JMIR Public Health and Surveillance

Many countries, including China, have implemented nationwide smoking cessation programs in accordance with Article 14 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, the use of assisted smoking cessation services remains low, while unassisted smoking cessation (USC) methods are widely preferred. Studies have shown that many individual and environmental factors are associated with USC adoption. However, no studies have examined the association between social networks and USC adoption.

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are important modifiable risk factors for noncommunicable diseases. High prevalences of physical inactivity among children and adolescents continue to represent a significant public health challenge globally, with approximately two-thirds of children worldwide not achieving the recommended daily amount of physical activity (PA). Countries in the Middle East exhibit some of the highest levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior, which contribute to the increasing rates of obesity among children and adolescents.

A substantial proportion of children and adolescents worldwide do not meet current physical activity (PA) guidelines. So digital tools interventions have been implemented worldwide. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of these remains inconsistent, underscoring the need for a comprehensive synthesis of the available literature.

Public health restrictive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in lifestyles. Global declines in physical activity (PA) and increases in sedentary behavior were noted. These trends were observed within different regions of the world, pointing toward potential long-term implications for PA behaviors.

Hypertension represents an important global health challenge, closely linked to cardiovascular diseases and elevated premature mortality rates. Prehypertension, defined as elevated blood pressure not meeting the diagnostic criteria for hypertension, necessitates early intervention to prevent disease progression. Health literacy, defined as the capacity to comprehend and use health-related information, is a key determinant of health outcomes but has rarely been studied in the context of prehypertension prevention.

In 2023, Esco Bars was the second most commonly reported e-cigarette brand used among US middle and high school student e-cigarette users. These products have not been authorized for sale in the United States by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On May 12, 2025, and May 25, 2023, the FDA issued an import alert and a warning letter, respectively, to the manufacturer requiring them to immediately remove these unauthorized products from the market. On June 22, 2023, and July 27, 2023, the FDA also issued warning letters to US retailers and distributors, respectively, regarding the illicit sale of these unauthorized products. This study evaluated the impact of these advisory and enforcement actions on retail sales of Esco Bars in the United States.

A large wave of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants began in Beijing in early December 2022.

Acute stress disorder (ASD) among people ever infected with COVID-19 is prevalent and may lead to posttraumatic stress disorder. Soon after China relaxed their COVID-19 control measures in November 2022 or December 2022, the infection rate surged rapidly, creating huge uncertainty and stressful situations. Little is known about situations regarding ASD at the ending phase of the pandemic.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), a common childhood illness caused by various enteroviruses, poses a significant public health threat in the Asia-Pacific region, where severe cases associated with enterovirus A71 (EV71) are a major concern. The EV71 vaccination program was introduced in China in late 2016. Although randomized controlled trials have established the robust efficacy and safety of these vaccines, assessing their real-world performance remains crucial. Subsequent studies have evaluated its real-world effectiveness in several provinces, including Zhejiang and Guangdong. However, evidence on its real-world impact in reducing EV71-associated HFMD in Jiangsu Province remains limited.

Men who have sex with men remain disproportionately affected by HIV globally and in China. Despite the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), their uptake remains suboptimal. Previous studies have rarely integrated both sexual behavioral factors and prevention-related cognitive factors. A clearer understanding of heterogeneity in HIV exposure and prevention literacy is needed to inform targeted HIV prevention strategies.

As South Korea transitions into a super-aged society, understanding regional disparities in subjective health among older adults is critical to addressing health inequalities and supporting healthy aging.

A growing body of research supports the efficacy of text messaging programs to help tobacco users quit, but texting as a strategy for recruiting tobacco users into other evidence-based cessation services, such as quitline coaching, is less well understood. Texting to offer treatment could increase use of cessation resources, an important consideration for health systems trying to improve their quality metric performance on tobacco assessment and counseling.