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When Zach Sutton drives down the street in his Chrysler minivan, it’s hard to know if he’s coming or going.
The Detroit man drives Bak2Bak, his name for what he created when he welded the front ends of two vehicles together. The front half is an old 1993 Dodge Caravan, the back a 1991 Plymouth Voyager. Combined, they look like two conjoined vehicles that could drive in either direction.
The clincher: the front half vehicle was built in Canada, the latter in the U.S.
For Sutton, who works in the Detroit auto industry alongside Windsorites who cross the border, it’s an unexpected bit of vehicular diplomacy.
WATCH | Two-headed minivan heads through downtown Windsor:
‘BAK2BAK’ minivan turns heads in Windsor
Detroiter Zach Sutton speaks to CBC Windsor about his unique vehicle fashioned from two halves of ’90s minivans.
“It’s a model for what we could want to be, in a weird way,” said Sutton, after driving to Windsor to speak with CBC News.
“Working well together as brother and sister countries.”
Sutton crossed the border for the first time with his franken-car on Tuesday. No stranger to tinkering, the 29-year-old mechanical engineer is part of the Detroit Freakbike Experience, a group that builds bicycles using unexpected parts and designs.
Sutton hollowed out the trunk in the back half of the vehicle. Now it’s where he keeps his tools. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)
In addition to “crazy bike creations,” he does sewing, woodworking, metal working and “anything I can do with my hands.”
Sutton says he thought up building the vehicle with two front ends because he likes car projects, but they tend to be “a little insular, so I wanted something everyone could appreciate and understand.”
“Silliness and whimsy is something that’s universally appreciated.”
Sutton’s welded vehicle has vanity plates. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)
He built the vehicle over three days at the i3detroit community workshop in Ferndale, a maker space where people with engineering-oriented minds make creative projects. There, Sutton used a laser to split the vehicles in half.
When he put the two front pieces together, “they matched almost perfectly,” he said. “It was very satisfying.”
Bob Katovich, a fellow builder at the community workshop space and member of the Detroit Freakbike Experience, helped Sutton with the division.
“We had to remove everything from the inside and basically dismantle everything,” Katovich said. Once the vans were cut in half, “we had to figure out what to do with the back halves.” They loaded them onto a pickup truck, which was “kind of a surreal, ridiculous experience.”
Sutton removed everything from under the hood of the Voyager. Its headlights became the vehicle’s taillights. The steering on the rear vehicle is locked out, so it all drives like a regular vehicle. The fuel tank is in the Voyager’s engine bay.
Sutton says he made the vehicle over three days at a community workshop space in Ferndale. (Mike Evans/CBC)
There are only two-seat belts, Sutton says. Four people could fit into the vehicle off road, but it would be a tight fit.
At the border, he says, the passage was easy. The guards just asked him “the usual questions.”
When people see it, he says, they’re “either super confused” or “laugh and take pictures.”
“The second day I had it on the road, someone took it and put it on Instagram and it got millions of views,” he said.
“I didn’t really build it for anyone else except for me. I just wanted to drive around and have fun with it.“
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 31, 2025– Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, granted equity awards on Dec. 31, 2025 that were previously approved by the Compensation Committee of its Board of Directors under Sarepta’s 2024 Employment Commencement Incentive Plan, as a material inducement to employment to 10 individuals hired by Sarepta in the fourth quarter of 2025. The equity awards were approved in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The employees received in the aggregate 55,118 restricted stock units (“RSUs”). One-fourth of the RSUs will vest yearly on each anniversary of the Grant Date, such that the RSUs granted to each employee will be fully vested on the fourth anniversary of the Grant Date, in each case, subject to each such employee’s continued employment with Sarepta on such vesting date. Employees did not receive options to purchase shares of Sarepta’s common stock.
About Sarepta Therapeutics
Sarepta is on an urgent mission: engineer precision genetic medicine for rare diseases that devastate lives and cut futures short. We hold leadership positions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) and are building a robust portfolio of programs across muscle, central nervous system, and cardiac diseases. For more information, please visit www.sarepta.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook.
Internet Posting of Information
We routinely post information that may be important to investors in the ‘For Investors’ section of our website at www.sarepta.com. We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251231461456/en/
Several marijuana products sold by a single company to dispensaries across Colorado have potentially unsafe pesticides that exceed the legal limits, state health and business regulators said in a health advisory on Wednesday.
Vapes and infused pre-rolled marijuana produced by CC Brands, LLC, doing business as “Stash House CO,” have been voluntarily recalled, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, but the affected batches were produced between Feb. 27 and Dec. 11, 2025, and are sold in 295 stores across the state, those agencies said.
Those stores span almost every corner of the state and include around 75 stores in Denver, 55 in Colorado Springs, 11 in Aurora, nine in Fort Collins, seven in Boulder, and are sold in popular dispensary chains like Native Roots, The Green Solution, Star Buds, Green Dragon, and Igadi.
A full list of these stores can be found here.
Reached by phone, a representative for CC Brands, LLC, said there are no longer impacted batches of the products on shelves. Every batch was pulled from shelves within the last two weeks or so, he said.
Anyone who does have those vapes or pre-rolls from the affected batch numbers, however, is urged to return them to the store where they were purchased or dispose of them, the state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division said. Those batch numbers are as follows:
Contaminated Production Batches:
Potentially Contaminated Production Batches:
1340
1341
1342
1343
1348
1352
1355
1375
“Individuals who experience adverse health effects after consuming the affected product should seek medical attention immediately and report the event to the MED by submitting an MED Reporting Form,” the state’s health advisory reads.
The tested batches found levels beyond the regulatory limits of the chemicals chlorfenapyr and fluopyram.
Marijuana products have been recalled in Colorado for various reasons before, and in 2015, there were at least two recalls due to pesticides — one in September of that year and one in October — although other recalls have been due to yeast and mold, among other reasons. You can see a full list of marijuana health and safety advisories here.
LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil prices fell on Wednesday and recorded an annual loss of nearly 20%, as expectations of oversupply increased in a year marked by wars, higher tariffs, increased OPEC+ output and sanctions on Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
Brent crude futures shed about 19% in 2025, the most substantial annual percentage decline since 2020 and its third straight year of losses, the longest such streak on record. US West Texas Intermediate crude logged an annual decline of almost 20%.
On the last day of the year, Brent futures settled at $60.85 a barrel, down 48 cents, or 0.8%. US WTI crude fell by 53 cents, or 0.9%, to settle at $57.42 a barrel.
BNP Paribas commodities analyst Jason Ying anticipates Brent will dip to $55 a barrel in the first quarter before recovering to $60 a barrel for the rest of 2026 as supply growth normalises and demand stays flat.
“The reason why we’re more bearish than the market in the near term is that we think that US shale producers were able to hedge at high levels,” he said.
“So the supply from shale producers will be more consistent and insensitive to price movements.”
