Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Juan Equiza-Goni
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mortality monitor MoMo in Spain underestimated excess mortality in real time. This study applied polynomial regressions to correct this bias and found that the corrected estimates showed improved accuracy compared to the original estimates. The correction significantly improved the accuracy of initial mortality estimates and daily registered deaths.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Jamil M. Lane, Daniel Habib, Brenda Curtis
Summary: Twitter has become a dominant source of public health data, providing researchers with valuable insights into physical and mental health conditions, disease surveillance, and mortality causes. By analyzing user language, Twitter can supplement traditional public health surveillance approaches and aid in the early identification of potential health threats.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dustin T. Hill, Hannah Cousins, Bryan Dandaraw, Catherine Faruolo, Alex Godinez, Sythong Run, Simon Smith, Megan Willkens, Shruti Zirath, David A. Larsen
Summary: Wastewater surveillance has significantly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and is considered an important public health tool. A survey conducted among municipal treatment plant supervisors in New York State found that while most supervisors were aware of the ability to track COVID-19 through wastewater, their knowledge about surveillance for other public health issues was limited. The study also revealed a direct association between attitudes towards wastewater testing and the reported capacity of treatment plants to take samples.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Howard Chiou, Christopher Voegeli, Elisabeth Wilhelm, Jessica Kolis, Kathryn Brookmeyer, Dimitri Prybylski
Summary: Infodemic surveillance systems are crucial in detecting and responding to outbreaks of misinformation, disinformation, information overload, or information voids. These systems monitor the information environment, identify infodemic events with digital analytics, and generate timely routine reports to ensure timely interventions for both epidemic and infodemic response are deployed in an increasingly hyperconnected world.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Von Ralph Dane Marquez Herbuela, Tomonori Karita, Thaddeus Marzo Carvajal, Howell Tsai Ho, John Michael Olea Lorena, Rachele Arce Regalado, Girly Dirilo Sobrepena, Kozo Watanabe
Summary: The study evaluated the usability of the Mozzify app for Dengue fever surveillance and found that individual Dengue fever history can impact app ratings. The app received positive evaluations from health care professionals and school-based young adults.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Dallas S. Shi, Jessica L. Rinsky, George R. Grimes, Sophia K. Chiu
Summary: The study found that the number of Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) on workplace cancer cluster concerns has remained steady over the past two decades. The majority of investigations did not confirm cancer clusters or identify occupational causes. This provides public health practitioners with valuable information and encourages them to refine investigative approaches.
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maria Laura Calero, Gustavo Monti
Summary: This study used scenario tree modeling to assess the sensitivity of Ecuador's current national surveillance system to leptospirosis. The research found regional variations in sensitivity, with the Coast region having the highest sensitivity and the Andes region having the lowest. The probability of seeking medical attention and the probability of experiencing symptoms were identified as important factors influencing the system's sensitivity.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nathaniel J. Henry, Ahmed Elagali, Michele Nguyen, Michael Give Chipeta, Catrin E. Moore
Summary: This study develops a novel method for assessing excess mortality and investigates the age-sex-space distribution of COVID excess mortality in Italy. The results show that excess deaths mainly occurred among adults over age 60 and were unevenly distributed across the country.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Bertina Kreshpaj, David H. Wegman, Bo Burstrom, Letitia Davis, Tomas Hemmingsson, Carin Hakansta, Johanna Jonsson, Gun Johansson, Katarina Kjellberg, Nestor Sanchez Martinez, Nuria Matilla-Santander, Cecilia Orellana, Theo Bodin
Summary: Precarious employment in Sweden is associated with lower risk of occupational injuries overall, but temp agency work, multiple job-holding, and low-income status are important risk factors for both male and female workers. Further research is needed to better understand these dimensions of precarious employment and their impact on occupational injuries.
