BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Sex differences in the outcomes and management of cardiogenic shock are not well established. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the differences inik cardiogenic shock outcomes between males and females.
METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Studies were searched via the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases from inception to December 2022.
RESULTS: The analysis included 24 studies comprising 1,567,660 patients. Compared to females, males with CS had a significantly lower risk of in-hospital all-cause mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85-0.90, p<0.001) and 1-year mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.89-0.92, p<0.001). Males were more likely to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.13-1.31, p<0.0001) and intra-aortic balloon pump placement (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.11-1.32, p<0.0001), with no significant sex differences in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or Impella. During the index hospitalization, males were at higher risk of arrhythmias (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.34, p=0.003) and less likely to develop acute kidney injury (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79-0.94, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Men have a lower all-cause mortality risk in cardiogenic shock. Addressing disparities in management is crucial for improving CS outcomes, especially for women.

BACKGROUND: Infertility in men causes problems in various aspects of their lives, including personal, family and social life. One of the most important of these problems is anxiety. Anxiety in infertile men can affect their health, quality of life, and response to treatment, highlighting the significance of anxiety in these men. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms in infertile men.
METHODS: To conduct this review study, two researchers independently searched international databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of sciences, Scopus, PsyINFO, and the Google scholar search engine in English without considering any time limit until January 2, 2024. Keywords such as \"anxiety,\" \"infertility,\" \"prevalence,\" and \"epidemiology\" were used, taking into account the specific search method of each database. Using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), the quality of the articles was evaluated by two researchers independently.
RESULTS: In the systematic part of the study, 27 studies were included, and given the variety of measurement tools (8 different tools) used to investigate anxiety symptoms in infertile men, 24 studies were analyzed in five subgroups of tools. The pooled prevalence of anxiety symptoms in infertile men was 21.37% (95% CI: 15.73-27.02). The lowest and highest prevalence of anxiety in infertile men were related to the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), accounting for 7.08% (95% CI: 3.27-10.90) and 34.90% (95%CI: 28.90-40.90) values respectively. This prevalence was 19.80% (95%CI: 9.01-30.59) for the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), 30.06% (95%CI: 18.59-41.52) for the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), and 18.52% (95%CI: 7.76-29.29) for the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS).
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that the prevalence of anxiety symptoms in infertile men requires special attention to healthcare planning. The healthcare system of different countries should evaluate the symptoms of anxiety in infertile men and take appropriate measures to reduce them according to the culture of the countries. It is recommended that all infertile couples be assessed for anxiety symptoms using a standardized tool during their initial evaluation.

UNASSIGNED: fluctuation in serum levels of thyroid hormones or thyroid-associated dysfunction can negatively affect the sexual behaviors or performance, and disruption in couples` relationship or satisfaction. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis study was aimed to investigate the global prevalence of sexual dysfunction in men with thyroid gland disorders (TGD).
UNASSIGNED: this systematic review and meta-analysis study conducted based on PRISMA statement criteria regarding the available evidences representing the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in men with TGD. The initial searching process was applied on July, 2023. In this era, the main keywords of \"Prevalence\", \"Sexual disorders\", \"Sexual disorder\", \"Sexual dysfunction\", \"Male sexual dysfunction\", \"Erectile dysfunction\", \"Males\", \"Men\", \"Thyroid disorders\", \"Thyroid diseases\", \"Hyperthyroidism\", \"Thyroid\", and \"Thyroiditis\" were hired. Also, \"AND\" and \"OR\" operators were used for keywords combination. All intended studies were searched using the databases of Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Embase. Random effects model was used to perform the analysis and the heterogeneity of the studies was assessed through I2 index. Data analysis was applied with CMA software (v.2).
UNASSIGNED: following the assessment of 17 eligible studies with a sample size of 501 individuals, the global prevalence of male sexual dysfunction with TGD was found 51.5% (95% CI:38.7-64). Also, the prevalence of male sexual dysfunction in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cases was 59.1% (95% CI:37.2-77.8) and 41.5% (95% CI:25.9-59.1), respectively. The meta-regression analysis showed that following incremental trend in sample size, the global prevalence of male sexual dysfunction with TGD decreases. This assessment also revealed that the prevalence of male sexual dysfunction increases with the year of study conduction, significantly (p < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: the global prevalence of sexual dysfunction in men with TGD was found relatively high. also, the highest prevalence of sexual disorders was reported in hypothyroid cases. Thus, health policymakers are suggested to inform the individuals prone to this pathology regarding the negative effects of TGD on sexual dysfunction. Besides, TGD-affected cases can prevent sexual disorders and unpleasant consequences through timely medical treatments.

