Tropical Medicine and Health最新文献

{"title":"Global, regional, and national lifetime risks of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia in men aged over 40: a population-based cross-sectional study from 1990 to 2021.","authors":"Yongming Chen, Yuhao Li, Lingfeng Li, Miao Wang, Zhengtong Lv, Shengjie Liu, Huimin Hou, Shengfeng Wang, Ming Liu","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00770-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00770-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent condition among older men that significantly reduces quality of life. Despite its global impact, comprehensive estimates of lifetime risk remain limited. This study aims to quantify the lifetime risk of BPH at both global and regional levels using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>We estimated the lifetime risk of developing BPH in men aged over 40 using the \"adjusted for multiple primaries (AMP)\" method, derived from age-specific incidence rates provided by GBD. The analysis included data from 204 countries and regions covering the period from 1990 to 2021, stratified by age, region, and sociodemographic index (SDI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In 2021, the global lifetime risk of BPH from age 40 to death was estimated at 27.29% (95% CI 27.26-27.31), with significant regional and socioeconomic inequalities. Eastern Europe exhibited the highest risk (37.57%), while Central Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest (13.66%). When stratified by SDI, lifetime risk increased from 19.46% in low SDI regions to 31.51% in high-middle SDI regions but declined to 24.71% in high SDI settings. Across all regions, most cases were observed in individuals aged 50-70. Furthermore, between 1990 and 2021, the global lifetime risk of BPH showed a gradual increase. Projections indicate that this risk will remain stable over the next 30 years, with pronounced regional disparities expected to persist.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study offers a comprehensive assessment of the global lifetime risk of BPH, revealing significant regional variations and age-related trends. These findings underscore the need for targeted prevention and management strategies, particularly for high-risk regions and men aged 50-70, to reduce the global burden of BPH.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"93"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257823/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144638089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Power imbalances in tropical medicine journals: an analysis of editorial board representation.","authors":"Sushree Nibedita Panda, Manish Barik, P Ratna, Prabhu Kalyan Das","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00752-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00752-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Shaped by its colonial origins, tropical medicine sustains inequitable power dynamics in global health, sidelining low-middle-income countries (LMICs) in critical decision-making processes over research agendas and priorities. Editorial boards of tropical medicine journals, dominated by scholars from high-income countries (HICs), risk reinforcing power imbalances and excluding context-driven expertise from endemic regions. This study examines the diversity of editorial boards across gender, geographic, socioeconomic, and geopolitical dimensions to assess systemic inequities.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A systematic search of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) catalog was conducted via a targeted strategy between October and December 2024. After screening 153 journals for title relevance and applying exclusion criteria based on publication status, availability of editorial information, and global scope, 24 journals were selected. Data on 2,226 editorial board members were extracted from journal and institutional websites. Data on gender, country of affiliation (classified by World Bank income/regions), and geopolitical groups (G7, G20, BRICS) were extracted from public sources. Gender determination used a sequential approach (journal descriptions, Genderize.io, and consensus). Descriptive statistics were used to perform the analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The editorial board comprised 2,226 members, 66% male, 31.2% female, and 2.8% undetermined, from 120 nations. The regional contributions included Europe and Central Asia (21.9%), North America (20.9%), East Asia and the Pacific (16.6%), and Latin America and the Caribbean (16.2%), whereas Sub-Saharan Africa (11.2%), South Asia (9.7%), and the Middle East and North Africa (3.4%) were underrepresented. Over half (52.8%) were affiliated with high-income countries. Geopolitically, 40.3% were from the G7, 67.1% were from the G20, and 24.2% were from the BRICS. Some journals showed skewing, with 85.2% North American representation and 90.3% East Asia-Pacific dominance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Tropical medicine editorial boards are steeped in systemic inequities that echo colonial legacies, with the overrepresentation of HICs and men limiting LMIC perspectives and local expertise. This imbalance undermines research relevance and ethical integrity by prioritizing Global North agendas over the needs of populations most affected by tropical diseases. To address these disparities, substantial reforms are essential. Strategies such as instituting DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), creating targeted mentorship programs for LMIC researchers, and enforcing transparent, bias-resistant recruitment practices are important. Such measures will create a more inclusive editorial landscape that aligns research priorities with global health needs, promoting equitable and contextually relevant solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"92"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247218/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144609697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community health volunteer support for regular blood pressure monitoring in Indonesia: spatial regression models.","authors":"Mayumi Mizutani, Sofi Oktaviani, Harumi Bando, Heri Sugiarto, Ritsuko Nishide, Susumu Tanimura","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00765-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00765-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Community-based blood pressure monitoring is essential for effective hypertension management, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Indonesia, where community health volunteers (CHVs) are vital. However, there is a lack of strong evidence regarding which aspects of CHV support are most effective at encouraging regular blood pressure monitoring. This study examined the spatially adjusted relationship between the prevalence of regular blood pressure monitoring and the specific traits of Indonesian CHV support.