As digital connectivity has become an integral part of daily life, internet addiction has emerged as a significant concern, particularly among adolescents. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of internet addiction among adolescents, assess its severity, investigate the associations between sociodemographic factors and internet addiction levels, and examine the correlation between adolescents' age and the severity of internet addiction. This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 200 adolescents from private education institutes in Sargodha, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data on sociodemographic indicators, and the validated Internet Addiction Test (IAT) questionnaire was adopted to assess the occurrence and severity of internet addiction. The data were analyzed using IBM® SPSS® software. The results revealed that among the 200 participants, 42% were male and 58% female, with nearly half (47.5%) being aged 13–15 years. Most (57.00%) owned a personal mobile device, whereas 47.5% had a laptop. Furthermore, 39.5% of the participants used the internet for one hour or less per day, whereas 30% reported using it for 2–4 hours daily. Only 8 participants stated that they did not use any social media applications. The study highlights significant internet addiction patterns. Many participants stayed online longer than intended (12.5% always, 16.5% often), whereas 34.5% neglected household chores. Internet dependency was evident, with 14.5% preferring online excitement over intimacy and 26.0% receiving complaints about excessive internet use. Sleep disturbances affected 25.0% of the study participants, whereas academic impacts were reported by 14.5% of the participants. The IAT results revealed that 8.5% of the participants had full control, 54.0% had mild, 36.0% had moderate, and 1.5% had severe addiction. Chi-square analysis revealed no significant associations between addiction severity and sex, age, or device ownership (p > 0.05), but the duration of internet use per day was significantly associated with addiction severity (p = 0.030). Age was weakly but significantly correlated with internet addiction (p = 0.04). The study concluded that a significant proportion of adolescents experienced moderate to severe internet addiction. These findings highlight the urgent need to implement measures to promote healthy digital practices among adolescents.

Malnutrition is highly prevalent among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and has a significant effect on surgical outcomes. Despite the growing recognition of this relationship, standardized nutritional assessment and intervention protocols remain inconsistent across healthcare settings. A prospective cohort study was carried out over a one-year period (June 2023–June 2024) to determine the associations between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing major resection for GI malignancies. Consecutive patients who underwent elective major GI cancer resection were enrolled. The study utilized validated tools to assess nutritional status, including serum albumin (ALB), body mass index (BMI), and the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). The principal outcomes were major postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo grade ≥3), length of hospital stay, and thirty-day mortality. Among 294 patients, 128 (43.5%) were identified as nutritionally at risk preoperatively. Patients classified as malnourished experienced significantly higher 30-day mortality, with a rate of 12.5% versus 4.2% in well-nourished patients (p = 0.008). They also had a greater incidence of major postoperative complications, occurring in 35.9% of cases versus 18.1% among their well-nourished counterparts (p < 0.001). In addition, the median length of hospital stay was notably longer in malnourished individuals (14 days) than in those with adequate nutritional status (9 days; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed severe malnutrition as an independent risk factor for adverse postoperative outcomes, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.84, a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 1.52 – 5.31, and a p value of 0.001. These findings demonstrate that preoperative malnutrition significantly increases perioperative morbidity and mortality among patients undergoing GI cancer surgery. These findings advocate the integration of routine nutritional screening and tailored interventions into the perioperative care pathway.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that requires timely diagnosis and intervention. As frontline healthcare providers, family physicians must have a clear understanding of the diagnostic utility of rheumatoid factor (RF) and its limitations to ensure early recognition and appropriate referral of RA patients. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over three months to assess the knowledge of family physicians in Punjab, Pakistan, regarding the diagnostic role and interpretation of RF in RA. Stratified random sampling was used, and a structured questionnaire was distributed to 300 physicians, with responses collected via Google Forms. The questionnaire evaluated demographic variables and knowledge of RA diagnostic criteria, RF specificity, and related clinical interpretation. The knowledge scores were classified as good (≥ 75%), moderate (50–74%), or poor (< 50%). Data analysis was performed via SPSS version 24, with chi-square tests used to examine associations (p < 0.05). The results revealed that only 27.76% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge. Most respondents had moderate (50.95%) or poor (21.29%) knowledge. Significant associations were observed between knowledge level and factors such as physician age, graduation cohort, experience, type of medical college, involvement in RA patient care, and private practice (p < 0.05). This study revealed significant gaps in family physicians’ knowledge regarding RF’s diagnostic value in RA. Targeted educational interventions and updated clinical training are essential to improve early RA detection, enhance referral practices, and improve patient outcomes at the primary care level.

Genetic disorders impose a considerable health burden in low- and middle-income countries, where high consanguinity rates, limited access to services, and low health literacy intensify their impact. This study assessed awareness, knowledge, and misconceptions about genetic disorders among mothers of affected children at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, and examined associated sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to May 2025 among 100 mothers of children with confirmed genetic disorders via a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The mean participant age was 31.13 ± 6.06 years; 36% were illiterate, and 52% resided in urban areas. While 78% had heard of genetic disorders, only 18% knew of local genetic testing or counseling services, and 24% had received information from healthcare providers. Good awareness was seen in 16% and poor awareness in 78% of the participants; good knowledge was found in 25%, while 66% had poor knowledge. Misconceptions persisted, with 21% attributing genetic disorders to bad luck or punishment and 16% believing they were contagious; 38% demonstrated good understanding, and 46% demonstrated poor understanding. Education and socioeconomic class were significantly associated with awareness (p = 0.011, p = 0.001), knowledge (p < 0.001, p = 0.002), and beliefs (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), whereas age and residence were not significantly associated. The findings highlight a gap between general awareness and functional understanding, emphasizing the need for targeted, literacy-sensitive interventions to improve maternal genetic health literacy and support informed healthcare decision-making.

Excessive and early exposure to digital screens has raised growing concerns about its implications for children’s speech and language development. This study investigated the associations between passive screen exposure and speech and language delays in children aged 5–8 years, focusing on behavioral and clinical risk factors such as screen-use duration, content type, contextual usage, parental awareness, and screen-time mediation strategies. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 203 parent‒child dyads via a structured questionnaire. Most children were exposed to screens before age two, with more than 57% exceeding two hours of daily screen time. Social media and entertainment content were the most frequently consumed, while only 47.3% engaged with educational content. Parental mediation practices were inconsistent, and only 28.6% reported frequent supervision. Language delay severity was high, with 62.1% classified as having severe delays. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between average daily screen time and language delay status (p = 0.001). Binary logistic regression revealed that greater screen time increased the odds of delay (AOR = 2.67, p < 0.001), whereas greater parental awareness [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.45, p = 0.002], educational content consumption (AOR = 0.40, p = 0.041), and active mediation (AOR = 0.35, p = 0.048) were protective. A modest but significant negative correlation was observed between parental awareness and language delay severity (r = -0.183, p = 0.009). This study revealed that excessive and early screen exposure is strongly linked to speech and language delays in children aged 5–8 years, whereas greater parental awareness, a preference for educational content, and engaged mediation practices are associated with reduced risk. These findings emphasize the pivotal role of parents in shaping digital environments and highlight the need for early, targeted interventions to enhance parental digital engagement, promote content supervision, and guide balanced screen use. Public health efforts and pediatric counseling should collaboratively support families in promoting healthy language development amid evolving digital habits.