Public health challenges最新文献

{"title":"Loss of Pregnancy-Related Medicaid Coverage Is Associated With Unmet Need for Health Care, Medical Financial Hardship, and Lower Health Care Use in Postpartum Women.","authors":"Namrata Sanjeevi, Luciana E Hebert, Bidisha Mandal, Pablo Monsivais","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70044","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70044","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We examined the association of loss of pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage with unmet health care needs, medical financial hardship, and health care use in postpartum women participating in a nationally representative household survey.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Cross-sectional study design.</p><p><strong>Sample and measurements: </strong>Using 2012-2018 National Health Interview Survey data, we classified postpartum women as either (1) having Medicaid coverage or (2) uninsured due to loss of pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage. We examined the relationship of loss of pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage with unmet health care needs, medical financial hardship, and health care use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared to Medicaid-insured postpartum women, uninsured women who lost pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage had significantly greater odds of delaying medical care due to cost, as well as greater odds of unmet need for medical care, mental health care, and prescriptions. Uninsured postpartum women who lost pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage also had significantly greater odds of medical financial hardship and lower odds of health care use.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings suggest that continued Medicaid coverage during postpartum could improve health care access among uninsured women experiencing loss of pregnancy-related Medicaid eligibility. These results hold important implications for the public health impact of recent policy efforts to extend Medicaid eligibility into the postpartum period.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70044"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039355/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268077","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":"Barriers to Skin Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and Solutions: A Literature Review.","authors":"Christopher Maatouk, Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70042","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skin cancer mortality disproportionately affects low- and lower-middle-income regions despite the prevalence being lower than in high-income countries. Considering the need to diagnose it early for the best outcomes, this review addresses the barriers preventing it from being diagnosed and treated promptly and proposes possible solutions. Some of the barriers we found include the low number of dermatologists and pathologists, inadequate facilities, lack of education, the cost of healthcare, the denial of needing professional help, the fear and stigmatization of a skin cancer diagnosis, and the reliance on non-medical therapies. Meanwhile, solutions we identified are training programs for healthcare professionals and the public, technological advancements (including nanotechnology-based treatments, telemedicine, and social media use, the development and implementation of artificial intelligence programs), international collaborations, research, and increasing the number of cancer registries and national cancer control plans. Despite these solutions not being foolproof, they will lead to earlier cancer diagnosis, more individuals seeking skin check-ups, better knowledge of skin cancer, improving the quality of life of vulnerable populations, and decrease in mortality.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70042"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039339/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268142","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":"Development and Validation Study of a Screening Questionnaire to Identify People Who Are Physically Inactive.","authors":"Eero Kenttä, Harri Sievänen, Anastasiya Verho, Minna Paajanen, Timo Lukkarinen, Henri Vähä-Ypyä, Jani Raitanen, Kari Tokola, Tommi Vasankari, Jari Parkkari","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70037","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Insufficient physical activity (PA) is a well-known risk factor for many non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to develop a screening tool, the Helsinki Physical Activity Questionnaire (HPAQ), to identify physically inactive people at the population level and to help social and health care professionals promote PA among people at risk.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eighty-five healthy adults wore a hip-worn accelerometer for 7 days, after which they completed several PA questionnaires. These included some novel and several validated questions on PA. The reliability of individual questions to identify physically inactive people was assessed by correlation analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to find the combination of questions that best identified physically inactive people.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The highest correlation of the screening questionnaire with the accelerometer was 0.46 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) for sedentary behavior (SB) and 0.42 (<i>p</i> < 0.001) for the total amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), respectively. The best pair of questions on total PA identified 64% of all inactive subjects (MVPA < 150 min/week) based on accelerometer data.