Background There is a growing body of evidence from discrete choice experiments related to telehealth. Discrete choice experiments offer valuable insights in informing the design and evaluation of telehealth services and supporting the telehealth implementation and policy. Objective This review aims to examine studies assessing consumer preferences for telehealth using discrete choice experiments. Methods A systematic review was conducted, searching five health and multidisciplinary databases from inception until 4 April 2024. Grey literature searches, hand-searching, and reference list checks were also performed. Results Of 2,832 studies screened, 52 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted from the patient perspective (n=47/52, 90%) and covered a wide range of populations and settings. Of the included studies eligible for quality assessment, 68% (n=23/34) received high-quality ratings, while others were assessed as moderate. Studies comparing face-to-face consultations with telehealth generally found a preference for face-to-face appointments. Telehealth is viewed more favourably if it can be offered at a lower cost, reduces wait times, and is part of a comprehensive care plan. Telehealth tends to be preferred by younger patients and clinicians, those digitally literate, and those with less severe or more private and stigmatised health conditions. Conclusion While face-to-face consultations are generally preferred, telehealth is viewed as advantageous if it reduces costs, shortens wait times, and is integrated into comprehensive care. The findings highlight the importance of considering these attributes when designing telehealth preference studies and informing the adoption and design of telehealth services.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into health care, including psychiatry and psychology. In educational contexts, AI offers new possibilities for enhancing clinical reasoning, personalizing content delivery, and supporting professional development. Despite this emerging interest, a comprehensive understanding of how AI is currently used in mental health education, and the challenges associated with its adoption, remains limited. Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify and characterize current applications of AI in the teaching and learning of psychiatry and psychology. It also sought to document reported facilitators of and barriers to the integration of AI within educational contexts. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across 6 electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, EBM Reviews, and Google Scholar) from inception to October 2024. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Studies were included if they focused on psychiatry or psychology, described the use of an AI tool, and discussed at least 1 facilitator of or barrier to its use in education. Data were extracted on study characteristics, population, AI application, educational outcomes, facilitators, and barriers. Study quality was appraised using several design-appropriate tools. Results: From 6219 records, 10 (0.2%) studies met the inclusion criteria. Eight categories of AI applications were identified: clinical decision support, educational content creation, therapeutic tools and mental health monitoring, administrative and research assistance, natural language processing (NLP), program/policy development, students' study aid, and professional development. Key facilitators included the availability of AI tools, positive learner attitudes, digital infrastructure, and time-saving features. Barriers included limited AI training, ethical concerns, lack of digital literacy, algorithmic opacity, and insufficient curricular integration. The overall methodological quality of included studies was moderate to high. Conclusions: AI is being used across a range of educational functions in psychiatry and psychology, from clinical training to assessment and administrative support. Although the potential for enhancing learning outcomes is clear, its successful integration requires addressing ethical, technical, and pedagogical barriers. Future efforts should focus on AI literacy, faculty development, and institutional policies to guide responsible and effective use. This review underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure the safe, equitable, and meaningful adoption of AI in mental health education.

Background: Oral health is a crucial component of overall well-being, particularly in childhood and adolescence when lifetime habits are established. Health education and theory-Based health promotion interventions can enhance oral health outcomes more effectively than traditional knowledge-transfer methods. Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis were performed with the objective of assessing the effectiveness of theory-Based health education and promotion interventions in impacting oral health outcomes among children and adolescents. Methods: Based on PRISMA and PROSPERO registration, the systematic search in seven databases was performed up to March 2025. Only RCTs involving participants aged 5 to 18 years old and with use of theoretical models like the Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behavior, or Social Cognitive Theory were taken into account. Primary outcomes included oral health behavior, knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and clinical indicators like dental plaque, periodontal status, and DMFT. The data were combined through random-effects meta-analysis, and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Results: Nineteen RCTs were included. Interventions had a significant boost in self-efficacy (SMD = 1.49, 95% CI: 0.99,2.00), oral health-related quality of life (SMD = 7.38, 95% CI: 5.57,9.19), knowledge (SMD = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.80,1.39), attitudes (SMD = 9.32, 95% CI: 7.08,11.55), and behavior (SMD = 2.58, 95% CI: 2.03,3.12). Significant declines in dental plaque (SMD = -1.92, 95% CI: -2.42,-1.42) and periodontal health (SMD = -1.18, 95% CI: -1.83,-0.53) but not in DMFT scores (SMD = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.27,0.04) also occurred. High heterogeneity and small sample of evidence of publication bias were detected. Conclusions: Theory-Based health education and promotion interventions are effective in enhancing oral health outcomes across a wide range of outcomes in children and adolescents. Future research should have long-term follow-up, standardization of outcomes measures, fidelity of intervention, economic evaluations, and equitable provision across diverse populations. Clinical trial number: Not applicable. Trial registration: This systematic review has been registered prospectively in PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews) with registration number CRD420251026862.

