When outbreaks of emerging and reemerging zoonotic diseases are discussed, little attention is paid to differential gender impacts, or to gender involvement and roles in different settings during the outbreak. Gender roles shape how individuals' interactions with animals, wildlife, other people and the environment, which influences exposure to zoonotic pathogens. For example, in some rural communities, men may face risks of exposure to emerging pathogens during hunting whilst women who primarily take care of domestic animals may face prolonged exposure to other zoonotic diseases. In some settings, women (and men) lack access to health protection, education or communication with health officials (medical doctors or veterinarians). In some cultures, women are not allowed to speak directly with male service providers, further limiting their access to critical information and services. One Health is a holistic, inclusive approach which should be incorporating a gender lens when considering zoonoses. This includes thinking about the need to create appropriate gender sensitive policies that address disparities in surveillance, response, prevention, detection, and control of the disease (or health issue) being addressed. In this paper, we highlight these issues through several case studies that demonstrate the importance of including gender in zoonotic disease response and, ideally, when implementing prevention measures.

Pharmaceutical Care (PC) has emerged as a vital component of the healthcare system, involving the provision of medication therapy to achieve specific outcomes that enhance a patient's quality of life. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate PharmD interns' self-reported attitudes, perceptions of the skills required to provide PC using multiple domains (technical, psychosocial, communication, and administrative aspects) and perceived barriers to implementing PC, and recommendations. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and December 2023, utilizing pretested questionnaires with PharmD interns at Saudi universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire included sociodemographic information, attitudes (13 items), perceptions (24 items), importance (19 items), barriers (17 items) toward PC, and recommendations (4 items). To find out the association between variables chi-square, Analysis of Variance, and Spearman correlation were used to examine differences in perceptions and correlations between attitude and perception scores, with a P value < .05 considered statistically significant. A total of 216 PharmD interns participated, with 59.7% being male, 94.9% Saudi nationals, and a mean age of 24.08 ± 0.98 years. The majority (72.7%) were 24 years old. Participants were from public (57.9%) and private (42.1%) universities in Riyadh. The mean attitude score towards PC was 51.25 ± 9.38, and the mean perception score was 106.67 ± 16.01. Attitude scores were significantly associated with gender and university type (P < .001), while perception scores showed significant associations with gender, age, and university type (P < .01). The results of the Spearman correlation analysis indicated a moderate, statistically significant positive correlation between mean attitude and mean perception scores (R = 0.345, P < .01). Most interns agreed that pharmacists should prevent and solve medication-related problems (86.6%) and provide PC (85.7%). However, 43.5% believed that PC is not worth the additional workload. The most frequently reported barriers were lack of financial compensation (65.8%), inadequate staffing (62.5%), limited private counseling areas (60.7%). Most of the PharmD interns have a positive attitude towards PC but face structural and educational barriers to PC implementation. Future research should focus on overcoming these barriers and promoting Interprofessional healthcare courses to enhance patient outcomes.

Depression and anxiety are among the most common comorbidities in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Yet their prevalence and contributing factors in Saudi Arabia are poorly examined. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with PD in Saudi Arabia, along with contributors, demographics, and clinical correlates. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in which 130 patients diagnosed with PD completed the validated Arabic versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to ascertain the presence of depression and anxiety, respectively. Sociodemographic, patient-related factors, and clinical data were also collected and analyzed in conjunction with the aforementioned scales using univariate and multivariable logistic regression. Depression and anxiety were present in 67.7% and 62.3% of participants, respectively. Compared with the age group 41-50 years, the 51-60 and 61-70 groups were less likely to be depressed or anxious (P = .013 and P = .008). Lower education (high school or less) was associated with both depression and anxiety (P = .021 and P = .017). Anxiety (GAD-7) was associated with a history of major depressive disorder (P = .003). Longer PD duration was associated with higher odds of both anxiety and depression (P ≤ .001). Our study shows a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with PD, particularly among those with longer disease duration and lower educational attainment. Routine neuropsychological screening and early multidisciplinary care are warranted.

Early detection of cognitive dysfunction through reliable biomarkers remains a critical challenge in geriatric medicine. While conventional peripheral blood parameters offer convenient and cost-effective biomarker potential, previous studies have been limited by their focus on isolated cell populations. This study investigates both individual blood cell parameters and their derived ratios to comprehensively evaluate their relationship with cognitive function. In this cross-sectional conducted from 2022 to 2024, we enrolled 109 participants (51 with cognitive impairment and 58 controls) from the Haikou City Community Health Service Center. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). We analyzed 26 blood parameters, including traditional metrics and calculated indices such as lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). The relationship between these parameters and cognitive domains was evaluated using comprehensive statistical analyses. Fifteen parameters showed significant differences between groups. Binary logistic regression identified SII as a risk factor (OR: 1.008, 95% CI: 1.003-1.012, P = .002). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the diagnostic accuracy of SII (AUC = 0.911, 95% CI: 0.856-0.966) was significantly superior to that of the sole parameter, the number of lymphocyte count (AUC = 0.702, 95% CI: 0.604-0.801). Our findings suggest that lower lymphocyte counts and elevated SII levels are associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment. These results provide new insights into the relationship between systemic inflammation and cognitive decline, with potential implications for clinical practice.

