National Status Research Articles

Effect of Language Policy on Relationship between Electronic Media and Kiswahili Growth among University Students in Kenya

Purpose: This paper traces the place of language policy employed by the Kenyan government and media in their strive to realize the growth of Kiswahili among the youth in Kenya, specifically university students studying journalism in Kenyan universities. The fundamental concerns that were on focus here were; Standardization, National and Official Language, Compulsory teaching in schools, Examinable Subject and the way these concerns have been used to improve Swahili language among the youth. Materials and Methods: The study used mixed method design. The tools used to collect data were questionnaire for quantitative data, interview schedule for key informants and interview guide for focus group discussions. These were to help to assess the effect of language policy employed by the government and the media organizations and if they influence the growth of Kiswahili. The study triangulated quantitative and qualitative data to give results shared in this paper. Spearman’s correlations and simple linear regression models were used to estimate the relationship between language policy and Kiswahili growth. ANOVA test was done to test the hypothesis and presented in tables. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and narratives are provided under each section in verbatim. Findings: Findings revealed that Language policy employed by the government and the media has a direct influence on the growth of Kiswahili among the youth. Respondents agreed that standardization of Kiswahili has put it on the world map and also improved its use amongst students. This suggests that standardization of Kiswahili is deemed as effective in raising interest in Kiswahili. On the other hand elevation of Kiswahili to national and official status has increased the number of users and Kiswahili as a national and official language means increased use by electronic media. This demonstrates that nationalization of Kiswahili language is considered appropriate in stirring student’s interests in Kiswahili. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Language policy and its uptake by the media has to some extend had a role in changing the youths’ attitudes towards Kiswahili language. Evidence indicated that much has been done by both government and the media in form of policies that have played a big role in promoting the language to greater heights. Social learning theory, Behaviorist Theory of Language Development and Cultivation theory informed this study. Evidence from media programmes indicated that much has been done by both television and radio to adhere to the policies put in place by the government that have played a big role in promoting the language. These policies include airing a bigger percentage of Swahili programmes at certain intervals and adhering to the standards of the language used. The study thus revealed that the language policy put in place by the government and taken by the media indeed have significant effect on the growth of Kiswahili among the youth.

Preventing common mental health problems by increasing neighbourhood socioeconomic status: a mental health impact assessment in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Neighbourhood socioeconomic status (NSES) has been identified as a determinant of mental health. In this study, we aimed to quantify how many cases of common mental health problems could be prevented by increasing NSES in the most socioeconomically deprived neighbourhoods in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and how the increases in NSES would affect mental health inequalities. We used publicly available data for conducting a quantitative Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of two counterfactual policy scenarios. In Scenario 1, we set the NSES to the Rotterdam median score for all neighbourhoods which were below the Rotterdam median. In Scenario 2, we set the NSES score to the Dutch national average socioeconomic status score for the neighbourhoods that were below the national average. We estimated that Scenario 1 could prevent 5847 (95% CI, 2700-7999) or 10.7% of annual cases of common mental health problems, and Scenario 2 could prevent 10713 (95% CI, 4875-14799) or 19.6% of annual cases in Rotterdam while also reducing mental health inequalities between neighbourhoods in both scenarios. Given the substantial improvements in population mental health that enhanced neighbourhood socioeconomic conditions would bring, policy implementation is urgently needed.

The pattern of refractive error associated with the different ABO blood group among the drivers attending the driving school of Al Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia

ABO blood grouping system is pivotal in blood transfusion. Blood group selection can be influenced by environmental, geographical conditions and migration frequency of the population. Association between ABO and refractive error has been established by many studies. The present study was conducted in Al Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia to determine the frequency of ABO and Rh blood groups among the people seeking for driving licenses of different nationality and ethnic group and its association with the refractive error. It was a cross sectional survey conducted on the subjects attending for medical examination for their driving license renewal /new license. All the subjects seeking driving license at the main medical exam center of driving school of Al Ahsa during the study period was the study population. The sample size was calculated using a Fisher‟s formula cited by Mugenda & Mugenda (1999) which was calculated as 1689 in number The sampling was done by convenience sampling method till the sample size is achieved. A data collection sheet was prepared to record the age, sex, nationality and blood group and status of refraction of the eyes. The collected data were cleared, coded, entered and analyzed by the SPSS version 26. A p-value cut off point of 0.05 at 95% CI was used to determine statistical significance. A total of 1593 subjects were examined during the study period. The mean age of the participants was 30.98 ± Std. Dev. 10.21. The vast majority of the participants were Male (94.6%). A total of around 15% of the participants with blood group O+ were suffering from refractive error of which 7.5% each were suffering from Myopia and Hypermetropia. Myopia was significantly more among participants with O+ blood gro (P=0.000). Hypermetropia was significantly more common among the participants with blood group AB- (p =0.000). The present study has shown that Myopia was significantly more among participants with O+ blood group than other blood group. Hypermetropia was significantly more common among the participants with blood group AB- as compared to other blood groups. However, there is a need of larger cohort study to confirm any association of ABO blood group with refractive error.