Background: The paucity of actionable data on the epidemiological profile of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria poses significant challenges to policy formulation and implementation. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria and identify dental caries preventive behaviours associated with dental caries experience among adolescents in Nigeria over 10 years. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on dental caries among adolescents was undertaken in September 2023. Literature searches were conducted across Academic Info, Cochrane Library, Refseek, and PubMed databases and Google Scholar, to identify studies on dental caries prevalence and dental caries preventive behaviour among adolescents in Nigeria that were published between January 2013 and December 2022. Eligible studies included cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies. Studies were also included if they presented data for at least one of the primary outcomes. Excluded were studies without information on the sample size, those with incomplete or overlapping samples, case reports, case series, editorials, or reviews without primary data. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 percentages, and a funnel plot evaluated publication bias. A random effects model was used to determine the prevalence of dental caries with subgroup analysis by sex. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist to assess the quality and integrity of the included studies. The systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024458849). Results: Sixteen studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria was 23.0% (95% CI: 16-30). The pooled prevalence for males was 16.0% (95% CI: 9-23) and that for females was 22.0% (95% CI: 11-32). The commonest dental caries preventive practices reported were daily tooth brushing, use of fluoride-containing toothpastes, and dental service utilization. Factors associated with dental caries included a history of dental service utilization, poor oral hygiene practices, and consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals. Conclusion: The high prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria warrants programmatic attention with an emphasis on improving oral hygiene practices and controlling the consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals. Dental service utilization for dental caries preventive needs to be encouraged.

Background The paucity of actionable data on the epidemiological profile of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria poses significant challenges to policy formulation and implementation. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria and identify dental caries preventive behaviours associated with dental caries experience among adolescents in Nigeria over 10 years. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on dental caries among adolescents was undertaken in September 2023. Literature searches were conducted across Academic Info, Cochrane Library, Refseek, and PubMed databases and Google Scholar, to identify studies on dental caries prevalence and dental caries preventive behaviour among adolescents in Nigeria that were published between January 2013 and December 2022. Eligible studies included cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies. Studies were also included if they presented data for at least one of the primary outcomes. Excluded were studies without information on the sample size, those with incomplete or overlapping samples, case reports, case series, editorials, or reviews without primary data. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 percentages, and a funnel plot evaluated publication bias. A random effects model was used to determine the prevalence of dental caries with subgroup analysis by sex. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist to assess the quality and integrity of the included studies. The systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024458849). Results Sixteen studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria was 23.0% (95% CI: 16–30). The pooled prevalence for males was 16.0% (95% CI: 9–23) and that for females was 22.0% (95% CI: 11–32). The commonest dental caries preventive practices reported were daily tooth brushing, use of fluoride-containing toothpastes, and dental service utilization. Factors associated with dental caries included a history of dental service utilization, poor oral hygiene practices, and consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals. Conclusion The high prevalence of dental caries among adolescents in Nigeria warrants programmatic attention with an emphasis on improving oral hygiene practices and controlling the consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals. Dental service utilization for dental caries preventive needs to be encouraged.

