Frontiers in Public Health

Background Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is an increasing public health concern among international students and may be linked to acculturative stress during cross-cultural adaptation. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying this association remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the association between acculturative stress and PSU among international students in Japan …

Background Amid the escalating global mental health crisis among children and adolescents, low self-esteem has been recognized as a pivotal risk factor for the onset of psychological difficulties. Developing interventions that are both cost-effective and widely accessible to enhance self-esteem carries substantial public health significance. The present study aims to systematically evaluate the e…

Background Young judo athletes show highly heterogeneous pre-competition psychological states, yet prior variable-centered research has assumed a uniform linear “support–anxiety” relationship that masks individual differences. Using latent profile analysis, this study aimed to identify subgroups jointly defined by perceived social support and competitive state anxiety, examine unadjusted between-…

Background Lung cancer imposes a substantial global health burden. Although advances in treatment have improved outcomes, increasingly prolonged and complex care may impose considerable financial pressure on patients and their families. We systematically synthesized evidence on financial toxicity (FT) and its associated factors among patients with lung cancer. Methods PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane…

Objective The aim of this study is to systematically evaluate the association between short-term ambient temperature changes (including diurnal temperature range [DTR], temperature change between neighboring days [TCN], and temperature variability [TV]) and asthma-related healthcare utilization among children and adolescents, and to provide evidence for childhood asthma prevention and control und…

Introduction Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterial pathogen resistant to several widely used antibiotics. Although MRSA has historically been associated with hospital- and community-associated infections, livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA) has emerged as a public health concern worldwide. While the majority of studies on LA-MRSA have focused on the CC398 lineage, litt…

Background Rosacea, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder, affects patients’ physical health. The risk of anxiety disorders in patients with rosacea may be 2–3 times higher than that in the general population. However, the key factors influencing anxiety in rosacea remain unclear, and whether alleviating the subjective symptoms of rosacea can further improve treatment outcomes and quality of life …

Objective The acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR) has been widely used to monitor training load and injury risk in team-sport athletes. However, its practical utility remains debated because of methodological heterogeneity across load metrics, calculation methods, time-window definitions, sport types, and injury definitions. This systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis aimed to quantify th…

Background Cognitive impairment (CI) is highly prevalent among older adults with hypertension and imposes substantial burdens on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Identifying factors associated with CI is essential for developing targeted prevention strategies, yet evidence from tropical regions of China remains limited. Objective To examine the prevalence of CI and factors associate…

The utilization of data analytics as an approach to improvement in healthcare system performance through the support of evidence-based decisions, predictive epidemiology, operational efficiency, and equitable distribution of health care resources is becoming increasingly significant. Emerging economies such as Peru are experiencing an increased number of opportunities due to the introduction of d…

Hematologic disorders constitute a growing public health challenge in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the burden of anemia, sickle cell disease (SCD), thalassemia, and many hematologic malignancies remains disproportionately high because of demographic, epidemiologic, and health system factors [1][2][3]. Healthcare systems in many LMICs continue to face persistent challenges, inclu…

Background It remains a challenge to promote reproductive healthcare behaviors—including preconception care—among emerging adults. To effectively influence behavioral changes among emerging adults, it is necessary to understand their behavior according to their psychological steps. Objective This study aimed to describe the distribution of preconception care behavioral stages among emerging adult…

Introduction Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent among surgeons and are primarily associated with sustained non-neutral postures, inadequate visualization, improper table height, and insufficient adaptation to individual anthropometry; therefore, this systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on ergonomic risk factors and define evidence-based parameters for safer sur…

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) has garnered significant attention and, to some extent, has even replaced certain search engines as a popular channel for people across regions to access information. HIV/AIDS is a common topic among infectious diseases, and patients or high-risk groups frequently search for information online. Our study evaluated the accuracy of two AI models (ChatGPT-3.5 …

Objectives This study aimed to assess factors associated with COVID-19 booster dose uptake in the Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. Methods A sample of 467 individuals participated in a cross-sectional online questionnaire between February and March 2022. Data were investigated using descriptive characteristics, Pearson's chi-square, and logistic regression tests. Results Nearly 69.6% of respondents be…

Background Openness to experience is positively associated with emotion recognition ability in middle-aged and older adults, yet the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms remain unclear. Methods Using a serial mediation model, the present study examined the neurocognitive pathways through which openness to experience influences emotion recognition accuracy and processing speed via hippocampal volu…

Background Platform-based on-demand food delivery has expanded rapidly in China, reshaping delivery work through strict deadlines, piece-rate pay, algorithmic management, long working hours, and intensive road exposure. These conditions may increase occupational injuries and broader health risks among food delivery riders. Objectives This narrative review synthesizes evidence on occupational inju…

Background The Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) plays a crucial role in preventing healthcare-associated infections through proper instrument reprocessing. However, critical control points in the reprocessing workflow and their direct association with surgical site infection (SSI) remain inadequately characterized. Objective To identify key control points in CSSD instrument reprocessing a…

Objective This study aimed to develop a novel brief erectile dysfunction (ED) scale to serve as a rapid clinical tool for grading ED severity, thereby providing a more concise and efficient diagnostic instrument for routine practice. Methods A total of 528 eligible patients were enrolled in this study. Each participant independently completed both the novel brief scale and the International Index…

Introduction Universal Health Coverage (UHC) aims to ensure accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for all. In India, achieving UHC is challenging due to very low public health expenditure and a highly privatized healthcare system. This places a significant financial burden on households, often pushing them into poverty and catastrophic health spending. Health insurance is a key tool for …