Effective collaboration between public health researchers and policymakers is critical for translating evidence into actionable policies. However, such collaboration is often undermined by misaligned priorities, structural barriers, and fragmented systems. This scoping review synthesizes global evidence on the strategies, facilitators and barriers shaping these collaborations, with a focus on how they enhance the uptake and use of research in policymaking. A scoping review was conducted using a systematic search across four electronic databases (SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Science and Medline via PubMed), targeting studies published between 2019 and 2024. Eligible studies discussed strategies, barriers and facilitators for collaboration between researchers and policymakers in public health. Data were extracted on study context, collaboration mechanisms, enabling conditions and reported impacts. A total of 24 studies were included, revealing four interdependent strategies for effective collaboration. Most notably, co-production of knowledge emerged in two distinct forms: as a deliberately structured intervention and as an emergent outcome of sustained engagement over time. This dual nature of co-production offers a critical lens for understanding how collaboration evolves in practice. Other key strategies included capacity building at both individual and organizational levels, the use of structured communication and feedback mechanisms to align research with policy needs, and the establishment of governance frameworks to institutionalize research–policy partnerships. Collaborations that were formalized, embedded within institutions, and maintained through iterative engagement were more likely to result in increased research uptake and enduring policy impact. These findings underscore that structured collaboration, particularly when supported by institutional mechanisms, ongoing capacity building and iterative engagement, plays a critical role in increasing the use of research in public health policymaking. By distinguishing co-production as both a deliberate strategy and an emergent outcome, this review offers new insight into how collaborative models can be designed or evolved to strengthen evidence-informed decision-making.

BACKGROUND:A recent resurgence of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is placing a major burden on high-risk populations, physicians, and the healthcare system. Treatment in the form of antibiotic pre-exposure prophylaxis (STI PrEP) is a potential solution. However, little is known about the acceptability and feasibility of this approach in high-risk populations. METHODS:A comprehensive search strategy was developed and executed in October 2024 across six databases adhering to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS:Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies were all conducted in high-income countries, used various methods, and all focussed on sexual minority men. Findings consistently identified moderate to high levels of acceptability among GBMSM (54.3% - 67.5%). Factors such as engagement in perceived 'high risk' sexual encounters, and past diagnosis of STIs strengthened acceptability, while others (e.g., antimicrobial resistance concerns and stigma) act as barriers. Only one study included the perspectives of healthcare workers, indicating a moderate willingness to prescribe, which would increase under governing-body endorsement. DISCUSSION:Overall, while there is some promise of STI PrEP acceptability among GBMSM, vast gaps in knowledge remain. Knowledge transfer and feasibility and, hence, the sustainability and capacity needed for the success of STI PrEP is yet to be examined and understood. However, for STI PrEP to be successfully adopted, it is essential not only to assess its acceptability and feasibility but also to focus on knowledge transfer. Knowledge transfer is a dynamic and iterative process, involving the synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and application of knowledge in an ethically sound manner. This process supports the improvement of health outcomes, strengthens healthcare systems, and ensures that healthcare interventions, such as STI PrEP, are effectively understood and implemented by both healthcare providers and at-risk populations. Similarly, the perspectives of populations beyond GBMSM have been omitted, and there is little understanding of the impact of their differing socio-cultural contexts around sex-related behaviour and Western pharmaceutical healthcare interventions on their acceptance and uptake. CONCLUSION:Further research into acceptability, feasibility and knowledge transfer among diverse high-risk groups, healthcare professionals, and policymakers is necessary to create a strong foundation for implementing STI PrEP.

