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PubMed2026

Digital health interventions for diabetes management in the eastern mediterranean region: A systematic review of types and effectiveness.

AIM: The aim of this study was to systematically review and evaluate the types and effectiveness of digital health interventions used for diabetes management in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO). METHODS: This systematic review, conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus up to May 2025 to identify studies on digital interventions for diabetes management in EMRO countries. Methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the EPHPP tool, and findings were categorized by intervention type, outcome measures, and intervention effectiveness. RESULTS: A total of 46 studies were included, mainly from Iran and Saudi Arabia. Phone calls and SMS were the most common digital tools. Digital interventions significantly improved HbA1c, fasting blood sugar, and several behavioral outcomes such as physical activity, medication adherence, and self-efficacy, while effects on psychological outcomes were mixed. CONCLUSION: Digital health interventions, especially phone calls and SMS, effectively improve glycemic control and self-care behaviors, though their impact on psychological outcomes remains inconsistent.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Associations between smart infusion pump-electronic health record interoperability and healthcare outcomes: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This study synthesized available evidence on the associations between smart infusion pump-electronic health record (EHR) interoperability and healthcare outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus databases identified 901 records, which were imported into Rayyan® for duplicate removal, independent screening by three reviewers, and resolution of discrepancies. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed, data-driven, and reported associations between smart infusion pump-EHR interoperability and healthcare outcomes. Studies focused solely on technical validation or interoperability prototypes were excluded. A backward citation search identified additional studies. Two reviewers independently extracted and cross-validated study characteristics using standardized templates. Methodological quality was assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools. RESULTS: Twenty records of 14 full-text studies and 6 conference proceedings were included. Most records reported positive associations between smart infusion pump-EHR interoperability and outcomes related to safety (e.g., medication administration errors, safety-reported events, pump alerts, and compliance with interoperability and drug library), operational efficiency (e.g., programming and documentation time and technical issues), financial performance (e.g., charges captured, and cost avoided), and user experience domains. Most studies used observational designs, reflecting real-world interoperability implementations, where controlling confounding factors is challenging. Limited reporting of baseline characteristics, pump type, and sample sizes limited comparability across studies. CONCLUSIONS: Smart infusion pump-EHR interoperability was associated with improvements in patient safety, efficiency, charge capture, and user experience, with variable findings across studies. Future research should use rigorous methodologies and standardized measures, examine relationships across outcome domains, assess limitations of pump-EHR interoperability, and evaluate underexplored outcomes, including team communication, cognitive workload, and AI-enabled pumps. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Interoperability should be viewed as a component of a broader sociotechnical system, in which technology, user, workflow, clinical content, and organizational practices collectively determine overall effectiveness.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Health and Physical Activity Outcomes in Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: A Systematic Review of Emerging Evidence and a Future Research Agenda.

OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCCs) promotes the development of urban environments, policies and services that support the health and participation of older adults. This systematic review examined contemporary evidence concerning associations between WHO AFCC conditions and directly measured health and physical activity outcomes among older residents. METHODS: The registered review adhered to the PRISMA protocol for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and applied the Downs and Black quality criteria for randomised and non-randomised research. RESULTS: Structured Boolean searches of five research repositories identified 17 peer-reviewed studies published between 2017 and 2025 based upon original research conducted in WHO AFCC signatory cities. Although most studies reported positive associations between age-friendly features and domains, such as accessible transport, walkable environments, outdoor infrastructure and self-rated health or physical activity, the strength of evidence was limited by methodological inconsistency, variable study quality and reliance on self-reports. Barriers to evaluation included limited use of longitudinal or quasi-experimental designs, heterogeneous outcome measures, subjective response data and the challenge of establishing appropriate comparison conditions in complex municipal settings. CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening evaluation frameworks for AFCC initiatives is essential for evidence-based urban health policy and governance in rapidly ageing societies. A research agenda is proposed to strengthen AFCC evaluation through standardised measurement, community-based and mixed-methods research, and a greater commitment to co-designed assessment frameworks.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Systems Factors Contributing to Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Health: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Despite ongoing efforts to reduce adverse maternal outcomes, including maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, racial/ethnic disparities in outcomes persist in high-income countries, including the United States (US) and Canada. Limited research has examined hospital-level factors that may drive disparities and contribute to adverse outcomes. This systematic review summarizes factors within the health system contributing to adverse outcomes and racial/ethnic disparities in the US and Canada to inform future policies and practices. METHOD: We searched SCOPUS, PubMed, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest Healthcare Administration for studies that reported hospital-level factors contributing to adverse maternal outcomes and racial/ethnic disparities. The review followed a two-stage screening process. The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The System Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) 2.0 framework guided the identification and categorization of factors. RESULTS: Of 2441 studies retrieved, 30 met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight studies were conducted in the US, and 2 were conducted in Canada. The review included 16 qualitative, 11 quantitative, and 3 mixed-methods studies. We identified 60 factors associated with different system components, including person(s) (12%), tasks (28%), tools and technology (7%), internal environment (10%), organization (28%), and external environment (15%). Shortage of resources, including staffing, poor care coordination, and discriminatory organizational practices, were key factors described in the studies. CONCLUSION: Addressing health system factors in addition to broader societal factors is important to reduce adverse outcomes and promote equity for all women and birthing persons.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Impact of climate change on pediatric health outcomes.

Climate change has become one of the most critical health issues globally in the twenty-first century with children bearing the disproportionate burden of the burden since they are more vulnerable than adults because of their physiological, behavioral, and developmental capacities. It is a systematic review that rates the evidence of the relationship between climatic exposures such as heat, air-pollution, and extreme weather events and pediatric health outcomes. The number of peer-reviewed studies involved was 23 published in 2000-2025, which represented different geographic areas and study designs and assessed acute and chronic health outcomes. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the ROBINS-I tool were used to evaluate the methodological quality, and the majority of the studies had low to moderate risks of bias. The narrative synthesis shows that there are always links between air pollutants especially PM2.5, NO2 and O3 and respiratory morbidity, prevalence of asthma and hospitalization of children. Amplified temperatures as well as heat waves were associated with increased cases of heat illness, dehydration, and febrile state in infants and young children. There were elevated cases of diarrheal and vector-related infections, especially in low-resource settings, which were linked to extreme weather events especially floods. Although the overall results were similar, significant differences in the regions and methods were found, and low-income countries show little evidence. In addition, exposures as analyzed in most studies were usually considered individually, which may have underestimated the cumulative or compound climate risks.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Implementing a novel digital health platform for self-management of postmenopausal osteoporosis: A qualitative study of user experiences, perspectives and implementation outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis self-management requires scalable support, and digital health platforms may meet this need. This study aimed to characterise the experiences and perspectives of postmenopausal women who participated in a 12-month randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a digital voice assistant (DVA) delivered osteoporosis self-management intervention, and to assess key implementation outcomes. METHODS: This was a qualitative analysis of interviews with postmenopausal women from the intervention arm (DVA group) of the RCT. The DVA program broadcast education videos, medication reminders, home-based exercise, nutrition advice and monthly quizzes through a DVA device. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed and managed in NVivo through reflexive thematic analysis, guided by the Practical Planning for Implementation and Scale-Up and Proctor's implementation outcome taxonomy frameworks. Evidence weighting summarised participant coverage and code density. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 25 (88%) DVA group participants completed semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified seven themes mapped to Proctor's implementation outcomes. Evidence weighting indicated strong support for the intervention's appropriateness and acceptability, moderate support for its adoption, fidelity, feasibility and sustainability, and limited support for costs. Participants valued clear audiovisual guidance, conversation-based interactions with natural language, and flexible home-based access to self-management. CONCLUSION: Digital health platforms for osteoporosis self-management appear feasible, acceptable and sustainable among postmenopausal women. Findings indicate that these platforms are approaching readiness for evaluation in implementation-focused settings, contingent on streamlined content, reliable delivery modalities, accessible user support, clear privacy regulations and pragmatic pricing models.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Addressing racism as a clinical competence: Robert Wilson, Jr. (1867-1946).

