Javier Cortes-Ramirez, Vishal Singh, Jialu Wang, Ruby N Michael
{"title":"The Covid-19 hospitalization risk associated with air pollution in New York state counties after the 2023 Quebec wildfires.","authors":"Javier Cortes-Ramirez, Vishal Singh, Jialu Wang, Ruby N Michael","doi":"10.1177/22799036251361430","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251361430","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Air pollution from the 2023 Quebec wildfires affected New York state (NY) with daily average PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels that peak on June 7. Increased Covid-19 hospitalizations were recorded weeks after the wildfires. This study analyses the trend of Covid-19 hospitalization in NY counties after the 2023 Quebec wildfires and estimates their association with higher PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration levels, compared to 2022.</p><p><strong>Design and methods: </strong>A Bayesian spatiotemporal regression model was used to estimate the impact of wildfire smoke on Covid-19 hospitalizations. Four periods of pre/post-wildfire and 7-day post-wildfire daily hospitalization periods were considered to compare the association of daily average PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels, from May 1 to June 7, with daily Covid-19 hospitalization rates in NY counties in 2022 and 2023. The pre/post-wildfire and 7-day post-wildfire periods considered a lag of 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks and 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, respectively. The model was adjusted for sociodemographic factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Covid-19 hospitalization rate followed an increasing trend in the second, third and fourth pre/post-wildfire periods in 2023 in contrast with 2022 when no trends were identified. Each PM<sub>2.5</sub> unit increase was associated with a 2%; 6% and 7% Covid-19 higher hospitalization risk in periods 2, 3, and 4, respectively, in 2023 only. These findings identify a potential impact of wildfire smoke on the severity of Covid-19 morbidity after 2 weeks of the wildfires. Robust spatiotemporal analyses can be used to identify specific at-risk areas and communities to support public health decision-making and health strategies.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study identifies a higher risk of Covid-19 hospitalization in New York State associated with higher air pollution levels from the 2023 Quebec wildfires, in the first week and 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the wildfires. These findings concur with the increasingly investigated association of air pollution with severe Covid-19. The methodological approach of this study shows the utility of spatiotemporal epidemiological analyses and need for future research on wildfire smoke as a potential determinant of severe Covid-19. With more frequent and extreme climate events it is paramount to improve our understanding of many potential health impacts of wildfires to prepare strategies to deal with, and potentially anticipate, environmental health and healthcare responses in wildfire-prone regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251361430"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344232/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849327","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}
Jessica Beetch, Kapil Khadka, Michael Clark, Kunle Adesigbin, Katrin Kuhn, Aaron Wendelboe
{"title":"Examining epidemiologic disparity across SARS-CoV-2 variant-dominant periods in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma (March 12, 2020-February 28, 2022).","authors":"Jessica Beetch, Kapil Khadka, Michael Clark, Kunle Adesigbin, Katrin Kuhn, Aaron Wendelboe","doi":"10.1177/22799036251363919","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251363919","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>While it is well-known that age and race/ethnicity have been associated with poor COVID-19-related outcomes, it is less clear if vulnerable populations consistently experienced higher rates of poor outcomes over time.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Considering this, our study compared COVID-19-related outcomes by age group and racial/ethnic group across variant-dominant periods to assess how poor outcomes were experienced over time in Oklahoma County.</p><p><strong>Design and methods: </strong>In this retrospective observational study, we used health department surveillance data to compare COVID-19-related average daily case, hospitalization, and case fatality rates across three time periods-each dominated by different SARS-CoV-2 variants in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, US.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>When comparing across variant-dominant time periods, with respect to age, we observed that people age 65+ years consistently had the highest average daily rates of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. With respect to race/ethnicity, we observed that American Indian/Alaska Natives consistently experienced the highest case rate, that Black people experienced high rates of hospitalization during the pre-Delta- and Delta-dominant time periods, and White people consistently experienced the highest rate of death. Hispanic people experienced the first surge of cases in the pandemic and subsequently had relatively low rates of COVID-19-related outcomes. Asian/Pacific Islanders had relatively low rates of COVID-19-related outcomes except a relatively high rate of death late in the Omicron-dominant period.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is little evidence to suggest that once a segment of the population experiences high rates of COVID-19-related outcomes that they will benefit from lower rates of outcomes in subsequent variant-dominant time periods.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251363919"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12340187/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144838201","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}
