Tag: pubmed

BMC Public Health. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-28303-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: There are still some gaps in the knowledge about food insecurity (FI) as a determinant of quality of life (QoL); for example, it is not known whether there is a dose‒response relationship, whether these associations occur longitudinally, and how they behave in a population where the target audience is not composed of people affected by health problems.

METHODS: This work prospectively analyzed the association between QoL and FI in individuals living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged Brazilian municipality between 2014 and 2019. This was a longitudinal prospective cohort study involving 225 individuals from families residing in a municipality with high social vulnerability in the northeast semiarid region of Brazil. The present study considered QoL as the dependent variable and food insecurity (FI) as the main independent variable. Multivariate analyses were conducted using mixed-effects regression, separately for each QoL domain.

RESULTS: Baseline results showed mean QoL domain scores of 70.62 for Social Relationships, 69.42 for Physical Health, 64.77 for the Psychological domain, and 57.55 for the Environmental domain. Among these, only the Physical Health domain exhibited a statistically significant change at follow-up, with a mean reduction of 2.9 points. Multivariate analysis demonstrated an inverse association between FI and QoL scores in the Psychological and Environmental domains. Under conditions of moderate FI, scores declined by 4.728 points in the Psychological domain (p = 0.041) and 7.610 points in the Environmental domain (p = 0.000) over time. At the severe FI level, these reductions were more pronounced, reaching 9.465 points (p = 0.003) and 10.138 points (p = 0.000), respectively.

CONCLUSION: The results presented in this cohort support the hypothesis that the phenomenon of FI was associated with poorer QoL outcomes over time.

PMID:42399910 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-28303-2

BMC Public Health. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-28292-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and access to health care are important determinants of health behaviors and may shift during periods of health system disruption such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to examine whether these determinants were associated with self-medication and whether the prevalence of self-medication changed in Türkiye before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: This study used data from the Türkiye Health Survey conducted in 2019 (n = 16,253) and 2022 (n = 21,444), which was designed to provide national-level estimates for Türkiye. Descriptive analyses and chi-square tests were used to compare the prevalence of self-medication across survey periods. Multivariable modified Poisson regression models with robust variance were estimated separately for the pre-COVID-19 and during-COVID-19 periods to identify factors associated with self-medication and to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) with 95% confidence intervals. To assess whether associations differed between the two periods, pooled modified Poisson regression models were constructed including an indicator for survey period and interaction terms between the COVID-19 period and selected determinants. The statistical significance of interaction effects was evaluated using global Wald chi-squared tests.

RESULTS: The prevalence of self-medication increased significantly from the pre-COVID-19 period (34.9%) to the during-COVID-19 period (38.8%) (p < 0.001). In pooled analyses, self-medication remained more prevalent during the COVID-19 period (aPR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08-1.14). Across both survey periods, higher prevalence of self-medication was observed among women, individuals with higher educational attainment, those reporting moderate or severe bodily pain, individuals with long-standing illness, tobacco or alcohol users, and those experiencing unmet health care needs due to waiting lists. Global interaction tests indicated that the associations of educational attainment, age group, and health insurance coverage with self-medication differed significantly between the pre- and during-COVID-19 periods, whereas the associations with gender, long-standing illness, and self-perceived health remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS: Self-medication prevalence was higher during the COVID-19-period survey in Türkiye, and the associations between self-medication and several sociodemographic and health-related determinants differed between survey periods. These findings suggest that changes in health care access and perceived health needs occurring during public health crises may be associated with differences in self-medication patterns, highlighting the importance of monitoring self-medication behaviors and supporting vulnerable population groups.

PMID:42399909 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-28292-2

BMC Med Educ. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12909-026-09837-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The American Medical Association’s Declaration of Professional Responsibility is an important covenant obligating present-day physicians to transcend personal beliefs and affiliations to advocate for changes that alleviate suffering and promote human health. Despite this recognition of advocacy as a pillar of physician duty, advocacy training in undergraduate medical education remains variable across institutions, elective in nature, and often insufficient in developing trainees’ professional identities and competence as health advocates.

METHODS: Educators at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine designed and delivered a novel half-day session required for all first-year medical students to nurture their professional identities as health advocates and empower them with knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) needed to give voice to issues impacting the patients and communities they serve. Students attended a shared didactic followed by two focused workshops. The session was conducted annually from 2023-2025. Pre- and post-session data was collected after each iteration to evaluate changes in KSA.

