Search Results (311)

Early parental loss may increase depression risk among orphaned university students, yet evidence from low- and middle-income countries such as Thailand remains limited. This cross-sectional study examined depressive symptoms and their associations with attachment insecurity, resilience, inner strength, and perceived social support among 226 Thai university students aged ≥20 years who had lost one or both biological parents before age 18. Participants completed validated Thai versions of the Outcome Inventory–Depression subscale, the Experiences of Close Relationships–Revised 10-item version, the 9-item Resilience Inventory, the Inner Strength-Based Inventory, and the revised Thai Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Multiple linear regression identified factors associated with depressive symptoms. The mean depression score was 6.62, with no significant difference between single and double orphans. Attachment anxiety (β = 0.176, p = 0.002) was significantly and positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas resilience (β = −0.322, p < 0.001), inner strength (β = −0.192, p < 0.003), and perceived social support (β = −0.156, p = 0.022) were significantly and negatively associated with depression. In contrast, attachment avoidance (β = 0.110, p = 0.068) did not reach statistical significance. Among orphaned students, depressive symptoms were more closely linked to psychosocial factors than to the specific type of parental loss (single vs. double orphanhood). Full article

Background/Objectives: Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent and preventable childhood diseases worldwide. Despite universal access to free dental care in Saudi Arabia, preventable oral diseases remain common, highlighting persistent gaps in oral health literacy and preventive behaviours among children. Male students consistently demonstrate poorer oral health knowledge and practices than their female counterparts, yet they remain understudied. This study aimed to assess oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among male primary school students in Al Lith city, Saudi Arabia, and to identify their associated sociodemographic determinants. Methods: A school-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted during the 2023–2024 academic year in Al Lith city, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia. A total of 430 male students aged 10–13 years from grades five and six were recruited via multistage cluster sampling from 8 randomly selected schools. A validated, interviewer-administered, Arabic-language questionnaire assessed knowledge (18 items), attitudes (12 Likert-scale items), and practices (12 items) related to oral health, alongside sociodemographic data. The study was designed and reported in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed. Results: Of the 430 participants, 83.3% were aged 11–12 years, 89.8% were Saudi nationals, and 89.1% resided in intact, two-parent households. Knowledge deficits were widespread: only 8.4% correctly identified the recommended timing of sweet consumption, 20.2% understood dental plaque, and 28.6% recognised the protective role of fluoride. Attitudes were generally positive, with 80.1% agreeing that teeth should be brushed twice daily and 71.6% endorsing regular dental visits; however, 60.3% held that dental attendance was necessary only when pain was present. Substantial practice gaps were also evident: only 33.3% brushed for the recommended two minutes, and 12.6% had never visited a dentist. In multivariable analysis, low household income was independently associated with better oral health knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–4.74; p = 0.039), divorced parental status was independently associated with positive oral health attitudes (AOR = 5.40; 95% CI: 1.28–22.79; p = 0.022), and older age was independently associated with poorer oral health practices (AOR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.55–0.93; p = 0.014). Conclusions: Male primary school students in Al Lith demonstrated generally positive oral health attitudes but significant deficits in knowledge and preventive practices. Comprehensive, school-based oral health promotion programmes that address key misconceptions, actively engage parents, and integrate culturally accepted practices—such as miswak use—with evidence-based preventive guidance are needed. Full article

