Dialogues in health最新文献

{"title":"Addressing the challenge of rheumatic heart disease in Pakistan: A call to action","authors":"Abdul Hakeem ,&nbsp;Masood Sadiq ,&nbsp;Javerya Hassan ,&nbsp;Isbaah Tejani ,&nbsp;Ijaz Hussain ,&nbsp;Jalil Khan ,&nbsp;Mohammad Waleed ,&nbsp;Sabha Bhatti ,&nbsp;Sana Sheikh ,&nbsp;Sobia Masood ,&nbsp;Ali H. Mokdad ,&nbsp;Aziz Sheikh ,&nbsp;Zafar Mirza ,&nbsp;Zainab Samad","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100221","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100221","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite its high prevalence, Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is underrepresented in Pakistan's national and federal health plans. To address this gap, we gathered multi-geographic and specialty perspectives from frontline clinicians in Pakistan'. Major challenges in RHD diagnosis and care include regional healthcare disparities, diagnostic limitations, scarcity of Benzathine Penicillin G (BPG) for prophylaxis, and lack of multidisciplinary RHD teams.</div><div>Our practitioner-informed recommendations emphasize community outreach, targeted screening, and surveillance, and comprehensive training for healthcare providers in the diagnosis and management of GAS infections and ARF. Strengthening multidisciplinary care and ensuring stable BPG supplies are essential, as is integrating RHD care into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) models currently being implemented to reduce patient financial burdens. Improving RHD management requires systemic changes to healthcare infrastructure, practitioner training, and coordinated policy efforts. Crucially, these proposals align with WHO's latest RHD guidelines on primary (treating GAS infections) and secondary prevention (antibiotic prophylaxis and screening). By translating local clinical wisdom into actionable policies, this viewpoint yields practical interventions tailored to Pakistan that are also adaptable to similar LMIC settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144170382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applying user-centred techniques and expert feedback to refine an AI-based app for addressing mobile gaming addiction in adolescents","authors":"Anna Khoziasheva","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100220","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100220","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The prevalent use of smartphones has contributed to a rise in mobile gaming addiction, especially in young people. This study aimed to describe the design of an enhanced version of the AI-based mGaming Wellness mobile app, to support young individuals in developing healthy mobile gaming habits.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study utilised a 4-phased methodology, based on user-centred design principles, the Mobile App Rating Scale, a focus group and in-depth interviews with the app's target audience, and a think-aloud method.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The first round of refinement of mGaming Wellness, guided by input from an expert panel, focused on enhancing engagement and information quality. Feedback led to the identification of 5 key components for digital interventions, including mood and sleep trackers, a statistics dashboard, and educational modules tailored to young users' needs. Subsequent user research prompted the simplification of mood trackers and adjustments in educational content to align closely with adolescents' experiences. Usability testing of a high-fidelity prototype highlighted the app's ease of use and identified areas for further improvement, particularly in understanding how to reduce gaming time and effectively manage gaming-related notifications. The refined mGaming Wellness app can be a valuable resource for mental health professionals, educators, and youngsters seeking support with problematic mobile gaming or interested in building healthy digital habits.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The findings advocate for the user-centred techniques in developing digital health interventions, contributing valuable input for research in mental health app development targeted at adolescents. Future research will evaluate the app's effectiveness in reducing problematic gaming behaviour.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143899455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Workplace menstrual product policies and worker well-being: Insights from Queensland, Australia","authors":"Melissa Judith Chalada","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100219","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100219","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In 2022, the World Health Organization acknowledged menstrual health as a global human right and encouraged a shift in responsibility from individuals to the community. Globally, menstrual products are rarely included in workplace policies, hindering equitable well-being by placing disproportionate burden on menstruating workers. This exploratory study in Queensland, Australia supplied a public sector workplace with menstrual products for two months in 2023. A questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative aspects assessed the experiences of 21 menstruating workers. Before the supply, 94.7 % had experienced menstruation at work without access to products, leading to mental distress. Additionally, 71.4 % worried about lacking products when needed and 38.1 % believed this worry decreased their mental well-being or concentration. After the supply, 94.1 % reported improved emotions, 70.6 % perceived improved concentration and 64.7 % felt improved mental well-being. However, only 57.1 % believed that menstrual product supply should be mandated by workplace policy. Factors contributing to exclusion of menstrual products from global workplace policies are discussed, such as limited awareness, poor workplace infrastructure and persistent stigma. This study was limited by a small sample size