US crude stocks fell last week, but distillate and gasoline inventories grew more than expected, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration.
“It was a modestly supportive report on crude drawdown, but the inners of the report are not so great and it will probably be a rough January and February with the holidays in the rearview mirror,” said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital Markets.
Crude inventories fell by 1.9 million barrels to 422.9 million barrels in the week ended December 26, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for an 867,000-barrel draw.
US gasoline stocks rose by 5.8 million barrels in the week to 234.3 million barrels, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations for a 1.9 million-barrel build. Distillate stockpiles, including diesel and heating oil, rose by 5 million barrels to 123.7 million barrels, versus projections of a 2.2 million-barrel rise.
Oil production in the US hit a record in October, according to the latest data from the EIA.
Oil markets had a strong start to 2025 when former President Joe Biden ended his term by imposing tougher sanctions on Russia, disrupting supplies to major buyers China and India.
The impact of the war in Ukraine on energy markets intensified when Ukrainian drones damaged Russian infrastructure and disrupted Kazakhstan’s oil exports.
The 12-day Iran-Israel conflict in June added to the threats to supply by disrupting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global seaborne oil, which fanned oil prices.
In recent weeks, OPEC’s biggest producers, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have become locked in a crisis over Yemen. US President Donald Trump has ordered a blockade on Venezuelan oil exports and threatened another strike on Iran.
OPEC+ ACCELERATED OUTPUT INCREASES
But prices eased after OPEC+ accelerated its output increases this year and as concerns about the impact of US tariffs weighed on global economic and fuel demand growth.
OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allied producing nations, paused oil output hikes for the first quarter of 2026 after releasing some 2.9 million barrels per day into the market since April. The next OPEC+ meeting is on January 4.
Most analysts expect supply to exceed demand next year, with estimates ranging from the International Energy Agency’s 3.84 million barrels per day to Goldman Sachs’ 2 million bpd.
“If the price really has a substantial fall, I would imagine you will see some cuts (from OPEC+),” said Martijn Rats, Morgan Stanley’s global oil strategist. “But it probably does need to fall quite a bit further from here on – maybe in the low $50s.”
“If today’s price simply prevails, after the pause in Q1, they’ll probably continue to unwind these cuts.”
John Driscoll, managing director of consultancy JTD Energy, expects geopolitical risks to support oil prices even though market fundamentals point to oversupply.
“Everybody’s saying it’ll get weaker into 2026 and even beyond,” he said. “But I wouldn’t ignore the geopolitics, and the Trump factor is going to be playing out because he wants to be involved in everything.”
CINCINNATI, Dec. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) (“First Financial” or the “Company”) announced today that, on January 1, 2026, it will close its previously announced acquisition of Chicago-based BankFinancial Corporation (“BankFinancial”) through an all-stock transaction, expanding First Financial’s presence in the Chicago market with its first retail consumer-focused locations.
First Financial Bancorp. Announces the Completion of its Acquisition of BankFinancial (PRNewsfoto/First Financial Bancorp.)
First Financial adds BankFinancial’s strong core deposit franchise, with 18 financial centers in the area, plus its regional and national commercial loan, lease and deposit lines of business. With the completion of this acquisition, First Financial will now have $22 billion in assets and offer an even broader range of consumer, commercial, specialty lending and wealth management services.
“Expanding our presence in Chicago presents us with significant opportunities for growth and profitability because of the many solutions we can bring to new and existing clients in this market,” said Archie Brown, president and chief executive officer of First Financial Bank. “First Financial exists to create opportunities to help our clients and communities thrive, and we look forward to the impact we can have with this approach in Chicago.”
BankFinancial locations will continue to operate under the name “BankFinancial” until the completion of the conversion process, anticipated in June 2026, which will consolidate the two banks’ products, processes and operating systems. BankFinancial clients will receive detailed information about account conversions in the coming months. Until then, BankFinancial clients do not need to take any action and can continue to obtain services from their existing BankFinancial channels. First Financial clients will not be impacted by the merger or the conversion.
This acquisition continues First Financial’s recent growth in the Midwest. In 2023, First Financial added a commercial lending presence in Chicago’s Fulton Market, and it acquired Lincolnshire-based Agile Premium Finance in 2024. In November 2025, First Financial announced the closing of its Westfield Bank acquisition, expanding its existing commercial banking and wealth management capabilities in Northeast Ohio. First Financial also recently added a commercial banking presence in Grand Rapids, Michigan. These growth areas build upon the bank’s Midwestern foundation, which includes Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus and Northeast Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky.
About First Financial Bancorp. First Financial Bancorp. is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based bank holding company. As of September 30, 2025, the Company had $18.6 billion in assets, $11.7 billion in loans, $14.4 billion in deposits and $2.6 billion in shareholders’ equity. The Company’s subsidiary, First Financial Bank, founded in 1863, provides banking and financial services products through its six lines of business: Commercial, Retail Banking, Investment Commercial Real Estate, Mortgage Banking, Commercial Finance and Wealth Management. These business units provide traditional banking services to business and retail clients. Wealth Management provides wealth planning, portfolio management, trust and estate, brokerage and retirement plan services and had approximately $4.0 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025. The Company operated 127 full service banking centers as of September 30, 2025, located in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, while the Commercial Finance business lends into targeted industry verticals on a nationwide basis. In 2025, First Financial Bank received its second consecutive Outstanding rating from the Federal Reserve for its performance under the Community Reinvestment Act and was recognized as a Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award winner, one of only 70 Gallup clients worldwide to receive this designation. Additional information about the Company, including its products, services and banking locations, is available at www.bankatfirst.com.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this communication that are not statements of historical fact constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, certain plans, expectations, goals, projections and benefits relating to the BankFinancial merger, which are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “likely,” “expected,” “estimated,” “intends” and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Please refer to First Financial’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as well as its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), for a more detailed discussion of risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead express only management’s beliefs regarding future results or events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the management’s control. It is possible that actual results and outcomes will differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results or outcomes indicated in these forward-looking statements. In addition to factors previously disclosed in reports filed by First Financial with the SEC, risks and uncertainties for First Financial include, but are not limited to, the failure to satisfy conditions to completion of the Merger, including receipt of any other approvals or stop orders or the failure of the Merger to close for any other reason. All forward-looking statements included in this filing are made as of the date hereof and are based on information available at the time of the filing. Except as required by law, First Financial does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
While digital health technologies are powerful tools for addressing health inequities in humanitarian settings, their effectiveness depends on the digital capabilities of marginalized and underserved populations. As the global forced displacement crisis intensifies, with over 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide [], understanding how digital health literacy (DHL) influences health outcomes has emerged as a critical priority for advancing global health equity [-]. For displaced persons, barriers to health care access are compounded by digital divides, with effective sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service development and implementation remaining particularly challenging because of cultural barriers, stigma, and limited service availability [-]. Leveraging digital health technologies to address both sexual health service inequities and digital divides represents a key opportunity to enhance the awareness of and access to sexual health products and services among marginalized and underserved populations.
