Children and adolescents under 20 years of age account for 33% of the population globally and 52% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa [1], as well as more than 45% of the population in Tanzania [2]. Trends in mortality among children under five years are well studied [3–6]; however, the focus on mortality shifts to […] The post Levels, trends and inequalities in mortality among 5–19-year-olds in Tanzania: Magu Health and Demographic Surveillance Study (1995–2022) appeared first on JOGH ..read more

Like most sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, the population of Mozambique mainly comprises adolescents and young adults (AYA), with 22.4% being aged between 15 and 24 years [1]. This period of life, characterised by psychophysical and social changes and challenges, brings a high risk for the onset of mental health illness; for example, up to half […] The post Assessing the impact of a community-based psychodrama intervention on mental health promotion of adolescents and young adults in Mozambique: A mixed-methods study appeared first on JOGH ..read more

The global population is aging at a rapid pace. By 2050, the number of people aged 60 and above is expected to soar to two billion, up from 800 million in 2011, with around 80% residing in lower-income nations [1]. At the same time, the number of older individuals (those 50 and older [2,3]) living with HIV is also on the rise. From 2000 to 2016, this age group’s proportion among HIV cases doubled from eight to 16%, approximately 5.7 million older adults with HIV, with a significant 80% of them living in less wealthy nations. It is projected that this will increase to 21% [4]. Due to the succes ..read more

Sepsis is the leading cause of child mortality worldwide and is responsible for over 60% of all paediatric deaths [1]. It is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. It encompasses a continuum that ranges from sepsis to severe sepsis, septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death [1–7]. Low- and middle-income countries bear a disproportionately high burden of paediatric sepsis, accounting for over 80% of global sepsis-related deaths from infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria [2–8]. While paediatric ..read more

Scoliosis is a complex three-dimensional torsional deformity in the spine and torso, with an established diagnostic criterion of a Cobb angle >10 degrees measured by Röntgen radiation (x-ray) [1]. Yet scoliosis in school children and adolescents is sometimes overlooked without periodic screening. Thus, treatment is usually recommended for them in the progressive period of the disease not only to improve their deformed appearance but also to mitigate cardiopulmonary dysfunction or address psychosocial disorders [2]. Together, this can increase the financial burden of caregivers by 7–27% [3 ..read more

Seasonal influenza causes significant mortality and morbidity globally, particularly in high-risk populations such as pregnant women, children under five years of age, adults with underlying health conditions, older adults (≥60), and healthcare personnel [1]. Influenza viruses cause an estimated one billion infections worldwide each year, with three to five million cases classified as severe; they also cause up to 650 000 deaths annually, largely in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) [2,3]. Aside from direct health impact, seasonal influenza also causes significant healthcare costs, econ ..read more

A high-risk pregnancy (HRP) refers to the presence of risk factors such as coexisting health issues, advanced maternal age, and pregnancy complications, that makes the mother, the fetus, or the newborn baby at higher risks of adverse health outcomes [1,2]. There was an estimated 20 million women with HRPs worldwide in 2020, which are estimated to lead to over 800 maternal deaths every day [3–5]. The Chinese government has proposed the ‘universal two child policy’ in October 2015, which lead to an increased rate of women with multiparous births and advanced age [6]. Following this policy change ..read more

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and a leading cause of death among females, with an estimated 2.3 million new breast cancer cases and 685 thousand deaths in 2020 [1]. Due to differences in the availability of early-stage screening, diagnostic procedures, and access to treatment [2,3], there are significant disparities in breast cancer mortality and morbidity between regions. For instance, the incidence rate is nearly 2.5 times higher in developed countries compared to developing regions [4]. Deaths continue to rise in low- and middle-income countries, such as those in the s ..read more

The global population is facing significant changes due to population ageing [1,2]. There were an estimated 771 million older adults in 2022, representing 10% of the global population – a 3-fold increase from 258 million in 1980. This trend is expected to continue, with projections indicating that the older population will reach 994 million (12%) by 2030 and 1.6 billion (16%) by 2050 [3]. Further predictions suggest that older adults will comprise 61% of the population in 155 countries by 2100, while by 2050, approximately 1.1 billion older individuals will reside in less developed countries ..read more

Scales measure latent constructs and specifically ‘behaviours, attitudes, and hypothetical scenarios we expect to exist as a result of our theoretical understanding of the world, but cannot assess directly’ [1]. Developing a new scale could help us measure a more specific behaviour and experience. However, scale development and validation processes can be long and complex, usually involving three stages: item development, where an initial item pool is produced via deductive, inductive, or combined approaches; scale development, where individual items are constructed into harmonious constructs ..read more