Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health最新文献

{"title":"Ebola in Kasai, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Lessons from a Contained Outbreak for Epidemic Preparedness and Global Health Security.","authors":"Esam I Azhar, Ahmed M Hassan, Ziad A Memish","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00616-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00616-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13462007/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148706851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brucellosis in the One Health Context: Gaps in Diagnosis, Control, and Global Epidemiology.","authors":"Samhar Samer Alouch, Mariam Hijaze, Walid Nassar, Abdulrazzaq Qattea, Abdul Razzak Chalab Cham, Khaled S M Elshaer, Mohamed Naim Khalil, Abdulrahim Comert, Deema Alsouleman, Dana Ajjour, Omar Qattea, Atef Shibl, Sara I Abdelfattah, Ziad A Memish","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00617-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00617-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic infection with persistent transmission in many endemic regions despite long-standing control efforts. Limitations in diagnosis, fragmented surveillance systems, and inconsistent implementation of control measures continue to hinder effective disease management. The objective is to critically examine current gaps in the diagnosis, global and regional epidemiology, and control of brucellosis within a One Health framework.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A structured narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and relevant reports published in English were screened using predefined keywords related to brucellosis, diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment, and control. Studies were selected based on relevance to human and animal disease, diagnostic approaches, and public health implications. Data were synthesized qualitatively with emphasis on diagnostic limitations, surveillance gaps, and intersectoral challenges.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Evidence indicates that brucellosis remains underdiagnosed and underreported globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Serological assays, although widely used, are limited by cross-reactivity and variable performance, while culture and molecular methods face constraints related to biosafety, cost, and accessibility. Marked regional heterogeneity reflects differences in veterinary infrastructure, food safety practices, and surveillance capacity. Inadequate integration between human and animal health sectors continues to undermine control efforts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Persistent gaps in diagnostics, surveillance, and coordinated control strategies contribute to ongoing transmission of brucellosis. Strengthening One Health approaches, improving access to standardized diagnostic tools, and enhancing surveillance systems are essential for reducing the global burden of disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13650087/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148447375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Therapeutic Inertia on Glycemic Control and Diabetes-Related Complications in Type 2 Diabetes: A 3-Year Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Dawit Alemu Lemma, Lijalem Abera Tema, Muluken Berhanu Mena, Hailu Chare Koyra","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00615-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00615-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Therapeutic inertia is a major barrier to optimal glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (T2DM), yet its impact in low-resource settings is not well-documented. This retrospective cohort study investigated the effect of therapeutic inertia on treatment outcomes in patients with T2DM receiving care at a tertiary hospital in southern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 159 adult ambulatory T2DM patients between June 2020 and 2023. Data were collected from medical records. The primary outcome was poor treatment outcome, defined as fasting blood glucose > 130 mg/dL or development of a new diabetes-related complication. Exposure was defined as failure to intensify treatment within three months of uncontrolled glycemia. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between therapeutic inertia and poor treatment outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The medical records of 159 T2DM patients were reviewed. Poor treatment outcomes were common in the therapeutic inertia group (68.6%). The therapeutic inertia exposure group was significantly associated with an increased risk of poor treatment outcomes, with an adjusted HR of 1.927 (95% CI: 1.201-3.092, p = 0.007). As a secondary analysis, factors such as physician qualification (p = 0.001), presence of comorbidities (p = 0.024), and the presence of neuropathy (p = 0.02) and nephropathy (p = 0.011) were significantly associated with therapeutic inertia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Therapeutic inertia was significantly associated with worse treatment outcomes in this cohort. Healthcare systems should implement strategies to promote proactive diabetes management, while recognizing that therapeutic inertia is a complex issue influenced by patient, provider, and system factors. Future research should focus on identifying and overcoming the contextual barriers to timely treatment intensification.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13376105/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148447406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology, Molecular Characteristics, Treatment Patterns, and Outcomes of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Infections in a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Mushary Alqahtani, Ali Alshehri, Mohammed Alshehri, Bairam Jarallah, Naima Fasih, Sultan Alkahtani, Osama Asiri, Nejad Alnaem, Abdullah Gazwani, Abdulmajeed Alqahtani, Yahia Elsharif, Hatim Ayied, Maram Alshahrani, Ali Hawan","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00608-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00608-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) represent a growing public health challenge worldwide, particularly in healthcare settings where the options for treatment are limited, and the mortality rate is high. Data on the epidemiology, molecular characteristics, and clinical outcomes of CRE infections in southern Saudi Arabia are limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary care hospital from 2021 to 2024, including adult patients with culture-confirmed CRE infections. Information on demographics, comorbidities, infection characteristics, antimicrobial therapy, molecular resistance mechanisms, and clinical outcomes was collected. