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Fulltext The Role of Probiotics in the Eradication of Helicobacter pylori and Overall Impact on Management of Peptic Ulcer: A Study Involving Patients Undergoing Triple Therapy in Bangladesh

Zaman T, Haq A, Ahmad R, Sinha S, Chowdhury K, Parvin S, et al.

Cureus, 2024 Mar;16(3):e56283.
PMID: 38495972 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56283

Background Helicobacter pylori infection has been identified to cause constantly recurring inflammation, leading to gastrointestinal tract disorders, including carcinoma. The standard triple therapy (STT), used to eradicate H. pylori, includes two antimicrobials and a proton pump inhibitor for two weeks. Other drug regimens have also been developed since H. pylori exhibits antimicrobial resistance. These regimens, including probiotics, have been shown to lower adverse drug reactions (ADR), improve drug adherence, exert bacteriostatic effect, and reduce inflammation. Objective This study intended to explore probiotic intervention for improving eradication rates and mitigating adverse effects while administrating STT. Methods This prospective study was conducted from May to December, 2021, in the Department of Gastroenterology of Ship International Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, to observe the effects of probiotics inclusion along with STT on H. pylori eradication. A total of 100 patients aged ≥18 years who tested positive for H. pylori were included. The experimental group (n=50) was given STT and probiotics, and the control group (n=50) was given only STT without probiotics for 14 days. Necessary follow-up was done six weeks after treatment. An independent sample t-test, chi-square test, and multiple regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Result The odds of getting rapid urease test (RUT) negative results from positive were 2.06 times higher (95%CI= 0.95, 3.22, p=0.054) in the experimental group. ADRs were crucially towering in the control group (p=0.045) compared to the probiotics group. The probiotics group had a lower risk of having adverse effects by 0.54 times (95%CI=0.19, 0.84, p=0.032) than the control group. Conclusion Using probiotics and STT together to eradicate H. pylori may lower ADR and improve treatment adherence. It may also help terminate H. pylori infection more effectively. More research is required as H. pylori is very contagious and can ultimately cause life-threatening gastric cancer.
Fulltext Unlocking infodemics and mysteries in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: Nexus of conspiracy beliefs, digital informational support, psychological Well-being, and religious fatalism

Hassan Raza S, Yousaf M, Zaman U, Waheed Khan S, Core R, Malik A

Vaccine, 2023 Mar 03;41(10):1703-1715.
PMID: 36754765 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.01.047

Guarding against an anti-science camouflage within infodemics is paramount for sustaining the global vaccination drive. Vaccine hesitancy remains a growing concern and a significant threat to public health, especially in developing countries. Infodemics, conspiracy beliefs and religious fatalism primarily fuel vaccine hesitancy. In addition, anti-vaccine disinformation, lack of understanding, and erroneous religious beliefs also trigger vaccine hesitancy. Global behavioral strategies such as wearing face masks and long-term preventive measures (i.e., COVID-19 vaccination) have effectively limited the virus's spread. Despite the alarming rate of global deaths (i.e., over 99% being unvaccinated), a large proportion of the global population remains reluctant to vaccinate. New evidence validates the usefulness of technology-driven communication strategies (i.e., digital interventions) to address the complex socio-psychological influence of the pandemic. Hence, the present research explored the digital information processing model to assess the interface between informational support (through digital interventions) and antecedents of vaccine hesitancy. This research involved two separate studies: a focus group to operationalize the construct of infodemics, which remained ambiguous in previous literature (Study 1), followed by a cross-sectional survey (Study 2) to examine the conceptual model. Data were collected from 1906 respondents through a standard questionnaire administered online. The focus group's findings revealed a multi-dimensional nature of infodemics that was also validated in Study 2. The cross-sectional survey results substantiated infodemics, religious fatalism and conspiracy beliefs as significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Similarly, conspiracy beliefs negatively influence an individual's psychological well-being. Furthermore, information support (through digital intervention) affected infodemics and religious fatalism, whereas it inversely influenced the strength of their relationships with vaccine hesitancy. Information support (through digital intervention) also moderated the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and psychological well-being.
Fulltext Exploring Implications of Risk Communication Strategies in Diminishing Adversities of Misinformation and Disinformation Against Hepatitis Vaccination in Global South

