Factors influencing the acceptability and utilization of contraceptives among women of reproductive age: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Improving reproductive health outcomes depends on women of reproductive age accepting and using contraceptives. Despite the advantages of contraceptives, many women of reproductive-age who wish to prevent pregnancy do not use any kind of contraceptives, and many have unmet contraceptive needs that result in unwanted pregnancies and it’s associated problems. Aim: The aim of this systematic review is to examine the factors influencing women of reproductive age's acceptance and utilization of contraceptives. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA 2020) guided this review. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, AJOL, Scopus, Google Scholar, and reference lists for studies on women of reproductive age published between 2014 and 2024. The search, carried out from October 2 to October 10, 2024, used MeSH terms and PICO- framework and yielded 1,557 records. Screening occurred in three stages: title and abstract review, full-text assessment, and final selection using predefined eligibility criteria. A total of 19 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Data was extracted based on the study characteristics. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was used to appraise the methodological quality of the studies.

A context-aware adoption model for e-health systems in fragile health sectors: The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo

The adoption of e-health systems has become a key driver of healthcare modernization and service delivery improvement worldwide. However, the implementation of digital health technologies remains particularly challenging in fragile healthcare systems characterized by limited infrastructure, institutional constraints, and resource shortages. This study develops and validates a context-aware adoption model for e-health systems in the healthcare sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Building upon established technology adoption theories, specifically the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this research integrates additional contextual factors relevant to fragile healthcare environments, including ICT infrastructure, trust, privacy and security, and the policy and regulatory environment. Data were collected from healthcare professionals and analyzed using statistical methods to evaluate the relationships between technological, organizational, social, and institutional determinants influencing behavioral intention and actual use of e-health systems.The results indicate that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use significantly influence healthcare professionals’ behavioral intention to adopt e-health technologies. Social influence and institutional support also play a meaningful role in shaping adoption behavior

Breastfeeding practices in mothers with caesarean section: A scoping review

The aim of midwifery care for expectant mothers is to empower families while adhering to iron tablet usage. This exercise is divided into three stages: planning, carrying out, and assessing. Identifying issues that arise at the Bahodopi Health Center, preparing resources, and creating counseling media in the form of Power Point (PPT) illustrated presentations are all part of the preparation stage. Delivering counseling materials on nutrition during pregnancy to pregnant women in order to prevent anemia is part of the implementation stage. Pregnant women's awareness of the information supplied by pre- and post-counseling questionnaires is evaluated at this stage. The findings indicate that prenatal nutrition, anemia, and the connection between nutrition and the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women can all be better understood by pregnant women through the facilitator's coaching. The target's understanding can be increased by providing information about anemia and keeping track of iron supplements. It is hoped that in the future, the community will be able to apply the information gained in a huge and sustainable way

Ambient artificial intelligence in smart healthcare systems: Architecture, applications, challenges, and future directions

Smart Health represents the convergence of digital technologies, intelligent systems, and connected healthcare environments to improve the quality, efficiency, and accessibility of healthcare services. Ambient Artificial Intelligence (Ambient AI) has emerged as a core enabler of Smart Health by embedding context-aware, adaptive, and unobtrusive intelligence into clinical and non-clinical healthcare settings. Ambient AI systems continuously sense, analyze, and respond to multimodal data from patients, clinicians, and environments without interrupting routine workflows. This review presents a comprehensive and structured analysis of Ambient AI in Smart Healthcare Systems, focusing on conceptual foundations, system architectures, enabling technologies, and real-world applications. Key use cases include ambient clinical documentation, smart hospitals, continuous patient monitoring, telehealth, and assisted living. The review further discusses the benefits of Ambient AI in enhancing clinical efficiency, patient safety, and personalized care, while critically examining challenges related to data privacy, interoperability, algorithmic bias, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance. Finally, future research directions are outlined to support the scalable, trustworthy, and equitable deployment of Ambient AI as a foundational component of next-generation Smart Health ecosystems. This review is intended to provide researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with a consolidated understanding of Ambient AI and its role in advancing smart and sustainable healthcare systems

Sore throat in pregnancy: Etiology, diagnosis, and evidence-based safe management

Sore throat (pharyngitis) is one of the most common otolaryngological complaints in pregnancy, most frequently caused by viral upper respiratory tract infections. Pregnancy induces immunological modulation, hormonal changes, and mechanical effects that increase susceptibility to infectious and non-infectious causes, including laryngopharyngeal reflux. While most cases are self-limited, prompt identification of bacterial pharyngitis—particularly Group A β-haemolytic Streptococcus (GAS)—is essential to prevent maternal complications such as invasive disease and obstetric sequelae, including preterm labour. This narrative review summarizes the etiology, pathophysiology, clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and management of sore throat in pregnancy. Non-pharmacological measures and acetaminophen are first-line for symptom relief. For confirmed GAS, penicillin V or amoxicillin remains the antibiotic of choice. Emphasis is placed on risk stratification using clinical scores, antibiotic stewardship, and foetal-safe care. Early recognition and individualized management minimize risks to the mother and foetus. Further prospective studies are needed to strengthen pregnancy-specific guidelines

Machine learning for early prediction of clinical deterioration in emergency settings: A systematic review of retrospective cohort study

