Background and Objectives: Sexualized substance use (SSU) and chemsex have garnered increasing attention in public health research, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). However, the prevalence and implications of these behaviors in the general population and among women remain underexplored. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize existing evidence on the prevalence of SSU and chemsex in the general population, with a specific focus on women. Materials and Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and PsycINFO were searched for studies published before 18 February 2025. The keywords included “chemsex”, “sexualized substance use”, “prevalence”, and “women”. Studies were included if they reported prevalence data on SSU or chemsex in the general population or among women. The exclusion criteria included studies focused exclusively on MSM, adolescents, or specific drug toxicity. The pooled prevalence estimates were presented using forest plots, and the heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics in RStudio (version 4.3.2). Results: The findings reveal that SSU and chemsex are significant phenomena, with pooled prevalences of 19.92% in the general population and 15.61% among women. The higher prevalence of SSU (29.40%) compared with chemsex (12.66%) in the general population suggests that substance use during sex is a broader behavioral pattern. Among women, the prevalence of chemsex was notably lower (3.50%) than SSU (25.78%). Conclusions: This study underscores that SSU and chemsex are significant public health concerns extending beyond the MSM community. The findings highlight the need for inclusive public health strategies that address these behaviors across the general population. Future research should focus on standardizing definitions, exploring contextual factors, and developing targeted interventions to mitigate associated risks, such as sexually transmitted infections, substance dependency, and mental health disorders.

Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as one of the most challenging opportunistic pathogens in modern healthcare due to its remarkable ability to acquire and disseminate antimicrobial resistance determinants. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) is now recognized by the World Health Organization as a critical priority pathogen, highlighting the urgent need for improved diagnostic, surveillance, and therapeutic strategies. This review synthesizes current evidence on the relationship between phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and underlying genetic determinants of resistance in A. baumannii. A structured literature search was conducted across major biomedical databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library), supplemented by citation tracking and relevant institutional sources, focusing on studies published between 2016 and 2026. The analysis integrates findings from studies examining phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) with molecular and genomic investigations of resistance mechanisms, including carbapenemases, aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, efflux pumps, and resistance-associated genomic islands. Particular attention is given to the complex and sometimes discordant relationship between genotype and phenotype, where the presence of resistance genes does not always translate directly into phenotypic resistance due to regulatory mechanisms, gene expression variability, and genomic context. The review further discusses methodological differences in AST standards and genomic prediction approaches that may contribute to variability across studies. Collectively, the evidence supports a multidimensional interpretation of antimicrobial resistance in A. baumannii, emphasizing the necessity of integrating phenotypic and genotypic data for accurate diagnostics, surveillance, and clinical decision-making. This integrated perspective may contribute to improved understanding of resistance evolution and support the development of more effective strategies for managing multidrug-resistant A. baumannii infections.

Background: Echinococcosis is an infection caused by the Echinococcus Granulosus parasite, mainly affecting the liver and, less commonly, the lungs. Surgical intervention is the main treatment for Echinococcus Granulosus, with various approaches available depending on the cyst characteristics. This study provided a comprehensive assessment of age characteristics, hospitalization length, and regional differences in the surgical treatment of echinococcosis in Kazakhstan. Objectives: To conduct a comparative analysis of regional disparities in surgical management of pulmonary echinococcosis in Kazakhstan and identify organizational factors contributing to the burden of emergency surgeries. Methods: A brief description of the main methods or treatments applied. This can include any relevant preregistration or specimen information. Results: A short summary of the article’s main findings. Conclusions: A final summarizing comment of the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article; it must not contain results which are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. Clinical trial abstracts should include items that the CONSORT group has identified as essential.

Background: Emergency thoracic conditions remain an important cause of hospitalization, emergency surgery, and mortality, requiring well-organized multidisciplinary thoracic surgical services. Objectives: To comprehensively evaluate the organization of emergency thoracic surgical care in multidisciplinary hospitals in Almaty using retrospective hospital data together with patient and healthcare professional-reported assessments. Methods: A multicomponent study was conducted comprising three complementary components: (1) a retrospective analysis of official hospital data from five multidisciplinary hospitals providing emergency thoracic surgical care in Almaty during 2019–2023; (2) a questionnaire survey of patients evaluating their experiences with emergency thoracic care; and (3) a questionnaire survey of healthcare professionals assessing the organization of emergency thoracic surgical services. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s χ² test, Fisher’s exact test where appropriate, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and multivariable ordinal logistic regression were used. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results: During 2019–2023, the annual number of hospitalized patients averaged 519.0 ± 31.7. Chest injuries without internal organ involvement accounted for 50.9% of the 2152 cases included in the pathology-specific analysis, and the distribution of the main thoracic pathology groups changed significantly over time (χ² = 158.8, df = 12, p< 0.001). Hospital mortality decreased from 3.13% to 2.59%, while the average length of hospital stay declined from 8.74 to 7.72 days. Patient-reported assessments were generally favorable. In the adjusted analysis, treatment type and treatment-related complications were independently associated with overall satisfaction, whereas age, gender and time to diagnosis were not. Healthcare professionals identified equipment availability, staff training, and interdepartmental coordination as areas requiring further improvement. Conclusions: Integrating hospital performance indicators with patient-reported experiences and healthcare professional perspectives provided a comprehensive assessment of emergency thoracic surgical care in Almaty. The observed reductions in mortality and length of hospital stay, together with findings from patient and healthcare professional surveys, identify several organizational priorities to strengthen emergency thoracic surgical services further.