Do European regulatory measures accelerate national market access in Belgium? A retrospective analysis of medicines centrally authorised between 2015 and 2020

BackgroundAt the European level, several regulatory measures (ie, priority medicines (PRIME) scheme, accelerated assessment, conditional marketing authorisation and authorisation under exceptional circumstances) are in place with the aim to expedite...

Diet Quality, Metabolic Syndrome, and Nativity Status: Elucidating Metabolic Advantage and Disadvantage Among Non-US-Native and US-Native Populations Using NHANES Data (2013–2018)

Diet Quality, Metabolic Syndrome, and Nativity Status: Elucidating Metabolic Advantage and Disadvantage Among Non-US-Native and US-Native Populations Using NHANES Data (2013–2018)

Adding Nativity, Citizenship, and Immigration Status to Health Monitoring and Survey Data.

Immigration status and related policies have a significant impact on health outcomes. Yet major national health surveys currently provide little or no information about immigration status, rendering subgroups of noncitizens largely invisible. Even measures of citizenship, nativity, country of birth, and years in the United States, which provide critical information about immigration history, are not consistently included in national data sets. The main objections to asking directly about immigration status are that (1) such questions are too stigmatizing, risking lower response rates and inaccurate responses; and (2) answering the questions may expose respondents to possible immigration or criminal consequences. Our analysis shows that these objections are unfounded or can be mitigated. National health surveys have evolved over the past decades to include questions about mental health, substance use, sexual orientation, and gender identity-topics once assumed to be too stigmatizing to ask about, with possible negative legal consequences. We argue that the time has come to obtain more detailed information about immigration status as well as to consistently include the measures of immigration history mentioned so that we can better evaluate the health consequences of immigrant-related policy choices. (Am J Public Health. 2025;115(1):75-82. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307867).

Perception of the General Population About Sexual Activities in Later Life: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

Abstract Background: Cultural and societal norms could influence older age sexuality as societal sexual attitudes are shown to set the stage for how one adjusts to biological changes. Therefore, understanding cultural diversity and its association with public perception of sexuality in later life is warranted. Objectives: To explore the public’s perception of sexual activities in later life through a cross-cultural perspective to comparatively identify the elements of the people’s culture that are most associated with how the public views sex in later life. Materials and Methods: This was comparative research utilizing a cross-sectional online survey among the general population of Nigeria 79 (73.8%) and India 28 (26.1%) adults aged 18 years and above (n = 107; female = 54.2%). Data for the study were collected using an adapted questionnaire to elicit responses on the sociodemography of respondents and their perception of appropriateness, emotions, reactions, and thoughts about sexual activities among older people. Results: The findings consistently showed that what attitudes and perceptions the public/individuals have is a function of their prevailing culture as their ethnicity, nationality, and religious status mostly showed statistically significant relationships with their attitudes and perceptions (P < 0.05) showing the cultural sensitivity of human sexuality especially for older persons that are unmarried, widowed, and divorced. Conclusion: This study aligns with recent literature on the beneficial role of later-life sexuality and hereby creates awareness of the positive aspects of sexuality in later life and calls for social and medical support for the aged to access and receive sexual relations all through their later life.

Comparison of Oncology Drug Lag in Japan and South Korea Based on the Interval between the U.S. Approval and the Local Approval.