and self-reporting bias. Regardless, the findings highlight the respective positive and negative impacts of including or omitting menstrual products in workplace policy, even in a socioeconomically privileged country like Australia. This emphasises the underestimation of menstrual health as a basic human right in workplace health and safety, urging more research on workplace menstrual product provision and related feminine sanitary infrastructure especially in low-resourced nations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100219"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Four-year follow-up of CHARM2, an effective family planning intervention, on number and sex of births: Findings from an RCT in rural India","authors":"Anita Raj ,&nbsp;Nicole Johns ,&nbsp;Florin Vaida ,&nbsp;Mohan Ghule ,&nbsp;Namratha Rao ,&nbsp;Jay G. Silverman","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100218","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100218","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Effective family planning interventions may have inadvertent effects on births of girls given son preference in India. We conducted 36 and 48-month follow-ups to our CHARM2 family planning study to determine long-term intervention effects on births and sex of children.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Our non-blinded two-armed cluster RCT randomized young married couples (&lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 1201 couples) from 20 geographic clusters (60–61 couples per cluster) into either the CHARM2 intervention or control (referral to local care) condition. CHARM2 offers 5-session gender-synchronized family planning and gender equity counseling delivered by trained local medical providers. Data were collected at baseline in September 2018–June 2019 and then follow-ups at 9, 18, 36 and 48 months, up to September 2023. We retained 88 %–91 % of women across follow-ups with no difference in retention by treatment group. We used adjusted mixed-effects logistic regression models examining sex composition of births at each follow-up and over the total 48-month follow-up to assess differences in all births of boys and girls by treatment group. We adjusted for treatment condition, cluster, and relevant demographics in adjusted models.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We saw no treatment effects on total births or boy births, but lower likelihood of a girl birth was seen at 9-month follow-up and for the total 48-month follow-up period. We found at 9-month follow-up a girl birth was less likely for intervention compared with control participants (7.1 % vs. 10.3 %, respectively, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; = 0.06), and the male to female sex ratio of births born between baseline and 9-month follow-up was also significantly higher for intervention vs. comparison participants (1.50 [95 % CI 1.00–2.26] vs. 0.83 [95 % CI 0.56–1.21], &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; = 0.04). We conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine treatment effects on boy births and girl births over the 48-month follow-up and again found no effects on boy births, but a significantly lower likelihood of a girl birth for the intervention group (22 % vs 29 %, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; = 0.03).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The CHARM2 family planning intervention, previously demonstrating significant effects on contraceptive use and women's reproductive agency in rural India, resulted in lower likelihood of girl births over time, suggesting that family planning programs can contribute to sex ratio imbalances if broader social changes eliminating son preference and improving value of a girl child do not occur.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Funding&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;National Institutes of Health, Grant R01HD084453 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. INV002967. The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study, collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication. [&lt;span&gt;&lt;span&gt;ClinicalTrials.gov&lt;/span&gt;&lt;svg&gt;&lt;path","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100218"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143874672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formulae for calculating subgroup disease burden from overall and reported or assumed relative burden estimates","authors":"Kwame Owusu-Edusei ,&nbsp;Arijita Deb ,&nbsp;Elamin H. Elbasha","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100216","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The risk of disease varies across populations based on factors like age, sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and underlying medical conditions. Subgroup or subpopulation data are critical in planning, executing and evaluating public health interventions. However, most studies report the values for the overall (total) population with little or no information on the subgroups. As a result, finding subgroup specific data can be challenging.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>In this report, a set of formulae that can be used to calculate subgroup or subpopulation data using the overall estimates and the reported or assumed relative estimates were derived.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A simple numerical example was used to illustrate the methodology. Next, symbolic formula for calculating the burden (e.g., incidence, prevalence, or average cost) for 3 (and extended to <em>n</em> number of) subgroups or subpopulations were derived. To account for uncertainty in the data, two statistical methods were used to estimate confidence intervals for the point estimates.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The derived formulae indicated that each subgroup or subpopulation's burden (incidence, prevalence, or average cost) can be calculated as the overall burden adjusted by the ratio of that subgroup or subpopulation's relative burden to the sum of the proportion-weighted relative burden (incidence, prevalence, or average cost) of all the subgroups or subpopulations within the population.