Estimating the prevalence of use of substances such as heroin remains a challenge. The aim of this study is to identify the scientific publications in Spain that have used surveys to investigate heroin use, to describe their methodology and to contrast the formulation of the questions with users’ input on key aspects associated with use.

A scoping review was conducted until November 2024 in MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE and Web of Science. The review included questionnaire-based research studies assessing heroin use in Spain. Information on study, population, data collection and consumption characteristics was compiled from each included study. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with Spanish heroin current users and ex-users.

Twenty-nine questionnaire-based research studies assessing heroin use in Spain were identified, none of them were specifically oriented to estimate and characterize heroin use at the population level. Most of the studies focused on specific population groups, mainly drug users, students, or inmates. The majority addressed lifetime, past-year, and past-month use, although users found the past 3 or 6 months more relevant. Few studies explored other use characteristics; however, interviews with heroin ex-users highlighted the importance of factors like route of administration and age of first use.

Studies on heroin use differ in terms of population, geographic scope, time frame, and data collection methods. Incorporating users’ perspectives in the design of surveys is essential to enhance standardization and optimize data comparability.

To examine the association between dietary patterns and MetS in western China, which has not been previously reported.

A population based cross-sectional study design. Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis identified dietary patterns, and multivariate logistic regression evaluated their associations with MetS.

Population-based Cohort Study of Chronic Diseases in Xinjiang (PCCDX), conducted in 2022.

A total of 3 208 individuals from PCCDX (mean age: 53.1 ± 10.8 years; 49.1% male).

MetS was diagnosed in 1 762 participants (54.9%). Four distinct dietary patterns were identified, with the refined grain-animal products dietary pattern being the dominant one. After adjusting for general demographic and lifestyle factors, a higher score in the refined grain-animal product pattern was associated with an increased risk of MetS. The odds ratios for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of the dietary score were 1.07 (95% CI: 0.860∼1.322), 1.14 (0.923∼1.413), and 1.48 (1.189∼1.853), with a statistically significant trend (P = 0.003). Higher dietary scores in this pattern were also associated with increased risks of elevated waist circumference, high triglycerides, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < 0.05). Mediation analysis showed that visceral fat percentage partially mediated the association between the refined grain-animal product dietary pattern and low HDL-C, accounting for 17.2% of the total effect (indirect effect = 0.005, P = 0.006). The other three dietary patterns showed no significant associations with MetS or its components.

This study highlights the high prevalence of MetS in western China and links a refined grains-animal products diet to poorer metabolic health, emphasizing the need for region-specific dietary strategies.

Existing reviews on mental health disparities between deaf and hard‐of‐hearing (DHH) and hearing populations have focused predominantly on children, adolescents, or older adults, leaving a gap for working-age adults. We conducted a systematic review comparing the prevalence, incidence, and severity of any DSM-5-TR or ICD-11 mental disorder between DHH and hearing adults aged 18–60 years. We aimed to quantify disparities and examine disorder-specific patterns to inform future research, policy, and service development.

On 13 December 2025, we searched Ovid Medline, Embase, APA PsycINFO and Web of Science. We included analytical observational studies involving DHH and hearing adults aged 18–60 years, reporting mental disorder prevalence, incidence, or severity. Two researchers independently extracted data, and risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the modified CLARITY tool. We narratively synthesised findings by aggregating outcomes at the study level using two approaches: summary and majority of the effect directions within a study. Subgroup syntheses examined outcome type, study RoB, age group and mental disorder category.

Sixty studies (n = 8 578 466) met inclusion. In the summary-direction synthesis, 58.3% (35/60) of studies reported higher mental disorder outcomes for DHH adults, 21.7% (13/60) found no difference and 20.0% (12/60) had mixed findings; none indicated lower mental disorder outcomes for DHH. Under the majority-direction approach, 65.0% (39/60) showed higher mental disorder outcomes and 35.0% (21/60) no difference. These patterns were consistent across prevalence (62.8–72.1% higher) and severity (61.1% higher). Studies with higher RoB more often reported higher mental disorder outcomes (66.7–72.2%) than lower-RoB studies (54.8–61.9%), though both mirrored the overall synthesis. Effects were similar across younger (61.9–71.4%) and older adult samples (61.1–66.7% higher). Disorder-specific syntheses identified psychotic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal outcomes as having the strongest disparities (≥72.2% higher), followed by general mental disorders, anxiety and depression. Fewer than five studies examined each of the other disorders, thereby limiting conclusions for these disorders.

