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Open research questions in Health and Well-being Studies

191 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,797 Health and Well-being Studies papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Further longitudinal research is warranted to evaluate the long-term feasibility and effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in this population.

    Association Between Healthy Lifestyle and Cognitive Function in Middle-Aged and Older Adults · 2025 · DOI

  • Future longitudinal and qualitative studies are warranted to guide the design of tailored and culturally appropriate interventions.

    Predicting the relationship of general self-efficacy and quality of life of the older adults with physical/mobility disabilities: a cross-sectional study in Northern Iran · 2025 · DOI

  • Depression among nursing students is an ongoing issue, yet little is known about the relationship between depression and its risk factors among nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

    Prevalence and Associations of Depression among Saudi College Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study · 2024 · DOI

  • Limited research has been done on the interconnections between happiness, sleep, and self-care in older adults.

    Happiness, sleep quality, and self-care ability among community-dwelling older adults in Tehran, 2023 · 2024 · DOI

  • The need for culturally responsive and clinically practical menopause care within primary healthcare settings. The lack of understanding of menopause-specific quality of life among naturally postmenopausal women in Saudi Arabia.

    Quality of life and associated factors among naturally postmenopausal women in Arar Saudi Arabia · 2026 · DOI

  • In view of the descriptive cross-sectional design and convenience- based recruitment of the present study, three concise recommendations directly supported by the findings are proposed: (i) integrate routine MENQOL-based symptom assessment into primary healthcare visits for midlife and postmenopausal women; (ii) develop culturally appropriate, Arabic-language educational resources that address the sexual, psychosocial, and lifestyle aspects of menopause; ARTICLE IN PRESS ARTICLE IN PRESS ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT and (iii) conduct longitudinal and population-based studies to clarify temporal relationships between reproductive timing, chronic disease, symptom burden, and quality of life, complemented by qualitative research exploring how cultural beliefs and gender norms shape menopausal experiences among Saudi women.

    Quality of life and associated factors among naturally postmenopausal women in Arar Saudi Arabia · 2026 · DOI

  • The study notes that the use of self-reported data may affect the reliability of the results. The study suggests that future studies could use experimental or objective data to cross-validate the findings. The study notes that there are differences in exercise programs and habits among older adults, which could be a challenge for future studies.

    The mediating role of physical exercise on subjective wellbeing in older adults · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which physical exercise influences subjective well-being in older adults. Prior studies have not fully explored the mediating effects of perceived social support, physical health, and mental health.

    The mediating role of physical exercise on subjective wellbeing in older adults · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on mental health in medical students. Prior studies have not used standardized psychodiagnostic methods to assess mental health.

    COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF MENTAL HEALTH IN MEDICAL STUDENTS USING MEASURES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, PERCEIVED STRESS AND EMOTION REGULATION · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a scarcity of local studies exploring how Pakistani nursing students manage academic stress. Most research on this topic has been conducted in Western countries.

    ASSESSMENT OF ACADEMIC STRESS COPING STRATEGIES AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN PRIVATE NURSING INSTITUTES OF KARACHI, PAKISTAN · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should focus on developing supportive relationships, educational programs available for mental health, and flexible policies. Further studies should investigate the impact of academic stress on students' physical health.

    ACADEMIC STRESS IN THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING · 2026 · DOI

  • The gap in the current research is the lack of understanding of the impact of academic stress on students' psychological well-being. The paper aims to fill this gap by studying academic stress and its consequences.

    ACADEMIC STRESS IN THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING · 2026 · DOI

  • Longitudinal studies should be further explored along with the consideration of diverse populations. Further exploration of the positive consequences of academic stress is needed.

    TITLE: ACADEMIC STRESS AND ITS EFFECT ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited investigation into the benefits of moderate stress. Limited longitudinal studies have been conducted, focusing more on immediate implications rather than the long-term effect.

    TITLE: ACADEMIC STRESS AND ITS EFFECT ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a limited sample size. The study was conducted at a single university. The analysis of social aptitudes is complex and may not be generalizable to all populations.

    Association between social skills and academic stress among first-year undergraduate medical students · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the association between academic stress and social skills among first-year undergraduate medical students. Prior studies have focused on the prevalence of stress among medical students, but not on the relationship between stress and social skills.

