New research and findings from open-access journals and the U.S. research agencies.
This cohort study compares the estimated effectiveness of medication abortions administered by physicians vs other advance practice clinicians.
This cross-sectional study investigates the association of neighborhood disadvantage and residential racial segregation with receiving care in a Black-serving hospital (BSH) or minority-serving hospital (MSH) and evaluates potential effect modification by race and ethnicity and elective hospitalization status.
This cohort study investigates the association of puberty blockers with odds of mood disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among transgender vs cisgender youths.
This cross-sectional study assesses nationwide availability of naloxone, including its retail price, in-store placement, and variation by pharmacy type and geographic characteristics.
This cross-sectional study examines whether Medicaid compared with private insurance is associated with lower menopausal hormone therapy use among US women.
This cohort study examines the association between the level of adverse social media engagement self-reported by youth and attention problems and mental health difficulties during mid-adolescence of these youths reported by parents or caregivers.
This cohort study uses population-level linked administrative data to compare rates of delayed hospital discharge among patients with a recent experience of homelessness and matched patients from neighborhoods with the lowest level of material resources.
This serial cross-sectional study uses data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to evaluate trends in and factors associated with prescribed short-acting hormonal contraceptive use among US premenopausal females.
This cross-sectional study evaluates the association between device industry payments to physicians and physician utilization of device-associated procedures across multiple specialties.
Long-term exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) was associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a nationwide cohort study published July 15 in JACC. The findings emphasize the need for constituent-specific air pollution control beyond PM2.5 mass. The prospective study included nearly 102,000 adults from the China-PAR Project, which enrolled nearly 128,000 participants from diverse demographic and geographic backgrounds across 15 provinces of China. Participants had a mean age of 51…
Introduction Drowning remains a substantial global health challenge, and research in this area predominantly relies on observational study designs due to ethical, practical and administrative limitations. Although the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement is available, adherence within the drowning research community has been inconsistent and frequently incomplete. Consequently, essential methodological components and drowning-specific factors are often under-reported or inconsistently described, impeding quality, reproducibility, critical…
Introduction Compassion is a core value in person-centred nursing and is essential in the care of patients with cancer. However, existing measurement instruments often fail to capture the cultural, ethical and relational dimensions of compassion as perceived by patients within specific sociocultural contexts. This study aims to develop and psychometrically evaluate the compassion perception in nursing care (CPNC) instrument for patients with cancer, reflecting the local sociocultural context of cancer care in Iran. Methods and analysis A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design…
Introduction Internationally, nursing students’ awareness and familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI) remain a challenge as evidenced by the current literature. Interestingly, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has earned a strong standing for driving national digital transformation; however, this ambition has not been translated into research. Despite growing interest in AI-driven healthcare, empirical studies examining nursing students’ readiness in these countries to operate in healthcare environments remain limited, representing a critical gap in the literature. Our initial…
Objectives Body mass index (BMI) changes dynamically during early life, but whether BMI at specific developmental stages is associated with adult regional fat distribution remains uncertain. We evaluated age-specific associations of genetically predicted childhood BMI with adult MRI-derived BMI-adjusted fat depots and examined whether these associations were independent of adolescent BMI. Design Two-sample Mendelian randomisation study using univariable Mendelian randomisation (UVMR) and multivariable Mendelian randomisation (MVMR). Data sources Publicly available genome-wide association study…
Introduction Canada’s health workforce crisis is placing sustained pressure on primary care, particularly in the management of chronic pain, mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Mentoring is a compelling response to workforce, educational and well-being challenges in healthcare, and Adaptive Mentorship Networks (AMNs) have emerged in Canada as an interprofessional model to strengthen provider capacity, psychological safety and compassionate care. Despite widespread interest and demonstrable effectiveness, the determinants that influence successful implementation, spread…
Objective To assess the effects of radiofrequency (RF) denervation for chronic low back pain (LBP) from facet joint, sacroiliac joint, discogenic and non-specific pain. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO ICTRP up to 18 February 2025 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Study selection, data extraction and synthesis Pairs of reviewers independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias (Cochrane RoB 2). Meta-analyses with clinically homogeneous studies were…
Objectives To measure differences in hospital use between homeless adults using the homeless health peer advocacy (HHPA) service (clients) and non-clients in London. Design We conducted a cohort study with linkage to Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) 1 year prior and postenrolment. Setting London, UK. Population People who are homeless in London aged over 18 years residing in a hostel, attending a day centre or being referred by a homelessness service; experiencing difficulties accessing healthcare; and speaking either English or Polish. Participants were required to provide consent for…
Introduction Learning health systems (LHS) are an approach to translate patient data into actionable clinical insights, empower healthcare teams to drive quality improvement and reduce health inequalities. Here we present a protocol for a realist evaluation to explore what works to implement a learning health system approach in primary care settings in Thailand, for whom does it work, how, why and in what circumstances. Methods and analysis A mixed-methods realist evaluation will run in parallel with an interventional trial [Reg No: NCT06873243] in Northern Thailand which aims to improve the…
Objectives We aimed to examine existing and emerging master narratives on mental health and to capture the changing emphasis in these narratives over time. Making these shifts explicit can facilitate alignment of actors and practices that must collaborate to support those seeking help. Design We gathered data via a scoping review, semistructured interviews and podcast episodes. Data analysis consisted of a thematic analysis to identify narratives and a content analysis to map shifts in emphasis over time. Setting Semistructured interviews and included podcast episodes were all Dutch. The…
Objective Long covid is a debilitating chronic condition, and the effect of low-dose naltrexone (LDN) on its symptoms is unclear. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of LDN on symptoms of long covid. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library for published studies; ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) for registered ongoing studies were searched through 5 May 2026. Eligibility criteria We included randomised controlled trials and pre–post studies of patients with long covid reporting on fatigue…
Objectives People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face multiple barriers to seeking healthcare and have poorer health outcomes. Point of care tests (POCTs) provide a potential solution to improving access to diagnostics for this population. This survey aimed to understand if these technologies could address unmet needs in primary care for PEH. Design and setting An online survey was circulated via dedicated inclusion healthcare newsletters to professionals providing community-based care for PEH in England. The survey focused on experiences of diagnostics and opinions on the use of POCTs for…
Objective We aimed to use machine learning (ML) models to investigate the impact of clinical, social and behavioural factors on 1-year progression from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting A large health system including eight sites in southeast Michigan. Participants Adults with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) between 5.7% and 6.4% for two consecutive years between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2023, and no prior history of type 2 DM or metformin use. Primary outcome measure New-onset type 2 DM (HbA1c ≥6.5%) in 1 year. Results Among 11 809…
Background Cardiovascular risk increases markedly in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and social disadvantage can intensify barriers to prevention. In these settings, limited health literacy may further restrict women’s ability to understand cardiovascular risk, access appropriate services and translate advice into daily behaviours—potentially widening inequalities. Objectives This study investigated health literacy profiles among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women living in a socioeconomically vulnerable urban area of Florence, Italy, and examined how these profiles may guide…
Introduction Blood pressure treatment response is variable in individual patients, and the choice of medical therapy is often dependent on clinician experience. Treatment choices could be personalised by patient empowerment and metabolomic profiles, and augmented by machine learning, but robust evaluation is lacking on how these can be combined to enhance clinical effectiveness. The HYPERMARKER trial will evaluate how an individualised choice of medication class can address the avoidable global health and economic burdens of hypertension. Methods and analysis The HYPERMARKER trial is a…