Background: HIV/AIDS remains a major global public health challenge, with persistent regional disparities in burden and progress toward the UNAIDS 95–95–95 targets. This study assessed temporal trends in the HIV/AIDS burden in Kazakhstan, compared them with Central Asia and global patterns, and projected trends through 2030. Methods: We conducted a population-level analysis using Global Burden of Disease 2023 data, examining age-standardized rates (per 100,000) of incidence, prevalence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) from 2010 to 2023. Trends were quantified using percent change and average annual percentage change, with projections based on log-linear models. Results: Between 2010 and 2023, prevalence in Kazakhstan increased by 332.1% and incidence by 111.0%, contrasting with the decline in global incidence (−24.7%). Mortality decreased (−32.7%), along with DALYs (−28.8%) and YLLs (−37.1%), while YLDs increased by 135.5%, indicating a shift toward a chronic disease burden. In 2023, Kazakhstan had a lower overall burden than global estimates but showed steeper increases in incidence and prevalence. Age-specific analyses indicated the largest increases among adults aged 30–69 years. Under current trend assumptions, projections suggest continued growth in prevalence and incidence, with modest mortality declines through 2030, though these trajectories do not account for future changes in prevention coverage, treatment access, or policy. Conclusions: Kazakhstan is undergoing a transition toward a chronic HIV epidemic, underscoring the need to strengthen prevention, expand PrEP and testing coverage, and address structural barriers to achieve epidemic control.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia, with annual conversion rates to Alzheimer's disease (AD) or all-cause dementia estimated at 10%−15%. The role of depression as a prognostic factor for dementia progression remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between depression and risk of conversion from MCI to AD and all-cause dementia. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Eligible studies included adults with MCI, depression assessed by clinical diagnosis or validated scales, and reported hazard ratios (HRs) for progression to dementia. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed for unadjusted and adjusted HRs. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and certainty of evidence was evaluated with GRADE. Results: Seventeen studies were included, with follow-up ranging from 6 months to 12 years. In unadjusted analyses, baseline depression was associated with increased risk of progression overall (HR 1.66, 95% CI 1.22–2.26); however, heterogeneity across studies was high ( I ² = 99.1%), limiting confidence in the pooled estimate. The association was significant for progression to AD (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.15–2.15 ; I ² = 99.4%), but not for all-cause dementia (HR 1.95, 95% CI 0.85–4.48; I ² = 90%). In adjusted analyses, depression remained associated with increased progression risk overall (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.05–1.39), with high heterogeneity ( I ² = 99.8%). The association was statistically significant for all-cause dementia (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01–1.52; I ² = 78.8%), but not for AD (HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.95–1.47; I ² = 99.8%). Sensitivity analyses confirmed robustness of findings, and publication bias was not detected. Certainty of evidence was rated very low due to heterogeneity. Conclusion: Depression appears to be associated with an increased risk of progression from MCI to dementia; however, the very high heterogeneity and very low certainty of evidence substantially limit confidence in the magnitude and consistency of this association. These findings highlight the importance of depression screening and management in MCI populations. Integrating mental health care into cognitive disorder clinics may improve patient outcomes and potentially delay dementia onset. Systematic Review registration: identifier: CRD420261308245.

Sleep supports cognition across the lifespan, but its significance may differ developmentally: in adults, it largely maintains and restores functioning within mature neural systems, whereas in children and adolescents it may also support the formation of cognitive, emotional, and self-regulatory capacities. This systematic review and evidence and gap map, prospectively registered in PROSPERO and conducted according to PRISMA 2020, searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies of sleep duration, quality/fragmentation, timing/regularity, and daytime sleepiness in relation to executive function/self-regulation, attention/vigilance, emotion/behavior regulation, and academic functioning among typically developing children and adolescents. Twenty-five studies contributed 46 study–outcome links. Across nearly all populated evidence cells, more adequate sleep profiles were associated with better developmental outcomes. The strongest and most experimentally supported evidence concerned sleep duration in relation to executive function, emotion/behavior regulation, and academic functioning; evidence for sleep timing/regularity and daytime sleepiness was weaker and predominantly cross-sectional. Unlike adults, for whom sleep primarily restores a mature system, children may lose not only today’s functioning but tomorrow’s developmental trajectory when sleep is chronically curtailed. Sleep duration currently provides the strongest basis for intervention, whereas the long-term developmental effects of sleep quality, timing, regularity, and sleepiness require further longitudinal and experimental investigation during this formative period.

The article is devoted to a comprehensive consideration of the problem of personal responsibility in the context of the current state of psychological science. The work presents and analyzes the main theoretical approaches to the study of responsibility, its structural and functional characteristics, as well as various interpretations of its essence in psychological literature. Based on the analysis, an updated definition of responsibility was proposed, which goes beyond the traditional understanding and emphasizes its importance as a regulatory mechanism of behavior that affects decision-making, the formation of strategies and the regulation of personal activity in professional activities. The purpose of the study is to identify the specifics of responsibility as a key psychological factor in the success of entrepreneurial activity. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of its relationship with decision-making processes, risk management, planning and achievement of set goals in an uncertain and volatile environment. Theoretical models are considered that allow justifying the impact of responsibility on the effectiveness of entrepreneurial behavior and its significance as a predictor of professional success. The results presented in the article provide a deeper understanding of the role of responsibility in the formation of a competent and strategically thinking entrepreneur, as well as emphasize its importance for the development of self-regulation skills, goal-setting and successful adaptation to the difficult conditions of modern business.

Background and Objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in the COVID-19 response are at increased risk of mental health disturbances, including sleep disorders. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of insomnia among HCWs in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 11 and 26 September 2021, including 553 HCWs. Insomnia symptoms were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). The primary binary outcome was defined as an ISI score ≥ 10, while ISI ≥ 15 was used descriptively to indicate moderate-to-severe insomnia symptoms. Associations were evaluated using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression models. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Overall, 38.10% of HCWs with complete ISI data had insomnia symptoms based on the predefined ISI ≥ 10 threshold. In multivariable analysis, Kazakh nationality (AOR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.05–4.23), advanced education (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.13–3.65), physician role (AOR = 4.92, 95% CI: 1.25–19.30), and working with COVID-19 patients for >1 year (AOR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.33–3.89) were significantly associated with increased odds of insomnia. Conclusions: Insomnia symptoms were common among surveyed HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic and were associated with selected demographic and occupational characteristics, including professional role, education level, and duration of work with COVID-19 patients. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions and structural support systems for HCWs in Kazakhstan.