Digital technologies, such as mobile phones, texting apps, and phone-based social media apps, have demonstrated increasing potential to address health disparities [,], particularly concerning poor sexual health outcomes among displaced youth living in informal urban settlements [,]. These technologies not only serve as essential tools for adolescent socialization [-] but also provide effective, affordable, and private delivery channels for sexual health services, particularly for youth [,,], including displaced youth living in informal urban settlements who face stigma and discrimination [,-].
Interventions promoting DHL are critical for increasing the reach, accessibility, engagement, and effectiveness of digital health tools, particularly among marginalized and underserved youth. DHL, a concept that evolved from eHealth (ie, a medical and public health practice supported by a web-based platform) [], is widely defined as the ability to find, understand, and apply eHealth information to address or solve a health issue [,]. Studies spanning distinct contexts have demonstrated the effectiveness of DHL in promoting various physical and sexual health outcomes among marginalized and underserved populations. For example, a digital health intervention (conducted in 2012) delivered to 118 persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States led to increased knowledge about adherence barriers, behavioral skills (eg, scheduling medications with other daily activities), and medication misconceptions []. Similarly, a cross-sectional study of 2300 Chinese adults aged ≥60 years found that DHL was positively associated with health-promoting behaviors, which were in turn associated with improved health-related quality of life [].
In Uganda, DHL interventions have shown promise. For instance, an intervention study (conducted in 2017) in rural Uganda involving 385 persons living with HIV found that a patient-centered SMS text messaging app improved retention in care and appointment attendance []. More recently, studies among urban refugees in Uganda found that WhatsApp (Meta) delivered interventions increased COVID-19 prevention []. In addition, combining HIV self-testing with 2-way text messaging enhanced HIV status knowledge [], and virtual reality tools supported mental health promotion among urban refugee youth in Kampala []. However, as several studies have noted, the capacity to use digital technologies may be as important to health outcomes as technology availability. For example, a study of 445 urban refugee youth (age group of 16-24 years) living in Kampala’s informal settlements found that higher DHL was associated with greater resilience and lower levels of depression []. Scoping reviews aimed at assessing DHL interventions for forced migrant populations are underway, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive and enabling environments to facilitate access to eHealth resources [].
Despite the growing evidence, few studies have examined the link between DHL and sexual health outcomes among displaced youth living in informal urban settlements in Africa. Thus, if DHL and digital interventions are to equitably support access to sexual health products and services, it is critical to explore gender-based differences in DHL and related outcomes. Existing studies examining gender-based variations in DHL have primarily focused on older adults and have yielded inconsistent findings [,,]. In contrast, a study conducted in China found that, on average, men’s DHL was higher than women’s []. These inconsistent findings, coupled with the lack of evidence on DHL gender variations among displaced youth (whether living in East and Southern Africa or not) living in informal urban settlements, emphasize the urgent need for more research to better inform tailored interventions for this population.
Theory and This Study
To explore the relationship between DHL and sexual health outcomes among urban displaced youth, this study leverages insights from social cognitive theory (SCT) []. SCT posits that human behavior results from interactions among personal, behavioral, and environmental factors. In the context of DHL, this interplay can elucidate how urban displaced youth navigate online health information environments to achieve positive sexual health outcomes. A key SCT construct, self-efficacy, refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to perform specific actions []. Self-efficacy helps explain why individuals adopt and sustain healthy behaviors despite challenges. For displaced youth, DHL self-efficacy may determine how effectively they seek, interpret, and act upon digital sexual health information. SCT enables researchers to examine how personal factors (digital self-efficacy), environmental factors (gender norms and information ecosystems), and behavioral factors (information-seeking actions) interact to shape sexual health awareness and access.
Guided by SCT, this study has two aims: (1) to identify distinct DHL profiles among displaced youth and (2) to assess how these profiles are associated with awareness of and access to sexual health products and services, while accounting for gender differences. These aims recognize that while technology offers rapid and private access to health information, adolescents often face functional and interpersonal challenges in effectively using online health resources. The findings will enhance the available evidence regarding DHL’s specific impact on urban displaced youth and informal settlement residents while highlighting the need for targeted interventions that leverage digital technologies to enhance health literacy and equity, ultimately addressing DHL disparities (gender-based or otherwise).
Methods
Participants
Between January and March 2018, we conducted a community-based cross-sectional survey of 445 displaced youth living in informal urban settlements in Kampala, Uganda. Community partners included refugee agencies (Interaid Uganda, Young Africans for Integral Development [YARID], and Tomorrow Vijana) and Ugandan government agencies (Uganda AIDS Control Program and Ministry of Health). To participate in the study, youth were required to (1) be in the age group of 16-24 years; (2) self-identify as a refugee or displaced person or have refugee or displaced parents; (3) reside in one of the five informal urban settlements in Kampala (Kabalagala, Kansanga, Katwe, Rubaga, or Nsambya); and (4) be able to provide informed consent.
Recruitment and Data Collection Procedures
Twelve peer research assistants who self-identified as refugee or displaced adolescent girls and young women (aged 18-24 years) were trained on methods for recruiting participants, including ensuring confidentiality and administering the tablet-based survey. Participants (N=445) were recruited through peer-network sampling, a nonprobability strategy effective for engaging marginalized and underserved populations, such as displaced youth, in research. Initial participants (“seeds”), young women aged 16-24 years with strong social ties in displaced communities and diverse backgrounds (eg, socioeconomic status and education level), received study coupons and were invited to recruit 1-5 individuals from their networks. Recruited individuals could, in turn, invite 2-5 others, continuing until the sample target was reached. Peer research assistants administered tablet-based surveys in English or Swahili in locations chosen by the participants. Respondents received an honorarium of UGX 12,500 (approximately US $3.72) for completing a 35-45-minute survey.
Trained social workers were present to respond to any participant distress, and no adverse incidents were reported. All participants received a handout with psychosocial resources, and peer research assistants provided further information about Kampala’s violence prevention and response resources, including information on mental health support and postexposure prophylaxis.
Measures
Outcome Variables: Awareness of and Access to Sexual Health Products and Services
We assessed participants’ (1) awareness of sexual health products and services and (2) access to sexual health products and services in the past 3 months. The products and services included SRH information, condom use training, external condoms, HIV testing, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing were also measured. We measured awareness of sexual health products and services with a dichotomous question:
Are you aware of where to get (1) SRH information, (2) training on condom use, (3) external condoms, (4) HIV testing and (5) STI testing near where you live?
Access to sexual health products and services was measured using a dichotomous question:
Have you accessed (1) SRH information, (2) training on condom use, (3) external condoms, (4) HIV testing and (5) STI testing in the last 3 months?
The responses for the above questions were binary, that is, yes=1 and no=0.
