Tag: statistics

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s13102-025-01519-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: HIIT is a time-efficient aerobic exercise with potential for obesity prevention and control, as it achieves comparable or superior effects to traditional exercise in a shorter duration. This meta-analysis examines the differential effects of HIIT and MICT on body fat composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults, providing evidence for optimized exercise prescriptions.

METHODS: Searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for RCTs assessing HIIT cycling’s effects on fat reduction and cardiorespiratory fitness. Data were pooled using SMD in Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 18. Heterogeneity was evaluated via the I² statistic, with subgroup analyses stratified by population (disease, obese, sedentary).

RESULTS: Nineteen RCTs were included. Compared to MICT, HIIT significantly reduced BMI in obese populations (SMD = -0.59 kg/m², 95% CI: -0.84 to -0.34, P < 0.001), but slightly increased BMI in disease populations (SMD = 0.40 kg/m², 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.77, P = 0.042). For cardiorespiratory fitness, HIIT outperformed MICT in improving VO₂peak in obese populations (SMD = 0.23 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.45, P = 0.041) and sedentary populations (SMD = 6.21 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, 95% CI: 4.68 to 7.74, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: HIIT cycling demonstrates comparable efficacy to MICT for improving body composition, including body fat percentage, fat mass, and lean body mass in adults, while outperforming MICT in reducing BMI among obese individuals and enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness VO₂peak across obese and sedentary populations.

PMID:41580784 | DOI:10.1186/s13102-025-01519-2

BMC Womens Health. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s12905-026-04284-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Infertility is a major reproductive health issue affecting childbearing-age couples worldwide. Factors contributing to its increasing prevalence include delayed marriage and childbearing decisions, as well as exposure to environmental pollutants. In addition to directly causing fertility problems, infertility also negatively affects family relationships by causing psychological trauma, such as anxiety and depression, thereby reducing quality of life. Emotional state, fertility-related stress, fertility quality of life (FertiQoL), and coping strategies are associated with psychological resilience. However, according to existing studies, the relationships among coping strategies, FertiQoL, and psychological resilience, as well as the synergistic pathways between the former two and psychological resilience, remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the associations among coping strategies, FertiQoL, and psychological resilience. Additionally, it aims to investigate whether different coping strategies serve as a mediator between FertiQoL and psychological resilience.

METHOD: This study employed a cross-sectional research design and purposive sampling method. A total of 222 patients with infertility who visited a tertiary-level hospital in Hunan Province between January and December 2019 were selected as the study subjects. We measured psychological resilience specifically in those who reported an unfulfilled wish for a child. Additionally, FertiQoL and coping strategies were assessed. We used Pearson’s product moment correlation to examine the association of psychological resilience, FertiQoL and coping strategies. Using the Process v4.1 model, we examined the mediating function of various coping strategies in the association between psychological resilience and FertiQoL, and employed stratified multiple regression analysis to investigate the factors influencing psychological resilience.

RESULTS: In total, 222 patients with infertility presented psychological resilience scores that were below the Chinese norm (M = 66.34; SD = 13.90) and were moderately low (M = 60.42; SD = 12.18). Pearson’s correlation analyses revealed significant bivariate associations among the study variables. FertiQoL demonstrated a weak but statistically significant negative correlation with psychological resilience (r =-.149, p < .05), whereas both positive coping (r = .261, p < .05) and meaning-based coping strategies (r = .377, p < .05) showed moderate positive correlations. In contrast, neither active avoidance (r =-.029, p > .05) nor passive avoidance strategies (r = .115, p > .05) were significantly associated with psychological resilience. In the mediation analysis adjusted for covariates, introducing positive and meaning-based coping strategies as mediators significantly attenuated the standardized coefficient of the FertiQoL-resilience association, which decreased from B=-0.172 to B=-0.329. These results demonstrate that both coping strategies play a significant mediating role in the relationship between FertiQoL and psychological resilience, with positive coping strategies having an indirect effect on psychological resilience of 0.074 (95% CI [0.010, 0.140]) and meaning-based coping strategies having an indirect effect of 0.083 (95% CI [0.030, 0.149]). The magnitude of the mediated effect was 34.81% overall.

CONCLUSION: Infertility patients’ psychological resilience and FertiQoL are related, and positive coping and meaning-based coping strategies have some mediating effects on this relationship, indicating that these strategies may be important in reducing the detrimental effects of FertiQoL on psychological resilience. Positive coping and meaning-based coping strategies have been shown to be effective at preserving patients’ psychological well-being. These findings serve as a foundation for future research into focused intervention programs.

