International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 21, Issue 11

Physical punishment is the most common form of violence against children worldwide and is associated with an increased risk of long-term adverse outcomes. Interventions targeting parents/caregivers are frequently implemented to prevent and reduce the...

Hospitalizations due to primary care–sensitive conditions (PCSCs) can be considered a proxy for the effectiveness of primary healthcare (PHC), especially diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to analyze the temporal, spatial, and sp...

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most prevalent type of diabetes mellitus, and it is associated with both hereditary and lifestyle risk factors. South Africa is not e...

This study investigated the prevalence of childhood asthma and respiratory symptoms with their associated air pollution sources among adolescents aged 13–14 years residing in a Malaria-endemic region. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was condu...

This paper presents new empirical data obtained from interviews and focus groups on older (50 and over) autistic people’s experiences of accessing a variety of services. The involvement of older autistic people and giving voice to their experie...

This research study investigates and predicts the obesity prevalence in Missouri, utilizing deep neural visual features extracted from medium-resolution satellite imagery (Sentinel-2). By applying a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN), the study...

It is known that disasters can have long-term effects on the mental health of individuals. In particular, healthcare workers may be under greater stress in a time of disaster, as they are not only affected by the disaster, but they also take part in...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common cancer among men, and it has a multifactorial etiology. Cadmium (Cd), a toxic heavy metal classified as a carcinogen by the IARC, can cause various acute and chronic effects. This systematic review and meta-analysis...

Emotional intelligence (EQ) in healthcare leadership has been a subject of debate regarding its significance in enhancing job performance and patient-centred care. This systematic review investigates the impact of EQ on organisational performance met...

Play, physical activity, and social interaction with other children in nature are important for healthy and social development in childhood and adolescence. The extent to which lockdown policies during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the way children...

Regular exercise has been shown to have a positive effect on the health outcomes of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, it is still underutilized in developing countries. This study investigated diabetes-related knowledge, atti...

The integration of mental health (MH) services into tuberculosis (TB) and HIV care remains a significant challenge in South Africa’s Free State province. This study seeks to understand the perspectives of public health programme managers on the...

In Antigua and Barbuda, prostate cancer is known for its epidemiological burden; however, its economic burden on the healthcare system is unknown. This study aimed to assess the economic burden of prostate cancer in Antigua and Barbuda from the healt...

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent mental health issue profoundly impacting both parents and their families. This study examines YouTube comments to identify common public discourse and prevalent themes surrounding PPD. Methods: W...

The population of the United States is rapidly aging due to a number of factors, such as lower fertility rates and increases in life expectancy. Globally, dementia is a leading cause of disability among older adults, affecting approximately 50 millio...

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association between the consumption of healthy and unhealthy food markers among adolescents enrolled in the ninth grade of elementary school in municipal public schools and the food environment around...

Youth mental health concerns, including substance abuse, continue to rise. With high co-morbidity rates and a marked lack of representation from diverse groups in study conceptualization, measurement, and implementation, efforts to understand factors...

Environmental forces impacting public health include exposure to toxic substances, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), diet, and exercise. Here, we examine the first two of these forces in some detail since they may be amenable to correction throug...

Work has been undertaken in the healthcare sector to explore ways of co-producing design responses with different communities and organisations. However, we lack empirical analysis of how design thinking can help tackle complexity. To assist the Heal...

(1) Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic was a source of stress for families, this study aimed to investigate the influence of dispositional factors, such as personality traits and sociodemographic variables, on parental burnout among Italian pare...

As an accessible and low-risk mode of transportation and recreational activity, walking both produces and is produced by socio-spatial urban features. The health benefits of walking transcend physical fitness, remaining integral to mental health and...

Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) are the fastest-growing population living with HIV globally. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems, thereby negatively affecting the quality and availability of HIV care and support services. This study de...

This study aimed to examine prospectively the relationship between the deep squatting test and medial elbow injuries in elementary school baseball players and to determine the usefulness of the lower extremity field test in throwing injuries. The par...

Over the last three decades, the receipt of formal sexuality education has declined, with half of adolescents nationwide receiving the minimum Healthy People standard of sexuality education from 2015 to 2019. Further, racial and geographic inequities...

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection poses a significant health risk, particularly for high-risk groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM), people living with HIV (PLHIV), and transgender individuals. Despite the availability of effective vaccin...

