Category: Statistics

BMC Psychol. 2026 Feb 21. doi: 10.1186/s40359-026-04201-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study aims to examine the relationship between social appearance anxiety and genital self-image in young adult men.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 15, 2024, and September 15, 2025, involving 245 male individuals residing in the city center of eastern Turkey. The research data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), and the Male Genital Self-Image Scale (MGIS). Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. Descriptive statistics (number, percentage, minimum and maximum scores, mean, standard deviation), ANOVA, independent samples t-test, Cronbach’s α, simple linear regression, and multiple regression analyses were utilized in the evaluation.

FINDINGS: The participants’ average age was 21.37 ± 2.24 years, and their average daily social media usage time was 4.83 ± 2.85 h. It was found that 71.4% of the participants were university graduates, 37.6% were in a romantic relationship, and 70.2% had a normal body mass index. The mean SAAS score was 31.84 ± 11.74, while the mean MGIS score was 23.26 ± 4.54. A negative and low-level significant relationship was found between social appearance anxiety and genital self-image (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: This study found that participants exhibited low levels of social appearance anxiety and high levels of genital self-image, and Social appearance anxiety was found to explain 4.6% of the variance in genital self-image. There is a need for more comprehensive research that systematically examines influential factors across diverse populations and age groups.

PMID:41721435 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-026-04201-5

Syst Rev. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s13643-026-03118-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mpox is an emerging global health threat with increasing frequency and geographic spread recently. Healthcare providers play a pivotal role in outbreak prevention, early detection, isolation, and response. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of knowledge and attitude toward Mpox among healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Hinari, and Google Scholar to identify eligible studies published between 2 July 2015 and 2 July 2025. Data were extracted and managed using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using STATA version 17. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using a random-effects model. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and Egger’s regression test, and statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251123652).

RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis included seven studies from Sub-Saharan Africa, comprising a total of 3379 healthcare providers. The pooled prevalence of adequate knowledge and a positive attitude toward Mpox was 40.52% (95% CI, 30.17-50.88) and 51.20% (95% CI, 44.48-57.91), respectively, with high heterogeneity (I² > 90%). Factors associated with higher knowledge included age over 40 years (AOR = 5.90; 95% CI, 1.27-27.41), being married (AOR = 1.58; 95% CI, 1.24-2.01), being a physician (AOR = 6.82; 95% CI, 1.38-33.56), having 5-10 years of work experience (AOR = 7.02; 95% CI, 1.51-32.74), prior information about Mpox (AOR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.11-2.97), and a history of COVID-19 vaccination (AOR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.47-2.68). Regarding attitude, higher education (AOR = 2.09; 95% CI, 1.38-3.18) and male sex (AOR = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.12-1.91) were positively associated. Prevalence was pooled through meta-analysis, while associated factors were reported individually from each study, as pooling adjusted odds ratios was not appropriate due to differences in covariates and outcome definitions. These findings should be interpreted with caution due to high heterogeneity, the small number of studies, and uneven geographic representation.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that knowledge and attitudes toward Mpox among healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan Africa are generally suboptimal. However, these results should be interpreted with caution due to high heterogeneity across studies, the limited number of included studies, and uneven geographic representation. Nonetheless, the findings underscore the need for context-specific capacity-building interventions, including targeted training, improved access to up-to-date clinical guidelines, and enhanced preparedness strategies to support healthcare providers in responding to Mpox and other emerging infectious diseases.

PMID:41721422 | DOI:10.1186/s13643-026-03118-9

BMC Res Notes. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s13104-026-07736-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Malaria in pregnancy remains a major public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among marginalized populations with limited access to preventive services. This study assessed knowledge of malaria and preventive practices among nomadic Fulani pregnant women in the Savannah Region of Northern Ghana.

RESULTS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2022 among 159 Fulani pregnant women. Due to the nomadic nature of the population, participants were recruited using a combination of census and snowball sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 25, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Overall, 61.0% demonstrated good knowledge of malaria, while 71.1% exhibited poor preventive practices. More than half (54.7%) owned at least one insecticide-treated net (ITN), yet only 28.9% slept under one the previous night. In multivariable models, ANC attendance was significantly associated with malaria knowledge (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.12-0.83, p = 0.020), while number of children predicted preventive practice (AOR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.10-0.90, p = 0.032). Low ITN usage underscores some knowledge-practice gap. Strengthening ANC-based malaria education, improving sustained ITN distribution and follow-up, and implementing culturally tailored community outreach could enhance malaria-in-pregnancy prevention among nomadic and hard-to-reach populations in northern Ghana.