BACKGROUND:This protocol outlines a planned systematic review to assess the effects of theory-based interventions for self-help practices in managing mild to moderate depression. Depression is a leading global cause of disability and contributes significantly to the worldwide burden. Self-help practices present promising avenues for care. When grounded in psychological theory, these interventions may offer a structured and effective approach to symptom management. However, their effectiveness varies and often lack a theoretical foundation. The summarized evidence on theory-based interventions remains limited. OBJECTIVES:This review aims to evaluate the effects of theory-based self-help interventions in reducing the severity of depressive symptoms among adults with mild or moderate depression. It also aims to report any adverse effects associated with the use of these interventions. METHODS:The review will follow PRISMA guidelines and is registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration ID: CRD42024613188. Randomized controlled trials published between January 2014 and 2025 will be included in the analysis. Eligible theory-based interventions include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), delivered via digital platforms. Studies will be identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Cochrane bibliographic databases. Title and abstract screening will be completed within two months of the initial search, followed by one month for data extraction and two months for synthesis and analysis. Two reviewers will conduct screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment independently using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2). Key outcomes include changes in depressive symptom severity and adverse effects. ANTICIPATED RESULTS:The planned synthesis will evaluate the effects of theory-based interventions, highlighting the anticipated contributions of theoretical frameworks to intervention outcomes. EXPECTED IMPACTS:The anticipated findings aim to inform future evidence-based guidelines for integration into primary care, supporting the development of accessible, scalable, and effective mental health solutions globally.

The past decade has seen a rapidly changing landscape in priority areas for public health globally and, as such, across the teaching and learning curriculum for tertiary education in health sciences. The nature of some of these changes has led to pedagogical challenges in higher education that require transformative, interactive, and virtual modes of delivery and knowledge facilitation not previously seen. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, increasing health disparities, and a shift to a focus on noncommunicable diseases has merged with the changing nature of social, cultural, and technological preferences of the generations living through such times to see an increasing need in more viable teaching solutions for these "wicked problems." This article outlined key innovations empirically demonstrated to meet these challenges through nuanced responses to increasingly disrupted approaches to linear delivery of content and a shift toward bite-sized, interactive, reflexive modes of achieving learning objectives.

The rapid adoption of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT by students has the potential to disrupt the higher education sector, with concerns being raised by academics about potential threats to academic integrity. This paper contributes to the pressing discussion about responses to AI tools by examining students' perceptions and the use of generative AI to assist them with assessments. Based on a survey among 337 Australian university students, this study found that more than a third of students have used a chatbot for assistance with an assessment, and do not necessarily perceive this as a breach of academic integrity. The study further investigated to what extent different psychosocial factors such as learning motivations, distress or resilience are associated with students’ use of AI chatbots in order to ascertain environmental conditions or risk factors driving their use. Findings suggest that the higher education sector faces the challenge of not only defining clear policies and guidelines about ethical and academically honest ways to use and integrate generative AI tools into university education and assessments, but also to rethink the design of assessment pieces.

This article adapted the INSPIRE framework, developed by the World Health Organization to prevent violence against children, to the systematic analysis of city-level healthcare services for pregnant women who experienced intimate partner violence. A mixed-methods study conducted in-depth interviews with 22 health and social care professionals and 140 pregnant women in Vietnam. The women were more likely to report limited system-level support for partners regarding violence and mental health, while the professionals perceived more weaknesses in policies and management of services. Traditional values tend to isolate abused women from receiving social services. The INSPIRE framework is innovative and could be applied in other contexts.

Child maltreatment rates remain unacceptably high and rates are likely to escalate as COVID-related economic problems continue. A comprehensive and evidence-building approach is needed to prevent, detect and intervene where child maltreatment occurs. This review identifies key challenges in definitions, overviews the latest data on prevalence rates, reviews risk and protective factors, and examines common long-term mental health outcomes for children who experience maltreatment. The review takes a systems approach to child maltreatment outcomes through its focus on the overall burden of disease, gene-environment interactions, neurobiological mechanisms and social ecologies linking maltreatment to mental ill-health. Five recommendations relating to the accurate measurement of trends, research on brain structures and processes, improving the reach and impact of teleservices for detecting, preventing and treating child maladjustment, community-based approaches, and building population-focused multidisciplinary alliances and think tanks are presented.

