Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with lifestyle factors including diet playing a crucial role in its development and progression. This systematic review aims to synthesize current epidemiological evidence on the associations between dietary factors and CRC risk, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published between January 2000 and December 2025. The search strategy combined terms related to colorectal cancer, dietary factors, and risk factors. Studies were included if they examined human populations, assessed dietary exposures, reported CRC outcomes, and were observational studies, interventional trials, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed quality using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, Cochrane RoB 2.0, and AMSTAR-2 tools of 3,150 initially identified records, 90 studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic synthesis. The reviewed evidence indicates that high consumption of red and processed meats (RR: +12-18% per 100g/day), saturated fats, ultra-processed foods, alcohol (dose-dependent), and tobacco (RR: 2-3× vs. non-smokers) is associated with increased CRC risk. Conversely, diets rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, olive oil, dairy products, and specific micronutrients (vitamins D, B-group, C, E, selenium, zinc) show inverse associations with CRC risk (20-50% risk reduction). Epidemiological studies suggest that modifiable lifestyle factors may influence CRC risk by approximately 60-70%, though these estimates derive primarily from observational data with moderate to high heterogeneity. This systematic review highlights the potential for CRC prevention through dietary modifications. However, due to the observational nature of most available evidence, further well-designed prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to establish causal relationships. The findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Treponema pallidum (TP) infection among blood donors in Emezaka General Hospital. A cross-sectional study design was employed, involving the collection of blood samples from individuals who provided informed consent. Serological tests were conducted using ELISA for Antibody detection of TP. The collected samples were processed, and results were systematically recorded. The study focused on understanding the rate of Treponema Infections among blood donors, and identifying demographic factors associated with these infections. Out of the 150 samples that were analyzed, 18 were shown to be positive for TP. The results also reveal significant gender differences: among 135 male participants, only 16 (10.7%) were positive for TP, while out of 15 female participants, only 2 (1.3%) tested positive. This incongruity implies that males in this population may be more likely to be exposed to TP infection, potentially due to the risk factors associated such as male to sexual intercourse, etc. The analysis of risk factors showed that multiple sexual partners were strongly associated with TP infection, with 6 out of 45 participants testing positive. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the data, revealing important insights into the health implications of TP infection within the study population. Findings from this research highlight the public health significance of Treponema pallidum infection, emphasizing the need for enhanced screening and prevention strategies in healthcare settings. This study highlights the need for increased educational efforts to raise awareness about TP infections and also provides valuable insights to inform policy direction and public health initiatives for combating Treponema pallidum Infections.
School hygiene is a critical component of child health, safety, and educational development, as schools provide an important setting for promoting healthy behaviors and preventing communicable diseases. Adequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, hygiene education, and effective school health policies contribute to improved health outcomes, reduced illness-related absenteeism, and enhanced learning environments. This comparative literature review examined school hygiene policies, practices, infrastructure, implementation strategies, monitoring, challenges, and health-related outcomes in India and the United States. Literature was identified through searches of academic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed/MEDLINE, and ERIC, and through authoritative governmental and international sources. Peer-reviewed studies, systematic/scoping reviews, and relevant policy and programme documents published between 2010 and 2026 were included and synthesized comparatively across common thematic domains. India primarily focuses on expanding sanitation infrastructure, supply of drinking water, school nutrition, and adolescent health, through national hygiene initiatives targeting several school health and wellness programmes. In contrast, the United States emphasizes integrated school health frameworks, drinking-water quality, and institutional accountability through coordinated public health policies and school-based interventions. Despite these efforts, both countries continue to face persistent challenges related to equitable WASH access, infrastructure maintenance, behavioral compliance, and effective implementation of school hygiene policies. Differences in policy structures and socioeconomic contexts further influence the implementation and monitoring of school hygiene measures. Overall, the reviewed evidence demonstrates that sustainable improvements in school hygiene require coordinated, multisectoral approaches that integrate functional infrastructure, continuous hygiene education, behavioral reinforcement, routine monitoring, and institutional commitment. Strengthening these interconnected components is essential for creating safe, healthy, and inclusive learning environments that support children's long-term health, well-being, and educational outcomes.
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a major public health challenge due to its silent progression, the severity of its complications, and its often late diagnosis. Prevention relies primarily on a better understanding of the disease among the general population. However, the level of CKD knowledge varies among populations and may be influenced by their sociodemographic characteristics and access to medical information. The determinants of CKD knowledge remain poorly documented in Benin. Identifying groups at higher risk of poor CKD knowledge could help guide health education strategies. Objective: To identify the factors associated with the poor level of knowledge of CKD in the population of the municipality of Abomey-Calavi in 2026. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2026 among adults over 18 years of age residing in the municipality of Abomey-Calavi. Participants were selected using a three-stage probability sampling method. The level of CKD knowledge was assessed using a score that included anatomical, functional, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive knowledge. Factors associated with poor knowledge were investigated using bivariate analysis followed by multivariate logistic regression. Associations were expressed as crude and adjusted Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Oral informed consent was obtained from participants before inclusion in the study. Results: Of the 612 residents surveyed, 559 (91.34%) had a poor level of knowledge about CKD. After adjustment, only occupation, religion, and certain sources of information remained significantly associated with a poor level of knowledge. Participants of animist religion had higher odds ratios for poor knowledge (OR = 18.19 [1.71-193.04]) compared to atheists. Workers (OR = 16.87 [3.81-74.66]) and merchants (OR = 11.38 [2.26-57.34]) had higher odds ratios than participants with intellectual professions. Lack of exposure to information from social media (OR = 19.73 [7.27-53.54]) and the education system (OR = 15.24 [5.76-40.29]) was strongly associated with poor knowledge levels. Conclusion: Knowledge of CKD was poor among the study population. Strengthening education and awareness strategies, particularly among less informed groups, could improve knowledge of CKD and contribute to earlier detection.
Introduction: Family planning plays a major role in improving maternal and child health. Our objective was to determine the socio-epidemiological profile of family planning users at Abass NDAO Hospital Center. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study including all patients using family planning who had a record in the maternity ward of Abass Ndao Hospital Center from January 2023 to May 2023. Data were entered and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, Sphinx Plus version 4.5 and Stata MP 16.0 software. Results: We included 107 patients. The mean age of the patients was 29.5 years ±6.8. The 25-34 age group was the most represented (52.3%). The mean number of children was two (2). The majority of users had the status of “married women” (90.7%, n=97) and were educated (89.6%, n=95) with a strong representation of secondary and higher levels. About one quarter (n=27) of the patients were employees of the formal private sector, 23.4% (n=25) housewives and 21.5% (n=23) schoolgirls-students. The menstrual cycle was regular in 87.9%. There were more multiparous women (49.5%, n=53) than primiparous women (40.2%, n=43). The rate of high blood pressure, overweight and obesity was successively 12.1%, 29.4% and 25.5%. The main source of information on family planning was of medical origin through health workers (32.7%, n=35). The contraceptive methods most used were Depo injectable (41.1%, n=44) and Jadelle (27.1%, n=29). Conclusion: Our study was able to highlight the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of family planning users, determine the planning methods most used in the maternity ward of ABASS NDAO Hospital Center, as well as the methods most frequently used.
