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Article History

Received: 27 November 2024

Accepted: 20 January 2025

First Online: 10 February 2025

Declarations

:

: Approval for the study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Nursing, El Minia University, Egypt (REC202471). In addition, permission was secured from the directors of the participating clinics after a thorough explanation of the study’s objectives. The research was conducted in full accordance with the ethical standards outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki, ensuring the protection of participants’ rights and well-being. Before participation, all individuals were provided with a clear, detailed explanation of the study’s aims, and written informed consent was obtained. Special care was taken to ensure that participants, particularly elderly individuals, understood the study procedures, with research assistants available to clarify any questions. For participants with potential cognitive impairments, additional safeguards were implemented. If needed, caregivers or family members were involved in the consent process to ensure that participants were capable of making informed decisions. To protect participants’ privacy, all data were handled with the strictest confidentiality. Personal identifiers were removed, and data were stored in a secure, password-protected system accessible only to the research team. For additional security, physical records were kept in locked cabinets. Participants were also made fully aware of their right to withdraw from the study at any point without facing any consequences. These measures were designed to ensure ethical compliance, safeguard participant privacy, and provide protection for those in vulnerable groups, such as the elderly.

: Not applicable.

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: Not applicable.