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The questionnaires developed for screening PA have a poor correlation with the accelerometer data. The screening questionnaires roughly describe PA level among middle-aged participants, but if a more sensitive or specific method is needed, device-based measurements are recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70037"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039349/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268074","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":"Reductions in Blood Lead Level Screening During Peak COVID-19 Restrictions and Beyond.","authors":"Meghan L McCarthy, Jonah Bradenday, Elizabeth Chen, Mark R Zonfrillo, Indra Neil Sarkar","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70021","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Among the multitude of health effects on children associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been significant interruptions in the provision of routine pediatric primary care, including blood lead level (BLL) screening. We aimed to investigate trends in BLL screening before and during the pandemic era using patient-level electronic health record data extracted from CurrentCare, Rhode Island's statewide health information exchange (HIE).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>De-identified data were analyzed from CurrentCare for the study period January 2018 to December 2021. We utilized ATLAS, a web-based analytics platform from the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) community, to extract and stratify BLL by variables of interest from the CurrentCare data, standardized to OHDSI's Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership common data model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A decrease in BLL screening occurred in the spring of 2020, aligning with initial periods of shelter-in-place in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak; there was a 48% decrease comparing quarter 2 (April to June) of 2019 and 2020. BLL screening rebounded in the summer of 2020, however, it remained 16% lower overall in 2020 than in 2019. In 2021, BLL screening fell again to 23% lower than in 2019. Although overall numbers of BLL screenings were reduced, the proportion of abnormal BLLs was higher, particularly in the range of 3.5-5.0 µg/dL.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Leveraging statewide HIE data, we found that significant deficiencies in BLL screening remain unresolved since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disruption of children's lives by the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have greatly affected lead screening and exposure in Rhode Island.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70021"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039357/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268090","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":"Connecting the Dots: Mass Media, Maternal Exposure, and Child Health Outcomes in Benin.","authors":"Joseph Kawuki, Meroona Gopang, Sylvester R Okeke, Edward Kwabena Ameyaw, Sanni Yaya","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70026","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Maternal exposure to mass media has been linked to various health outcomes, but its influence on childhood morbidity and mortality in Benin remains unexplored. This study examines the relationship between maternal mass media exposure and two critical child health indicators: morbidity and mortality.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This secondary analysis of the 2017/2018 Benin Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) included 13,851 women. Childhood morbidity (fever, cough, and diarrhea) and mortality were analyzed as outcomes. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression models were applied, and results were expressed as odds ratios (OR), hazard ratios (HR), and their adjusted counterparts (aOR/aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical significance was set at <i>p</i> < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fever was the most common morbidity (22.1%, 95%CI: 20.9-22.6), followed by cough (18.6%, 95%CI: 17.3-19.0) and diarrhea (13.1%, 95%CI: 12.6-14.1). At least one morbidity was reported for 35.7% (95%CI: 34.4-36.5) of children, whereas child mortality was observed in 5.6% (95%CI: 5.1-5.9). After adjustment, maternal exposure to radio and television was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of childhood cough and overall morbidity. Mothers with no exposure to radio (aOR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.67-0.86) or television (aOR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.75-0.99) had lower odds of their children experiencing cough compared to those exposed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Maternal exposure to mass media, particularly radio and television, was associated with increased childhood morbidity. This association could reflect heightened maternal health awareness, leading to increased reporting of symptoms or exposure to misleading health information through media content. These findings highlight the dual role of media as a tool for health education and a potential source of risk-promoting influences. Policymakers and health practitioners should leverage mass media for targeted interventions while addressing its adverse impacts to improve child health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70026"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039360/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268072","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":"Stigmatization, Medication Adherence and Resilience Among Recently Diagnosed People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA): A Mixed-Method Study.","authors":"Emmanuel O Adesuyi, Cynthia A Attah, Oluwatosin A Ige, Confidence C Attamah, Khadijah A Jimoh, Opeoluwa O Olabode, Oluwadamilare Akingbade, Ayobami O Adeagbo, Rafiat Akinokun, Esther Ilesanmi, Mary I Oyeleke, Abiodun E Dairo, Yetunde O Tola","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70036","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim and objectives: </strong>To investigate the level of stigma, medication adherence and resilience among recently diagnosed people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and explore the relationship between medication adherence, stigmatization and resilience.