PMID:41580777 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-026-04284-7

Mov Ecol. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s40462-025-00621-x. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41580766 | DOI:10.1186/s40462-025-00621-x

Arthritis Res Ther. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s13075-026-03745-6. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41580764 | DOI:10.1186/s13075-026-03745-6

BMC Womens Health. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s12905-026-04283-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify the spatial distribution and its associated factors of unmet need for family planning among women of reproductive age in administrative woredas of Ethiopia, using data from 8,716 married or in-union women in the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. Spatial analyses, including autocorrelation, hotspot identification, and interpolation, were employed to examine geographical patterns, while a multilevel multinomial logistic regression model identified associated factors. The overall prevalence of unmet need was 21.04% (12.84% for spacing, 8.2% for limiting). Spatial analysis revealed that unmet need for limiting was dispersed, while spacing needs were randomly distributed. Key determinants included knowledge of family planning (spacing: aOR = 1.76, 95% CI:1.21-2.57; limiting: aOR = 2.45, 95% CI:1.41-4.23), having more than four living children (spacing: aOR = 1.40, 95% CI:1.05-1.86; limiting: aOR = 10.04, 95% CI:5.45-18.50), husband’s employment (spacing: aOR = 0.44, 95% CI:0.28-0.71; limiting: aOR = 0.35, 95% CI:0.20-0.61), and the interaction of rural residency with husband’s employment (spacing: aOR = 1.98, 95% CI:1.17-3.36; limiting: aOR = 2.42, 95% CI:1.28-4.55). The findings indicate that the prevalence of unmet need for family planning in Ethiopia’s administrative woredas remains high, greater the acceptable standard defined by global benchmarks. Key factors include women’s knowledge of family planning, the number of living children, the husband’s occupation, and the contextual influence of rural residency. The spatial heterogeneity, particularly for limiting births, underscores the need for geographically targeted interventions. Therefore, national strategies and woreda-specific programs aimed at reducing unmet need must move beyond uniform approaches. They should prioritize enhancing comprehensive family planning education, addressing high-parity concerns, engaging male partners, and tailoring service delivery to mitigate the specific socio-contextual barriers prevalent in rural settings to ensure equitable access to family planning services across all administrative woredas.

PMID:41580755 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-026-04283-8

BMC Psychol. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03938-9. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:41580742 | DOI:10.1186/s40359-025-03938-9

BMC Vet Res. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-05160-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and Bluetongue (BT) are vector-borne diseases that commonly circulate among wild and domestic ruminants. The epidemiological situation of EHD in Tunisia remains poorly documented, despite several studies having been conducted on BT. To assess the seroprevalence of the EHD and BT in northern Tunisia, 394 bovine serum samples were collected and tested for anti-VP7 antibodies using a competitive ELISA. The seroprevalence of EHD and BT at the individual level was estimated 51.2% and 81% respectively. Herd-level seroprevalence reached 93% for EHD and 100% for BT. No statistically significant differences in prevalence were observed between governorates for EHD (p-value = 0.169). However, the prevalence of BT across governorates was found to be statistically significant (p-value = 0.00000). A multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression was conducted to identify risk factors for EHD and BT. The final model revealed the only significant risk factor identified for both EHD and BT seroprevalence was age. Local animal husbandry practices and herd management were not found to be associated with the dynamics of the two diseases. The findings of this study highlight the geographical extent of the disease in the northwestern region and its associated risk factors. It is therefore imperative that further investigations be conducted on vectors and their abudance in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current situation.

PMID:41580738 | DOI:10.1186/s12917-025-05160-6

Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s13049-026-01560-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ambulance professionals operate in dynamic, time-pressured environments where patient safety is paramount, with medication administration errors (MAEs) being a particular concern. While pediatric-focused interventions have addressed dosing errors, few studies have explored strategies to reduce MAEs in prehospital settings. Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) is an evidence-based team training program that has demonstrated positive outcomes in various in-hospital contexts. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a TeamSTEPPS intervention on MAE frequency in ambulance services.

METHODS: This quasi-experimental, pre-post study was conducted within a Norwegian ambulance service across seven ambulance stations split into two groups as part of the TEAM-AMB project. The intervention consisted of a nine-month TeamSTEPPS team training program. Two independent reviewers assessed randomly selected electronic patient journals from pre- and post-intervention periods for MAEs, defined as deviations from the “five rights” of medication administration according to ambulance service protocols. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and multivariable logistic regression. Cohen’s Kappa evaluated interrater reliability.

