Background: Adolescent smoking remains a critical public health issue due to its long-term health consequences and strong association with nicotine dependence in adulthood. Despite global tobacco control efforts, smoking and emerging nicotine use behaviours, including e-cigarette use, continue to be prevalent among young people. In England and comparable international contexts, adolescent smoking is shaped by a complex interaction of socioeconomic inequalities, peer influence, parental be...

Public Health 

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in low- and middle-income countries. Identifying their epidemiological, clinical, and environmental determinants is essential for designing effective prevention and control strategies. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and determinants of ARIs among children aged 0 - 14 years in the Kamina health zone, Democratic Republic of Congo. M...

Public Health 

Cigarette butts are among the most abundant urban residues worldwide and constitute an emerging source of aquatic pollution due to the release of nicotine and other toxic compounds into the environment. In the present work, the acute toxicity of nicotine solutions and cigarette butt leachates was evaluated using fish, specifically juveniles of Poecilia reticulata, under controlled and standardized laboratory conditions. Acute toxicity assays of nicotine were performed, exposing fis...

Public Health 

Background: Games provide an immerse environment that foster active learning where pupils face consequences for their choices in a risk-free setting. They have been linked to enhancing engagement and motivation, improving learning outcomes, and fostering the development of essential skills among the participants. Despite the growing global interest in interactive pedagogy, there is a profound lack of empirical research exploring game-based intervention on WASH-related NTD prevention withi...

Public Health 

Introduction: Pregnancy is a period of profound physiological changes that can impact the oral health of women. Several studies have established a link between poor oral health and obstetric complications, highlighting the importance of regular dental monitoring during pregnancy. The present study aimed to measure the prevalence of caries and gingivitis among pregnant women attending primary healthcare facilities in the district of A?n Sebaa-Hay Mohammadi, Morocco. Methods: A quant...

Dentistry  Public Health 

Oral papilloma is a benign epithelial lesion often associated with low-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), particularly types 6 and 11. It typically presents as an asymptomatic exophytic growth with a papillary or verrucous surface. We report two cases involving a child and an older adult, highlighting differences in clinical presentation related to the duration of evolution. Diagnosis was based on clinical features and confirmed histologically. Treatment consisted of complete surgical excision usi...

Public Health 

Introduction: Access to healthcare services remains a major challenge in developing countries, particularly in disadvantaged neighborhoods where social inequalities translate into disparities in the use of healthcare services. In Lubumbashi, numerous barriers limit children in disadvantaged neighborhoods’ access to healthcare: precarious socioeconomic conditions, lack of or distance from healthcare services, and geographical disparities, leading to the use of informal alternatives ...

Health Policy  Public Health 

Objective: To summarize the practice experience of government purchase services in the patriotic health movement in my country, and analyze the deficiencies of the new era, with the aim of providing reference. Methods: The relevant experience of domestic and foreign government purchases public health services will be analyzed through the literature search, policies and regulations. Results: The system supply, purchase range and operational mechanism of government purchase services are improved. ...

Public Health 

Background: The effective organization and delivery of refractive error services are essential for reducing avoidable visual impairment. Limited evidence exists regarding how refractive services are structured and implemented within Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa (FSSA). This study assessed the organization and delivery of refractive error services across FSSA countries. Methods: A multicountry descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted between March and August 2020 among eye health stakeh...

Ophthalmology  Public Health 

Background: Self-medication (SM) is widely practiced worldwide, since many drugs are dispensed without prescription. This phenomenon can lead to an increased resistance of pathogens, drug reaction and drug dependence. The objective of our study was to estimate the prevalence of SM practice, to describe its characteristics among Moroccan medical students, and to identify factors associated with this practice. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out betwe...

Public Health