Breast cancer is a leading public health concern among low- and middle-income countries, primarily due to inadequate knowledge and lack of early detection practices. This study aimed to assess knowledge about the signs and symptoms, risk factors, and screening procedures for breast cancer, and barriers and perceptions of screening, among female university students of Pakistan to explore the relationship between socio-demographic variables and levels of knowledge about breast cancer. A total of 413 participants took part in a cross-sectional survey and completed a self-administrative online questionnaire. The results reflected an overall poor knowledge among female students, with only 3.9% demonstrating adequate knowledge about risk factors and 7.7% correctly recognizing 80% or more relevant signs and symptoms. Embarrassment (58.8%) and lack of confidence in communicating symptoms with healthcare providers (50.6%) were the most commonly reported barriers for breast cancer screening. Young age and income status below PKR 50,000 per month (OR = 3.47, 95%CI: 1.20–10.07 rel. to highest income) were significantly associated with poor breast cancer knowledge. In conclusion, this study reports sub-optimal breast cancer awareness levels in the target population, indicating the need for awareness programs and policy-driven interventions to reduce barriers, improve knowledge, and improve adherence to screening recommendations. Full article

Depression has become a major concern for educational institutes due to its increasing incidence and detrimental impacts on students’ well-being. However, its global prevalence in the context of tertiary education remains unclear. This umbrella review summarised existing meta-analyses and systematic reviews to examine the worldwide prevalence of depression among university students. Several sociodemographic and methodological factors, including differences in depression prevalence before, during, and after COVID-19, were examined as moderators. Structured and exhaustive searches were conducted in five bibliographic databases and five journals, alongside two sources of grey literature. A total of 61 meta-analyses and systematic reviews were included in the final synthesis. Review-level sample sizes ranged from 823 to 8,238,954 (Mdn = 24,047), covering all inhabited continents and a broad range of countries across high-, middle-, and low-income settings. The global median prevalence of depression across the included reviews was 32.00%, with reported estimates ranging from 11.00% to 63.00%. Analysis of specific populations highlighted greater vulnerability among female students and those studying in Asia compared to Europe. The pandemic was shown to have contributed to the increase in depression prevalence among university students. Given this high prevalence of depression, there is an imperative need for educational institutions to prioritise mental well-being. Full article

This study used archival data from 30,453 students enrolled in 289 adult education programs in the state of Georgia, United States during the 2018–2019 school year. We explored how student-, teacher-, and classroom-level factors predict student attendance and academic performance (reading, language, and math) over time. Results indicated several student-level factors predict attendance and educational performance, including age, gender, race/ethnicity, previous educational attainment, low-income status, special needs status, reported barriers to education, and dual enrollment. Depending on the academic subject, age, race, previous education, special needs, and dual enrollment predicted academic growth over time. Teacher-level factors such as teacher experience predicted educational performance; classroom factors such as whether the course was an Integrated Education and Training (IET) class predicted attendance, and distance classes predicted attendance and performance. Certification predicted growth over time for language, and employment status and designation as a distance class predicted growth over time for math. These findings will help state officials improve the delivery of services to further enhance and improve student outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mukbang videos have become increasingly popular and may be associated with eating behaviors, particularly among university students who are more susceptible to stress-related eating and social media use. Evidence on the relationship between Mukbang addiction and emotional eating is limited. This study investigated the association between Mukbang addiction and emotional eating among university students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2025 and April 2026 using an online questionnaire. A total of 551 students completed the survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple linear regression. Results: Emotional Eating Questionnaire (EEQ) and Mukbang Addiction Scale (MAS) scores did not differ significantly by age, gender, education, or income. EEQ scores differed significantly by marital status (p = 0.025) and occupation (p = 0.037), while MAS did not. Both EEQ and MAS were significantly associated with BMI (p < 0.05). Descriptive analysis showed that participants with high emotional eating levels had a greater proportion of high Mukbang addiction (55%) compared with low Mukbang addiction (45%). However, multiple linear regression analysis found no significant association between EEQ and MAS scores (B = 0.275, p = 0.249). Additionally, MAS scores were not significantly associated with any demographic characteristics. Conclusions: BMI was significantly linked to both emotional eating and Mukbang addiction. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify these relationships and inform interventions promoting healthier eating behaviors among university students. Full article

