Date Submitted: Feb 4, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 11, 2026 - Apr 8, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 10, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 13, 2026 - Apr 10, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 10, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 11, 2026 - Apr 8, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 4, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 8, 2026 - Apr 5, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 10, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 10, 2026 - Apr 7, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 10, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 10, 2026 - Apr 7, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 10, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 11, 2026 - Apr 8, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 10, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 11, 2026 - Apr 8, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 11, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 11, 2026 - Apr 8, 2026.

Date Submitted: Jan 26, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 13, 2026 - Apr 10, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 9, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 10, 2026 - Apr 7, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 12, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 13, 2026 - Apr 10, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 13, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 13, 2026 - Apr 10, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 12, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 12, 2026 - Apr 9, 2026.

Date Submitted: Jan 31, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 10, 2026 - Apr 7, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 12, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 12, 2026 - Apr 9, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 12, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 12, 2026 - Apr 9, 2026.

Date Submitted: Feb 12, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 12, 2026 - Apr 9, 2026.

Background: The Veterans Health Administration is promoting #patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) collection for measurement-based mental health care. Understanding veteran preferences about how and when to complete PROMs is critical to support their implementation. Objective: We examined veteran preferences for timing and use of different technology platforms to complete mental health–related PROMs. Methods: We invited a national sample of 1373 veterans to complete a survey; 858 (62.5%) responded. Surveys asked about veteran preferences for how and when to complete mental health–related PROMs. We characterized responses using descriptive statistics and estimated multiple logistic regression models to examine associations between veteran demographic and health characteristics and preferences for completing PROMs. Results: Most veterans preferred completing PROMs between appointments (607/801, 75.8%) using features of a #patient portal (410/801, 51.2%), during appointments (589/801, 73.5%) verbally (413/801, 51.6%), and while at the medical center (480/801, 59.9%) on paper (189/801, 23.6%) or a tablet computer (180/801, 22.5%). Hispanic (vs non-Hispanic) veterans had 3.32 (95% CI 1.04-10.58) times higher odds of preferring to complete PROMs at the medical center, and veterans with lower (vs higher) socioeconomic status had lower odds (odds ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.93) of preferring to complete PROMs in between appointments but 1.97 (95% CI 1.23-3.16) times higher odds of preferring to complete PROMs during appointments. Conclusions: As the Veterans Health Administration and other health care systems seek to expand the integration of PROM data into health care services, adaptive and flexible approaches to PROM administration that align with #patient preferences, including those that leverage technology platforms in the remote collection of these data, may bolster implementation. Our results indicate that such implementation efforts should consider #patient ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Our findings further suggest that these efforts could benefit from incorporating PROM administration into online #patient portals, developing mobile health apps that support PROM completion through #patients’ personal devices in between clinical encounters, and engaging care team members in PROM administration during appointments.

Background: Oral disease remains a global public health concern, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Adults with disabilities or health conditions face additional barriers to dental care, including physical accessibility, communication challenges, and heightened anxiety. These factors contribute to care avoidance and poorer oral health outcomes. While virtual reality (VR) has shown promise in reducing procedural anxiety in pediatric and private dental settings, its application in adult public dentistry, particularly for people with disabilities, remains underexplored. Objective: This #Study aims to evaluate the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of Smileyscope, a Therapeutic Goods Administration–approved head-mounted VR headset, in reducing dental anxiety and enhancing care experiences for adults with disabilities in public dental clinics. Methods: A mixed methods convergent design will be implemented across community dental sites in Victoria, Australia. In total, 50 adult patients and up to 10 dental staff members will be recruited. Primary feasibility indicators include recruitment rate (≥60% consent), completion rate (≥80% System Usability Scale [SUS] completion), and usability threshold (mean SUS ≥68). The primary analysis will be descriptive, with 95% CIs reported. Quantitative data will be collected using the visual analog scale for willingness, the SUS, and the technology acceptance model questionnaire. Qualitative data from semistructured interviews will be thematically analyzed. The #Study is co-designed with a disability advocate and integrates lived experience throughout all phases, including recruitment, evaluation, and dissemination. Results: The project was funded in 2025, and ethics approval was granted by Peninsula Health Human #Research Ethics Committee (project ID 117565). Data collection is scheduled for October 2025 to March 2026 at the participating community dental sites. Primary feasibility estimates and qualitative themes are expected to be submitted for publication in mid‑2026. Conclusions: This #Protocol outlines a feasibility #Study that will inform scalable models for VR integration into public dental services. The findings will contribute to improved oral health equity and patient-centered care, advancing the evidence base for inclusive #Digital health innovation in dentistry.

