Frontiers in Public Health

Objective This study aimed to investigate the key factors influencing HPV vaccination behavior among nurses in Chongqing, China, based on the 5C psychological antecedents model. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 550 nurses from public hospitals in Chongqing between April 2024 and July 2024 via an online questionnaire. A combination of convenience and snowball sampling was emplo…

This study evaluates the ambient external radiation levels and their association with public health around the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant (QNPP) before and after the extended service of its Phase I project. By monitoring the cumulative ambient external exposure around QNPP from 2010 to 2023 and analyzing the health data of residents in Haiyan County from 2012 to 2022, changes in cancer mortality…

Objective Acne vulgaris is highly prevalent among adolescents, and diet is considered a significant modifiable associated factor. However, evidence regarding the association between popular modern beverages and adolescent acne remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of acne and to explore the influence of the cumulative effect of multiple high-sugar and high-fat dietary pa…

Objective To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of hand washing, alcohol-based hand rub, and their combination in reducing microbial colonization on nurses’ hands in surgical departments. Methods A quasi-experimental comparative study was conducted at Jordan Hospital, a tertiary private healthcare institution in Amman, Jordan across 10 surgical departments. Forty-five nurses were alternating …

Introduction As the housing industry struggles to meet growth demands in the United States, more people rely on extended-stay hotels (ESH) as their primary housing source. These settings often serve as a last resort for low-income families, many of whom face substandard housing quality and other conditions that can intensify environmental health risks. One complex environmental issue that disprop…

The rural cultural landscapes in the Yellow River Basin, as an important part of the blue-green infrastructure, not only provide ecological services and public spaces, but also carry the function of regional cultural inheritance. The spatial layout of rural cultural landscapes deeply aligns with the multi-level living circles of residents, and has a significant impact on the organization of lands…

Background Nurses’ work withdrawal behavior has important implications for healthcare quality and patient safety. Perceived organizational support (POS) and challenge-hindrance stress have been identified as key factors associated with such behaviors. Although prior studies have examined the direct relationships between these factors and nurses’ work withdrawal behavior, the mediating role of per…

Background Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) present a major threat to patient safety worldwide. While hand hygiene is the primary defense against HAIs, compliance among healthcare workers (HCWs) remains inadequate, highlighting a persistent “know-do” gap. The COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation-behavior) model offers a robust theoretical framework for understanding this behavior, ye…

Background Insomnia is a highly prevalent sleep disorder with substantial public health implications. However, comprehensive data on its prevalence and associated factors in Anhui Province, China, are limited. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of insomnia and its key influencing factors among adults in Anhui Province. Methods A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in …

Background and objective Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that is often misdiagnosed. This study aimed to identify factors associated with leprosy misdiagnosis and develop and compare machine learning (ML) models to predict the risk of misdiagnosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical and epidemiological data in 486 diagnosed leprosy pa…

Background Under the dual pressures of global climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, understanding the drivers of public pro-environmental behavior is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals. While existing research has explored various socio-economic and social interaction factors, the role of subjective experiences with extreme weather events and thei…

Disease risk perception is a subjective psychological construct that can predict health-promoting behaviors and support personalized chronic disease management. This narrative review summarizes existing risk perception assessment tools, analyzing their theoretical foundations, structures and psychometric properties. We trace the evolution of these tools from broad, generic scales to disease-speci…

Background The phenomenon of global population ageing is driving a marked increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among the older population, who face multiple health burdens requiring comprehensive management. Current models are limited by an inadequate focus on cultivating patients’ self-management capacities. Therefore, the establishment of a scientifically rigorous, holistic, proactiv…

The psychological well-being of young people in child protection care may be significantly influenced by the type of care and the characteristics of the caregiving environment. The present study aimed to examine self-esteem, psychological immune competence, and health behaviour among 15–25-year-old youth living in foster families or residential care homes. The research was conducted through a que…

Background It's known that heavy metals are among the most toxic micropollutants. In aerosol particles, heavy metals can be present as chemical compounds and bound to organic matter (ligands). Unlike chemical compounds, the bond between microelements and organic matter is weaker and can be easily destroyed by bacteria releasing biologically active forms of micropollutants. Objective To evaluate t…

Introduction Influenced by China's urbanization and intergenerational support culture, the population of the floating older adults in China has increased rapidly in recent years. This population faces the dual pressures of aging and mobility, resulting in a heightened risk of poor mental health. Communities are important for reconstructing social capital in resettlement areas and have rarely been…

Objective This pilot feasibility study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a telephone-delivered motivational interviewing (MI) intervention in alleviating loneliness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety among patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). Methods Employing a single-group pre-post design, 74 DR-TB patients were recruited from the tuberculosis wards of Chengdu Public Health Clinica…

Background In the clinical care and rehabilitation of older patients with stroke, the application of technology has become increasingly prevalent, yet the issue of technology anxiety among this population has not received sufficient attention. Studies regarding technology anxiety in older patients with stroke are still rare in China due to the lack of reliable tools. This makes it difficult to ac…

Background The working environment of ICU nurses, which is high-intensity and fast-paced, contributes to elevated levels of perceived stress, which may consequently lead to work withdrawal behavior. Although work-life balance is regarded as a critical resource in coping with perceived stress, its mediating mechanism between perceived stress and work withdrawal behavior has not yet been fully eluc…

Background Large language models (LLMs) hold considerable potential in medical and health education; however, their reliability and interpretability in highly sensitive areas and in decision-making remain unclear. This study focuses on four publicly available LLMs and systematically evaluates their applicability in fertility preservation scenarios for breast cancer patients, thereby providing gui…