Background: Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a key non-pharmacological intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but poor adherence limits its effectiveness. The factors influencing adherence, particularly from the patients’ perspective, are not well understood. This study aims to identify the factors that promote or hinder adherence to home-based rehabilitation in COPD patients, to inform more effective and personalized strategies.Methods: This study guided by Health Belief Model (HBM), and data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with eligible COPD patients during May and July 2024. Deductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyze the data.Results: Eighteen patients were recruited through purposive sampling. Two main themes emerged-facilitating health beliefs and challenges- along with five subthemes under the HBM framework: perceived threats, perceived benefits, cues to action, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers. In total, 28 categories were identified (21 facilitators, 7 barriers), including 11 newly discovered facilitators and one new barrier. Newly identified facilitators included physical limitations and fatigue, emotional distress, perceived ineffectiveness, time constraints, caregiving responsibilities, lack of support, cost, poor exercise conditions, reduced medical dependence, self-awareness of functional decline, attention-seeking behaviors, environmental cues, mental resilience, and religious beliefs. The new barrier related to environmental limitations and poor exercise conditions.Conclusion: This study underscores facilitators and barriers influencing home-based PR adherence within the HBM framework. Facilitators include broad factors related to perceived benefits, cues to action, self-efficacy, and perceived threats, while barriers encompass physical limitations, time constraints, and insufficient support. Flexible, personalized programs and greater family involvement can enhance adherence, improve long-term outcomes, and mitigate the rising burden of chronic diseases in aging societies.

Aim To comprehensively assess the current level and identify associated factors of intention to response and emergency preparedness of clinical nurses during COVID‐19 outbreak. Design A cross‐sectional study was designed. Methods Demographic and characteristic questionnaire, intention to response scale, emergency preparedness scale and a self‐designed questionnaire related to effects of events and intention to leave were used in this study. Results The mean scores of intention to response and emergency preparedness were 82.00 (SD = 18.17) and 64.99 (SD = 12.94), respectively. Moral consideration, engaged in COVID‐19 protection training, had working experience in SARS, and the other eight factors were explained 34.6% of the total model variance in intention to response model (F = 80.05, p < .001). While, the level of IR, whether the pace of work was affected and above three same factors were explained 21.5% of the total model variance (F = 91.05, p < .001). Pathway analysis revealed that moral consideration, intention to leave and impacts on work and life mediate the relationship between EP and IR.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced the entire world, prompting more than 180 countries to adopt policy responses [1]. Both COVID-19 itself and the strict measures implemented to combat it have disrupted life and altered multifaceted lifestyle behaviours. Consequently, the pandemic has significantly impacted communities’ physical, psychological, financial, and social well-being. Individual health […]

Aim: This study aims to explore the current level and associated factors of appetite and death anxiety amongst COVID‐19 patients and also to identify correlation between the two variables.Design: A cross‐sectional study.Methods: Demographic and characteristic questionnaires, templer death anxiety scale, council on nutrition of appetite questionnaire and medical coping modes questionnaire were utilized.Results: The average scores of appetite and death anxiety were 19.46 (4.09) and 6.58, (3.21) respectively. 76 patients (100%) suffered from appetite loss, whilst 27 (35.50%) patients suffered from severe death anxiety. Marital status, COVID‐19 disease condition ranks, educational level and death anxiety were explained 55.20% of the total variance in the appetite regression model (F = 31.83, p < .001), whilst the gender, avoidance coping strategy and appetite level were explained 49.80% of the total variance in death anxiety model (F = 17.80, p < .001). A moderate negative correlation between appetite and death anxiety was also confirmed (r=−.55, p < .001).

Background: The latest global burden of dementia, its risk factors, and demographic and social inequalities remain unclear, yet are crucial for shaping health policies. Materials and methods: We conducted a systematic analysis using data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate global dementia prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for that year and analyzed trends since 1990. We identified regions with similar changes in disease burden patterns, assessed risk factors and their trends, and examined disparities related to sex, age, sociodemographic index (SDI), and universal health coverage (UHC). Results: In 2021, dementia accounted for 56.9 million global cases, 2.0 million deaths, and 36.3 million DALYs. Global age-standardized rates per 100 000 population were: prevalence 694 (95% uncertainty intervals: 602.9-794.1), deaths 25.2 (6.7-64.2), and DALYs 451 (212.7-950.2), with increases of 3.2%, 0.5%, and 1.2% since 1990, respectively. In 2021, East Asia had the highest regional age-standardized prevalence (887.9), led nationally by China (900.8), Lebanon (828.3), and Germany (820.5). Central Sub-Saharan Africa reported the highest regional age-standardized death rates (34.9), particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Gabon (35.4 each) and Congo (34.5). For age-standardized DALYs, Central Sub-Saharan Africa was highest regionally (591.4), led by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (600.2), Gabon (588.3), and Afghanistan (577.7). We identified four regional and six national clusters based on prevalence and DALY trends. Women experienced higher prevalence, deaths, and DALYs across all regions and countries. Globally in 2021, high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (14.6% of age-standardized dementia DALYs, + 39.5% since 1990, leading in 20 regions and 193 countries, impacting males more), high body-mass index (BMI) (7.1%, + 53.3%, leading in 1 region and 11 countries, impacting females more), and smoking (4.1%, −22.3%, impacting males more) were the main contributors. Across the life course, below the age of 55, high BMI was the main risk for females; below 65, smoking for males; above these ages, high FPG for both sexes. SDI slightly increased DALYs, while UHC significantly reduced them. Discussion: The global dementia burden has slightly increased but remains substantial, with significant regional and sex disparities. Poor-performing clusters should adopt strategies from better ones. Prevention programs must target modifiable risk factors – high FPG, BMI, and smoking – using sex- and age-specific approaches. Strengthening UHC is essential to alleviate the growing dementia burden.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are a major global concern, causing nearly 74% of all deaths and accounting for 41 million fatalities annually [1]. Their impact is most pronounced in low- and middle-income countries, where 86% of premature deaths and 77% of NCD-related fatalities occur [1]. The escalating issue of NCDs, exacerbated […]