Background: In the United States, Asian American people represent the fastest growing population group, and are highly diverse linguistically, culturally, and demographically. Yet, in most national studies, Asian American groups are aggregated, masking potential health disparities. Racial and ethnic minorities, especially first-generation immigrants, are also at a particularly elevated risk of cognitive impairment. Objective: The Aging in Kerala Americans #Research (AKKARE) #Study aims to examine both positive and negative migration effects on health in the first-generation Kerala American population, focusing on cognition and dementia. We will assess the effect of immigrant and cultural factors and social relations on cognitive aging from epidemiological, biological, and vascular perspectives. This #Protocol describes the #Study design and procedures for the AKKARE #Study. Methods: The AKKARE #Study proposes to enroll 400 older first-generation Kerala American individuals from the tristate area. A smaller subset of these participants will complete blood tests (n=360) and neuroimaging studies (n=160). We will assess the role of immigration and cultural effects on cognitive function, mood, and quality of life, as well as biological and vascular aging. We will conduct follow-up assessments at 12-month intervals for up to 5 years. Results: The AKKARE #Study (grant #1R01AG084567-01) was funded by the US National Institutes of Health in 2024 and received approval from the Stony Brook University Institutional Review Board to start the #Study in 2025. Enrollment began in September 2025. Conclusions: As there is presently a lack of fundamental data on the epidemiology in diseases of aging in Indian American immigrants, the AKKARE #Study will provide new insights into factors of risk and resilience associated with cognitive impairment in this group and in the broader older adult population. Trial Registration:

Background: E-#Health is an increasingly utilized method of healthcare in the field of psycho-oncology. While many reports highlight the positive impact of psychological e-#Health tools, there are patients who refuse to use them. Objective: Our goal was to expand our knowledge of the motivation and psycho-emotional functioning of patients who consciously refuse to use e-#Health technology in the form of a #Mobile psycho-oncology #App for their phone as part of a clinical trial. To our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted between December 2022 and February 2023 to investigate the reasons why 56 breast #Cancer patients refused to use the psycho-oncology #Mobile #App offered as part of a clinical trial by the Breast #Cancer Unit. The study aimed to analyze their psycho-emotional functioning, including stress levels (measured using the Distress Thermometer), personality traits (measured using the TIPI), coping strategies (measured using the Mini-Cope), and self-efficacy (measured using the GSES) and reasons for refusal to participate in the clinical trial. Results: The patients experienced a clinically meaningful elevation in stress levels (5 ± 2.1 points) and self-efficacy (32.1 ± 5.1 points). Among five dimensions of personality treats patients scores highest in Agreeableness (6.5 ± 0.8 stens) and Conscientiousness (6.4 ± 0.9) and lowest in Neuroticism (3.4 ± 1.8) (other dimension: Extraversion - 5.8 ± 1.6 and Openness to experiences 4.4 ± 1.5). In terms of coping with stress, patients most frequently used the strategies of Active coping (2.6 ± 0.5 points), Acceptance (2.6 ± 0.6) and Seeking emotional suport (2.6 ± 0.6), and least frequently used the strategies of Psychoactive substance use (0,2 ± 0.6) and Resistant (0,5 ± 0.7). Patient responses regarding refusal to participate in #App testing were divided into four categories: 1) Focus on life outside the disease, 2) Focus on disease and treatment, 3) Denial mechanism, 4) Technical issues. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups. Focus on life outside the disease group of patients had higher levels of self-efficacy, lower neuroticism and more frequent use of Positive re-evaluation strategy compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Our patients' decision not to use the eHealth psycho-oncology #App was mainly influenced by characteristics suggesting their better emotional coping with the disease and treatment. These were significantly more influential than other factors studied, particularly those related to technology. In the light of our study, assessing the reason for opting out of e-#Health and the associated psycho-emotional functioning is crucial for patients' adoption of e-#Health solutions.