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify antibiotic-related predictors of poor outcomes, defined as a combination of 30-day mortality and treatment failure.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 230 patients with infections caused by CRE were included in the study, with a mean age of 71.8 years; 96.1% of these patients had at least one comorbidity. The majority of the infections were hospital-acquired, with ventilator-associated pneumonia (31.7%) and bloodstream infections (27.8%) being the most prevalent. Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) was responsible for 96.1% of the isolated cases. OXA-48 was identified as the predominant carbapenemase, occurring in 50.4% of cases, followed by combinations involving New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC). The mortality rates at 30 days and 60 days were 54.3% and 65.2%, respectively. In the logistic regression analysis, ceftazidime-avibactam was associated with lower odds of poor outcome, while colistin and tigecycline were linked to higher odds; these results should be interpreted carefully due to the observational nature of the study.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>CRE infections in this cohort were associated with high mortality and were predominantly caused by OXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae. These results emphasize the significant impact of CRE in southern Saudi Arabia and highlight the need for continuous monitoring, effective antimicrobial management, and the enhancement of treatment approaches from a public health standpoint.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13642863/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148430598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research Priority Setting Exercises in Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Systematic Mapping Review.","authors":"Manish Barik, Sushree Nibedita Panda, Gooty Shirisha, Prabhu Kalyan Das, Bhaskar Tiwary","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00614-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00614-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than 1.7 billion people worldwide, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Despite their high burden, NTDs remain underfunded and receive fragmented research attention. Research priority-setting provides a systematic approach to align limited resources with the most pressing needs. While several priority setting exercises have been conducted for NTDs, their findings have not been synthesized. This study aimed to systematically map the published research priority-setting exercises for NTDs, synthesize their methodologies, stakeholder involvement, and thematic priorities.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>We conducted a systematic mapping review of studies published in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science up to March 28, 2025. Eligible studies were those that explicitly reported research prioritization for at least one WHO-listed NTD. Data were extracted on study design, geographic scope, prioritization methods, stakeholder engagement, and outcomes, and were analyzed descriptively. Reported priorities were classified into six domains: (1) health systems and service delivery, (2) diagnostics and therapeutics, (3) surveillance and data systems, (4) community engagement and health education, (5) integration and coordination, and (6) equity, policy, and implementation research.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 1,678 records, 15 studies met inclusion criteria. Most were mixed-methods (n = 10) and conducted at the country (n = 5) or regional level (n = 5). Delphi was the most used framework (n = 6). Fourteen (out of 15) studies engaged clinicians, policymakers, and researchers; 12 involved NGOs; 8 included vulnerable populations; 6 included patients. Lymphatic filariasis was the most frequently prioritized NTD (n = 7), followed by soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis (n = 5 each). Research priorities clustered around health system strengthening (6/15 studies), community engagement (7/15 studies), and equity-oriented implementation research (10/15 studies).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Research priority-setting for NTDs has expanded in recent years but remains heterogeneous in methodology, stakeholder inclusiveness, and transparency. Findings also call for caution against disease prioritization approaches that focus only on high-prevalence NTDs which risk overlooking less common NTDs and the populations affected by them. Six cross-cutting domains of research priorities were identified across the studies, largely consistent with the WHO NTD Roadmap. The identified domains can guide WHO regional offices and national programs in updating research roadmaps, explicitly linking priorities to policy and implementation pathways to accelerate progress toward global NTD targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13642876/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age at Appendectomy, Pneumonia/Influenza Risk, and The Role of Modifiable Risk-factor Profiles.","authors":"Gang Chen, Wen Li, Yuhao Zhao, Haitao Li, Yi Li, Chao Song, Pinhua Pan","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00612-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00612-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study examined whether appendectomy was associated with the subsequent risk of pneumonia/influenza and whether this association differed according to age at appendectomy. We also investigated whether modifiable risk-factor profiles were associated with variation in this observed association.