support that empowers patients by c…

Depressive symptoms in older adults change over time and do not follow a single uniform pattern. Whether 24-hour movement behaviour composition differs across depressive symptom trajectories remains unclear. This longitudinal secondary analysis used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Depressive symptoms across five waves were analysed using group-based trajec…

Abstract Background Short‑video platforms have become a primary source of health information in China, yet the quality and reliability of disease‑related content remain largely unregulated. Numerous cross‑sectional studies have revealed suboptimal quality, significant platform disparities, and the superiority of professional‑generated content. However, haematological malignancies, particularly le…

Diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, has emerged as a significant public health burden globally, and prediabetes is a high-risk state for type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), lipid accumulation product index (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), Chines…

Pesticide self-poisoning accounts for 14%–20% of global suicides. Paraquat, a highly lethal pesticide, is involved in a considerable number of suicides in some countries. This study investigated the burden, trends, geographic variations, and demographic characteristics of pesticide and paraquat suicides in Taiwan. Suicide data (1987, 1992, 1997, and 2002–2017) were obtained from Taiwan’s cause-of…

Abstract Background Adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) has been associated with lower depressive, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms, yet associations with stress, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and functional impairment, as well as those of individual MDP components, remain underexplored in Chinese adults. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 1,355 Hong Kong adults examined…

Abstract Introduction The One Health approach integrates human, animal, and ecosystem health. Despite alignment with nursing practice, its role remains underexplored. This review aimed to identify and map nursing contributions that align with One Health principles across different contexts. Methods A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. A search strategy combi…

Abstract Background Health literacy and eHealth literacy are related but conceptually distinct constructs that may influence how individuals engage with online health information. However, observational studies have reported positive, negative, and null associations with cyberchondria. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized the available evidence and examined whether the association…

Abstract Background Sexual violence is highly prevalent in university settings, yet there remains limited evidence on what prevention interventions work, for whom, and under what conditions. This article outlines the protocol for a mixed method realist evaluation of an Australian sexual violence prevention program for university students. Methods/design This study is designed to test and refine e…