BACKGROUND: Men experiencing infertility encounter numerous problems at the individual, family, and social levels as well as quality of life (QOL). This study was designed to investigate the QOL of men experiencing infertility through a systematic review.
METHODS: This systematic review was conducted without any time limitation (Retrieval date: July 1, 2023) in international databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The search was performed by two reviewers separately using keywords such as QOL, infertility, and men. Studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the articles were evaluated based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. In the initial search, 308 studies were reviewed, and after removing duplicates and checking the title and abstract, the full text of 87 studies were evaluated.
RESULTS: Finally, 24 studies were included in the final review based on the research objectives. Based on the results, men\'s QOL scores in different studies varied from 55.15 ± 13.52 to 91.45 ± 13.66%. Of the total reviewed articles, the lowest and highest scores were related to mental health problems and physical dimensions, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The reported findings vary across various studies conducted in different countries. Analysis of the factors affecting these differences is necessary, and it is recommended to design a standard tool for assessing the quality of life of infertile men. Given the importance of the QOL in men experiencing infertility, it is crucial to consider it in the health system. Moreover, a plan should be designed, implemented and evaluated according to each country\'s contex to improve the quality of life of infertile men.

BACKGROUND: Globally, there are about 800 maternal deaths every day, with low-to-middle-income countries accounting for most of these deaths. A lack of access to maternal healthcare services is one of the main causes of these deaths. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), one of the barriers to accessing maternal healthcare services by women is a lack of their male partners\' involvement. This scoping review aimed to assess the enablers and barriers to men\'s involvement in maternal healthcare services.
METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was used as a guide for this review. We searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2023 in the English language from SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Africa Journals Online (AJOL), and Google Scholar databases. Two reviewers independently conducted the data extraction and article selection. All of the authors discussed and decided on the codes and categories for enablers and barriers after using NVivo to generate them.
RESULTS: Twenty-seven articles were used in this review. Of these, seventeen were qualitative studies, six were quantitative studies, and four were mixed-methods studies. The enablers of men\'s involvement in maternal healthcare were grouped into sociodemographic factors, health system factors, and policy factors, while barriers were grouped into sociodemographic, cultural, economic, and health system barriers. The lack of maternal health knowledge, insufficient economic resources, and unfriendly staff at healthcare facilities all contributed to a lack of involvement by men.
CONCLUSIONS: To improve men\'s involvement in maternal healthcare in SSA, there should be economic empowerment of both men and women, health education, and the provision of adequate infrastructure in healthcare facilities to accommodate men.

Gender-responsive healthcare is critical to advancing men\'s health given that masculinities intersect with other social determinants to impact help-seeking, engagement with primary healthcare, and patient outcomes. A scoping review was undertaken with the aim to synthesize gender-responsive approaches used by healthcare providers (HCPs) to engage men with primary healthcare. MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles published between 2000 and February 2024. Titles and abstracts for 15,659 citations were reviewed, and 97 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically. Thirty-three approaches were synthesized from across counseling/psychology, general practice, social work, nursing, psychiatry, pharmacy, and unspecified primary healthcare settings. These were organized into three interrelated themes: (a) tailoring communication to reach men; (b) purposefully structuring treatment to meet men\'s health needs, and (c) centering the therapeutic alliance to retain men in care. Strength-based and asset-building approaches focused on reading and responding to a diversity of masculinities was reinforced across the three findings. While these approaches are recommended for the judicious integration into health practitioner education and practice, this review highlighted that the evidence remains underdeveloped, particularly for men who experience health inequities. Critical priorities for further research include intersectional considerations and operationalizing gender-responsive healthcare approaches for men and its outcomes, particularly at first point-of-contact encounters.

