International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Volume 22, Issue 5

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased over the last three decades, becoming a major public health concern. This issue is particularly pressing in terms of the impact it has on the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia...

Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic worms of the genus Schistosoma and transmitted through freshwater snails, affects over 200 million people worldwide. Climate change, through rising temperatures, altered rainfall patte...

Neurotechnology is a rapidly emerging field with vast potential within healthcare, but also has inherent concerns. There is, therefore, a need to ensure the responsible and ethical development and regulation of these technologies. This horizon scan a...

Hearing loss (HL) is a major global health concern, with drug-induced ototoxicity contributing significantly, particularly in patients undergoing treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). In South Africa, where both TB and HIV are prevalent,...

Public safety personnel and frontline healthcare professionals are at increased risk of exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) and developing post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSIs, e.g., depression, anxiety) by the nature of...

The EAT-Lancet diet outlines target consumption for specific food components but overlooks accessibility and cost issues, which may hinder adherence among vulnerable populations. This study examines the acquisition profile of EAT-Lancet diet componen...

Aligned with the worldwide shift towards promotional and preventative health care, the South African government has introduced a re-engineered primary health care plan, facilitated through a National Health Insurance (NHI) platform. Community health...

There is increasing concern that head injuries in Association Football (or soccer) may lead to adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether head impacts or injuries are associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative...

Global food systems are contributing to a shift toward unhealthy diets, which is linked to the three components of the global syndemic. This cross-sectional study evaluates how dietary patterns in Brazil are associated with the components of the glob...

Background: This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with the quality of healthcare services at selected public primary healthcare facilities in Almaty during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify associated demographic and facility-related fa...

Environmental noise, a significant public health concern, is associated with adverse health effects, including cardiovascular diseases, cognitive impairments, and psychological distress. Noise reduction strategies are essential for mitigating these e...

Work-related stress is a major contributing factor to the relatively high number of deaths from suicide and other mental disorders among those who work in the construction industry. Despite the knowledge that unmanaged stress can manifest as depressi...

This study aimed to explore the factors influencing food hygiene behaviours among child caregivers in Chikwawa district, Malawi. This research focused on three specific hygiene behaviours: keeping utensils on an elevated surface, using soap to clean...

The prevalence of e-cigarette use (vaping) in young adults is concerning, particularly because the initiation of combustible tobacco use is higher in e-cigarette vapers. It is unclear why young, never-smoker vapers decide to start smoking cigarettes,...

Pharmaceuticals and microplastics are persistent emerging contaminants that pose significant risks to aquatic ecosystems and ecological health. Although extensively reviewed individually, a comprehensive, integrated assessment of their environmental...

Jaron Ras and Rucia November were not included as authors in the original publication [...]

Despite the overall health, economic, and social costs of zoonotic spillover, its impacts are not felt equally around the globe. Engaging local communities in primary spillover prevention may help to better ensure equity is considered in research and...

Current policy attention to the ‘public plate’ includes a focus on food in hospitals. Recommendations for much-needed improvements include the provision of opportunities for patients to engage in ‘social dining’, which has bee...

Building on the Job Demands–Resources model, this study aims to investigate the interaction between job characteristics and work-related stress indicators in a sample of 211 Italian Armed Forces personnel. Using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), t...

Background: Research has underscored that the attachment type could explain the association between sexual behavior and relational satisfaction. This study aimed to explore the relationship between attachment type, sexual function, and relationship c...

New STI/HIV diagnoses disproportionately impact U.S. Black cisgender women at higher rates compared to other racial/ethnic U.S. cisgender women. Biomedical HIV prevention interventions, such as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, have demonstrated lower up...

E-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) is a critical and potentially fatal form of lung injury that gained considerable public health concern in 2019. The use of e-cigarettes and vaping products is causally associated with E...

Shift work is a common labor practice affecting nearly 30% of the U.S. workforce. Long-term, rotating-shift work is particularly harmful to health. Persistent sleep deprivation in shift workers, among other factors, facilitates the development of a s...

(1) Background: Housing instability is a public health issue in both developed and developing countries. This exploratory pilot study examines executive functioning (EF) and the history of acquired brain injury (ABI) in youth and young adults experie...

Despite the growing emphasis on cognitive health, evidence regarding individual and environmental factors influencing cognitive functioning remains limited. We aimed to examine the association of personal and environmental factors, specifically perce...

