Background: Early recognition and prevention of common childhood illnesses are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality among children under five. Aim: To assess parental knowledge and preventive practices related to childhood illnesses in Mongolia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 175 parents and caregivers of children aged 0–59 months attending primary health care facilities in urban and rural areas. Data were collected using structured interviews assessing knowledge of general danger signs, prevention of diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, household environmental risk factors, and injury prevention. Descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were performed, with statistical sig nificance set at p<0.05. Results: Urban caregivers identified significantly more general danger signs than rural caregivers (mean 5.3 vs 3.2; p<0.001). Knowledge levels did not differ between caregivers of ill and healthy children. Preventive practices related to diarrhea showed no significant association with child illness status. Rural households reported higher exposure to indoor air pollution from solid fuel use. Injuries requiring medical attention were reported in 22.9% of children, with no signifi cant differences in injury prevention knowledge. Conclusion Parental knowledge varied by place of residence rather than child health status, underscoring the need for context-specific health education within primary health care services, particularly in rural settings.

Background: Hematological malignancies are a group of cancers affecting the blood-forming organs and are often associated with long-term treatment and multiple adverse effects, which may negatively influence patients’ quality of life. Therefore, evaluating treatment outcomes should include not only clinical indicators but also the assessment of patients’ quality of life. Aim: To assess the quality of life of patients with hematological malignancies Materials and Methods: An institution-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at the Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Central Hospital of Mongolia between 2020 and June 2025. A total of 118 adult patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies were included using a non-probability sampling method. Quality of life was assessed using the Hematological Malignancy Patient-Reported Outcome Measure (HM-PRO) and the EORTC QLQ-F17 questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 28. Results: The mean age of participants was 52.9 years, with 53% females and 47% males. In terms of diagnosis, 42% had acute leukemia, 42% lymphoma, and 16% multiple myeloma. The internal consistency reliability of the HM-PRO questionnaire was high, with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.96. The mean quality of life score increased from 61.57 before treatment to 90.09 after treatment, showing a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05). This finding indicates that treatment reduced disease-related symptoms and improved patients’ quality of life. Conclusion The quality of life of patients with hematological malignancies significantly improved after treatment. Therefore, assessment of quality of life should be integrated with clinical indicators when evaluating treatment outcomes and planning patient-centered healthcare services.

Background: Medical education has shifted toward integrated, student-centered curricula. Mongolia’s School of Medicine adopted a vertically integrated block model, yet systematic evaluation through student feedback remains limited. Aim: To evaluate the quality of the block curriculum for the “General Medicine” program based on student satisfaction, and to identify factors influencing satisfaction with course content. Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire survey between January 2023 and January 2026. A total of 1,130 students (66.8% of the source population) were selected through stratified random sampling from 1,692 third- to sixth-year medical students enrolled in the Doctor of Medicine program at the School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS). The mean age of participants was 22.18±1.43 years, of whom 79.7% were female and 20.3% were male. Educational quality was evaluated across three domains: educational content (59 items), learning environment (59 items), and course organization (59 items), using a 5-point Likert scale (5=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree). Internal consistency reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Differences between blocks were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD post hoc test. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine associations among domains, while factors influencing educational content were identified using multivariable linear regression analysis. Statistical significance was established at the 95% confidence level (p<0.05). Results: The questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency across all seven blocks (Cronbach’s α=0.888–0.937). The overall mean scores were 4.00±0.78 for educational content, 3.91±0.85 for learning environment, and 3.92±0.82 for course organization. Block 6 received the highest ratings across all domains, including educational content (4.15±0.74), learning environment (4.04±0.81), and course organization (4.03±0.81), whereas Block 1A had the lowest mean scores (3.82–3.92). One-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences among blocks across all three domains (p≤0.005); however, the effect sizes were very small (Partial η²=0.003–0.006). Tukey’s HSD test showed that Block 6 was rated significantly higher than Block 1A in educational content by 0.226 points (95% CI: 0.103–0.349, p<0.001) and in course organization by 0.206 points (95% CI: 0.078–0.334, p<0.001). Strong positive correlations were observed among educational content, learning environment, and course organization (r=0.747–0.820, p<0.001). Academic year demonstrated weak negative correlations with all three evaluation domains (r=−0.033 to −0.045, p<0.05). Multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that learning environment (β=0.348, p<0.001) and course organization (β=0.487, p<0.001) explained 63.6% of the variance in educational content ratings (R²=0.636, F(2,5894)=5143.82, p<0.001). Conclusion The study findings demonstrated that students generally evaluated the content, learning environment, and organization of the integrated block curriculum positively, with higher ratings observed in senior-level blocks. The strong positive correlations among these dimensions suggest that they are interrelated factors influencing student satisfaction. Furthermore, multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that course organization and the learning environment had the greatest influence on the evaluation of educational content. These findings indicate that improving course scheduling, instructional organization, and the learning environment is essential for enhancing educational quality and students’ perceived value of the curriculum.