Mehdi M, Raza SH, Yousaf M, Li B, Zaman U, Riaz S

Risk Manag Healthc Policy, 2025;18:1133-1145.
PMID: 40190730 DOI: 10.2147/RMHP.S501423

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Concern over the low hepatitis immunization rates is growing. It is generally believed that misinformation and disinformation are the main barriers to the success of mass immunization campaigns. This study intends to investigate the matter of online misinformation and disinformation about hepatitis vaccination and its implications.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The researchers employed a cross-sectional research design vis-à-vis a web-based survey method to collect data. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1931 internet users across Pakistan. Participation in the study was voluntary. Data collection continued for four months, from Mar 1, 2024, to Jun 30, 2024.
RESULTS: The "results" of structural equation modeling show that misinformation and disinformation substantially structure risk perception regarding hepatitis, which, in turn, impacts problem recognition, involvement recognition, and constraint recognition. Besides, the outcomes uncovered that the chain of problem identification impacts situational motivation, which drives risk communication behaviors. Also, these risk communication behaviors are closely linked to individuals' motivation to receive the hepatitis vaccine.
CONCLUSION: This research concludes that managing misinformation and disinformation via strategically designed, valid, and reliable digital interventions improves the public's active response regarding willingness to get vaccinated against hepatitis. This study contributes to increasing public acceptance of the hepatitis vaccine by utilizing reliable and valid digital interventions to achieve a more active public health response.
Fulltext Catenation between mHealth application advertisements and cardiovascular diseases: moderation of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled internet of things, digital divide, and individual trust

Raza SH, Norin U, Ogadimma EC, Zaman U, Shah AA, Khan S, et al.

BMC Public Health, 2025 Mar 19;25(1):1064.
PMID: 40108565 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-22082-y

BACKGROUND: World Health Organization (WHO) identified noncommunicable diseases as the foremost risk to public health globally and the cause of approximately 80% of premature deaths. However, Cardiovascular diseases account for most of these premature deaths and established threats to public health. Recently, digitization of health consultancy services through mHealth (e.g., mobile applications) using artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Internet of Things has notably facilitated the accessibility of expert advice and continuous monitoring of Cardiac health on public health matters, making it more convenient for adoption in recent times. Nonetheless, scant attention has been paid to how digital media might encourage the adoption of digitally based health consulting services while accounting for the current IoT, Digital Divide, and Individual Trust conditions. Given this status quo, this study contributes to the body of literature by delving into an unexplored evaluation of the role digital media advertising plays in outlining the characteristics and effectiveness of AI-enabled IoT mHealth.
METHOD: The study used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data from 495 middle-aged adults.
RESULTS: The findings showed that social influence, performance expectation, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions are critical factors in predicting intention to use mobile health applications. While the advertisements of mobile health are effective in ingraining the perception of their better performance regarding evading cardiovascular diseases added with the Internet of Things is an effective tool in adopting mobile health applications.
CONCLUSION: The utilization of digital media to promote emerging elements like the AI-enabled Internet of Things in health consulting to counter noncommunicable diseases, e.g., cardiovascular disease, has not yet been thoroughly explored. Consequently, the effectiveness of these communication features promotion among middle-aged adults remains largely uncharted. This research examines how middle-aged adults respond to advertisements showcasing the AI-enabled Internet of Things in digital media. Drawing an analogy with a UTAUT-3 theory, this research investigates how digital media advertisement can effectively promote recently integrated AI-enabled Internet of Things mHealth consultation services. Remarkably, findings identified that trust in AI-enabled IoTs-based mHealth applications remained insignificant. However, the digital divide resulting from low digital literacy in the Global South, especially Pakistan, is the primary obstacle to adopting mHealth apps for digital health services. This study suggests organizations such as WHO, mHealth apps, and telemedicine service providers employ health messaging and instructional advertising to educate the public.