Independent Variable: DHL
DHL was measured using the eHealth Literacy Scale [] and validated by Okumu et al [] among a sample of displaced Ugandan youth, with a Cronbach α of 0.98. This scale is an 8-item instrument designed to evaluate participants’ combined knowledge of, comfort with, and perceived ability to find, evaluate, and apply digital health information to address health problems. Scale items include statements such as, “I know what health resources are available on the Internet” and “I feel confident in using information from the Internet to make health decisions.” These items collectively evaluate the respondents’ awareness of available health resources, their ability to locate and use these resources, and their confidence in discerning the quality of the information found. The 8 items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), and were used to identify the digital capabilities of young people using latent class analysis.
Sociodemographic variables included age (continuous), gender (binary; men or women), education level (categorical: no education, below secondary, secondary, and tertiary), employment status (categorical: employed, unemployed, and student), time in Uganda (categorical: <1 year to >5 years), and relationship status (categorical: no relationship, dating one partner or married, and casual dating or multiple partners).
Data Analysis
We first conducted descriptive analyses of all variables to determine the frequencies and proportions for categorical variables and the means and SDs for continuous variables. To address the first aim, identifying distinct DHL profiles, we performed latent profile analysis using maximum likelihood. Following best practices, we started with a 1-class solution and iteratively tested models with additional classes. Model fit was evaluated using the Akaike information criterion (AIC; []), Bayesian information criterion (BIC; []), and BIC value adjusted for sample size (ABIC; []). As BIC is the most reliable of these information criterion indices, with lower BIC values indicating a good model fit, we assessed the sensitivity of BIC scores across models. We also calculated an entropy score for each model to determine how well the indicators represented class membership, with higher entropy scores (ie, closer to 1) indicating better class representation []. In determining the optimal number of classes, we also sought to ensure that no profile contained a disproportionately small number of participants (ie, less than 5% of all respondents). Finally, we ensured that the pattern of results for each profile made theoretical sense [] by inspecting the mean score for each variable.
To address the second aim, we used the multivariate probit technique to simultaneously estimate participants’ probability of gaining awareness of all 5 sexual health products and services (ie, SRH information, condom use training, external condoms, HIV testing, and STI testing) conditioned on the same set of explanatory variables. We used the same method to estimate each participant’s probability of accessing all 5 sexual health products and services. We used the multivariate probit model in our analysis because we assumed that an individual’s awareness of and access to a set of sexual health products and services were not mutually exclusive but usually occur simultaneously in practice. We then calculated the marginal effects in percentage points for each association.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical approval was granted by the University of Toronto (#35,405), Toronto, Ontario, and the Ministry of Health of Uganda (ADM: 105/261/01). The study was authorized by the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda. All participants provided electronic informed consent before enrollment. Data security and confidentiality for the tablet-based surveys were ensured through the automatic encryption of all collected data and daily uploads to a password-protected project server using Secure Sockets Layer. Participants were assigned unique case IDs, and no personally identifiable information was stored with the study data. These procedures were consistent with institutional data protection guidelines and ethics approvals
Results
Sample Characteristics
As shown in , over half of the participants were adolescents (243/445, 54.61%) aged 16-19 years. More than two thirds of the participants identified as women (333/445, 74.83%), and approximately 47.42% (211/445) had completed secondary education. For digital technologies, most participants owned and used mobile phones (331/445, 74.4%), sent an average of 3.46 (SD 1.93) texts per day, and used an average of 3.07 (SD 1.90) mobile apps (eg, Facebook [Meta], WhatsApp [Meta], and email) concurrently.
Sexual Health Equity Among Displaced Youth Living in the Informal Settlements of Kampala, Uganda
As illustrated in shows the discrepancies between participants’ awareness and 3-month access to sexual health products and services (ie, SRH, condom use training, external condoms, STI, and HIV testing). For instance, 29.1% (129/444) of participants reported awareness of how to access SRH information, but only 14% (62/444) reported actually accessing SRH information. Regarding condom use training, 15.3% (68/444) reported awareness of where to access the training, whereas only 5.6% (25/444) reported accessing the training. For testing, 47.5% (211/444) reported that they were aware of where to access HIV testing, but only 25.9% (115/444) reported accessing HIV testing services. Similarly, 23.6% (105/444) reported awareness of how to access STI testing, and only 11.9% (53/444) reported accessing STI testing in the previous 3 months.
Table 1. Sexual health equity outcomes among displaced youth in the slums of Kampala, Uganda (N=444).
Outcome
Having awareness, n (%)
Not having awareness, n (%)
Having access, n (%)
Not having access, n (%)
SRH information
129 (29.1)
315 (70.9)
62 (14)
382 (86)
Condom use training
68 (15.3)
376 (84.7)
25 (5.6)
419 (94.4)
External condoms
245 (55.1)
200 (44.9)
109 (24.5)
336 (75.5)
HIV testing
211 (47.5)
233 (74.1)
115 (25.9)
329 (74.1)
STI testing
105 (23.6)
339 (76.4)
53 (11.9)
391 (88.1)
Four-Class Solution for DHL
To answer our first question, we conducted a latent profile analysis and compared the model fit indices, number of parameters, and classification errors for models with 1-6 clusters (). BIC and AIC values continued to decrease as the number of classes (K) increased; however, this improvement was progressively smaller after 3 classes (). Based on the interpretability of the latent profiles, the reduction in class size beyond K=4, and parsimony, the 4-class model was selected as the optimal class structure. The 4-cluster model’s entropy value was 0.98.
Figure 1. Digital health literacy profiles among displaced youth in informal urban settlements of Kampala, Uganda (N=444).
Class 1, named the low DHL group (51/444, 11.46%), exhibited low levels for all 8 indicators (). Class 2 was named the moderate DHL group (99/444, 22.25%). Class 3 was named the high DHL group (138/444, 31.01%). The final, class 4, was named the very high DHL group (157/444, 35.28%), because it exhibited high values for all 8 indicators.
Digital Health Literacy’s Association With Awareness of Sexual Health Products and Services
shows the association between DHL and awareness of where to access sexual health products and services. In respective terms, respondents with moderate and very high DHL have 21% and 23% higher probabilities of being aware of where to access HIV testing services than those with low DHL. Moreover, a person with very high DHL has a 23% higher probability of being aware of where to access condom use training and a 19% higher probability of being aware of where to access external condoms compared to someone with low DHL.
Table 2. Digital health literacy and awareness of sexual health products and services (main model: N=444).