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a prospective cohort study involving 404,577 participants from the UK Biobank. Participants with appendectomy were categorized into four groups according to age at surgery to evaluate age-specific associations. A weighted modifiable risk-factor score was constructed by summing six risk factors weighted by their corresponding regression coefficients, including smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), ambient air pollution, physical activity, and diet. Participants with appendectomy were further categorized into quartiles of this score to assess whether the association between appendectomy and pneumonia/influenza differed across modifiable risk-factor profiles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During a median follow-up period of 13.8 years, a total of 27,589 pneumonia/influenza events were observed. Appendectomy was associated with a higher subsequent risk of pneumonia/influenza (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.14). In the age-stratified analysis, compared with non-appendectomy participants, appendectomy performed at ages 10-20, 20-30, and ≥ 30 years was associated with higher risks of pneumonia/influenza, with HRs of 1.10 (95% CI: 1.04-1.15), 1.14 (95% CI: 1.06-1.22), and 1.14 (95% CI: 1.06-1.22), respectively, whereas no statistically significant association was observed for appendectomy performed before age 10 (HR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.92-1.10). Among appendectomy participants, a more favorable modifiable risk-factor profile was associated with a lower risk of pneumonia/influenza. Participants in the lowest quartile of the weighted modifiable risk-factor score had a lower risk than participants without appendectomy (HR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.96). These associations were consistent after propensity score matching (PSM).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Appendectomy was associated with a higher subsequent risk of pneumonia/influenza, particularly when performed after childhood. A favorable modifiable risk-factor profile was associated with attenuation of this observed association. From a public health perspective, appendectomy history and age at surgery may help identify individuals who could benefit from targeted respiratory infection prevention strategies, including smoking cessation, weight management, physical activity promotion, dietary improvement, promotion of vaccination, and reduction of environmental exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13650216/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal Variation in Metabolic Syndrome and Its Association With Meteorological Factors: A Large Population-Based Study in Fukushima, 2012-2022.","authors":"Enbo Ma, Tetsuya Ohira, Maiko Fukasawa, Atsushi Shirafuji, Kenta Matsuzaki, Yu Sato, Tohru Ohtake, Michio Shimabukuro","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00613-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00613-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Seasonal variation in metabolic risk may be associated with meteorological factors, with potential implications for the prevention and control of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, evidence on these patterns in large populations remains limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study included 2,913,636 health checkup records from insured adults aged 35-74 years in Fukushima, Japan, between April 2012 and March 2022. Descriptive time-series analyses were conducted to examine seasonal variation in MetS prevalence and metabolic components. Generalised estimating equation models were used to assess associations of season with MetS status and metabolic components, while generalised additive models were applied to evaluate non-linear associations between meteorological factors and MetS status.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 26.3% of men and 8.9% of women had MetS. Compared with spring, after adjustment for meteorological factors, the odds of having MetS were 3% and 7% higher in autumn and winter in men, and 7% and 7% higher in women, respectively. Lower temperatures were associated with higher odds of having MetS in both sexes. Sunshine duration showed sex-specific associations: both shorter and longer sunshine duration were associated with lower odds of having MetS in men, whereas longer sunshine duration was associated with higher odds of having MetS in women. Waist circumference was significantly associated with temperature in women but not in men, and showed an approximately linear association with sunshine duration in men and a J-shaped association in women. Non-linear associations between meteorological factors and other metabolic components were also observed in both sexes. In particular, temperature was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, moderately associated with fasting plasma glucose, and showed an approximately U-shaped association with triglycerides.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>MetS status and metabolic components showed seasonal variation and were associated with meteorological conditions, particularly ambient temperature. These findings may help inform seasonal strategies for metabolic risk prevention and control.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13638822/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and Predictors of Anxiety among Tuberculosis Patients in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Janmejaya Samal, Manas Ranjan Behera, Ranjit Kumar Dehury, Nithya Shree, Benson Thomas, Magnus Michael Sichalwe, Hari Singh","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00610-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00610-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Anxiety among TB patients can influence quality of life, treatment adherence, and outcomes. Understanding the prevalence and contributing factors of anxiety in TB patients can assist programme managers in improving patient outcomes.