Background: Despite advances in precision medicine, the translation of genetic and genomic technologies into routine practice is hampered by a heterogeneous and limited evidence base and the absence of standardized evaluation methodologies. Health Technology Assessment (HTA) plays a critical role in bridging this gap, yet assessment approaches and comprehensiveness vary widely. This systematic review aims to map the landscape of the assessment reports on genetic and genomics applications, analyze their methodological aspects and identify gaps. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the international HTA database, were searched for assessment reports of genetic/genomic technologies. Information on reports general characteristics, assessment domains and their components, consulted sources of evidence and reported gaps was extracted. Findings were synthesized narratively. Results: Out of 27,331 screened records, 41 reports were included, predominantly from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, mainly aimed at informing policy making for single or multiple gene tests for cancer patients. Most reports used a generic HTA methodology and assessment domains varied across reports. Key clinical aspects, such as clinical accuracy and safety, suffered from evidence gaps (39.0% and 22.0%), while personal and societal aspects were the least investigated assessment domain (48.8-78.0%). Overall, lack of evidence and limited generalizability of findings were the most commonly reported gaps across multiple domains. Conclusions: The review highlighted significant fragmentation in current evaluation methodologies of genetic and genomic applications, with underassessment of analytical/clinical accuracy, safety, and non-health outcomes, alongside evidence gaps and limited generalizability. These issues compromise both evaluation and decision-making process, underscoring the urgent need for alternative study designs and standardized, comprehensive assessment frameworks to facilitate the successful implementation of emerging genetic and genomic technologies.

The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) framework, introduced by the WHO in 1998, aimed to unify disease surveillance across West Africa, replacing fragmented systems. However, challenges such as limited real-time reporting, inadequate data collection and workforce shortages continue to impede disease control and outbreak response. The resurgence of infectious diseases like Ebola, cholera, COVID-19 and monkeypox highlights the need to strengthen IDSR systems for effective public health management. This article reviews IDSR implementation in West Africa, identifying persistent gaps, including delayed outbreak detection, limited laboratory capacity and weak surveillance infrastructure. It emphasises the importance of policy development, capacity building and stakeholder engagement to secure political support and resources. Integrating technological innovations-such as mobile health (mHealth), geographic information systems (GIS), electronic health records and big data analytics-can enhance real-time data sharing and response coordination. Strengthening laboratories, workforce training and monitoring frameworks is essential to improve IDSR performance. Strategic investments are crucial to bolster public health capacities, accelerate response times and mitigate future epidemics in West Africa.

The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) tends to increase in the first 5 years of life as children grow, and those affected by ECC are likely to experience caries throughout their lives. ECC negatively impacts the oral health-related quality of life of both children and their families. Although controlling sugar intake and the use of fluoride are well-known methods for managing dental caries, preventive and therapeutic interventions alone have not been sufficient to prevent the development of new caries lesions. This review aims to explore why ECC continues to occur despite the oral health team having the necessary knowledge to prevent it. Based on current scientific evidence, this article highlights the need for the oral health team to consider additional factors, such as implementing oral health prevention programs in the first 450 days of life, enhancing caregivers' oral health literacy, creating a supportive environment, and engaging in upstream actions (teledentistry, implementation science, health policies development etc.) to effectively manage and prevent dental caries. Otherwise we would be educating and treating children and sending them back to the conditions that made them sick. By addressing these factors, it might be possible to improve long-term oral health outcomes for children and reduce the burden of ECC on children and their families.

Background: Both Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Performance Management (PM) are clinical governance disciplines that aim to improve the quality, equity, and financial sustainability of health organizations and systems. Although HTA and PM share many features, to the authors' knowledge, few studies have investigated their interplay. This study attempts to fill this gap by analysing how the literature has explored and developed the integration between HTA and PM concepts and tolls within healthcare sector. Methods: To address this gap, this study examines 33 papers selected through a scoping review that explores the inter of HTA and PM within the healthcare sector. In particular, the paper adopted the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) methodology to select and analyse articles. Results: The review highlights the dynamic convergence of HTA and PM, emphasizing how combining these frameworks and functions can enhance decision-making in healthcare. This integration ensures that technologies are adopted on the basis of proven effectiveness in pursuing healthcare systems goals and that performance metrics align with evidence-based practices, leading to better resource allocation and improved patient outcomes. The literature review underscores the need for further research to understand the integration between HTA and PM and their combined impact on organizational performance, sustainability, and resilience in the healthcare sector. Conclusion: This study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on HTA and PM, offering insights for future studies, and practical recommendations for integrating these disciplines to improve healthcare management and policymaking.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of wastewater surveillance studies on pathogens, identifies key characteristics of studies that are associated with public health actions, and highlights the actions resulting from these studies. Many studies refer to the value of wastewater surveillance in public health decision-making, but it remains unclear how many studies support public health action and whether this is incorporated into study designs. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review following PRISMA guidelines and used the machine learning tool ASReview to identify wastewater surveillance studies monitoring pathogen circulation in human populations, followed by correlational analyses. A total of 974 studies were included, of which only 84 described public health action. Merely 28 of these incorporated strategies to facilitate action within their study designs. Studies leading to public health action primarily monitored viruses, e.g., SARS-CoV-2 and poliovirus, and since 2024 also influenza A and B virus, respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis A virus and mpox virus. Furthermore, studies conducted by public health institutes or targeting non-standard locations are more likely to result in action, whereas those with larger population sizes or focusing on residential areas are less likely to result in action. The most common public health actions included informing health authorities and identifying cases. Our findings highlight the value of learning from existing use cases. While wastewater surveillance can support public health actions, evidence of its use is limited. Future studies should improve study designs by, e.g., incorporating strategies for public health actions to maximize their effectiveness and impact on decision-making.

