Mental fatigue poses a significant challenge to healthcare professionals in hospital settings, impairing cognitive performance, emotional well-being, and job satisfaction. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of cognitive interventions, including mindfulness programs, online psychological interventions, and telehealth cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), in mitigating mental fatigue among healthcare workers. A comprehensive literature search across PubMed, b-on, Web of Science, and Scopus identified six studies published between 2016 and 2023. These studies reported that cognitive interventions significantly reduced burnout and stress levels, with up to a 30% decrease in emotional exhaustion and improved coping mechanisms. In addition, participants demonstrated enhanced emotional well-being, reflected in increased mindfulness and life satisfaction scores of as much as 25%. Mindfulness-based programs and telehealth CBT were particularly effective in fostering resilience and improving overall cognitive function. However, the review also highlighted the need for future research to explore the long-term effects of these interventions, their cost-effectiveness, and innovative methods to improve accessibility and scalability, such as digital platforms. Integrating cognitive interventions into routine healthcare practice can enhance staff well-being, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to a more supportive work environment.

Concern about deforestation in contexts of refugee displacement is substantial. Tree-based interventions (TBIs) are efforts to plant trees, conserve trees, and/or facilitate tree regrowth. TBIs are implemented by non-governmental organizations in refugee displacement contexts to address landscape-level deforestation, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss while providing livelihood opportunities to participants. Although humanitarian stakeholders recommend TBIs in refugee-hosting regions, the diversity of TBI models and associated strengths and weaknesses are not well understood. This research focuses on five TBIs implemented in a northwest Uganda refugee settlement that include large-acre woodlot planting, household-level planting of trees yielding short-term products, and conservation site establishment to protect indigenous tree species. Interviews and focus-group discussions with TBI staff revealed that each intervention makes trade-offs in navigating five key challenges associated with TBI implementation in a refugee context: Obtaining access to land, providing short-term livelihood benefits to participants, gaining equitable involvement by gender, achieving environmental conservation goals, and successfully engaging community members. Significant differences were found between the strategies of TBIs implemented at home sites when compared to TBIs implemented at community sites. While TBIs implemented at home sites are intended to provide participants long-term access to tree products with clear user rights and enable women to grow trees alongside ongoing domestic activities, TBIs implemented at community sites can achieve large-scale environmental goals and provide cash-based employment opportunities to participants. An applied integrated landscape approach is recommended to maximize inter-program collaboration and collective benefits across programs, while realizing sustainable TBI impacts within complex socioecological refugee displacement contexts.

Malaysia and Indonesia share long-standing diplomatic relations rooted in common historical, cultural, and linguistic ties, which have fostered cooperation in economic, political, security, educational, and sociocultural affairs. This study examines the economic dimension of these relations, focusing on labor migration. Rather than measuring changes in migration flows, it adopts a historical approach that interprets Memoranda of Understanding and irregular migration issues as instruments of migration diplomacy. Indonesia remains the largest source of migrant workers in Malaysia, helping to address labor shortages in the 3D sectors—dirty, dangerous, and difficult—while remittances contribute to Indonesia’s economy. However, disputes over Memoranda of Understanding and the persistence of irregular migration (pendatang asing tanpa izin, or illegal foreign migrant) have at times created diplomatic tensions. Despite these challenges, both governments consistently demonstrated a commitment to resolving issues through dialog and cooperation. Historical ties continue to provide a vital foundation for sustaining Malaysia-Indonesia relations and for strengthening their ability to address migration-related conflicts constructively.

Language serves as a vessel for traditions, values, and a shared sense of belonging, linking individuals across both generations and geographical boundaries. This study examined the role of heritage language maintenance in shaping cultural identity, fostering social cohesion, and facilitating integration among first-generation migrant populations residing in the urban areas of Northern Borders province, Saudi Arabia. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 44 participants, selected through purposive sampling from culturally and linguistically heterogeneous backgrounds, including communities from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Thematic analysis was employed to identify critical patterns and themes, revealing that heritage language maintenance occurred through familial interactions, community gatherings, and digital platforms, stressing intergenerational transmission and cultural engagement. Heritage languages preserve cultural identity and foster a sense of pride, belonging, and shared values. They also strengthened social cohesion within migrant populations, although challenges, such as the dominance of Arabic and limited public usage, complicated broader societal integration. This study elucidates the dual role of heritage languages in building solidarity within migrant communities and the challenges they encounter in broader societal integration. The findings underscore the need for inclusive language policies and locally grounded community initiatives that support intergenerational heritage language use, promote cultural diversity, and enhance social cohesion within the Saudi context.

Consanguineous unions (CUs) have long been a common practice and remain prevalent in many cultures, including those in North Africa, West Asia, the Middle East, and developing countries such as Pakistan. As Pakistan undergoes a demographic transition, characterized by rapid urbanization, declining fertility, rising educational attainment, and a shift toward nuclear families, traditional marriage patterns are evolving. Within this context, this study examines the trends and determinants of marital unions in Jhelum District, located in the Potohar region of Pakistan, to explore how societal change influences consanguinity. Using a cross-sectional design, 1,432 married women were randomly recruited from independent households, and data were collected on marital histories and demographic characteristics. The prevalence of CUs was 56%, with a corresponding inbreeding coefficient of 0.0336. First-cousin unions were the most common, accounting for 45% of all marriages. Multivariable logistic regression identified seven significant predictors of consanguinity: Extended family type, husband’s occupation, wife’s literacy level, caste system, parental consanguinity, reciprocal marriage, and short matrimonial distance. Trend analysis revealed a steady decline in CUs across successive marriage cohorts, particularly after 2010. This decline was observed across all tehsils and was accompanied by an increase in age at marriage. The dynamics of consanguinity and its decline hold important implications for public health, including improved reproductive outcomes, reduced infant and maternal mortality, socioeconomic transition, and long-term population health. Although a gradual nationwide reduction in consanguinity is expected, its pace and magnitude are likely to vary regionally based on cultural norms, socioeconomic development, and rural-urban differences.