PurposeSaudi women have been deprived of equal access to and opportunities for an active lifestyle due to sociocultural restrictions. Using the theory of planned behaviour, this elicitation study aimed to explore the salient beliefs of young Saudi women aged 18-35 regarding physical activity (PA).MethodsA descriptive qualitative methodology was utilized using a semi-structured interview. A total of 25 transcribed interviews were coded. Content analysis was used to identify the salient beliefs and to rank-order the beliefs using an adaptation of Burnard's model.FindingsThirty-five salient beliefs were identified as dominant factors in the decision to engage in PA. The salient beliefs about PA are classified as positive (related to advantages, social approval, and enabling) and negative (related to disadvantages, social disapproval, and barriers). These included behavioural beliefs (concerning physical/psychological well-being and social opportunities), normative beliefs (concerning family, community, international and local media influencers' expectations), and control beliefs (concerning personal, social, natural, and built environment enablers as well as constraints).ConclusionsDue to the elicited beliefs, young women may be able to adopt more active lifestyles and change their inactive behaviour. Addressing negative beliefs can help change their inactive behaviour. Strengthening positive beliefs and facilitators is also beneficial.

BACKGROUND: Globally, family planning is one of the most important public health issues in both developed and developing countries due to high unmet needs. OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) towards family planning among women of reproductive age in Suva, Fiji. METHODS: The study applies a cross-sectional quantitative method using a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. Using random sampling, a sample of 325 women was used for the study and they were sought from three health clinics in Suva, Fiji. The questionnaire was administered to the respondents who met the inclusion criteria and they provided information that mostly involved rating the different issues and identifying their level of KAP. This data was analyzed using the statistics program SPSS version 25. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 31.53 (±7.35) years. A majority of the participants (64.6%) belonged to a Christian church while 65.2% belonged to iTaukei ethnic group. Approximately half of them (45.6%) had a high level of knowledge while 53.5% had moderate knowledge with only 0.9% reporting that they had poor knowledge. In terms of attitudes, 54.2% of the participants had high level or positive attitudes towards family planning with only a small proportion of 0.3% had low level or poor attitudes. In terms of practice, a majority of the participants (65.9%) had medium level of practice towards family planning while 24.6% showed a poor level with 9.5% having a high or good level of practice towards family planning. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified that women had medium level of knowledge and practice towards family planning, but their attitude was relatively high. Using behavioral change models such as health belief model (HBM) that focus on perceived benefits and barriers may help to promote KAP towards family planning among Fijian women.

Background: Grass pollen is considered a major outdoor aeroallergen source worldwide. It is proposed as a mechanism for thunderstorm asthma that lightning during thunderstorms promotes electrical rupture of pollen grains that leads to allergic airway inflammation. However, most evidence of associations between grass pollen and asthma comes from temperate regions. The objective of this study was to investigate short-term associations between airborne grass pollen exposure and asthma emergency department presentations in a subtropical population.Methods: Episode level public hospital presentations for asthma (2016-2020) were extracted for greater Brisbane, Australia, from Queensland Health's Emergency Data Collection. Concentrations of airborne pollen were determined prospectively using a continuous flow volumetric impaction sampler. Daily time series analysis using a generalised additive mixed model were applied to determine associations between airborne grass pollen concentrations, and lightning count data, with asthma presentations.Results: Airborne grass pollen showed an association with asthma presentations in Brisbane; a significant association was detected from same day exposure to three days lag. Grass pollen exposure increased daily asthma presentations up to 48.5% (95% CI: 12%, 85.9%) in female children. Lightning did not modify the effect of grass pollen on asthma presentations, however a positive association was detected between cloud-to-cloud lightning strikes and asthma presentations (P = 0.048).Conclusion: Airborne grass pollen exposure may exacerbate symptoms of asthma requiring urgent medical care of children and adults in a subtropical climate. This knowledge indicates an opportunity for targeted management of respiratory allergic disease to reduce patient and health system burden. For the first time, an influence of lightning on asthma was detected in this context. The outcomes support a need for continued pollen monitoring and surveillance of thunderstorm asthma risk in subtropical regions.