Addressing health inequity is now recognized as a clinical competency in medical education. We examined the career and writings of Robert Wilson Jr. (1867-1946), longtime dean of the Medical College of the State of South Carolina during the Jim Crow Era, using primary and secondary sources within the context of systemic and structural racism, particularly in South Carolina. Wilson used public health data to refute the "Black Extinction Hypothesis" rooted in social Darwinism. He challenged assumptions of inherent Black susceptibility to tuberculosis, linking disease instead to social determinants of health. He also identified disproportionate mortality from kidney and cardiovascular disease among Black populations, anticipating modern health disparities research. Wilson further acknowledged systemic injustice and implicated structural conditions, including housing, in shaping outcomes. In an era of continuing health inequity and racial health disparities, Wilson applied empirical evidence to reject biological determinism, identify outcomes disparities, and advocate for racial justice.

History, 20th Century↗

PubMed2026

Nourishing collaboration: interdisciplinary nutrition education for health care professionals.

Nutrition education remains insufficient in many health care professional training programs despite the central role of diet in the prevention and management of chronic disease. Contemporary nutrition science increasingly recognizes that dietary behaviors and health outcomes are shaped by complex interactions among biological, behavioral, environmental, and food system factors. This perspective proposes an interdisciplinary framework for nutrition education that integrates the complementary expertise of physicians, dietitians, chefs, and farmers. By bridging clinical care, nutrition science, culinary practice, and agricultural systems, such an approach may strengthen the translation of evidence into practice, improve nutrition-related competencies among health care professionals, and ultimately enhance population health outcomes.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

The effectiveness of digital health interventions for type 2 diabetes in underserved populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials (1835 participants) evaluated whether digital health interventions (DHIs) improve glycemic control among underserved adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), including racial/ethnic minority, low-income, Medicaid-insured, rural, and low-health-literacy populations. Searches of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to December 20, 2025 identified eligible parallel-group randomized controlled trials reporting change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Random-effects meta-analysis showed that DHIs produced a modest but statistically significant HbA1c reduction versus control (mean difference, -0.37 %age points; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.30; P < .0001; equivalent to -4.0 mmol/mol). Heterogeneity was moderate-to-substantial (I² = 69.9%). Subgroup analyses suggested directionally similar effects by population group and intervention modality, but interpretation was limited by study-level data and the small number of trials. Funnel-plot inspection and Egger's test (P = .31) did not suggest major small-study effects, although power was limited. Overall certainty for HbA1c was moderate. DHIs may support more equitable diabetes care when implemented with cultural tailoring, language access, digital-literacy support, and technology-access safeguards.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Air Pollution and Heat Impacts on Respiratory Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes in Africa: A Systematic Review Towards a Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: This review synthesised evidence on associations between air pollution and respiratory morbidity in Africa. Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed, ScienceDirect and Elicit for case-control studies published between 2015 and 2025. RECENT FINDINGS: Thirteen studies from ten African countries reported pollutant levels far exceeding WHO guidelines. Indoor PM₂.₅ in biomass-using homes ranged from 96 to 177 µg/m³, and ambient PM₂.₅ reached 259 µg/m³. Nitrogen oxides were consistently associated with reduced lung function in children, while household air pollution increased risks of under-five mortality and low birthweight. Associations with acute respiratory infections varied across settings. Vulnerability was greatest among young children, those with airway hyperresponsiveness, and households with poor ventilation. Only three studies included temperature, and none examined heat-respiratory interactions. Across African case-control studies, particulate matter and household air pollution remain consistently linked to adverse respiratory outcomes, highlighting urgent needs for cleaner fuels, improved ventilation, and stronger evidence on combined pollution and heat exposures.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effectiveness of peer recovery support services for substance use disorders: A systematic review of healthcare utilization, behavioral health, and engagement outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Peer recovery support services (PRS) delivered by individuals with lived experience of substance use, are increasingly incorporated into substance use disorder (SUD) care systems to improve care engagement, reduce acute care use, and support recovery. However, existing systematic reviews have focused on substance use outcomes, with limited attention to healthcare utilization, psychosocial functioning, and outcomes across settings, and populations. METHODS: This systematic review, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023469279), synthesized peer-reviewed studies from 2003 to 2026 evaluating PRS for individuals with alcohol or drug-related SUD. Using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL, the review included 53 studies primarily conducted in high-income countries that reported quantitative outcomes across substance use, healthcare utilization, behavioral health, and treatment engagement. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2, ROBINS-I, and ROBINS-E tools. RESULTS: Overall, evidence was most favorable for selected treatment-linkage and engagement outcomes, whereas findings for substance use, emergency department use, hospitalization, overdose, and mortality were inconsistent. Uncontrolled longitudinal studies frequently reported improvements in depression and anxiety, but no randomized trials evaluated these outcomes, limiting causal inference. Exploratory cross-study patterns suggested that sustained navigation, practical assistance, and repeated peer contact were more often present in programs reporting favorable outcomes; however, these components were not independently evaluated. Substantial heterogeneity, frequent multicomponent interventions, high risk of bias in many nonrandomized studies, and limited long-term and economic data constrain conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the promise of PRS while underscoring the need for more rigorous comparative studies, cost-effectiveness data, and further research in low- and middle-income countries.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Financial incentives and health coaching to improve glycemic outcomes among young adults with type 1 diabetes: A factorial randomized trial (SweetGoals).

