Frontiers in Public Health最新文献

{"title":"Economic burdens of health expenditure for multi-morbidity of older people with hypertension in China and Vietnam.","authors":"Nguyen Khanh Phuong, Nguyen Hoang Giang, Haolin Li, Nguyen The Vinh, Tran Thi Mai Oanh, Chenkai Wu","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1666119","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1666119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hypertension is prevalent in older adults and often coexists with other chronic diseases, increasing healthcare costs, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like China and Viet Nam. These nations are experiencing rapid population aging, yet comparative evidence on the economic burden of hypertension-related multimorbidity is lacking.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to compare the financial burden, measured by out-of-pocket health expenditures (OOPHE) and catastrophic health expenditures (CHE), associated with hypertension and common comorbidities (joint disease, heart disease, and diabetes) among older adults in China and Viet Nam.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Researchers analyzed data from national surveys in China (2018) and Viet Nam (2020) for adults aged 60+. They categorized hypertensive individuals by comorbidities and used regression models to assess the link between these disease clusters and OOPHE and CHE, adjusting for socioeconomic factors. CHE was defined as health spending at or above 40% of a household's capacity to pay.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Comorbidities were common in both countries. In China, CHE prevalence was highest for individuals with hypertension and heart disease (30.8%), which was the comorbidity posing the greatest financial risk. In Viet Nam, the hypertension-diabetes cluster had the highest CHE risk (13.5%). In China, all comorbidity groups were associated with higher OOPHE. In Viet Nam, however, only the hypertension-diabetes group showed a significant increase in OOPHE.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Multimorbidity significantly increases the financial burden for older adults with hypertension, with the key impactful diseases varying by country. Heart disease imposes the greatest burden in China, while diabetes is the primary driver in Viet Nam. Targeted policies, such as improving outpatient coverage and tailoring benefits to common disease combinations, are crucial to protect aging populations in LMICs from financial hardship.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1666119"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12510917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Targeting pro-dopaminergic agonism to attenuate and depression in patient's displaying genetic/epigenetic predisposition to hypodopaminergia.","authors":"Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, Kenneth Blum, Alexander P L Lewandrowski, Panayotis K Thanos, Albert Pinhasov, Alireza Sharafshah, David Baron, Mark S Gold, Catherine A Dennen, Igor Elman, Aballa Bowirrat, Edward J Modestino, Foojan Zeine, Nicole Jafari, Keerthy Sunder, Milan T Makale, John Giordano, Marjorie C Gondre-Lewis, Marco Lindenau, Brian S Fuehrlein, Rajendra D Badgaiyan, Chynna Levin, Sergio Luis Schmidt, Rossano Kepler Alvim Fiorelli","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1594872","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1594872","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1594872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12512667/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heat exposure and self-rated health in older Chinese adults: the mediating roles of chronic disease and intergenerational support, 2008-2018 CLHLS.","authors":"Huan Wang, Danyang Wang","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1636724","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1636724","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Under the dual pressures of global warming and accelerated population aging, rising temperatures pose a particularly serious threat to the older population. However, systematic evidence on the heat exposure-response pathway is still scarce. This study aims to explore the effects of heat exposure on self-rated health and its pathways in older adults in China. We predicted that heat exposure would reduce the self-rated health of older adults, and that chronic diseases and intergenerational support would mediate this effect.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We linked health data from 9,670 participants in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS, 2008-2018 waves) with meteorological records from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). Individual fixed-effects models were employed to disentangle acute versus cumulative thermal effects, while Bootstrap-mediated path analysis quantified the mediating mechanisms involving chronic disease proliferation and deterioration of intergenerational support.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Heat exposure has a time effect on the health risk of older adults, and long-term heat exposure (<i>β</i> = -0.156, <i>p</i> < 0.01; <i>β</i> = -0.003, <i>p</i> < 0.01) significantly reduces self-rated health through the cumulative effect of health disadvantages than short-term exposure (<i>β</i> = 0.004, <i>p</i> < 0.1; <i>β</i> = -0.001, <i>p</i> > 0.1). The increase in the number of chronic diseases (<i>β</i> = 0.260, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and the weakening of children's intergenerational support (<i>β</i> = -0.052, <i>p</i> < 0.01; <i>β</i> = -0.023, <i>p</i> < 0.01) constitute a mediating pathway at individual and household level separately.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We found that chronic diseases and intergenerational support from children mediated the effect of heat exposure on the deterioration of self-rated health in older adults. Empirical evidence substantiates the necessity for a tiered intervention framework encompassing: individual-level chronic disease co-management protocols; household-driven initiatives to reinforce intergenerational support. This stratified approach alleviates bioclimatic risks through coordinated physiological adaptation and optimization of kinship network.