A misalignment between safety interventions and the workplace context of their application could lead to diminished effectiveness or failure. This paper is the first of three of an umbrella study that aimed to understand whether and how researchers and organisations consider contextual factors in safety interventions. Through Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) process, we searched and selected scholarly work indexed in the bibliographic databases Medline, APA PsycArticles, Web of Science and Scopus between January 2011 and June 2021. The studies were analysed using a framework developed according to translation theory about (de)contextualisation of knowledge. The framework was enriched to consider psychosocial factors at the organisational level and physical, cognitive and emotional factors of the interventions' recipients. We identified 73 eligible studies, of which 47 described safety interventions that had not been deployed in workplaces (e.g., pilot studies and con-cepts) and 26 studies referred to those deployed. No study considered all factors of the framework. Communi-cation and support from management and colleagues were the most considered psychosocial factors, whereas conflicting demands and job security were the least considered. Moreover, cognitive factors of workers were mentioned in 77% of the sample, with only one study considering inclusively cognitive, emotional and physical factors of recipients. About 62% of the implemented interventions were functional (e.g., training, education and communication-related interventions), with only four studies reporting physical interventions. Also, most of the interventions were sourced from the literature and introduced as 'new practice' at the targeted workplaces, with only one article reporting a failed intervention. Overall, the findings of this research indicated that intervention studies did not visibly follow a translation-transformation path between sources and recipients, did not sys-tematically consider contextual factors at the workplaces targeted, and all interventions represented adminis-trative controls, contrary to the widely accepted principle of the hierarchy of controls.

Background: The increasing volume of research on electronic health (eHealth) smoking cessation interventions presents a challenge for policymakers and service providers when they try to decide which strategies to select for health promotion programs. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Australian policymakers and service providers regarding the effectiveness and quality of eHealth and mHealth interventions for smoking cessation against the evidence in a recent systematic review. Methods: This cross-sectional study invited 38 Australian public health policymakers and service providers in smoking cessation to participate in an online survey assessing their knowledge of the current available evidence-base. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the results of the survey against the published review. Results: Eighteen participants completed the survey. Comparison identified that the majority of participants failed to correctly identify the effects and the quality of the evidence of popular smoking cessation interventions. They lacked knowledge of the usefulness and quality of some eHealth and mHealth interventions for smoking cessation. Conclusions: The finding of this study indicates that the prior perceptions and beliefs held by Australian policymakers and service providers about the effects of eHealth and mHealth interventions for smoking cessation are significantly detached enough from the evidence-base to affect the provision of effective interventions to smokers who want to quit. This has potentially widespread implications for improving health promotion andcommunication between policymakers, service providers, and the current smokingpopulation.

Background: Despite the detrimental effects and life-course health consequences of violence exposure, relatively few studies have adequate capacity to investigate the evolution of violence from childhood to motherhood. Objective: This study aims to examine the cyclical nature of childhood abuse and prenatal inter-partner violent victimization (p-IPV) and its adverse impact on childbirth trauma and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice in Vietnam. Method: Using a prospective birth cohort, 150 pregnant women were recruited in the third trimester of pregnancy in Hue city in central Vietnam (Wave 1-Baseline) and re-interviewed approximately three months after delivery (Wave 2-Follow-up). The direct and indirect effects of violent victimization on subsequent childbirth experience (measured by Birth Memories and Recall Questionnaire) and EBF practice were estimated by using augmented-inverse-probability-weighted models, sensitivity analysis, and structural equation model. Results: Detrimental and prolonged effects of the inter-generational cycle of violence transverse childhood to motherhood. Women who experienced either childhood abuse or p-IPV violence were more likely to experience negative emotional childbirth memories [ARR 1.21, 95 % CI (1.04, 1.39)]. Evidence also suggested that not continuing to exclusively breastfeed at 3 months post-partum was strongly associated with prenatal depression, young age, and perceived low social status during pregnancy. Perceived strong connectedness among extended family members and social networks (i.e. nexus among family, friends, and neighborhood) provided a buffering effect by preventing EBF termination. Conclusion: This research provides insights into the protective role of social connectedness in improving breastfeeding practice. It is vital to establish wholistic antenatal care and social service system to offer specialized support and response for victims of violence and mitigate the longterm sequelae of traumatic events.

