Background: In Mozambique, Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) emerges as a fundamental element in promoting neonatal health, lying at the intersection of health care policies and the effectiveness of their implementation in communities. Given the complexity of barriers to exclusive breastfeeding, the objective of this study was to identify the assumptions for the complementarity between biomedicine and ethnomedicine aiming to strengthen  the national health system policy in the Mozambique context. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was  carried out in Mozambique. A total of 30 lactating mothers (aged 18 to 43) ; 15 health care professionals ( aged 23-57) and 9 traditional medicine practitioners (healers/elders) aged (28 to 69) participated in the study; and data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Results: The study identified that EBF emerged not only as a globally recommended nutritional practice but also as a mandatory practice  with  hard social and cultural beliefs. Additionally key findings showed  that the practice of healers needs to be seen as a gift that goes beyond the domain and execution of biomedical technique, emphasizing the importance of relationships and symbolism in social life. Conclusion: The study findings highlight the relevance of traditional practices not only as cultural heritage but also as vital elements for  understanding contemporary Mozambican society.

Background: The digitalisation of healthcare has introduced virtual consultations as a means of improving accessibility and efficiency. However, the adoption of this technology among hospital doctors remains slow due to concerns about patient safety, quality of care, usability, and medico-legal implications.

Aim: This study examines hospital doctors’ perceptions of digital virtual consultations, identifying key factors influencing their acceptance and implementation.

Design and methods: A structured survey based on the Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3) was distributed to 886 hospital doctors in a tertiary hospital in Malta. A total of 133 responses were received (15% response rate), with 67% of respondents completing the full questionnaire. The survey measured key variables such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, job relevance and behavioural intention. Statistical analyses included Fisher’s exact test, Friedman’s test and ANOVA to explore significant relationships among variables.

Results: The findings suggest that while doctors acknowledge virtual consultations as beneficial adjuncts to face-to-face consultations, concerns persist regarding technological infrastructure, usability and cost-effectiveness. Job relevance (p = 0.028) and perceived external control were significant predictors of perceived usefulness and ease of use. Behavioural intention was most strongly influenced by perceived usefulness (p < 0.001). Despite the insights offered, the 15% response rate may introduce non-response bias, limiting the generalisability of findings across the wider population of hospital doctors.

Conclusions: To enhance adoption, healthcare systems must invest in infrastructure, training, and policy frameworks. Conducting feasibility and cost-effectiveness studies, coupled with stakeholder engagement, will be essential for successful implementation.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health and social problem worldwide. However, most studies have concentrated on violence against women and not also against men. Interventions for victimized men will only be successful if there is a better understanding of the real experiences, as narrated by the victims themselves, and how these impact their health and wellbeing. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of intimate partner violence, health, and wellbeing among men in east-central Sweden. Data were gathered using eleven in-depth, semi-structured interviews with men who were victims of IPV. Four categories emerged from the analyses: experiences of abuse in the relationship; feelings of isolation, loneliness, and shame; perceived deterioration of health and wellbeing; and negative experiences with public services. The findings indicate that interviewees experienced psychological (rather than physical) violence at the hands of their intimate partner. The abuse had consequences for their health and wellbeing, as they experienced stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. In some instances, it affected their health behavior, as they reverted to alcohol and drug use to cope with the abuse. Moreover, the interviewees felt lonely and unwilling to disclose their suffering because of fear of what family, friends, society, and professionals across different services would think of them. Also, they experienced negative responses from the health and social care services and police when seeking help, which made them even more entrenched in their fear of disclosing the suffering caused by the abuse.