Variable
SRHa information
Condom use training
External condoms
STIb testing
HIV testing
Digital health literacy (base: low), marginal effect (SE)
Moderate
–0.01 (0.08)
0.10 (0.06)
0.00 (0.07)
0.07 (0.08)
0.2c (0.09)
High
–0.04 (0.07)
0.05 (0.06)
0.11 (0.06)
0.03 (0.07)
0.15 (0.08)
Very high
0.10 (0.08)
0.23d (0.06)
0.19d (0.07)
0.10 (0.08)
0.23d (0.09)
Women, marginal effect (SE)
–0.15d (0.05)
–0.25d (0.04)
–0.37d (0.04)
0.00 (0.05)
–0.10e (0.05)
Age, marginal effect (SE)
0.04d (0.01)
0.02d (0.01)
0.06d (0.01)
0.08d (0.01)
0.02e (0.01)
Dating, marginal effect (SE)
–0.01 (0.05)
0.04 (0.04)
0.19d (0.05)
–0.01 (0.05)
0.07 (0.06)
Mobile phone ownership, marginal effect (SE)
–0.05 (0.06)
–0.09e (0.04)
0.06 (0.05)
0.02 (0.06)
–0.00 (0.06)
Economic insecurity, marginal effect (SE)
–0.05 (0.05)
–0.04 (0.04)
–0.01 (0.04)
0.06 (0.05)
0.07 (0.05)
Time in Uganda (base: <1 year), marginal effect (SE)
Between 1-5 years
–0.03 (0.08)
0.06 (0.06)
0.20d (0.07)
0.14c (0.08)
0.18e (0.08)
More than 5 years
–0.06 (0.08)
0.11c (0.06)
0.10 (0.07)
0.12 (0.08)
0.16c (0.09)
Education (base: tertiary), marginal effect (SE)
No education
0.07 (0.10)
0.09 (0.08)
0.25d (0.09)
0.36d (0.11)
0.17 (0.11)
Below secondary
–0.02 (0.08)
0.04 (0.06)
–0.02 (0.07)
0.16e (0.08)
–0.24d (0.08)
Secondary level
–0.02 (0.07)
0.03 (0.05)
0.10c (0.06)
0.00 (0.07)
–0.08 (0.07)
Observations, n
444
444
444
444
444
aSRH: sexual and reproductive health.
bSTI: sexually transmitted infection.
cP<.050.
dP<.001
eP<.010.
Gender-Based Analysis
Compared to a man with low DHL, a man with very high DHL has a 46% higher probability of being aware of SRH information and a 40% higher probability of being aware of available condom use training (see Panel A, ). Compared to a woman with low DHL, a woman with very high DHL has a 12% higher probability of being aware of available condom use training and a 22% higher probability of being aware of HIV testing service locations. Furthermore, compared to women with low DHL, women with high and very high DHL have a 20% and 34% higher probability, respectively, of being aware of the availability of external condoms (see Panel B, ).
Table 3. Digital health literacy and awareness on how to access sexual health products and services by gender (N=444).
Variable
SRHa information
Condom use training
External condoms
STIb testing
HIV testing
Panel A: men sample
Digital health literacy (base=low), marginal effect (SE)
Moderate
0.26 (0.17)
0.23 (0.17)
–0.06 (0.10)
–0.06 (0.16)
0.23 (0.17)
High
0.30 (0.17)
0.05 (0.16)
–0.03 (0.10)
–0.19 (0.16)
0.30 (0.17)
Very high
0.46d (0.16)
0.40c (0.16)
–0.16 (0.09)
0.03 (0.15)
0.29 (0.16)
All other controls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Observations, n
112
112
112
112
112
Panel B: women sample
Digital health literacy (base=low), marginal effect (SE)
Moderate
–0.10 (0.09)
0.02 (0.06)
0.04 (0.09)
0.07 (0.09)
0.16 (0.11)
High
–0.14 (0.08)
0.02 (0.05)
0.20d (0.08)
0.06 (0.08)
0.10 (0.10)
Very high
–0.05 (0.09)
0.12c (0.06)
0.34d (0.09)
0.09 (0.09)
0.22c (0.10)
All other controls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Observations, n
332
332
332
332
332
aSRH: sexual and reproductive health.
bSTI: sexually transmitted infection.
cP<.050.
dP<.001.
eP<.010.
Digital Health Literacy’s Association With Recent Access of Sexual Health Products and Services
presents data on the relationship between DHL and recent access to sexual health products and services. Across the board, respondents with moderate and very high DHL had a 24% higher probability of accessing HIV testing than those with low DHL. Furthermore, participants with very high DHL had a 13% higher probability of having access to condom use training and a 14% higher probability of having access to external condoms compared to those with low DHL. Respondents with high DHL had, on average, a 14% lower probability of accessing SRH information than those with low DHL.
Table 4. Digital health literacy and recent access of sexual health products and services (main model: N=444).
Variable
SRHa information
Condom use training
External condoms
STIb testing
HIV testing
Digital health literacy (base: low), marginal effect (SE)
Moderate
–0.10 (0.06)
0.05 (0.04)
0.03 (0.07)
0.07 (0.08)
0.24c (0.11)
High
–0.14c (0.06)
0.07 (0.04)
0.10 (0.07)
0.03 (0.07)
0.09 (0.10)
Very high
–0.10 (0.06)
0.13d (0.04)
0.14c (0.07)
0.10 (0.08)
0.24c (0.10)
Women, marginal effect (SE)
0.01 (0.04)
–0.11d (0.03)
–0.17d (0.04)
0.00 (0.05)
0.12c (0.05)
Age, marginal effect (SE)
0.02c (0.01)
0.01c (0.01)
0.04d (0.01)
0.08d (0.01)
0.02 (0.01)
Dating, marginal effect (SE)
–0.03 (0.04)
0.01 (0.03)
0.16d (0.05)
–0.01 (0.05)
0.03 (0.05)
Mobile phone ownership, marginal effect (SE)
0.03 (0.04)
–0.11d (0.03)
–0.07 (0.05)
0.02 (0.06)
0.04 (0.06)
Economic insecurity, marginal effect (SE)
–0.06 (0.04)
–0.01 (0.02)
0.08c (0.04)
0.06 (0.05)
0.05 (0.05)
Time in Uganda (base: <1 year), marginal effect (SE)
Between 1-5 years
0.08 (0.06)
–0.01 (0.04)
0.15 (0.07)
0.14 (0.08)
0.14 (0.08)
More than 5 years
0.07 (0.07)
0.01 (0.04)
0.17 (0.07)
0.12 (0.08)
0.05 (0.08)
Education (base: tertiary), marginal effect (SE)
No education
0.10 (0.08)
0.13 (0.05)
0.06 (0.09)
0.36d (0.11)
0.30d (0.11)
Below secondary
0.02 (0.06)
0.06 (0.04)
0.08 (0.07)
0.16 (0.08)
–0.06 (0.08)
Secondary level
–0.01 (0.05)
0.04 (0.04)
0.15 (0.06)
0.00 (0.07)
0.00 (0.06)
Observations, n
444
444
444
444
444
aSRH: sexual and reproductive health.
bSTI: sexually transmitted infection.
cP<.050.
dP<.001.
eP<.010.
