The Interplay Between Mental Health, Physical Activity, and Cardiovascular Health.

Evaluation of handgrip strength and prostate cancer risk using propensity score matching in 64,371 European men.

Clustered health risk behaviors association with mental health problems among adolescents: A cross-sectional study from China.

The emergence of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and dual gut hormone therapies has revolutionised obesity treatment, with implications across all surgical specialties. These medications achieve clinically significant weight loss of 15–22.5% total body weight and demonstrate multisystemic benefits including cardiovascular risk reduction, improved renal outcomes and treatment of metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. For surgeons, GLP-1 RAs are increasingly relevant across the entire care pathway: as alternatives or adjuncts to metabolic and bariatric surgery, tools for perioperative optimisation in elective procedures and potential interventions throughout cancer treatment pathways from prevention to survivorship. This narrative review synthesises current evidence on GLP-1 RA use relevant to surgical practice, important for both clinical and research settings. We examine their integration with bariatric surgery as both preoperative bridges and postoperative adjuncts for recurrent weight regain. In elective surgery, we evaluate perioperative safety data, aspiration risk and potential roles in prehabilitation programmes. Within oncology, we explore emerging evidence for cancer prevention, treatment optimisation and tertiary prevention in survivors. Critical considerations include management of gastrointestinal side effects, gallstone formation, pancreatitis risk, nutritional deficiencies and rare complications including mental health and ophthalmic effects. Understanding these medications is essential for contemporary surgical practice. Surgeons must recognise both therapeutic opportunities and potential complications, ensuring safe perioperative management whilst optimising patient outcomes. As evidence matures, GLP-1 RAs should be positioned not as competitors to metabolic bariatric surgery, but as complementary tools within multidisciplinary obesity and metabolic care pathways.

Sleep is policy: Why adolescent well-being depends on time in bed Longitudinal research indicates that protecting adolescent sleep is among the most effective policies for youth well-being, as explained by Eun Jin Jung. Adequate sleep is not a lifestyle choice for adolescents – it is a policy issue with measurable consequences for life satisfaction and mental health. Adolescent sleep deprivation is often framed as an individual or family-level issue. New longitudinal evidence challenges this view. Drawing on seven years of nationally representative panel data, this research demonstrates that longer sleep duration causally improves adolescents’ life satisfaction over time, while the reverse relationship does not hold. The findings point to an urgent need for policy-level interventions addressing school schedules, academic intensity, and youth well-being frameworks.

Abstract There is compelling evidence that humanitarian staff and volunteers face an increased risk of adverse mental health conditions due to their work, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and burn-out. This article first outlines the mental health consequences associated with working in the humanitarian sector, linking these outcomes to contextual, operational and organizational psychosocial risk factors. Building on both the evidence available and the theoretical models in mental health at the workplace, and going beyond solely offering psychosocial support interventions, we propose an evidence-based framework to guide protective actions at the individual, group, leader, organizational and overarching contextual levels (the IGLOO model), tailored to the specific challenges of humanitarian contexts. Based on our experience with the International Committee of the Red Cross, we present two examples of utilizing this framework within two interventions: (1) training managers to strengthen practices that promote and protect well-being, address psychosocial risk factors, identify individuals showing signs of distress and facilitate safe access to psychological support, and (2) applying a psychosocial response framework to support staff following critical incidents. Finally, we discuss the advantages and challenges of adopting an integrated psychosocial approach to staff care, drawing implications for policy and practice from our interventions and broader experience within the sector. We conclude that humanitarian organizations should adopt an integrated approach to duty of care, prioritizing not only treatment but also the prevention and mitigation of psychological harm among staff and volunteers operating in conflict zones, extending beyond immediate crisis support to ensure sustainable protection of mental health.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme developed in 1973, represents a government-led effort to strengthen social cohesion and enhance the personal and professional growth of young Nigerians across diverse regions. While the program has contributed to social integration and skill-building among young graduates, its cognitive and mental health effects remain underexplored. This review investigates how the NYSC experience impacts the cognitive growth and psychological well-being of Nigerian youths. We explore the effects of relocation, unfamiliar environments, and service demands on learning processes, emotional adaptation, and stress. This review identifies both the positive and negative psychological outcomes of the scheme. Findings indicate that while the program encourages independence, resilience, and intergroup learning, it can also expose participants to anxiety, emotional fatigue, and adjustment difficulties, especially in insecure or resource-poor regions. We recommend that mental health support be integrated into the NYSC structure, and that future policy reforms consider the psychological needs of corps members. This review adds to our understanding of how the NYSC scheme influences not just social identity, but also cognitive and emotional development in a key demographic.