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These formulae can help to avoid or minimize potential quantitative and qualitative errors in subgroup or subpopulation disease burden estimates used for health research, interventions and/or policy analyses or deliberations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143874671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"COVID-19 effect on food security, livelihood, and mental health in affected households of Jashore, Bangladesh","authors":"Sabrina Zaman ,&nbsp;Tamsel Ahammed ,&nbsp;Md Abul Hasan ,&nbsp;Md. Enamul Huque","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100217","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100217","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified concerns about global food insecurity, with dietary diversity emerging as a critical indicator of nutritional adequacy. These challenges have far-reaching implications for mental health, particularly in vulnerable populations.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study delves into the intersection of post-COVID-19 household food insecurity, dietary diversity, and mental depression among affected households.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>A cross-sectional study conducted with a sample size of COVID 19 affected 500 households. Bivariate linear regression performed to establish associations with food insecurity, dietary diversity, and depression.</div></div><div><h3>Result</h3><div>The study found that only 33.4 % of households were food secure, while 40.8 % experienced moderate food insecurity. Most households (82.2 %) had a medium level of dietary diversity, and 45.6 % of respondents reported experiencing different level of depression. Urban residency, higher education, stable employment, and higher income were associated with lower food insecurity and better dietary diversity ((<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), whereas female-headed households, joint families, and older family heads had higher levels of depression. Job losses (63 %) and income reductions (69.8 %) during COVID-19 contributed significantly (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) to increased food insecurity and depression. Households with stable jobs, higher incomes, and access to nutritional information enjoyed better food security, greater dietary diversity, and lower depression. In contrast, rising food prices and job changes worsened both food insecurity and mental health outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food security, dietary diversity and mental health in Jashore, Bangladesh, exacerbating food insecurity and mental depression, especially among vulnerable groups. However, households with stable jobs, better education, and access to information fared better.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100217"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848158","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"‘Beyond core business’: A qualitative review of activities supporting environmental health within remote Western Australian schools","authors":"Stephanie L. Enkel ,&nbsp;Rebecca Dalton ,&nbsp;Chicky Clements ,&nbsp;Hannah M.M. Thomas ,&nbsp;Tracy McRae ,&nbsp;Ingrid Amgarth-Duff ,&nbsp;Marianne Mullane ,&nbsp;Lisa Wiese ,&nbsp;Liam Bedford ,&nbsp;Nina Lansbury ,&nbsp;Jonathan R. Carapetis ,&nbsp;Edie Wright ,&nbsp;Asha C. Bowen","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100215","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Aboriginal children and families contend with higher rates of preventable infectious diseases that can be attributed to their immediate living environment. The environments in which children spend most of their time are their homes and schools. We aimed to understand the opportunities in the school setting to support student skin health and wellbeing through environmental health activities, how these activities were completed, and the barriers to their implementation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Recognising the importance of healthy skin for educational success, this work was embedded within a larger cluster randomised stepped-wedge Trial aimed at reducing the rate of skin infections among Aboriginal children living in the Kimberley region of Western Australia by 50 %. We used qualitative data collected via a culturally appropriate yarning methodology during trial evaluation interviews. The data from 35 yarns with 41 individuals were thematically analysed.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Data indicated that schools serve as a hub of health and hygiene support and maintenance, with school staff balancing teaching responsibilities while also meeting the basic health and wellbeing needs of students. Uncertainties regarding funding and policies governing these activities remained; ongoing exploration is required.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>Staff in remote Kimberley schools devote substantial time and resources to supporting student hygiene needs, often stepping in when health infrastructure at home is inadequate. These activities are seen as necessary to support student wellbeing and participation in learning. While schools are well-positioned to respond in this way, these responsibilities extend beyond their core role and place additional pressure on staff and budgets. There is a need to better understand how such work is resourced and to consider how policy and funding frameworks might more formally support it.