Background: Globally, medical education has been shifting from traditional discipline-based models toward student-centered, outcome-based, and integrated curricula. The Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS) has implemented a six-block integrated curriculum; however, evidence on how teaching methodology and assessment practices influence student learning outcomes within this framework remains limited. Aim: To determine the effect of teaching methodology and assessment practices on student learning outcomes in a block-based undergraduate medical curriculum. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2023 to January 2026 among 1,130 undergraduate medical students (years 3–6) at the School of Medicine, MNUMS. A stratified random sampling method was applied, representing 66.8% of the target population. Data were collected using a structured 185-item questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc tests, and multiple linear regression using SPSS version 26.0. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s α=0.90–0.98). Results: The overall mean evaluation score was 4.00±0.73. A decreasing trend in scores was observed with advancing academic years, with final-year students reporting the lowest scores (M≈3.92). Significant inter-year differences were found in Blocks 3 and 4 (p<0.05), suggesting a potential gap during the theory-to-clinical transition. Blocks 5 and 6 showed consistently high and stable scores (M≈4.10–4.15). Teaching methodology and assessment practices were strong predictors of learning outcomes (β=0.289–0.610), with regression models explaining 67–77% of the variance (R²=0.668–0.774). Elevated VIF values indicated multicollinearity among predictors. Conclusion Teaching methodology and assessment practices were found to be decisive determinants of learning outcomes within the integrated block curriculum (R²=0.668–0.774). Although overall student evaluations exceeded the mean threshold, a systematic decline observed across advancing academic years reflects the phenomenon of retrospective critical evaluation, while inter-year discrepancies in Blocks 3 and 4 indicate insufficient curricular coherence during the theory-to-clinical transition. Therefore, it is imperative to further develop the curriculum in a competency-based framework, and to reform both teaching methodology and assessment practices in alignment with clinical competence requirements.

Background: Between 2017 and 2021, the prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-19 years reached 19.7%, affecting approximately 14.7 million children, with rates of 12.7% among those aged 2-5 years and 22.2% among those aged 6-11 years. Globally, dental caries is among the most common non-communicable diseases, often leading to pain, infection, tooth loss, and reduced quality of life. In Mongolia, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents has increased markedly since 2010, beginning at an early age. In 2018, one in six children under five years and one in eight adolescents were overweight. Aim: This study aimed to assess selected non-communicable disease risk factors among children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, using Family Health Centers across all nine districts. A total of 622 children aged 6–17 years were included. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference) were obtained, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Oral health examinations were performed to determine the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Nutritional status was classified based on age and sex-specific growth charts into normal weight, overweight, and obesity categories. Results: Among the participants, 10.29% (n=64) were overweight and 9.97% (n=62) were obese. Overweight was more prevalent among girls, whereas obesity was relatively higher among boys (p<0.001). Regarding dental caries, 37.6% (n=234) of participants had no caries (DMFT=0), 48.1% (n=299) had mild caries (DMFT=1-2), and 14.3% had moderate to severe caries (DMFT≥3). The overall prevalence of dental caries was 62.38%, with significant variation by age group: highest in children aged 6-9 years (69.9%) and lowest in those aged 15-17 years (46.1%) (p<0.001). No statistically significant association was found between BMI categories and dental caries status. Although normal weight predominated in the DMFT=0 and DMFT=1-2 groups, logistic regression adjusted for age and sex showed no significant relationship between BMI and dental caries. However, children aged 6-9 years had a significantly higher likelihood of having dental caries compared to those aged 15-17 years (OR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.24-0.63, p<0.001). Conclusions 1. Among the risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), overweight and obesity were highly prevalent among children, with one in every five children classified as overweight or obese. The prevalence among male children was approximately two times higher than that among female children (p<0.001). 2. The prevalence of dental caries among the study participants was 90.7%, with a mean caries intensity of 6.4, indicating high level of severity. Age-group analysis demonstrated that children aged 6–10 years exhibited the highest prevalence and severity of dental caries, with a prevalence of 93.5% and a mean caries intensity of 7.3.