Identifying the spatio-temporal evolutionary patterns and driving mechanisms of rural tourism network attention is essential for predicting the development trends of the rural tourism industry and delivering refined industrial governance. Taking 356 prefecture-level cities in China from 2015 to 2024 as basic research units, this paper constructs a comprehensive evaluation system for rural tourism network attention based on multi-source data. Furthermore, its spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and internal influencing factors are systematically investigated by means of spatial autocorrelation analysis and geographically weighted regression. The results indicate that the overall level of rural tourism network attention in China shows an obvious fluctuating growth trend, which can be divided into three successive stages, namely steady growth (from 0.8530 in 2015 to 1.2028 in 2019), explosive growth (from 1.9563 in 2020 to 3.7471 in 2021) and high-level fluctuation (maintained in the high range of 2.4–3.4). In addition, with the continuous iteration of internet communication media, the guiding influence of traditional search platforms has gradually weakened, while emerging social media and short-video platforms have become the core carriers of online tourism traffic. Correspondingly, media innovation persistently reshapes the spatial distribution pattern of rural tourism network attention. In terms of spatial characteristics, rural tourism network attention has undergone a significant transformation from geographical gradient polarization to overall regional equilibrium. Specifically, from 2015 to 2024, the overall Moran’s I index remained positive, with values ranging from 0.0116 to 0.1358, indicating an overall trend of gradual decline. High-attention areas are predominantly concentrated in economically developed urban agglomerations, whereas remote and economically underdeveloped regions exhibit contiguous low-value aggregation characteristics, which reveals a remarkable trend of balanced development nationwide. In view of driving mechanisms, highway network density, tourism income, rural tourism resource and enrollment of university students are identified as the core driving factors dominating the spatio-temporal evolution of rural tourism network attention. Moreover, the intensity of the influence of each factor presents distinct spatial heterogeneity. This study further reveals that the spatial heterogeneity of rural tourism network attention calculated using multi-source fused data shows a remarkable convergent characteristic, which can reflect the actual distribution of the rural tourism market more objectively and accurately. Meanwhile, rural tourism network attention is typically characterized by scale-dependent with the spatial distribution at the macro-scale being more balanced than that at the meso- and micro-scales. Full article

This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of an online mindfulness-based intervention in improving positive mental health and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression among undergraduate students, in the context of rising global mental health challenges and limited access to care, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. Brazilian undergraduate pedagogy students enrolled in distance education were randomly assigned (1:1) to an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Program for Undergraduate Students or a control group. Primary outcomes included positive mental health, anxiety, and depression, while secondary outcomes were sense of coherence, resilience, mindfulness, and perceived stress. Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle. A total of 317 students were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 157) or the control group (n = 160), and 215 (67.8%) completed the study, with comparable baseline characteristics across groups. Compared with controls, the intervention significantly improved positive mental health and reduced anxiety and depression (all p < 0.001), while also increasing sense of coherence, resilience, and mindfulness and reducing perceived stress (all p < 0.05). These findings suggest that scalable, low-cost, online mindfulness interventions can simultaneously enhance positive mental health and reduce psychological distress, supporting their potential as preventive mental health strategies in higher education settings. Full article

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by C. trachomatis and HPV are the most prevalent worldwide. College students are characterized by being young women of reproductive age who may have risky sexual behavior. To describe the prevalence and factors associated with endocervical infection by C. trachomatis and HPV in college women in the Brazilian Amazon. Endocervical secretions were collected. The ompA gene of C. trachomatis and the L1 gene of HPV were detected. The Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, G test, Odds Ratio, and Multiple Logistic Regression were used with 95% confidence interval and p ≤ 0.05. The overall prevalence of endocervical infection by C. trachomatis was 8.3% (25/302) and by HPV was 28.9% (87/302). Low income was associated with sexually transmitted infection by C. trachomatis (14.8%, p = 0.0336). Those under 25 years old had twice the chance of HPV infection [39.3%, (OR: 2.6989), 95% CI: 1.6054–4.5371, p = 0.0002], as did women without children [31.8%, (OR: 2.333), CI: 1.1235–4.8461, p = 0.0307]. Women who did not study in a public school had 63% reduced risk of acquiring HPV infection [45.8% (OR: 0.3713), CI: 0.1951–0.7064, p = 0.0035]. C. trachomatis and HPV infections were present in low-income, childless young women who attended public schools, requiring the intensification of STI prevention policies in the Amazon region. Full article