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The researchers conducted an ecological study utilizing sub-district level data from the fifth wave of the Indonesian Family Life Survey. The analysis included data on 25,829 individuals across 1774 sub-districts, with a focus on 612 CHVs in 259 sub-districts. To explore the spatially adjusted relationships between regular blood pressure monitoring and 16 CHV traits, ordinary regression and spatial regression models were employed. Additionally, geographically weighted regression (GWR) was implemented to examine geographical variations in the strength of these associations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall prevalence of regular blood pressure monitoring across the 1774 sub-districts was 17.5%. Regression models revealed positive associations between this prevalence and CHVs being described as \"considerate and kind\" (B = [3.85, 4.24], p = 0.038-0.048) and \"helpful\" (B = [4.60, 4.82], p = 0.038-0.041). The GWR analysis showed notable variations in regression coefficients, with \"considerate and kind\" yielding B = [3.79, 4.07] and \"helpful\" yielding B = [4.42, 4.79], both demonstrating stronger associations in the western and northern region of Sumatra Island. Meanwhile, \"values artistic/aesthetic experiences\" showed a negative association, significant only in spatial regression models (B = [- 2.47, - 2.44], p = 0.046-0.048).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study emphasized the crucial role that CHVs play in promoting regular blood pressure monitoring in Indonesia. Compassion, kindness, and helpfulness were especially vital for improving community-based blood pressure monitoring, which leads to the better management of hypertension.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"90"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12210472/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144544997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence of human-associated genetic similarity and a cryptic lineage in wild boar-derived Ascaris from Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan.","authors":"Takahiro Matsumura, Kota Mochizuki, Kayoko Matsuo, Tomoyoshi Komiya, Masaharu Tokoro","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00769-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00769-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Two species of Ascaris nematodes infect humans: Ascaris lumbricoides, a human parasite, and Ascaris suum, which primarily infects pigs. Since these species are morphologically similar, molecular techniques are necessary for species identification in human Ascaris cases. A common method involves analyzing nucleotide sequences in the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) region, particularly at positions 133 and 246. Although Ascaris nematodes have also been detected in wild boars, they are often classified as A. suum without molecular analysis due to their genetic similarity to pigs. In this study, we conducted molecular identification of Ascaris specimens collected from wild boars in Ishikawa Prefecture to examine their potential origin.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Six Ascaris specimens from wild boars in Ishikawa Prefecture were analyzed by PCR and sequencing of the ITS-1 and COX1 regions. ITS-1 sequences were aligned to reference data, and phylogenetic analysis was performed using COX1 sequences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Alignment analysis of the ITS-1 region revealed a nucleotide deletion at position 129, with guanine (G) at position 133 and thymine (T) at position 246. This sequence was 100% identical to the reference A. lumbricoides sequence derived from humans. However, phylogenetic analysis of the COX1 region revealed that these wild boar-derived genotypes belonged to a clade that has not been identified in human-derived A. lumbricoides.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The ITS-1 sequences of Ascaris from wild boars were identical to those of \"lumbricoides\" genotypes, suggesting possible past transmission from humans. However, COX1-based phylogenetic analysis revealed a distinct clade, indicating a potentially novel lineage within wild boars. These findings highlight the limitations of relying solely on ITS-1 for determining host origin and suggest that wild boars may serve as reservoirs of zoonotic Ascaris in Japan.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights the presence of \"lumbricoides\" genotypes sequences in wild boars and their potential role in human ascariasis. Reevaluation of unexplained cases in relation to wild boar distribution is warranted, along with enhanced attention to zoonotic transmission risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"87"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12210647/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144544999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of nontyphoidal Salmonella in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Patience Sarkodie-Addo, Bill Clinton Aglomasa, Eric S Donkor","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00731-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00731-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a foodborne pathogen of major public health concern, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, where it causes invasive infections. However, data on its prevalence, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns, and associated serovars in Ghana are fragmented across multiple studies.