Mental ill-health and suicide represent a significant proportion of the burden of global disease among men. Connell\'s relational theory of masculinities provides a useful framework to explore how mental health literacy, mental health stigma, and delayed help-seeking and help-offering behaviors are associated with mental ill-health among men, particularly within male-dominated industries. To address the high incidences of mental ill-health in male-dominated industries, several workplace interventions targeting these outcomes have been implemented. No review to date has examined the current state of evidence for these interventions or identified the behavior change techniques used. This review was restricted to empirical, quantitative research reporting on psychosocial interventions targeting mental health literacy, stigma, and help-seeking and help-offering behaviors in male-dominated industries. Quality appraisal was completed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project and a narrative synthesis was conducted. Twelve articles were included for review which reported on four distinct interventions. The methodological quality of two articles was strong, three moderate and seven weak. The strongest evidence of intervention effects related to mental health literacy and help-seeking intentions. There was less evidence relating to help-offering and help-seeking behaviors and mental health stigma. Sixteen behavior change techniques were identified across interventions that are discussed in relation to the wider men\'s health literature. The evidence on psychosocial interventions in male-dominated industries is limited due to methodological and conceptual issues. Recommendations for future research include standardized reporting of intervention descriptions, the use of theory to guide intervention development, and utilizing validated and reliable outcome measures.

Male infertility is a global health concern. The effectiveness of interventions developed to improve males\' knowledge of fertility regulation and fertility-related risk factors remains unclear. This systematic review aimed to synthesize and evaluate the evidence for these interventions. Four databases were searched from inception to June 2023. Eligible studies examined interventions to increase fertility knowledge among presumed fertile males aged ≥16 years of age. Conference abstracts, protocols and studies without sex-disaggregated results for males were excluded. A narrative synthesis without meta-analysis was performed. A total of 4884 records were identified. Five studies (reported in six publications), all conducted in high-income countries, were included. Two were randomized control trials, and three were experimental studies. Interventions were delivered in person by a health professional (n = 3), online and via a mobile app. All studies showed a significant improvement in knowledge of fertility or fertility-related risk factors from baseline to follow-up. The largest improvement was observed for secondary and vocational students. A moderate, long-term retainment of knowledge was observed at two-year follow-up in one study. Available evidence suggests interventions to improve males\' fertility knowledge are effective, particularly for younger, less educated males.

This extensive comprehensive review explores the impact of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on men\'s sexual and reproductive health. We conducted a literature review focusing on the possible pathophysiology by which severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects men\'s sexual and reproductive systems. We reviewed most of the studies that reported the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the Testicular, Epididymal, Prostatic, and Penile tissue. Also, we focused on evaluating the SARS-CoV-2 infection on semen parameters and male reproductive hormones. Finally, we reviewed the COVID-19 vaccine\'s effect on male reproductive and sexual health. Findings revealed the adverse consequences of SARS-CoV-2 at cellular and organ levels on the male genital tract. However, the reported data are still controversial. The initial data regarding COVID-19 vaccination was promising promoted safety for men\'s reproductive and sexual health. We conclude this paper by offering recommendations to address these adverse consequences and potentially improve sexual and reproductive health among men in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era.

BACKGROUND: Successfully recruiting male participants to complete a healthcare related study is important for healthcare study completion and to advance our clinical knowledgebase. To date, most research studies have examined the barriers and facilitators of female participants in longitudinal healthcare-related studies with limited information available about the needs of males in longitudinal research. This systematic review examines the unique barriers and facilitators to male recruitment across longitudinal healthcare-related research studies.
METHODS: Following PRIMSA guidelines, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science databases were systematically searched using the terms recruitment and/or retention, facilitators and/or barriers and longitudinal studies from 1900 to 2023 which contained separate data on males aged 17-59 years. Health studies or interventions were defined longitudinal if they were greater than or equal to 12 weeks in duration with 3 separate data collection visits.
RESULTS: Twenty-four articles published from 1976-2023 met the criteria. One-third of the studies had a predominantly male sample and four studies recruited only male participants. Males appear disinterested towards participation in health research, however this lack of enthusiasm can be overcome by clear, non-directive communication, and studies that support the participants interests. Facilitating factors are diverse and may require substantial time from research teams.
CONCLUSIONS: Future research should focus on the specific impact of these factors across the spectrum of longitudinal health-related studies. Based on the findings of this systematic review, researchers from longitudinal health-related clinical trials are encouraged to consider male-specific recruitment strategies to ensure successful recruitment and retention in their studies.
BACKGROUND: This systemic review is registered with the PROSPERO database (CRD42021254696).