COSMOS-France is the French part of the COSMOS project, an international prospective cohort study that investigates whether the use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies is associated with health effects and symptoms (cancers, cardiovascul...

Relative to other Oregon counties, Klamath County experiences worse air quality due to wildfire smoke, as well as elevated rates of infant mortality and low birthweight. Klamath County Public Health (KCPH) raised concerns that wildfire smoke is a con...

(1) Background: With the increasing digitalization of healthcare systems, data security and privacy have become crucial issues. In parallel, blockchain technology has gradually proven to be an innovative solution to address this challenge, as its abi...

This investigation meticulously examined the elemental composition of 64 water samples collected during the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter of the year 2023. The average seasonal concentrations of arsenic (As), beryllium (Be), cobalt (C...

Assessing changes in lifestyle, dietary habits, eating behaviors, and stress during the pandemic and their impact on weight is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study investigated weight variations among Brazilians and associated h...

A culturally adapted screening tool for mental health and dietary quality is needed to address the significant challenges in mental health and suboptimal diets among college students. The purpose of this study was to validate the Food-Mood Questionna...

Immigrants in the United States, including Korean immigrants, are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), yet they are less likely to seek help than non-immigrants. This qualitative study sought to understand barriers to seeking help for...

Chronic pain (CP) affects about 30% of the global population and poses significant challenges to individuals and healthcare systems worldwide. The interactions between physiological, psychological, and social factors are crucial in the onset and deve...

Since March 2019, a non-communicable diseases program has been established at hospital level, with enrollment and clinical reassessment every 6 months. Since July 2023, monthly enrollment and visits have also been conducted at health center level. Th...

Non-communicable diseases, previously thought of as a problem of high-income countries, now coexist in low- and middle-income countries, including the countries of origin for many refugees traveling to Europe. We aimed to describe the prevalence of r...

This study aimed to investigate the association between child development, daily habits, and ultra-processed food consumption with screen exposure in 4-year-old children. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire that included socio...

Co-production in research offers the potential for multiple benefits, including amplifying the voices of the marginalised, reducing power inequalities between academic researchers and co-researchers outside of academia, increased likelihood of impact...

In response to escalating concerns about the indoor transmission of respiratory diseases, this study introduces a sophisticated software tool engineered to accurately determine contact rates among individuals in enclosed spaces—essential for pu...

Background: Essential workers, including those working in healthcare and education, are at higher risk of exposure to communicable diseases, including SARS-CoV-2. Reducing the rates of infection is important for their personal health and for the ongo...

Beliefs are information-processing structures formed along an individual’s developmental pathway. Beliefs can legitimize involvement in inappropriate or violent behaviors, particularly when they crystallize into cognitive schemas. While beliefs...

Context: Calls to collect patients’ race/ethnicity (RE) data as a measure to promote equitable health care among vulnerable patient groups are increasing. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how a public health crisis disproportionately affects rac...

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a relatively prevalent disease, primarily of a genetic etiology, affecting both sexes and characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy. However, limitations within healthcare systems, socioracial factors, and the...

The family of individuals living with Down Syndrome (DS) often demonstrate high levels of stress associated with the demand for care and difficulties experienced in everyday life. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess perceived stress b...

Mainstream approaches to nutrition typically focus on diet consumption, overlooking multi-dimensional aspects of nutrition that are important to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. To address health challenges faced by AI/AN communitie...

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management poses substantial challenges in rapidly urbanizing areas, with implications for both the environment and public health. This study focuses on the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, investigati...

This study aimed to observe adolescents’ changes and individual responses regarding the anthropometry, cardiometabolic profile, vitamin D concentrations, physical fitness, and motor competence upon immediate return and three months of school ac...

Background: E-cigarettes are electronic nicotine-dispensing systems in the form of an aerosol. Their popularity among adolescents is growing at an exceedingly fast pace. Methods: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the use of traditional...

When “education” is cited as a solution for domestic violence, different aspects of knowledge acquisition are often omitted. This study uses 2019 Demographic and Health Surveys from four West African countries (The Gambia, Liberia, Senega...

The physiological impact of walking in nature was quantified via continuous heart rate variability (HRV), pre- and post-walk saliva cortisol measures, and self-reported mood and mindfulness scores for N = 17 participants who walked “The Green R...

Heavy metal and microbial pollution in groundwater raises health concerns due to its adverse effects. This study aimed to assess the health risks associated with heavy metal and bacterial pollution in groundwater in Mankweng. Heavy metals and Escheri...