Women shellfishers in Ghana are increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity due to their dependence on degraded estuarine ecosystems and limited livelihood alternatives. These women face compounding risks from environmental degradation, seasonal harvesting restrictions, and economic precarity. Despite their critical role in coastal food systems, their food security status remains poorly understood. This study examined the prevalence of, and factors associated with, food insecurity among women shellfishers across three estuarine sites in Ghana. We conducted a cross-sectional study from June to July 2021 among 504 women aged 15 to 49 years engaged in oyster harvesting, processing and retailing across the Densu, Narkwa Lagoon, and Whin estuaries in Ghana. Food insecurity was measured using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Prevalence was compared across sites using Pearson’s chi-square test, and binary logistic regression was used to identify associated factors, with significance set at p < 0.05. Overall, 92.1
Typhoid fever remains an important public health concern in Ghana, particularly in the Eastern Region, where variation in water, sanitation and hygiene conditions may contribute to differences in reported typhoid incidence. We assessed temporal, demographic, spatial, seasonal, and forecast patterns of reported typhoid fever from 2016 to 2024 and forecasted monthly reported incidence for 2025 to 2029. We conducted a retrospective secondary analysis of typhoid fever surveillance data reported through the District Health Information Management System 2 (DHIMS2) from 2016 to 2024. We calculated incidence rates using population data. Temporal and seasonal patterns were assessed using time-series analyses, while spatial distribution was examined using district-level incidence rates and quintile mapping. Alert and epidemic thresholds were assessed using the C2 method with a rolling 12-month reference window. We used a Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model for forecasting. We obtained rainfall data from Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS) Version 2.0. We generated a sensitivity/exploratory series by applying the pooled laboratory-confirmed prevalence estimate of 4.14
In French Guiana, people working on illegal gold mining sites live in remote areas with limited access to healthcare. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of self-medication among artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) workers, and to describe associated factors, the medicines used, and their supply channels. We analysed two cross-sectional surveys conducted within the Curema project, Orpal_3 (2022) and Orpal_4 (2024–2025), at ten cross-border sites along the Maroni and Oyapock rivers. Adults who had worked on an illegal gold mining site in the previous seven days were recruited through chance encounters and snowball sampling, and interviewed face-to-face using the same self-medication question. Self-medication was defined as reporting at least one medicine bought without a prescription at the most recent purchase (no fixed recall period). Medicines were classified by ATC code, route of administration, regulatory status in France and Brazil, and supply channel (formal/informal; Orpal_4 only). Prevalence was compared using the chi-square test, and associated factors were explored using univariate logistic regression. Overall, 1,019 participants were included. Self-medication prevalence was 71.1
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge is a key determinant of health outcomes among adolescents and young adults, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Angola, young people continue to face substantial SRH challenges, including early childbearing and a high burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yet subnational data remain limited. To characterise SRH knowledge, sexual behaviours, and STI profiles among adolescents and young adults aged 15–25 years recruited in the same four municipalities of Benguela Province in two independent survey rounds conducted using identical study procedures. We conducted a pooled cross-sectional analysis of two independent community-based surveys carried out in 2021 and 2024 in four municipalities of Benguela Province. Participants were recruited using a community-based convenience sampling approach through outreach activities conducted in public spaces, youth centres, and churches. This recruitment strategy was designed to maximise participation among adolescents and young adults in the selected municipalities but was not intended to provide a representative sample of the general population. SRH knowledge was assessed using a structured questionnaire, and point-of-care testing was offered for HIV (Alere Determine HIV1/2 antibodies, Abbott), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (HBsAg, Nantong diagnosis Biotech-nology), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis (Treponema pallidum antibodies, Nantong Diagnos Biotechnology)..Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with adequate SRH knowledge and HBsAg positivity, accounting for survey year. A total of 2,802 adolescents and young adults were included. Adequate SRH knowledge was significantly associated with female sex (aOR 1.49, 95
Domestic violence is a global public health issue that is often normalized in patriarchal societies like Pakistan due to institutionalized cultural norms. Given the scattered and contradictory findings in this field, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of domestic violence among Pakistani women. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the PRISMA protocol. A systematic search was conducted across six electronic databases until August 2025. Inclusion criteria encompassed cross-sectional studies that reported the prevalence of violence among Pakistani women. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the JBI checklist, and analyses were performed using Stata software and a random effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic and publication bias was assessed using the Egger’s test. Based on the 24 eligible studies, the overall prevalence of violence was estimated to be 52
