Objectives: The objective of this review was to analyze quantitative data on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to increase the accuracy of estimates of the prevalence of ASD.Methods: This review, which was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement, included studies conducted from January 2008 to June 2024 on children aged 3 to 18 years that used standardized measurement tools and reported cut-off scores for ASD. The prevalence of ASD was the primary outcome analyzed in this review. The PubMed, Clinical Key, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were reviewed for relevant studies. The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO and followed the Cochrane collaboration guidelines.Results: A total of 66 studies reported on the prevalence of ASD, screening 21,313,061 children worldwide. Among these, 25 studies were conducted in Europe, 22 in Asia, and 13 in America. Additionally, 3 studies each were reported from Africa and Australia. According to a meta-analysis, 0.77% of children globally are diagnosed with ASD, with boys comprising 1.14% of this group. Notably, Australia showed the highest prevalence rate, with an effect size of 2.18, highlighting it as a critical area for public health focus.Conclusion: ASD represents a significant global health burden. Early detection, increased awareness among parents, and prompt intervention are crucial for mitigating developmental problems in children later in life. It is essential for health policymakers to acknowledge the prevalence and growing trends of ASD in order to implement effective interventions.

Background: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission causes significant distress that can hinder the successful transition into parenthood, child-parent relations, and child development.Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to understand parental psychological phenomena. Here we assessed the emotional response of parents of newborns during NICU admission.Methods: Two authors independently searched the PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Clinical Key, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between January 01, 2004, and December 31, 2021. The review followed Cochrane collaboration guidelines and the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) statement. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Stata software (version 16) was used to compute the results.Results: This review comprised 6,822 parents (5,083 mothers, 1,788 fathers; age range, 18–37 years) of NICU patients. The gestational ages and neonatal weights were 25.5–42 weeks and 750–2,920 g, respectively. The pooled prevalence of anxiety was higher among mothers (effect size [ES], 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41–0.61; and heterogeneity [I2]=97.1%; P<0.001) than among fathers (ES, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.11–0.42; I2=96.6%; P<0.001). Further, the pooled prevalence of depression was higher among mothers (ES, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.24–0.38; I2=91.5%; P<0.001) than among fathers (ES, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03–0.22; I2=85.6%; P<0.001). Similarly, the pooled prevalence of stress was higher among mothers (ES, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.31–0.51; I2= 93.9%; P<0.001) than among fathers (ES, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.09–0.34; I2=85.2%; P<0.001).Conclusion: NICU admission is more stressful for mothers than fathers and can affect mental health and quality of life. Mothers reported a higher pooled prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression than fathers, possibly attributable to their feelings about birthing a sick child.

The human digestive system or gastrointestinal tract consists of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The food is broken down in a series of steps with the help of digestive juices in the digestive system. As a result, the digestive system is a vital organ that breaks down food into small […]

(1) Background: Evidence suggested inconsistent results in anxiety and depression scores among female and male cancer patients. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess how anxiety and depression conditions among cancer patients vary according to sex. (2) Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). The protocol was registered in PROSPERO with id no. CRD42024512553. The search strategy involved combining keywords using Boolean operators, including “Anxiety”, “Cancer”, and “Depression”, across several databases: Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The outcomes were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). (3) Results: Data were collected from five studies, enrolling a total of 6317 cancer patients, of whom 2961 were females and 3356 males. For each study, HADS-A and HADS-D scores were considered, also differentiating HADS scores according to cancer typology, and then three different meta-analyses were performed. Generally, females reported significantly higher levels of depression scores than males and, conversely, males reported significantly greater levels of anxiety than females. (4) Conclusions: Previous studies suggested higher rates of depression and anxiety conditions in females than in males, but the present data highlighted controversial findings, since males reported significantly higher levels of anxiety than females. In this scenario, the theoretical approach justified females being more open than males to expressing anxiety or depression conditions. It would be necessary for healthcare professionals to improve effective measures purposed at assessing and mitigating depressive symptoms in cases of advanced cancer, thereby improving their mental health, given the high rates of depression in advanced cancer patients, due to the difficulty level of performing their daily living activities, which deteriorate further over time.

OBJECTIVES: Disasters and mass casualty incidents (MCIs) that cause substantial mortality and morbidity have been increasing worldwide. The emergency department (ED) services manage MCIs by optimizing triage and providing health care with required resources. The present study attempted to describe the epidemiological characteristics and outcomes of MCIs presenting to the ED. METHODS: The present retrospective observational study was conducted at the ED of a tertiary care hospital on patients of MCI for 4 years from 2017 to 2021. The data were extracted from the ED disaster records and other paper-based patient records. Information on patient demography, date and time of arrival, mode of transport, method of arrival (direct or referral), type and mechanism of MCI, ED management, and outcome were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using R, version 4.1.0. RESULTS: Analysis of 21 MCIs was conducted. Road traffic accidents (RTAs) were the predominant cause of MCIs. The majority of MCI victims, except for those of blast injuries, were men. The victims in medical emergencies were significantly younger than those in other MCI groups (P < 0.001). The majority of patients were brought to ED through ambulance services (n = 120 [47.1%]), followed by private vehicles (n = 112 [44.2%]). Most of the MCI victims (n = 143 [56.2%]) were brought to the ED during evening hours (4 pm–8 pm). The majority of victims belonged to the “Red” triage category (n = 110 [43.3%]). The injury severity score was significantly higher (P = 0.014) in the disaster group than in other trauma MCI groups (20 vs. 17). Autorickshaw occupants were the most common victims of mass casualty RTAs (n = 38 [40%]). Suturing (n = 97 [50%]) and dressing (n = 167 [88%]) were the most common ED procedures required by the victims of trauma MCIs. Of the total, 167 (66%) patients were discharged from the ED, 47 (19%) patients were admitted to wards, 13 (5%) patients were admitted to intensive care units, and 24 (9%) patients got referred to other centers. In addition, two patients died in the ED during treatment, whereas one patient was brought dead. CONCLUSIONS: RTAs dominate the MCIs and are affecting the young producative male population. The present study exhibited the severity of the cases in MCIs and their impact in the health-care setting, therefore signifying the importance of standardized MCI management protocols.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of prefeeding oromotor stimulation on preterm infants’ feeding performance during hospitalization and in early infancy. Methods: Twenty nine preterm neonates born between 26 and 32 weeks of gestation were randomized to receive either 5 minutes of prefeeding oromotor stimulation or routine care. Results: Improvement in mean (SD) scores of feeding performance measured by various standardized scales were higher in the study group ( p <.001). There were a higher number of preterms of the intervention group on mothers’ milk at discharge and at corrected one month of age. They achieved independent oral feeding at significantly lower body weight ( p <.001) and had a shorter duration of hospitalization ( p <.05). No significant difference was found in the weight gain rate of preterm infants during hospitalization and at corrected one month of age. Conclusion: Prefeeding oromotor stimulation improves feeding performance and shortens hospital stay in preterm neonates and improves the breastfeeding rate at their corrected one month of age.