Mental Health Effects of Bullying in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Based on the data of the 2023 China General Social Survey (CGSS2023), this study empirically analyzes the correlation characteristics between social class and residents' physical and mental health, reveals the mechanism between the two from the perspective of social trust, and focuses on exploring the mediating effects of general trust and particular trust. The study finds that social class has a significant positive impact on residents' physical and mental health. Objective class indicators (income, education) and subjective class identity jointly shape the level of physical and mental health, and the physical and mental health effect of the self-rated middle-class group is more significant. Social trust is an important mediating variable for class to affect physical and mental health. Among them, public institutional trust in general trust, interpersonal trust and social participation in particular trust all have a positive effect on physical and mental health. Through independent action and mutual linkage, the two effectively alleviate the physical and mental health inequality caused by class differentiation. Cultivating and improving general social trust and particular trust can weaken the adverse impact of class on physical and mental health, and provide a path reference at the social psychological level for solving the problem of health inequality.

Debt and microcredit are central to financial inclusion strategies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet their implications for mental health remain complex and contested. This paper examines the causal relationship between debt, microcredit access, and mental health outcomes, highlighting both beneficial and adverse effects. Drawing on observational studies, randomized evaluations, and meta-analytic evidence, it identifies key mechanisms through which debt influences psychological well-being, including financial strain, coping behaviors, social stigma, and exposure to economic shocks. While microcredit can enhance autonomy, facilitate income-generating activities, and improve resilience, it may also intensify stress due to high interest rates, rigid repayment schedules, and over-indebtedness. The analysis further demonstrates that the mental health effects of debt are heterogeneous, varying by gender, age, and socioeconomic status, with women and vulnerable populations often disproportionately affected. Importantly, the paper underscores challenges in causal identification and measurement, as well as inconsistencies in empirical findings across contexts. It concludes that microcredit is neither inherently beneficial nor harmful; rather, its impact depends on program design, borrower characteristics, and broader socio-economic conditions. Evidence-based policy design integrating financial safeguards, flexible lending structures, and mental health considerations is therefore essential to maximize benefits while minimizing harm. Keywords: Debt and mental health, Microcredit, Financial stress, Causal inference, Low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Transgender people in Poland face numerous legal challenges and problems arising from functioning in the professional environment. The procedure for legal gender recognition is not governed by uniform procedural regulations, which causes a high level of stress and uncertainty relating to the final court decision. Even in cases where the ruling is favourable to the applicant, there is a lack of consistent administrative guidelines enabling prompt and safe updating of personal data in official documents. Additionally, before completing the legal transition process, transgender individuals often cannot use their preferred name or pronouns in internal company documents, which may exacerbate gender dysphoria. Ambiguous occupational medicine standards further intensify employment-related difficulties, allowing for interpretative arbitrariness and hindering the ability to obtain a medical certificate of fitness for work. Moreover, in the workplace, transgender people are often exposed to pathological phenomena such as microaggressions and discrimination, which constitute a significant risk factor for the deterioration of their mental health. In light of these challenges, this article addresses the situation of transgender employees in Poland. The authors focus on the analysis of legal barriers, occupational health assessment difficulties, and negative workplace phenomena that may lead to serious consequences for mental health. The aim of this paper is to highlight key problems and indicate possible directions for action to improve the professional situation of transgender individuals. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2026;77(2).