Drug lag is a serious issue for patients with life-threatening diseases such as cancer. Japan and Korea have been facing a large drug lag, despite having a large market and a good clinical trial environment. We analyzed drug lags for anticancer drugs between these countries, using the information on 82 anticancer drugs approved in the United States between 2017 and 2022. The national health insurance coverage status was also investigated. The approval lag, defined as the number of days from the date of approval in the United States to the date of approval in the country of interest, was used as the indicator of drug lag and was calculated for each drug. The median for all drugs was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, with the lag for locally unapproved drugs treated as censored data. The median approval lag in Japan and Korea for all drugs, including locally unapproved drugs, were 1547 d (4.2 years) and 1000 d (2.7 years), respectively. The approval lags for the approved drugs were 216 and 655 d in Japan and Korea, respectively. All drugs approved in Japan were covered by national health insurance whereas many drugs recently approved in Korea were not yet covered. The overall drug lag in Japan was greater than that in Korea due to the high number of unapproved drugs in Japan. In Korea, more drugs have been approved; however, it generally takes longer for them to become widely available to the public.

국제문화행사 유치를 위한 콘텐츠 구성 전략 연구

The purpose of a general event is to set a specific goal according to the intention or personality to provide new information to the gathered people or to convey the meaning to induce the reaction.,In this regard, international cultural events are held with the aim of creating an opportunity to enhance the image of the nation through artistic activities and cultural heritage that take advantage of the cultural characteristics of each country.,This is expressed in performances, exhibitions, festivals, etc., through which cultural originality is conveyed to the public and the national status is enhanced. In order to make such a global festival in Korea, it is necessary to analyze the problems of local festivals and various events held every year and try to find improvement directions. In particular, local festivals can be seen in the living environment of local residents based on the history and tradition of the region alone, and they can feel cultural differentiation and originality.,The event is also developing in the direction of finding empathic elements through mutual sympathy based on various contents.,Based on the purpose and direction of these festivals and events, plans for attracting international cultural events should be established and creative contents should be developed to find effective approaches.,In addition, by analyzing the characteristics of famous foreign festivals and comparing them with Korean festivals, it will be a goal of the global cultural industry to form distinctive themes that can communicate with each other. To this end, a new interpretation of the scarcity and legitimacy of traditional culture in line with the ideology and flow of modern society will be the first step toward globalization, which requires a focus on the development of our own unique complex media content.,In addition, as a way to reduce the culturally marginalized class, it is necessary to have a linkage program and various public relations and marketing strategies that anyone can easily access and enjoy a happy life. Now, we have formed a new cultural taste called Hallyu around the world, and based on this, we need to solidify the image of a cultural powerhouse.,When we complement each other’s shortcomings with various connections through appropriate convergence of online and offline, we can maximize growth and expect the development of mature culture and arts.

Exercise addiction in individuals who exercise regularly

Background and Study Aim. Addiction has significant effects on individuals who exercise regularly, influenced by factors such as age and gender. This study aimed to measure the exercise addiction levels among university students who regularly engage in fitness activities. Material and Methods. The Exercise Addiction Scale was used to determine the participants' levels of exercise addiction. This scale was administered to 198 voluntary participants (students), including 101 women and 97 men. A demographic information form was used to collect data regarding participants' gender, age, years of training, and levels of national athleticism. To compare differences between two independent groups, independent t-tests and One-Way ANOVA multiple comparison tests were applied to identify differences between variables. Results. Results revealed significant differences in the tolerance development and passion subscales based on gender, with results favoring women. No statistically significant difference was found in the subdimension of excessive focus and mood changes based on years of athletic experience. In contrast, individuals with 1-3 years of experience had significantly higher scores in the postponement of individual-social needs compared to those with 4-6 years of experience. In the subdimension of tolerance development and passion, individuals with 1-3 years of experience scored significantly higher than those with 4-6 years and those with 11 or more years of experience. However, no significant differences in exercise addiction scores were observed based on age or national athlete status. Conclusions. Results suggest that the risk of exercise addiction may be mitigated by fostering a balanced approach to sports participation. Emphasizing both health and social engagement, rather than solely performance, may help individuals maintain a healthier relationship with exercise.

Religion, spirituality, and DNA methylation in HPA-axis genes among Hispanic/Latino adults.

Investigate associations between religion and spirituality (R&S) and DNA methylation of four HPA-axis genes (i.e. 14 CpG sites) among 992 adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos cohorts. We assessed 1) the association between R&S measures and mean percent methylation overall and stratified by nativity status (US-born or immigrant) and 2) if interactions between R&S and methylation differed by nativity status. Among individuals with the FKBP5 CC genotype, increased spirituality scores were associated with significantly lower methylation levels among immigrants, compared to US-born participants. Organizational religiosity (e.g. service attendance) was associated with increased FKBP5 (CC genotype) methylation among immigrants. R&S may influence HPA-axis functioning differently based on nativity status; a finding that could offer insight into mechanisms leading to health disparities.