AIM: This study aimed to improve glycemic control among young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D), an at-risk and understudied population. METHOD: N = 300 young adults with T1D recruited nationally were randomized to the factorial combination of (1) financial incentives targeting glucose checking and mealtime behaviors and (2) web health coaching focused on increasing motivation and goal setting for self-management behaviors. All received a smartphone app that accessed device data and provided weekly goal feedback. The intervention lasted 6 months. HbA1c (A1c) was assessed at baseline, +6 months, and +12 months. The mean number of glucose checking and mealtime goals met per week during the intervention were tested as mediators of intervention effects on A1c at 12 months. RESULTS: A1c was significantly reduced from baseline to +12 months across all participants. Indirect effects of both incentives and coaching on A1c reductions were significant and partially mediated by mealtime but not glucose checking goal achievement. There was no synergistic (interaction) effect of incentives and coaching. CONCLUSION: Incentives and coaching both improved critical mealtime behavior but through different strategies. These results suggest that either intervention would be suitable for future testing and dissemination, and that lower cost of incentives may favor their prioritization.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2026

Mobile health apps improve Health-Related Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by enhancing medication adherence: A multicentre randomised controlled trial with mediation analysis.

AIMS: This study evaluated whether a gamified mHealth application (CareAide®) improves Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and whether this effect is mediated by medication adherence. METHODS: Prespecified secondary analysis of the T2DM cohort from a 6-month multicentre RCT (NCT06068309; N = 663; three Malaysian hospitals). Participants were randomised 1:1 to standard care or CareAide®. Adherence (MMAS-8), EQ-5D-5L utility (Malaysian value set), and AQoL-6D were assessed at baseline and 6 months. Simple mediation analysis (PROCESS Model 4; 5000 bootstraps) adjusted for baseline HRQoL. RESULTS: CareAide® significantly predicted higher MMAS-8 scores (mean difference +1.756; d = 1.638; p < 0.001). Higher MMAS-8 scores significantly predicted improved AQoL-6D utility (b = 0.024; p < 0.001). The direct effect on AQoL-6D was non-significant (p = 0.248). Bootstrapped indirect effect confirmed full mediation via AQoL-6D (0.042; 95% CI [0.024, 0.060]). A sensitivity analysis adjusting for baseline HbA1c confirmed full mediation (indirect = 0.034; 95% CI [0.015, 0.052]; n = 563). EQ-5D-5L utility showed a significant direct between-group difference at 6 months (p = 0.012) but did not operate as a mediation outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Medication adherence fully mediates the AQoL-6D HRQoL benefit of a gamified mHealth intervention in T2DM, as confirmed by both the primary and HbA1c-adjusted sensitivity analyses. These findings support integration of behaviourally informed digital adjuncts into routine primary diabetes care.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effectiveness of a Web-Based Educational eHealth Platform on Women's Health Literacy About Phthalate Exposure: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Phthalates are environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals widely used in plastics, cosmetics, food packaging, and personal care products. Women may experience frequent exposure through everyday consumer and household products. Improving phthalate-related health literacy may support informed exposure-reduction decisions; however, conventional health education provides limited opportunities for repeated, interactive, and individually tailored learning. OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an eHealth educational intervention (Phthalates Free) in improving women's overall and domain-specific phthalate-related health literacy and examined the association between platform engagement and health literacy outcomes. METHODS: A double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in the outpatient department of a regional teaching hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 114 women were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=58) receiving a 6-month eHealth platform-based education program and a control group (n=56) receiving conventional paper-based education. Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), 3 months (T1), and 6 months (T2). The Phthalate Health Literacy Scale (10 items; α=.90, content validity index=0.93) measured overall and domain-specific literacy (health care, disease prevention, and health promotion). Longitudinal outcomes were analyzed using generalized estimating equations based on all available observations according to participants' original randomized assignments, with adjustment for waist circumference and pregnancy history. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare 6-month outcomes after adjustment for baseline scores. Platform engagement and perceived usability were assessed using back-end analytics and the System Usability Scale (SUS). RESULTS: At 6 months, the intervention group showed a significantly greater increase in total health literacy than the control group (+9.93 points, Wald χ²1=17.74; P<.001). Domain analyses revealed significant improvements in health care (+1.52; P=.001), disease prevention (+1.32; P=.001), and health promotion (+1.12; P=.001) domains. ANCOVA confirmed the between-group difference at T2 after adjusting for baseline scores (F1,109=11.43; P=.001; adjusted mean difference=7.15, 95% CI 2.96-11.34). Engagement analysis showed that high-engagement users (n=10) scored significantly higher in overall health literacy (t55=-3.00; P=.004) and all domains than general users. The SUS results (mean 84.7, SD 5.2; n=46, 79.3%) indicated high perceived usability. CONCLUSIONS: The Phthalates Free eHealth educational intervention significantly improved women's overall and domain-specific health literacy over 6 months. Higher platform engagement was associated with better health literacy outcomes. The intervention may serve as a practical adjunct to nurse-led education in outpatient and community settings by providing accessible, continuous, and evidence-based guidance on reducing phthalate exposure.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Cost-Effectiveness of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measure Interventions in Cancer: Systematic Review and Parameter Extraction for Economic Modeling.