PMID:41721387 | DOI:10.1186/s13104-026-07736-3

BMC Health Serv Res. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s12913-026-14203-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Patient safety culture and climate are essential for improving healthcare quality and reducing harm. An organization’s culture reflects its long-term values and norms, and climate captures employees’ current perceptions and experiences. In Estonia, these aspects have not yet been comprehensively studied. This study aims to assess patient safety culture and climate in Estonian hospitals from the perspective of employees and to examine the relationship with employee background characteristics.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three Estonian hospitals during 2022. Data were collected using the Estonian and Russian language versions of HSOPSC 2.0 and SAQ. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS: A total of 594 (31%) hospital employees responded, with 51% completing the survey in Estonian and 49% in Russian. The highest ratings for patient safety culture and climate were observed in the subscales ‘Job satisfaction’ (85%) and ‘Teamwork climate’ (79%), lowest ratings were reported for ‘Staffing and work pace’ (55%) and ‘Response to error’ (55%). Perceptions of safety culture and climate were significantly associated with language group, membership in a leadership position, department work experience, and whether the employee was a healthcare professional, emerging as the most influential factors.

CONCLUSIONS: Differences across language groups, leadership position, department work experience, and healthcare professional positions should be considered when developing strategies to strengthen patient safety culture and climate. Using HSOPSC 2.0 and SAQ together may offer complementary perspectives on the dimensions of patient safety culture and climate in Estonia.

PMID:41721383 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-026-14203-z

Eur J Med Res. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s40001-026-03999-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Biodegradable polymer (BP) and polymer-free (PF) drug eluting stents were designed to reduce late adverse events linked to durable-polymer coatings. However, concerns remain regarding the efficacy of PF-DES particularly due to variations in drug-release mechanisms.

METHODS: RCTs comparing PF-DES and BP-DES in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions were included. Primary endpoints were Target lesion revascularization (TLR), Target vessel revascularization (TVR), definite stent thrombosis, Cardiac death (CD), angiographic outcomes and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane’s ROB 2.0 and meta-analysis performed using RevMan 5.4.

RESULTS: Ten RCTs including 9020 patients (4043 PF-DES; 4977 BP-DES) were included. At 12 months, PF-DES showed a significantly higher TLR rate (2.08% vs. 1.36%; RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.087-2.21; P = 0.02), persisting at 24 months (RR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.46-2.77, P < 0.0001). At 1-3 months, OCT-derived analyses demonstrated no statistically significant differences in uncovered struts or neointimal thickness between stent types, while findings related to malapposed struts were heterogenous and dependant on sensitivity analyses. Angiographically, PF-DES showed greater in-stent late lumen loss at 6-8 months ([MD]: 0.24 mm, 95% CI 0.17-0.30, P < 0.00001), whereas minimal lumen diameter was comparable. However, no significant differences were found in target vessel revascularization (TVR), stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, or mortality at 1- or 2-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: PF-DES were associated with comparable safety to BP-DES; however, it exhibited higher rates of target lesion revascularization and greater late lumen loss were observed. OCT-derived findings were heterogenous and should be interpreted cautiously. Further RCTs with standardized imaging protocols and longer follow-up are warranted.

PMID:41721379 | DOI:10.1186/s40001-026-03999-5

BMC Oral Health. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s12903-026-07811-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiographic success rate of the Premixed MTA versus conventional powder/liquid MTA in indirect pulp capping of immature permanent carious mandibular molars.

METHODOLOGY: A randomized clinical trial with a parallel group design and an allocation ratio of 1:1 was conducted at the outpatient clinic at the Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University. The study included 24 pediatric patients aged 6-8 years, randomly assigned to either the premixed MTA (Well-Root™ PT) (n = 12) group or the conventional MTA (Cerkamed MTA+) (n = 12) group. Both groups underwent similar clinical procedures, including caries removal, indirect pulp capping, and restoration. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The pulp sensibility was tested using electrical pulp testing and radiographic evaluation for furcal radiolucency and root resorption using digital intraoral radiographs. Collected data were statistically analyzed at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: Premixed MTA group showed overall success (100%) while the conventional MTA group showed a success rate of 91.6%, at 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year follow-ups, with no significant difference between both groups (P > 0.05). Regarding the postoperative pain, patients who received premixed MTA showed no pain, while in the conventional MTA group, only one patient experienced pain (P > 0.05). No furcal radiolucency or root resorption was observed in participants from both groups during the follow-up periods.

CONCLUSION: Both premixed MTA and conventional MTA demonstrated comparable clinical and radiographic success rates in indirect pulp capping of immature permanent molars.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The full trial protocol and statistical analysis plan can be accessed on December 2, 2022, on the clinical trial registry page at www.

CLINICALTRIALS: gov (ID: NCT05597553), retrospectively registered.

PMID:41721378 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-026-07811-y

Eur J Med Res. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s40001-026-04017-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dual targeting with onabotulinumtoxinA and anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies has emerged as a potential option for patients with chronic migraine who respond incompletely to single-agent preventive therapy. Evidence from individual observational reports suggests benefit, but the magnitude, consistency, and methodological quality of available studies remain unclear.

METHODS: A systematic search identified observational studies evaluating combination therapy with onabotulinumtoxinA plus an anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody. Ten studies met inclusion criteria, of which six provided extractable quantitative data for meta-analysis. Outcomes included monthly headache days (MHD), ≥ 50% and ≥ 75% responder rates, headache-related disability (MIDAS, HIT-6), and acute medication use. Random-effects models were applied, and heterogeneity, subgroup patterns, and publication bias were assessed. Of the ten eligible studies, only six provided extractable quantitative data for combination therapy and were included in pooled analyses.