A snapshot of cancer in Chile II: an update on research, strategies and analytical frameworks for equity, innovation and national development

IntroductionChile has achieved developed nation status and boasts a life expectancy of 81 + years; however, the healthcare and research systems are unprepared for the social and economic burden of cancer. One decade ago, the authors put forward a comprehensive analysis of cancer infrastructure, together with a series of suggestions on research orientated political policy.ObjectivesProvide an update and comment on policy, infrastructure, gender equality, stakeholder participation and new challenges in national oncology. Assess the funding and distribution of cancer investigation. Present actions for the development of oncology research, innovation and patient care.MethodsTriangulating objective system metrics of economic, epidemiological, private and public sector resources together with policy analysis, we assessed cancer burden, infrastructure, and investigation. We analyzed governmental and private-sector cancer databases, complemented by interviews with cancer stakeholders.ResultsGovernmental policy and patient advocacy have led to the recognition of cancer burden, a cancer law, and a national cancer plan. Cancer has become the leading cause of death in Chile (59,876 cases and 31,440 cancer deaths in 2022), yet only 0.36% gross domestic product (GDP) is directed to research and development. Inequalities in treatment regimens persist. Prevention policy has lowered tobacco consumption, sugar intake via soft drinks and offered a high coverage of HPV vaccines. A high-quality cancer research community is expanding, and internationally sponsored clinical oncology trials are increasing.ConclusionsThe cancer law has facilitated advancement in policy. Prevention policies have impacted tobacco and sugar intake, while gender equality and care inequality have entered the public forum. Cancer research is stagnated by the lack of investment. Implementation of a cancer registry and biobanking, reinforcement of prevention strategies, development of human resources, promotion of clinical trial infrastructure and investment in new technologies must be placed as a priority to permit advancements in innovation and equitable cancer care.

Expanded geographical distribution of <i>Sarcosoma globosum</i> (witches cauldron) in Canada.

<i>Sarcosoma globosum</i> (witches cauldron) is a threatened species of pezizomycete (Ascomycete) fungus primarily documented in spruce (<i>Picea</i> spp.) forests of northern Europe. Sporadic reports of <i>S. globosum</i> have been reported in eastern North America, but it has been suggested that these may have been misidentified. Importantly, the species has not been officially reported in western North America. Following reported observations of <i>S. globosum</i> in British Columbia, Canada, we conducted a citizen science survey to document its distribution and occurrence over four consecutive years (2021–2024). Firstly, we verified that sporocarps collected in eastern (New Brunswick) and western (British Columbia) Canada were <i>S. globosum</i> via the morphological, ecological, and phylogenetic (analysis of the ITS gene) species concepts. Secondly, <i>S. globosum</i> was documented in all four years of the survey over a wide geographical area in British Columbia. Finally, we mapped the Canadian distribution of <i>S. globosum</i> based on publicly available databases. The species appears to be found across Canada (British Columbia to Nova Scotia), where spruce-dominated forests are present, supporting the current Canadian national conservation status of ‘Apparently Secure/Secure’ (N4, N5). However, its habitat remains threatened by climate change, forest fires, and logging activities that may limit its future geographical distribution. This study presents the first documented occurrence of <i>S. globosum</i> in British Columbia, expanding the species’ known distribution to western Canada.

Invasive Buffelgrass, Cenchrus ciliaris, Balances Opportunistic Acquisition of Foliar fungi With Host and Environmental Filtering in Its Introduced Range.