Gender-Based Analysis
Among men, those with very high DHL had a 28% higher probability of accessing condom use training compared to those with low DHL (Panel A, ). Compared with women with low DHL, those with moderate, high, and very high DHL had 17%, 19%, and 20% lower probabilities, respectively, of accessing SRH information (Panel B, ).
Table 5. Digital health literacy and recent access to sexual health products and services by gender (N=444).
Variable
SRHa information
Condom use training
External condoms
STIb testing
HIV testing
Panel A: men sample
Digital health literacy (base=low), marginal effect (SE)
Moderate
0.06 (0.13)
0.11 (0.12)
0.19 (0.17)
–0.06 (0.16)
0.06 (2.15)
High
–0.05 (0.13)
0.12 (0.12)
0.23 (0.17)
–0.19 (0.16)
1.00 (1.99)
Very high
0.09 (0.12)
0.28e (0.11)
0.28 (0.16)
0.03 (0.15)
1.15 (2.24)
All other controls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Observations, n
112
112
112
112
112
Panel B: women sample
Digital health literacy (base=low), marginal effect (SE)
Moderate
–0.17c (0.07)
0.01 (0.04)
–0.01 (0.08)
0.07 (0.09)
0.18 (0.13)
High
–0.19e (0.07)
0.02 (0.03)
0.05 (0.07)
0.06 (0.08)
–0.01 (0.13)
Very high
–0.20d (0.07)
0.05 (0.04)
0.08 (0.08)
0.09 (0.09)
0.15 (0.13)
All other controls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Observations, n
332
332
332
332
332
aSRH: sexual and reproductive health.
bSTI: sexually transmitted infection.
cP<.050.
dP<.001.
eP<.010.
Discussion
Principal Findings
This study produced multiple novel insights, revealing distinct DHL profiles and associations between DHL and awareness of and access to sexual health products and services. We also found gender-based differences in how DHL influences sexual health outcomes. These findings highlight the critical role of digital literacy as a social determinant of health in humanitarian contexts. Collectively, these findings highlight the need for contextualized, gender-specific interventions to advance digital determinants of sexual health equity among forcibly displaced populations.
We identified 4 distinct DHL profiles—low (11.5%), moderate (22.2%), high (31%), and very high (35.3%)—a significant finding that calls into question the applicability of a binary “digital divide” among displaced populations [,]. This finding is corroborated by Veinot et al [], who argued that digital inequality manifests across multiple domains of digital access, skills, and engagement. The relatively large proportion of respondents with high or very high DHL (295/444, 66.3%) challenges the assumption of deficit-oriented narratives about universally low digital literacy among displaced populations. More recent studies have documented considerable digital capabilities among urban displaced youth, who leverage digital tools to enhance their health agency despite structural barriers to connectivity [,,,,]. Our findings align with recent calls for more tailored DHL-related sexual health interventions [] by providing a precision-oriented approach to intervention programming matched to an individual’s or community’s DHL levels. For example, the 11.5% (51/444) of displaced youth in our sample who were classified as having low DHL will require intensive support focused on basic digital navigation skills, while those with moderate to high DHL may benefit from more specialized training focused on evaluating digital health information. This tailored approach adheres to and extends the World Health Organization’s (WHO) [] emphasis on the need for context-specific digital health interventions that account for, rather than presume, clients’ existing capabilities.
Our observed association between very high DHL and increased awareness of sexual health products and services, particularly condom use training, external condoms, and HIV testing, underscores the importance of digital literacy in increasing awareness to sexual health information for HIV prevention. Compared to respondents with low DHL, those with very high DHL demonstrated a 21%-23% higher probability of being aware of HIV testing services, highlighting the potential of digital sexual health interventions to address critical gaps in sexual health knowledge among displaced populations. This finding exemplifies what Bandura [] termed self-efficacy’s “knowledge acquisition function,” whereby stronger self-efficacy beliefs motivate an individual’s information-seeking behaviors and enhance their cognitive processing of health information. Indeed, a recent scoping review of 57 studies [] found that digital health interventions increased awareness of available health services among refugee populations. DHL likely enhances awareness of sexual health products and services by improving individuals’ ability to navigate online sexual health resources, assess the quality of sexual health information, and engage with digital sexual health platforms—skills that are critical for facilitating access to health information among displaced populations [].
We also observed gender-based differences in sexual health service awareness patterns, highlighting the inextricability of digital technologies from existing gender norms and information-seeking behaviors. Men with very high DHL reported greater awareness of SRH information and condom use training, whereas women with very high DHL reported greater awareness of condom use training, external condoms, and HIV testing. These patterns align with qualitative findings on sexual health literacy that refugee men and women (18-24 years) access sexual health information through different information ecologies, with men preferring peers, teachers, and online sources. In contrast, women increasingly rely on their parents for sexual health information []. Furthermore, distinct sexual health service awareness patterns may reflect gendered responsibilities for sexual health, with women often bearing greater responsibility for contraception and HIV prevention in heterosexual relationships [,,-,]. While high digital health literacy may enhance women’s self-efficacy, entrenched environmental constraints, such as restrictive gender norms, social surveillance, and limited autonomy in decision-making, can significantly inhibit the translation of knowledge into preventive behaviors. For example, even when young women are well-informed about condom use or HIV testing, cultural expectations surrounding female sexuality, fear of judgment, and partner disapproval may discourage them from acting on this knowledge [,,]. Indeed, Bandura’s [] SCT emphasizes that behavior is not solely a function of knowledge or personal agency but is also shaped by environmental enablers and barriers. These findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive digital sexual health interventions that address the reciprocal relationship between personal factors (digital self-efficacy), behavioral patterns (information seeking), and environmental influences (gender norms and information ecosystems) [,].
We also observed a disconnect between awareness of and the likelihood of accessing sexual health products and services, particularly among women with high digital health literacy. Specifically, respondents with very high DHL generally reported higher access to condom use training and external condoms than those with low DHL. However, gender-stratified analysis revealed that women with very high DHL were less likely to access SRH information than those with low DHL. The fact that women with very high DHL did not appear as likely as men with very high DHL to access sexual health products and services exemplifies how environmental constraints faced by refugee women—such as inequitable gender norms [,], mobility constraints [,], and adolescent SRH stigma [,,]—can prevent the translation of digital knowledge into service usage despite sufficient knowledge and skills [,]. Women refugees often face heightened vulnerability to cyber harassment and privacy violations [,]. A prior Ugandan study showed that men participated twice as much as women in an SMS text messaging–based HIV campaign []. Women are also disproportionately excluded from shaping digital system infrastructure, which could promote DHL and engagement with services []. From an SCT perspective, lower engagement stemming from privacy concerns illustrates how environmental threats can undermine the motivational effects of self-efficacy when individuals perceive the risks associated with service engagement as substantial []. This complex interplay between DHL and gender-specific constraints highlights the need for interventions that support technical skill development while considering the broader socioecological context in which these skills are applied. Thus, digital sexual health interventions focused solely on enhancing technical skills may inadvertently widen gender gaps unless they address the sociostructural constraints that disproportionately affect women.