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1636724"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507916/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global trends in childhood urinary tract infections, 1990-2021: results from the GBD study.","authors":"Xiepeng Zuo, Cheng Fang, Chuanming Wang, Ziqi Fang, Qingyuan Liang, Zhaodelong Dai, Meng Sun, Liwei Liu, Simeng Wen","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1593206","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1593206","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Urinary tract infections (UTIs) represent a prevalent urological disorder in childhood populations with substantial clinical implications. This study reports global trends from 1990 to 2021 in incident cases, incidence rates, mortality counts, mortality rates, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and DALY rates attributable to childhood UTIs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Utilizing Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 data, we analyzed incidence, mortality, and DALY rates (per 100,000 population) with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) for children aged 0-14 years. Data spanned 204 countries and territories, stratified by age, sex, and geographic location. Temporal trends were quantified using: Segmented regression to compute Annual Percentage Change and Average Annual Percentage Change. Log-linear regression models to derive Estimated Annual Percentage Change with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Associations between disease burden indicators and the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) were characterized using generalized additive models (GAMs) to capture potential nonlinear relationships.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 1990 to 2021, global incident cases of childhood UTIs increased by 10.31% (95% UI: 4.33-13.82), whereas the global incidence rate decreased by 4.65% (95% UI: -9.82 to -1.60). Concurrently, downward trends were observed in deaths, DALYs, mortality rates, and DALY rates. Notably, childhood UTIs burden demonstrated significant associations with regional socioeconomic development and environmental conditions. In low-SDI regions, incident cases surged by 63.43% (95% UI: 47.21-76.20). This starkly contrasts with the declines observed in high-middle and high-SDI regions. These findings underscore the elevated UTIs incidence rates in tropical countries, necessitating targeted resource allocation for prevention and clinical management.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>From 1990 to 2021, the global incidence rate of childhood UTIs exhibited a downward trend. However, this trend reversed over the past decade, with a marked increase in incidence rates. Significant disparities in incidence rates were observed across population groups globally, stratified by sex, age, geographical location, and socioeconomic status. The incidence rate of UTIs is higher among children in socioeconomically disadvantaged and tropical regions. A representative example is the sustained increase in UTIs incidence among children in South Asia. Conversely, incidence rates were higher in girls, while mortality and DALYs were significantly elevated in boys. To optimize resource allocation and ensure essential treatment reaches those in need, governments and health organizations must tailor interventions based on regional and population-specific burdens. These findings underscore the necessity of developing effective, tailored prevention and treatment strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1593206"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507804/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Longitudinal associations between the COVID-19 pandemic and sleep characteristics in children and parents.","authors":"Deborah Wernecke, Raphael S Peter, Stefanie Braig, Maricruz Zarco, Jon Genuneit, Dietrich Rothenbacher","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1604195","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1604195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic and associated preventive measures influenced family health and behavior, leading to diverse effects on sleep.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study examined sleep characteristics before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in children (<i>n</i> = 558), mothers (<i>n</i> = 465), and fathers (<i>n</i> = 318) in Germany, using data from the prospective Ulm SPATZ Health Study. We compared the period from April 2017 to May 2023 (children aged 5-10 years) with the period from 15 March 2020 to 3 April 2022, defined as \"COVID-19 pandemic.\" Sleep quality was measured using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), among children and parents, respectively. Multivariable mixed models were used to assess the associations of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before and after the pandemic with sleep characteristics among boys, girls, mothers, and fathers, separately.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Child and parent sleep quality showed a weak correlation among 6-year-old boys and their mothers. A moderate correlation was observed between mothers' mental health and boys' sleep quality at ages 5, 6, and 9. Parents' mental health showed a moderate correlation with their sleep quality. Multivariable mixed models revealed better sleep quality (lower CSHQ total scores) among boys during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before and after. Daytime sleepiness decreased among boys and girls, while no significant changes were found for sleep duration and sleep latency. Among mothers, sleep duration increased on free-days, while fathers experienced increased sleep duration on work-days, along with increased sleep efficiency.