Background: Population health literacy constitutes a comprehensive competency to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information, serving as a foundational prerequisite for disease prevention frameworks. Within primary healthcare settings, nursing counseling plays a pivotal role in fostering healthy behaviors among citizens; however, there remains a critical need to quantitatively evaluate the correlation between these behavioral modifications and health literacy, thereby establishing an evidence-based analysis. Aim: To assess the level of health literacy and healthy lifestyle habits among citizens, and to evaluate their correlation with nursing counseling and support. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted between August and September 2026, enrolling 145 citizens aged 18 and older who received care at the Tsetsekhairkhan Family Health Center of Songinokhairkhan district, Ulaanbaatar city and Telmen Soum Health Center in Zavkhan Province. HL was evaluated using the Mongolian version of the HLS-EU-Q16 questionnaire, and total scores were calculated. Nursing involvement was evaluated via a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0, utilizing logistic regression analysis to determine Odds Ratios (OR) and p-values. Results: The mean HLS-EU-Q16 score of the participants (n=145) was 10.4±3.2. Regarding HL level distribution, 42.1% (n=61) were inadequate, 34.5% (n=50) were problematic/limited, and 23.4% (n=34) possessed sufficient health literacy. Participants perceived nursing support as highly influential (58.8%) and moderately influential (29.8%) in adopting healthy habits. Regular recipients of health counseling from nurses demonstrated a 3.79-fold higher likelihood of actively pursuing a healthy lifestyle (OR=3.79, 95% CI: 1.84–7.81, p=0.001) and a 3.05-fold higher likelihood of implementing the counseling into practice (OR=3.05, 95% CI: 1.35–6.88, p=0.0076). Conclusion Although citizens exhibit a limited capacity to independently search for and appraise health information—reflecting an overall inadequate level of HL—nurse-led counseling and support exert a direct, statistically significant positive impact on enhancing healthy behaviors among citizens.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease associated with multiple organ complications and an increased risk of hospital readmission. Hospital discharge planning is essential for coordinating continuity of treatment, self-management, and family and social support. However, evidence regarding the implementation of discharge planning for patients with diabetes and its associated challenges in Mongolia remains limited. Aim: To identify the implementation, process, and challenges associated with discharge planning for patients with diabetes and multi-organ complications at the Mongolian-Japan hospital of the MNUMS. Materials and Methods: A qualitative case study was conducted at the Mongolia–Japan Hospital of MNUMS, focusing on its hospital discharge planning service. Purposive sampling was used to recruit seven healthcare professionals: a health social worker, a dietitian, two endocrinologists, a diabetes specialist nurse, a clinical pharmacist, and a deputy director responsible for clinical affairs. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and document analysis of the hospital’s internal discharge planning procedure and three multidisciplinary team meeting protocols. Interview data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis approach. Findings from the three data sources were compared using a thematic matrix. Ethical approval was obtained from the MNUMS Ethics Review Committee (Decision No. 25-26/01-02, September 2025). Results: Five major themes were identified: (1) risk-based multidisciplinary collaboration; (2) gaps in legal, policy, and standardization frameworks; (3) financing and health insurance constraints; (4) limitations in human resources and professional capacity; and (5) weaknesses in post-discharge follow-up and family support. Risk assessment and multidisciplinary case discussions for high-risk patients were documented; however, meetings were irregular, and follow-up on decisions was inconsistent. The absence of unified regulations, inter-institutional information exchange, and feedback mechanisms hindered continuity of care. Financial barriers to consultations, care services, medicines, and medical supplies limited patients’ ability to follow recommendations. Workload and shortages of specialized personnel further constrained implementation. Post-discharge follow-up lacked standardized timelines, frequency, and case-closure criteria. Comparison of 15 subthemes across the three data sources identified six areas of convergence, eight complementary findings, and one divergence. The meeting protocols concerned patients without diabetes and were therefore used as supplementary evidence of general institutional practice. Conclusion Although core discharge planning processes and multidisciplinary collaboration have been established at the Mongolia–Japan Hospital, gaps remain in regulatory frameworks, financing, human resources, post-discharge follow-up, and inter-institutional coordination. Discharge planning should be strengthened as a continuous process integrating post-discharge care and family support.

Background: Evaluating diabetes screening coverage, newly diagnosed cases, and regular follow-up indicators is essential for improving diabetes care. However, comparative studies assessing these indicators at the district level in Mongolia remain limited. Aim: To evaluate diabetes screening coverage, the detection of newly diagnosed diabetes, and the distribution of specialist consultations in Chingeltei District, Mongolia, and to assess the current status of diabetes care. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using aggregated healthcare statistics from Chingeltei District for 2024, 2025, and the first half of 2026. Data were collected on diabetes screening coverage, newly diagnosed cases per 1,000 individuals screened, the distribution of specialist consultations, and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic codes from 2,448 diabetes-related consultations recorded in 2025. Results: Diabetes screening coverage increased from 68.6% (39,677/57,856) in 2024 to 72.7% (41,953/57,690) in 2025. Coverage was 43.1% during the first half of 2026. The number of newly diagnosed diabetes cases increased from 32 in 2024 to 95 in 2025, corresponding to an increase in the detection rate from 0.81 to 2.26 cases per 1,000 individuals screened (risk ratio [RR]=2.81; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.88–4.19). The total numbers of diabetes-related specialist consultations were 9,000 in 2024, 9,127 in 2025, and 7,633 during the first half of 2026. The proportions of consultations classified as active follow-up visits were 35.3%, 54.1%, and 47.9%, respectively. Among 2,448 consultations recorded in 2025, 74.0% were coded as diabetes without complications, whereas 26.0% were coded as diabetes with complications or unspecified complications. Conclusions 1. Although diabetes screening coverage and the number of newly diagnosed cases increased in Chingeltei District from 2024 to 2025, the detection rate per 1,000 people remained low, and diagnostic confirmation was relatively limited. 2. There is a need to improve the accuracy of diagnostic confirmation in the diabetes registry, particularly the coding of diabetic complications.