Implications for Intervention and Policy
The findings of this study have multiple implications for designing theoretically grounded interventions aimed at enhancing DHL and promoting sexual health equity among displaced youth in Uganda.
First, we recommend co-designing digital health platforms with displaced communities to ensure that these tools are user-friendly, accessible, and relevant to their experiences []. This collaborative approach enhances digital health literacy, fostering user trust and engagement. Recent studies on DHL emphasize that integrating gamification and social support into digital interventions can sustain engagement and improve health outcomes [,]. By combining these insights, we can develop comprehensive programs that leverage digital technologies to improve SRH outcomes for displaced youth while respecting their cultural and contextual requirements. Given our observation that, particularly for women, awareness of available digital services does not automatically translate into access to those services, the goal of promoting DHL should be integrated into broader health equity frameworks and addressed alongside other social determinants of health, such as gender, education, and economic status.
Second, given our findings, it is critical that interventions match participants’ DHL levels while also addressing contextual barriers. For instance, the Tushirikiane projects with displaced youth in Kampala, Uganda, co-developed and implemented low (comic books) [,]and high (2-way text messages and WhatsApp groups) tech digital interventions [,,], highlighting the importance of addressing social norms and stigma that hinder access to SRH information and services. Furthermore, online pharmacies, such as Rocket Health, which have increased access to SRH self-care products among youth in Uganda, can be leveraged to provide confidentiality to mitigate stigma and increase access to SRH information []. Despite limited research on the online pharmacy engagement of displaced youth, studies on community pharmacies highlight their potential as an existing infrastructure for delivering SRH services, including STI screening and contraception, both of which are highly valued by users []. For displaced youth, online platforms can complement traditional health care services by offering confidential channels for accessing SRH information and products. This confidential access can be particularly beneficial in settings where access to physical health care infrastructure is limited or is stigmatized. In addition, integrating digital literacy training with peer navigation support has been shown to empower displaced youth to critically evaluate health information and advocate for their needs []. This integrated approach can help bridge the gap between displaced youth’s awareness of and access to SRH products and services by providing tailored support and resources that address the unique challenges faced by displaced youth in Uganda.
Finally, we suggest integrating digital interventions with traditional service delivery models. Uganda’s Health Sector Integrated Refugee Response Plan provides a framework for integrating comprehensive primary health care services for refugees into the national health system []. Building on this framework, digital health interventions can complement traditional health care services by offering confidential and accessible channels for SRH information and services to young people. For instance, developing mobile apps or GPS-enabled platforms that provide SRH literacy and resources can help reduce stigma and increase access to care, particularly in settings where physical access to care is limited.
Limitations
The novel findings of this study should be interpreted in light of several limitations. The cross-sectional design of our study limits our ability to establish causal relationships between DHL and sexual health service awareness or access. Future longitudinal research would be better equipped to analyze how changes in DHL affect sexual health service usage. Another limitation is the peer network recruitment method, which may have led to increased participation by young people who were digitally active. This could have biased the DHL results. Future studies should use strategies to diversify digital engagement among youth. Although stigma and gender norms are frequently identified as obstacles to service usage, our study did not gather direct data on these factors. Further research is necessary to investigate the underlying causes of the “awareness versus access” gap among youth. In addition, as our study focused on displaced youth in urban informal settings in Kampala, Uganda, our findings may not be generalizable to other refugee or displacement contexts with different technological infrastructures and cultural norms. Finally, our study relied on self-reported data, which can be particularly vulnerable to social desirability. Despite these limitations, our use of latent class analysis to identify distinct DHL profiles represents a methodological strength that enables a more precise measurement and conceptualization of DHL. Therefore, future research should explore the longitudinal impact of digital health literacy interventions and examine how intersecting factors (eg, age, education, and displacement duration) may further moderate the relationship between digital literacy and sexual health outcomes. In addition, mixed methods studies that combine quantitative DHL profile assessments with a qualitative exploration of barriers and facilitators to service usage would provide deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying the gender-based differences observed in our study.
Conclusion
Our study demonstrates that DHL functions as a significant determinant of sexual health equity among displaced youth in Kampala, Uganda, and that this relationship is nuanced and moderated by gender. The 4 identified DHL profiles provide a framework for tiered interventions targeting clients with varying digital capabilities. DHL’s differential impact on service awareness versus service access, particularly among women, highlights the need for intervention designs that address both technical skills and structural barriers to service usage. As digital sexual health interventions continue to expand in humanitarian settings, ensuring equity in the digital capabilities of service populations and translating these capabilities into improved sexual health outcomes are urgent priorities. By approaching DHL as a social determinant of sexual health and addressing the complex interplay between digital skills, gender norms, and structural barriers in a service context, digital sexual health initiatives can meaningfully advance sexual health equity among the 2 million refugees in Uganda and over 123 million displaced persons globally.
We are grateful to all peer navigators and participants, as well as collaborating agencies: the Ugandan Ministry of Health, Office of the Prime Minister, Young African Refugees for Integral Development, Tomorrow Vijana, Most At Risk Populations Initiative, and InterAid Uganda. This study was supported by funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Logie’s role was also supported by funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Research Chairs, and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.
The datasets analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical and privacy considerations related to the protection of refugee participants. However, deidentified data may be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and with appropriate institutional approvals.
MO contributed to conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, funding acquisition, investigation, methodology, validation, visualization, writing–original draft, writing–review & editing. CHL was involved in data curation, funding acquisition, investigation, methodology, project administration, resources, writing–review & editing. IK performed formal analysis, writing–review & editing. TN and BBS were responsible for writing–review & editing and writing–original draft. JM performed data curation, formal analysis, and writing–review & editing. WB, FC, MGT, and LCW handled writing–review & editing. JCW and CNN managed data curation, methodology, supervision, and writing–review & editing. RH was involved in funding acquisition, investigation, project administration, supervision, and writing–review & editing. PK funding acquisition, investigation, and writing–review & editing.
None declared.
Edited by A Mavragani, T de Azevedo Cardoso; submitted 31.May.2025; peer-reviewed by DO Alabi, V Surasani, OC Balogun; comments to author 23.Jul.2025; revised version received 24.Aug.2025; accepted 29.Aug.2025; published 31.Dec.2025.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (ISSN 1438-8871), is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) completed 10 accessibility projects in 2025, including seven subway stations and three Long Island Rail Road stations. These new openings bring the total number of accessible subway stations to 154, and the number of accessible LIRR stations to 117.
