This study aimed to analyse temporal trends in fertility and birth rates, examine maternal characteristics and forecast future demographic changes in Georgia.

This was a retrospective observational study using population-level data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) and the Georgian Birth Registry (GBR). Temporal trends were analysed using Prais-Winsten regression models and annual percentage changes (APCs) and future projections were generated using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models.

The study included data on 543 662 live births retrieved from the Geostat for the period 2014–2024. Additionally, maternal characteristics were analysed for 366 684 births recorded in the GBR for the period 2017–2024. Selection criteria included all live births during the study period, with no specific exclusion criteria applied.

Primary outcome measures were trends in the total fertility rate (TFR) and crude birth rate (CBR) over the study period (2014–2024) and their projections for 2025–2034. Secondary outcome measures were concurrent changes in maternal characteristics, including maternal age, nationality, place of residence, region of residence and parity.

Between 2014 and 2024, Georgia’s TFR declined from 2.30 to 1.68 children per woman (APC=3.12%, 95% CI –3.65 to –2.59), and the CBR dropped from 16.3 to 10.7 births per 1000 population per year (APC=4.39%, 95% CI –4.63 to –4.15). Fertility rates decreased most significantly among women aged

Georgia is undergoing a demographic transition characterised by declining fertility rates and delayed childbearing. Assuming the mechanisms underlying 2014–2024 data remain unchanged, projections indicate a continued decline in fertility and birth rates by 2034, which may pose significant social and economic challenges for the country. Further research is needed to explore the underlying factors driving these trends and to develop strategies to address the potential implications of this demographic shift.

To describe how video support is used in telephone triage at Norwegian Local Emergency Medical Communication Centres (LEMCs), including frequency, call duration, patterns of video use and associations with urgency and response assessments.

An observational study using national-level operational data and prospectively collected triage data from the Watchtower Project.

Norwegian LEMCs, which provide 24/7 nurse-managed telephone triage within the municipal emergency primary healthcare system, handling a broad range of medical inquiries.

79 LEMCs using the Norwegian Air Ambulance video solution in 2024 and six LEMCs participating in the Watchtower Project in 2022–2023.

Frequency of video use and call duration with and without video support. Video use across caller and patient characteristics and reasons for contact. Changes in urgency level and intended response following video use.

The national-level dataset included 2 242 522 calls and the Watchtower dataset included 109 281 calls. Nationally, video was used in 4.9% of answered calls. Median call duration was 7:13 min (IQR: 5:09–10:02) with video and 3:58 min (IQR: 2:18–6:16) without video (p

Video-supported calls were longer than non-video calls. Video is used selectively and is associated with bidirectional adjustments in urgency and response assessments in a substantial share of calls.

To validate the Workplace COVID-19 Knowledge and Stigma Scale (WoCKSS) using item response theory (IRT), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Cross-sectional psychometric validation.

Manufacturing companies registered in Malaysia.

A total of 137 factory workers participated in the exploratory phase and 300 in the confirmatory phase. Inclusion criteria were Malaysian nationality and ability to read Malay.

The knowledge domain was examined using the two-parameter logistic IRT model in two stages: an exploratory IRT analysis in phase 1 to screen items and a confirmatory IRT analysis in phase 2 to evaluate the final item set. The stigma domain was analysed using EFA followed by CFA. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega (). The development process and content and face validity results were previously published.

14 knowledge items were retained after exploratory IRT and formed the final knowledge scale evaluated in confirmatory IRT. For these final items, discrimination parameters ranged from 0.77 to 3.17 and difficulty values from –4.47 to 0.23, with unidimensionality supported (p=0.644). EFA supported a three-factor stigma structure (stereotype, fear, prejudice), and CFA confirmed excellent model fit (²=8.91, df=11, p=0.630; root mean square error of approximation=0.00; Comparative Fit Index=1.00; Tucker-Lewis Index=1.00; standardised root mean square residual=0.021). Composite reliability by McDonald’s omega ranged from 0.691 to 0.893.

WoCKSS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing workplace COVID-19 knowledge and stigma in industrial sectors in Malaysia.