Fluoridation of community water supplies constitutes one of the most effective public health interventions for preventing dental caries. In recent years, questions have been raised about its effectiveness and safety. This study aims to systematically review and summarize the existing evidence on community water fluoridation (CWF) and dental caries in permanent and deciduous teeth. Five databases and 3 gray databases were searched for relevant studies. Paired reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed their methodological quality. Standard mean differences (SMDs) for dmf(s)/DMFT(S) (decayed, missing, and filled teeth/surface) and odds ratios (ORs) for caries prevalence were measured between exposure or not to CFW for deciduous and permanent teeth. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore whether the study design, continent, or decade of publication changed the point estimates. Seventy-four studies were included in the qualitative analysis: 57 cross-sectional, 13 before-and-after, and 4 cohort studies. Thirty-two studies provided sufficient data for meta-analyses. The overall SMD of DMFT and dmf in those exposed to CWF compared with unexposed were -0.32 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.48 to -0.17, I2 = 96%, P < 0.01) and -0.30 (95% CI: -0.39 to -0.21, I2 = 88%, P < 0.01), respectively. The prevalence of caries was smaller in those exposed to CWF for both the permanent (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.63) and deciduous (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.76) dentitions. Study design, continent, or decade of publication satisfactorily explained the heterogeneity between studies. Communities where water was fluoridated experienced less caries and differences expressed in terms of SMD and prevalence (OR) where of high magnitude, both in children and in adults. The results of the meta-analyses revealed significant differences in caries experience and prevalence in favor of CWF, which represents an effective and comprehensive public health intervention for caries prevention, especially in the primary dentition.Knowledge Transfer Statement:Based on the published literature, the results of this study show that fluoridation of community water supplies is still an effective public health intervention to prevent dental caries, both in children and adults, despite the widespread availability of fluoride-containing dental products, especially toothpaste. This result adds to the existing evidence to support its incorporation into public oral health policies.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring and transmitting infections, including COVID-19. Vaccination is a crucial method for preventing the spread of infectious diseases; however, vaccine non-acceptance can hinder optimal vaccine coverage. This research aims to evaluate the level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and the associated factors among HCWs in West Africa. Methods: A structured literature review of quantitative cross-sectional studies was conducted, searching databases including Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), African Journals Online, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycInfo, and Google Scholar. The review focused on studies from April 2021 to February 2023 that examined factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among HCWs in West Africa. Data extraction and quality assessment of the included studies were conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Results: Five articles met the inclusion criteria, and they reported that the acceptance level of the COVID-19 vaccine ranged from 38.3% to 73.6%. Barriers to acceptance included concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness, side effects, short duration of clinical trials, limited and false information, and lack of social trust. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among West African HCWs is influenced by sociodemographic factors, vaccine concerns, and accurate information, necessitating health promotion strategies and multisectoral collaboration for improved acceptance.

