The quality of communication between healthcare providers and pregnant women is a topic of paramount importance within the realm of maternal healthcare. It is not merely an aspect of medical interaction; rather, it is the prerequisite that influences various critical dimensions of maternal care, including maternal satisfaction, health outcomes, and shared decision-making. Effective communication between healthcare providers and pregnant women is essential for optimal maternal care during pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal satisfaction is a fundamental metric of patient-centered care, and improved communication, characterized by empathy, information sharing, and active listening, cultivates trust and enhances women's contentment with their care experiences. Positive provider-patient interactions are associated with improved emotional well-being, reduced stress levels, and increased adherence to prenatal recommendations, contributing to positive health outcomes for both mother and fetus. Shared decision-making is impacted by open and transparent dialogue between healthcare providers and pregnant women. Inclusive discussions about available interventions, risks, and benefits empower women to make informed choices aligned with their preferences and values. This shared decision-making promotes autonomy, self-efficacy, and a collaborative care partnership, potentially influencing the birthing experience and postpartum adaptation. However, challenges persist in communication quality, such as variability in healthcare provider communication styles, cultural considerations, and system-level factors. Addressing these challenges through targeted interventions, training, and policy implementation can further enhance the overall maternal care experience. Further research is needed to explore innovative strategies that optimize communication and promote positive outcomes throughout the continuum of maternal care.

The focus of this study was to determine the influence of religious literacy and multicultural teaching competence on the teaching self-efficacy of Religious and Moral Education (RME) teachers in public basic schools within the Kumasi Metropolis. The research employed a cross-sectional survey design with a sample of 308 RME teachers selected through the stratified sampling technique from 165 basic schools across 14 circuits. Data were collected using questionnaires and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that religious literacy significantly and positively influenced teachers’ self-efficacy (β = 0.487, p < 0.05), accounting for 23.7% of the variance. Similarly, multicultural teaching competence demonstrated a strong positive effect on teaching self-efficacy (β = 0.711, p < 0.05), explaining 50.6% of the variance. Finally, the study found that religious literacy and multicultural teaching competence together contributed 52.2% to RME teachers' teaching self-efficacy (SD = 0.692, p < 0.05, R² = 0.522). The study recommended that the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) should design and mandate regular in-service training programmes focused specifically on religious literacy for RME teachers. Also, it was recommended that pre-service and in-service training should emphasise awareness of personal biases, deep knowledge of learners’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and practical skills for culturally responsive pedagogy.

The ultimate goal of this study was to determine the influence of religious literacy and multicultural teaching competence of RME teachers on their teaching self-efficacy in the Accra Metropolis. Grounded in culturally responsive teaching and self-efficacy theory, this study employed a cross-sectional survey design. All 441 RME teachers in the eight (8) circuits in the Metropolis which has seventy-two (72) basic schools were involved in the study through the census method. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings revealed that RME teachers reported high levels of RL, MTC, and TSE. Religious literacy and multicultural teaching competence jointly explained 44.2% of the variance in TSE, with a statistically significant positive effect (p < 0.05). It was recommended that, the curriculum for training RME teachers should include in them topics on RL and MTC.

This commentary letter was conducted to evaluate Wang et al.'s (2025) research study on the relationship between perceived staffing and quality of care among hospitals. The current study's findings show that the relationship between professional self-efficacy and job performance is mediated by work engagement. Life contentment influences work engagement, which is associated with enhanced job performance. However, involvement acts as a mediator between job performance and burnout, which could affect the quality of patient care. Staffing satisfaction and quality patient care are closely related, and it is essential for healthcare institutions to prioritize appropriate workforce levels and address the nursing shortage. However, there are still unanswered questions in this sector, such as researching nursing-specific care procedures, addressing data challenges, and understanding the connections between nursing practice and patient care outcomes. Future research should address the "black box" of nursing practice and address variations in the quality of patient care provided by nurses.

