JMIR Research Protocols

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most affected by the HIV epidemic, with Zambia experiencing a substantial burden of disease. Young people with HIV are disproportionately impacted. Emerging adulthood (ages 18-24 years) is characterized by increasing independence, risk-taking behaviors, identity exploration, and changing social supports, all of which may impact HIV self-management, including medication adherence and retention in care. Substance use may further undermine HIV outcomes. Innovative interventions targeting HIV self-management and substance use reduction among Zambian young people are urgently needed.

African American and Black women are among the least physically active demographic groups in the United States and experience disproportionate burdens of chronic disease that may be reduced through regular physical activity (PA). Mixed methods research is increasingly used to examine the behavioral, social, and contextual factors that influence PA in this population.

Hypnosis is a focused state of consciousness that enhances concentration, attention, and responsiveness to suggestion. It has shown efficacy in treating psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, its potential for addressing burnout and related symptoms remains underexplored. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the effectiveness of hypnotherapy in alleviating symptoms of burnout and associated conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Implementation science (IS) plays a critical role in translating research into real-world health outcomes. Few studies have evaluated models that provide technical assistance and other resources to build IS capacity. The Coordinating and Capacity-Building Hubs to Enhance the Science of HIV Implementation Research (CHESHIRE) network supports US-based HIV research awardees participating in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the US (EHE) initiative.

Emergency referral systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are characterized by systemic inefficiencies, including prolonged transfer delays, interfacility miscommunication, and inadequate receiving-end preparation. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), a province of Pakistan with a population exceeding 40 million, referral pathways remain predominantly paper-based and operationally fragmented. Tertiary medical institutions, including Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), sustain a disproportionate burden of medically unnecessary referrals from peripheral facilities, culminating in institutional overcrowding, resource depletion, and attenuation of specialist neurosurgical and emergency care delivery.

Health promoting school (HPS) interventions have the potential to improve adolescent health and well-being, but evidence regarding implementation and system-level impact in real-world school settings remains limited. “My Life – I Decide” (My Life) is a systems-oriented HPS intervention developed to strengthen positive mental and physical health, school well-being, and health-promoting school practices among 10th-grade students in Denmark.

In recent decades, millions of people globally have taken up Buddhist spiritual and secularized meditation practices, such as mindfulness, with the aim of improving their quality of life and well-being. Practitioners are recommended to continue meditating regularly for the long term; however, the effects of regular meditation practice after introductory instruction remain scientifically underexplored.

The cognitive paradigm in medical education is undergoing a transition from traditional knowledge transmission to learner-centered knowledge construction. In China, this shift is aligned with the (), which mandates high-quality, intrinsic development in nursing curricula. While constructivist learning theory (CLT)–based teaching methods (eg, problem-based learning, case-based learning, and situational simulation) have been widely explored across Chinese nursing institutions, the evidentiary base remains geographically fragmented and methodologically heterogeneous. A systematic synthesis is required to inform national, evidence-based educational reforms.

Laceback ligatures are passive stainless-steel auxiliaries tied from the first permanent molar hook to the canine bracket during the alignment phase of orthodontic fixed appliance treatment, predominantly in premolar extraction cases. Despite equivocal evidence on their effectiveness in controlling anterior tooth position, lacebacks are routinely used to stabilize flexible nickel-titanium archwires against masticatory forces. Their effects on 3 clinically important outcomes, oral hygiene, appliance complication rates, and patient-reported pain, have never been investigated in a randomized trial, representing gaps explicitly identified in a prior systematic review.

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.