BMC Public Health - Peer bullying victimization, psychological distress, and the protective role of school connectedness among adolescents 

Bullying is a widespread challenge with long-term consequences that can be severe or even fatal, yet strategies to mitigate its risks remain underdeveloped. Children spend a significant amount of their formative years in school and if we view a school as an ecosystem where students should thrive, then addressing bullying requires a holistic approach. 

A recent study in BMC Public Health examined data from 2,175 adolescents in the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Among participants, 39.4% reported no experience with bullying, 43.0% had experienced it in the past, 5.7% reported recent bullying, and 11.9% experienced long-term bullying. The results show that repeated or prolonged victimization has a compounding effect, placing adolescents at higher risk of anxiety and depression compared with those who were never bullied or only exposed once. 

The study also emphasises the importance of school connectedness, meaning  students feel supported and cared for by both adults and peers in their learning and wellbeing. Strong school connectedness can act as a buffer against depression symptoms that is linked to bullying. The authors emphasise that creating a positive school climate and strengthening relationships can reduce bullying and promote healthier adolescent development. 

BMC Medical Ethics - Motivations, acceptability and ethical considerations for interventional HIV cure research at the end of life: perspectives from long-term survivors of HIV in the United States 

Antiretroviral therapy has transformed the lives of people with HIV, allowing many to live long enough to share their stories and contribute to the pursuit of a cure. For long-term survivors, this journey is deeply personal, shaped by the loss of loved ones, especially during the height of the epidemic. While interventional end-of-life research holds promise for advancing HIV cure efforts, it remains hypothetical. Understanding how long-term survivors view this type of research is essential to ensure studies are ethical, inclusive, and responsive. 

A qualitative study published in BMC Medical Ethics, conducted in the United States, interviewed 16 long-term HIV survivors from across regions to explore their perspectives on hypothetical interventional HIV cure research at the end of life. Participants expressed broad willingness to contribute, motivated by altruism and a commitment to advancing science. At the same time, they stressed the importance of robust ethical safeguards, thorough informed consent, and careful measures to prevent discomfort or harm. 

As HIV research progresses, involving long-term survivors in decision-making about interventional cure studies is critical. Their perspectives help ensure that research is conducted responsibly, ethically, and in a way that respects the experiences and priorities of those who have lived experience of HIV.  

BMC Primary Care - Exploring healthcare providers’ perspectives on the factors that facilitate primary health care access among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people: a qualitative study in Southeast Queensland 

Medicare, Australia’s universal health insurance scheme, guarantees access to health services for all Australians. Yet avoidable disparities persist, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people less likely to access primary healthcare compared with non-Indigenous peers. Healthcare providers have a responsibility to address the unique cultural and health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have been shaped by colonisation. 

A recent study published in BMC Primary Care synthesised thirteen research yarns to explore barriers and enablers to healthcare access from the perspective of providers working in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled health organisations (ATSICCHOs). Using inductive thematic analysis, the study identified factors that facilitate access across three overarching strength-based themes. First, systems and organisation: ATSICCHOs’ model of care addresses the specific needs of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Second, family and community: the involvement of family and community supports young people in seeking care. Third, individual: personal characteristics of young people that promote health-seeking behaviour. 

The study highlights ATSICCHOs as optimal sites for delivering culturally safe, holistic, and comprehensive primary healthcare. Strategies to improve access should prioritise collaboration between healthcare providers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, ensuring interventions are culturally informed. 

BMC Nutrition - Youth exposure to unhealthy digital food marketing in relation to race/ethnicity and income adequacy in Canada 

Access to adequate nutrition is a fundamental human right, closely linked to the right to health. Diets of lower nutritional quality increase the risk of obesity and non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. In Canada and the US, poor-quality diets are more common among racial and ethnic minority youth and those from lower-income households. With digital platforms increasingly used by adolescents and marketing becoming more pervasive, understanding how digital food marketing contributes to nutrition disparities is critical. 

A study published in BMC Nutrition analysed data from an observational cross-sectional survey conducted in April 2024, including youth aged 10 to 17 years living in Ontario and Quebec. The study found that racial and ethnic minority youth were more frequently exposed to digital marketing of unhealthy foods compared with White youth. Similarly, youth from lower-income households encountered more marketing of unhealthy foods. The reasons for these differences are not fully understood but may relate to patterns of digital device usage, use of ad blockers, or subscription-based streaming without ads. 

With digital platforms becoming more accessible and increasingly integrated into everyday life, there is a need for regulations to limit youth exposure to unhealthy food marketing, particularly for minority groups and socioeconomically disadvantaged families. 

BMC Zoology - New Miocene litoptern remains from Colombia and ecological structure of American Neogene herbivore guilds 

La Venta in Colombia is one of the richest fossil sites in tropical South America. Its Middle Miocene fauna, which lived about 16 to 11.6 million years ago, provides insight into ecosystems while South America was isolated, before the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). GABI occurred after North and South America became connected by a land bridge around 3 million years ago. 

In BMC Zoology, researchers describe new fossil remains of three litopterns from La Venta: Villarroelia totoyoi, Mesolicaphrium sanalfonense, and Theosodon sp. Litopterns are an extinct group of South American hoofed mammals. The material reveals previously unknown details of their tooth and jaw anatomy. The study provides the first description of the deciduous dentition of M. sanalfonense and the most complete adult dentition of V. totoyoi, improving understanding of the group, though evolutionary relationships remain unknown. 

The study also conducted a comparative ecomorphological analysis of 11 North and South American herbivore faunas before and after GABI, examining body size, tooth morphology, and feeding height. Pre-interchange South American faunas were more ecologically diverse, including small arboreal browsers and species with ever-growing teeth, largely absent in North America. After GABI and later Pleistocene extinctions, many niches disappeared. Some larger herbivores persisted, but modern South American herbivore communities are less ecomorphologically diverse than their Miocene ancestors. 

Fossils from La Venta are therefore crucial for tracing ecological loss and understanding long-term biodiversity patterns in South American mammals.