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study showed that family sleep quality (indexed with the CSHQ and PSQI) did not decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to sleep quality measured at one (parents) or two (children) annual time points before the pandemic and up to one after it. Instead, parental sleep duration increased, children experienced reduced daytime sleepiness, and boys exhibited improved sleep quality. To effectively optimize public health during a pandemic, findings on sleep quality should be interpreted in conjunction with findings on mental health, given their interrelated nature, as also indicated by our study.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1604195"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507763/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of post COVID-19 condition and associations with risk factors among U.S. adults: 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.","authors":"Gregory W Heath, David Levine, Gloria Oppong, Majdi Alghader","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1662273","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1662273","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>During the COVID-19 pandemic, between 12 and 20% of US adults were identified as having post-COVID-19 condition, commonly referred to as 'Long COVID'. These individuals maintained symptoms of COVID-19 for 3 months or longer following their illness but lacked an active infection. Using the Center for Disease Control's 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, our hypotheses were that adults who did not meet the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans for aerobic and strengthening activities, those not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and those with certain non-communicable diseases would be at greater odds of reporting post COVID-19 conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The association of post COVID-19 conditions were examined among the 46.4% of adults 18 years and older who had tested positive for COVID-19 (<i>n</i> = 201,248), with a subset these adults reporting post COVID-19 conditions (<i>n</i> = 27,074, 13.6%). Univariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS (v29) for complex samples. Univariate analyses were initially conducted on both behavioral risk factors and multiple non-communicable diseases. Subsequently, a series of logistic regression analyses controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment were carried out to compare the outcome variable of post-COVID-19 conditions with the exposure variables of (1) not meeting the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, (2) not being fully vaccinated, or (3) having the non-communicable diseases of overweight/obesity, coronary heart disease, asthma, or hypertension.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Adults (<i>n</i> = 13,449; 12.2%) who did not meet the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans were at greater odds of reporting post COVID-19 conditions (aerobic activity - OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.06, 1.33, <i>p</i> < 0.0001; strengthening activity - OR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.00, 1.03, <i>p</i> < 0.001) compared with those meeting the guidelines. Respondents who were not fully vaccinated (≤ 3 vaccinations) were at greater odds of reporting post COVID-19 conditions (OR = 1.42, 95% CI, 1.24, 1.49, <i>p</i> < 0.0001) compared with those reporting ≥4 vaccinations.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The present findings support the hypothesis that adults who were female, did not achieve the Physical Activity Guidelines, were not fully vaccinated, and had certain non-communicable diseases demonstrated a stronger association with reporting post COVID-19 conditions following COVID-19 infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1662273"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507904/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empowering community-based maternal health research: insights from the National Institutes of Health IMPROVE initiative.","authors":"Balkissa S Ouattara, Maurice Davis, Damiya Whitaker, Sung Sug Yoon, Juanita Chinn, Elizabeth Neilson, Elizabeth Barr, Alison Cernich","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1667629","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1667629","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In September 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Connecting the Community for Maternal Health (CCMH) Challenge as part of the Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative (12). The IMPROVE initiative prioritizes research to reduce preventable maternal mortality, mitigate severe maternal morbidity, and address health disparities. The CCMH challenge sought to reduce maternal health disparities by enhancing research capacity within community-based organizations. Through training, mentorship, research resources, and cash awards, the CCMH challenge empowered local organizations to engage in maternal health research that directly addressed the needs of their communities. By increasing access to NIH resources, the challenge positioned these organizations to contribute sustainably to improved maternal health outcomes. This article provides practical insights into how public health institutions can support community-based research and cultivate partnerships to reduce maternal health disparities. It outlines the competition's structure, strategies, and outcomes while highlighting key implementation challenges and lessons learned.