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Article History

Received: 18 June 2025

Accepted: 14 September 2025

First Online: 7 October 2025

Declarations

:

: The study received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh (Approval No. FHLSREC/DIU/2024/SMIG-79). The approval explicitly permitted the use of disease surveillance records maintained by civil surgeon offices and city corporations for identifying and contacting eligible participants. Informed consent was obtained from all study participants prior to data collection. All participants were adults aged 18 years or older, and no minors were included in this study. Respondents were informed about the study’s objectives, data confidentiality, and their right to withdraw at any stage without consequences. During the initial phone call, participants were clearly informed that their contact details had been obtained from official government surveillance databases, and verbal consent was reconfirmed before sending the questionnaire. Data were anonymized to protect the privacy of participants. The study adhered to the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and ensured no coercion or exploitation of vulnerable groups.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.