The transmigration program, first implemented during the colonial era, became one of the biggest international population transfers in history. It aimed to mitigate Java’s population burden and promote regional economic expansion away from the island. Although prior literature has often judged the program as ineffective, these findings remain unclear due to their heavy reliance on qualitative assessments and field observations. Additionally, some transmigration villages experienced changes in their employment structures, mainly due to regional trade with neighboring settlements. In this study, the transmigration program is quantitatively examined and evaluated by comparing the income and employment structures of transmigrants who remained with those who chose to leave. Covariate variables were included to explain the factors causing changes in income. A difference-in-difference ordinary least squares and panel data random-effect regression were employed to analyze income changes at the individual level. The sample consisted of 284 individuals who moved between Indonesian Family Life Survey Waves 1, 2, and 3, explicitly citing transmigration as their motivation. This observed gap can be explained by the covariates in each model, highlighting factors such as marital status. The program’s success varied among regions and was also influenced by specific conditions within transmigration settlements.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to an increased risk of disease in adulthood and a range of other negative health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aims to build on previous research on ACEs and CVD by investigating the association between ACEs and heart attack or myocardial infarction diagnosis. Our analysis used cross-sectional data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) annual survey and ACE Module questionnaires. Responses included data from a national sample of 52,492 adults aged 18 years or older in the United States. ACEs value is a composite score of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, household dysfunction, neglect, and other childhood traumas. The study population had a mean number of 1.75 ACEs (SD 2.25), with 61% experiencing at least one ACE and 17% experiencing four or more ACEs. Almost 6% of adults in the sample reported a previous myocardial infarction (5.7%). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that, after adjusting for a variety of sociodemographic and health covariates, every one-event increase in the number of ACEs was significantly associated with 6% increased odds of myocardial infarction in adulthood (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04 - 1.09, p <0.001). Efforts to decrease the incidence of myocardial infarction and reduce cardiac-related mortality in the U.S. should include policies that reduce the occurrence of ACEs and provide resources for adults to address their childhood traumas.

Existing research on the health impact of job loss has predominantly focused on developed economies, often overlooking how these effects manifest in developing countries, particularly over the long term. To address this gap, our study explores the impact of layoffs on dietary diversity and alcohol consumption among workers during China’s economic transitions from 1989 to 2011. Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey spanning over two decades and applying fixed-effects models, we analyzed the temporal and career-stage-specific effects of job loss. Our results indicate that layoffs led to a significant reduction in dietary diversity, a key indicator of dietary quality and food insecurity, with the effect being most pronounced shortly after job loss and tapering off over time. In contrast, alcohol consumption increased following layoffs. Mid-career workers experienced the greatest decline in dietary diversity, late-career workers faced increased risks of alcohol consumption, and early-career workers were more likely to engage in heavy drinking. These findings highlight the complex interplay between financial constraints, psychological stress, and lifestyle choices. This study highlights that layoffs adversely affect workers at all career stages, though the specific health behaviors impacted differ by career stage. Our findings provide valuable evidence for the development of policies and interventions tailored to different worker groups and offer insights into the dynamics of transitional and post-transitional China.

This study examined the relationship between couple relationship satisfaction and the transitivity of ties with family and friends within couples, i.e., the tendency of partners to share friends and family. In this case, transitivity was measured by using three indicators: (1) the proportion of shared friends (friendship network overlap); (2) the frequency of contact that each partner has with their own friends and family as well as those of their partner; and (3) whether social visits to friends and family are made with/without the partner (togetherness). The data were obtained from the Measurement and Observation of Social Attitudes in Switzerland survey, which included 1320 partnered individuals residing in Switzerland. The association between the transitivity of ties with family and friends within couples and couple relationship satisfaction was estimated by using structural equation modeling. According to the results, transitivity was consistently informed by the three selected indicators (i.e., friendship network overlap, frequency, and togetherness), while transitivity positively contributed to couple relationship satisfaction. Moreover, transitivity explains a couple’s relationship satisfaction more than the partner’s education level and nationality, or the duration of the couple’s relationship. By emphasizing the role and importance of joint visits by each member of the couple, this study provides unique insights into the ways in which marital satisfaction can vary.

Employing an in-depth phenomenological approach, this study explores the experiences of left-behind children residing with extended families in the Chivi district, Zimbabwe. Twelve participants, aged 13-19 years, were selected for this qualitative investigation. Through individual in-depth interviews, the children shared their insights on familial dynamics, revealing the nuanced nature of extended care arrangements. The key findings illuminate the participants’ profound reflections on the challenges of having been left behind and elucidate the psycho-emotional ramifications of parental separation. In addition, the study underscores risk survival strategies that left-behind children employ to navigate socioeconomic challenges within extended family settings, including engagement in transactional sex and risky mining activities. Participants expressed feelings of abandonment in comparison to their peers living with biological parents. Notably, the study reveals the significant resilience exhibited by left-behind children, who described various coping mechanisms such as journaling and reliance on religious practices. The study recommendations advocate for the enhancement of legal and policy frameworks to better safeguard the well-being of children in Zimbabwe’s strained extended family support system.