Health Science Reports最新文献

{"title":"Inflammatory Biomarkers as Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study","authors":"Siamak Rimaz,&nbsp;Orchideh Amoie Foumani,&nbsp;Hamid Hoseinzadeh,&nbsp;Mohammad Shokri,&nbsp;Mohammad Haghighi,&nbsp;Mahboobeh Gholipour,&nbsp; Nastaran Najd,&nbsp;Amirhossein Azariyan,&nbsp;Mohammadreza Mobayen,&nbsp;Mahsa Sadeghi","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.73411","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Aim</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Inflammatory biomarkers have been proposed as prognostic indicators in COVID-19; however, their prognostic associations within critically ill ICU-admitted patients remain of interest. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of selected inflammatory biomarkers with in-hospital mortality and their discriminatory performance among critically ill COVID-19 patients.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In this retrospective cohort study, 244 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the ICU between August 2020 and June 2021 were analyzed. Disease severity was assessed using the ISARIC 4 C Mortality Score. Associations between inflammatory biomarkers and mortality were evaluated using univariable and multivariable logistic regression, and discriminatory performance was assessed using ROC curve analysis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The in-hospital mortality rate was 90.6%. ESR and LDH levels were significantly higher in non-survivors. In a biomarker-restricted multivariable logistic regression model, ESR (OR 1.023 per 1 mm/h increase; 95% CI 1.004–1.042; <i>p</i> = 0.016) and LDH (OR 1.002 per 1 U/L increase; 95% CI 1.000–1.003; <i>p</i> = 0.009) remained significantly associated with in-hospital mortality after mutual adjustment for the other prespecified inflammatory biomarkers. LDH demonstrated good discriminatory performance (AUC 0.725; 95% CI 0.645–0.805). ESR showed modest discriminatory performance (AUC 0.646; 95% CI 0.559–0.732).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>ESR and LDH remained significantly associated with in-hospital mortality after adjustment for the other prespecified inflammatory biomarkers. These findings suggest that ESR and LDH may provide adjunctive prognostic information in critically ill ICU patients; however, they should be interpreted in the context of the biomarker-restricted model and the limited adjustment set. Confirmation in larger prospective studies incorporating established clinical prognostic factors is warranted.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hsr2.73411","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149235484","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":"Comment on “Revisiting the Relationship Between Legal Awareness and Safe Abortion Utilization”","authors":"Muhammad Ahmad khan,&nbsp;Nida sher","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73407","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.73407","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;We read with interest the recent article by Banchani et al. On the link between knowledge of the legality of abortion and utilization of safe abortion for women in Ghana [&lt;span&gt;1&lt;/span&gt;]. The authors are commended for their efforts in tackling an important public health issue and for their use of nationally representative data to examine the potential role of legal awareness and educational attainment in promoting safe abortion practices. The results offer important evidence of the need for reproductive health literacy. We nonetheless want to draw attention to two methodological aspects that could indicate a cautious interpretation of the reported associations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;First, it is unclear whether the timing of awareness of the legalization of abortions is correlated with subsequent uptake of safe abortions. While the authors considered legal awareness to be a factor associated with safer abortion practices, both the exposure (awareness of the legality of abortion) and outcome were measured at the time of survey and not at the time of the abortion. Accordingly, it is difficult to determine if women were already familiar with the laws before deciding on abortion care. Women who had abortions at formal health service providers could have been given counseling or information on abortion law during their interactions with the health service providers, and thus have learned the law after having an abortion. Women who had abortions at formal health service providers could have been advised or given information on abortion law during their interactions with the health service providers and have thus gained legal awareness after abortion. This option raises the issue of reverse causation and makes it difficult to conclude whether there was any association between legal awareness and abortion care-seeking behavior [&lt;span&gt;2, 3&lt;/span&gt;].&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Second, the study was based on self-report of abortions during the past 5 years. The longer the recall period, the higher the chances of recall bias, especially for information concerning abortion methods, providers, health care facilities, and prior knowledge of the legality of abortion procedures. Additionally, awareness of abortion law can change over time through the process of education, media exposure or encountering health services. So the legal awareness that is reported in the survey may not necessarily provide a true picture of the respondent's level of awareness at the time of the abortion decision. This difference may have led to misclassification of exposure and affected the estimated exposure-safe abortion association [&lt;span&gt;4, 5&lt;/span&gt;].