JMIR Research Protocols

The legacy of the Soviet childcare system has contributed to persistently high rates of child institutionalization across many countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Although countries throughout the region have adopted deinstitutionalization and family reunification policies, most programs provide limited support to address children’s mental health needs or family functioning during the critical transition from institutional care to family and community reintegration.

Pharmacovigilance aims to protect patient safety by identifying and managing adverse events associated with pharmaceuticals. Determining the causality of these adverse events is central at both the individual case and population levels; however, it is increasingly challenging as the volume and complexity of safety data grow. Although AI and related technologies have been proposed to support causality assessment, limited research has examined how these methods are used, their information and quality requirements, or how associated risks are addressed.

Sexual violence (SV; any sexual activity where consent is not obtained or freely given) and dating violence (DV; abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship among youth) are interrelated public health concerns among youth in the United States. Despite its urgency, there is a dearth of comprehensive SV and DV prevention approaches that intervene across multiple social ecology levels (ie, at the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels). Therefore, the field of violence prevention has called for the development and evaluation of community-level interventions for prevention. Close to Home (C2H) is a community-driven community mobilization primary prevention program that aims to have community-level effects on reducing SV and DV, as well as improving community connection and social norms related to SV and DV, yet it has never been rigorously evaluated.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects up to 25% of trauma-exposed adolescents; yet, access to evidence-based treatment remains limited in rural regions. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is the first-line intervention, but structural barriers such as long travel distances and therapist shortages hinder implementation. Digital and blended formats may improve accessibility, but evidence for adolescents with PTSD is limited. Shame and self-criticism are common following interpersonal trauma and can reduce engagement; compassion-focused strategies target these mechanisms and aim to enhance emotional safety.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex, chronic medical disease wherein patients have traditionally benefited from a multidisciplinary and comprehensive therapeutic approach, including a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses the psychological, behavioral, and social dimensions of the individual. Holistic health is a nontraditional system of wellness that focuses on well-being through body, mind, and spirit and aims to restore balance through combined physical, mental, and emotional care. This approach may incorporate nonpharmacological and alternative treatments alongside allopathic medicine. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in integrating holistic health strategies into addiction treatment.

High-risk subsolid pulmonary nodules, especially mixed ground-glass nodules, can represent precancerous or early-stage lung adenocarcinoma spectrum lesions. Standard management relies mainly on risk stratification, repeated thin-slice computed tomography, and invasive diagnosis or surgery when progression suggests malignancy. Safe adjunctive pharmacologic options to reduce nodule progression remain limited. Yifei Sanjie Pill (YFSJ) is an 8-herb traditional Chinese medicine formula that has been previously studied as an adjunctive treatment for non–small cell lung cancer. However, its effect on high-risk pulmonary nodules—a distinct clinical condition—has not yet been investigated.

Cerebrovascular diseases represent a major public health challenge, and stroke is among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Among poststroke complications, pneumonia stands out because of its frequency and negative impact on clinical outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization and increased mortality. In this context, studies investigating the risk factors associated with stroke-related pneumonia differ in terms of their design, care setting, and adopted definitions.

Supporting youth and their caregivers during the transition from pediatric to adult health care is a priority across Canada. Many transition in care (TiC) innovations exist, yet these innovations often fail to be effectively implemented and/or sustained. Knowledge translation (KT) interventions, such as developing educational materials and identifying champions, are used to promote the uptake of innovations into clinical practice. However, there is limited information on what, when, and how these KT interventions are used to implement and sustain TiC innovations.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition affecting approximately 7% to 8% of children and adolescents, characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Adolescence represents a period of heightened vulnerability, during which pharmacological treatments are frequently limited by adverse effects, suboptimal adherence, and partial response. Physical exercise, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT), has demonstrated superior effects on inhibitory control and inattention compared with moderate-intensity continuous exercise. However, the repetitive nature and high perceived exertion of traditional HIIT protocols result in poor adherence, especially in individuals with ADHD. Virtual reality (VR)–based exergames have been proposed as a strategy to sustain vigorous physiological demands while maintaining intrinsic motivation. Despite this potential, the existing literature is predominantly limited by passive control conditions, which prevent adequate control for the effects of VR immersion and cognitive engagement, limiting causal inference regarding the specific contribution of physiological exertion.

Intensive care unit–acquired weakness (ICU-AW) research focuses predominantly on intrinsic muscle pathology rather than integrated systemic interactions, which are commonly studied in exercise science. Peak oxygen uptake (), on/off kinetics, and skeletal muscle oxygenation provide a quantitative evaluation of exercise capacity and are infrequently measured in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. Routine cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) research separates and kinetics assessments into multiple sessions. Yet, a combined experimental approach may enhance diagnosis, follow-up retention, and mechanistic insight for patients with ICU-AW.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children requires sustained self-management to achieve glycemic targets. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has transformed pediatric diabetes care; yet, adherence to device wear remains inconsistent. In May 2024, Oman launched a national initiative distributing CGMs to children with T1DM across all governorates, creating a real-world opportunity to study adherence determinants and to develop a locally validated AI-assisted predictive tool.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform chest radiography interpretation by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, identifying subtle findings, reducing errors, and helping prioritize patient care. Although chest radiography remains a cost-effective and widely used imaging tool, its effectiveness is limited by overlapping anatomy and variability in clinical expertise. Integrating AI can help overcome some of these challenges, especially in resource-constrained settings. However, robust validation in real-world clinical contexts is essential before widespread implementation. This study protocol evaluates whether AI assistance improves general practitioners’ ability to detect radiographic findings on chest radiography in adults with respiratory complaints or those undergoing treatment for respiratory diseases compared with unaided interpretation. Potential benefits include increased diagnostic safety, higher physician confidence, more efficient workflows, and expanded access to expert support in underserved areas.