RESULTS: A total of 509 first-year medical students participated in the session from 2023-2025 with 477 (94%) partaking in the session synchronously. All 509 participants (100%) completed at least one survey, and 361 (71%) completed both pre- and post-surveys. Pooled data showed that participation led to statistically significant improvement on a 7-point Likert scale at similar rates in all three cohorts in each of the measured domains: knowledge (Δ1.45, p < 0.001), skills (Δ1.37, p < 0.001), and attitudes (Δ0.44, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: A required half-day advocacy session supported trainees in developing their professional identities and acquiring foundational KSA needed to fulfill their roles as health advocates. Implementing this session across institutions can broaden its impact. Longitudinal data collection can clarify its long-term influence on physician engagement in advocacy and on health outcomes of patients and communities.

PMID:42399901 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-026-09837-w

BMC Public Health. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-28360-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Smartwatches and other wearable technologies have become increasingly popular for health monitoring, offering potential benefits in the early detection of cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation (AF). Despite their expanding use, limited data exist regarding public perceptions and usage patterns of these devices in Saudi Arabia. Understanding these perceptions is essential to inform strategies for digital health integration and preventive cardiovascular care.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate public perceptions, usage patterns, and factors influencing acceptance of smartwatches for early detection of cardiac arrhythmias among adults in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and October 2023 across five major regions of Saudi Arabia. A total of 459 adults aged ≥ 22 years participated through structured face-to-face interviews using a validated questionnaire adapted from prior studies. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics and usage trends, while Poisson regression analysis identified determinants of positive perceptions toward wearable technologies.

RESULTS: Nearly half of the respondents (46.4%) reported using wearable devices for health monitoring, with smartwatches being the most preferred (42.0%). Among smartwatch users, (35.2%) had received notifications of cardiac arrhythmia through their devices. Most participants (76.5%) expressed willingness to use smartwatches for arrhythmia detection, and (48.1%) strongly agreed that wearable technologies could contribute to the early diagnosis and monitoring of arrhythmia. Younger adults (22-51 years) demonstrated significantly more positive perceptions compared to those > 51 years (p < 0.05). Previous experience with wearables was also a significant predictor of favorable perception (p = 0.015). Educational level showed a positive but non-significant trend (p = 0.061), while gender and cardiovascular history were not associated with perception.

CONCLUSION: The Saudi public shows a high level of awareness and positive perception toward using smartwatches for early cardiac arrhythmia detection. Younger age and prior experience with wearables were the strongest predictors of acceptance, underscoring the importance of digital literacy and user familiarity. Integrating smartwatches into preventive cardiology and public health initiatives-supported by education and clinical validation-may enhance early arrhythmia detection and promote proactive heart health management in Saudi Arabia.

PMID:42399898 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-28360-7

BMC Public Health. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-28387-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pre-pregnancy overweight and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increase the risk of accelerated fetal growth, but the effect of their individual or combined exposure on infant growth trajectory remains unclear. Clarifying whether these exposures will lead to sustained or time-limited growth patterns is essential for developing tailored, time-sensitive early childhood monitoring strategies.Methods We analyzed a population-based cohort of 16,712 mother-infant pairs from Jiangsu Province (2024) using longitudinal data. Infant weight was measured at birth, 1, 3, and 6 months. Linear mixed effects models were employed to examine the independent and joint associations of pre-pregnancy overweight and GDM with infant weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ), examining how the associations changed with infant age.Results Pre-pregnancy overweight showed a strong, positive association with higher infant WAZ (β = 0.160, 95% CI: 0.130 to 0.191), with no statistically significant change over time (overweight × age interaction: β = 0.005, 95% CI: 0.000 to 0.009; P = 0.060). In contrast, GDM alone had a statistically significant but relatively small initial effect (β = 0.065, 95% CI: 0.031 to 0.100), which significantly attenuated from birth to 6 months (GDM × age interaction: β = -0.008, 95% CI: -0.013 to -0.002; P = 0.006). The combined exposure yielded the highest initial β coefficient (β = 0.217, 95% CI: 0.175 to 0.259) and the most rapid attenuation (combined × age interaction: β = -0.017, 95% CI: -0.023 to -0.010; P < 0.001). At 6 months of age, the adjusted mean WAZ remained highest in the combined exposure group. The combined effect was approximately additive in magnitude (β_combined ≈ β_OW + β_GDM), and additive interaction metrics (RERI = 0.001, 95% CI: -0.112 to 0.114; AP = 0.005, 95% CI: -0.582 to 0.592; S = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.88 to 1.15) indicated no statistical additive interaction, with confidence intervals including the null values.Conclusions Different growth patterns were found in this study: pre-pregnancy overweight showed no statistically significant attenuation over the study period, while GDM’s influence was time‑limited. The combined exposure presents peak early risk that moderates over time. Clinically, infants exposed to both maternal pre-pregnancy overweight and GDM (the combined exposure group) should receive the most intensive growth monitoring during the first six months of life. These findings highlight the necessity of developing targeted monitoring protocols and implement risk stratification and personalized interventions based on maternal metabolic profiles.