RESULTS: Overall, 30.6% of ambulance missions contained at least one MAE, with wrong dose (17.5%) and wrong drug (15.1%) being the most common error subcategories. There was no significant change, combined or for either group, in MAE frequency between pre-intervention (28.9%) and post-intervention (32.2%) periods (p = 0.17). Wrong drug errors significantly increased from 11.2% to 19.1% post-intervention (p < 0.01). The number of different medications administered was the strongest predictor of errors, with each additional medication type increasing error odds by 47% (p < 0.01). Patient and mission characteristics showed no association with MAEs in multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: This Norwegian ambulance service study found MAEs in 30.6% of 1,499 missions. The TeamSTEPPS team training intervention did not reduce overall error frequency. The results suggest that team training alone is not sufficient to address the multifaceted causes of MAEs. Future interventions should focus on organizational improvements, particularly enhanced standard operating procedure adherence and electronic documentation systems, to improve accuracy and enable reliable medication error detection.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov-ID: NCT05244928.

PMID:41580728 | DOI:10.1186/s13049-026-01560-1

BMC Womens Health. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s12905-025-04214-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Women with disabilities are susceptible to compounded discrimination based on gender and disability, which can constrain healthcare access and worsen health outcomes. Quantitative evidence on determinants of unmet healthcare needs in Women with disabilities remains limited. This study aimed to identify predictors of unmet healthcare needs among women with disabilities and to provide evidence to inform improvements in healthcare accessibility.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2873 Women with disabilities from the nationally representative 2023 Survey of People with Disabilities in Korea. Guided by Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, we examined predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with unmet healthcare needs using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS: Among women with disabilities, the prevalence of unmet healthcare needs was 19.7%. The most common reasons were difficulty traveling to healthcare facilities (41.2%) and financial constraints (25.8%). In multivariable analysis, the odds of experiencing unmet healthcare needs were higher among those with lower household income, physical disabilities, severe disability, dependence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), poor self-rated health, experience of depression, difficulty using transportation, and inability to go out alone.

CONCLUSIONS: Women with disabilities experience high rates of unmet healthcare needs. Limitations in daily living due to physical disability, low socioeconomic status (SES), and mental health vulnerability emerged as major factors underlying unmet healthcare needs among women with disabilities. Integrated policies addressing financial barriers, healthcare accessibility, and women’s health are needed to meet the unique needs of women with disabilities.

PMID:41580717 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-025-04214-z

BMC Surg. 2026 Jan 24. doi: 10.1186/s12893-026-03523-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pelvic adhesions are a common consequence of prior abdominal surgery, endometriosis, malignancy, or infection, often leading to infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and surgical complications. Reliable preoperative prediction of these adhesions can guide surgical planning and minimize risks. The sonographic “sliding sign” has shown promise in detecting intra-abdominal adhesions, yet its routine use remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of both transvaginal and transabdominal ultrasonographic assessments of the sliding sign in predicting intra-abdominal adhesions prior to gynecologic endoscopic surgery.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 262 women who underwent gynecologic endoscopic surgery at a tertiary care center in 2024. Patients with body mass index (BMI) > 35 were excluded. Both transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluations of the sliding sign were performed preoperatively by a single experienced physician, while operative outcomes were recorded by a blinded observer. Adhesion status, operative time, hospital stay, and surgical complications were analyzed. Statistical methods included Chi-square, Fisher’s Exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS: Intra-abdominal adhesions were confirmed in 56 patients (21.4%). Absence of the sliding sign was significantly associated with the presence of adhesions (p < 0.001). Transvaginal sonography yielded a sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 100%, and area under curve (AUC) of 0.884. Transabdominal sonography demonstrated higher accuracy, with a sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 100%, and AUC of 0.982. The combination of both methods matched the diagnostic performance of transabdominal ultrasound alone. Adhesions were significantly associated with previous abdominal surgery (p < 0.001), endometriosis (p = 0.01), hypotrophic or keloid scars (p < 0.001), obliteration of the Douglas pouch (p < 0.001), longer hospital stay (p = 0.006), and increased rates of hemorrhage (p = 0.003) and bladder injury (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION: Preoperative ultrasonographic evaluation of the sliding sign is a highly accurate, non-invasive, and practical tool for predicting intra-abdominal adhesions. Both transabdominal and transvaginal sonography offers superior sensitivity and should be considered in routine preoperative assessments. Integration of this method into standard preoperative protocols may help reduce complications, optimize surgical planning, and improve patient outcomes in gynecologic endoscopic procedures.

PMID:41580714 | DOI:10.1186/s12893-026-03523-w