&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To sum up, the study offers country-wide representative data on the association between the knowledge of the legal access to abortion and uptake of safe abortion in Ghana. We comment on the results with the hope that readers will be aware of the possibility of temporal ambiguity between exposure and outcome measurements, and of recall bias in self-reported exposur","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hsr2.73407","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149235275","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":"The Effects of Poor Self-Care Behaviors on Uncontrolled Hypertension in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","authors":"Mengistie Yirsaw Gobezie,&nbsp;Tewodros Solomon,&nbsp;Minimize Hassen,&nbsp;Abebe Getie Faris,&nbsp;Nuhamin Alemayehu Tesfaye","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.73412","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Hypertension affects nearly one in five adults in Ethiopia. Effective self-care behaviors, including medication adherence, regular physical activity, healthy dietary practices, weight management, moderation of alcohol intake, and avoidance of tobacco, are essential for optimal blood pressure (BP) control. Although individual studies have examined these behaviors, their combined contribution to uncontrolled hypertension in Ethiopia has not been comprehensively synthesized. This study aimed to evaluate the pooled effects of inadequate self-care behaviors on uncontrolled BP among hypertensive patients in Ethiopia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases and gray literature sources were searched to identify observational studies reporting associations between self-care behaviors and uncontrolled hypertension in Ethiopia. Eligible studies were screened, and data were extracted using standardized tools. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed using STATA version 17.0 to estimate pooled odds ratios (PORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Inadequate self-care behaviors were significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension. Medication non-adherence (POR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.90–2.77), poor salt restriction (POR: 3.33, 95% CI: 1.83–6.07), insufficient physical activity (POR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.53–2.77), inadequate weight management (POR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.85–2.88), alcohol consumption (POR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.37–4.73), and smoking (POR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.51–4.94) were associated with higher odds of uncontrolled BP. Moderate to high heterogeneity was observed across studies. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings, and no significant publication bias was detected.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Poor self-care practices substantially contribute to uncontrolled hypertension in Ethiopia. Strengthening patient-centered interventions targeting adherence and lifestyle modification is essential to improve BP control and reduce hypertension-related complications.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hsr2.73412","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149235252","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":"Beyond Pigmentation: Interplay of Metabolic Profile, Carotid Intima—Media Thickness, and Fatty Liver in Vitiligo: An Age- and Sex-Matched Case-Control Study","authors":"Mehrdad Mozafar,&nbsp;Yasamin Bigdeli,&nbsp;Mehdi Azizmohammad Looha,&nbsp;Reza Samiee,&nbsp;Safoura Shakoei,&nbsp;Ifa Etesami,&nbsp;Zeinab Aryanian,&nbsp;Faezeh Khorasanizadeh,&nbsp;Parvaneh Hatami","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73373","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.73373","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background and Aims</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Vitiligo shares inflammatory and metabolic pathways with cardiovascular and hepatic steatosis. Carotid intima–media thickness (IMT) is an established marker of early subclinical atherosclerosis, whereas non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) reflects hepatic involvement in chronic inflammatory and metabolic dysregulation. This study aimed to evaluate subclinical vascular and hepatic changes in patients with vitiligo and to explore their associations with disease characteristics and metabolic parameters.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In this age- and sex-matched case-control study, adults with mild vitiligo (Vitiligo Area Severity Index [VASI] &lt; 5%) and no metabolic syndrome were compared with healthy controls. Participants underwent carotid duplex ultrasonography to assess common carotid IMT and atherosclerotic plaques, liver ultrasonography for steatosis grading, and laboratory testing, including lipid profile (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-density lipoprotein [HDL], and triglycerides [TG]), fasting blood glucose (FBS), and body mass index (BMI). Disease duration and VASI score were also assessed.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 46 participants (23 patients with vitiligo and 23 healthy controls) completed all assessments. Common carotid IMT measurements and liver ultrasound findings were comparable between groups. However, abnormal HDL levels were more frequent among patients with vitiligo (69.6% vs. 39.1%, <i>p</i> = 0.03). Greater disease severity, measured by VASI score, and higher BMI were independently associated with increased right carotid IMT (<i>p</i> = 0.01, 0.02, respectively). Exploratory interaction analyses demonstrated significant sex-dependent associations of HDL, triglycerides, and fatty liver status with carotid IMT. Post hoc analyses identified higher carotid IMT among male patients with abnormal HDL.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Selected subgroups of patients with vitiligo, particularly men with HDL metabolic abnormalities, may exhibit differences in subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Disease severity and BMI may also contribute to the vascular risk. Although exploratory, these findings warrant further investigation of cardiovascular and hepatic risk profiles in selected patients with vitiligo.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hsr2.73373","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149235483","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":"Forecasting Ethiopia's Neonatal Mortality Rate Toward the Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.2 Using Statistical and Deep Learning Models: A Time-Series Forecasting Study.","authors":"Fentahun Bikale Kebede, Selam Kifle Dergba, Amanuel Worku","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.73402","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>A high neonatal mortality rate (NMR) reflects underlying health inequalities, the quality of maternal and newborn care, and overall healthcare system performance. Despite substantial progress, Ethiopia remains off track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2, which aims to reduce NMR to at least 12/1000 by 2030. This study compared statistical and deep learning models to forecast Ethiopia's NMR through 2030, assess the progress towards the SDG target, and provide evidence to inform policy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Annual NMR data were obtained from the WHO Health Inequality Data Repository. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), long short-term memory (LSTM), multi-step LSTM, and a hybrid were developed using Python. For the deep learning models, the data were normalised using MinMax scaling and transformed into sequential time-series windows. Stationarity was assessed using rolling statistics and the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, while ARIMA parameters were selected using autocorrelation and partial autocorrelation and diagnostic criteria. Model performance was evaluated on the test dataset using mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), symmetric MAPE (sMAPE), and mean absolute scaled error (MASE). The best-performing model was used to forecast NMR from 2024 to 2030.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ethiopia's NMR decreased from 66.39 to 27.39 deaths per 1000 live births between 1977 and 2023. ARIMA offers the best performance, with MAE of 0.10, RMSE of 0.12, MAPE of 0.32, sMAPE of 0.32, and MASE of 0.11. The forecast indicates a gradual decline in Ethiopia's NMR, with the ARIMA model forecasting an NMR of 22.72 per 1000 live births (95% PI: 17.60-27.84) by 2030.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ethiopia's decline in NMR is insufficient to meet SDG target 3.2 by 2030. The ARIMA model's strong performance confirms traditional methods suit short-term forecasts. To further reduce NMR and advance the SDGs, accelerated implementation of evidence-based interventions, strengthened health systems, and ongoing monitoring are crucial.</p>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 10","pages":"e73402"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13685530/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149246622","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":"Response to Letter to Editor: Comment on \"Revisiting the Relationship Between Legal Awareness and Safe Abortion Utilization\".","authors":"Ololade Julius Baruwa, Emmanuel Banchani, Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73406","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hsr2.73406","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 10","pages":"e73406"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678111/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149225038","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":"Sun Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Farmers in Ede-Oballa, Nigeria.","authors":"Ukah Cynthia Chinonso, Majani Edward","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73137","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hsr2.73137","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the sun poses significant health risks to outdoor workers. Farmers are particularly vulnerable, yet their knowledge and practices regarding sun protection are underreported in low-resource settings.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of sun safety among farmers in Ede-Oballa, Nsukka LGA, Enugu State, Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 155 farmers recruited using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a pretested, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses. Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and sun safety practices were tested using <i>χ</i> ² tests, with significance set at <i>p</i> < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most farmers demonstrated good knowledge of sun protection (89.7%) and held positive attitudes (83.9%) towards sun safety practices. However, actual practice was below average (47.7%), and they showed low willingness to participate in sun safety workshops, possibly due to prior exposure to training/education on sun safety amongst the majority of the farmers (72.9%). Peer influence and perceived inconvenience were key factors affecting behavior. Farmers with tertiary education showed significantly higher sun safety practice levels (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while no significant relationship was found between knowledge and sun safety practices among the respondents, suggesting that knowledge alone may not translate into behavioral change.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite high knowledge and positive attitudes, sun safety practices among farmers remain inadequate, hindered by social and practical barriers. Educational interventions should be context-specific, peer-led, and embedded into routine farming activities to enhance adoption of protective behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 10","pages":"e73137"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678114/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149225000","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":"Histopathological Spectrum in FIT-Positive Patients With Abnormal Colonoscopy Findings at a Tertiary Medical Center in Lebanon: A Retrospective Observational Study.","authors":"Fatima El Houjeiry, Walid Nasreddine, Alissar El Sibaii, Hala Thaalibi, Farah Singer, Bilal Azakir","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73409","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hsr2.73409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality, and the prognosis significantly depends on the diagnostic stage. Various screening initiatives have been established, among which the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) (FITFIT) which is prominent for its affordability, non-invasive approach, and wide acceptance. This study aimed to describe the spectrum of histopathological findings among patients with positive fecal occult blood test and abnormal colonoscopy findings, and to identify associated risk factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective observational study included 172 adults with documented positive FIT and abnormal colonoscopy findings at Makassed General Hospital from January 2024 to December 2025. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25, and associations were assessed using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, with significance defined as <i>p</i> < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 172 patients were included, with a mean age of 63.88 ± 11.79 years, and 55.2% were female. The most frequently recorded indications for colonoscopy were anemia (39%) and screening (37.2%). Polyps were the most common colonoscopy finding. Histopathological examination demonstrated that neoplastic polyps represented the predominant diagnosis (65.1%), followed by non-neoplastic lesions (24.4%) and malignancy (10.5%). Patients aged 45 years and older demonstrated a higher prevalence of polyps on colonoscopy; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance. No significant association was observed between gender and colonoscopy or histopathological findings. Abdominal pain and diarrhea were both significantly associated with non-neoplastic histopathological lesions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Among patients with positive FIT and abnormal colonoscopy findings, neoplastic polyps rather than malignancy represented the predominant histopathological findings, supporting the clinical utility of FIT in detecting clinically important colorectal lesions at earlier stages. In addition, variability in the histopathology depending on the clinical presentation may contribute to clinical assessment and risk stratification. Larger prospective studies are needed to determine predictors of advanced colorectal histopathology.</p>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 10","pages":"e73409"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678108/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224856","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":"Knowledge, Perception, and Intention to Promote Malaria Vaccination Among Students in Southwestern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"James Success Odubia, Majani Edward","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73290","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hsr2.73290","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Malaria remains a major public health burden in Nigeria, and the introduction of malaria vaccines offers a promising strategy for reducing morbidity and mortality. This study assessed knowledge, perception, and intention to promote malaria vaccination among health technology students in Southwestern Nigeria.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2025 among 300 students using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Spearman's correlation with approximate 95% confidence intervals, and HC3 robust multiple linear regression. Chi-square analyses of socio-demographic factors and intention were not interpreted because sparse cells violated test assumptions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most respondents demonstrated moderate (50.3%) to good (40.7%) knowledge of the malaria vaccine. A positive overall perception score-reflecting both supportive attitudes toward vaccination and awareness of implementation-related concerns-was observed in 63.7% of participants, while 81.3% showed high intention to educate and recommend vaccination. Median scores were 14.0/20.0 for knowledge, 34.0/40.0 for perception, and 39.0/40.0 for intention. Perception was strongly associated with intention (rho = 0.553, 95% CI 0.469-0.627, <i>p</i> < 0.001), whereas knowledge was not significantly associated with intention (rho = -0.095, <i>p</i> = 0.101). In robust regression, perception remained independently and strongly associated with intention (<i>B</i> = 0.455, 95% CI 0.371-0.539, <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>While knowledge of malaria vaccination was moderate to good among health technology students, perception was more strongly related to intention to promote vaccination. Addressing misconceptions while strengthening accurate and context-sensitive vaccine communication is essential for improving future vaccine promotion.</p>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 10","pages":"e73290"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224888","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":"Advancing Early Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Ki-67 Expression Prediction With Ultrasound Viscoelastography: Based on Peritumoral Assessment.","authors":"Xiaoli Huang, Bing Zhang, Fei Chen, Chunxiang Wei, Bei Lan, Huihui Yang, Demao Deng, Quanqing Zou","doi":"10.1002/hsr2.73394","DOIUrl":"10.1002/hsr2.73394","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Breast cancer is the most common invasive malignancy in women. Ultrasound viscoelastography may improve non-invasive diagnosis, but the clinical relevance of peritumoral viscoelastic parameters (VPs) and their correlation with Ki-67 remain unclear. This study explores these associations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective study enrolled 256 breast masses (156 malignant, 100 benign). Patients underwent conventional ultrasound and viscoelastography. VPs were acquired within masses (A), peritumoral shells (Shell1: 1 mm, Shell2: 2 mm, Shell3: 3 mm), and combined regions (A' = A + Shell). Quantitative metrics included elasticity (V/1 E, V/0 E), dispersion coefficient (V/1 D), viscosity coefficient (V/0 V), and their maximum (Max), minimum (Min), mean(Mean), and standard deviation (SD) values. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by analyzing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calculating the area under the curve (AUC), followed by logistic regression. VPs were compared between high/low Ki-67 groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The AUCs of peritumoral VPs exceeded those from masses. V/1 D showed higher AUC than V/0 V and elasticity values, with Shell3 V/1 D SD having the highest AUC (0.840). The diagnostic efficacy of the peritumoral viscoelastic model surpassed that of the single elasticity parameter model, with 89.1% sensitivity, 73% specificity, 82.8% accuracy. Key variables included Shell3 V/1 D and Shell3 V/0 E. Shell1 V/0 V Max was significantly higher in high versus low Ki-67 expression groups (<i>p</i> < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The viscoelastic model improves diagnostic accuracy by quantifying peritumoral biomechanics, and certain VPs may predict Ki-67 expression. Peritumoral VPs show potential as novel non-invasive imaging biomarkers for early breast cancer evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":36518,"journal":{"name":"Health Science Reports","volume":"9 10","pages":"e73394"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13678117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149224904","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}