Nevin Manimala

BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):76. doi: 10.1186/s12906-025-04822-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Food medicine homology originated in ancient China and has been officially named food-medicine dual-purpose substances (FMS). However, the relationship between residents’ knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) and FMS among adults in China remains unclear. This study evaluated the current situation of FMS-related knowledge, awareness and actual consumption behaviors and practices of Chinese residents to provide a basis for both perfect related regulations and scientific advice on FMS consumption.

METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey on FMS perception and consumption was conducted through a convenience sampling strategy from August to December 2020. A total of 2,815 residents (96.3% were aged between 18 and 50 years old, 47.8% were male and 52.2% were female) from 31 provinces were recruited for this study. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed in the statistical analysis.

RESULTS: The results showed that residents’ identification of FMS had an accurate response rate of 22.7% (640/2,815). Educational level was the factor associated with residents’ knowledge of FMS. A total of 62.0% (1,744/2,815) of the residents would take the initiative to learn more about FMS. 93.8% (2,639/2,815) of them thought that manufacturers should make clear food labels when they add FMS. Almost half of the residents bought FMS products frequently (more than 12 times per year), and 96.1% (1,880/2,747) of the residents bought FMS mainly used for healthcare. Among the FMS they had ever consumed, the two most frequently consumed FMS by residents were yam (35.3%) and wolfberry (15.9%). 40.6%(1,143/2,815) of residents hoped that the government could increase publicity and conduct more popular science activities.

CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that adult residents in China who have substantial knowledge of FMS are not optimistic; however, they express positive attitudes toward knowing and consuming FMS, and there is a high need for labeling and a high demand for consumption. It is imperative to enhance research and policy development regarding FMS, to actively promote FMS knowledge, and to guide residents towards a more scientific and rational consumption of FMS in the future.

PMID:39994653 | DOI:10.1186/s12906-025-04822-0

BMC Womens Health. 2025 Feb 25;25(1):86. doi: 10.1186/s12905-025-03607-4.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: A breast cancer diagnosis can impact every aspect of a woman’s life, particularly for women diagnosed before age 45 when they are in the process of establishing stability in their personal and professional lives. This study investigated the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on employment, finances, and personal relationships among young breast cancer survivors.

METHODS: We conducted descriptive statistical analysis of survey data from 315 women diagnosed with breast cancer before age 45. Surveys were administered electronically and included 40 questions on demographics asking about employment, insurance, income, and marital status at two time points: at diagnosis and at the time the survey was completed. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted. The McNemar-Bowker Test of Symmetry was used to calculate the significance of changes in employment, insurance, income, and marital status at the two time points.

RESULTS: We found significant changes following diagnosis in employment and insurance. Prior to diagnosis, 68.6% of respondents were employed full time, compared to 52.4% following diagnosis – falling from 212 to 162 respondents. Individuals who were unable to work increased by 14.6% after diagnosis, rising from 4 to 49 respondents. The decline in full-time employment was highest among those with a diagnosis of Stage IV cancer (33.9%), with the number of full-time worker respondents falling from 79 to 41. We found a significant change in insurance (p < .001) with a decline in individuals with private or no insurance of 4.7% and 3.4%, respectively, while those with public insurance increased by 8.1%.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that young breast cancer survivors are particularly vulnerable to changes in employment, with more than a tenfold increase in the number of young women who reported being unable to work following diagnosis. Our findings also indicate a significant shift from private to public insurance, particularly for individuals living with Stage IV cancer. These results point to opportunities to address the specific needs of young women diagnosed with breast cancer and improve their overall quality of life.

PMID:39994652 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-025-03607-4

BMC Public Health. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):761. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21780-x.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Globally, uncertainty persists regarding the prevalence of comorbidities in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among people living with HIV (PLWH) compared those without HIV. This uncertainty extends to the degree of nonrandom associations between comorbidities in both populations, particularly in resource-limited settings.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 343 HIV-infected individuals (cases) and 686 HIV-uninfected counterparts (controls), with a 1:2 individual matching ratio. Nonrandom associations between comorbidities were assessed using Somers’ D statistic.

