Tag: pubmed

Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot. 2026 Mar 2:1-7. doi: 10.1080/17457300.2026.2635094. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The growing number of road accidents in India has been a concern over the years. Alcohol and mobile phone use while driving have been found to be important factors in road injuries. Although legislative changes, like ‘The Motor Vehicle (Amendement) Act, 2019’, introduced stricter penalties to control dangerous driving behavior, limited evidence exists regarding their real-world impact in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) like India. This study examines the impact of increased penalties on alcohol and mobile-related accidents in India using “Road Accidents in India” reports. Accident trends were assessed before and after the implementation of stricter penalties using year-on-year statistical testing for proportion differences. Drunk driving and mobile phone-related violations increased until 2019 but showed a significant decline following the introduction of higher penalties, sustained up until 2021. Findings show that while stricter penalties help, lasting impact depends on consistent enforcement, public awareness, and attitudinal changes toward road safety.

PMID:41766491 | DOI:10.1080/17457300.2026.2635094

Risk Anal. 2026 Mar;46(3):e70213. doi: 10.1111/risa.70213.

ABSTRACT

People’s risk perceptions are crucial for climate change adaptation, influencing individual decisions and policy effectiveness. Although many studies highlight the importance of social influences and social norms in this context, the mechanisms through which they shape individual risk perceptions and adaptation behavior remain unclear. To address this gap, we analyze cross-country survey data (N = 1612) from coastal areas in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the USA with a focus on flood risk and adaptation behavior. Our statistical analysis reveals several important patterns in social interactions, and the ways in which these social interactions influence individual risk perceptions. First, we find limited social engagement regarding risks and adaptation, with a significant portion of respondents (50%) reporting no interactions with peers on these topics. Among those who do engage, social interactions on flood risk and adaptation appear infrequent (fewer than five times per year). Second, contrary to common assumptions, individuals who discuss flood risk and adaptation, rarely do so with neighbors. Moreover, homophily-shared socio-demographic characteristics-is not the primary determinant of who interacts on the topic. Third, we see that those with hazard experience and those with higher risk perceptions are more likely to interact with others on the topics of these risks and climate adaptation, confirming that social amplifications might be in place. These findings provide unique insights into the social dynamics underlying the evolution of individual risk perceptions, offering the potential to refine models of social influence in climate change and social tipping points. They also highlight potential synergies between communication strategies and policy tools to support timely and, possibly transformational, adaptation.

PMID:41766472 | DOI:10.1111/risa.70213

Child Maltreat. 2026 Mar 2:10775595261430083. doi: 10.1177/10775595261430083. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

School social workers (SSWers) play a central role in child abuse and neglect (CAN) reporting, yet few empirical studies have examined factors that influence SSWers’ reporting practices. Using data from a national survey of 455 SSWers, this study examined how training, bias awareness, and beliefs about child protective services (CPS) influence SSWers’ CAN reporting behavior. The role of individual-level and school-level demographic factors was also considered. Findings indicated that SSWers who were White (OR = 1.61, p = .034), OR = 0.77, p = .004), worked in a school serving higher proportions of low-income students (OR = 1.2, p = .002), and had higher levels of satisfaction with CPS (OR = 1.26, p = .013) and mandated reporting (OR = 0.74, p = .003) had significantly higher CAN reporting frequency. No statistically significant association was found between participants’ self-report that their prior mandated reporter (MR) trainings included some form of anti-bias content and participants’ awareness of their own biases. Results suggest individual-level factors impact reporting decisions; implications for research and training are addressed.

PMID:41766464 | DOI:10.1177/10775595261430083

Rural Remote Health. 2026 Mar;26(1):10113. doi: 10.22605/RRH10113. Epub 2026 Mar 2.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) imposes a significant financial burden due to its long-term treatment and represents a growing health issue worldwide. Health inequalities arising from urban and rural geographic disparities remain pressing global issues. South Korea operates a universal and inclusive healthcare system aimed at achieving health equity, with catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) widely recognised as a key indicator for measuring the financial burden associated with diseases. This study aims to assess health equity between urban and rural individuals with ESKD by identifying health status, healthcare accessibility, household finances, financial burden, and CHE factors.

METHODS: This study utilised longitudinal data comprising 421 observations of ESKD from 105 individuals in the 7-year dataset of the Korea Health Panel (2012-2018). Non-parametric statistics were used for cross-sectional analyses to determine subject characteristics at baseline, and mixed-effects panel logistic regression and linear regression for longitudinal studies accounting for time-varying effects. Additionally, population-weighted analyses were conducted to address potential sampling bias in the panel data.

