Family caregivers (FCGs) may experience numerous psychosocial and practical challenges with interpersonal relationships, mental health, and finances both before and after their care recipient (CR) dies. The specific challenges affecting rural FCGs who often have limited access to palliative care services, transitional care, and other community resources are not well understood. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the challenges rural FCGs experienced immediately before the death of a CR and continuing into the bereavement period.

A secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial was conducted. The 8-week intervention included video visits between a palliative care research nurse and FCGs caring for someone with a life-limiting illness. Data were from structured interviews during nurse visits with FCGs in the intervention arm whose CR died during the intervention period.

Ninety (41.8%) of the 215 FCGs experienced the death of their CR. The majority of FCGs were female (58.9%), White (97.5%), spouses or partners (55.6%) and lived with the CR (66.7%). Most FCGs (84%) continued with intervention visits by the study nurse after the CR’s death. Visits resumed on average 7.2 days post-death. The majority of FCGs experienced challenges with grief/coping skills (56%) and interpersonal relationships/support systems (52%) both pre- and post-death of the CR. FCGs also experienced practical challenges with income/finance, housing, and communication with community resources both pre-and post-death.

Bereavement support should extend beyond a focus on grief to include practical challenges experienced by FCGs. Because challenges experienced in the bereavement period often begin before a CR’s death, there is benefit in continuity of FCG support provided by a known clinician from pre- to post-death. When given an option, many rural FCGs are open to bereavement support as early as a week after the death of a CR.

External funding is a critical metric in research career advancement, particularly in biomedical fields. Grant-writing coaching emerges as a strategy in biomedical workforce development. Recognizing disparities in grant success among early-career investigators from underrepresented groups, the National Research Mentoring Network Strategic Empowerment Tailored for Health Equity Investigators (NRMN-SETH) provides grant-writing coaching to support these scholars. This study explores the roles of NRMN-SETH grant-writing coaches in fostering technical skills and social support in a group setting.

This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with 16 NIH-funded investigators who served as coaches within the NRMN-SETH program. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using the Framework Method, identifying key roles related to coaching practices.

Findings reveal that grant-writing coaching involved personalized guidance, confidence-building, and structured group interactions. Coaches emphasized individualized feedback on grant components and provided iterative guidance. The group-based coaching environment fostered peer support and normalized challenges, creating a collaborative atmosphere conducive to skill-building. Coaches noted the importance of institutional support in enabling participants to engage in the program, though challenges arose in managing participants with varying grant-writing experience.

This study highlights the potential of grant-writing coaching to enhance research capacity among underrepresented scholars, offering a structured, supportive approach that complements traditional mentorship. Integrating tailored coaching programs within biomedical workforce development, particularly at minority-serving and low-resourced institutions, may reduce disparities in grant success. Future research could expand on these findings by investigating the long-term career impacts of coaching and testing the effectiveness of peer-led, group-based components in grant-writing success.

First-year postpartum depression is a common mental health problem among first-time mothers. A younger age of pregnancy often compounds the challenge due to underlying factors such as poverty and limited educational achievement. This study aimed to examine the minimal number of interpersonal supporters during pregnancy associated with lower levels of postpartum depressive symptoms among first-time mothers.

We obtained data from the population-based Mother–Infant/Newborn Tokyo Cohort (MINT cohort) in four municipalities in Tokyo on 429 first-time mothers who responded to two waves of surveys (early pregnancy and one month postpartum). They completed self-report measures of interpersonal support using one item from the Social Support Questionnaire and depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Segmented regression analyses were conducted to determine the threshold at which the strength of the association changed between the number of interpersonal supporters and postpartum depressive symptoms, with adjustment for depressive symptoms in pregnancy. This analysis was also conducted with the sample stratified into young mothers (≤ 25 years) and older mothers (≥ 26 years).

In the overall sample, postpartum depressive symptoms were found to be lower among individuals with more than 3.0 supportive individuals (prepartum). Among young mothers, this threshold was higher, with lower symptom levels observed among those with at least 5.3 supporters. Only 22.9% of young first-time mothers had this level of interpersonal support, compared to 54.8% of all first-time mothers.