RESULTS: Comorbidity prevalence was significantly higher in cases (48.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 43.4%-54.0%) than in controls (26.8%, 95% CI: 23.5%-30.1%). Cases exhibited more comorbidities than controls (6 and 4, respectively). Depression, cardiovascular diseases, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, and chronic renal insufficiency were more prevalent among cases (25.7%, 7.9%, 11.1%, 3.5%, 2.0%, respectively) compared to controls. No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and musculoskeletal disorders between the two populations (cases: 7.9%, 12.5%, 0.3%, 6.4%, respectively; controls: 5.1%, 15.6%, 0.1%, 3.9%, respectively). Nonrandom associations between comorbidities were statistically significant in both groups, with Somers’ D values ranging from 0.101 to 0.982 in cases and from 0.102 to 0.472 in controls.

CONCLUSIONS: The HIV-infected population demonstrates a higher prevalence of comorbidities compared to the HIV-uninfected population. Nonrandom associations between comorbidities exist in both populations, with stronger associations observed among PLWH.

PMID:39994646 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-21780-x

BMC Pediatr. 2025 Feb 25;25(1):135. doi: 10.1186/s12887-024-05314-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A road traffic accident is a collision between vehicles, between pedestrians and vehicles, between vehicles and animals, or between fixed obstacles and vehicles that leads to fatal human injury and premature death. Children are highly vulnerable to road traffic accident death. Yet, evidence is scarce concerning it in this study area. This study aimed to determine the magnitude of mortality and associated factors among road traffic accident victim children.

METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 391 victimized children using simple random sampling techniques from March 1st, 2021, to April 30th, 2021. The sample size was calculated using a single population proportion formula, and the data were collected retrospectively using a structured checklist. The data were checked for completeness and consistency, coded, entered into EPI Data version 3.1, and then transferred to STATA version 14 statistical software for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the association between dependent and independent variables. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% CI was used to measure the strength of the association, and a P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULT: The overall mortality was 10.7% (95% CI: 8- 14). Patients’ age within 1- 4 years (AOR (95%CI: 7(2.0-24.6)), urgent need of blood transfusion (AOR (95%CI: 3.2(1.03-9.8)), Glasgow coma scale < 8 (AOR (95%CI: 6.7(2.1-20.8)), surgery done (AOR (95%CI: 4.7(1.6-14.1)), and length of stay < 5 days (AOR (95%CI: 4.7(1.6-13.3)) were significantly associated with mortality of road traffic accident victim children.

CONCLUSION: The overall mortality was high compared with other countries’ findings. Being young, in urgent need of blood transfusion, Glasgow coma scale < 8, undergoing surgery, and short length of stay were significantly associated with mortality of road traffic accident victim children. This study recommended prioritizing young children and timely blood transfusions for emergency cases.

PMID:39994643 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-024-05314-9

BMC Nurs. 2025 Feb 24;24(1):207. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-02859-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ensuring patient safety is critical, with safe medication management being a key aspect. However, nursing students often lack the necessary skills for effective medication management. These students need to acquire the required competencies during their undergraduate studies.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the self-perceived status of Iranian nursing students in medication safety management.

DESIGN: An analytical cross-sectional study.

METHOD: The study involved 221 nursing students who completed surveys assessing their self-perception of drug management and dosage calculation. Demographic data were also collected. The data collection forms included a self-perception questionnaire and a dosage calculation test. Analytical tests such as independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis using SPSS 22.0 software.

RESULTS: Our research found that the average self-perception score of students in medication management was 57.65 ± 13.53 (range = 24-96). Linear regression analysis revealed that higher overall GPAs (F = 38.098, p < 0.001) and work experience in a hospital (t = 10.367, p < 0.001) were associated with improved self-perception skills in medication management. Additionally, individuals with increasing age demonstrated better self-assessment skills in managing safe medications.

CONCLUSION: This study underscores the importance of nursing education in enhancing students’ competencies in safe medication management. Specific interventions are recommended to improve knowledge and skills, and sociodemographic factors can help identify students needing additional support. Increasing clinical exposure is also suggested to enhance their competencies.

PMID:39994635 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-025-02859-7

BMC Public Health. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):764. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21975-2.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to investigate the associations of depression with muscle mass and muscle strength, and whether these associations were modified or mediated by dietary energy intake and dietary quality.