Plants host diverse assemblages of fungi on their foliar tissues, both in internal compartments and on exterior surfaces. When plant distributions shift, they can move with their fungal associates (i.e., co-introduction) or acquire new associates present in the novel environment (host-jumping). The fungal communities that plants acquire influence a plant's ability to establish and spread in this new environment. Here, we aimed to assess whether invasive C. ciliaris hosts similar groups of fungi in its native and introduced ranges and to evaluate community overlap of fungi associated with foliar tissue of C. ciliaris and native and non-native plants within the introduced range. In the introduced range, the majority of OTUs associated with C. ciliaris were not found in its native range, although 3.2% of OTUs were common to both ranges. Of these shared OTU, 77.6% were found on co-occurring natives and non-natives in the introduced range, whereas 22.4% were unique to C. ciliaris indicating a possible co-introduction. Fungal communities within the introduced range contained a higher proportion of generalist symbionts and increased heterogeneity of foliar communities than in its native range. Within the introduced range, host phylogenetic distance explained more variation than native status. Our findings provide evidence that non-natives acquire fungi opportunistically from their environment, although host and environmental filtering is present suggesting that successful invasive plants may be able to limit the effect of poor symbionts and select for better ones. Future experimental work will be needed to confirm the occurrence of host selection and identify its mechanisms.

Dynamic Evolution of the Power Structure and Contracting State Status in the Regional Trade Agreement Network and Its Trade Feedback Effects

ABSTRACT Against the backdrop of the serious setback in WTO multilateral negotiations, countries around the world have signed a large number of regional trade agreements (RTAs) to further reduce trade barriers and promote trade liberalization. These RTAs have formed a complex network of crisscrossing and mutually reinforcing dependencies that reshape the trade effects of individual RTAs. This paper uses the complex network analysis method to discuss the construction and development issues of RTAs among countries around the world and reveals the historical changes in the power structure of the economic and trade rules network and the dynamic evolution of the network status of core countries in international trade since 1995. Based on this, the feedback mechanism of the overall structure of the network and the node country status on the trade effect of RTAs is explored and tested. The analysis results show the following: (1) The global RTA network follows a power law distribution, the unbalanced characteristics of bipolarization in international economic and trade rules are very significant, and the gap in national network status is enormous. European countries are almost always in the center of the network, and China’s network status has not improved significantly. (2) The network shows obvious competitive and balancing relationships, and the pattern of international economic and trade rules has a trend toward short-term multi-polarization. (3) The test results of the trade effect feedback mechanism of the network show that the redundancy relationship of the overall network and the concentration of power structure have a negative influence on the trade effect of RTAs, while the bridging cluster function and transitivity of the overall network have a positive feedback effect on the trade effect of RTAs. The core position and control of a single country in the network form a positive feedback and high return on the trade effect of RTAs.

Status Threat, Campaign Rhetoric, and US Foreign Policy

Candidates for office frequently warn that the United States is falling behind its rivals. How does this rhetoric affect voters’ perceptions of their commitment to action and, in turn, potential foreign policy outcomes? The study of status in international politics has blossomed over the past decade, including a recent turn to the origins and consequences of domestic concerns over national status and decline. I contribute to this research, arguing that candidates frequently employ status-threatening rhetoric on the campaign trail due to its emotional and identity-threatening appeal, but this rhetoric in turn significantly increases the public’s expectation of action. As a result, status-threatening campaign rhetoric allows candidates to define issues as arenas for status competition but simultaneously increases pressure on leaders to follow through once in office with policies they can justify as status-saving. I support this theory with two survey experiments and a case study examining how Kennedy attached space exploration to status in the 1960 campaign, increasing domestic pressure to act once in office.

The Prognostic Significance of Nativity, Enclave Residence, and Socioeconomic Status Among Hispanic Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Residence in ethnic enclaves and nativity are both associated with survival in Hispanic patients with cancer, although their prognostic significance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unknown. We aimed to determine the association between nativity, neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES), and ethnic enclave residency with overall survival in Hispanic patients with HCC. Hispanic patients diagnosed with HCC from 2004 to 2017 were identified in the Texas Cancer Registry. Existing indices were applied to tract-level 2000 US Census data to measure enclave residence and nSES. Enclaves were defined by seven measures. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between nativity, enclave residency, and nSES with survival. Among 9496 Hispanic patients with HCC, 2283 (24%) were foreign-born. Compared with US-born Hispanic patients, foreign-born Hispanic patients were less likely to present with localized HCC (45.3% vs. 48.8%, p=0.03) and less likely to receive HCC treatment (53.9% vs. 47.6%, p<0.001); however, foreign-born Hispanic patients had lower mortality in adjusted models (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79-0.93). Neighborhood SES, but not enclave residence, was also associated with overall survival. Compared with those in low nSES non-enclaves, Hispanic patients in high nSES neighborhoods, with either enclave (aHR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72-0.88) or non-enclave (aHR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80-0.98) residence status and low nSES enclaves (aHR 0.93, 95% CI 0.86-0.98) had improved survival. In Hispanic patients with HCC, foreign birthplace and higher nSES, but not enclave residence, are associated with improved survival. Additional research on intersectionality between ethnicity, nativity, and neighborhood context is warranted.