Social workers and public health professionals are expected to collaborate in promoting health and social equity to address the complex challenges faced by societies now and in the future. This collaboration is particularly crucial in low-income countries, where social and health issues significantly affect people’s wellbeing. This study explored social workers’ perceptions of their role in society, their collaboration with public health professionals, and the importance of sustainable development in their professional practice. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted between March and June 2024, involving semi-structured interviews with twelve professional social workers from the three main geographic regions of Mozambique (north, central, and south). Content analysis was used to identify and synthesize the key categories that emerged from the data. Four main categories were identified: limited public understanding of the mission and practice of social work; a lack of collaboration with public health professionals; the integration of sustainable development goals into social work practice; and anticipated future challenges for Mozambique’s social and public health sectors. The findings highlight a perceived lack of societal awareness regarding the role of social workers and limited interprofessional collaboration, with barriers such as poor communication and a lack of mutual understanding between the two professions. Moreover, the participants recognized the need to contribute, through their daily work alongside public health professionals, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant social and public health issue with far-reaching consequences for individuals, their families, workplaces, and society. Despite its impact, the effects of IPV on victims’ work environments remain underexplored. This study aimed to review empirical evidence on how IPV affects the health and wellbeing of employed men and women, their working lives, and their work environments, as well as the types of support employers provide in OECD countries.

Methods

A descriptive systematic review was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO to identify empirical studies examining the impact of IPV on employees’ health, working lives, and the workplace environment. Twenty-two empirical articles, published between 2014 and 2025, met the inclusion criteria. These criteria specified that the studies must address IPV experienced in the home and its effects on the victim’s working life, workplace environment, and overall health and wellbeing. Furthermore, the studies were required to consider the support and assistance provided by employers to employees affected by IPV.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that IPV is widespread, with a higher reported prevalence among female employees. Victims – both male and female – experienced various forms of abuse, including physical, psychological, sexual, and digital violence, resulting in injuries, stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. IPV also had a detrimental impact on victims’ work environments, often leaving them emotionally exhausted and unable to sustain performance levels, which in turn led to the redistribution of their workload among colleagues. Moreover, IPV disrupted victims’ working lives by undermining career identity, damaging professional reputations, restricting opportunities for career advancement, and necessitating extended periods of sick leave – ultimately hindering their ability to establish robust employment careers, secure references, and maintain professional credibility. Support from employers varies both across and within countries, ranging from legal protections and workplace policies to human resources guidance, safety planning, counselling, and flexible working arrangements.

Background: Metabolic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are increasingly recognized as not just medical issues, but as complex conditions influenced by various factors.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the association between food insecurity (FI) and hypertension and diabetes and how socioeconomic status influences this relationship.

Methods: Based on a cross‑sectional study of 1,820 participants conducted in Maputo City, FI was measured using a modified version of the US Department of Agriculture scale; metabolic diseases were assessed using self‑reports of the actual diagnoses, and data were analyzed through multinomial regression and interaction terms.

Results: The findings revealed significant links between FI, socioeconomic status, hypertension and diabetes. Socioeconomic status had a clear influence on the association between FI and hypertension but showed a nuanced influence on diabetes. Specifically, regarding diabetes, the heads of households with a higher socioeconomic position were more likely to have this health condition than their counterparts with a lower socioeconomic position.

Conclusions: The study underscores the complex interplay between FI and socioeconomic status in influencing the risk of metabolic diseases. Addressing FI and improving socioeconomic status may be crucial steps in mitigating the risk of hypertension and diabetes among vulnerable populations, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to health promotion and disease prevention.

Background

Mental health outcomes can be influenced by various factors, one of which has recently gained attention, namely food security. Food security is paramount to maintaining not only physical, but also mental health. There is an increasing need to understand the interplay between food insecurity (FI) and mental health outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of FI on psychological health (anxiety and depression) as well as to examine the modifying effect of socioeconomic position on this relationship.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Maputo City, Mozambique, in 1,842 participants. Data were collected through structured interviews using a modified version of the US Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Module to measure FI, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to measure anxiety and depression. A composite variable for psychological health was created. Propensity score matching and interaction effect analyses were employed to examine the effects of FI on psychological health and the moderating role of socioeconomic position.

Results

Of the 1,174 participants randomly assigned to propensity score matching, 787 were exposed to FI while 387 were unexposed. The analysis revealed stark disparities in psychological health outcomes associated with FI. The risk of poor psychological health among those exposed to FI was 25.79%, which was significantly higher than the 0.26% in unexposed individuals. The risk difference was 25.54% points (95% CI: 22.44–28.63), with a risk ratio of 99.82. Our assessment of population attributable fractions indicated that nearly all the risk for poor psychological health in the exposed group could be ascribed to FI. The interaction effects analysis revealed that socioeconomic status modifies this relationship. Specifically, heads of food-insecure households with a lower socioeconomic position tended to report poor mental health compared to their food-secure counterparts with a higher position.