Our results suggest that having four or more interpersonal supporters in early pregnancy is associated with lower levels of postpartum depressive symptoms among first-time mothers. Additionally, among young mothers, having six or more supporters was associated with lower postpartum depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that tailored strategies to increase supporters around first-time pregnant women might be beneficial depending on their age.

Loneliness and social isolation pose significant public health concerns globally, with adverse effects on mental health and well-being. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, loneliness refers to the subjective feeling of lacking social connections, whereas social isolation is the objective absence of social support or networks.

To investigate the prevalence of loneliness and social isolation and their associations with psychiatric disorders.

This study used data from the Republic of Korea National Mental Health Survey 2021, a nationally representative survey. A total of 5511 adults aged 18–79 residing in South Korea participated in the survey. Loneliness and social isolation were assessed using the Loneliness and Social Isolation Scale, whereas psychiatric disorders were evaluated using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed after adjustment for sociodemographic variables.

Among the participants, 11.8% reported experiencing loneliness, 4.3% reported social isolation and 3.4% reported both. Co-occurrence of loneliness and social isolation was significantly associated with psychiatric disorders (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 7.59, 95% CI: 5.48–10.52). Loneliness alone was associated with greater prevalence and higher probability of psychiatric disorders (AOR 3.12, 95% CI: 2.63–3.71), whereas social isolation did not show any significant association (AOR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.64–1.22).

The co-occurrence of loneliness and social isolation is particularly detrimental to mental health. This finding emphasises the need for targeted interventions to promote social connection and reduce feelings of isolation.

International students account for a growing proportion of university students and can experience mental health challenges. While the Social Identity Model of Identity Change (SIMIC) highlights the mental health-promoting benefits of preserving and building group memberships, it overlooks the effects of identifying with a particularly salient group such as fellow international students.

This study aimed to explore how SIMIC and international student identification contribute to understanding the protective factors that predict students’ mental health.

A cross-sectional survey of 343 international students employed path analyses to examine the associations among identification with fellow international students, social identity maintenance, new group memberships and psychological distress, with social support and resilience as potential mediators. Indirect effects were evaluated using 95% confidence intervals.

New group memberships (β = −0.01; P = 0.05; 95% CI = −0.03, −0) and identification with international students (β = −0.02; P = 0.05; 95% CI = −0.02, −0) predicted psychological distress, both mediated by social support and resilience. While the maintenance of previous groups did not indirectly predict psychological distress through these mechanisms (β = −0.01; P = 0.13; 95% CI = −0.02, 0), a significant indirect effect (β = −0.04; P = 0.03; 95% CI = −0.09, −0) was observed through social support when accounting for covariates.

Shared international student identity and new group memberships offer a sense of social support and resilience which, in turn, alleviates psychological distress. Interventions could reframe this identity as a source of strength for international students.

Disaster management strategies often emphasize technical and structural solutions, overlooking the sociocultural factors that shape community resilience and disaster response. In Malaysia, a multiethnic and multireligious country frequently affected by floods and monsoon storms, cultural beliefs, social networks, and traditional practices play a pivotal role in shaping disaster preparedness and recovery. This study examines how religious beliefs, community cohesion, gender roles, and traditional knowledge influence disaster management in Malaysia.

A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 stakeholders from diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. Participants, represented various religious groups and geographic areas. Their roles included local leaders, government officials, NGO workers, and community members, providing insights into how sociocultural factors influence disaster response and policy.

Religious beliefs serve as both a source of resilience and a potential barrier, shaping community attitudes toward disaster preparedness. Community cohesion, particularly through gotong-royong (mutual aid), plays a crucial role in mobilizing resources and support, though it often excludes marginalized groups. Gender roles significantly influence disaster response, with women taking on caregiving responsibilities yet remaining underrepresented in decision-making processes. Traditional knowledge remains valuable, particularly in rural communities, but faces challenges as younger generations increasingly rely on modern technologies.

This study highlights the need for culturally sensitive, gender-inclusive, and community-driven disaster management policies in Malaysia.Integrating sociocultural dimensions into formal frameworks can foster more adaptive and inclusive strategies. Enhancing community participation and gender inclusivity will be key to improving disaster resilience in Malaysia.