Mi Hye Kim, Mi-Seon Kim, Jin Lee, So Hee Lee, SunHwa Park
{"title":"Developing interventions in favor of infant safety among immigrant mothers in South Korea: A brief report.","authors":"Mi Hye Kim, Mi-Seon Kim, Jin Lee, So Hee Lee, SunHwa Park","doi":"10.1177/22799036251365572","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251365572","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over the past 5 years, the accident rate for children aged 1 to 6 has shown a decreasing trend, whereas the rate for infants (0-1 year) has been increasing in South Korea. This study aims to implement an intervention to improve infant safety among Vietnamese immigrant mothers in South Korea.</p><p><strong>Design and methods: </strong>This study utilized a pre- and post-test design with 15 Vietnamese immigrant mothers who were recruited from the Multicultural Family Support Center in C city, Korea. The research tools were safety knowledge, safety beliefs, and safety self-efficacy, and data collection was conducted through written surveys before and after the intervention. Then the collected data were analyzed using a <i>Z</i>-test for statistical analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in participants' safety knowledge, safety beliefs, and safety self-efficacy (all <i>p</i> = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results demonstrate that the immigrant mothers are effective in preventing infant safety accidents and unintended injuries.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251365572"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12340165/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144838200","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}
Mohamed A Elzayat, Shorouq A Kassab, Gehad Gamal Mohamed, Alyaa S Moselhy, Abdel-Hady El-Gilany
{"title":"Influenza vaccination coverage and associated factors among medical students in Egypt: A cross-sectional multicenter study.","authors":"Mohamed A Elzayat, Shorouq A Kassab, Gehad Gamal Mohamed, Alyaa S Moselhy, Abdel-Hady El-Gilany","doi":"10.1177/22799036251362296","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251362296","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Influenza is a common infectious disease and is responsible for between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths annually. Vaccination is the best preventive strategy for decreasing influenza severity and is highly recommended for medical students. This study aims to estimate influenza vaccination coverage, its associated factors, and future willingness to receive it among medical students.</p><p><strong>Design and methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students at six Egyptian universities to represent different geographic areas using a self-administered, anonymity-based online questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was adopted to determine the predictors of previous influenza vaccination and future willingness to get it.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1364 students completed the questionnaire. 22.9% of students had received the influenza vaccine at least once in their lives, while 22.4% of the participants had been vaccinated in the index year and 24.7% in the preceding year. Among the ever-vaccinated group, the most frequent motive was to protect themselves and their families (80.8%). The most common reasons for refusing the vaccine were a lack of knowledge about recommended vaccinations (25.7%) and believing that influenza is trivial (25.5%). The willingness to take the vaccine was 55.7% among students, with the majority from the never-been-vaccinated group (70.8%). Students from Alexandria University, having received three COVID-19 vaccine doses and no prior influenza vaccine uptake, were independent predictors for future vaccine willingness (AORs: 0.678, 1.805, and 0.432, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Vaccination coverage among medical students in Egypt was low, so a comprehensive awareness program is needed to improve students' knowledge and enhance vaccine uptake.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251362296"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12319207/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144785599","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}
Carolin Kurz, Ilir Alimehmeti, Marina Boban, Smiljana Kostic, Osman Sinanovic, Osman Kučuk, Shima Mehrabian, Latchezar Traykov, Ninoslav Mimica, Gabriela Novotni, Lea Pfaeffel, Vildan Dogan, Janine Diehl-Schmid, Panagiotis Alexopoulos, Christian Grünhaus, Zvezdan Pirtošek, Alexander Kurz
{"title":"Bridging gaps in dementia care across southeastern Europe: Regional challenges, cross-border innovation, and implementation barriers.","authors":"Carolin Kurz, Ilir Alimehmeti, Marina Boban, Smiljana Kostic, Osman Sinanovic, Osman Kučuk, Shima Mehrabian, Latchezar Traykov, Ninoslav Mimica, Gabriela Novotni, Lea Pfaeffel, Vildan Dogan, Janine Diehl-Schmid, Panagiotis Alexopoulos, Christian Grünhaus, Zvezdan Pirtošek, Alexander Kurz","doi":"10.1177/22799036251361380","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251361380","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dementia is a growing challenge in Southeastern and Western Europe, with aging trends projected to accelerate in the former region. The region is facing critical gaps in dementia care due to rural-urban disparities, workforce shortages, and limited access to specialized services. Widespread reliance on informal caregiving and underdeveloped diagnostic infrastructure delay early diagnosis and equitable access to the healthcare system. This perspective article presents sustainable, regionally tailored solutions and innovative strategies from a multinational dementia network, which are aimed at