Background: Community gardens are increasingly popular in Canadian cities, serving as transformative spaces where immigrants can develop self-reliant strategies for accessing culturally familiar and healthy nutritious foods. However, numerous facilit...

Background: Mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive cancer primarily caused by asbestos exposure. In Colombia, asbestos use began in 1942, but mortality surveillance remains limited. Long latency periods and poor documentation hinder public health acti...

The stigma and invisibility surrounding mental health often lead to alienation and reinforce societal misconceptions. This paper examines how the concept of inxeba elingaphakathi (the invisible wound) in isiXhosa encapsulates the emotional and psycho...

(1) Background: A sedentary lifestyle may aggravate temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms, increasing pain sensitivity and functional limitations. Physical exercise is recommended for pain management and improving quality of life. Comparing Cross...

Somali refugee youth face intersecting stressors related to displacement, economic hardship, and systemic exclusion, yet their coping strategies remain understudied. This study examines the psychosocial distress, coping mechanisms, and help-seeking b...

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in rural areas with limited access to screening. This study explored factors influencing rural Kenyan women’s willingness to self-collec...

Numerous research studies have documented the significant influence of key types of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on adult health and wellbeing, even in the presence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Recent studies reveal that almost 8...

This article examines the risk factors for hypertension among migrants in South Africa, a critical public health concern. We explore the connection between acculturation, lifestyle changes, obesity, diet, urbanization, and socioeconomic status in con...

Artificial intelligence (AI) and assistive robotics can transform older-person care by offering new, personalised solutions for an ageing population. This paper outlines recent advances in AI-driven applications and robotic assistance in silver care,...

Multimorbidity poses significant challenges for resource-constrained healthcare systems, particularly in low and middle income countries where specific combinations of chronic conditions may differentially impact function. This cross-sectional study...

Background: While the well-being and working conditions of healthcare professionals are increasingly scrutinized, there remains a critical research gap regarding the quality of life and job satisfaction of plastic surgeons in Switzerland. No prior na...

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is vital for everyone’s health and wellbeing; however, there is, a paucity of research amongst culturally deaf adults. Especially, to understand the needs of deaf adults and how to get them involved in shaping in...

The international adoption of early institutionalized children offers the opportunity to examine the quality of mental representations of attachment and their possible revision post-adoption, thus contributing to the debate on the continuity/disconti...

We investigated the relationship between process quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and children’s socio-emotional development in a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Our multi-level meta-analysis of 31 publications report...

Cyberbullying is a pervasive social issue that has gained increasing attention due to its serious consequences, such as cyberbullicide, which is suicide resulting from cyberbullying. Researchers have called for various interventions and the involveme...

In the original publication [...]

Background: This study investigated the determinants of COVID-19 mortality and its temporal trends within São Paulo state’s Departamentos Regionais de Saúde (DRS) (health regions) to inform the development of targeted public healt...

Multimorbidity, defined as the co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions in an individual, has emerged as a worldwide public health concern contributing to mortality and morbidity. This complex health phenomenon is becoming increasingly prevale...

Good nutrition promotes a healthy population and mitigates the risk of disease. Integrating nutrition care in the primary healthcare system is considered an essential plan of action to manage poor nutritional status in the population. The role of pri...

This study investigates the effect of occupational exposure to pyrethroid insecticides on the blood chemo-profiles of workers in the Jazan region. This study was conducted to examine this issue, and workers were divided into exposure groups based on...

Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are recommended for a healthy life. Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of eating disorders and future health. F&V consumption among adolescents is globally low, making this group a key target for diet/nu...

Amidst a period of sustained inflation and rising living costs, food insecurity is a growing concern in Australia and is correlated with poor diet quality and increased rates of non-communicable diseases. Currently there is a gap in knowledge of the...

The purposes of this study were to determine whether perceived food insecurity significantly influences food purchasing behaviors, food preparation practices, and life satisfaction; and to verify the moderating effect of generation in South Korea. St...

Although often considered benign, monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) can significantly affect various domains of children’s quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between polysomnography-derived sleep parameters...

This study explores the toothbrushing frequency and its association with sociodemographic factors, health status, and dietary habits in Saudi Arabia. Using data from the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey by the Ministry of Health, we analyz...