Most available evidence indicates that the prevalence and severity of mental disorders are higher among DHH adults aged 18–60 years than among hearing adults, with limited evidence on incidence. No studies reported lower aggregated mental disorder outcomes for DHH adults. Addressing these disparities requires targeted intervention research, supported by population-based, longitudinal and (quasi-)experimental studies including comprehensive reporting of participant characteristics. This will inform more tailored interventions, improve screening and ultimately contribute to better mental health and quality of life for DHH adults.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent worry and physical symptoms, with prevalence estimates ranging from 0.8% to 8%. Researchers utilize various tools, such as standardized diagnostic interviews and self-report questionnaires, to estimate GAD prevalence in population-level studies. However, the diagnostic accuracy of these tools varies greatly. This scoping review aimed to identify the tools used for GAD prevalence estimation and assess the extent to which diagnostic tool accuracy is reported.

A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO using MeSH terms and keywords related to GAD prevalence. No date restrictions were applied. Studies were eligible if they used nationally or regionally representative samples and defined GAD based on DSM-5, ICD-11 or older case definitions. Studies focusing solely on specific sub-groups were excluded. Data extraction included study characteristics, diagnostic tools and reporting of test accuracy.

A total of 537 studies were initially identified, with 48 meeting inclusion criteria, published between 1994 and 2024. Most studies were conducted in Europe (43.75%) and employed cross-sectional designs (92%). Structured diagnostic interviews were the most commonly used tool (77.08%), although self-report questionnaires gained popularity after 2005. Among the included studies, 62.5% reported test accuracy, often addressing validity and reliability.

Despite the widespread use of diagnostic tools in prevalence studies, test accuracy is not consistently reported, which may impact the reliability of prevalence estimates. The variability in agreement between self-report questionnaires and structured diagnostic interviews highlights the need for transparent reporting of test characteristics to improve the validity of GAD prevalence assessments across populations.

Epidemiological evidence on the incidence and remission of anxiety and depressive disorders is limited. We estimated age- and sex-specific incidence and remission rates of moderate-to-severe anxiety and depressive symptoms using the illness-death model.

The German National Cohort (NAKO) is a cohort of over 200,000 participants aged 19–74 at baseline. Prevalence of probable cases, estimated with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire data 2014–2019 across five regions, was related to general mortality rates and disorder-specific mortality rate ratios in the illness-death model. The partial derivative of prevalence was modeled as a function of incidence and remission, with parameters estimated via least-squares optimization through 2,000 bootstrap resamples.

The highest incidence rates (per 1,000 person-years) occurred at ages 19–21 for anxiety symptoms: 4.07 (95% CI: 0.00–7.57) in women and 2.55 (0.00–4.94) in men; and at ages 28–34 for depressive symptoms: 4.41 (0.00–9.81) in women and 3.30 (0.00–7.34) in men, all in Hamburg. Remission rates (per 100 person-years) were highest at older ages. For anxiety symptoms, rates peaked at 71.8 years in women (4.10 [0.00–11.94]) and 64.2 years in men (3.00 [0.00–9.23]) in Freiburg. For depressive symptoms, the highest observed was at 74.0 years, both among women (6.61 [0.00–15.50] in Münster) and men (3.58 [0.00–11.51] in Berlin).

Incidence and remission rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms can be estimated from prevalence and mortality data, revealing regional, sex-, and age-related variation. Validation with longitudinal data is warranted.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of post-COVID syndrome (PCS) and identify associated risk factors among healthcare workers (HCWs) in a large tertiary care hospital, with the objective of highlighting the importance of preparedness for similar post-viral syndromes in future pandemics.

Post-COVID syndrome, a form of post-viral syndrome, encompasses a range of long-term symptoms affecting multiple organ systems, which can persist after the recovery from COVID-19.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administered survey among HCWs who tested positive for COVID-19 at a large tertiary medical centre in Beirut.