improving care outcomes through collaboration, capacity building, and digital innovation. Tailored workshops and multilingual platforms have raised awareness and encouraged innovative care approaches. Meanwhile, mobile memory teams in underserved areas have been shown to enhance caregiver support and patient outcomes. The Circle of Care Hub framework was developed to bridge coordination gaps and promote equitable, integrated dementia care by linking healthcare providers, social workers, and families. Digital tools have been piloted to enhance professional training, interdisciplinary collaboration, and informal carer support. Addressing barriers such as limited services and workforce shortages is essential for sustainable improvements. Future initiatives should prioritize scalable interventions, such as mobile teams, digital platforms with evaluation mechanisms, and hybrid care models, while investing in early diagnosis, dementia centers and region-specific prevention strategies informed by robust epidemiological data. Achieving sustainable dementia care requires a combination of digital innovation and community-based solutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251361380"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12317160/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144776453","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, Attitudes, and Practices of Primary caregivers of Preschool children towards <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> infection in Southern Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Tafese Tadele, Ayalew Astatkie, Birkneh Tilahun Tadesse, Eyasu Makonnen, Solomon Mequanente Abay, Eleni Aklillu","doi":"10.1177/22799036251361622","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251361622","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Despite the growing spread of schistosomiasis among preschool children (pre-SAC), evidence is scarce on caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). The current study investigated the level and determinants of KAP of primary caregivers of pre-SAC towards <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> (<i>S. mansoni</i>) infection in southern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Design and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 887 primary caregivers of pre-SAC. A multistage sampling technique was applied, wherein study participants were selected through a simple random sampling technique. A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was used to collect data at the respondent's home. Multivariable logistic regression with a cluster-robust variance estimation method was used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The knowledge level of <i>S. mansoni</i> infection among respondents was 358 (37%). Only 486 (54.8%) of caregivers had a favorable attitude, while 513 (57.8%) of caregivers had good practices. Being from the poorest (AOR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.57-0.99) and poorer (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.47-0.65) households were significant determinants of knowledge. The age range of 23-29 years, not having formal education, and being from the poorest households were significant determinants of attitude. Being unmarried (AOR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89) and not receiving information about the disease from any source (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.26-0.62) had a significant association with good practice.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study revealed a low level of knowledge, unfavorable attitudes, and poor practices about <i>S. mansoni</i> among primary caregivers. To enhance caregivers' KAP, tailored health education is recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251361622"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12317157/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144776467","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":"Off-label use of Avastin in Pakistan: Lessons from the 2023 Punjab outbreak.","authors":"Syed Mahib Ali, Arooba Iqbal, Zymal Hamid, Sameer Abdul Rauf, Md Ariful Haque","doi":"10.1177/22799036251361620","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251361620","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Off-label drug use, which involves prescribing medications beyond approved indications or dosages, is common in countries like Pakistan where regulatory oversight is limited. Avastin (Bevacizumab), originally approved for cancer treatment, is widely used off-label in ophthalmology to treat conditions such as diabetic retinopathy due to its anti-VEGF effects and lower cost compared to approved alternatives like Ranibizumab. However, its intravitreal use requires strict sterility and compounding standards. In 2023, an outbreak of vision loss occurred in Punjab, Pakistan, affecting 66 patients following intravitreal Avastin injections. Investigations linked the incident to contamination caused by improper repackaging and handling outside sterile conditions, revealing significant gaps in regulatory enforcement and clinical safety protocols. This outbreak highlights the urgent need for clear national guidelines, strict compounding practices, and informed consent to ensure patient safety. Although Avastin remains valuable for ophthalmic use, its safe administration depends on rigorous quality control. Lessons from this incident should guide efforts to improve drug safety and prevent future adverse events.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251361620"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12314230/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144776468","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":"Corrigendum to \"COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Marshallese in Northwest Arkansas (USA)\".","authors":"","doi":"10.1177/22799036251362964","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/22799036251362964","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/22799036241231549.].</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251362964"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12304575/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144745451","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}
SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Arian Afzalian, Hengameh Mojdeganlou, Sanaz Varshochi, Parinaz Paranjkhoo, Parmida Shahbazi, Mina Hajizadeh, Sohrab Lotfi, Amirhassan Hajei, Khadijeh Nasiri, Amir Masoud Afsahi, Fatemeh Afroughi, Ladan Heidaresfahani, Amirali Karimi, Narjes Sadat Farizani Gohari, Esmaeil Mehraeen, Daniel Hackett
{"title":"COVID-19 and its association with meteorological, climate, and environmental factors: A systematic review.","authors":"SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Arian Afzalian, Hengameh Mojdeganlou, Sanaz Varshochi, Parinaz Paranjkhoo, Parmida Shahbazi, Mina Hajizadeh, Sohrab Lotfi, Amirhassan Hajei, Khadijeh Nasiri, Amir Masoud Afsahi, Fatemeh Afroughi, Ladan Heidaresfahani, Amirali Karimi, Narjes Sadat Farizani Gohari, Esmaeil Mehraeen, Daniel Hackett","doi":"10.1177/22799036251358298","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251358298","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>COVID-19 transmission can be influenced by various factors, including weather and climate conditions, population density, and the availability of medical facilities. To gain a deeper understanding of this topic, an in-depth analysis of recent studies is needed. Our objective was to investigate previous systematic reviews that have examined the seasonal variation of COVID-19 and the impact of climate on its transmission and mortality. Online databases that included PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane were searched using relevant keywords up to November 2021. Negative associations were found between temperature and COVID-19 spread and mortality (6/9 studies, 66.6%). These negative correlations imply a decrease in the spread and mortality of COVID-19 with an increase in temperature. Similarly, seven systematic reviews reported a negative correlation between humidity and transmission or mortality of COVID-19 (7/9 studies, 77.7%). COVID-19 spread was not associated with precipitation (three studies) but was negatively correlated with sunlight or UV radiation (two studies), COVID-19 incidence and mortality were positively associated with wind speed (one study). One study reported that the effect of air pressure and UV radiation on COVID-19 activity was unknown. The effects of air pollution, seasonal changes, wind speed, precipitation, and UV radiation on COVID-19 incidence or mortality remain unclear. However, factors proposed as having the greatest influence on COVID-19 incidence or mortality include air pollution, wind speed, and wastewater. Sunlight exposure and warm climates likely assist with reducing COVID-19 incidence or mortality, with the infection having a winter seasonality.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251358298"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12304582/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144745452","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}
Afroza Sultana, Akher Ali, Sifat Ar Salan, Mohammad Alamgir Kabir
{"title":"Exploring the spatial and temporal dynamics of the health index of Bangladesh using Bayesian framework.","authors":"Afroza Sultana, Akher Ali, Sifat Ar Salan, Mohammad Alamgir Kabir","doi":"10.1177/22799036251351156","DOIUrl":"10.1177/22799036251351156","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health is vital for survival and societal well-being, with global goals focusing on improved access and achieving progress in public health. In Bangladesh, investigating health determinants and disparities is crucial for effective interventions.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study investigates spatial and temporal variations in the influence of socioeconomic and health-related factors on the health index at a detailed district level in Bangladesh, aiming to discern disparities in health indicators among districts. Based on 21 years of secondary data across 64 districts in Bangladesh, this research deploys four Bayesian spatial-temporal models to analyze the health index and relevant variables.</p><p><strong>Design and methods: </strong>The study identifies the optimal model by evaluating linear, analysis of variance, and autoregressive models of orders one and two. Comparative analysis utilizing the WAIC and DIC aids model selection. The MCMC method enhances precision in determining health index determinants, providing valuable insights for policymakers and researchers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings reveal that the AR (2) model demonstrated superior performance among all the spatiotemporal models. The health index demonstrated a consistent upward trend overall, but regional variations in residents' health indices were noted. Positive spatial autocorrelation was identified in the health index, emphasizing interconnected health outcomes. Spatiotemporal models underscored the significance of the income index, child mortality, life expectancy, and the proportion of the active population as crucial factors shaping the health index in Bangladesh.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides actionable insights for targeted health interventions in districts with specific needs, emphasizing focused policies on poverty, education, and healthcare to enhance overall well-being in Bangladesh.</p>","PeriodicalId":45958,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Research","volume":"14 3","pages":"22799036251351156"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12301593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144733842","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}