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alternative community-based gardening and water banks for micronutrients intake among women in northern Ghana","authors":"Clement Kubreziga Kubuga","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100214","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Worldwide, women experience high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies due to poor quality diets and elevated needs of the subpopulation. In Ghana, micronutrient deficiencies are pronounced in northern Ghana especially during the prolonged dry/lean season. This study aimed to investigate whether or not the results from an earlier pilot study to improve micronutrient intakes could be replicated through the entire dry season and to explore alternative and sustainable dry season gardening models to improve diet quality among women in northern Ghana.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this quasi-experimental study, the experimental design comprised an experimental community (<em>n</em> = 102) and a control community (<em>n</em> = 104). Participants in the experimental community were provided with wooden containers, soil water retention technology (SWRT) beds, and water reservoirs for vegetables production. Control community did not receive any of the above.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The pilot study's results were successfully replicated throughout the dry season: container and SWRT community-based gardening as alternative dry season farming models, improved diet quality among women during the dry/lean season. The proportion of women consuming non diverse diets declined by 41 % in the intervention group. Furthermore, community-based gardening was successfully supported by community-based water banks for five months. This finding offers a potential solution to the shortcomings of conventional irrigation systems in northern Ghana.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Alternative community-based dry season gardening models can contribute to improve micronutrient intakes and nutrition security in northern Ghana. Though the results of this study are promising, it is recognized that more extensive research is necessary.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100214"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792508","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":"Exploring public perceptions of college education on TikTok: A content analysis through the lens of the social determinants of health","authors":"Erin Toussaint Jacques ,&nbsp;Vincent Jones II ,&nbsp;Erela Datuowei ,&nbsp;Arijit Chatterjee ,&nbsp;Carlee Denholtz ,&nbsp;Corey H. Basch","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100213","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100213","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the value of a college degree within the context of the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) framework, analyzing 100 TikTok videos and their respective comments through two separate analyses. The first focused on the video characteristics, including engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and saves, while the second analyzed comment threads for themes within the SDH framework. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney <em>U</em> test to evaluate differences in engagement metrics based on the presence or absence of the themes. Videos addressing Employment Opportunities (76 %), Economic Mobility (68 %), and Education Quality (65 %) received the highest engagement. The comment analysis showed significant associations between themes such as Income Potential, Employment Opportunities, Economic Mobility, Social Capital, Debt and Financial Stress with higher video likes. However, health related themes, despite being integral to the SDH framework, were either absent or insignificant in comment discussions. These findings underscore the public's emphasis on financial and career-related concerns over broader health implications. Future research should explore the extent to which SDH-related benefits—such as health resources, access, and literacy—influence decisions about pursuing higher education.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100213"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digital and social media use among adolescents in Arctic Norway: Exploring risk and protective factors in Finnmark County","authors":"Shiho Hansen","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Digital and social media use among adolescents in Finnmark County, Arctic Norway, has increased significantly over the past decade. However, the mechanisms linking risk and protective factors to these behaviors remain underexplored. This study examines the associations between individual, environmental, and behavioral factors influencing digital and social media use among high school students in Finnmark. Using data from the 2021 Ungdata survey, which included responses from 2086 high school students in Finnmark County, the research examined associations between individual factors, environmental influences (e.g., family, peers, schools), and risk behaviors (e.g., substance use, antisocial behavior) through partial least squares structural equation modeling with stepwise regression. The findings revealed distinct patterns: digital media use was associated with environmental factors such as relationships with parents, school connectedness, and satisfaction with the local area. In contrast, social media use was associated with peer dynamics, internal feelings, and negative experiences, including depression and sexual harassment. While media use fostered social connections, heavy use was associated with reduced physical activity and face-to-face interactions, exacerbating regional challenges like geographic isolation and cultural diversity. These findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between digital and social media in research and interventions, integrating the unique sociocultural context of Finnmark. Future studies should explore the behavioral dimensions of media use and incorporate ethnicity-related factors to deepen the understanding of adolescent media behaviors in Arctic regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100212"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768521","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}