Forgotten older people: health system debt.

The exercise of all human rights is inherent to all persons, which must be guaranteed by the States regardless of the characteristics of all persons, such as age, gender, sexual preferences, ethnic origin, nationality or migratory status. This document presents a reflection on the discrimination that older people face not only because they are older (ageism), but also because of other characteristics that place them in a situation of greater vulnerability and discrimination, such as belonging to the LGBT+ community, being in prisons or having HIV. It urges reflection on the role and sensitivity with which public institutions, mainly health institutions, must have to guarantee a fundamental right such as health, not only in the physical aspect but also in the mental one. The health challenges that the country faces are presented, and a call is made to leave no one behind, encouraging the most vulnerable populations to have immediate attention free of discrimination. The elderly are the present and the future of the realities of our countries, where Mexico is no exception.

Cognitive Enhancers Consumption: Prevalence, Knowledge, and Determinants of Use Among Medical Students in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan

Background Cognitive Enhancers (CE) are central nervous system stimulant substances known to improve cognitive functions. Due to high-perceived stress and academic pressure, CEs are becoming increasingly popular among medical students. As a result, they are more likely to misuse these substances. Objectives This study aims to estimate the prevalence of CE consumption, compare the prevalence between countries and genders, and identify characteristics associated with CE consumption among students at medical schools in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. Method A population-based survey study was conducted among medical students from Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. An online self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data. Frequencies and percentages were calculated to represent participant distribution across categories. Chi-square was used for categorical variables comparisons. All tests were two-tailed, considering p < 0.05 statistically significant. Demographic characteristics, reasons for use, types of CE used, and side effects were compared by country and gender. Results A total sample of 1399 participated in the questionnaire, most of whom were females 824 (58.9%). Overall, 1236 (88.3%) were CE consumers, and 163 (11.7%) were non-consumers. Of the respondents who used CE, 814 (58.2%) reported using them daily. There was a statistically significant difference between the consumption of CE and the source of acquisition, nationality, and residence status regarding gender. Conclusions Our findings suggest that CE use is increasing among medical students in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan. Efficient support, stress management programs, and awareness symposia may help reduce the misuse of these substances. Future longitudinal studies are still required.

D-PRISM: a global survey-based study to assess diagnostic and treatment approaches in pneumonia managed in intensive care

BackgroundPneumonia remains a significant global health concern, particularly among those requiring admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Despite the availability of international guidelines, there remains heterogeneity in clinical management. The D-PRISM study aimed to develop a global overview of how pneumonias (i.e., community-acquired (CAP), hospital-acquired (HAP), and Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)) are diagnosed and treated in the ICU and compare differences in clinical practice worldwide.MethodsThe D-PRISM study was a multinational, survey-based investigation to assess the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia in the ICU. A self-administered online questionnaire was distributed to intensive care clinicians from 72 countries between September to November 2022. The questionnaire included sections on professional profiles, current clinical practice in diagnosing and managing CAP, HAP, and VAP, and the availability of microbiology diagnostic tests. Multivariable analysis using multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between reported antibiotic duration and organisational variables collected in the study.ResultsA total of 1296 valid responses were collected from ICU clinicians, spread between low-and-middle income (LMIC) and high-income countries (HIC), with LMIC respondents comprising 51% of respondents. There is heterogeneity across the diagnostic processes, including clinical assessment, where 30% (389) did not consider radiological evidence essential to diagnose pneumonia, variable collection of microbiological samples, and use and practice in bronchoscopy. Microbiological diagnostics were least frequently available in low and lower-middle-income nation settings. Modal intended antibiotic treatment duration was 5–7 days for all types of pneumonia. Shorter durations of antibiotic treatment were associated with antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs, high national income status, and formal intensive care training.ConclusionsThis study highlighted variations in clinical practice and diagnostic capabilities for pneumonia, particularly issues with access to diagnostic tools in LMICs were identified. There is a clear need for improved adherence to existing guidelines and standardized approaches to diagnosing and treating pneumonia in the ICU.Trial registration As a survey of current practice, this study was not registered. It was reviewed and endorsed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.Graphical abstract