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to consolidate data on the prevalence, phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles of NTS in Ghana.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted on August 8, 2024, across four databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 31 studies were included. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of NTS and the resistance levels of antibiotics reported in two or more studies. Subgroup analysis, multivariate analysis, sensitivity analysis, Egger's test, and forest plots were performed to explore variations, assess the influence of individual studies, test for publication bias, and visualize pooled estimates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The pooled prevalence of NTS was estimated at 4.69% (95% CI 2.65-8.16) with high heterogeneity observed among the studies (I² = 98.6%, τ² = 1.22, τ = 1.10, H = 8.55, Q = 1754.02, p value < 0). Prevalence rates fluctuated over time: 6.27% (2008-2012), 2.09% (2013-2017), and 7.02% (2018-2023), with no significant trend observed (Q = 2.63, df = 2, p value = 0.27). Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates were high, with resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (56.7%), amoxicillin/ampicillin (50.8%), tetracycline (46.7%), and ampicillin (36.2%). Cefotaxime had the lowest resistance at 18.6%. Salmonella Typhimurium was the most identified serovar (36.7%), followed by S. Enteritidis (7.9%), S. Rubislaw (4.9%), S. Dublin (3.7%), and S. Kentucky (3.6%). Several AMR genes including gyrA, gyrB, qnrB2, and qnrB19 were identified in human and food samples.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite ongoing interventions, NTS remains a significant public health challenge in Ghana, with high AMR levels. The continued rise in resistance to critical antibiotics highlights the need for a One Health approach, improved diagnostics, enhanced surveillance, and targeted public health measures to control NTS and mitigate AMR.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"91"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12210744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144545001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From early sexual debut to later overweight and obesity: a multilevel analysis of Ghanaian women.","authors":"Joshua Okyere, Castro Ayebeng, Kwamena Sekyi Dickson, Precious Adade Duodu","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00753-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00753-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Beyond the socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, it is imperative to understand how early-life factors contribute to the development of overweight and obesity. One of such early-life factors is early sexual debut defined as first sexual intercourse before age 16. The study examines the association between early sexual debut and women's risk of overweight/obesity in Ghana using a nationally representative data.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health survey was used. We analyzed the data of 6,478 women aged 16-49 years. The outcome variable was obesity status which was computed using the body mass index. The main explanatory variable was early sexual debut. We utilized multilevel logistic regression models to examine the association between early sexual debut and women's risk of overweight/obesity, controlling for both individual (age, education, internet use, parity, wealth index, anemia status) and community level (residence and ecological zone) confounders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>An estimated 3,183 (48.8% [95% CI 46.9-50.6]) were overweight/obese while 11.7% experienced early sexual debut. After adjusting for individual and community level factors, we found that women with an early sexual debut had a 25% higher likelihood of being overweight or obese compared to those without early sexual debut [AOR = 1.25; 95% CI 1.04-1.51]. The significant confounders associated with higher odds of obesity were increasing age, higher educational level, higher wealth index, parity, and frequent use of the internet. Rural residence and residence in the savannah ecological zone were associated with lower odds.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that early sexual debut, a key life course event, may be linked to long-term health consequences including higher risk of overweight/obesity. The results underscore the importance of addressing early-life factors in the prevention of obesity. Public health interventions aimed at delaying sexual initiation could be vital in mitigating the growing burden of obesity in Ghana.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"88"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12211818/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144545000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay as a treatment monitoring tool for pulmonary tuberculosis in Nairobi, Kenya.","authors":"Fred Orina, Mayu Hikone, Nobuo Saito, Jane Ong'ang'o, Andrew Nyerere, Edinah Songoro, Helen Meme","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00771-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00771-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Treatment monitoring is important in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) management, since prolonged treatment necessitates regular assessments to prevent treatment failure and the emergence of drug-resistant strains. However, the lack of a simple, rapid, and reliable treatment monitoring tool (TMT) remains a major challenge. We evaluated the utility of measuring sputum lipoarabinomannan (LAM) concentration by the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay (PHC Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) as a TMT in patients with PTB in Nairobi, Kenya.