JMIR Research Protocols

Antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) treatment matures the fetal lung and reduces risks of neonatal morbidity and mortality in babies born preterm. However, ACS treatment also impacts the brain and stress regulatory systems, with increasing clinical evidence for adverse long-term impacts. Preclinical studies are important to investigate the mechanisms for these impacts.

Despite the growing demand for end-of-life home care, nursing educators responsible for on-the-job training face substantial barriers, such as time and geographical constraints, which limit their access to professional development. Collaborative online training programs offer a potential solution to these challenges.

Neonatal mortality remains a major public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where health systems often lack effective triage mechanisms to identify and prioritize high-risk neonates. Existing clinical tools frequently fail to support timely decision-making during the critical early postnatal period. A previous machine learning (ML)–based neonatal risk prediction model developed using multicountry LMIC datasets demonstrated high predictive accuracy for neonatal mortality in the Indian context, achieving an area under the curve above 0.80. The model incorporates 11 neonatal parameters assessed from delivery through day 2 of life, with birth weight identified as the strongest predictor.

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding threatens health care systems worldwide. This poses risks to patient safety, lowers quality of care, and reduces patient satisfaction. Patient input, defined as the caseload of patients presenting to the ED, is one of the factors contributing to overcrowding. Redirecting patients with nonurgent complaints to external health care services could help alleviate ED workload.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder worldwide, affecting approximately 5%‐7% of school-aged children and 2%‐5% of adults worldwide. However, there is still no reliable diagnostic tool for it. The lack of specific biomarkers further complicates the accurate diagnosis of ADHD.

The identification of the methodological path followed by researchers in psychometric studies can contribute to maintaining the transparency and rigor necessary for the study.

Tunnel anastomosis is a novel anastomotic technique for digestive tract reconstruction following proximal gastrectomy. A previous retrospective study by our team demonstrated its favorable antireflux effect; therefore, we hypothesize that tunnel anastomosis is noninferior to double-tract jejunal interposition reconstruction in preventing postoperative reflux esophagitis, and we will conduct this prospective study to further validate this assumption.

Beta-lactam allergy labels (BLALs), especially penicillin allergy labels, are frequently recorded in hospitalized patients and are associated with increased use of broad-spectrum and second-line antibiotics. Most BLALs are incorrect, but current allergy workups require invasive testing and specialized resources. We recently developed a strictly noninvasive, electronic patient record–embedded clinical decision support tool, the Allergy Fact Checker (AFC), which proactively identifies potentially incorrect BLALs by detecting uneventful re-exposures to the culprit or other beta-lactams since introduction of the BLAL.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a critical global health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, where many cases remain undiagnosed and specialized care is costly. Community Health Participatory Research, which actively involves community members in addressing health issues, is increasingly recognized as an effective approach to deliver sustainable and culturally relevant health solutions. Participatory Learning and Action (PLA), a method of Community Health Participatory Research, was implemented in the D-Magic (Diabetes Mellitus: Action Through Community Groups or mHealth Information for Better Control) trial in Bangladesh that empowered communities to identify challenges and develop locally relevant strategies to prevent and control T2DM.

The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has become a critical global public health issue, particularly in China, with significant increases observed over the past few decades. Despite regular surveillance for overweight and obesity in the past decades, there have been no annual reports provided to parents, resulting in a significant underrecognition of this issue. Early intervention and enhanced family-based educational intervention are necessary to address this growing problem.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects African Americans. Managing SCD is complex, often requiring coordination of care among multiple health care professionals. These care challenges result in fragmented service delivery and poor health outcomes. Integrating community health workers (CHWs) into patient-centered coordinated care may enhance disease management and patient satisfaction with the care received.

Chemsex, defined as the intentional use of psychoactive substances to enhance sexual experiences, is associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mental health harms, and disruptions in continuity of care, particularly among men who have sex with men. In Brazil, health services lack an integrated, stigma-sensitive care pathway (CP) for prevention, clinical management, and harm reduction. Embedding a CP within the Health Care Network (HCN) is essential to organize access, continuity, and quality of care.