Background: Hypertension is being increasingly observed among young adults in urban India, alongside rapid dietary transitions and rising consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The current study aimed to assess the frequency and patterns of UPF consumption and examine their association with high blood pressure among urban college students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 undergraduate students aged 18–24 years from three colleges in Hyderabad, India. Our study used a validated automated device to measure blood pressure. Dietary intake over the previous month was assessed using a 24-item food frequency questionnaire capturing commonly consumed UPFs. After adjusting for age, sex, and socioeconomic variables, multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the relationships between UPF consumption categories and high blood pressure. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (CIs) for adjusted odds ratios (AORs) were reported. Results: Overall, 12.5% of participants had high BP (≥140/90 mmHg). The prevalence was higher among males and those aged >20 years. In the adjusted analyses, males had significantly higher odds of having high BP (AOR: 4.96; 95% CI: 1.64–15.01), as did students from higher-income households (AOR: 3.22; 95% CI: 1.07–9.66). Consumption of high-fat and/or high-salt UPFs at or above the median was independently associated with high BP (AOR: 2.85; 95% CI: 1.16–6.99). Taste, availability, and low cost were common drivers of UPF intake. Conclusions: Higher consumption of high-fat and/or high-salt ultra-processed foods was associated with higher odds of elevated blood pressure among urban young adults. These findings warrant further longitudinal investigation and may help inform the development of targeted dietary awareness and food environment interventions in college settings. Full article

A substantial proportion of U.S. third graders cannot read at grade level. However, few models in the literature are known to be effective in ameliorating third-grade reading deficits, where learning to read shifts to reading to learn. This study presents findings from an evaluation of Literacy Fellows, a one-year, intensive, small-group reading intervention designed for third graders lacking decoding skills needed for comprehension. The study sample included 484 third-grade students from low-income, predominantly Black school districts, 120 of whom scored below the cutoff on a standardized, beginning-of-the-year reading test and were assigned to the Literacy Fellows intervention. The analytical sample draws on cohorts from the 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2017–2018 academic years. The effectiveness of Literacy Fellows was investigated using a quasi-experimental regression discontinuity design. The results indicate an improvement of 68 scale points (12 percentile rank points) on a third-grade reading test designed to determine readiness for entering the fourth grade for intervention students. The findings have policy implications for third-grade reading interventions that help foster grade-proficient reading, reduce equity gaps in reading success, and offer actionable suggestions, including the implementation of daily small-group, decoding-focused instruction for struggling third-grade readers in low-income school districts. Full article

Equity in gifted education remains a persistent international challenge, particularly regarding the “excellence gap” in advanced achievement and long-term attainment. This study investigates the supports and barriers shaping the talent development of socio-economically disadvantaged gifted students in Taiwan. Using a retrospective narrative inquiry, we analyzed the life stories of 25 alumni from the “Bright Minds Award Program,” a long-term initiative providing financial aid, mentorship, and enrichment opportunities for high-ability learners from low-income households. Findings indicate that participants often displayed early academic promise, yet their developmental trajectories were continuously negotiated under structural constraints (limited material and cultural resources, restricted access to domain-specific cultivation, and opportunity gaps across educational transitions) and the psychosocial burden of poverty (shame, stigma management, and identity strain). Drawing on the Actiotope Model of Giftedness, we identify how exogenous educational capital (e.g., scholarships, information brokerage, mentoring networks) and endogenous learning capital (e.g., resilience, self-regulation, goal persistence) interact to stabilize—or destabilize—developmental pathways. A novel contribution is the emergence of “Acting Middle Class” as a coping mechanism through which participants navigated social stigma and the hidden curriculum of elite educational settings. We argue that effective intervention requires not only resource provision but sustained “educational scaffolding” that is psychologically safe and institutionally stigma-sensitive. Implications are discussed for talent development research, school practice, and equity-oriented policy designs aimed at preventing talent attrition and promoting developmental justice. Full article

