Mental health conditions have become an increasing concern among university students, particularly those pursuing health science disciplines such as pharmacy. Rigorous academic demands, high workloads, and sustained psychological pressure place pharmacy students at a high risk of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. This study aimed to systematically review and quantitatively synthesize existing evidence on the prevalence of mental health conditions among pharmacy students in Thailand and globally using a meta-analytic approach. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across the major academic databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and ThaiJo, using predefined search terms and stringent inclusion criteria to ensure methodological rigor and relevance. Data from eligible studies were extracted and analyzed using STATA software to ensure statistical precision and reliability of the pooled estimates. A total of 51 studies, comprising 17,717 pharmacy students across 16 countries, including the United States, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, Syria, Pakistan, Poland, France, Portugal, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, were included. The meta-analysis revealed pooled prevalence rates of 44.26% for depression (95% CI: 36.08-52.61), 52.01% for anxiety (95% CI: 42.86-61.09), 48.10% for stress (95% CI: 32.96-63.43), and 24.52% for suicidal ideation (95% CI: 14.10-36.70). These findings reflect a substantial mental health burden among pharmacy students, necessitating immediate and context-specific interventions. Considering these findings, academic institutions must develop and implement comprehensive mental health support strategies. Such initiatives should include early identification and screening programs, access to psychological counseling services, resilience-building interventions, and stress management workshops to effectively address the psychological needs of pharmacy students and enhance their academic and personal well-being.

Pregnant people in U.S. jails experience high rates of opioid use disorder (OUD), yet access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) remains inconsistent. This mixed-methods study examines how jail policies, treatment infrastructure, and political context shape MOUD provision for pregnant incarcerated individuals. We conducted a secondary analysis of a national survey of 2885 U.S. jails (analytic sample = 836). Logistic regression models assessed associations between MOUD provision and telemedicine capacity, community MOUD availability, state Medicaid expansion, and 2020 presidential voting outcomes. Qualitative responses characterized barriers to care. Findings confirm that MOUD access for pregnant incarcerated individuals remains limited and structurally patterned. Fewer than half of jails continued methadone or buprenorphine for pregnant individuals already in treatment, and initiation was uncommon. MOUD provision was more likely in Democrat-won states, jails with telemedicine capacity, and jails located in communities with MOUD providers, while limited community availability reduced odds of provision. Qualitative themes highlighted restrictive jail policies, provider discretion, diversion concerns, and misconceptions regarding fetal harm. These findings underscore persistent structural barriers to evidence-based perinatal OUD treatment in carceral settings and highlight the importance of telemedicine expansion, community treatment capacity, and standardized correctional policies to advance perinatal health equity.

Data suggests that consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional composition of foods, and the presence of health claims is considered a differentiating factor in the purchase of foods and beverages. We analyzed literature on health claims and their impact on consumer behavior, using different databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed). According to the bibliometric analyses of 423 articles, research on health claims presents distinct subareas such as health, marketing, regulation, public health, and behavior. Data from several studies, involving 27,813 participants from several countries, are summarized. The health claims included: cardiovascular, bone, muscle, metabolic, digestive, eye, along with overall health and wellness. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, cognitive and mental performance, immune system support, and disease prevention were also addressed. Our resulting narrative review indicates that health claims could have a positive influence on consumer behavior, especially about the perception of value, purchase intention, and willingness to pay for foods that feature this type of communication. Although health claims on foods have a significant potential to positively influence consumer-purchasing behavior, their impact is dependent on multiple individual and contextual factors, such as consumers' health status and knowledge on nutrition, price, taste, access, and consumers' perception of the brand. Understanding the relationship between health claims and consumer behavior and choices is essential to developing effective regulations, public policies, and communication strategies to encourage healthier food choices and influence the food industry.

Background/Objectives: Concussions produce a wide array of symptoms that are often subtle and difficult to quantify. One such symptom involves reaction or response time (RT), consisting of perceptual latency time (LT) and movement time (MT). This pilot study examined the relationship between concussion history, mental health, and perceptual-motor performance among military veterans using a virtual reality (VR)-based assessment. The primary outcome was intraindividual variability (IIV), defined as the standard deviation of an individual's responses across repeated trials. Methods: Of 78 veterans who volunteered, 29 (22 males, 7 females) provided complete VR data. Participants completed surveys assessing concussion and combat history, mental health issues, and suicide ideation. During VR testing, participants responded to 40 trials requiring neck rotation, arm reach, and a step toward left or right virtual targets. Associations between predictors (e.g., concussion, mental health) and VR outcomes (RT, LT, IIV) were evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Area Under the Curve (AUC) values. Results: Concussion history was the strongest predictor of performance deficits. IIV metrics were sensitive indicators of both concussion and mental health issues. Univariable analyses yielded AUC values of 0.944-0.806 all of which were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001), and multivariable analyses produced AUCs of 0.950-0.870 all of which were also statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001). Incongruent movements and longer LT values were especially discriminative. Conclusions: Veterans with concussion and mental health histories demonstrated quantifiable perceptual-motor impairments in VR environments. Findings support VR assessment as a feasible, sensitive tool for detecting subtle residual effects of concussion.

