Your search

The aging of the global population presents a significant challenge to public health, demanding innovative and sustainable dental approaches. This integrative literature review synthesizes research on the intersection of Geriatric Dentistry, Gerodontology, and digital marketing and communication str...

Background/Objectives: Telemedicine offers significant potential to improve the quality and accessibility of geriatric care, particularly in resource-constrained settings. However, its effective implementation depends largely on healthcare professionals’ acceptance and willingness to use such systems. Drawing on an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study examines the determinants of doctors’ and nurses’ intentions to adopt telemedicine for elderly care in Algeria, with particular emphasis on self-efficacy and institutional support. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed a structured questionnaire administered to 130 healthcare professionals, including physicians and nurses, in Algeria. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses and assess the incremental explanatory power of the extended model. Results: The extended TAM accounted for 48.7% of the variance in intention to use telemedicine. Institutional support (β = 0.432, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.264, p = 0.001) emerged as the strongest predictors. Perceived ease of use (β = 0.178, p = 0.038) and perceived usefulness (β = 0.139, p = 0.021) also had significant positive effects. The inclusion of self-efficacy and institutional support increased the model’s explanatory power by 23.5%. Conclusions: The findings highlight the critical role of organizational support mechanisms, digital competencies, and system usability in fostering telemedicine adoption among healthcare professionals. The study provides practical implications for policymakers and healthcare institutions, emphasizing the need for targeted training programs, supportive infrastructure, and institutional policies that enhance confidence and facilitate the integration of telemedicine into clinical workflows.

Background: Maternal mortality remains a major global health challenge, disproportionately affecting black and Indigenous women. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and postpartum hemorrhage are the leading direct causes of maternal death. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have emerged as potential strategies for predicting these complications, yet concerns persist about their equity and validation across racial groups. Methods: A rapid review was conducted in five databases, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus and LILACS, to synthesize recent evidence on the use of AI for preventing maternal mortality due to hypertension and postpartum hemorrhage. Studies published in the last five years that included racial or ethnic data were selected and analyzed narratively. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, showing high predictive accuracy of AI models (AUROC often >0.95) for severe maternal outcomes. However, few models incorporated racial variables or underwent external validation in racially diverse or low-resource populations. Evidence suggests that unrepresentative datasets may perpetuate or exacerbate existing health inequities. Conclusions: AI demonstrates strong technical performance in predicting maternal complications but limited equity in application. Broader racial representation, external validation, and ethical governance are essential for ensuring that AI-based tools reduce rather than reinforce racial disparities in maternal mortality.

Addressing the issues of water insecurity and unequal access to water has been a priority of the Sustainable Development Goals. Poor sanitation and inadequate access to drinking water are the second leading causes of death among children worldwide. Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right. Climate change represents one of public health’s greatest challenges and significantly exacerbates health disparities. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 3.6 billion people reside in areas highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Furthermore, climate change is anticipated to result in roughly 250,000 additional deaths each year between 2030 and 2050. In the United States, climate impacts such as severe storms and floods, escalating wildfires, extreme heat, poor air quality, and diminishing access to food and water disproportionately endanger Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities, low-income groups, people with disabilities, women, children, older adults, and others, making them more susceptible to the harmful health effects of climate change. The formulation and implementation of climate policies are essential to address the negative impacts of climate change. This chapter aims to: (a) describe the effects of climate change on access to safe drinking water; (b) emphasize the implications of climate change on drinking water disparities; (c) highlight policies to mitigate the effects of climate change; and d) discuss recommendations to tackle climate change and inequities in access to water. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.

Preventive health behaviors play a critical role in reducing disease risks and improving public health outcomes, particularly among vulnerable populations such as women in rural communities. However, limited research has explored the determinants of intentions to adopt preventive health behaviors in developing contexts among women in rural communities. This study applies and extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine these determinants in Algeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling among 205 women in rural communities aged 20–60 years across five Algerian cities. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. The results indicate that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have significant positive effects on behavioral intention. The inclusion of health literacy significantly enhances the model’s explanatory power, with higher literacy associated with stronger intentions. In contrast, perceived healthcare discrimination does not have a statistically significant effect. The extended model explains 57.5% of the variance in behavioral intention. These findings underscore the importance of psychosocial and informational factors in shaping preventive health intentions and support the extension of TPB in this context. They also provide practical implications for policymakers and healthcare practitioners to design targeted social marketing interventions aimed at improving preventive health behaviors and reducing health disparities among women in rural communities. © 2026 by the authors.

Objective: Research on use of geosocial networking (GSN) applications (e.g. Grindr, Tinder) by sexual minorities has primarily focused on risky behavior and negative health outcomes (e.g. sexually transmitted infections/HIV, drugs, alcohol, violence) among men who have sex with men. Taking a sex-positive approach, this study aimed to understand how sexual minority GSN app users in the UK and USA perceive impacts on their health and how they manage potential risks. Differences between countries and genders are explored. Design and methods: Qualitative, cross-cultural study in Merseyside (UK) and Connecticut (USA). Photo-elicitation (fake dating profiles) was used in semi-structured interviews conducted with app users seeking same gender partners (n = 31; 15 women, and 16 men) in 2018-2019. Participants were recruited through local LGBTQ+ organizations, social media and from a previous survey, within a quota sampling framework. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Perceived positive health impacts included social and romantic/sexual connections, boosts to self-esteem, and pleasurable sexual experiences. Some negative outcomes were reported, mainly by men, including rejection and low self-esteem, and racism and discrimination. Participants of all genders used strategies to reduce risks to health. Women were particularly cautious of men on apps. No differences between UK and the USA were noted. Conclusions: GSN apps can enable positive sexual experiences and have the potential to increase social cohesion and improve mental wellbeing for stigmatized sexual minorities. All participants took measures to protect both their physical safety and mental wellbeing. Using a sex-positive health promotion approach could empower app users to build on their personal strengths and resources. Although GSN app companies may need to do more to tackle discrimination, apps show a promising opportunity for reducing isolation and health inequities. The similarity of the findings in both areas suggests evidence from the USA may be applicable in the UK.