</p><p><strong>Design/method: </strong>This is a convergent-parallel mixed-method design involving both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The quantitative aspect utilized a cross-sectional design among 200 PLWHA at the anti-retroviral therapy clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, whereas the qualitative part entailed semi-structured, in-depth interviews of 26 PLWHA. Spearman's rho correlation was used to explore the relationship between medication adherence, stigmatization and resilience, and qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>Four themes emerged from the qualitative analysis, including building resilience, experiences relating to diagnosis, experiences related to treatment and factors facilitating medication adherence. Overall, 113 (57%) experienced a high level of stigma, 149 (76%) reported high medication adherence, and above average 115 (57.2%) demonstrated high resilience.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this study, PLWHA in Nigeria who recently received their diagnosis experienced a high level of stigma, resilience and medication adherence. However, nearly one-third of the participants were non-adherent to medication due to several reasons. This noteworthy proportion of non-adherence needs to be addressed while improving resilience and reducing stigmatization.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70036"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039361/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268093","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":"Seroprevalence of Toxoplasmosis in Sheep and Its Zoonotic Importance in Hargeisa, Somaliland.","authors":"Abdiqani Mohamed Jama, Taddesse Yayeh Yihun","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70035","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Toxoplasmosis has public health importance, particularly in immunocompromised individuals such as pregnant women leading to congenital abnormalities and fetal losses. In this study, we aimed to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in sheep at Mandeeq Slaughter House in Hargeisa and pregnant women attending antenatal care at Hargeisa Group Hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cross-sectional study design with systematic random sampling method and Questionnaire surveys were used for the collection of data from sheep and pregnant women. Sera were collected and examined for anti-<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> antibodies using latex agglutination test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall prevalences of toxoplasmosis were 25.5% and 28% in sheep and human, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that female (AOR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.38-3.47; <i>p</i> = 0.001) and young age groups of sheep (AOR = 3.04; 95% CI: 1.04-8.86; <i>p</i> = 0.041) were significantly associated with <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity. In pregnant women, age groups between 25 and 34 (AOR = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.07-7.14; <i>p</i> = 0.037), pregnant women who have cats in their home (AOR = 6.45; 95% CI: 2.37-17.52; <i>p</i> = 0.000), women who have close contact with garden soil (AOR = 6.74; 95% CI: 2.55-17.81; <i>p</i> = 0.000), poor hand washing practices before food eating (AOR = 29.5; 95% CI: 5.41-161.11; <i>p</i> = 0.000), and drinking tap water (AOR = 8.4; 95% CI: 2.54-28.08; <i>p</i> = 0.000) were significantly associated with <i>T. gondii</i> seropositivity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Toxoplasmosis is prevalent in sheep and pregnant women in Hargeisa. We recommend that pregnant women should avoid eating uncooked mutton, reduce gardening activities, keep personal and environmental hygiene, and drink boiled water to reduce the risk of the toxoplasmosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70035"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039353/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268092","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":"Unbreakable in Crisis: A Systematic Review Exploring Nurse Resilience and Contributing Factors During the COVID-19 Pandemic.","authors":"Jibin Kunjavara, Rinu J George, Manoj Kumar L, Shiny T Sam, Kamaruddeen Mannethodi","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70015","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) placed an unprecedented burden on the global healthcare system, severely affecting the physical and mental health of healthcare workers, particularly nurses. Nurses faced immense workloads, increased infection risks, uncertainty, and public scrutiny. Despite these challenges, nurses were lauded for their dedication and resilience in confronting the pandemic. Many experienced mortality, morbidity, and post-COVID sequelae. This review integrates psychological resilience literature from 2020 to 2022, utilizing Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review method. A total of 22 studies met the inclusion criteria, focusing on how nurses demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Most studies reported a moderate level of resilience, with a mean score of 62.54. Factors such as positive acceptance of change, trust in personal judgment, perceived competence, and spiritual influences were positively associated with resilience, whereas burnout, anxiety, and depressive thoughts negatively impacted it. Resilience was found to mediate the relationships between variables like perceived stress, emotional exhaustion, and quality of life. The literature suggests that healthcare administrations should foster a healthy work environment, maintain an optimistic outlook, and establish strong connections with frontline staff to mitigate the pandemic's impact. Providing supportive environments, resilience training, and mental health interventions will be crucial in enhancing resilience for future crises.