Adequate and effective emergency preparedness for hospital surge capacity is a prerequisite to ensuring standard healthcare services for disaster victims. This study aimed to identify, review, and synthesize the preparedness activities for and the barriers to hospital surge capacity in disasters and emergencies. We systematically searched seven databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, Ovid, and PsycINFO). We included all English peer-reviewed studies published in January 2016 and July 2022 on surge capacity preparedness in hospital settings. Two independent researchers screened titles and abstracts, reviewed the full texts, and conducted data extractions using CADIMA software. We assessed the rigor of the included studies using the NIH quality assessment tools for quantitative studies, the Noyes et al. guidelines for qualitative studies, and the MMAT tool for mixed methods studies and summarized findings using the narrative synthesis method. We also used PRISMA reporting guidelines. From the 2560 studies identified, we finally include 13 peer-reviewed studies: 10 quantitative, one qualitative, and two mixed methods. Five studies were done in the USA, three in Iran (n = 3), and the remaining in Australia, Pakistan, Sweden, Taiwan, and Tanzania. The study identified various ways to increase hospital surge capacity preparedness in all four domains (staff, stuff, space, and system); among them, the use of the Hospital Medical Surge Preparedness Index and the Surge Simulation Tool for surge planning was noteworthy. Moreover, nine studies (69%) recognized several barriers to hospital surge capacity preparedness. The review provides synthesized evidence of contemporary literature on strategies for and barriers to hospital surge capacity preparedness. Despite the risk of selection bias due to the omission of gray literature, the study findings could help hospital authorities, public health workers, and policymakers to develop effective plans and programs for improving hospital surge capacity preparedness with actions, such as enhancing coordination, new or adapted flows of patients, disaster planning implementation, or the development of specific tools for surge capacity. PROSPERO CRD42022360332.

Background: E-learning is a relatively trending system of education that has been placed over conventional campus-based learning worldwide, especially since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess e-learning readiness among university students of a developing country like Bangladesh and identify the independent predictors of e-learning readiness.Methods: From 26 December 2020 to 11 January 2021, a total of 1162 university students who had enrolled for e-learning completed a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected online via “Google Form” following the principles of snowball sampling through available social media platforms in Bangladesh. A multivariable linear regression model was fitted to investigate the association of e-learning readiness with perceived e-learning stress and other independent predictor variables.Results: A total of 1162 university students participated in this study. The results indicated that with the increase of students’ perceived e-learning stress score, the average e-learning readiness score was significantly decreased (β = -0.43, 95% CI: -0.66, -0.20). The students did not seem ready, and none of the e-learning readiness scale items reached the highest mean score (5.0). The age, gender, divisional residence, preference of students and their parents, devices used, and having any eye problems were significantly associated with the students’ e-learning readiness.Conclusion: During the prolonged period of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning implication strategies are needed to be assessed systematically with the level of readiness and its’ impacts among students for the continuation of sound e-learning systems. The study findings recommend evaluating the e-learning readiness of university students and the mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 catastrophe in Bangladesh.

Hospitals’ medical surge preparedness or surge capacity preparedness plays a significant role in reducing mortalities and in the treatment of severe injuries in disasters and emergencies. Though actions or activities for surge capacity preparedness of hospitals are discussed in several studies, they remain fragmented and need to be compiled. This systematic review will provide a comprehensive synthesis of evidence of actions or steps taken to strengthen hospitals’ medical surge preparedness in disasters and emergencies, which will eventually help develop surge capacity programs and relevant policies. All the studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 1 January 2016 and 30 July 2022, with full text available, will be included in this review. Seven electronic databases—PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Ovid—will be searched. Two reviewers will independently screen the titles and abstracts using the eligibility criteria, re articles, and extract data with the help of CADIMA software. A third reviewer will help resolve any discrepancies during the whole process. The extracted data will be narratively synthesized with the key characteristics and findings of the studies. The NIH quality assessment tools will be used to scale up the the quality of the retrieved quantitative studies. Moreover, the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) and Noyes et al. guidelines will be used to assess the mixed methods studies and qualitative studies quality assessment, respectively.