RESULTS: Among those with ESKD, 34.3% resided in rural areas. Over a 7-year period, the cumulative prevalence of CHE was 24.6% in urban areas, 30.6% in rural areas, and 26.7% overall. Over the 7-year panel data, no significant differences in health status or household financial indicators were identified between urban and rural areas. However, regarding healthcare accessibility, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for inpatient utilisation in rural compared to urban areas was 2.72 (95%CI 1.41-5.25). Conversely, the AOR for outpatient use was 0.14 (95%CI 0.02-0.80). After population weighting, the prevalence of CHE (AOR 1.40, 95%CI 1.39-1.42) and the prevalence of impoverishment (AOR 1.56, 95%CI 1.54-1.57) were significantly elevated in rural compared to urban areas. Factors associated with higher CHE prevalence included being female (AOR 1.83, 95%CI 1.02-3.16), lowest household income (AOR 6.55, 95%CI 1.67-25.72), inpatient utilisation (AOR 5.36, 95%CI 2.86-10.03), and being aged 65 years or older (AOR 1.71, 95%CI 0.88-3.31). In the population-weighted analysis, CHE was higher in rural areas than in urban areas (AOR 1.22, 95%CI 1.20-1.23).

CONCLUSION: Health status and household financial equity between urban and rural individuals with ESKD in South Korea demonstrate positive outcomes of a universal and inclusive healthcare coverage system. Nevertheless, regarding healthcare accessibility, living rurally exhibited lower outpatient and emergency room visits alongside higher inpatient utilisation, indicating greater challenges in CHE. Tailored adjustments to the healthcare system are needed to address the vulnerabilities of rural place.

PMID:41766405 | DOI:10.22605/RRH10113

J Palliat Med. 2026 Mar 1:10966218261425592. doi: 10.1177/10966218261425592. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency with which emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians recognize patients enrolled in hospice and describe their prehospital management.

METHODS: Observational cohort study of patients enrolled in hospice who were transported by EMS within a health system between May 5, 2018, and June 4, 2023. Two physicians reviewed each encounter to determine whether interventions were comfort-focused (hospice philosophy) or life-sustaining care. Interrater reliability was 100% (k = 1.0). Descriptive statistics are provided.

RESULTS: EMS clinicians identified hospice enrollment in 51% (n = 46) of 88 encounters. Most patients (90%, n = 79) received comfort-focused care. Life-sustaining care was provided to four patients identified as hospice-enrolled and included cardiopulmonary resuscitation, an advanced airway, and vasopressors (n = 1, 25%); spinal immobilization (n = 2, 50%), and naloxone (n = 1, 25%).

CONCLUSION: Most patients received care consistent with the philosophy of hospice. However, EMS clinicians may have only identified half of patients enrolled in hospice. This demonstrates an opportunity to improve recognition of patients’ care preferences, starting in the out-of-hospital setting.

PMID:41766378 | DOI:10.1177/10966218261425592

Psychol Med. 2026 Mar 2;56:e59. doi: 10.1017/S0033291726103341.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Poverty is associated with the severity of common mental health disorders and increased physical comorbidities. However, its effects on severe mental illness (SMI), beyond increasing their incidence, are less understood, especially in low- and middle-income countries. We here examined the relationship between baseline household income and subsequent mental and physical health outcomes in a large cohort of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in Colombia.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort and case-control study using electronic health records from over 5 million Colombians. We identified individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and their baseline household income. Mental health outcomes included third-line antipsychotic treatments (clozapine or antipsychotic polypharmacy) and psychiatric hospitalizations. Physical outcomes included diagnoses of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and HbA1c levels, compared with rates in individuals without SMI.

RESULTS: We included 12,216 (6,485 women) participants newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia between 2019 and 2023. Compared to middle-income participants (between $700-1,750USD/month), patients on a low income (less than $700USD/month) were more likely to require third-line antipsychotic treatment (OR 1.84 [1.64, 2.08]) and psychiatric hospitalization (incidence rate ratio 1.30 [1.21, 1.41]). Low-income participants with SMI had hypertension and diabetes rates like middle-income participants without SMI who were 20 years older. However, the combined effect of SMI and low income together posed a less-than-additive risk. Lower income was associated with higher HbA1c levels in diabetes, while a diagnosis of SMI was associated with lower levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Low income at SMI onset is associated with worse mental and physical health outcomes.

PMID:41766372 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291726103341

Mol Oncol. 2026 Mar 1. doi: 10.1002/1878-0261.70218. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Transcriptional heterogeneity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) arises not only from changes in gene expression but also from dynamic rewiring of gene-gene coordination. Using a divergent-edge framework applied to 77 155 malignant cells from 42 tumors, we identified four reproducible adaptive modules-integrated growth-energy (IGE), stress-adaptive transcription (SAT), IL-2-linked immune evasion (IL2), and multi-pathway collective invasion (MPC)-that cut across canonical PDAC states and reflect distinct regulatory programs. Integrating these modules with CRISPR-Cas9 dependency profiles and PRISM drug-response data revealed that adaptive behaviors collapse into two higher-order axes: a biosynthetic-metabolic IGE axis enriched for translational and DNA-repair dependencies, and a broader SAT-IL2-MPC stress-immune-invasion axis characterized by proteostasis, cytokine-linked, and cytoskeletal vulnerabilities. This architecture emerges only when divergent-edge modules are mapped into functional genomics space. Module activity also carried clinical relevance in PDAC. SAT-high tumors showed poorer survival, while MPC-high tumors exhibited a similar adverse trend; together, these modules defined a stress-immune-invasion poor-prognosis axis. In contrast, IGE activity showed no overall risk association, although an optimal-cut point-defined IGE-high subgroup displayed modestly improved survival.

