Occupational stress and burnout are prevalent among special education teachers and are associated with a range of professional, organisational and systemic challenges within educational settings. These challenges can adversely affect teachers’ mental health, well-being and professional functioning, highlighting the need for effective interventions to support their workforce.

This scoping review aimed to identify the available mental health interventions to manage occupational stress and burnout among special education teachers, with a focus on mental health and well-being outcomes.

Scoping review.

This scoping review was compiled using the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Searches were systematically conducted across six databases, namely CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PUBMED (NCBI), EMBASE and Cochrane from January 1995 to February 2026.

We systematically searched for peer-reviewed original intervention studies published in English that examine mental health interventions to manage occupational stress and burnout among special education teachers in the school setting.

The identified studies were screened using Rayyan Software and data extraction was performed using a data extraction sheet. Of the 447 studies obtained through electronic databases, 12 were eligible after full-text screening and 6 studies were obtained via other methods. In total, 18 studies were finally considered in the review. The screening and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. The discrepancies were resolved through discussion between the reviewers; if unresolved, a third reviewer was consulted.

The review included studies involving 834 participants, of whom the majority were females (74.5%). Participants’ ages ranged from 21 to 65 years. 12 intervention approaches were identified, most commonly mindfulness-based interventions, yoga and Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy. The findings suggest that these interventions may be associated with reductions in occupational stress and burnout, as well as improvements in mental health outcomes.

Using evidence-based interventions to manage stress and burnout among special education teachers can help to improve their mental health and overall well-being. This review highlights practical interventions that can be implemented in the workplace. Integrating scalable strategies into occupational health initiatives is essential to support the workforce’s well-being and sustainability.

An affordable heart-healthy dietary approach is essential for the management of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH); however, the optimal dietary pattern and the role of adjunctive nutrient supplementation remain uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the effects of the Brazilian Cardioprotective Diet (DICA Br), adapted from the Portfolio Diet, with or without phytosterol and/or krill oil supplementation in individuals with probable or definite FH according to the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (Dutch MEDPED) criteria.

The DICA-FH study is a national, multicentre, randomised, factorial, parallel-group, superiority, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio. Participants aged ≥16 years receiving age-appropriate lipid-lowering therapy will be randomised into four groups: (1) adapted cardioprotective diet (DICA-FH) plus phytosterol placebo and krill oil placebo; (2) DICA-FH plus phytosterol 2 g/day and krill oil placebo; (3) DICA-FH plus phytosterol placebo and krill oil 2 g/day or (4) DICA-FH plus phytosterol 2 g/day and krill oil 2 g/day. All participants will undergo whole-genome sequencing and receive appropriate genetic counselling. Primary outcomes will be means of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) levels after 120 days. Secondary outcomes will include additional lipid biomarkers, adherence to protocol and adverse events. The planned sample size is 300 participants. Follow-up is expected to conclude in July 2026.

This study was registered under CAAE 65549622.2.1001.0060 and received ethical approval from the Hcor Research Ethics Committee (approval number 5.805.072) and the Brazilian National Research Ethics Commission (CONEP; approval number 6.864.951). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants prior to enrolment. The study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, scientific conferences and channels aimed at the general public.

NCT06331195.

A proportion of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 acquire the disease during their hospital stay, underscoring the risk of hospital-acquired COVID-19 (HA-COVID-19). This risk is presumed to be high, given how commonly and intensely air and surfaces within hospitals are reportedly contaminated with SARS-CoV-2. However, the true extent of HA-COVID-19 worldwide remains unknown, with limited understanding of factors that influence its occurrence and how these have evolved over time. This review will therefore aim to estimate the pooled prevalence of HA-COVID-19 among hospitalised COVID-19 patients globally and investigate differences by country, type of hospitals, medical specialty, length and timing of studied periods.

A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted adhering to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. MEDLINE and PubMed Central (via PubMed), Scopus, Embase (via Ovid), the Web of Science Core Collection as well as websites of public health agencies (PHA) will be searched until 1 July 2026. All journal articles and sources from PHAs reporting any primary data on the prevalence of HA-COVID-19 will be included. Methodological quality will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data. The primary outcome will be the global prevalence of HA-COVID-19. Data synthesis will include random-effects proportional meta-analysis. Estimates will be presented with two-sided 95% CIs and heterogeneity assessed using the I² statistic.

Ethical approval is not needed as no original data will be generated. This review will be published in an international, peer-reviewed journal.

CRD420251136884.

To describe the prevalence and spatial distribution of anaemia among children aged 6–59 months in Madagascar and to explore individual-level and community-level correlates using data from the 2021 Madagascar Demographic and Health Survey.

A population-based cross-sectional study using secondary data from the 2021 Madagascar Demographic and Health Survey. Spatial statistical methods were used to assess geographic clustering and hotspot areas of anaemia.

The study was conducted across community and household levels throughout Madagascar, covering both rural and urban populations within the primary and secondary healthcare delivery contexts.

A weighted sample of 10 683 children aged 6–59 months was included. Sampling followed demographic health survey procedures, and only children with complete haemoglobin data were analysed.

No interventions were applied.

The primary outcome was anaemia, defined as haemoglobin

The overall point prevalence of anaemia was 47% (95% CI 45.60 to 48.36), showing significant spatial clustering (Global Moran’s I=0.136, p

Anaemia among Malagasy children remains a major public health concern and shows clear geographic variation. The findings describe important differences in prevalence across regions and population subgroups, providing useful evidence for public health planning and for generating hypotheses for future analytical research.