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the validity, reliability, and factorial structure of the Bengali-translated Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale—21 (DASS-21) among Bangladeshi health professionals. Methods This study incorporated the cross-sectional study design, conducted among 312 health professionals from 28 health facilities in 18 districts across Bangladesh. The internal consistency and intraclass correlation coefficient of the DASS-21 was assessed. The confirmatory factor analyses was done to assess the fitness of different structural models of DASS-21. The concurrent validity was estimated by using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. Results In total, 258 healthcare professionals (82.7%) out of 312 completed the whole survey questionnaire and were included in the study. The internal consistency of the DASS-21 exhibited satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.93) and ICC = 0.92). The conventional three-factor model appeared to best fit the Bengali-translated DASS-21 scale. The discriminant validity has been affirmed by strong evidence. The convergent validity of Bengali DASS-21 was confirmed by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. Conclusions This study found good validity, reliability, and suitability of the DASS-21 used among the Bangladeshi healthcare professionals. We warrant future research to explore the validity of this tool in other cohorts in Bangladesh.

Objectives The aim of this scoping review was to map the nature and extent of the existing literature on mental health interventions for humanitarian volunteers in disaster contexts. The study also explored how the interventions were evaluated. Design The methodology of this scoping review followed the extended guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews. Data sources Five academic bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar), grey literature websites (Google Scholar, ProQuest, Policy Commons, etc.) and relevant organisational archives were systematically searched for eligible documents. Eligibility criteria Both peer-reviewed and grey literature studies on mental health interventions for humanitarian volunteers in the context of any type of disaster were eligible for inclusion. Research papers that evaluated any such intervention were also included. Documents that targeted professional humanitarian workers or explored physical health conditions or diseases in disaster contexts, letters to the editor, comments, correspondence and research protocols were excluded. There were no restrictions in terms of the date and language of the documents. Data extraction and synthesis A systematic search of the targeted databases was conducted from 12 May 2025 to 20 May 2025. Deduplication, screening and full-text evaluation for the selection of documents were done using the online version of Rayyan. Data were collected and recorded into a structured Microsoft Excel sheet. Two researchers individually conducted the selection of the articles and the extraction of data. A third researcher helped to resolve any discrepancies if required. Results A total of 2627 documents were retrieved by searching the targeted databases and websites. After matching them with the eligibility criteria, 20 documents were included in the final list. 14 of them were research papers; the rest was organisational literature. All the papers were from 2006 and later, except one that was from 1998. No documents were found from the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan regions. 10 broad categories of interventions were identified, which were either implemented in the field or suggested in the form of guidelines. Most of the interventions were postexposure and preventive in nature. Psychological first aid was the most widely used intervention in this context, being used by the national societies of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Nine of the documents were research papers evaluating the effectiveness of the interventions using different scales and customised questionnaires. Four of them did not observe any notable effect on the mental health of the participants. Conclusions Over the past two decades, the evidence on mental health interventions for humanitarian volunteers has grown. The reviewed literature documented various interventions and guidelines that need further study and testing to both prove and improve their effectiveness. Organisational policies could incorporate and further evaluate these to ensure the psychosocial well-being of volunteers. A review of research papers on intervention effectiveness found heterogeneity in settings, designs, interventions and methods, precluding a systematic review. More research is needed on individual interventions, volunteer perceptions and comparing interventions to identify the most effective ones. Additionally, comparing pre-exposure and postexposure interventions with multimodal systems that support volunteers throughout deployment is recommended.

Cyberbullying refers to the act of using digital technology to engage in bullying. It involves the intentional use of the internet to demean or denigrate individuals, and it has been linked to substantial psychological distress globally. Despite its increasing prevalence, there remains a gap in nationwide research on its association with the mental well-being of female adolescents in Bangladesh. The main objective of this study was to understand the association of cyberbullying with major depressive disorder (MDD) among female adolescents in Bangladesh. We used secondary data from the 2019–20 Bangladesh Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey (BAHWS), a nationally representative survey. A multiple logistic regression model was used to identify the possible association between cyberbullying and MDD. Among the 4,984 female adolescents surveyed, 8% (95% CI: 7–9) reported experiencing cyberbullying within the past 12 months, and 12% (95% CI: 11–14) were found to have MDD. Among those who had experienced cyberbullying, the prevalence of MDD was 31%. Additionally, a dose‒response relationship was observed, where the burden of MDD increases with the frequency of cyberbullying experiences. Compared with those who did not experience cyberbullying, adolescents who faced any form of cyberbullying in the past 12 months were almost four times more likely (AOR: 3.97, 95% CI: 3.12–5.05) to have MDD. Cyberbullying is a significant issue among female adolescents in Bangladesh, with a higher risk of MDD linked to increased exposure. Accessible reporting mechanisms and timely counselling through teachers or healthcare providers can help reduce the long-term mental health impact of cyberbullying. Not applicable. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12888-025-07234-z.