INTRODUCTION:The emergence of widespread amphetamine-type stimulants (ATSs) usage has created significant challenges for drug control and treatment policies in Southeast Asian countries. This study analyses the development of drug policies and examines current treatment program constraints in Vietnam to deal with ATS misuse. The aim was to gain insights that may be useful for national and international drug-related policy development and revision. METHODS:A desk review of national policy documents and 22 in-depth key informant interviews were conducted from 2019 to 2021. Thematic content analysis was employed to identify key themes and their connections. RESULTS:Analysis identified Vietnam's 30-year history of developing policies and formulating strategies to reduce supply, demand, and harm from illicit drugs. With the increasing number of people who use ATS (PWUA), Vietnam has recently promoted harsh policy and law enforcement to deter drug use and supply. This policy trend prevails in many Asian countries. The three main constraints in dealing with ATS misuse emerged from punitive and restrictive drug policies. First, the general public believed that Centre-based compulsory treatment (CCT) is the only appropriate treatment for all types of illicit drug addiction despite its low-quality service provision. The rigid drug policy has led to social persuasion with impractical expectations for CCT effectiveness. Second, the emphasis on punishment and detention has hampered new drug treatment service development in Vietnam. CCT has become monopolistic in the context of impoverished services. Third, people who use drugs tend to hide their needs and avoid formal treatment and support services, resulting in declined social coherence. CONCLUSION:While new drugs are constantly evolving, the current law enforcement approach potentially constrains expertise to adopt effective treatment services. This study suggests that the top-down policing mechanism presently hinders the development of an appropriate intervention strategy for ATS misuse and diminishes social support to service providers.

Objective Patient characteristics with exacerbation of asthma accessing care in the ED who are at risk of hospital admission have not been determined in subtropical climates. The objective of the study was to investigate the spatiotemporal burden of asthma hospital admissions across Queensland (QLD) and model risk factors for asthma hospital admission following an ED visit. Methods Six years of routinely collected data (2012-2017) from 28 QLD public hospitals were extracted from Queensland Health's Emergency Data Collection. The dataset contained individual, episode-level ED presentations having asthma-like diagnoses, and an indicator of hospital admission, including to short-stay unit (SSU). A generalised additive model was used to examine the risk of asthma hospital admission. Results Asthma hospital admissions increased from a weekly median of 79 (interquartile range [IQR] 66-99) in 2012 to 104 (IQR 81-135) in 2017. A higher incidence of asthma hospital admission was observed among males (median age 9, IQR 5-32) in childhood and females in adulthood (median age 32, IQR 11-51). Compared to the state capital Brisbane, the odds of asthma hospital admission ranged from 0.48 (95% CI 0.42-0.54) to 1.34 (95%CI 1.21-1.48) in other regions of QLD. Conclusion Asthma hospital admissions appear to be increasing in QLD, largely driven by utilisation of the SSU admissions for asthma. With large variation in both incidence and proportion admitted across different regions, routinely collected data can in part be used to understand risk factors for asthma-related hospital admission following an ED presentation and further inform public health policy development.

•The WHO-5 and PSS-10 show good internal consistency, concurrent and predictive validity for pre- and postnatal depression.•Cut-off scores of 60 (WHO-5) and 20 (PSS-10) show optimal specificity and moderate sensitivity to maternal depression.•Asking about positive wellbeing, coping, stressors and depression might enhance communication about maternal mental health.