Background: Early detection of clinical deterioration in emergency departments (ED) remains challenging, with traditional Early Warning Systems (EWS) showing limited sensitivity and specificity. Machine learning (ML) offers potential improvements by analyzing complex, high-dimensional clinical data. Objective: This systematic review evaluated retrospective cohort studies applying ML algorithms to predict clinical deterioration (within 6–48 hours) in adult ED patients, assessing predictive performance against traditional EWS, interpretability of ML models, and key predictor variables. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (January 2015–December 2025) identified 2,173 records. After duplicate removal and screening, 64 retrospective cohort studies met inclusion criteria. Quality assessment used PROBAST. Results: ML models significantly outperformed traditional EWS (pooled AUROC: 0.86 vs. 0.73; p<0.001). Gradient boosting achieved highest performance (AUROC=0.89). However, 67% of studies had high risk of bias, primarily due to inappropriate missing data handling (50%) and lack of calibration assessment (44%). Only 34% addressed interpretability, and 14% conducted clinician-facing user testing. Key predictors included vital signs (100%), lactate (HR=1.73), and GCS (HR=1.88).&nbsp

Comparative study towards the synthesis of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles using a different precursor via ECO-friendly method

The nano oxides were prepared in an environmentally friendly manner (by treatment with aqueous eucalyptus leaves (from trees in Diyala governorate, Iraq) extracts using different sources of iron, FeSO4.7H2O and FeCl2.4H2O as the nanoscale iron oxide. The Fe (OH)2 nanoparticles were obtained by slow addition of sodium hydroxide solution to eucalyptus extract. Then, to obtain α-Fe2O3, calcination of Fe (OH)2 nanoparticles was carried out at 550 °C. These oxides and nanocomposites were diagnosed by FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and DLS techniques. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) was used to determine the surface area of ​​the nanomaterials. X-ray diffraction (XRD) examination showed that the size of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was 48 nm, characterized using several techniques, including XRD, AFM, FT-IR, and FESEM. These nanocomposites were used to study the adsorption of methyl orange dye from their aqueous solutions. The effects of equilibrium time, surface area weight, and temperature on the adsorption process were investigated. The results showed that the optimal equilibrium time was 40 min for the α-Fe2O3/paraffine nanocomposite and 60 min for the Fe2O3/AC nanocomposite. The optimal weight for dye removal was 0.25 g for the α -Fe2O3/paraffine nanocomposite. The optimal pH for removing methyl orange dye was 5 for all nano composites

Interventions to improve vaccination uptake: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Vaccination is a critical public health intervention that significantly reduces morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. Despite its effectiveness, achieving high vaccination coverage remains a challenge, particularly in low-resource settings. Objective: This systematic review assessed the effectiveness of various interventions designed to improve vaccination uptake. Method: The review was guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Literature search was conducted in four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and AJOL) in October 2024 yielding 246 articles. 8 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. JBI critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of the studies. Data were extracted, narratively reviewed and pooled using random effect meta-analysis. Results: Final review revealed 8 articles which were from Nigeria (37.5%), Pakistan (25%), Kenya (12.5%), China (12.5%), and Zimbabwe (12.5%). Interventions evaluated were phone calls or SMS (40%), SMS reminders and monetary incentive (20%), SMS reminder and health education (20%), health education (20%), bracelet reminder (20%). The review identified that mobile phone-based reminders, health education, including bracelet reminder significantly improved vaccination coverage. However the result of the meta-analysis showed no statistically pooled effect (RR = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.93-1.18), with moderate heterogeneity across studies.&nbsp

Academic pressure, family habits, and personality traits as predictors of school-related sedentary behavior among senior high school students in Iligan City

This cross-sectional analytical study examined the relationship between academic pressure, family habits, personality traits, and school-related sedentary behavior among senior high school students in Iligan City. A total of 800 students aged 15 to 19 years from public and private schools participated. Data were collected using validated self-report questionnaires assessing academic pressure, family habits, personality traits, and sedentary behavior. Statistical analyses determined relationships and identified significant predictors. The findings showed that academic pressure, family habits, and personality traits had direct and significant relationships with school-related sedentary behavior. Identified predictors included sedentary mealtime behavior, sedentary entertainment viewing habits, despondency, sedentary reading and listening activities, and sedentary digital gaming and social media use. Emerging predictors included conscientiousness, worry about grades, open-mindedness, self-expectations, agreeableness, study-related pressure, and extraversion. Collectively, these models accounted for 14% to 23% of the variance in sedentary subscales. The results underscore the need to transition toward dynamic learning environments that integrate active breaks and digital wellness initiatives, alongside personality-sensitive support systems, to reduce sedentary habits and safeguard adolescent well-being

Safeguarding in pediatric practice: Identification of non-accidental head injury in a child with cerebral palsy

Objective: To highlight the importance of early recognition of safeguarding concerns in pediatric patients presenting with neurological emergencies, particularly when clinical findings are disproportionate to the reported history. Methodology: This is a case-based analysis of a 3-year-old child with a known diagnosis of cerebral palsy who presented with active seizures and reduced consciousness. Clinical assessment included neurological examination, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) evaluation, and urgent neuroimaging with CT scan. Caregiver history was compared with clinical findings to assess consistency. Results: The child presented unconscious with ongoing seizures, poor GCS, and a dilated, non-reactive pupil suggestive of raised intracranial pressure. Examination revealed brisk reflexes. An urgent CT brain demonstrated a subdural hematoma. The severity of findings was inconsistent with the caregiver’s account of a routine seizure episode, raising strong suspicion of non-accidental injury. The patient was stabilized with seizure control measures and management of raised intracranial pressure. Safeguarding protocols were initiated, and the case was referred for medico-legal documentation with notification of appropriate authorities. Conclusion: Early identification of red flags such as inconsistent history and unexplained neurological deterioration is critical in suspected child abuse