“By securing historic investment to upgrade our transit system through congestion pricing and the MTA’s Capital Plan, we are taking our efforts to deliver a fully accessible transit system to the next level,” Governor Hochul said. “The MTA is already opening newly accessible stations and upgraded elevators at a historic pace, and thanks to record state investment, the best is yet to come for riders.”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Let the past year be more proof — the MTA is delivering more accessibility than ever before, both in terms of dollars and number of ADA stations. And with a fully funded Capital Plan and dedicated funding from congestion pricing, we’re not slowing down any time soon.”
Accessibility Projects Were Completed at These Stations:
Bay Ridge-95 St R
Church Av B, Q
Woodhaven Blvd J, Z
Northern Blvd M, R
Westchester Sq-East Tremont Av 6
Mosholu Pkwy 4
Borough Hall 4, 5
St. Albans LIRR
Laurelton LIRR
Locust Manor LIRR
Crews worked to install new street and platform elevators, replace stairs and escalators, build new entrances and curb ramps, install fare arrays and update signage as part of making these 10 stations fully accessible. This in addition to 39 elevator replacements and 32 escalator replacements in stations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx as well as the LIRR, making 2025 the best year on record for completed elevator replacement projects. Elevator replacement projects were also completed two months ahead of schedule on average, allowing them to be placed back into service sooner. There are currently 29 elevator replacement projects underway in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. Details can be found here.
MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, “The MTA’s ability to deliver accessibility projects faster, better and cheaper shows how smart construction strategies can deliver real results for riders while saving millions in the process. By bundling work and partnering with the private sector, these innovative solutions allow us to expand accessibility, modernize stations, and introduce new fare technology that makes traveling easier for everyone.”
MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo said, “The MTA’s ongoing ADA upgrades and elevator replacements are about creating a more equitable transit system for everyone. These improvements aren’t just life‑changing for riders with mobility needs — they make travel easier for parents with strollers, seniors, and anyone carrying bags or luggage. Every completed project brings us closer to a transit network that truly works for everyone and we’re committed to keeping this momentum going in 2026 and beyond.”
The congestion relief tolling program began on Jan. 5, and provided an additional revenue stream for improvement projects across the MTA network, including making more stations ADA accessible. Congestion Pricing is on track to generate over $500 million by the end of the year, allowing the MTA to advance $15 billion in capital improvements. Currently, 23 subway stations are slated for accessibility upgrades as part of the 2020-24 Capital Plan and will be funded by congestion relief zone tolling. These projects include:
The Bronx:
3 Av-138 St 6
Brook Av 6
Wakefield-241 St 2
Brooklyn:
18 Av D
Gates Av J, Z
Hoyt-Schermerhorn A, C, G
Jefferson St L
Kings Hwy N
Neptune Av F
Nostrand Av A, C
Manhattan:
110 St 6
145 St A, C, B, D
168 St 1
42 St-Bryant Park B, D, F, M
5 Av 7
59 St 4,5,6
7 Av B, D, E
Delancey St-Essex St F, J, Z, M
Lexington Av/59 St N, R, W
Queens:
Briarwood E, F
Parsons Blvd F
Staten Island:
The MTA has completed more station accessibility projects in the last five years compared to the previous ten. The Authority has been able to increase the number of ADA projects in recent years by bundling similar projects into large packages and through the use of design-build contracts. These methods not only save money, but it also allows projects to be completed faster, more efficiently and with consistent quality.
This comes as the MTA finds other innovative ways to save on construction costs while expanding access to the system through the Zoning for Accessibility (ZFA) program, which gives developers an increase in their building’s density in exchange for funding and building accessibility projects. The developer is also responsible for maintaining the project years after construction is completed.
A new elevator opened in April at the Queensboro Plaza 7, N, W station, making this the first completed ZFA project, with more on the way. As part of the agreement, Grubb Properties, which owns 25-01 Queens Plaza North, financed and constructed the new accessible entrance and elevator on the north side of the station, furthering the MTA’s cost savings. Grubb Properties is responsible for maintaining the entrance and elevator.
The $68 billion 2025-29 Capital Plan has identified at least 66 stations in all five boroughs and at least six commuter railroad stations that are eligible for accessibility upgrades, keeping the MTA on track to make 95 percent of stations accessible by 2055. The plan also advances the purchase of more than 1,500 new R211 and R262 subway cars as well as 500 new railcars for Metro-North and LIRR. These cars feature wider doors, brighter lighting and increased designated wheelchair space. New fare gates are also being installed in subway stations that have wide paneled doors, making it easy for people with accessibility needs to pass through.
Singapore, Singapore–(Newsfile Corp. – December 31, 2025) – This news release is issued by Robert M. Friedland to provide an update regarding his holdings of class A common shares (“common shares”) in Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. (“Ivanhoe Mines”) following transactions that were previously disclosed on December 31, 2024.
In connection with personal financing transactions (collectively, the “Transactions”) entered into by Mr. Friedland with a third-party U.S. commercial bank (the “Financial Institution”) and previously disclosed, the Financial Institution has made funds available to Mr. Friedland. In support of the Transactions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mr. Friedland has pledged as security an aggregate of 94,100,000 common shares in favour of the Financial Institution which constitutes 6.61% of the currently outstanding Ivanhoe Mines’ common shares. This increase constitutes a 1.97% increase in the number of pledged common shares since Mr. Friedland’s last disclosure on December 31, 2024.
The Transactions have been completed in multiple tranches. At maturity, Mr. Friedland may, but is not required to, deliver common shares to the Financial Institution to settle the Transactions. Mr. Friedland also has the right to elect to settle the transaction in cash, and expects and intends to do so in all circumstances. Except for these circumstances, the commercial bank has obtained no rights to dispose of, sell, transfer or vote, any of the pledged common shares or other shares of Ivanhoe Mines. Mr. Friedland or a wholly-owned subsidiary continues to retain all rights of ownership over the pledged common shares.
Mr. Friedland may, at any time, increase or decrease the number of pledged common shares as part of the Transactions with the Financial Institution. As previously disclosed, as part of estate planning over the next three years, Mr. Friedland also intends to transfer common shares to one or more charitable trusts established or to be established. The common shares that may be subject to further pledging as a part of the Transaction and/or common shares that may be transferred as part of estate planning purposes shall not exceed 8.8% of the issuer’s outstanding common shares at any time. Mr. Friedland will provide the additional disclosures required for these future transactions at the time required by applicable law.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Mr. Friedland continues to be the registered owner of an aggregate of 163,391,850 common shares (which includes the Pledged Shares), representing approximately 11.48% of the common shares issued and outstanding on December 26, 2025.
Mr. Friedland also may be deemed to own 4,509,651 common shares issuable on exercise of previously granted options, 182,962 common shares issuable upon the vesting of restricted share units and 324,916 common shares issuable upon the vesting of performance share units, and as a result may be deemed to own, in aggregate, 168,409,379 common shares, representing approximately 11.79% of the common shares issued and outstanding on a partially-diluted basis.