The effective development of health programs requires the practical application of evidence-based strategies, equitable financial allocation, and the integration of operational research into public health actions. These elements are essential for attaining measurable improvements in healthcare systems and population well-being. By aligning research-driven approaches with policy implementation, we can accelerate progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3) targets. This study aimed to engage in an in-depth, evidence-based quantitative and qualitative analysis of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) datasets, as well as a category and sub-category-wise comparability assessment of health indicators. Each round of the NFHS outcomes was analyzed for its application towards programmatic development, implementation, and evaluation. Studies analyzed were representative of each of the studied categories, i.e., demography, maternal health, child health, and behavioral pattern. Literature published under the subheads demography (159), maternal health (286), child health (318), and behavioral pattern (94) and indexed on PubMed Central were analyzed for inferential patterned study. This was followed by the outcome comparability and Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Challenges (SWOC) analysis of trends, emphasis, and applicability. This trend analysis was quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. There was a deviation in sub-criterion identification over various rounds, posing challenges to the use of NFHS data with multiple, varied, and rich resources available for healthcare and support. The lowest expected decline per round compared to their previous rounds in stunting, wasting, and unmet need for family planning was -2.5%, -4.3%, and 1%, respectively. In contrast, the lowest increase per round for female sterilization and antenatal care (ANC) was +1.3% and +1%, respectively. Strengths include the quality of data, sub-categorization over NFHS rounds, use of new tools for assessments, and elimination of some parameters. Weakness was illustrated through unsynchronized conduct of rounds, viz., 6, 7, 10, and 5 years' time gap observed in NFHS-1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Opportunity of using data for national development initiatives and fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal-3 can be availed to benefit the healthcare-deprived masses. Threats include intrinsic limitations of data collection, processes of outcome measures for addressing upgradation needs, especially of Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health + Adolescents (RMNCH+A), National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Disease (NPNCD), and national nutrition programs. The policy development, programmatic design, intervention implementation, effectiveness assessment, and National Health Program evaluation need stronger, consecutive, and appropriate evidence datasets for public health action. The felt need of public health intervention can be augmented significantly by using NFHS datasets over time while ensuring adaptable, flexible, and resource-friendly mechanisms of action. Triangulating NFHS datasets, programmatic needs, and financial allocations will hence help create user-friendly public health networks.

Background: The global push to scale up telemedicine services is challenged by complex, multilevel, multifaceted implementation and a lack of consensus on what the evidence-based essential building blocks of implementation are. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the evidence base supporting telemedicine implementation knowledge tools; identify shared conceptual constructs and outliers; and formulate recommendations to guide the design, development, and optimization of telemedicine services. Methods: We conducted implementation research using a rapid umbrella review, that is, an overview of systematic reviews, in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). In total, we searched 3 databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) for studies focusing on telemedicine implementation frameworks, models, and tools, collectively referred to as "knowledge tools." Reviews meeting the operational definition of a systematically undertaken, secondary evidence synthesis, such as systematic and scoping reviews, and those published from January 2018 to May 2024 were considered. A meta-aggregative qualitative analysis was undertaken, comprising inductive thematic synthesis. Results: In total, 18 reviews were selected, encompassing 973 primary studies. Global perspectives were reflected in 61% (n=11) of the reviews, while 33% (n=6) focused on low- and middle-income country contexts. The primary research included in the reviews represented 63 countries, spanning the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia and the Pacific. Findings indicated substantial heterogeneity across the identified telemedicine implementation theories, models, and frameworks. However, following evidence synthesis, considerable convergence was observed, highlighting a state-of-the-art understanding of the essential requirements for a national telemedicine implementation ecosystem. These were categorized into "process" and "thematic" dimensions. Process dimensions included readiness and needs assessment, road map and planning, managing change, implementing telemedicine services, and continuous improvement and measuring performance. Thematic dimensions covered human and sociocultural aspects; organization, operations, management, and leadership; communication and coordination; policy, legal, and financial considerations; clinical health condition and quality of care; and the wider context. Conclusions: The findings of this study inform a pressing translational research knowledge gap in telemedicine implementation, hindering the implementation of high-quality, sustainable, and scalable telemedicine systems. The study contributes to building global consensus on the state of the art of key constructs in telemedicine implementation and recommends that future research focus on field-testing the evidence-based implementation tools to evaluate their usability and adaptability across diverse telemedicine contexts.