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively analyzed sputum LAM levels via the PATHFAST TB LAM Ag assay from a Nairobi cohort of patients with PTB and compared these results with conventional microbiological tests (acid-fast bacilli [AFB] smear microscopy; mycobacterial growth indicator tube [MGIT] culture). Stored sputum pellets processed with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NALC)-NaOH were used for LAM measurement. Serial LAM concentrations measured every 2 weeks over an 8-week period were compared across bacterial load categories to assess correlations with AFB smear grades and culture results using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The 98 patients included here had a median age of 37 years (Interquartile Range: 27-44). The majority were men (74/98, 75.5%) and the MGIT culture was positive for 89 (90.8%) of them. Patients with elevated baseline LAM concentrations showed a significant reduction in LAM levels with treatment (90% median reduction by week 8), whereas those with low baseline LAM concentrations did not show a declining trend. Sputum LAM levels were significantly higher in culture-positive samples compared to culture-negative samples (23.8 pg/mL vs. 10.8 pg/mL, P < 0.001). Sputum LAM levels showed a significant correlation with AFB smear grades, with median concentrations increasing progressively from 11.3 pg/mL in smear-negative samples to 19.7 pg/mL in scanty/1 + samples, and 46.7 pg/mL in 2 + /3 + samples (P = 0.0001). LAM levels were significantly higher in culture-positive/AFB-positive sputum samples (viable bacilli) than in culture-negative/AFB-positive samples (non-viable bacilli) (P < 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings revealed that sputum LAM concentration declined during TB treatment, particularly among patients with high baseline levels, and correlated with AFB smear grades and culture results. Additionally, LAM concentrations differed between culture-positive and culture-negative samples among AFB smear-positive samples. Further prospective studies are needed to assess LAM levels as a TMT.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"89"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12210661/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144544998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative study on school-based mental health literacy in three Asian countries.","authors":"Fumiko Shibuya, Masahide Usami, Marian Danille Santillan, Cut Warnaini, Ernesto Gregorio, Naoko Satake, Crystal Amiel Estrada, Gunawan Gunawan, Norieta Balderrama, Japhet Fernandez de Leon, Joie Fe Ancheta, Hamsu Kadriyan, Fernando Garcia, Jun Kobayashi","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00697-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00697-6","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction: &lt;/strong&gt;Mental health literacy is essential for the recognition, management, and prevention of mental disorders among school-aged children. However, few studies have examined the implementation status of school-based mental health literacy in Asian countries. This study aims to compare the approaches taken by the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan in managing school-based mental health literacy through curriculum-related policies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The collected documents of this study analyzed both policies (formulated from 2000 to 2023) and curricula (from grade 1 to grade 12) that were adapted to the deductive content analysis methods. Policies were analyzed using the policy triangle framework (Walt and Gilson in Health Policy Plan 9:353-370, 1994) and mapped using the review points (Margaretha et al. in Front Psychiatry 14:1126767, 2023). Curricula were analyzed using the definition of mental health literacy (Jorm in Am Psychol 67:231-243, 2012). This study focused on mental health laws and policies in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan, highlighting their success in addressing the needs of adults and school-aged children. By considering each country's unique socio-cultural contexts and basic educational approaches, this study identified diverse strategies and methodologies in addressing mental health challenges. Using a common analytic framework, this study collected and analyzed policies and curricula on mental health literacy from the three countries (Philippines, 22; Indonesia, 9; and Japan, 6). The basic education curricula developed by their respective Ministries of Education were used.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;This study highlights two key findings on school-based mental health literacy. First, mental health literacy is incorporated into health and physical education in Japan, health, values education and homeroom guidance in the Philippines, and religious education in Indonesia. Second, while the Philippines and Indonesia implement mental health education based on established policies, Japan lacks a core mental health literacy policy but has developed and implemented related curricula through its course of study guidelines. The curriculum analysis identified a specific challenge: a lack of \"first aid skills to support others who are developing a mental disorder or are in a mental health crisis\".&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This study revealed the partial implementation of mental health literacy education in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. The Philippines offers a nearly comprehensive curriculum on mental health literacy (grades 1-12), Japan incorporates it into health education (grades 5-10), and Indonesia integrates it into religious education (grades 1-12). While the Philippines and Indonesia align with mental health policies, Japan relies on its national curriculum without a core policy. A key challenge was indicated involving teachers, guidance counselors, or school h","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"86"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12183912/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144476868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors influencing the health-seeking behavior of Vietnamese migrants in Japan: a cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards tuberculosis.","authors":"Sangnim Lee, Nhan Nguyen Huu