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1667629"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507933/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A review of pharmaceutical and personal care products and atopic dermatitis based on epidemiological and basic research findings.","authors":"Shushu Xie, Yan Jiang, Zhiqin Hu, Zhishan Ding, Jie Yu, Xiaoqing Ye","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1642873","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1642873","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging pollutants that have been found to be related to allergic diseases. Currently, a large amount of research focused on the association between PPCPs and atopic dermatitis (AD), but there has been no evaluation of existing evidence on this topic. Here, we reviewed epidemiological and toxicological studies from 2014 to 2024, with a focus on common PPCPs such as antibiotics, phthalates, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, etc. We found that most PPCPs are positively correlated with the onset of AD, with particular attention paid to exposure during pregnancy and infancy. This reminds AD patients to be cautious when taking medication and choosing nursing products. Animal studies have shown that the pathogenesis of PPCPs may be mediated by dysbiosis, immune imbalance and oxidative stress. Despite inconsistent results in existing research, PPCPs are confirmed to be unfavorable drivers of AD occurrence and progression. Clarifying their potential link with AD is critical for informing subsequent policy and regulatory decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1642873"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507775/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating socio-ecological and institutional barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence: qualitative insights among young men and women from Nairobi's informal settlements.","authors":"O Muhenje, C O Olungah, D O Omia, R O Ondondo, P Waswa, A Lusambili","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1650966","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1650966","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic remains a major global health issue, with 40.8 million people affected at the end of 2024. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) coverage reached 74%, though adherence remained challenging, particularly among youth due to poverty, stigma, and weak health systems.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This paper explored socio-ecological and institutional barriers to ART adherence among young men and women aged 18-24 living in Kibra, Nairobi's largest informal settlement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study utilized phenomenological research design to explore lived experiences within social contexts to uncover hidden structural barriers using qualitative methods. In-depth interviews (<i>n</i> = 25), key informant interviews (<i>n</i> = 10), participant diaries (<i>n</i> = 25), structured clinic and home observations (<i>n</i> = 25), and case narratives (<i>n</i> = 10). Participants were purposively selected. Data were analyzed thematically using deductive and inductive coding in NVIVO 14.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>Barriers emerged at individual, socioeconomic, and health system levels. These included limited ART knowledge, pill burden, comorbidities, food insecurity, stigma, violence, and negative healthcare provider attitudes. Addressing these requires multi-level interventions that go beyond medical treatment to tackle structural and social determinants of health.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1650966"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507891/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of internet-based peer education for postpartum depression: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Yu-Mei Zhou, Xiao-Wan Xiong, Han Zhou, Xiao-Ming Ma, Bing Yan, Jiang-Ning Qiu, Xiao-Yi Chen, Liu-Juan Zhang, Yan-Fang Wei, Xiao-Bing Zheng, Lin-Qing Li, Shao-Jun Chen, Yin-Li Xu, Si-Yi Han, Yu-Fen Lin, Yu-Qin Xu, Yan-Hua Gou","doi":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1630303","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fpubh.2025.1630303","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Postpartum depression (PPD) is widely and profoundly affecting family and social stability. But now the consultation rate of overall PPD population is still not ideal for practical reasons. This study observes the effectiveness of Internet-based peer education, a promising treatment approach that may effectively and fairly serve the PPD group, so as to benefit more people in the future.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study integrates internet-based peer education to serve PPD groups effectively and equitably, aiming to benefit more people. It explores IPE's efficacy vs. RHE in reducing symptom severity at 6-week intervention and 16-week follow-up.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study is a randomized, parallel, and controlled trial, consist of a 6-week treatment period along with a 12-week follow-up period. Eighty-eight patients diagnosed as PPD will be recruited. They will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, internet-based peer education (IPE) group and regular health education (RHE) group, in a 1:1 ratio. Both groups will receive RHE along the 6-week treatment, while subjects in IPE group will receive 6-week online peer education additionally. The primary outcome is the response rate based on scores of 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale at the week 6 and 12. The secondary outcomes include Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) and Self-Efficacy to Manage Chronic Disease Scale (SEMCD). All these scales will be evaluated at baseline, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks after the initiation of intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this RCT on Internet-based peer education for postpartum depression will provide an assessment of the feasibility of the protocol and data for power calculations to inform the development of a larger scale trial.</p>","PeriodicalId":12548,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Public Health","volume":"13 ","pages":"1630303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12507833/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145279683","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}