Background: Mongolia’s long-term development policy, Vision 2050, aims to ensure that every citizen has full access to primary health care services and to increase the country’s average life expectancy. According to the “Primary Health Care Service Quality and Accessibility Survey,” the diagnostic capacity of family health centers (FHCs) in Mongolia was 42.1%. There is a need to further identify issues related to laboratory human resources, equipment supply, quality assurance, and monitoring. Aim: To assess the current status of laboratory diagnostic services in family health centers in Ulaanbaatar city. Materials and Methods: The study collected data using a questionnaire developed based on resources such as the WHO’s Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA), USAID’s Laboratory Assessment Tools, the Ministry of Health’s 2023 Order No. A/283 on updated guidelines for services provided by family, soum, and bagh health centers, and the national standard “Structure and Operation of Family Health Centers (MNS 5292:2017).” A total of 46 FHCs in Ulaanbaatar were randomly selected for the study. Results: The average population served by the participating FHCs was 10,228±4043, with 73.9% (n=34) serving over 8,000 people. On average, each center employed 5±2 physicians and nurses. A clinical pathologist was employed at 50.0% (n=23) of the centers, of which 26.1% (n=6) were full-time and 73.9% (n=17) were contract-based. Availability of laboratory equipment was as follows: Complete blood count (CBC) analyzers: 60.9% (n=28) Biochemistry analyzers: 50.0% (n=23) Urinalysis equipment: 97.8% (n=45) The availability of laboratory equipment was not significantly associated with the size of the population served (p=0.54; p=0.63; p=0.74). Among FHCs with laboratory equipment: 82.1% (n=23) performed CBC tests 87.0% (n=20) performed biochemistry tests 97.8% (n=44) conducted urinalysis tests. Participation in internal and external quality control programs was significantly higher among centers with specialized laboratory staff compared to those without (p=0.008; p=0.08). The number of tests and biochemistry parameters performed was also significantly higher in centers with specialized laboratory personnel (p=0.001, p=0.001). However, the availability and use of rapid diagnostic tests did not differ based on population size or the presence of specialized laboratory staff (p=0.8; p=0.6). Conclusion 1. In Ulaanbaatar, only half of the family health centers have specialized laboratory personnel. 2. Laboratory equipment availability was between 50.0% and 60.9%. Centers with specialized laboratory staff showed significantly better performance in internal and external quality control and broader diagnostic testing services. 3. Differences in diagnostic services were associated with both the population size served and the availability of specialized laboratory staff, indicating the need to strengthen primary health care accessibility and capacity.

Background: The Maternal and Child Health Handbook is a long-term health monitoring tool that records children’s health, immunization, and developmental stages from the prenatal period to age five. By using the MCH handbook together with parents and health workers, it is possible to increase health education for parents and prevent, and detect potential developmental delays in children at an early age. Aim: To detect the knowledge and attitudes toward family use of the MCH handbook Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using an analytical study using cross-sectional design and included a total of 373 parents and caregivers with children aged 1-4 in 4 districts of Ulaanbaatar city. When assessing knowledge, correct answers were scored and grouped. When assessing the attitude, the parents were scored based on whether they were recorded in the MCH handbook. To determine the relationship between influencing factors, a one-way logistic regression analysis was performed, which was considered statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval and p<0.05 and was performed using the SPSS 25 program. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 33.5±6.5. Reading and keeping a handbook completely (p=0.0001) was statistically significantly related to improving knowledge (p=0.0001). In studying the factors affecting handbook records, the following were statistically significant: gestational age (OR=0.956, 95% CI [0.923, 0.990]), number of births (OR=1.206, 95% CI [1.002, 1.452]). Factor influencing knowledge about the notebook is gestational age (OR=0.954, 95% CI [0.918, 0.992]). Conclusions The factor influencing knowledge about the health notebook of children under five years of age were gestational age (p=0.017). The factors influencing the maintenance of the notebook were gestational age (p=0.011), number of births (p=0.048), and whether the notebook was read completely (p=0.008).