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive medical concern affecting millions of people worldwide, with the majority being women. IPV is linked to a number of long-term physical and mental health consequences, including brain injuries and associated persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite the high prevalence of these conditions, there is sparse literature assessing accessible and effective therapeutic avenues specific to IPV victim-survivors. Methods: This narrative review had two aims: to identify therapeutic studies addressing PTSD and PPCS in women IPV survivors, and to provide a narrative overview of potential therapeutic categories, including psychotherapy, mindfulness and meditation, exercise, and pharmacotherapy. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar. Inclusion criteria required full-text, peer-reviewed articles published in English, conducted in women with a history of IPV, reporting treatment outcomes related to PTSD or PPCS. Where no IPV-specific evidence was identified, findings from closely related populations including military veterans, athletes, and general TBI samples were narratively reviewed to inform potential therapeutic implications. Results: Nineteen studies addressing PTSD in women IPV survivors were identified, predominantly utilizing psychotherapeutic or mindfulness and meditation-based interventions. No intervention studies targeting PPCS specifically in IPV survivors were identified. Consequently, results for PPCS are largely extrapolated from adjacent populations. Although potential therapeutic avenues were narratively identified across psychotherapy, mindfulness and meditation, exercise, and pharmacotherapy, IPV-specific evidence remains limited, and validation for PTSD and PPCS in this population is needed before clinical recommendations can be made. Conclusions: While 19 studies identified promising therapeutic options for IPV-related PTSD, no IPV-specific PPCS interventions were identified, and implications for PPCS management remain largely inferential. Validation and integrated trauma-informed approaches addressing the intersection of PTSD and PPCS are needed for this understudied population.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a significant mental health consequence of exposure to traumatic events such as armed conflict and banditry. In Nigeria, increasing insecurity—particularly in Zamfara State—has resulted in widespread psychological trauma among affected populations. This study evaluated the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in reducing PTSD symptoms among banditry victims in Yankaba community, Kaura Namoda. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, using purposive sampling technique to recruit 200 participants (100 intervention, 100 control). PTSD symptoms were assessed pre- and post-intervention using structured questionnaires based on DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria. The intervention group received therapeutic communication sessions over 6 weeks. Findings revealed a high baseline prevalence of PTSD symptoms, including intrusion (80%), avoidance (97.8%), arousal (90%), and cognitive/mood alterations (100%). Post-intervention results showed a statistically significant reduction in PTSD symptoms among the intervention group (p < 0.001). Participants reported improved emotional expression, trust, coping ability, and psychological well-being. The study concludes that therapeutic communication is an effective, low-cost, and culturally adaptable intervention for managing PTSD among conflict-affected populations. Integration into community mental health services is recommended.

Although working from home (WFH) is promoted as a policy supporting work-life balance, whether it benefits mental health remains unclear. Few studies have examined how these effects vary across social groups or addressed selection issues complicating causal inference. We use two-way fixed-effects models to analyze changes in mental health scores, measured with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, among 39,863 participants in the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009-2023). We reduce selection bias by using an occupation-level WFH measure derived from the UK Labour Force Survey. Before March 2020, increased WFH in men's occupations improved their mental health. For women, it benefited those in routine jobs but worsened outcomes for professionals. The pattern reversed from March 2020, with WFH positively impacting the mental health of professional women but not that of men or women in routine jobs. These findings highlight the importance of social positions and institutional contexts in shaping the mental health effects of WFH.

Activism exposes individuals to sustained harassment, threat and psychological strain in contexts marked by discrimination and weak institutional protection. For LGBTQ communities, public engagement frequently increases vulnerability to both offline and digital harm, with cumulative consequences for mental health. Using the Balkans as a case example, this perspective sees activist mental health through a public health and health policy lens, framing distress not as an individual coping failure but as an outcome of structural barriers and minority stress processes, including inadequate legal protection, limited access to culturally competent mental health care and insufficient accountability for platform-mediated harm. This article highlights the population-level implications of unaddressed structural stressors, like burnout, disengagement and reduced sustainability of civil society participation, by situating activist mental health within broader questions of health system performance, access to care and governance. Upstream policy responses that strengthen institutional protection, ensure equitable access to mental health services and promote safer digital environments would address these challenges, positioning activist mental health as a critical public health policy issue.