Context: Organizational leadership is essential for adequate and stable financing, strong governance across jurisdictions and sectors, and a competent public health workforce for effective and resilient public health systems. While there have been some efforts to characterize leadership competencies at the individual level, more focus is needed to understand effective governance of public health organizations and systems through the lens of leadership competencies at the organizational level. Objective: To identify organizational level leadership competencies for effective and equitable public health governance. Design: This scoping review included published academic literature from Scopus, Web of Science, Medline, and ProQuest and grey literature from Google Scholar, Canadian Government websites, Trove, FedSys, and Open Grey, published between 2004 and 2023. The search strategy focused on the concepts of governance, leadership, and pub-lic health organizations. An inductive-deductive approach informed the analysis using reflexive thematic analysis and a framework outlining the six functions of public health governance. Results: A total of 35 records were included for analysis; 22 academic and 13 grey literature records. This review identified 9 themes describing organizational leadership competencies for public health governance: 1) Systems thinking 2) Public policy development, implementation and evaluation, 3) Partnership and collaboration, 4) Equity and justice 5) Organizational learning, 6) Oversight, 7) Resource stewardship, 8) Legal authority, 9) Organizational ethics. Conclusions: This scoping review contributes to our understanding of the leadership competencies needed to enact and sustain effective governance at an organizational level. These identified themes and associated competencies can facilitate the creation of organizational culture and values that align with effective governance tenets in public health. Additional research is needed to further apply and contextualize these competencies in different countries and public health settings.

Prostate cancer (PCa) poses a significant global health threat, with high incidence and mortality rates. In 2022, the Council of the European Union (EU) updated its screening recommendations, prioritizing PCa screening. This signals a crucial step towards establishing new early detection programmes in EU member states. This study investigates the role of policy makers and governance in cancer screening to inform the development of PCa screening. We had a mixed-method study design. First, a rapid review was conducted on policy making and governance in EU-funded cancer screening initiatives. Second, a focus group discussion reviewed study concepts and methods. Third, a systematic literature review was performed and, fourth, a series of in-depth interviews with actors involved in PCa screening pilots was conducted. Data were analysed thematically and the findings are used to propose 10 recommendations for policy makers. The results of the rapid review and focus group discussion framed the study in the context of existing cancer screening programmes across the EU, and highlighted what already exists in terms of governance tools and methodology. The literature review and in-depth interviews presented key learnings from the literature and real-life settings. These findings are reported using a pre-existing conceptional framework for effective health system governance. The study underscores the critical importance of governance in effective cancer screening programmes. Ten recommendations are proposed, including: defining cancer screening governance, allocating budgets and defining common approaches and key performance indicators for evaluation, establishing methods to enhance citizen participation, and reinforcing network governance.

Objective: This scoping review investigates the potential of 6G technology in healthcare, particularly in smart city settings, focusing on its enhanced data capabilities, AI's role in healthcare optimization, infrastructure support, interoperability, quality standards, and privacy and security concerns. Patients and methods: The scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework, with Levac et al.'s methodological advancements. The review team searched academic databases like PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, Embase, Web of Sciences, and IEEE Xplore. They also explored grey literature sources like Google Scholar, OpenGrey, and Web of Science Conference Proceedings. A search strategy was developed, and 145 studies were selected from an initial pool of 9835 records from 2010 to 2025. The review categorized 145 studies into three phases, focusing on deploying 6G technology in healthcare, the infrastructure required, and ethical considerations related to the technology's ethical implications. Result: Phase one focused on advancements like real-time imaging, performing medical procedures remotely, using predictive tools to analyze data, and providing care tailored to individual patients. Phase two examined how the next generation of wireless technology (6G) could interact with communication systems, including techniques to handle large amounts of data (massive MIMO) and using extremely high-frequency signals (terahertz communications) to transfer information faster. Phase three explored ethical concerns about applying 6G technology, such as systems that make decisions based on user intentions (intent-driven management) and organizing information around data-based designs (data-driven architecture). The review highlights how 6G technology could revolutionize patient care and medical services by enabling faster data transfers, reducing delays, increasing system capacity, and incorporating artificial intelligence. Conclusion: The scoping review shows the capability of the transformative potential of 6G technology, particularly in healthcare and urban development, emphasizing its enhanced data transfer speeds, reduced latency, and increased capacity that can significantly improve patient care through better remote monitoring, security, and telemedicine services. It stresses the vital role of policymakers in guiding the development of 6G infrastructure, ensuring effective spectrum allocation, and implementing robust security measures while addressing health and electromagnetic exposure concerns. Policymakers are urged to adopt security-by-design principles, adhere to international standards, and foster collaboration among academia, industry, and government to drive innovation and ensure the responsible deployment of 6G technology. By stimulating research and establishing clear performance metrics, they can facilitate continuous improvement and adaptation, ultimately benefiting society as a whole. The review concludes that strategic policy formulation is essential for maximizing the advantages of 6G technology, leading to more intelligent, productive, and sustainable societal frameworks.