Thanh, Yusuke Akutsu, Yoshihisa Shirayama, Pham Nguyen Quy, Jin Takasaki, Akihiro Ohkado","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00766-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00766-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Addressing tuberculosis (TB) among migrants from high-burden countries is important for the health of migrants and for public health in low-TB-burden countries. Therefore, approaches that enable migrants to access TB diagnostic services and care early are required. To develop TB risk communication for migrants from high-TB-burden countries, this study aimed to assess Vietnamese migrants' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards TB and its association with health-seeking behaviors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among Vietnam-born migrants aged 18 years and older in two cities in Japan. A self-administered online survey consisted of questions on demographics, health-related issues and behaviors, and the KAP towards TB. Participants who would not seek healthcare even if they had TB symptoms were categorized as having \"non-health-seeking behavior\", and related factors were examined using multiple logistic regression analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 230 Vietnamese migrants participated in this study. Technical intern trainees (46.1%) and workers (28.7%) comprised the majority of the participants. Overall, 73.9% believed that persons infected with TB were infectious, and 46.1% reported concerns about being diagnosed with TB. Their concerns included maintaining employment and continuing schooling during treatment. Ten percent of the participants stated that they would not consult a doctor even if they developed TB symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that participants who believed that TB could not be cured were significantly more likely to exhibit non-health-seeking behavior (adjusted odds ratio: 3.12, 95% confidence interval 1.14-8.52) compared to those who believed TB could be cured.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Tailored TB risk communication should address migrants' misconceptions and concerns regarding TB in the host countries. Further efforts are needed to improve TB knowledge through TB education and to disseminate information before and after migration. Creating a supportive environment, such as language assistance and work- and school-related social support, is also needed to facilitate the early detection of TB and healthcare access among migrants.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"84"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12175359/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144326974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applying photovoice and human-centered design to contextualize an adolescent micronutrient supplementation intervention in Mozambique.","authors":"Sarah Bauler, Carmen Tse, Aicha Dos Santos, Lucilia Moises, Nicole Mbouemboue, Melissa Young, Joel Gittelsohn, Christine Marie George, Elli Leontsini","doi":"10.1186/s41182-025-00768-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41182-025-00768-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Globally, iron-deficiency anemia is the most common micronutrient deficiency and a leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost among adolescent girls 10-19 years of age. Adolescent girls' voices are often excluded from shaping the interventions and policies designed to support them. We used participatory formative research methods-photovoice and adolescent-centered design (ACD)-to explore nutrition-related challenges, opportunities, and preferences among adolescent girls in Monapo District, Mozambique, and used the findings to contextualize a nutrition curriculum and supplement delivery platform.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We purposively selected 16 girls from three rural and peri-rural secondary schools divided equally into two age groups (13-16 years and 17-20 years) and asked them to take photos of their food environment. Following a week of photo-taking, participants discussed their photos using the SHOWeD methodology in two workshops and in follow-up individual interviews. We also conducted three ACD group discussions with girls 13 to 20 years, each consisting of 10 to 12 participants, to explore consumption and supplement packaging preferences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thematic analysis of photos and transcripts showed that participants preferred locally grown foods and indigenous protein sources and were actively engaged in agriculture and household chores, highlighting opportunities for nutritional improvement. However, their nutrition was constrained by seasonal food shortages, inequitable household responsibilities compared to boys, and limited social capital. While school-based supplementation is the standard practice, participants strongly preferred to take supplements at home to avoid stigma and benefit from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. We used these insights to refine the adolescent nutrition curriculum and design a multiple micronutrient supplementation delivery platform.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Photovoice provided rich visual data about the lived experiences of adolescent girls in a fragile and resource-constrained context, without the influence of an external researcher interpreting everyday realities, and elicited valuable insights into the barriers, opportunities, and potential improvements in nutrition programming. Integrating photovoice and ACD into program design can increase program acceptability and potential for effectiveness. This research also highlights the need to prioritize adolescent engagement and underscores the inadequacy of one-size-fits-all approaches, such as school-based supplementation programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":23311,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Health","volume":"53 1","pages":"85"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12175396/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144326973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}