Background: Postpartum mental health challenges are increasingly recognized as a major public health concern, particularly during the early months after childbirth when emotional vulnerability is heightened. Although aerobic exercise is known to be associated with mood improvement, few large-scale studies have examined the acute psychological effects of a single exercise session in postpartum women, especially in contexts where environmental barriers restrict opportunities for physical activity. Methods: A total of 628 postpartum mothers (2-6 months postpartum) residing in a snowbound region of northern Japan participated in a single-session indoor bounce-based aerobic exercise program. Mood states were assessed immediately before and after the session using the validated Japanese short-form Profile of Mood States (POMS). Open-ended comments were also collected and analyzed thematically. Results: Paired analyses demonstrated significant acute improvements in key mood domains. Tension-Anxiety decreased (mean difference -7.91, 95% CI [-8.82, -7.00]; d = -0.68), and Anger-Hostility decreased (-4.61, 95% CI [-5.40, -3.82]; d = -0.45), while Vigor increased (11.82, 95% CI [10.47, 13.17]; d = 0.69) (all p < 0.001). In contrast, Depression-Dejection showed no significant change (-0.33, 95% CI [-1.30, 0.64]; p = 0.613). Conclusions: A single session of indoor bounce-based aerobic exercise was associated with immediate improvements in emotional well-being among postpartum women, particularly in anxiety-related and activation-related mood states. Because this exercise modality can be performed safely at home and is well suited to regions where outdoor physical activity is restricted, it may represent an accessible strategy for supporting postpartum mental health. Future research should examine longitudinal effects, controlled designs, and optimal program frequency to determine sustained benefits.

Despite the introduction of inclusive and gender-affirming approaches in healthcare, transgender and non-binary people continue to show poorer physical, psychological, and social outcomes, shaped by social determinants within historically pathologizing and stigmatizing contexts. This study used qualitative participatory action research with photovoice among seven transgender individuals residing in Murcia, Spain; data were generated through semi-structured interviews and focus group dialogue, applying the SHOWED technique to the visual and discursive narratives of the participants, and analyzed with Atlas.ti v8. Educational, employment, and healthcare contexts significantly condition well-being. Well-being was determined by the circumstances and support in which gender identity is constructed, within sociocultural environments marked by gender stereotypes, exclusion from social spaces, and fears regarding the irreversibility of certain transition steps. Reported lifetime negative events, social barriers, exclusion, and persistent questioning of identity were associated with increased anxiety, depressive symptoms, and insomnia. At the same time, the relevance of resilience and support networks also emerged during the sessions. Replicating photovoice in diverse settings may help identify social and territorial inequities and inform improvements in clinical practice, healthcare education, public policies, and legislation for transgender and gender-nonconforming people.

Problem behaviors among rural adolescents remain a significant public health concern, yet the temporal roles of key psychosocial resources are not well understood. Grounded in Conservation of Resources theory and Problem Behavior Theory, this study examined the longitudinal associations between psychological capital, perceived social support, and problem behaviors among rural Chinese adolescents. A three-wave, one-year longitudinal design was conducted with 770 adolescents (49.86% male, Mage = 16.36, SD = 1.57). Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were applied to disentangle stable between-person differences from within-person processes. At the between-person level, adolescents with higher overall psychological capital and perceived social support reported lower levels of problem behavior. At the within-person level, psychological capital showed a time-specific protective effect, with short-term increases predicting subsequent reductions in problem behavior, whereas problem behavior did not predict later psychological capital. In contrast, perceived social support demonstrated reciprocal associations with problem behavior: higher support predicted later decreases in problem behavior, while elevated problem behavior predicted subsequent declines in perceived support. These findings indicate that psychological capital and perceived social support operate through distinct temporal mechanisms and highlight the importance of early internal resource development and sustained relational support in rural adolescent populations.