    Association between social skills and academic stress among first-year undergraduate medical students · 2026 · DOI

  • The majority of studies reported positive impacts of Islamic interventions in Muslim- majority settings, suggesting the potential for their broader application in other set- tings where religion is central to daily life. Nevertheless, future researchers should compare the involvement of Islamic principles in care for older people across differ- ent Muslim-majority countries and Muslim-minority communities worldwide. This can highlight variations and commonalities in practices and help identify culturally relevant care strategies. These results also illustrate how a healthcare provider should be considerate of the spiritual dimensions of care when addressing chronic conditions like hypertension. For Muslim older people, the integration of religious/Islamic practices into health treatment might increase adherence to health recommendations and improve the over- all outcomes. However, since the findings came primarily from quasi-experimental studies, further research is needed to explore these topics more comprehensively and provide stronger evidence. The existing research largely focuses on the perspectives of older people, with limited exploration of the views of healthcare providers (such as nurses) on incorporating spiritual dimensions of care when managing chronic con- ditions. Expanding the research to include diverse perspectives, especially those of healthcare providers from various cultural backgrounds, could significantly enhance the understanding of spiritual care when treating chronic conditions. Further research is also needed on other chronic conditions common in older people, such as arthri- tis, gout, osteoporosis, and kidney disease, with a focus on Islamic involvement or Islamic-based interventions. An insufficient number of robust studies have been conducted on the specific aspect of how Islamic tenets and practices affect older people’s health and well-being, espe- cially in caregiving settings. A critical aspect that remains under-researched is the unique experiences of those responsible for caring for older people while adhering to Islamic principles. These caregivers often face complex challenges, such as bal- ancing religious obligations, managing caregiving responsibilities, and coping with the emotional and physical burdens of their role. The stress they experience might be intensified by the demands of observing religious practices, such as maintaining the dignity of older people according to Islamic teachings, ensuring appropriate gen- der dynamics in caregiving, as well as following dietary and medical practices pre- scribed by Islam. Further exploration of these issues is essential to develop culturally sensitive support systems and strategies. Therefore, future research should provide insights into how Islamic principles shape caregiving experiences, the ultimate goal being to improve caregiver well-being and the overall quality of care for older people in Muslim communities. Since this systematic literature review only included studies published in English, it may have omitted relevant studies on Islamic contributions to the health of older people, particularly those in unpublished works or reports in other languages. Ageing International (2026) 51:31 3 Page 13 of 17 3 Consequently, the findings of this review might not fully capture the complete range of available evidence. Future systematic literature reviews should aim to include studies published in other languages, particularly Arabic and those commonly used in regions with significant Islamic populations, to capture a broader spectrum of evidence. Although the search was expanded to include studies published between 2010 and 2024 to capture the perspectives of Islam’s contributions to the physical and mental health of older people, relevant studies published before 2010 may have been unintentionally excluded. This limitation may result in an incomplete representation of foundational or earlier scholarly work on the research area. Future studies may benefit from a broader search strategy to ensure a more comprehensive understanding.

    Exploring the Contributions of Islamic Beliefs and Practices to the Physical and Mental Health of Older People: A Systematic Literature Review · 2026 · DOI

  • The study has a cross-sectional design, which may not capture longitudinal effects. The study suggests that future research should consider conducting longitudinal studies.

    Autonomy, Sociocultural Reform and Depression Among Saudi Women: Moderating Effects of Driving Status, Age, Marital Status and Social Support in The Post-2018 Era · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to investigate the impact of socioeconomic status and mental health history on depression among Saudi women. The study identifies a gap in understanding how gendered autonomy and social relations shape women’s mental health.

    Autonomy, Sociocultural Reform and Depression Among Saudi Women: Moderating Effects of Driving Status, Age, Marital Status and Social Support in The Post-2018 Era · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to validate the Persian version of the SASS-14 scale. There is a lack of studies on the psychometric properties of the SASS-14 in Iranian society.

    Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Self-care Activities Screening Scale: A Validation Study · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should investigate the causal relationship between metacognition and mental health among medical students. Future research should develop and evaluate interventions to improve medical students' mental health. Future research should explore the use of metacognitive training programs to improve medical students' mental health.

    Exploring the relationship between mental health and metacognition among medical students: Implications for educational practice · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should explore how various dimensions of academic performance − including grades and overall success − interact with mental health outcomes to elucidate potential causal pathways. Notably, the impact of preferred learning styles on academic achievement and self- regulation remains insufficiently understood.

    Exploring the relationship between mental health and metacognition among medical students: Implications for educational practice · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to estimate the prevalence of loneliness amongst medical students. There is a need to identify factors associated with loneliness among medical students.

    The prevalence of loneliness amongst medical students a systematic review and meta-analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the concept of quality of life in the context of mental health. The paper aims to address this gap by discussing the concept of quality of life and its assessment.

    Psixi sağlamlıq və həyat keyfiyyəti · 2026 · DOI

  • The sample size is limited to 121 respondents. The study only examines students of two Ukrainian higher education institutions.

    CLINICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF DEPRESSIVE STATES IN STUDENT YOUTH: DIAGNOSIS AND SOCIAL-PEDAGOGICAL SUPPORT · 2026 · DOI

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191 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,797 Health and Well-being Studies papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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