JMIR Public Health and Surveillance

Varicella is a prevalent respiratory infectious disease. It is often inadequately managed in many regions, leading to an underestimation of its true incidence rate. The varicella vaccine remains the most effective measure for controlling the disease, and its widespread use has significantly reduced incidence rates. Additionally, non-pharmacological interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic have notably altered the epidemiological patterns of varicella. Continuous monitoring is therefore essential to understand these evolving patterns, aiding in the adjustment of immunization strategies and the development of prevention and control measures.

Rapid weight gain (RWG) during infancy, defined as upward crossing of one centile line on a weight growth chart, is highly predictive of subsequent obesity risk. Identification of infant RWG could facilitate obesity risk assessment from infancy.

Exposure to information about mpox may shape distinct perceptual processes that influence vaccination intent. Understanding how such information impacts perceived risk and vaccination intention is crucial for designing effective risk communication and public health messaging, particularly among populations at high risk such as gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).

Active vaccine safety surveillance (AVSS) stands as a top priority for the World Health Organization (WHO), serving as a critical indicator of the fourth maturity level for national regulatory agencies.

High-cost (HC) patients, typically defined as the top 10% or 5% of patients with the highest healthcare costs, are responsible for over half of all healthcare-related spending. In China, approximately 95% of rural residents are covered by Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI). In parallel, increasing population mobility has made it more common for rural residents to seek medical treatment and claim reimbursements across provincial boundaries. These trends underscore the importance of identifying and understanding high-cost patients within this group.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are effective tools for pandemic containment but often impose significant socioeconomic consequences that intensify over time. Public support and compliance to NPIs are crucial to ensure their effectiveness.

As a potent opioid analgesic, fentanyl transdermal patches (FTDs) have been widely used in patients with moderate to severe pain. However, increasing concerns about the opioid epidemic have made it important to strengthen the rational use and management of FTDs.

Health education could be an effective way to increase knowledge regarding behavioral changes to prevent the recurrence of stroke; however, the evidence is ambiguous. A lack of both knowledge and compliance with treatment to control modifiable risk factors and unhealthy lifestyles increases the risk of stroke recurrence.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals represent 2-5% of the US population, yet continue to account for more than two-thirds of new HIV infections annually.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several United States jurisdictions began to regularly report levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater as a proxy for SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Despite the promise of this approach for improving COVID-19 situational awareness, the degree to which wastewater surveillance data agree with other data has varied, and better evidence is needed to understand the situations in which wastewater surveillance data tracks closely with traditional surveillance data.

Converging evidence indicates an adolescent mental health crisis in Western societies that has developed and exacerbated over the past decade. The proposed driving factors of this trend include more screen time, physical inactivity, and social isolation but their causal influence on mental health is insufficiently understood.

Hepatitis B is an important public health challenge facing China, Understanding the long-term epidemiological trends and evolving spatial distribution patterns is critical for optimizing prevention strategies and achieving the WHO's 2030 hepatitis elimination targets.