PMID:42399897 | DOI:10.1186/s12889-026-28387-w

BMC Oral Health. 2026 Jul 3. doi: 10.1186/s12903-026-09071-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effects of low-level laser therapy and misoprostol on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), external root resorption, root length, alveolar bone mineral density (BMD), and osteoclast activity.

METHODS: Thirty-six female Wistar albino rats were divided into misoprostol, laser, and control groups. OTM was induced using a nickel-titanium closed-coil spring between the maxillary incisor and first molar for 21 days. Following euthanasia, tooth displacement, root length, root resorption, and BMD were analyzed using micro-computed tomography. BMD was assessed around the mesial root in tension, compression, apical mesial, and apical distal regions. Osteoclastic activity was evaluated immunohistochemically.

RESULTS: The laser and misoprostol groups showed greater OTM than the control group, without statistical significance (p > 0.05). Root length and root resorption did not differ significantly among groups (p > 0.05). BMD values were similar across groups (p > 0.05), although within-group comparisons showed higher values in tension areas and lower values in compression areas. Osteoclast counts were significantly higher in the laser group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of this study, low-level laser therapy did not result in a statistically significant increase in tooth movement; however, it may influence the cellular mechanisms underlying orthodontic tooth movement, as reflected by increased osteoclast activity, and may modulate bone remodeling without increasing root resorption. Although BMD tended to decrease in the compression areas and increase in the tension areas, the findings were inconsistent in the apical regions.

PMID:42399896 | DOI:10.1186/s12903-026-09071-2

Int Immunopharmacol. 2026 Jul 3;186:117073. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2026.117073. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening form of acute diffuse lung injury caused by sepsis. However, the role of mitotic catastrophe-related genes (MCRGs) in its development remains poorly understood. This study investigated the potential roles of MCRGs in the progression of sepsis-induced ARDS.

METHODS: The study used publicly available mRNA expression data (Gene Expression Omnibus: GSE66890, GSE32707). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and intersected with MCRGs to obtain potential candidate genes. To screen potential key genes, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was conducted via 5-fold cross-validation to select genes with nonzero coefficients at the optimal model error, and support vector machine recursive feature elimination was performed via 5-fold cross-validation to screen feature genes based on accuracy ranking. The intersection of these two sets yielded potential key genes, which were subsequently validated in the validation set for consistent differential expression. Furthermore, their putative biological functions were explored. A prediction nomogram was constructed. Immune infiltration analysis, drug prediction, exploratory molecular docking, and network pharmacology analysis were conducted. Subsequently, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to validate the expression of key genes.

RESULTS: Overall, 863 DEGs associated with sepsis-induced ARDS were selected and intersected with 900 MCRGs, yielding potential 92 candidate genes. Three potential key genes (ATM, PTGS2, and PSME4) were identified using machine learning algorithms and RT-qPCR. These three key genes were mainly enriched in immune-related pathways such as the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. The nomogram exhibited robust predictive performance for the risk of sepsis-induced ARDS (area under the ROC curve = 0.81). Comparative analysis revealed seven differentially abundant immune cell types (including eosinophils) in patients with ARDS versus controls (p < 0.05), with eosinophils exhibiting a significant negative correlation with PSME4 (r = -0.38, p < 0.05). These potential key genes were targeted by multiple drugs (e.g., N-acetyl-l-cysteine) exhibiting binding energies of <-5.0 kcal/mol. Additionally, the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicines (e.g., the active ingredient of prepared aconite root) demonstrated strong binding capacities (≤-5 kcal/mol) with their corresponding target genes (e.g., ACHE). RT-qPCR indicated that ATM expression is significantly lower in patients with sepsis-induced ARDS than in those with sepsis without ARDS (p < 0.05). The directional trends for PTGS2 and PSME4 were consistent with those of the bioinformatic analyses, but statistical significance was not reached.