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70015"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039363/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268106","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":"Empowering communities through One Health and ArtScience: An innovative approach to combat Chagas disease in endemic areas of Minas Gerais, Brazil.","authors":"Jonathan Gonçalves-Oliveira, Catarina Macedo Lopes, Teresa C M Gonçalves, Suellen Nunes Sarmento, João Paulo S O Correia, Rute H A de Sousa, Antônia de Castro Ribeiro, Otília Sarquis, Juliana Almeida-Silva, Sarah C Dos S Silva, Ana M Suarez-Fontes, Roberto Rodrigues Ferreira, Thallyta M Vieira, Paulo S D'Andrea, Luciana R Garzoni, Marcos A Vannier-Santos, Tania C Araujo-Jorge","doi":"10.1002/puh2.165","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.165","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected zoonosis that requires study through the One Health approach, as it involves various aspects of animal, environmental, and human health in its transmission cycle. This disease affects 7 million people in 20 countries in Latin America, resulting in approximately seven thousand deaths annually worldwide. Local knowledge is crucial for developing educational strategies to mitigate the risks of disease transmission, particularly in endemic areas.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>In this study, we present the experience of integrating five stands with complementary subjects on CD, focusing on environmental, biological, and human life factors, as well as its invertebrate and vertebrate hosts.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This research was conducted as part of the Chagas Express XXI initiative, a social-educational technology conceived as an imaginary train consisting of six thematic \"wagons\" (education stations) related to CD. The current study took place in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, focusing on the activities of wagon 4, which involved 649 participants in two municipalities: Espinosa and Montes Claros, both endemic rural and urban areas for CD.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants' prior knowledge was assessed through a series of questions, and educational mediators engaged in dialog during voluntary sessions. We found that crucial aspects related to the prevention and control of vector-borne transmissions, such as host and vector diversity, as well as household risks, were neglected in local education activities or unknown to the populations of both municipalities.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates that zoonosis, particularly CD, should be included in basic education and health professional training courses, employing strategies that consider the different socio-environmental interfaces and aim to improve human, animal, and environmental living conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039351/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268075","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":"Enhancing Human Post-Exposure Rabies Prophylaxis in Canine Rabies Endemic Regions With an Interactive Web Solution.","authors":"Aniruddha V Belsare, Deborah J Briggs, Gyanendra Gongal, Reeta S Mani, Charles E Rupprecht","doi":"10.1002/puh2.70030","DOIUrl":"10.1002/puh2.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the availability of effective biologics, rabies continues to impact several low- and middle-income countries. More than 50,000 people succumb to rabies every year due to the lack of timely and appropriate post-bite care. Biologics used in post-exposure prophylaxis, such as rabies vaccine, rabies immune globulins, and rabies monoclonal antibodies, are not readily available and often in short supply in the developing world, especially in Asia and Africa, where rabies is endemic in domestic dog populations and poorly controlled. Moreover, many healthcare professionals in these settings have less than ideal knowledge of current post-exposure prophylaxis guidelines. To combat this, we have integrated current post-bite prophylaxis guidelines and accurate information about the availability of rabies biologics into an interactive, user-friendly web application, ZeroRabiesApp (ZRA). Designed as a point-of-care tool for treating dog bite cases, ZRA generates a customized post-exposure prophylaxis schedule using the user-provided date of exposure. The schedule is based on the latest guidelines developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ZRA also provides access to the rabies biologics database that can be used to find the nearest locations where rabies biologics needed for post-exposure prophylaxis are currently available. The freely available app can offer a simple, real-time, and local solution to prevent human rabies deaths following potentially rabid exposures like dog bites.</p>","PeriodicalId":74613,"journal":{"name":"Public health challenges","volume":"4 1","pages":"e70030"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12039461/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144268076","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}