Disordered eating (DE) significantly affects both physical and mental health, contributing to morbidity, mortality, and considerable global healthcare costs. This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of high-risk DE and examined its associations with body composition, behavioural factors, diet quality, and perceived stress among university students in the United Arab Emirates. A total of 911 students were recruited using non-probability quota sampling (50.49% female). Body composition was measured using a TANITA BC-420MA body composition monitor. Usual dietary intake was assessed via a validated 65-item food frequency questionnaire. DE risk was assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) and perceived stress using the PSS-10. Analysis included linear regression and independent-samples t-test (p < 0.05). High-risk DE (EAT-26 ≥ 20) prevalence was 30.3%. High-risk DE was significantly associated with higher body fat percentage (β = 0.121, p < 0.001), fat mass (β = 0.148, p < 0.001), fat-free mass (β = 0.079, p = 0.017), lean mass (β = 0.08, p = 0.016), total body water (β = 0.084, p = 0.011), and lower total body water percentage (β = -0.131, p < 0.001). High-risk students also reported higher intakes of fibre (β = 0.12, p = 0.018), beta-carotene (β = 0.14, p = 0.025), vitamin A (β = 0.13, p = 0.034), B12 (β = 0.15, p = 0.043), folate (β = 0.16, p = 0.006), and vitamin D (β = 0.16, p = 0.036). Compared with the low-risk group, high-risk DE was associated with higher adiposity markers and slightly higher perceived stress, and differed in selected nutrient intakes; sociodemographic characteristics were largely similar between groups except for smoking status. These findings support the implementation of targeted prevention strategies, including nutrition education, routine screening, and culturally tailored programmes, for young adults in the UAE.

Drug checking services (DCS) promote drug supply awareness among people who use drugs (PWUD) by detecting adulterants such as fentanyl and xylazine that are associated with overdose morbidity and mortality. However, there is limited research on DCS implementation in Latin America (LA).

We conducted a survey of 38 DCS across LA (n=10) and the US (n=28) and compared program characteristics and barriers between these two regions. We also conducted a focus group discussion (FGD) with staff representing six organizations implementing DCS in LA. FGD themes were mapped to constructs quantitatively assessed in the survey.

Compared to US DCS, LA DCS more frequently reported funding gaps as a major implementation barrier (80% vs. 54%), law enforcement confiscating DCS supplies (38% vs. 11%), as well as offering supervised drug consumption (30% vs. 4%) and mental health/counseling (40% vs. 18%), but less frequently reported that DCS equipment was legal (44% vs. 75%). DCS on the Mexico-US border focused on people who inject drugs and offered syringe services, supervised consumption, and rapid sexually transmitted infection testing. DCS in central Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Chile primarily provided DCS for the nightlife community (e.g., attendees of concerts/raves). Barriers to DCS implementation cited by FGD discussants included inadequate funding, DCS legal ambiguities, lack of government support, and cartel violence.

DCS in LA would benefit from increased funding, government support, and a more permissive legal environment, thereby strengthening harm reduction efforts and improving safety for PWUD.

It has been suggested that participatory arts-based activities inherently align with recovery-oriented way of working and may aid personal recovery in people with mental illness. However, underlying mechanisms need to be further clarified. The aim of this study is to contribute to more understanding on recovery through creativity by examining lived experiences in the context of arts-based recovery initiatives.

In this qualitative, interpretive study, 26 participants from Dutch arts-based recovery initiatives were purposefully selected. Unstructured interviews were conducted and transcribed. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Eight themes describe participants' lived experiences of personal recovery through creativity in the context of participatory arts initiatives. We grouped these into four metathemes that represent the underlying mechanisms of recovery through creativity: "Engaging in a conscious and constructive activity," "Transforming and transcending painful experiences," "Belonging in a creative community," and "Steps toward emancipation." A fifth metatheme, "Opposing forces," describes the processes that hinder a favorable relationship between creativity and personal recovery.

The research confirms that participatory arts initiatives align with the recovery philosophy, with both contextual and arts-related aspects playing a role in the perceived benefits of participating in such an initiative. The experience of beauty and a sense of wholeness as a counterbalance to experiences of psychological suffering offers a promising avenue for further research, as well as research leading to a better understanding of how opposing forces in the relationship between creativity and recovery can be (self-)managed.