METHODS: Our study included participants aged 40 and above from the 2011-2018 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Depression was evaluated using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and handgrip strength (HGS) were used to evaluate muscle mass and muscle strength, respectively. Information on dietary intake were obtained via dietary recall. Dietary quality was assessed using healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015). We performed multivariable linear regression models to examine the associations of depression with SMI (N = 3,648) and HGS (N = 4,679). Interaction analyses and mediation analyses were conducted to test the effect of dietary energy intake and HEI-2015 on the associations of depression with SMI and HGS.

RESULTS: Depression was associated with decreased SMI and HGS. Interactions between depression and HEI-2015 were observed for SMI, but not for HGS. The stratified analyses showed that depression was associated with decreased SMI in participants whose HEI-2015 were lower than the median. Mediation analyses revealed that dietary energy intake mediated the associations of depression with SMI and HGS.

CONCLUSION: HEI-2015 modified the associations between depression and muscle mass. The inverse associations of depression with muscle mass and muscle strength were partially mediated by dietary energy intake. These findings emphasized the importance of dietary energy intake and dietary quality in preventing muscle loss in middle-aged and older participants with depression.

PMID:39994633 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-21975-2

BMC Public Health. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):745. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22000-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Nigerian Federal Government planned to launch the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine on September 25, 2023. We therefore aimed to assess caregiver awareness and willingness regarding HPV vaccine uptake for girls aged 9-14 across eight states (Abia, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Enugu, FCT, Jigawa, and Taraba), evaluating public readiness for the vaccine rollout.

METHODS: A cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted in the eight states using a structured questionnaire. Stratified random sampling was employed to ensure representation from each state’s three senatorial districts. Adult participants’ socio-demographic characteristics-including their relationship to the child, gender, settlement type (rural/urban), and age group-were analyzed. Local Government Area and Senatorial Zone were used solely for geographical representation. Awareness, perceived severity, susceptibility, and willingness for HPV vaccine uptake were calculated based on questionnaire responses. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, ordinal and linear regression, and mediation regression were applied to derive results.

RESULTS: Our findings indicated low general HPV awareness but high willingness for vaccine uptake among caregivers. Northern states exhibited higher awareness, perceived severity, susceptibility, and willingness compared to Southern states. Significant differences emerged across states in awareness and willingness, with positive correlations observed among awareness, severity, susceptibility, and willingness. Multiple linear regression revealed that awareness does not directly predict willingness, while mediation regression demonstrated that awareness indirectly influences willingness through severity and susceptibility. The study’s implications were analyzed using the Health Belief Model (HBM).

CONCLUSION: Our survey found geopolitical disparities in HPV awareness and willingness across Nigeria. Future interventions should prioritize emphasizing the severity and susceptibility of HPV-related diseases, particularly in low-resource settings. Providing accurate information from trusted sources and addressing misconceptions through evidence-based strategies can enhance informed decision-making regarding HPV vaccination.

PMID:39994628 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-22000-2

BMC Public Health. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):766. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21973-4.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: While there has been a decline in smoking prevalence and an increase in quit attempts among the general U.S. adult population, this information is unknown for the population who receive housing assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).

METHODS: We used National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)-HUD linked data to explore how the prevalence of cigarette smoking and past-year quit attempts has changed from 2005 to 2018 among HUD-assisted adults. Changes in the prevalence of outcome measures were examined over time for all HUD programs and by HUD program type. We created logistic regression models to assess the odds of being a current smoker or having a past-year quit attempt as a function of sociodemographic characteristics overall and by HUD program type.

RESULTS: The final study population consisted of 15,117 HUD-assisted adults aged 18 and older. Between 2005 and 2009 and 2015-2018, the smoking prevalence of HUD-assisted adults significantly declined from 33.9 to 25.4%. The proportion of HUD-assisted smokers with past-year quit attempts significantly increased from 45.6 to 55.5% between 2005 and 2009 and 2010-2014 and remained stable in 2015-2018. Rates of smoking in 2015-2018 were highest among Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program recipients at 26.6%; though there was a significant decrease in smoking prevalence and increase in past-year quit attempts for HCV program participants over time. For the public housing and the Multifamily Housing (MF) programs, declining trends in smoking rates and increasing trends in past-year quit attempts did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS: Among HUD-assisted adults, smoking prevalence has decreased, and past-year quit attempts have increased. While progress has been made, increased efforts to support smoking cessation are needed for HUD-assisted adults.