PMID:41766370 | DOI:10.1002/1878-0261.70218

BJPsych Bull. 2026 Mar 2:1-7. doi: 10.1192/bjb.2026.10223. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS AND METHOD: Treatment non-adherence is a well-established predictor of relapse in schizophrenia, yet its broader clinical impact remains unclear. This study examines the association between clinician-recorded treatment non-adherence and clinical outcomes during the first year following a schizophrenia diagnosis. Using a bespoke natural language processing algorithm applied to anonymised electronic health records, we classified the recorded treatment adherence status of 2667 patients. Multivariable and Poisson regression analyses were conducted to assess associations of recorded treatment non-adherence with clinical outcomes.

RESULTS: Compared with the remainder, those classified as non-adherent had greater increases in recorded symptoms and higher frequency and duration of in-patient admissions and crisis care episodes. They were also prescribed a greater number of different antipsychotics and developed a greater number of recorded physical health comorbidities.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Treatment non-adherence is associated with markedly poorer clinical outcomes, emphasising the importance of early identification and targeted interventions to support adherence.

PMID:41766367 | DOI:10.1192/bjb.2026.10223

Asia Pac J Clin Oncol. 2026 Mar 1. doi: 10.1111/ajco.70093. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To explore the supportive care needs of people with cancer and their caregivers in South Australia and identify areas for service improvement.

METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted. Quantitative data assessed unmet needs across multiple supportive care domains, while qualitative responses provided contextual insights. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis were used to interpret findings.

RESULTS: Psychological and emotional needs emerged as key priorities and were frequently underpinned by unmet informational and practical needs. Emotional distress was prevalent across the sample, despite only a minority of respondents reporting that access to psychological services was an unmet need. Caregivers often reported that their emotional well-being was not prioritized, leading to stress and burnout. A significant unmet need for both groups was access to tailored, relevant information, especially regarding government entitlements and navigating the healthcare system. Practical and financial concerns, including fatigue, reduced functional ability, financial strain, and challenges accessing transport, were also common. These findings highlight that supportive care needs are interconnected, with gaps in one domain often exacerbating challenges in others.

CONCLUSION: Supportive care for people with cancer and their caregivers requires an integrated approach that embeds psychological support, delivers accessible and tailored information, and ensures equitable access to practical resources. Aligning services with the Australian Cancer Plan can help reduce disparities, improve engagement, and enhance overall well-being. Future longitudinal research should explore evolving needs, with a focus on underrepresented populations, including culturally and linguistically diverse groups, men, younger individuals, and people with rarer cancers.

PMID:41766360 | DOI:10.1111/ajco.70093

J Helminthol. 2026 Mar 2;100:e25. doi: 10.1017/S0022149X26101205.

ABSTRACT

Domestic cats are the only felines living exclusively with humans, making them ecologically invasive and widespread across terrestrial habitats. Their domestication stems from their rodent control abilities and companionship. However, they are susceptible to gastrointestinal parasites such as Ancylostoma spp., Toxocara cati, and Dipylidium caninum, causing issues like anaemia, vomiting, and sometimes death, especially in kittens. These parasites can also pose zoonotic risks, transmitting diseases like visceral and ocular larva migrants to humans. A total of 100 cats with no deworming history were examined over six months. The overall prevalence of intestinal helminths was 23.0%, with Ancylostoma spp. being the most common (11.0%), followed by Toxocara cati (7.0%), Taenia spp. (2.0%), and mixed infections (3.0%). The prevalence was higher in females (26.92%) than in males (18.75%). Age-wise, kittens under 6 months had the highest infection rate (36.17%), while cats aged 6-12 months showed the lowest (10.71%). Non-descriptive breeds exhibited a higher infection rate (34.88%) than descriptive breeds (14.03%). Most cats were kept in confined spaces (72.0%), with 57.0% being descriptive breeds. Cats were mostly fed a mix of cooked and commercial cat food (59.0%), while only 33.0% were vaccinated and 20.0% dewormed. Behavioural issues like licking (51.0%) and self-biting (13.0%) were noted. Only 41.0% of owners were aware of zoonotic disease risks from cats. Chi-square analysis revealed significant associations between infection rates and risk factors (variables) such as breed, age, diet, vaccination, and deworming status. Non-descriptive breeds, unvaccinated cats, and those fed vegetarian diets had significantly higher infection rates (p < 0.05). Unconfined housing also contributed to increased infection risk, though not statistically significant. The research was significant because it highlighted the public health risks, as many cat owners and pet lovers were unaware of the zoonotic potential of intestinal helminths in cats.

PMID:41766343 | DOI:10.1017/S0022149X26101205