“To Be Twice as Good to Get Half” is a common mindset among high aspiration and ambition Black individuals in the U.S., capturing the lived reality of Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs). This paper explains that MDRs reflect how, even with high levels of ambition, self-efficacy, education, and income, Black individuals and other marginalized groups do not experience the same protective benefits for health and well-being as White populations. Systemic obstacles embedded within U.S. society weaken the expected returns on socioeconomic achievements for racialized individuals, creating a reality where “being twice as good” still results in lesser outcomes. High-SES Black individuals, for instance, continue to face significant risks for adverse outcomes, such as depression and chronic disease, due to structural inequities across domains like labor market discrimination, segregation, and accumulated disadvantage from childhood. Our analysis identifies key mechanisms—including interpersonal discrimination, lower-quality education, and structural racism in sectors like banking, policing, and real estate—that erode the protective effects of SES across racial lines. Mediating factors, such as chronic stress, allostatic load, and epigenetic changes over the life course, further compound these diminished returns, weakening the expected physical and mental health benefits. Drawing on extensive evidence from U.S. national and local datasets and corroborated by international studies, this paper underscores the necessity of policies that dismantle structural barriers rather than relying solely on SES improvements. Recommendations include implementing multi-sectoral policies, recognizing the unique challenges of middle-class non-White populations, and approaching policy with humility, acknowledging that achieving equity is a long-term endeavor. By challenging the “bootstraps” narrative, this paper advocates for structural interventions aimed at genuine health and economic equity for all racial and socioeconomic groups. While we provide an in-depth analysis of MDRs’ phenomena, mechanisms, mediators, and policy implications, the experience is often distilled as, “I have to be twice as good to get half.”

Stigma surrounding drug addiction remains a critical barrier to effective treatment, significantly influencing healthcare access, patient engagement, and recovery outcomes. This study explores the multifaceted impact of stigma on individuals seeking help for substance use disorders (SUDs), with a focus on healthcare-related discrimination, internalized stigma, and structural barriers. Research indicates that negative perceptions among healthcare providers contribute to delayed treatment-seeking behaviors, reduced adherence to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and increased relapse rates. Additionally, patients internalizing these societal judgments experience heightened psychological distress, social isolation, and decreased self-efficacy, further hindering their recovery process. To address these challenges, evidence-based strategies such as addiction medicine education, trauma-informed care, harm reduction approaches, and peer support models have been shown to effectively reduce stigma and improve treatment outcomes. Hospital administrators and nursing leaders play a critical role in fostering a culture of empathy, advocating for the reframing of addiction as a neuro-psycho-biological disease rather than a moral failing. Future research should explore digital mental health interventions, motivational interviewing techniques, and interdisciplinary collaboration to further dismantle stigma and enhance the effectiveness of addiction treatment programs. This study highlights the urgent need for systemic policy changes, targeted educational programs, and a shift in clinical attitudes to create a more inclusive and stigma-free healthcare environment. Through implementing these approaches, healthcare providers can ensure equitable access to treatment and improve long-term health outcomes for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance-related conditions.

The social aspect of education is an important part of the learning process. In this study two research questions were asked to explore this idea. Social network analysis provided multiple measures of AP Physics 1 students’ network centrality. These measures were used to predict physics achievement. Further, survey results measuring extroversion (EPI, alpha=.84-.94), motivation (PGOS, alpha=.64-.83), and self-efficacy (SOSESC, alpha=.94) were used to determine students’ personality characteristics. These personality results were used as moderators for the moderation analysis. The sample consisted of 106 students from a large, Midwestern, suburban high school taking AP Physics 1. Numerous centrality measures significantly correlated with physics achievement. Extroversion and self-efficacy increased the effect of centrality in most cases, whereas motivation did not change the centrality-achievement relationship. In most cases, having many, high quality connections was beneficial to learning physics, but personality characteristics must also be included in pedagogical decisions. Based on the results, teachers are strongly advised to account for personality and student connections when forming groups.