PMID:39994625 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-025-21973-4

BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):301. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12451-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: When the health administration department re-assumed the responsibilities for occupational safety and health supervision and management in 2018, the Chinese government allocated special funds annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) at all levels to enhance their capacity to monitor occupational diseases and hazardous factors. Thus, the CDCs’ technical support capacity for occupational disease surveillance and assessment (TSCODSA) has garnered increasing attention. Against this backdrop, we aimed to develop a comprehensive evaluation model to assess the CDCs’ TSCODSA, taking the municipal and county-level CDCs in Sichuan Province as an example.

METHODS: In 2023, a survey was conducted on the municipal and county-level CDCs across 21 cities (including three autonomous prefectures) in Sichuan Province. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to evaluate the TSCODSA of these CDCs, combined with the Rank Sum Ratio (RSR) method for classification. The obstacle degree model was used to analyze the primary factors influencing their capacity.

RESULTS: Among the 21 cities of Sichuan Province, only 4 cities (19.05%) had a “good” rating for the TSCODSA, while the remaining 17 cities (80.95%) were classified as either “medium” or “poor”. Cities with “good” ratings for the TSCODSA of CDCs were predominantly concentrated in the Chengdu Plain Economic Zone, while cities with “poor” ratings were mainly concentrated in the Northeast Sichuan Economic Zone. Obstacle degree analysis revealed that core capacity building and human resources constitute significant barriers impacting the capacity levels of CDCs across cities.

CONCLUSION: The overall TSCODSA level of CDCs in Sichuan Province is relatively low, with pronounced disparities in support capability across different economic zones, indicating imbalanced development. The evaluation system proposed in this study effectively reflects the level of TSCODSA of CDCs in various cities of Sichuan Province.

PMID:39994623 | DOI:10.1186/s12913-025-12451-z

BMC Oral Health. 2025 Feb 24;25(1):297. doi: 10.1186/s12903-025-05675-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To investigate the geometric characteristics of the danger zone in the mesial roots of mandibular molars using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT).

METHODS: A total of 75 extracted mandibular first (50 were 2-rooted [2RM1] and 25 were 3-rooted [3RM1]) and 35 2-rooted mandibular second molars (2RM2) were collected and evaluated using micro-CT. The morphological aspects of the mesial roots associated with the danger zone (the canal curvature, minimum mesial [MWT] and distal canal wall thickness [DWT], depth and level of root concavities) were evaluated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for multiple group comparisons. Student’s t-test or paired t-test was used to test the means between two groups.

RESULTS: All mesial roots curved severely (81.8%, 90/110) or moderately (18.2%, 20/110) towards the furcation side, and the mean angle was 25.3 ± 7.2 degrees. The presence of a distolingual root only had limited influence on the geometricgeometry of the mesial root. In the majority of cases, the mean DWT was less than the MWT, and statistical significance (all p < 0.05) was detected at 0-3 mm (MB and ML of 3RM1), 0-4 mm (MB of 2RM1, and MB and ML of 2RM2), 0-5 mm (single mesial canals of mandibular first and second molars), and 0-6 mm (ML of 2RM1) below furcation. The mean depth of distal concavities is always greater (all p < 0.05) than the mesial ones at each root level. Generally, the mean depth of distal concavities increased apically in the cervical portion, reaching the maximum value at 2 mm below furcation, and then declined gradually in the apical portion.

CONCLUSIONS: The mesial roots of mandibular first and second molars often exhibit severe distal curvature, with a mean Schneider’s angle of 25.3 degrees, and the thinnest dentin wall is typically on the distal side. Distal root concavities are significantly deeper than mesial ones, with the maximum depth generally located 2 mm below the furcation. When identifying the danger zone, factors such as DWT should not be considered in isolation. Canal curvature, distal root concavities, and the type of instrument used are also critical in affecting the likelihood and location of strip perforation, though their precise roles warrant further investigations.

PMID:39994614 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-025-05675-2