Research on men's mental health points out gender differences in help-seeking and access to care. Traditional masculine norms (i.e., emotional repression, self-reliance, "being strong") and gender bias might conceal distress, delay treatment, and help to explain higher burdens of addiction, violence, and suicide alongside lower recorded affective/anxiety diagnoses. An exploratory narrative review was conducted. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for 2015-2025 studies using MeSH and terms on men's mental health, masculinities, and stigma. Eleven studies identified attitudinal barriers (i.e., self-stigma, shame, symptom minimization, mistrust, etc.) and structural barriers (i.e., limited tailored services, navigation difficulties, costs, bureaucracy, etc.) that delay identification of psychological distress symptoms, weaken therapeutic alliance, and increase dropout, especially when therapy is perceived as impersonal or ineffective. Intersectional factors (i.e., class, age, ethnicity) further contribute to access and they need to be included in the field of men's mental health. Gender-sensitive approaches and alternative masculinity role models have the potential to enhance engagement and legitimize emotional experience. To sum up, hegemonic masculinity-related gender norms, acquired through gender-differentiated socialization, are associated with adverse mental health outcomes among men. A lack of gender-sensitive awareness campaigns to reduce stigma around men's mental health may hinder prevention, delaying early identification and timely intervention. Therefore, men's mental health care should integrate gender and intersectionality transversally to improve prevention, access, diagnosis, treatment, adherence, and outcomes, supported by professional training and tailored therapeutic tools in clinical routine practice. These findings underscore the need to promote healthier, more egalitarian masculinities and to deconstruct stigmas associated with help-seeking and mental health service.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) adolescents in mainstream schools may face communication barriers and social challenges that can affect their well-being and health. However, population-based knowledge based on adolescents' own reports-particularly including those with additional disabilities-remains limited. The aim of this study was to assess self-reported well-being, mental health complaints, somatic complaints, and perceived teacher support among DHH adolescents in Swedish mainstream schools and to compare these outcomes with those of hearing adolescents and DHH adolescents with additional disabilities.

This cross-sectional study was based on data from the Swedish school survey Liv och Hälsa Ung (Life and Health of Young People). The sample comprised 5923 adolescents aged 13-18 years attending grades 7 and 9 in compulsory school and year 2 in upper-secondary school. Outcomes included well-being (WHO-5 or a single-item measure for grade 7), mental health complaints, somatic complaints, and perceived teacher support. Group differences by hearing status, additional disability, gender, and school level were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Hearing adolescents reported higher well-being, fewer somatic complaints, fewer mental health complaints, and higher perceived teacher support compared with DHH adolescents. DHH adolescents with additional disabilities consistently reported the poorest outcomes across all domains. For example, perceived teacher support was significantly lower among DHH adolescents with additional disabilities (M = 3.66, 95% CI [3.54-3.78]) compared with hearing adolescents (M = 4.01, 95% CI [3.99-4.03]). Across all groups, girls, particularly those with disabilities, reported poorer well-being and higher levels of somatic and mental health complaints than boys.

The findings highlight substantial health disparities among adolescents with hearing loss in mainstream schools, especially among those with additional disabilities. Perceived teacher support emerged as an important contextual factor and may represent a key target for school-based interventions aimed at promoting well-being and mental health among DHH adolescents.

Physical and mental health symptoms commonly affecting children are often under-addressed given the limited availability of pediatric behavioral healthcare. Training school providers (e.g., nurses, mental health professionals) to address these concerns is a promising strategy to explore, considering the unique level of accessibility afforded by school settings. While our earlier work augmented school providers' pain management skills, providers desired more comprehensive training and youth support tools. Our team of interdisciplinary academic researchers and community partners will bridge this gap by developing the PURSUIT (Preventing Use of Substances for the Underserved with Innovative Technology) provider training program and companion online self-management platform for youth and caregivers. This protocol paper describes our planned approach to developing, implementing, and evaluating the PURSUIT program.

We will draw from evidence-based cognitive-behavioral, trauma-focused, and mindfulness protocols to develop a comprehensive provider training program and interactive online self-management platform for youth and caregivers. Content areas will include core cognitive-behavioral strategies and specific skills for pediatric pain management, trauma-focused care, and substance use prevention. Innovative technological approaches, such as live and animated videos, will be used to promote user engagement. Academic and community partners will have roles in material co-development. Outcomes of this project will include the PURSUIT training program and self-management platform feasibility and acceptability (e.g., completion/engagement rates, quantitative/qualitative reports), as well as the impact of the training program on provider knowledge and the impact of the self-management platform on youth/caregiver outcomes.

Interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement will be critical to developing and evaluating a provider training program and youth/caregiver self-management platform.