Emerging adults who are students (EAS) face challenges balancing academic demands with early career development in a competitive labour market. Career and vocational interventions (CVIs) aim to support this transition by improving employability, academic outcomes, career self-efficacy, and mental health protective factors. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of CVIs compared with standard approaches in improving employment-related outcomes for EAS, following Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. Multiple databases were searched for studies published between 2018 and May 2025. Three independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts in duplicate. Eligible studies were primary research evaluating CVIs for students aged 12–25 yrs and reporting employment-related outcomes. Thirty-one moderate- to low-quality studies examining middle school, high school, and university students were included from an initial 5765 records. CVIs were typically multi-component, combining training, school- or work-based learning, and additional supports. Overall, CVIs were associated with improved career readiness, academic outcomes, employment, resilience, and career adaptability. However, some studies reported lower employment rates and income for women and students with disabilities compared with men and peers without disabilities. These findings suggest that CVIs can support school-to-work transitions but underscore the need for tailored, integrated approaches, and higher-quality longitudinal research to guide policy and practice. Full article

This study examines how the Science of Reading is represented in Twitter discourse and compares these representations to contemporary models of reading development. Although the Science of Reading is frequently positioned as an equity-oriented reform, little is known about how related ideas circulate in public discourse, particularly across social media platforms that increasingly shape teacher learning, policymaking, and public opinion. This content analysis study analyzed a sample of 14,165 tweets containing the hashtag #scienceofreading from 2020–2021 and 2022–2023. It explores two primary questions investigating (1) the extent to which essential literacy skills (e.g., phonological awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary) are referenced in tweets or linked content and (2) the extent to which specific subgroup classifications identified by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (e.g., Black, Hispanic, students with disabilities, low-income, and other populations) are mentioned in the same sample of discourse on Twitter. Findings demonstrate that online discourse on Twitter (now X) includes more references to decoding-related skills such as phonological awareness and phonics, with far fewer mentions of language-related skills such as comprehension or vocabulary. Mentions of subgroups were minimal, while references to students with disabilities with explicit mention of dyslexia occurred at four times the frequency of race- or income-related subgroups. These distributions contrast with persistent national achievement disparities and suggest that contemporary Science of Reading discourse is more strongly oriented toward decoding-related skills than toward equity-focused concerns. Implications for teacher preparation, policy enactment, and critical media literacy are discussed. Full article

The inception of Jamaica’s education system was built based on European settler colonial ideologies and White supremacist logic. Almost two centuries after the abolition of slavery and over six decades after independence from British rule, colonial vestiges pervade Jamaican education policy and practice, resulting in the continued marginalisation of Black students from low-income backgrounds. Despite the commissioning of multiple reports on the state of the education system, these racist and classist injustices persist. In this article, we examine social justice issues at the nexus of national education policy and school leadership practice in Jamaican public schools based on our reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with two Jamaican education policymakers, five education researchers and four public school leaders, alongside Jamaica’s National Student Dress and Grooming Policy Guidelines 2018. Our findings highlight a hierarchical relationship among stakeholder groups in the creation and implementation of Jamaican education policy. Our findings also highlight four themes suggesting that this results from deeply ingrained valorisation of Eurocentric values in policy design that leads to heightened tensions between the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) and school administrators at the level of policy implementation, distraction of school staff from teaching and learning, and disproportionate exclusion of Black students from low-income backgrounds. Implications from our study are the need for stronger cohesion among education policy stakeholders, the incorporation of social justice in teacher and leader preparation and the integration of critical pedagogies at all levels of the Jamaican education system. Full article