BACKGROUND: Complex digital interventions that integrate electronic patient-reported outcome measures (ePROM) into clinical practice in cancer have the potential to improve quality of life, increase survival, and reduce health resource use and costs. Such systems can help patients with cancer self-manage chemotherapy symptoms, reduce clinicians' workloads through automated decision support, and resolve problems earlier. However, more research on the cost-effectiveness of ePROM monitoring is needed. OBJECTIVE: This paper comprises two complementary components: (1) a systematic literature review summarizing and evaluating the quantitative and qualitative evidence related to the cost-effectiveness of ePROM monitoring and (2) a health economic model parameter extraction. We also conducted supplementary targeted searches and scoping to provide context to our findings. METHODS: We searched Ovid (including MEDLINE and Embase), Scopus, and the International Health Technology Assessment Database for original English-language papers published on or before March 2025 using search strings that combined terms related to ePROMs, health economics, and cancer/oncology. We included papers reporting health economic-related outcomes for ePROM interventions designed for adult cancer populations and excluded screening tools and conference abstracts. RESULTS: We included 34 publications from 27 unique studies and identified and analyzed 26 ePROM-integrated interventions within these. Most (23/26) of the included interventions explicitly described some form of alert handling and automated decision support based on remote ePROM monitoring. Of the 34 publications, 5 presented full cost-effectiveness analysis results, of which 3 were highly uncertain and lacked clear differences in costs and health outcomes between ePROMs and standard care; conversely, 2 presented strong evidence of cost-effectiveness due to quality-of-life improvements, reduced hospitalizations, and potentially more autonomy in health-related travel (eg, ePROM-monitored patients can drive or walk to the hospital instead of using taxis or ambulances). A further 5 publications reported partial health economic results (eg, cost-consequence and budget impact), of which 1 detected no difference in strategies; in contrast, 4 reported lower health resource use and costs of ePROMs, mainly due to hospitalization reductions. Overall, 12 of the 27 studies included a qualitative component but mostly focused on user experience and design-related themes; only 2 of these addressed economic-specific themes (eg, changes in workflow and resource use due to ePROM implementation and integration), indicating some potential for time saving due to ePROM monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Some ePROM-integrated interventions demonstrated cost-effectiveness in cancer care, but the evidence base remains limited. Where evidence does exist, cost-effectiveness appears driven by reduced hospitalization and improved quality of life. Qualitative research within the included studies rarely addressed economic questions. We provide a detailed parameter extraction for use in future economic modeling and recommend research priorities, including quantitative mapping of ePROM symptom data onto health resource use patterns, and qualitative work exploring how ePROM implementation affects clinical workloads and patient-perspective costs.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Community-tailored One Health educational intervention to enhance knowledge and practices for zoonotic disease prevention in rural Thailand: A protocol for a prospective cluster randomised controlled Trial in Chanthaburi, Thailand (Saan Suk trial).

BACKGROUND: Zoonotic infectious disease risk arises at human-animal-environment interfaces where pathogen spillover can occur. Rural communities living in biodiverse settings may experience frequent contact with wildlife and shared environments through livelihoods, food practices, and economic activities. Reducing spillover risk and strengthening pandemic prevention requires both structural and individual-level change. Community-based interventions that promote awareness, risk perception, self-efficacy, pro-environmental behaviour, and safe coexistence with wildlife may support prevention by shifting behavioural determinants of zoonotic disease risk. The Saan Suk intervention was co-developed with rural communities in Thailand using a Human-Centred Design approach and is grounded in the Health Belief Model and One Health principles. The intervention is intended to be feasible, acceptable, and deliverable through Thailand's established Village Health Volunteer (VHV) system. METHODS: This protocol describes a parallel-arm, cluster-randomised controlled superiority trial that will be conducted during July - October 2026, in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand. 24 villages will be equally randomised to the Saan Suk intervention or the current practice (control). In intervention villages, trained VHVs will deliver, once a week over four weeks, a multimodal One Health educational intervention designed to improve knowledge of zoonotic spillover, promote protective behaviours, reduce risky wildlife-related contacts, and support respectful coexistence with wildlife. Trained outcome assessment teams will conduct structured interviews with 42 adult participants per village, yielding a total sample size of 1,008 participants. The sample size was calculated for the primary outcome, accounting for clustering, with 90% power to detect a medium effect size (6 points on the 0-100 knowledge scale) at a significance level of 0.05, accounting for a design effect with an ICC of 0.028. The primary outcome is knowledge of zoonotic spillover, transmission pathways, risk factors, protective and risky behaviours, and safe coexistence with wildlife. Secondary outcomes include attitudes, self-efficacy, preventive and risky behaviours, and reported contacts with major local reservoir hosts. A structured questionnaire was developed, expert-reviewed, and piloted for the outcome assessment. Outcomes will be analysed using mixed-effects regression models with random effects for village and adjustment for relevant pre-specified confounders. Primary analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: This trial will evaluate whether a co-designed, VHV-delivered One Health educational programme can improve knowledge of zoonotic disease prevention and behavioural determinants in rural communities living in close contact with wildlife and shared ecosystems. If effective and feasible, Saan Suk could inform integration into routine VHV training and community-based zoonotic disease and pandemic prevention strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Saan Suk trial is registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS). Registration ID: DRKS00038582; date of registration: 11 May 2026.