Background: African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities in high-income countries continue to experience persistent health inequities, driven by systemic anti-Black racism, socioeconomic disadvantage, and exclusion from health decision-making. Historically, data have been extracted from ACB communities without transparency, accountability, or community ownership. These inequitable practices have produced data systems that reinforce harm rather than promote equity. Equitable data governance, which promotes community ownership over data collection, access, and use, is increasingly recognized as a critical but under#Researched determinant of health equity. Objective: This #Protocol outlines the methodology of a scoping review to identify and synthesize evidence on the determinants of equitable data governance in health #Research involving ACB communities in high-income countries. Methods: The review follows the 6-stage Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework, supplemented with updated guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The searches were conducted in the Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, EBSCO CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, and Scopus databases. Peer-reviewed articles are considered, with no limits placed on #Study design, publication type, or date. Multiple reviewers will independently extract data by using a standardized form. A 3-phase thematic mapping process, conceptually informed by critical race theory, intersectionality, and community-based participatory #Research principles, will be conducted to analyze the data, generate themes, and interpret findings. Results: The final comprehensive database searches were completed on December 17, 2024. The search strategy targeted literature on data management, governance, sharing, security, and ethical principles in relation to ACB populations in high-income countries. A total of 4365 records were screened at the title and abstract level, after deduplication, of which 247 studies were deemed potentially relevant and advanced to full-text screening. Following full-text screening and reference list searching a total of 15 articles were deemed eligible for analysis. The data extraction stage is scheduled to overlap and occur between November 2025 and February 2026. The thematic mapping and stakeholder consultations processes are scheduled between December 2025 and February 2026. The final review and manuscript submission are expected by March 2026, with dissemination activities planned for mid-2026. Conclusions: This review will synthesize existing information on key pillars, barriers, facilitators, promising data governance policies and practices, and recommendations relevant to ACB communities. The findings may inform the expansion of Ontario’s Engagement, Governance, Access, and Protection guidelines and support tailored #Research and national data governance frameworks. The review is expected to contribute to policy, #Research, and community-led data initiatives. Dissemination will occur through academic publications, conferences, and community-based knowledge-sharing events. As the review relies solely on publicly available data, ethics approval is not required. Trial Registration: OSF Registries 10.17605/OSF.IO/Z82AY; https://osf.io/z82ay

Date Submitted: Feb 6, 2026. Open Peer Review Period: Feb 8, 2026 - Apr 5, 2026.

Background: Assam, India, exhibits the highest maternal mortality ratio in the nation (195 per 100,000 live births, nearly twice the national average), primarily due to ongoing deficiencies in access to and quality of maternal health (MH) care. Many women receive suboptimal antenatal (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC), challenges exacerbated by geographic isolation, socio-economic constraints, and limited healthcare infrastructure. #Digital health innovations, notably mobile health (#mHealth) interventions such as messaging platforms and chatbots, have demonstrated potential in enhancing ANC attendance and promoting facility-based deliveries in resource-constrained environments. To address these persistent challenges, the e-SAATHI (Strengthening ANC/PNC via AskNivi Tailored Health Information, Referrals, and Follow-up) project was developed to deliver personalized, stage-specific MH support using a chat-based decision system in Assam. Objective: This #Study assesses the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of the e-SAATHI chatbot in increasing women's access to maternal health information and improving ANC and PNC service uptake across public and private facilities. Objectives include increasing ANC/PNC use (e.g., ≥4 ANC visits, timely postnatal care), promoting respectful care, and gathering insights for scaling #Digital health in high-burden regions. Methods: Phase 1(0–3 months): Co-design and pilot testing aligned with WHO and national guidelines. Phase 2(4–24 months): Enroll pregnant and postpartum women via health facilities and social media. The chatbot sends 2–3 messages weekly from 10 weeks pregnancy to 15 weeks postpartum. About 300 healthcare providers will be trained and engaged for onboarding and feedback. Phase 3(25–36 months): Scale-up across districts, reaching 225,000 women. Data collection includes interviews, surveys, facility assessments, and chatbot analytics. Qualitative analysis will explore experiences; quantitative data (ANC completion, facility delivery, PNC follow-up, satisfaction) will compare pre- and post-intervention. Ethical approvals, informed consent, and data confidentiality are observed. Results: As this #Protocol outlines a planned intervention, final results are pending completion. The #Study was funded in Sep 2022. As of manuscript submission, 210 facilities have been onboarded and 201,813 women were onboarded. Chatbot-based data collection began in Apr 2023 and will continue through the #Study period. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation data collection started in Nov 2023 and is expected to complete in Jun 2027. Interim analyses will be conducted after midline data collection in 2026; final analyses will be performed after endline data collection in 2027. The primary outcome will be the change in the composite quality score of maternal and newborn care. Secondary outcomes will include service uptake indicators, user-reported knowledge and self-care practices, and satisfaction with care. Operational feasibility—including provider integration and barriers such as #Digital literacy and connectivity—will also be assessed. Ongoing collaborative learning and adapting (CLA) cycles are expected to capture intervention adaptations and inform optimal strategies for scale-up. Conclusions: e-SAATHI offers a scalable #Digital approach to improve MH in a variety of diverse socio-demographic, linguistic and risk settings. By delivering timely, personalized support, the chatbot may enhance health-seeking behavior and outcomes in Assam and similar low-resource areas globally.