International Health: Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025

07 Nov 2025
A grandmother tenderly hugs her granddaighter, who suffers from Onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy.

Highlights from the latest International Health publication include a systematic review of infertility-related stigma across Africa and a longitudinal study looking at the changing trends in lifestyle and mental health in China, pre-and post-COVID-19.  

The editor's choice for this volume goes to Cholera burden in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and risk factors. 

“In August, this year, WHO reported that the global cholera situation continues to deteriorate, driven by conflict and poverty, posing a significant public health challenge. Most of the high-burden countries are in Africa where there is active conflict or displacement, large displaced populations, flooding, droughts and poor infrastructure.   Countries most affected include Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Sudan, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Yemen. 

However, as Kungu et al report here in their paper Cholera burden in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and risk factors, cholera is not only prevalent in conflict situations, natural and humanitarian disasters – but is persistent in Ghana, and likely in other countries where water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions are weak.  The high rates of drug resistance reported in this systematic review highlight the global importance of strengthening surveillance, improving sanitation and regulating antibiotics to mitigating outbreaks and resistance spread,” says Stefanie Meredith, Editor in Chief of International Health. 

Editorial 

Challenges in sustaining the elimination of visceral leishmaniasis in India.  
Mitali Chatterjee, Syamal Roy, Simon L Croft. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 863–865, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf063  

Reviews 

Family planning interventions across the League of Arab States: a regional scoping review.  
Basil H Aboul-Enein, Suha Ballout, Patricia J Kelly. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 881–892, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf055 

Microbial foodborne outbreaks in Africa: a systematic review.  
Famous K Sosah, Eric S Donkor. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 893–902, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf058 

Experience of infertility-related stigma in Africa: a systematic review and mixed methods meta-synthesis. 
Emmanuel Ekpor, Samuel Sanaa Brobbey, Cynthia Yaba Kumah, Samuel Akyirem. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 903–913, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf060 

Cholera burden in Ghana: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and risk factors. 
Frederick Kungu, Samuel Nee-Amugie Yartey, Anastasia A Asantewaa, Eric S Donkor. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 869–880, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf069 

Original Articles 

Unveiling the hidden health challenges: malaria, helminths, STIs and other pathologies among street children, adolescents and young adults in Cameroon. 
Valerie Makoge, Derick Ntale, Rodrigue Roman D Nana, Gervais T Kamga, Jean-Patrick Molu, Vanessa O A Tangueu, Wilfred F Mbacham. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 914–921, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf031 

The state of wildfire and health research: emerging trends, challenges and gaps. 
Ana Raquel Nunes 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 922–933, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf032 

Determinants of the use of insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment of malaria among pregnant women in Angola. 
Ai Aoki, Makoto Saito, Olukunmi O Balogun, Hirotsugu Aiga, Ketha R Francisco, Kenji Takehara 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 934–941, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf033 

Assessment of the burden of Giardia infection and its associated risk factors among children resident in internally displaced persons camps in Mogadishu, Somalia: a cross-sectional study. 
Bashiru Garba, Najib Isse Dirie, Yushau Umar, Abdikani Omar Salah, Ahmed Abdirahim Hussien, Ikram Abdirahman Mohamud Alasow, Hodo Aideed Asowe, Fartun Abdullahi Hassan Orey, Jihaan Hassan, Jamal Hassan Mohamoud, Mohamed Hussein Adam, Mohamed Adam Mahamud, Ibrahim Abdullahi Mohamed, Abdullahi Abdirahman Omar, Mohamed Mustaf Ahmed, 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 942–952, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf034  

Surveys to substantiate elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. 
Mg Mg Myo Wynn, Ye Win, Ye Lin, San San Win, Thapa Badri, Jamsheed Mohamed, Lin Zaw, Anthony W Solomon, Michael Dejene, Caleb Mpyet, Yilikal Adamu, Aemero Abateneh, Mohammed Shafi, Cristina Jimenez, Ana Bakhtiari, Sarah Boyd, Anna Harte, Emma M Harding-Esch, Jeremiah M Ngondi. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 953–959, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf038  

Beyond business as usual for lymphatic filariasis mass drug administration in hotspot districts.  
Dziedzom K de Souza, Jeffrey G Sumboh, Nii A Laryea, Odame Asiedu, Bright Alomatu, Sedzro K Mensah, Joseph Otchere, Joseph Larbi Opare, Collins S Ahorlu 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 960–967, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf039  

Medical alliances and diabetes-related distress in China: role of self-efficacy as a partial mediator. 
Chenyu Zhou, Elizabeth Maitland, Stephen Nicholas, Xiaoyu Tian, Rugang Liu 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 968–977, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf040  

Comparison of antimicrobial resistance genes on the ocular surface of patients with corneal infections in California and Malawi. 
Gerami D Seitzman, Khumbo Kalua, Esther S Misanjo, Cindi Chen, Kevin Ouimette, Lina Zhong, YuHeng Liu, Danny Yu, Thomas Abraham, Nathaniel Wu, Daisy Yan, Thomas M Lietman, Armin Hinterwirth, Thuy Doanfor. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 985 992, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf042  

The magnitude of intimate partner violence during pregnancy and associated factors in rural Ethiopia. 
Zeleke Dutamo Agde, Nega Assefa, Muluemebet Abera Wordofa 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 993–1000, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf043 

Impact of home-based follow-up care on hypertension control among patients attending Thika Level Five Hospital, Kiambu County, Kenya: A randomized control study  
Veronica Njaramba, Peter Mwaura, Samuel Mungai, Bernard N Kanoi, David Kamau, Jesse Gitaka 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 1001–1008, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf044  

Systolic hypertension, caesarean duration and prenatal visits as predictors of maternal near miss in Peru.  
Estefany Alejandra Cutipa Vásquez Melgar, Rodrigo Jesús Flores Palacios 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 1009–1017, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf045  

Trends in lifestyle and mental health among 0.1 million Chinese: a longitudinal study pre- and post-COVID-19. 
Yanhui Lin, Tao Wang, Ting Peng, Limo Gao 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 1018–1027, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf046  

Sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants of blood pressure in adult Nigerians. 
Oluseyi Adegoke, Ifedayo A Odeniyi, Oluwadamilola O Ojo, Obianuju B Ozoh, Ayesha O Akinkugbe, Njideka U Okubadejo. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 1028–1037, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf048  

Childbirth experiences for women living with HIV in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: a mixed method study on respectful maternity care. 
Mariam L Barabara, Melissa H Watt, Virginie Marchand, Linda M Minja, Maya J Stephens, Gileard G Masenga, Blandina T Mmbaga, Susanna R Cohen 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 1038–1047, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf049  

Lessons from the field 

Delivery of malaria services during a pandemic: lessons from COVID-19 in Nigeria.  
Emma K Manning, Olusola Oresanya, James K Tibenderana, Kolawole Maxwell. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Pages 866–868, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf074  

Letter to the editor (online only) 

Comment on ‘COVID-19 vaccine wastage in private and public healthcare facilities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa’. 
Amnuay Kleebayoon, Viroj Wiwanitkit. 
International Health, Volume 17, Issue 6, November 2025, Page 1048, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf009