Despite growing recognition that changes in the unregulated drug supply are central drivers of drug-related morbidity and mortality, there is little consensus on how population-level drug supply data are, or should be, incorporated into health outcomes research. This scoping review aims to describe the role unregulated drug supply data play in health outcomes research in the substance use field. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Europe PubMed Central, and relevant published conference abstracts on May 28, 2025. Studies must have incorporated population-level or ecological measures of the unregulated drug supply (ie, non-pharmaceutical) as an independent variable and report either individual-level or population-level health outcomes, including but not limited to drug poisonings (ie, overdose), mortality (drug-related or all-cause), hospitalizations, and emergency department visits. Of the 31 included studies, 26 were conducted in the United States and five in Canada. Drug supply data were used in multiple analytic roles, including as primary variables and as covariates (or predictors) of health outcomes. These data were derived from four distinct sources: law enforcement seizures (n=25), drug checking services (n=2), hospital or clinic urinalysis results (n=3), or postmortem toxicology results (n=3). Most studies assessed the impact of drug supply metrics on drug toxicity (overdose) counts or rates within a given region (n=27). We found that population-level drug supply data demonstrates predictive capacity for health outcomes and may represent an underutilized confounding factor in policy evaluation. However, their incorporation into health research remains inconsistent and conceptually fragmented.

Digital solutions are essential for eliminating tuberculosis as a public health problem. They can be applied across all stages of patient care, health surveillance, program management, workforce development, and community engagement. This study aimed to identify and map digital solutions for tuberculosis developed and/or validated within the context of primary health care. We retrieved studies focusing on digital solutions for tuberculosis targeting managers, health professionals, or patients from Medline, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines to review, synthesize, and report the findings of articles that met our inclusion criteria. We identified 3133 publications, of which 96 were included after full-text screening. Most solutions focused on treatment monitoring and adherence (46 studies). There was particular emphasis on electronic directly observed therapy, smart pillboxes, and mobile applications. Artificial intelligence-based solutions also emerged, applied to diagnosis, prediction of treatment nonadherence, and prognosis. The findings show that digital solutions have evolved from simple tools to advanced artificial intelligence models. We conclude that the systematic incorporation of these technologies into national protocols is crucial to accelerate progress toward the targets established by the End TB Strategy.

People with disability experience health inequities and mostly live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), because that is where most of the world's population resides. Despite this, existing evidence on health equity for people with disability mostly comes from high-income settings. Monitoring and evaluation of health equity are crucial for countries to address and track progress toward goals, such as the highest attainable standard of health for people with disability. This scoping review summarizes the available literature on approaches and indicators used in LMICs to evaluate health-related outcomes between people with and without disability. Peer-reviewed articles were included that were published between 2008 and 2024 that compared health-related outcomes between these 2 populations. We identified 59 eligible studies from a broad range of LMICs. Disability indicators varied, with most studies using 1 of multiple Washington Group question sets to enable disaggregation of data by disability status. Survey data were the type most frequently used; only 2 studies used administrative data. A wide range of health-related outcomes were explored; themes of maternal and child health and HIV-related outcomes emerged as key areas of focus. Disparities were consistently found, with almost all included studies reporting poorer outcomes for people with compared with people without disability. There was a noticeable lack of action taken to improve future policy or monitoring and evaluation or to enact real and meaningful change in health equity for people with disability.

Loneliness and social isolation are emerging public health concerns among young adults, yet the role of community and societal factors remains poorly understood. Existing research has predominantly focused on individual or interpersonal determinants. This systematic review synthesized observational evidence on community- and societal-level factors associated with loneliness and social isolation among young adults aged 18-30 years. Five databases were searched for observational studies examining place-based community or societal exposures and loneliness or social isolation outcomes. Thirteen eligible studies were identified, and a structured narrative synthesis was undertaken. The exposure variables explored were diverse. Neighborhood characteristics (including trust, safety, and atmosphere), community participation, cultural and societal norms, and structural conditions demonstrated consistent associations with loneliness. Greater neighborhood cohesion, safety, and belonging were protective, whereas neighborhood disorder, minority status, perceived discrimination, and individualistic cultural orientations were associated with greater loneliness. Evidence for social isolation was sparse and methodologically heterogeneous, though area-level disadvantage and remoteness showed emerging relevance. Most studies had a cross-sectional design, and the ways loneliness and social isolation were measured across studies were heterogenous. Community and societal determinants meaningfully shape young adults' experiences of loneliness, but evidence for social isolation remains limited. Findings highlight the need for longitudinal research, improved consistency in the use of measurement tools, and further examination of moderators between individual factors and community influences, which will all contribute to the development of multilevel public health strategies addressing structural and neighborhood conditions.