Among the 134 participants who had experienced COVID-19, nearly half (47.7%) reported symptoms consistent with PCS. Fatigue, shortness of breath, poor memory, and poor concentration were the most frequently reported symptoms, lasting for over three months post-COVID-19 infection in the majority of patients. Direct care of COVID-19 patients and higher severity of acute COVID-19 infection were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of developing PCS. Further research to enhance understanding and management of post-viral syndromes is needed. Additionally, proactive strategies should be implemented to mitigate associated risks in healthcare settings, emphasizing the importance of preparedness for future pandemics.

Accurate and up-to-date epidemiological data on the prevalence and treatment of common mental disorders are essential for evidence-based healthcare policy and resource allocation. However, large-scale, representative epidemiological surveys on common mental disorders in China—particularly those incorporating insomnia disorder and applying the latest diagnostic criteria alongside validated assessment tools—remain notably lacking.

We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional epidemiological survey to assess the prevalence and treatment of common mental disorders among adults in Beijing, China, using a multistage clustered probability sampling design (n = 10,778). Licensed psychiatrists administered standardized diagnostic interviews based on DSM-5 criteria to assess both lifetime and current mental disorders through a single-stage assessment protocol.

Among all lifetime mental disorders assessed, depressive disorders constituted the most prevalent diagnostic category (7.7%), with major depressive disorder representing the most common specific diagnosis (5.4%). Individuals aged 65 years and older exhibited significantly higher 1-month prevalence of both depressive disorders and insomnia disorder compared with younger age groups. Alcohol-related disorder was more prevalent in men than in women, and in urban residents than in rural residents. Help-seeking patterns revealed a predominant reliance on informal support over professional services among individuals with lifetime mental disorders. Only 13.4% sought help from mental health professionals, and 12.7% received mental health professional treatment.

The improved access to treatment did not translate into a reduction in population-level mental disorder prevalence, which may be attributable to the low rate of professional mental health treatment. Governments must optimize mental healthcare access.

An increase in mental disorders has been suggested, but the interpretation of such trends remains unclear. This study examines changes in the 12-month prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders over 12 years and evaluates whether clinical characteristics or sociodemographic, vulnerability and health-lifestyle risk factors contributed to these trends.

To assess trends in the 12-month prevalence of anxiety disorders (i.e. panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder or generalised anxiety disorder) and mood disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia or bipolar disorder) and explore whether changes in clinical profiles or risk factors influenced these trends.

Data from 11 615 respondents (mean age 43.5 years, 53.5% female) in the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Studies (NEMESIS) were analysed, covering 2007–2009 (NEMESIS-2, n = 6646) and 2019–2022 (NEMESIS-3, n = 4969). Diagnoses were determined using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0.

The 12-month prevalence of all anxiety and mood disorders was significantly higher in 2019–2022 compared to 2007–2009, with relative increases across disorders ranging from approximately a half to more than double their previous rates. Any anxiety or mood disorder increased from 10.2 to 16.7%. Clinical profiles were equally severe in 2019–2022; rather, there was increased mental health care use, a higher number of comorbid disorders and earlier onset. Examination of 14 risk factors showed no consistent evidence of greater prevalence or increased relative impact over time.

There was a consistent rise in the 12-month prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders over 12 years. This increase was not explained by changes in risk factors or less severe disorder reporting. Instead, these findings suggest a concerning decline in public mental health, highlighting the need for effective prevention strategies, timely interventions and better mental health resource allocation to address growing clinical demands.

Restraints in mental health in-patient settings can negatively affect recovery. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and associated factors of restraint use. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a rural NHS mental health trust in the UK, covering all adult in-patients from July 2020 to July 2021.

The prevalence of restraint was 34%. Factors associated with restraint included age 18–25 or ≥65 years, female gender, disability, long-term sickness benefits, detention under the Mental Health Act, frequent admissions and a diagnosis of depressive or severe mental illness. Statistically significant associations were found for age ≥65 years (odds ratio 3.920), Section 2 detention (odds ratio 5.72), more than ten previous admissions (odds ratio 5.672) and depressive disorders (odds ratio 3.478).

Restraint use remains common and is linked to identifiable risk factors. These findings support the need for targeted interventions to reduce restraint, particularly for high-risk patient groups.