Zoonoses↗

PubMed2026

An Assessment of Reliability Estimation Methods for Binomial Health Care Quality Measures.

We evaluated the performance of commonly used methods for estimating the reliability of binomial health care quality measures using simulated datasets spanning a range of performance score means and variances, numbers of entities, and patient sample sizes. For each simulation, reliability was estimated for all selected methods and compared with the known true reliability derived from the simulation parameters, with methods assessed on their accuracy and precision. Logistic regression with reliability estimated on the outcome scale demonstrated the highest accuracy and precision among all methods evaluated. The widely used Adams beta-binomial method performed poorly, although a modification recommended by Nieser and Harris substantially improved its performance. These approaches are applicable only to binomial measures. Among methods that can be applied to both binomial and continuous measures, permutation resampling of the Spearman rank correlation coefficient was the most accurate and precise, outperforming other commonly used approaches. Overall, for binomial quality measures, logistic regression on the outcome scale is the preferred method for reliability estimation, followed closely by the modified beta-binomial approach, while for non-binomial measures, permutation-based Spearman rank correlation appears to be the most suitable method.

Reproducibility of Results↗

PubMed2026

Effect of a digitally augmented general health promotion intervention on abstinence from health-risk behaviors among emergency department discharge patients: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading global cause of death and are driven by modifiable behaviors, such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. Recognizing that emergency department (ED) visits represent a unique opportunity to promote behavior change, this trial evaluated a digitally augmented, theory based general health promotion approach, combining a brief telephone-based intervention with mobile instant messaging support, to help discharged ED patients abstain from health risk behaviors. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in a major public hospital ED in Hong Kong. Adults (18-65 years) triaged as semi-urgent or non-urgent and with ≥1 health-risk behavior and smartphone access were randomized to receive a digitally augmented, theory‑based general health‑promotion intervention consisting of a brief telephone‑based AWARD‑model intervention (Ask, Warn, Advise, Refer, and Do-it-again) followed by weekly WhatsApp or WeChat messages for 6 months, or to a control group receiving brief telephone advice only. The primary outcome was self-report abstinence from ≥1 health-risk behavior at 6 months; secondary outcomes included the proportion of participants who achieved self-reported abstinence from ≥1 health-risk behavior at 12 months and reduction in the number of behaviors at 6 and 12 months. Of the 2,134 screened patients, 572 were enrolled (286 per group). At 6 months, 30.1% of the intervention participants versus 19.9% of the controls achieved self-reported abstinence (RR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.13-2.02; P = 0.006). The intervention also significantly increased the likelihood of fewer risky behaviors at 6 (RR = 1.54; P = 0.01) and 12 (RR = 1.48; P = 0.02) months. Physical inactivity showed the greatest improvement at 6 months (31.7% versus 16.2%; P < 0.001). The effects attenuated after cessation of booster messaging. Limitations include reliance on self-reported outcomes, the single-center study design, and loss to follow-up, which may have affected the generalizability of the results. CONCLUSIONS: A digitally augmented, theory-based general health promotion strategy delivered at ED discharge through brief telephone intervention and mobile instant messaging support demonstrated short-term benefits in promoting self-reported abstinence and reducing health-risk behaviors at 6 months. However, the absence of a sustained effect at 12 months suggests that extended support or maintenance strategies may be required to maintain these improvements over time. Multicenter trials with longer follow-up are warranted to evaluate long-term effectiveness. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration No: NCT06077565).

Humans↗