Respiratory infections like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 pose significant global health risks due to their high transmissibility and severity. SARS-CoV-2 has caused over 7 million deaths worldwide, and the Lancet Commission estimates a >20% chance of a similar respiratory virus pandemic within a decade. Schools, often poorly ventilated, are high-risk settings for transmission. While COVID-19 school closures may have reduced transmission, they likely caused learning loss, mental health issues and increased burdens on parents and caregivers. Air purifiers with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters may offer a non-disruptive mitigation strategy, but the evidence to support their effectiveness in reducing viral transmission is weak. This protocol describes a cluster-randomised, parallel, two-arm, group sequential superiority trial with an interim analysis—to allow early stopping for efficacy or futility—to estimate the effect of portable air purifiers with HEPA filters in primary school classrooms on student absenteeism.

This group sequential trial will randomise schools (clusters) 1:1 to intervention or control arms in two stages: winter 2025/2026 (N=32 schools; ~736 students) and winter 2026/2027 (N=30 schools; ~690 students). The study setting is Norway. Eligible schools must have classrooms suitable for portable air purifiers, >10 students in grades 5–7 (typically aged 10–13 years) and principal consent. Intervention and control classrooms will each receive two portable air purifiers with HEPA filters operating at a performance equivalent to 3.0 and 0.3 air changes per hour, respectively, with control purifiers acting as shams. Outcomes will be measured during and at the end of a 12-week period. The primary outcome is student absenteeism, measured as full child days of absence aggregated at the class level. An interim analysis is planned at the end of the first stage, with error-spending O’Brien-Fleming stopping boundaries that are binding for efficacy and non-binding for futility. The primary estimand is the marginal incidence rate ratio of student absences, estimated using generalised estimating equations with a negative binomial model to account for overdispersion. Prespecified stopping boundaries will determine stopping, with efficacy boundaries being binding. Treatment effects will be estimated using cluster-bootstrapped CIs adjusted to provide strong control on overall type I and II error probabilities, and a bias correction will be applied if the trial is stopped early for efficacy. All analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. The primary question is whether installing and operating air purifiers with HEPA filters (intervention) reduces student absenteeism due to sickness (primary outcome) compared with sham air purifiers (control). Secondary questions examine whether the intervention reduces teacher absenteeism due to respiratory infections, rate and 12-week risk of self-reported respiratory infections among teachers, and teachers’ perceptions of air quality, compared with sham air purifiers. If the trial estimates a statistically significant effect for the primary outcome, a cost-consequence analysis will evaluate the direct and indirect costs associated with operating air purifiers against the potential benefits of reduced student and teacher absenteeism. A process evaluation will explore mechanisms of effect.

The trial has been approved by the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics and the National Research Ethics Committee (ref. 737650). Absence data, routinely collected and fully anonymised at the class level, will serve as the primary outcome and does not require informed consent. Informed consent will be obtained from teachers participating in weekly surveys or interviews. Results will be disseminated to stakeholders, participants and the public through peer-reviewed journals, scientific meetings and social media.

NCT07119333.

Effective community-based disease management is essential for public health. In low- and middle-income countries, sustainable strategies for timely diagnosis and treatment are a research priority. This study aims to assess the feasibility of a non-invasive saliva self-sampling method, paired with digitally linked molecular point-of-care diagnostics, for detecting respiratory infections among paediatric patients in the Tshwane District, South Africa.

A field study will be conducted at Steve Biko Academic Hospital to compare saliva collection using the CandyCollect lollipop device and standard mouth swabs. The spiral groove of the lollipop device captures pathogens, which are stored in DNA/RNA preservation media and later analysed using quantitative PCR and commercially available rapid antigen tests. The multiplex respiratory pathogen panel, based on TaqMan real-time PCR technology, targets key paediatric pathogens including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza A/B. Nucleic acids will be extracted using standard viral extraction kits and analysed following manufacturer protocols. Internal controls will be included in each qPCR run, and samples with CT values below defined thresholds will be considered positive. Rapid antigen tests will detect common pathogens such as influenza A/B, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 for comparative analysis. User experience and acceptability will be assessed via child-friendly and caregiver surveys following sample collection. The study will be implemented in two phases: diagnostic performance evaluation and user feedback assessment. The protocol is aligned with the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials 2013 checklist.

Ethical approval has been granted by the University of Pretoria (509/2023) and the Gauteng Department of Health (GP_202406_032). The study is registered in the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202411743094783). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conferences and stakeholder briefings. The study complies with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act. Data collection is scheduled from November 2024 to February 2025, with project completion expected within 1 year.

Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR202411743094783).