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify factors associated with anxiety and to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety among Indian TB patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data extraction and screening were conducted between February and March 2025 using four databases: Scopus, PUBMED, DOAJ, and EMBASE, along with cross-references; a total of 13 articles were included. These articles underwent quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), the Modified-NOS, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Due to potential heterogeneity, a random effects model was applied to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety among Indian TB patients at a 95% confidence interval.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 160 identified articles, 13 were included for review, representing six Indian states. The combined sample in these 13 studies was 9368 (mean(SD) = 721(1910), median = 120, IQR = 100-272). The study estimated a pooled prevalence of anxiety of 34% (95% CI: 22%-47%), with substantial heterogeneity with I²=98.67%. Several factors contributing to anxiety in TB patients within the Indian population were identified and categorised under demographic, disease-related, social, psychological, and literacy factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The review outlined anxiety-associated factors and estimated the pooled prevalence among Indian TB patients; however, given the high heterogeneity, the pooled estimate should be interpreted cautiously. Considering the influence of anxiety at various stages of the treatment process, timely detection and management are crucial to improve TB outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13642868/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Policy Support Analysis of Air Pollution Epidemiology and Hospital Admissions in Kuwait.","authors":"Yazan Alwadi, Shereef S Al-Khayat, Maryam A Al-Hunaidi, Hanan S Mallallah, Nawaf S Alhajeri, Jing Li, Ali Al-Hemoud, Petros Koutrakis, Barrak Alahmad","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00609-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00609-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have long lacked local epidemiological evidence demonstrating the health benefits of reducing air pollution. In Kuwait, however, the past decade has brought new, detailed health and environmental exposure data that now make such assessments possible.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To present an epidemiological basis in support for a strict air quality policy in Kuwait.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We collected all cardiopulmonary hospital admissions from six public hospitals in the country from 2010 to 2018. We then matched cases with daily population-weighted PM_2.5 exposure estimated at 1 km² resolution. For each hospital service region, we fitted generalized additive models with a negative binomial distribution that estimated the relative risk of admission per 10 µg/m³ increase in PM_2.5. We then calculated attributable admissions under three hypothetical policy scenarios: (1) maintaining the status quo ('do nothing'), (2) reducing PM_2.5 concentrations by 10 µg/m³, and (3) reducing by 20 µg/m³.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was a total of 380,862 cardiopulmonary hospital admissions during the study period. Every 10 µg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 was associated with a 1% (95%CI: 0.6%-1.5%) increase in cardiopulmonary admission. Under the status quo, 3.4-3.9% of cases can be attributed to PM_2.5, totaling 1,536 (95%CI: 956-2,108) excess admissions/year. A 10 µg/m³ reduction could prevent up to 403 (95%CI: 252-551) admissions/year; a 20 µg/m³ reduction up to 810 (95%CI: 505-1,109) admissions/year.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Reducing air pollution, even modestly, offers measurable public health benefits. Data from Kuwait provide a model for evidence-based policymaking and can help guide other GCC countries with similar pollution profiles toward adopting stricter air quality standards aligned with WHO interim targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13638975/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Psoriasis and Prostate Cancer Risk in Men: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Shih-Wei Lai, Kuan-Fu Liao","doi":"10.1007/s44197-026-00599-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44197-026-00599-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease, but its association with prostate cancer remains unclear. This study evaluated the relationship between psoriasis and the risk of prostate cancer in men.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from 2006 to 2023 within the TriNetX global federated research network. Male patients aged 50-84 years with psoriasis were identified and propensity score-matched 1:1 to controls without psoriasis based on age and relevant clinical characteristics. A 2-year lag period was applied to reduce reverse causation. Hazard ratios (HRs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and cumulative incidence were estimated using the TriNetX \"Compare Outcomes\" module.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After matching and lag exclusion, 127,630 patients with psoriasis and 128,309 controls were included. Over a maximum follow-up of 6 years, 1,243 cases of prostate cancer occurred in the psoriasis group and 521 in controls, corresponding to cumulative incidences of 0.974% and 0.406%, respectively (absolute risk difference, 0.568%). Psoriasis was associated with a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer compared with controls (HR 2.09; 95% CI, 1.89-2.32).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Psoriasis was associated with an increased relative risk of prostate cancer; however, the absolute risk difference was small. These findings suggest a potential link between systemic inflammation and prostate cancer but may have limited immediate clinical implications and are unlikely to warrant changes in current clinical practice. Given the observational design, causal inference cannot be established, and further studies are warranted to clarify underlying mechanisms and clinical relevance.</p>","PeriodicalId":15796,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13638875/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148411909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}