CONCLUSION: Differential expression and bioinformatic analysis suggest that ATM, PTGS2, and PSME4 are potential candidate genes associated with sepsis-induced ARDS, advancing our understanding of the potential roles of MCRGs in the progression of sepsis-induced ARDS.

PMID:42398170 | DOI:10.1016/j.intimp.2026.117073

Acta Psychol (Amst). 2026 Jul 3;268:107361. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107361. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The teaching profession is inherently characterized by high job demands and chronic stressors, frequently leading to burnout. While literature consistently links excessive workload and classroom challenges to emotional exhaustion, there is a growing need to identify personal resources that may be associated with lower levels of burnout and emotional exhaustion. Psychological hardiness, a personality construct comprising commitment, control, and challenge, has been identified in various high-stress occupations as a key resilience factor, yet its specific moderating role in the educational context requires further empirical evidence.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study examined 844 primary and secondary education teachers from Greece and Cyprus. The variables investigated included three types of job stressors (workload/time pressure, student learning problems, and organizational issues), emotional exhaustion, and the three facets of psychological hardiness. Data were collected using the Teachers’ Professional Stress Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Hardiness Resilience Gauge. Statistical analysis was performed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Latent Moderated Structural Equation (LMS) modeling to test interaction effects.

RESULTS: Findings revealed that hardiness significantly moderates the relationship between job stressors and emotional exhaustion. Notably, the three hardiness facets (3Cs) functioned differentially, with certain attitudes showing stronger moderating associations with specific stressors than others.

DISCUSSION: These results support the “hardiness mindset” approach, suggesting that hardiness may be relevant in understanding how teachers appraise and respond to job demands and emotional exhaustion.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS: The study highlights the potential for hardiness-based intervention programs to address teacher burnout. However, the cross-sectional design and the use of convenience sampling limit the ability to draw causal inferences and generalize findings to all educational systems.

PMID:42398155 | DOI:10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107361

Neurotoxicology. 2026 Jul 3;115:103509. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2026.103509. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The association between childhood exposure to PM_2.5-bound organophosphate esters (OPEs) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains poorly understood. In this large population-based study of 131,412 children aged 6-18 years attending schools in the Pearl River Delta, China, we collected ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) samples from schools to quantify OPEs levels, and screened for ADHD symptoms using parent-reported ADHD/Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-Ⅳ) Scales. We employed elastic net regression for variable selection, generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) for association estimates, and weighted quantile sum regression to evaluate mixture effects. Odds ratios (ORs) are expressed as the change in odds of ADHD symptoms per interquartile range (IQR) increase in OPE levels. Elevated PM_2.5-bound OPE exposure was associated with higher odds of ADHD symptoms in children, especially for triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.70-1.79), tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.69-1.77), tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.67-1.75), and tris(3,4-dimethylphenyl) phosphate (T34DMPP) (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.41-1.49). Similar associations were observed across different ADHD subtypes. Stratified analyses indicated heterogeneous associations across age, sex, and breastfeeding subgroups, with no consistent pattern of effect modification across all OPE exposures. These findings suggest that inhalation of OPE mixtures may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, highlighting a potential developmental window of susceptibility and raising public health concerns about airborne contaminants.

PMID:42398137 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuro.2026.103509

J Biomech. 2026 Jun 30;205:113442. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2026.113442. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The iliofemoral ligament (ILFL) is crucial for hip joint stability, and its laxity contributes to hip joint instability. However, the effects of ligament laxity on hip kinetics remain unclear. This study aimed to develop a musculoskeletal model incorporating the ILFL and investigate the effects of ILFL laxity on hip contact forces (HCFs) during gait. Gait data were collected from 22 healthy young adults, and 21 participants with complete data were used for subsequent analyses. A musculoskeletal model incorporating the ILFL was used to investigate HCFs and muscle forces during gait. Statistical Parametric Mapping Paired t-test was used to compare HCFs and muscle forces during the stance phase of gait between a model with normal ILFL properties (normal model) and a model with ILFL laxity (laxity model). ILFL force was significantly lower in the laxity model than in the normal model. The laxity model exhibited a significant increase in the anterior HCF and a significant decrease in the medial HCF during the latter half of the stance phase. Muscle forces in the hip flexors and abductors were significantly increased. ILFL laxity increased the anterior HCF and decreased the medial HCF. These changes may contribute to instability, anterior soft-tissue injuries, and secondary hip muscle disorders.

PMID:42398126 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2026.113442