The rapid expansion of digital platforms has significantly influenced consumer purchasing behaviors, particularly in the agri-food sector. Therefore, this paper investigates the key factors driving customers’ intention to use green agri-food delivery apps (GAFDAs) by integrating trust and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) into the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Additionally, this study examines gender as a moderating variable, assessing whether its influence alters the relationships between key determinants and behavioral intention. Data were collected from 252 Algerian consumers, and the proposed model was tested using SmartPLS 4 and SPSS 26.0. The results confirm that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), trust, and eWOM positively and significantly influence the intention to use GAFDAs, with PBC emerging as the strongest predictor. Moreover, gender moderates the effect of trust on behavioral intention, with trust significantly influencing men’s adoption decisions but not those of females. In contrast, subjective norms and PBC are stronger predictors for female consumers. These findings highlight the importance of gender-specific marketing strategies to enhance GAFDA adoption. This study contributes to the literature by extending TPB with trust, eWOM, and gender moderation, offering valuable insights for marketers, policymakers, and app developers promoting sustainable food consumption.

Underserved communities face persistent challenges due to limited access to healthcare services. Digital volunteering offers opportunities for healthcare professionals to support these populations remotely. This study examined factors associated with healthcare workers’ intentions to participate in digital healthcare volunteering in Algeria. An extended technology acceptance model was used, incorporating perceived organizational support (OS), altruism, and social responsibility. A convenience sample of 142 healthcare workers completed a survey, and hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Results indicated that perceived ease of use, social responsibility, altruism, perceived OS, and perceived usefulness were each significantly associated with intentions to engage in digital volunteering. The extended model explained 75.6% of the variance in intention, highlighting the relevance of psychological, organizational, and ethical factors. These findings provide insights for policymakers, healthcare organizations, and developers seeking to support digital volunteering initiatives. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and the use of convenience sampling, which may affect generalizability. Future research should consider longitudinal designs, larger and more diverse samples, and cross-cultural comparisons to validate and extend these findings.

BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality in Brazil remains a critical indicator of social and racial inequalities, reflecting structural failures in access to and quality of obstetric care. Black women, particularly those categorized as black or brown, are at a higher risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period. This is the result of the intersection of institutional racism, poverty, and social vulnerabilities. This study aimed to analyze trends and associated factors of maternal mortality among black women in Brazil from 2000 to 2020. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort analytical study using data from the Brazilian Mortality Information System. The sample included women aged 10 to 49 years whose underlying cause of death was classified under ICD-10 codes O00-O99. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted, as well as Poisson and multinomial logistic regressions to estimate adjusted risk ratios according to skin color, education, region, type, and place of death. RESULTS: A total of 40,907 maternal deaths were identified, with 59.2% occurring among black women. The maternal mortality ratio was 39% higher among black women compared to white women and more than double among Indigenous women. Low education, residence in the North and Northeast regions, deaths outside hospital settings, and lack of formal investigation were independently associated with increased risk. Direct obstetric causes accounted for most deaths, with hypertensive disorders and puerperal complications being the leading conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal mortality among black women in Brazil reveals deep structural inequalities. Urgent public policies that incorporate an intersectional perspective, addressing race, gender, and class, are necessary to reduce disparities and ensure equitable and dignified maternal healthcare.

There has been a decline in the age at which girls experience menarche worldwide. Research suggests that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals is linked to negative health consequences, including early onset of menarche. This systematic review examined the association between exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and the early onset of menarche. Comprehensive searches of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were conducted to find relevant studies published from inception to November 2024. Exposure to certain EDCs, such as particulate matter and phthalates, showed significant associations with earlier menarche onset, while exposure to other EDCs (e.g., pyrethroids) was linked to delayed menarche timing. Overall, there were mixed findings in the relationships between various EDC exposures and menarche onset. Few studies investigated how exposure to EDCs and early menarche differed by race and ethnicity. This underscores the need for more studies that examine the relationship between early menarche onset and exposure to endocrine-disrupting substances. Education and policy approaches are also warranted to address this issue.

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. It is a serious disease caused by a disruption of blood flow in the brain resulting from either blockage of blood flow to the brain (ischemic stroke) or sudden bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Stroke survivors experience more sleep disorders than the general population. Sleep disorders could also increase the risk of stroke even in individuals who have no history of stroke. Obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia are the most common sleep disorders associated with increased risk of stroke. Long sleep duration (≥9 h/day) and circadian rhythm changes have also been linked to an increased risk of stroke. This chapter summarizes the current evidence on the relationship between sleep disorders and stroke. © 2025 Springer Nature Switzerland AG.