RESULTS: Across six studies, combination therapy reduced MHD by a pooled – 7.9 days (95% CI – 10.2 to – 5.7). The pooled ≥ 50% responder rate was 0.51 (95% CI 0.37-0.66), and the ≥ 75% responder rate was 0.19 (95% CI 0.10-0.34). Disability measures improved, with MIDAS decreasing by – 47.4 points (95% CI – 65.7 to – 29.1) and HIT-6 by – 8.2 points (95% CI – 10.9 to – 5.5). Acute medication use declined by – 4.3 days per month (95% CI – 6.1 to – 2.5). Heterogeneity across outcomes was moderate to high. Subgroup analyses by age and sex showed generally consistent directionality, though several strata were represented by only one or two studies. Funnel plot inspection and Egger testing did not indicate marked publication bias.

CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with onabotulinumtoxinA and an anti-CGRP monoclonal antibody demonstrates clinically meaningful reductions in headache frequency, disability, and medication use across observational cohorts. Interpretation should remain cautious given high heterogeneity, the absence of controlled comparative designs, and limited subgroup data. Because dispersion measures were imputed in several studies, statistical precision may be overestimated, and effect sizes should be interpreted as approximate rather than definitive. Larger prospective studies are needed to clarify patient selection, durability of benefit, cost-effectiveness, and equity of access.

PMID:41721358 | DOI:10.1186/s40001-026-04017-4

BMC Public Health. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-26601-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) face distinct external and internal stressors that substantially affect their mental health, leading to higher rates of depression and engagement in risky behaviors. Geosocial networking apps provide new perspectives to assess and promote the mental health of MSM. This study aims to examine the emotions and sentiments of MSM in Shenzhen, China, using data from a Chinese MSM geosocial networking app, and to explore the characteristics, temporal trends, and associated factors of emotions and sentiments.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study collected data from the geosocial networking app Blued using a web crawler, focusing on users in Shenzhen who posted more than 15 updates between September and October 2020. Natural language processing techniques, including word segmentation and sentiment analysis, were applied to assess emotional and sentiment patterns. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify associated factors with these patterns.

RESULTS: The study included 7,537 users with a mean age of 28.7. We found significant emotional fluctuations, particularly negative emotions, during early morning hours. Factors such as body mass index, social media engagement, and the frequency of health-related words were significantly associated with emotional and sentiment trends. Users who posted more frequently and had fewer blacklist entries exhibited more positive emotions.

CONCLUSIONS: Social media provides valuable insights into the mental health patterns of MSM. This study highlights the potential for real-time monitoring and targeted interventions tailored to the unique needs of sexual minorities. The findings underscore the importance of culturally relevant and LGBT-affirmative online mental health services.

PMID:41721351 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-26601-3

BMC Med. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s12916-026-04714-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Adherence to antihypertensive medication, alongside lifestyle modifications, is fundamental to managing hypertension and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder associated with a range of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. ADHD medication has also been associated with hypertension. However, the influence of ADHD and ADHD medication on discontinuation and adherence to antihypertensive treatments is unknown.

METHODS: We conducted a multinational cohort study using electronic health databases from seven countries, which included adults who initiated antihypertensive medication between 2010 and 2020. ADHD was identified by a diagnosis of ADHD or dispensation of ADHD medications. The outcomes were (1) time to the first discontinuation of antihypertensive medication and (2) poor adherence, defined as the proportion of days covered (PDC) below 80% during 1-, 2-, and 5-year follow-up periods. We used Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression to estimate associations, adjusting for age, sex, and calendar year of antihypertensive medication initiation. We pooled results from different countries via random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS: We identified 12,174,321 adults who initiated antihypertensive medication during the study period, including 320,691 (2.6%) with ADHD. In the pooled analysis across all countries, ADHD was associated with an increased rate of discontinuation in 5-year follow-up of antihypertensive medication (hazard ratio [HR] 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27). In age-stratified analyses, ADHD was associated with a higher rate of antihypertensive medication discontinuation in middle-aged (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.23) and older adults (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29), but not in young adults. Individuals with ADHD also had higher odds of poor adherence across 1 year after treatment initiation (odds ratio [OR] 1.45, 95% CI 1.26-1.67) to 5 years (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.34-2.00). Among those with ADHD, use of ADHD medications was associated with lower odds of poor adherence (1 year OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.60-0.73; 5 years OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.46-0.72).

CONCLUSIONS: Adults with ADHD are more likely to discontinue antihypertensive treatment and exhibit poor medication adherence. However, ADHD medication use appears to be associated with better adherence among individuals with ADHD.

PMID:41721349 | DOI:10.1186/s12916-026-04714-1

BMC Public Health. 2026 Feb 20. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-26547-6. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41721335 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-26547-6