Background Internally displaced women (IDW) affected by the "Anglophone crisis" in Cameroon navigate a landscape of overlapping vulnerabilities, including displacement-related poverty, gender-based violence (GBV), and systemic linguistic minoritization. While the psychological impact of war is well-documented, the mental health consequences of intersecting urban stressors in host settings like Douala remain under-researched. Objective To explore how displacement, GBV exposure, and Anglophone identity intersect to shape the mental health experiences and resilience strategies of IDW in Douala, Cameroon. Methods This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 33 Anglophone IDW (Median age: 34 years); residing in the Littoral Region for a median duration of 5 years). Participants were recruited via purposive and snowball sampling from various urban neighborhoods (e.g., Bonabéri, Mbanga). Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis using NVivo 12, guided by an intersectional socio-ecological framework. Results Four major themes emerged: (1) "Swallowed Silence," where emotional repression functions as a strategic social protection against stigma; (2) Embodied Trauma and Cognitive Paralysis, manifesting as somatic distress and dissociation; (3) Chronic Survival Anxiety, driven by the "scarcity mindset" of economic precarity and ethno-linguistic discrimination; and (4) Adaptive Resilience, anchored in informal peer networks, spirituality, and cognitive restructuring. Conclusion Mental health among Anglophone IDW is a dynamic process shaped more by ongoing structural "daily stressors" than by past events alone. Interventions must transcend clinical models to integrate GBV prevention, livelihood protection, and culturally safe MHPSS services delivered in English and Pidgin.

Mental health across the lifecourse as predictors of epigenetic aging from a longitudinal birth cohort in the United States.

Intimate partner violence against women.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known risk factors for mental health problems in adulthood, yet the underlying psychological and behavioral pathways remain insufficiently understood. Personality traits and sleep quality may play crucial mediating roles linking early adversity to later depressive symptoms. This study aimed to examine the chained mediation mechanism of Big Five personality traits and sleep quality in the association between ACEs and depressive symptoms among Chinese university students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 14,381 Chinese university students. The Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ), the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), the brief Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (B-PSQI), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess key variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to test the chained mediation model while controlling for age and gender. Robustness and clustering analyses were conducted to ensure model stability and data independence. ACEs were positively associated with depressive symptoms (total standardized effect=0.202, p<0.001). Neuroticism and agreeableness significantly mediated this relationship both directly and indirectly through sleep quality. The chained mediation path-ACEs → neuroticism → sleep quality → depressive symptoms-was statistically significant (p<0.001) and demonstrated good model fit (CFI=0.867, GFI=0.924, RMSEA=0.077). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. The results support a chained mediation model in which adverse childhood experiences affect depressive symptoms through personality traits and sleep quality. Personality traits, especially neuroticism and agreeableness, together with sleep quality, represent key intervention targets for mitigating the long-term mental health consequences of early-life adversity among young adults.

Earlier age at menarche may influence mental health but less is known of other measures of pubertal development. We aimed to investigate general mental health consequences of altered timing and tempo of several pubertal milestones in adolescents from the population-based Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Information on pubertal development (Tanner stages, age at menarche, age at first ejaculation, and voice break), was provided half-yearly throughout puberty in 6941 adolescent females and 6267 adolescent males. Timing (earlier, average, later) and tempo (faster, average, slower) of puberty were derived using non-linear mixed effect growth models and analysed as categorical and continuous variables. Outcomes included self-rated health obtained from the DNBC 18-year follow-up, and redemption of any prescribed psychotropic medication or any psychiatric diagnosis obtained from the Danish registers up to age 19years. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated using logistic regression. Earlier pubertal timing and faster pubertal tempo were associated with higher odds, whereas later pubertal timing and slower pubertal tempo were associated with lower odds of the mental health outcomes, ranging from poor self-rated health to redeeming any psychotropic medication and receiving a psychiatric diagnosis. Associations were strongest in female adolescents. Altered pubertal development was associated with all unfavorable mental health outcomes. Vulnerable adolescents at increased risk of poor mental health due to earlier pubertal timing or faster pubertal tempo should be identified with the potential to introduce earlier interventions and support preventive actions for these adolescents.