To examine COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people diagnosed with sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (STBBIs), people with healthcare-documented methamphetamine use and those experiencing both exposures in Manitoba, Canada.

Population-based retrospective matched cohort study using linked administrative healthcare, laboratory and vaccination data.

Manitoba, Canada, from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2022.

Manitoba residents aged ≥16 years with laboratory-confirmed chlamydia or gonorrhoea, syphilis or HIV and/or healthcare-documented methamphetamine use during the 4 years before 1 March 2020 were classified into eight mutually exclusive exposure cohorts. Individuals were matched with comparators without the corresponding exposure based on age, sex, geographical region and area-level income quintile.

Receipt of ≥2 COVID-19 vaccine doses. Poisson regression models incorporating person-time were used to estimate adjusted rate ratios (aRRs) and 95% CIs.

Compared with matched comparators, vaccine uptake was lower in the Syphilis Only (aRR 0.83, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.86), Syphilis Plus (aRR 0.77, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.79), Chlamydia/Gonorrhoea Only (aRR 0.91, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.92), Chlamydia/Gonorrhoea Plus (aRR 0.74, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.77), Methamphetamine Only (aRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.73) and Methamphetamine plus STBBI cohorts (aRR 0.64, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.67). Uptake in the HIV Only cohort was similar to that among matched comparators (aRR 0.97, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.00). Lower uptake was concentrated among individuals living in lower-income areas.

COVID-19 vaccine uptake was lower among several populations affected by STBBIs, methamphetamine use or both, with the greatest disparity among people experiencing intersecting STBBI and methamphetamine-related exposures. Integrating vaccination with HIV, STBBI, harm-reduction and addiction services may improve vaccine equity during future public health emergencies.

To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an online research capacity-building (RCB) education programme for the health and care workforce and explore its preliminary outcomes.

Mixed-methods pilot study incorporating quantitative survey data and a qualitative group interview.

Single Health Innovation organisation in England’s North West region.

Staff working in research, evaluation and innovation-related roles.

16 one-hour online RCB education sessions, informed by the Research Capacity and Culture Tool (individual domain), were delivered weekly via Microsoft Teams between February 2024 and October 2024.

The primary outcomes were feasibility and acceptability of the programme, assessed through attendance and a participant group interview. The secondary outcome was change in behaviour intention measured pre–post education sessions using the Continuing Professional Development Reaction (CPD-R) questionnaire.

Attendance per RCB education session ranged from 2 to 11 participants. Post-session CPD-R completion was low, limiting matched pre–post analysis, but median scores were generally higher post-session across most constructs. Four themes and eight sub-themes were identified from qualitative data. The four core themes were: establishing a common ground for research capacity building; creating pathways for meaningful involvement; translating knowledge within organisational contexts; and bridging individual development and collective momentum. The online format was received well for its accessibility and convenience, fitting within busy working schedules. Participants also reported increased confidence and perceived skill development.

This pilot study demonstrates initial feasibility and acceptability of an online format for RCB education within the health and care workforce. The format has potential for delivery at scale, where time and service pressures limit access to face-to-face programmes. Session length and content support require refinement in future iterations. Further research should examine implementation across diverse settings with larger samples.

Maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality are a global concern. Understanding the epidemiology of post-discharge complications could identify opportunities for interventions. We aimed to quantify mortality, care-seeking events and readmission among mothers and newborns in Uganda following facility-based delivery.

This prospective observational study (Apr 2022-Sep 2023) enrolled women presenting for delivery at two regional referral hospitals in Uganda. Data were collected during admission and 6 weeks after delivery by phone.

Overall, 7131 women delivered 7359 newborns, of whom 7129 (99%) women and 6968 (94%) newborns were discharged alive. The newborn mortality rate was 2.7% and 32% of deaths occurred post-discharge. Following discharge, 230 (3%) women and 287 (4%) newborns were readmitted. Suspected sepsis and infections were the most common reasons for readmission among mothers (62.2%) and newborns (89.9%). Caesarean delivery (OR:2·26 (1·75-2·93)) and perinatal death (OR:3·18 (2·09-4·69)) were associated with post-discharge maternal readmission. Both maternal and newborn readmission were associated with household food insecurity during pregnancy (maternal OR:1·56 (1·15-2·08); newborn OR: 1·73 (1·31-2·25)). Newborn resuscitation with oxygen was associated with maternal readmission (OR:2.24 (1.24–3·78)), newborn readmission (OR: 2·74 (1·54-4·56)) and newborn death (OR: 4·01 (1·73-8·21)). Although >99% of women had ≥1 antenatal care visit, only 511 (7%) had ≥1 routine postnatal care visit. There were no routine postnatal care visits among 211 (91·7%) readmitted mothers, 276 (96·2%) newborns and 57 (91·9%) newborns who died.

Post-discharge complications occur in a context of low routine postnatal care use. Risk-informed discharge planning, postnatal care and health education strategies may improve outcomes in mothers, newborns and their families.

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 6 seeks to ensure universal access to safe drinking water by 2030, but vast inequities in access exist, especially among vulnerable communities including limited resource, rural, disaster-affected areas. Flood disasters, exacerbated by the climate crisis, hinder the ability of individuals and families to meet essential drinking water needs and increase their susceptibility to waterborne illnesses. Point-of-use (POU) water treatment is an effective solution for water-insecure populations during and immediately following flood emergencies. However, an initial literature search identified knowledge gaps surrounding implementation of POU water systems. This scoping review aims to synthesise published evidence between January 2015 and July 2025 on barriers and facilitators to utilisation of POU water treatment systems during and immediately following flood-related disasters. The findings will inform efforts to promote resilience and agency among water insecure communities, specifically by equipping them with actionable knowledge on sustainable access to safe drinking water.

This scoping review will be guided by the work of Arksey and O’Malley and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Search terms will be identified through an iterative process using the PICOT method and Boolean logic. Four databases—Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar—with the addition of grey literature from UN agencies and non-governmental organisations focused on water-related issues will be searched. Two independent reviewers will apply a priori eligibility criteria to select studies. Conflicts will be resolved through discussion and a third independent reviewer absent agreement between the first two reviewers. Cohen’s kappa statistic will be calculated to assess inter-rater reliability. Data extraction will be guided by predefined data points, and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research will guide evidence synthesis through a solution-based approach.

Institutional research ethics review is not required because no human subjects are involved. Findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, a policy brief, conference presentations and infographics for use by organisations serving flood disaster impacted communities.