HPV-induced oropharyngeal cancer (HPV-OPC), caused by persistent infection with high-risk subtypes such as HPV16 and HPV18, poses a significant global health challenge. Epidemiological research on HPV-OPC focuses on prevention, detection, distribution, and disease incidence, revealing an increasing OPC burden related to HPV exposure. The objective of this study was to identify research hotspots and trends in HPV-OPC epidemiology, highlighting the role of epidemiology in guiding prevention and control strategies. A bibliometric analysis of 960 articles (published between 1987 and 2025) from the Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, and PubMed Central was performed, using Python to assess collaborations across countries, institutions, and individuals, as well as literature citation, research timelines, and clustering. Results show a substantial increase in publications, especially from 2013 to 2025, with researchers in United States and China as leading contributors and identifies several prolific authors. Research has primarily focused on HPV vaccination, screening, attributable fraction, and incidence prediction, though challenges such as data quality, vaccination efficacy, limited resource, and modeling limitations also are foci. Future directions include improving data reliability, promoting early and direct vaccination, strengthening international funding, and integrating multiple models. This bibliometric study provides valuable insights into research hotspots and future directions in HPV-OPC, offering researchers and clinicians an overview of current situations and future developments in HPV-OPC epidemiology, potentially improving HPV vaccination and screening strategies and promoting preventive and diagnostic approaches to reduce OPC incidence.

Persistent inequities in the social determinants of health contribute to poor health outcomes among people with disability. People with disability are more likely to live in unaffordable housing, which is associated with increased risk of chronic conditions and poor mental health. However, there is limited research on how housing affordability affects health in this priority population. We undertook a scoping review to evaluate existing evidence on the health impacts of living in unaffordable housing for people with disability. Peer-reviewed literature published in English between 2004 and 2024 was considered. The MEDLINE, SocIndex, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify studies examining possible links between housing affordability and any health outcome in a population of people with disability. Two independent reviewers performed study screening and data extraction. Of the 1386 studies identified initially, 3 met the eligibility criteria. The included studies focused on individuals with acquired, psychiatric, or military-related disability. Each study provided evidence suggesting unaffordable housing negatively affected mental health in people with disability. Substantial methodological and conceptual heterogeneity limited direct comparison or synthesis. This review highlights a critical knowledge gap in the relationship between housing affordability and health for people with disability, limiting the development of evidence-informed policy and intervention. People with disability have a fundamental right to access affordable, appropriate housing, as well as the right to the highest attainable standard of health. High-quality, targeted research using consistent definitions of disability and housing affordability, as well as validated health outcome measures, is needed to inform future policy.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can progress to chronic hepatitis in immunosuppressed individuals. The seroprevalence of hepatitis E among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled global seroprevalence of hepatitis E among people living with HIV. This study followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. The seroprevalence of hepatitis E (anti-HEV IgG) among people living with HIV was estimated by meta-analysis using the random-effects model. Subgroup meta-analyses were performed for each continent. A total of 88 studies from all continents were included, most originated from Europe (48.9%). The pooled seroprevalence of hepatitis E was 16.0% (95% CI: 13.0-18.0; I2 = 97.7%). Subgroup analyses revealed seroprevalence rates of 12.0% in Europe, 24.0% in Asia, 19.0% in Africa, and 11.0% in the Americas, and a notably high prevalence observed in low-income countries (37.0%). Sensitivity analyses restricted to studies with sample sizes >200 and risk of bias score ≥ 7 showed seroprevalence estimates of 18.0% and 15.0%, respectively. In conclusion, this meta-analysis demonstrates a pooled global seroprevalence of hepatitis E of 16.0% among people living with HIV, ranging from 11.0% to 24.0% across the continents.

Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and chronic neuropathic pain (NP) disproportionately affects individuals with unmet health care needs, especially those facing health inequities. This scoping review addresses 3 research questions: (1) What are the characteristics and outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and meditation-based intervention studies designed to manage NP? (2) Do these intervention studies include participants from populations experiencing health inequities? (3) Are the interventions customized to meet the needs of people experiencing health inequities? Ten databases were searched for studies focused on the search terms “cognitive behavioral therapy,” “CBT,” “mindfulness meditation,” “and neuropathic pain.” In total, 1732 abstracts were screened and a total of 24 articles from 22 original studies were included. The primary characteristics of the studies showed that 99% of participants had NP attributable to diabetes, cancer, or spinal cord injury. Outcomes were consistent with previous reviews, demonstrating promise for CBT, mindfulness, and meditation-based therapies in relieving NP. However, demographics were poorly reported, and there was little diversity among participants. Individuals from groups experiencing health inequities were largely unrepresented. Although 55% of studies tailored intervention materials and provided content to support long-term practice, few included long-term follow-up to evaluate sustained impact. In general, research on this topic has fallen short in including and addressing the needs of people experiencing health inequities. Future research should prioritize broader participant inclusion criteria, involve individuals with lived experience in intervention design and delivery, and conduct long-term follow-up to enhance the accessibility, relevance, and sustainability of NP interventions.

Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases represent a significant global health burden, and emerging evidence suggests air pollution may be a risk factor. We reviewed relevant literature and performed a meta-analysis. We searched original studies investigated the associations between long- and short-term exposure to particulate matter (diameter≤2.5 µm [PM2.5], ≤ 10 µm [PM10]) and gaseous pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone [O3]) and GI diseases. DerSimonian and Laird random-effects meta-analyses were conducted when at least 2 studies were available for a given pollutant (per 10 μg m-3 increment) and a specific GI disease. A total of 70 studies were included. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 was significantly associated with increased mortality rate from all GI cancers (OR=1.128; 95% CI, 1.019-1.248), with the strongest association observed for colorectal cancer (OR=1.214; 95% CI, 1.061-1.389). For non-cancer GI diseases, long-term exposure to PM2.5 was significantly associated with increased risks of duodenal ulcer (OR=1.073; 95% CI, 1.057-1.089) and irritable bowel syndrome (OR=1.353; 95% CI, 1.222-1.497); PM10 was also linked to the latter (OR=1.108; 95% CI, 1.012-1.213). Short-term exposure, particularly to PM2.5, PM10, and O3, was significantly associated with appendicitis hospitalization (OR=1.003 [95% CI, 1.001-1.004]; OR=1.017 [95% CI, 1.015-1.019]; and OR=1.001 [95% CI, 1.000-1.003], respectively). PM2.5 was also associated with peptic ulcer bleeding (OR=1.006; 95% CI, 1.001-1.011). Long- and short-term exposures to air pollution, especially PM2.5, are associated with increased risks of GI diseases.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a highly heterogeneous lipoprotein with multiple physiological functions. However, observational studies present conflicting evidence regarding its association with various diseases. This review systematically summarizes evidence from Mendelian randomization (MR) studies to investigate the causal relationships between HDL-related biomarkers and a wide spectrum of disease outcomes. We systematically searched multiple databases up to November 2024. The causal relationship between HDL and 158 diseases was studied. Findings reveal that the role of HDL is highly disease-specific. Genetically predicted higher HDL levels are protective against most circulatory and digestive system diseases. Conversely, however, they are associated with an increased risk of certain conditions, including breast cancer, intracerebral hemorrhage, and age-related macular degeneration. The MR analyses revealed inconsistent and sometimes conflicting findings for several disease outcomes, notably Alzheimer's disease. This review underscores the context-dependent nature of HDL's effects, which may be driven by factors like HDL particle heterogeneity and functional transformation into a pro-inflammatory state. Future research should move beyond concentration-based metrics to focus on HDL functionality and precise subtyping to fully understand its role in disease etiology.