Objective: Sudden acute episodes of asthma exacerbation are often treated by hospital EDs. It is hypothesised that determinants of acute asthma would differ across geographic regions. The objective of the present study was to detail seasonality, trends and spatio-temporal patterns of asthma ED presentations across Queensland (QLD), Australia, a state covering 1.8 million square kilometres, spanning multiple climates.Methods: Six years of routinely collected data (2012 to 2017) from 28 major QLD public hospitals were extracted from Queensland Health's Emergency Data Collection. The dataset contained individual, episode-level asthma-like diagnoses of ED presentations. Seasonality and trends of acute asthma were assessed through multiplicative time-series analysis.Results: The study consisted of 2192 days with a total of 65 012 asthma ED presentations in QLD. The 6-year average daily incidence rate was 270 asthma ED presentations per 100 000 population. The highest morbidity of asthma ED presentations occurred during the southern hemisphere winter months. Children showed a higher incidence rate compared to adults with males experiencing a higher incidence compared to females up until the age of 13, after which an inversion was observed persisting through adulthood. Seasonality of asthma ED presentations differed with latitude acrossQLD.Conclusion: Asthma-related ED presentations exhibit spatiotemporal variation across QLD, which appears to be related to climate. Furthermore, aeroallergens and respiratory viruses may be responsible for asthma ED peaks outside the winter period. Socioeconomic status may influence asthma ED presentation rates between regions. This knowledge can guide ongoing management and assist public health policy response.

Abstract Background This study evaluated the psychometric properties of three self-reported scales including WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) for determining the severity of antenatal depression and suicide risk. Methods Extracted from a multi-site birth cohort study in eight countries, we test the reliability and validity of tri-scales among 148 women in the third trimester and 3-months after childbirth in Vietnam. Results Reliability testing achieved good internal consistency for the set of scales (Alpha = 0.75–0.81). The multitrait-multimethods matrix and SEM model indicated a good fit [Chi-square (230) = 337.5, p < 0.001; Root Mean Square Error of approximation= 0.56, Comparative Fit Index= 0.91] and good discriminant validity of WHO-5 lower discriminant validity of PSS and PHQ-9. The proportion of correctly classified cases and optimum balanced indicators of sensitivity and specificity suggested the cut-off scores of ≥ 6 for PHQ-9 and ≥ 25 for PSS for suicide risk screening. Regarding to predictive validity for postpartum depression of PHQ-9, we found that the cut-off scores of ≥ 6 for prenatal PHQ-9 screening can predict approx.70% of mild postpartum depression cases after 3-month childbirth. Conclusions This present study suggested adequate validity and reliability of the WHO-5, PHQ9 and PSS to measure antenatal depression and suicide risk in Vietnam. Key messages Further studies might consider to use one or a set of scales to understand multiple domains of mental disorder as it is simple to administer and acceptable duration for completion in the community.

Introduction:Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) use is a global concern due to increased usage and the harm to physical, mental, and social well-being. The objective of this overview of systematic reviews is to summarise trial results of psychosocial interventions and describe their efficacy and safety.Methods:We searched seven bibliographic databases to November 2020 for systematic reviews examining ATS misuse treatment by psychosocial interventions. Given the apparent incompleteness of the included reviews, we undertook a supplemental meta-analysis of all eligible primary studies.Results:We included 11 systematic reviews of moderate to high quality and 39 primary studies which assessed the outcomes of psychosocial interventions on people who use ATS. The key findings include: (1) There were conflicting results about the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions among reviews, which may confuse decision-makers in selecting treatment. (2) In the supplemental meta-analysis, relative to usual care (only counselling or self-help materials), membership of a psychological intervention group was associated with an important reduction in drug usage [risk ratio (RR) 0.80, 95% CI: 0.75 to 0.85]. Patients in psychological interventions used injectables substantially less [odds ratio (OR) 0.35, 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.49]. The risk of unsafe sex in the psychosocial intervention group was lower than in the control group (RR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.71). The combination of therapies reduced 1.51 day using drugs in the preceding 30 days (95% CI: −2.36 to −0.67) compared to cognitive behavioural therapy intervention alone. (3) Compared to usual care, cognitive behavioural therapy was less likely to be retained at follow-up (RR 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82 to 0.97; high-quality evidence). However, the additional of contingency management strategy can make an important improvement upon retention (RR 1.42, 95%CI: 1.25 to 1.62).Authors' Conclusions:Integrated models are more effective than a single-treatment strategy. Comprehensive and sustained psychosocial interventions can help to reduce use of ATS and other drugs, risk behaviours and mental disorders, and significantly improve treatment adherence.