Conclusions

The findings underscore the profound impact of FI on the mental health of household heads in Maputo City, socioeconomic position being a significant modifier. Addressing household FI along with the socioeconomic position of household heads could be pivotal to mental health promotion, especially among vulnerable populations.

Public health and criminology share similar current and future challenges, mostly related to crime and health causation, prevention, and sustainable development. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to education at the intersection of public health and criminology can be an integral part of future training in areas of mutual interest. Based on reflections on teaching criminology students, this viewpoint discusses the main interconnections between public health and criminology teaching through the public health lens. The paper discusses potential challenges associated with interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity. Among these challenges is communication across the different fields and their perspectives to be able to achieve the desired complementarity at the intersection of the two disciplines.

Introduction: Climate change is a pressing public health issue. Urban populations, especially in coastal areas, are highly vulnerable. As climate change progresses, local adaptation becomes increasingly important. We present a case study about the inclusion of public health concerns in local climate change adaptation in Porto (Portugal). Methods: We analysed two local adaptation plans using qualitative content analysis and conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 6 key stakeholders with different profiles. We did a qualitative content analysis of the respective transcripts. Results: Porto is undergoing health-relevant consequences of climate change, which are expected to worsen further in the future. Porto’s geographical and demographic characteristics and urban environment make its population highly vulnerable to climate change-related health risks. Public health is recognized as a central element in local adaptation efforts. Drivers for integrating health concerns include growing climate change awareness, a sense of urgency, social capital, institutional networks, access to resources, and political commitment. Nevertheless, challenges like data limitations, resource constraints, climate knowledge gaps, communication issues, and political cycles hinder both local adaptation and the integration of health considerations. Discussion/Conclusion: In Porto, health seems both a powerful mobilizing issue and a central topic concerning local adaptation. However, the complex and long-term nature of climate change and the associated uncertainty hinder adaptation efforts. High-quality data about both the local climate and population health are thus essential. The transversal nature of risk is recognized and multi-sectorial approaches, public participation, mainstreaming, and policy integration are necessary to prevent imbalances. Local adaptation efforts, including health-related efforts, are shaped by the international (belonging to the European Union), national, and local contexts. Successful local adaptation and inclusion of health aspects require mainstreaming and policy integration across different areas and involvement of multiple stakeholders, including the population, in order to maximize resources and avoid undesired trade-offs.

Purpose

In view of the importance of managers’ wellbeing for their leadership behaviour, employee health, and business effectiveness and survival, a better understanding of managers’ wellbeing and working conditions is important for creating healthy and sustainable businesses. Previous research has mostly provided a static picture of managers’ wellbeing and work in the context of small businesses, missing the variability and dynamism that is characteristic of this context. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how managers in small companies perceive their working conditions and wellbeing in the context of business growth.

Methods

The study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with 20 managers from twelve small companies. Content and thematic analysis were applied.

Results

The findings indicate that a manager’s working environment evolves from its initial stages and through the company’s growth, leading to variations over time in the manager’s experiences of wellbeing and work–life balance as well as changes in job demands and resources. Managers’ working situation becomes less demanding and more manageable when workloads and working hours are reduced and a better work–life balance is achieved. The perceived improvement is related to changes in organizational factors (e.g. company resources), but also to individual factors (e.g. managers’ increased awareness of the importance of a sustainable work situation). However, there were differences in how the working conditions and wellbeing changed over time and how organizational and individual resources affected the studied managers’ wellbeing.

Conclusions

This study shows that, in the context of small business, managers’ working conditions and wellbeing are dynamic and are linked to growth-related changes that occur from the start of organizational activities and during periods of growth. In addition, the findings suggest that changes in managers’ working conditions and wellbeing follow different trajectories over time because of the interaction between organizational and personal factors.