College students are the main force of the country's future. The physical health of college students is directly related to the country's future development and progress. Overweight and obesity not only affect the appearance of college students, but also increase the risk of illness, and affect their study, life and career development. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the current status of weight loss behavior and its influencing factors in college students, in order to provide baseline data for the development of targeted weight loss measures, and provide a basis for improving the physical and mental health of college students and long-term weight management goals.

Using the convenience sampling method, 302 Chinese full-time college students from a traditional medicine university in Shandong Province were selected as the survey subjects from July to August 2025. Questionnaire surveys were conducted using the General Information Questionnaire, the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, and the Health Status Survey Scale. SPSS 26.0 software was used to process and analyze the data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the general information. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of weight loss among college students and conducted a correlation analysis.

45.0% of college students had weight loss behavior, among whom 63 were male and 73 were female. Dutch Eating Behavior, Self-Efficacy for Exercise were positively correlated with weight loss behavior of college students. Logistic regression analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences between body mass index, weight loss intention, Dutch Eating Behavior, Self-Efficacy for Exercise and weight loss behavior of college students, p < 0.05.

Body mass index, weight loss intention, Dutch Eating Behavior, and Self-Efficacy for Exercise were the influencing factors of weight loss behavior among college students. Relevant departments of the school should do good job in health education for students, guide them to establish good lifestyle, improve their dietary management skills and confidence in exercise, strengthen their motivation for weight loss, enhance self-health management, and maintain healthy weight.

Headaches have been consistently associated with mental health disorders. However, current prevalence of headaches in Arab populations is highly varied. Additionally, the potential role of religiosity in this relationship has not been studied. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of headaches in Saudi Arabia, a highly religious Arab society, to examine their association with mental health disorders, and to explore whether religiosity modifies this relationship.

This study used the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS), a nationally representative, cross-sectional, community-based psychiatric epidemiological household survey. Trained interviewers assessed history of headaches, and common DSM-IV mental health disorders were diagnosed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Religiosity was measured using a validated culturally appropriate religiosity scale embedded within the survey. Headache prevalence was calculated as the proportion of respondents reporting headaches relative to the total sample. Survey-weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted association between headaches and mental health disorders. An interaction term was introduced to explore the role of religiosity.

The overall lifetime prevalence of headaches among Saudis was 56% (95% CI: 53%-58%), with 28% reporting recent episode of headaches. In multivariable logistic regression models including sociodemographic factors, respondents with headaches were more likely to have mental health disorders (OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.50-2.91; p < 0.001). Religiosity did not modify the association between headaches and mental health disorders (interaction OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.98-1.02; p > 0.9).

Headaches are highly prevalent in Saudi Arabia, with more than half of respondents reporting a lifetime history and nearly one-third experiencing recent episodes. Individuals with headaches are more likely to have mental health disorders. However, varying levels of religiosity do not appear to modify this relationship. These findings underscore the importance of screening for mental health disorders in individuals presenting with headaches, regardless of their religiosity, and highlight the potential value of collaborative models that integrate professional mental health support with religiously sensitive approaches.

Introduction The development of indices enables the accurate identification of issues by consolidating the key factors associated with an outcome, which in turn allows for better prioritization of risks. Therefore, the purpose of creating indices is to generate information that supports evidence-based analysis, facilitating accurate decision-making and addressing risks through an understanding of the underlying components, thereby allowing decision-makers to develop prevention strategies and programs. The objective of this research was to develop and validate an index using the statistical technique of "conjunctive consolidation" to assess factors related to the quality of work life (QoWL) among nursing staff, providing a simple method that can be applied for specific predictions or decisions. Methods A methodological study was conducted using "conjunctive consolidation" analysis to develop an index of exposure factors associated with unsatisfactory QoWL among nursing staff at a tertiary care hospital. The index was created by consolidating the associated factors and assessing validity through convergence with constructs such as perceived institutional safety, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health outcomes for each consolidation, as well as by evaluating the index's performance using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results The consolidations used to develop the index were as follows: consolidation of psychosocial perception, comprising work alienation (odds ratio (OR): 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.9-7.4) and reports of family aggression (OR: 3.5, 95% CI: 1.6-8.0); consolidation of exposure due to work activity, comprising forced movements (OR: 4.16, 95% CI: 2.13-8.15) and overexertion (OR: 4.43, 95% CI: 2.20-8.92); and consolidation of exposure due to work instruments, comprising exposure to drug preparation dust (OR: 3.61, 95% CI: 1.79-7.27) and exposure to radiation (OR: 3.66, 95% CI: 1.80-7.45). The diagnostic capacity of the index score was demonstrated by an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73-0.86, p < 0.001) on the ROC curve. Conclusions The development and validation of the index demonstrate that it can effectively measure QoWL among nursing staff and provide decision-makers with guidance on associated risks in hospital settings.