JMIR Research Protocols

Knowledge of the burden of disease at the national level is crucial for understanding regional health patterns and epidemiological trends. Regular updates and methodological enhancements are essential to produce accurate estimates that effectively represent the current health landscape, thereby assisting policymakers in resource allocation and strategic planning.

Human-machine interaction (HMI) has gained significant attention in the context of advanced production technologies, especially concerning trust and acceptance. However, the investigation of the subjective well-being of operators working with these technologies in manufacturing companies has been largely overlooked. Moreover, previous research mostly relied on a single data-collection method, either quantitative or qualitative, thereby failing to capture a rich picture of their cognitive and affective states.

The gut microbiota is attracting increasing interest as a factor possibly impacting colorectal cancer risk, therapy toxicity, and, as a consequence, patient’s quality of life. It has been observed that microbial imbalance in the gut and in cancer tissue is facilitated by a Western type of diet, rich in meat, sugars, and refined grains, while a Mediterranean diet, rich in low saturated fat and fibers, promotes gut eubiosis, and results in reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer. Specifically, a high fiber content diet has been associated with a reduced incidence of therapy related adverse events in patients with malignant melanoma.

In recent years, the rapid emergence and global spread of dengue (DEN) has become a public health burden. Clinical surveillance alone has limited capacity with delayed detection of upcoming outbreaks. Hence, the potential use of wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) for early detection of incoming surges in DEN cases could complement proactive public health action. However, there are still substantial gaps in the standard approach for sampling and detection methods in dengue WBS.

Obesity affects over one billion people globally and is a leading contributor to chronic disease. For those with clinically severe obesity, metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective intervention for long-term weight loss. However, surgery is often delayed due to systemic barriers, during which time patients may experience further health decline. Low cardiorespiratory fitness is a known risk factor for perioperative complications, prompting recommendations for prehabilitation to target readiness for surgery. Despite this, few patients meet physical activity guidelines, and supervised preoperative exercise programs are rarely offered in routine care. Telehealth-delivered exercise programs offer a promising solution, but evidence of their feasibility, acceptability, and impact in the MBS setting remains limited.

HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has potential for preventing HIV during the perinatal period, but few strategies promote person-centered shared decision-making (SDM) about PrEP use in these contexts. The MyChoice study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of an SDM approach to support pregnant and breastfeeding women in Lilongwe, Malawi, integrating PrEP into antenatal care to encourage consistent use.

Child mental health disorders are a significant Australian public health issue with high prevalence rates compounded by inequitably higher rates for those living in families with lower income, lower levels of parental education, and higher levels of unemployment. Prevention and early intervention approaches are critical to address problems early. When caregivers seek information and services to support their child’s mental health needs, they commonly use many untested online search strategies. To address this, we developed a digital Child and Family eHub (eHub) prototype through a user-centered design process involving families experiencing adversity and local service providers. The eHub provides online navigation and evidence-based information for families and aims to increase equitable access to and use of (1) information and (2) the existing primary health, mental health, and social services system to improve mental health outcomes for caregivers with children aged 0-12 years. This protocol outlines how we will evaluate the eHub.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Mammographic screening significantly improves early detection and survival rates. However, the pain and discomfort experienced during mammography, primarily due to breast compression, can serve as major deterrents to participation in routine screening programs. Psychological factors such as anxiety, fear, and pain catastrophizing have been shown to influence pain perception and experience during mammography. These factors may affect women's decisions to participate in or avoid screening, undermining public health efforts for early detection.

Surgical resection is the primary curative treatment for early-stage lung cancer—the leading global cause of cancer mortality, responsible for nearly 1 in 5 cancer deaths in 2022. Obesity is a global health concern that may influence surgical outcomes; yet, its impact on perioperative outcomes following lung cancer surgery remains controversial.

Alcohol use among young adults with HIV is disproportionately high compared to other age groups with HIV, despite its negative health-related consequences. However, alcohol use interventions tailored to the interests and needs of young adults with HIV are scarce. Self-management interventions that include self-monitoring components have the potential to improve chronic illness outcomes and mitigate alcohol misuse. Although wearable technologies promote self-monitoring behaviors and facilitate the delivery of personalized feedback, people rarely adhere to the long-term use of wearables.

Urban Indigenous populations face disproportionate mental health challenges, including high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use disorders, yet they have limited access to health services, especially culturally relevant care. The mechanism for providing care to Indigenous people in the United States, the Indian Health Service, is significantly underfunded and only accessible to certain Indigenous people. With more than 70% of Indigenous individuals in the United States living in urban settings, there is a growing need for innovative health care solutions. A community-based, Indigenous-led health and mental health–focused nonprofit in the northeast United States developed ShockTalk, a tele–mental health linkage-to-care app tailored specifically for Indigenous communities, to fill this gap.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of preventable blindness among working-age adults, leads to worse health outcomes among Black, Latine, and individuals with lower income in comparison to other ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups in the United States.