Background: The historical and cultural importance of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) is observable in diverse contexts and among different populations. As the use of TCIM continues to grow globally, policymakers need to acknowledge its importance in healthcare services. Objectives: We conducted a scoping review of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research to identify the factors that promote and hinder the adoption of TCIM. Methods: This scoping review involved a comprehensive search of online databases from 2000 to February 2024. The review utilized the methodology suggested by Arksey and O'Malley. Qualitative content analysis was employed to synthesize the data. Findings: From a total of 1403 articles retrieved, 61 full-text articles were chosen for the final analysis. Among these, 47 examined facilitators, 4 addressed barriers, and 10 investigated both barriers and facilitators of using TCIM. Three key themes were recognized concerning barriers to using TCIM services, including "service delivery problems", "governance challenges", and "personal barriers". Six key themes associated with the factors facilitating the use of TCIM services were recognized, which include "financial facilitators", "health conditions", "personal determinants", "perceived benefits", "social impact", and "appropriate service delivery". Conclusions: Exploring the barriers and facilitators of using TCIM services can provide valuable insights to policymakers, enabling them to develop strategies to overcome existing challenges and enhance the support for the growth of these services. This knowledge is essential for making sure that TCIM services are available to people in a safe, prompt, and high-quality way.

Background: Given trends towards greater life expectancy, there is an increasing need to promote healthy ageing and add quality and value to older adults' lives, however the evidence regarding the effects on overall health and wellbeing has not been synthesised. Active lifestyles may provide diverse health and wellbeing benefits for older adults in terms of maintaining or improving their physical, psychological, and social functions. This systematic review evaluates whether and how different types of interventions within community-based settings could benefit specific aspects of older adults' health and wellbeing. Methods: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science were systematically searched in January 2022 for experimental studies (including randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, and quasi-experimental studies) exploring health and wellbeing benefits of community-based activities in older adults. A total of 12,707 sources were identified through database searches with 183 retained for full screening. Final inclusion was based on the following eligibility criteria: (1) participants were generally healthy and predominantly independent community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above; (2) interventions were based in real-world settings, e.g., dance, art and technology classes, etc. held in publicly-accessible facilities; (3) pre-/post-interventions assessed at least one outcome in physical health, psychological wellbeing or social connections; (4) control groups were used, including passive and active control groups or groups that received a different type of intervention; (5) experimental studies followed a quantitative research design. Study quality was systematically assessed, and a comprehensive narrative synthesis of the findings was conducted. Results: Of the 183 studies screened, 56 were included in the final review. Among the 33 predominantly physical interventions, 31 demonstrated positive effects. Of the 16 predominantly mental interventions, 14 reported benefits. All seven predominantly social interventions reported positive effects. Discussion: The benefits of real-world interventions were reported across a range of outcomes, particularly in terms of reducing depression or anxiety, or improving physical functioning, sleep quality and social participation. However, heterogeneity in interventions, sample design, duration and dosage suggest that more research is needed to support the effects of duration and dosage of intervention exposure. As real-world interventions more closely resemble the way in which older people engage in activities, evidence of their effectiveness in promoting health and wellbeing should inform preventative healthcare provision and policymaking.

Background: Health Technology Assessment (HTA) is a crucial tool for evaluating the worth and roles of health technologies, and providing evidence-based guidance for their adoption and use. Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance HTA processes by improving data collection, analysis, and decision-making. This study aims to explore the opportunities and challenges of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) in health technology assessment (HTA), with a specific focus on economic dimensions. By leveraging AI's capabilities, this research examines how innovative tools and methods can optimize economic evaluation frameworks and enhance decision-making processes within the HTA context. Methods: This study adopted Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework and conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. It examined the benefits and challenges of AI integration into HTA, with a focus on economic dimensions. Findings: AI significantly enhances HTA outcomes by driving methodological advancements, improving utility, and fostering healthcare innovation. It enables comprehensive assessments through robust data systems and databases. However, ethical considerations such as biases, transparency, and accountability emphasize the need for deliberate planning and policymaking to ensure responsible integration within the HTA framework. Conclusion: AI applications in HTA have significant potential to enhance health outcomes and decision-making processes. However, the development of robust data management strategies and regulatory frameworks is essential to ensure effective and ethical implementation. Future research should prioritize the establishment of comprehensive frameworks for AI integration, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and improving data quality and accessibility on an ongoing basis.