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Morgan E. Gorris, Karin Ardon-Dryer, Althea Campuzano, Laura R. Castanon-Olivares, Thomas E. Gill, Andrew Greene, Chiung-Yu Hung, Kimberly A. Kaufeld, Mark Lacy, Edith Sanchez-Paredes
Summary: Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) has been a recognized health threat in the US since the 1930s, but not all states are required to report cases. Mandating reporting of the disease across more states would increase awareness, improve outcomes, and aid in drug and vaccine development. This commentary advocates for reporting coccidioidomycosis in the US and surveillance in endemic regions to protect human health.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lisetta Del Castillo, Nora Cardona-Castro, Denis R. Whelan, John Paul Builes, Hector Serrano-Coll, Margarita Arboleda, Juan S. Leon
Summary: Despite a robust well-child visits program in Colombia, anemia remains a problem for both children and mothers, especially in lower socioeconomic populations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of anemia among mothers and children attending well-child visits in the Colombian Caribbean region.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zhaohui Su, Huan Zhang, Dean McDonnell, Junaid Ahmad, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Changrong Yuan
Summary: This study aims to explore practical strategies that health officials can utilize to improve their crisis communication efficacy, including developing fact-based, transparent, and accountable messaging, utilizing people-centered and empathetic persuasive strategies, and leveraging international collaboration for consistent messaging and comprehensive crisis communication.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Serena Barello, Lorenzo Palamenghi, Guendalina Graffigna
Summary: In March 2021, the possible link between the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots led to the suspension of the vaccine in several countries. This had an impact on people's trust in health authorities and their willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Elizabeth Pisani, Amalia Hasnida, Mawaddati Rahmi, Maarten Olivier Kok, Steven Harsono, Yusi Anggriani
Summary: The World Health Organization and others warn about the harms of substandard and falsified medicines, especially in low- and middle-income countries, but no country has comprehensively measured the extent of the issue. The lack of standardized methods to estimate prevalence is due to the overwhelming task of testing medicines in diverse and expensive markets. Different countries have varied postmarket surveillance methods, but without clear guidance on the most appropriate way to meet public health goals. This viewpoint discusses the utility of case finding and risk-based sentinel surveillance for substandard and falsified medicines, suggesting that tailoring the system to specific goals and understanding the factors driving the production and sale of these medicines allows for efficient surveillance resource allocation.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2021)
Review
Computer Science, Information Systems
Yunpeng Zhao, Xing He, Zheng Feng, Sarah Bost, Mattia Prosperi, Younghui Wu, Yi Guo, Jiang Bian
Summary: This study conducted a scoping review to identify the methods used to assess or address biases when using social media data for public health surveillance. The findings highlight the lack of consideration for biases in data collection and analysis methods, which can distort study results and lead to unintended consequences. The study suggests that strategies from other fields can be utilized to address biases in future public health surveillance systems that utilize social media data.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Winnie W. Y. Tso, Rosa S. Wong, Keith T. S. Tung, Nirmala Rao, King Wa Fu, Jason C. S. Yam, Gilbert T. Chua, Eric Y. H. Chen, Tatia M. C. Lee, Sherry K. W. Chan, Wilfred H. S. Wong, Xiaoli Xiong, Celine S. Chui, Xue Li, Kirstie Wong, Cynthia Leung, Sandra K. M. Tsang, Godfrey C. F. Chan, Paul K. H. Tam, Ko Ling Chan, Mike Y. W. Kwan, Marco H. K. Ho, Chun Bong Chow, Ian C. K. Wong, Patrick Lp
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the psychosocial wellbeing of children, especially those with special educational needs, chronic diseases, mothers with mental illness, single-parent families, and low-income families. Delayed bedtime, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, and excessive use of electronic devices are associated with higher parental stress and more psychosocial problems among young children.
EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Alexander Squires, Sierra Hovet, Rui Li, John Oshinski, Zion Tsz Ho Tse
Summary: A robotic system was developed to assist in MRI-guided percutaneous injections to the spinal cord, with mean targeting errors of 0.48 and 2.84 mm in phantom models and swine cadavers, respectively. The targeting procedure duration is approximately 60 min, with an extra 10 min for each additional injection, enabling a simplified workflow for MRI-guided spinal therapy without affecting imaging quality.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ROBOTICS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Carlos K. H. Wong, Rosa S. Wong, Jason P. Y. Cheung, Keith T. S. Tung, Jason C. S. Yam, Michael Rich, King-Wa Fu, Prudence W. H. Cheung, Nan Luo, Chi Ho Au, Ada Zhang, Wilfred H. S. Wong, Jiang Fan, Cindy L. K. Lam, Patrick Ip
Summary: This study aimed to establish the population norm of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents aged 6-17 years and examine the associations of screen time, sleep duration, and physical activity with HRQoL in this population. The findings suggest that children and adolescents with longer screen time exposure, shorter sleep duration, and lower levels of physical activity tend to have poorer HRQoL as assessed by PedsQL and EQ-5D-Y-5L.
HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Fangyu Li, Maria Valero, Jose Clemente, Zion Tse, Wenzhan Song
Summary: This paper presents a bed-mounted vibration sensor-based system for monitoring vital parameters during sleep in a ubiquitous and non-invasive manner. The system enables contact-free monitoring and avoids privacy violation issues.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Wenchao Yue, Feng Ju, Yingxuan Zhang, Yahui Yun, Tianliang Li, Zion Tsz Ho Tse, Hongliang Ren
Summary: This paper presents a novel dynamic tactile sensor with a symmetrical longitudinal piezoelectric cantilever structure, combined with a flexible hinge chain and mass probe to reduce the sensor's natural frequency. The sensor's basic working principle is mathematically derived and validated through various simulation analyses, including statics analysis, vibration mode analysis, harmonic response analysis, and calibration experiments. The sensor prototype is successfully tested on biological tissue to verify its effectiveness in identifying lesion areas and measuring tissue hardness with stable sensitivity.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Area Studies
Regina Wai-man Chung, King-wa Fu
Summary: Chinese netizens commemorate the Tiananmen Square incident on social media annually, and having their posts censored has become a ceremonial ritual. By posting serious, playful, and satirical messages, they express discontent towards their country's issues through costly signals.
JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY CHINA
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Rosa S. Wong, Keith T. S. Tung, Xue Li, Celine S. Chui, Winnie W. Y. Tso, Tatia M. C. Lee, Ko Ling Chan, Yun K. Wing, King Wa Fu, Ian C. K. Wong, Patrick Lp
Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a reciprocal relationship between parental stress and perceived adolescent adjustment problems. Adolescents with higher levels of family life satisfaction before the pandemic reported lower levels of anxiety and stress, but only when parental stress did not increase during the pandemic.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Connie Cai Ru Gan, Shuo Feng, Huiyun Feng, King-wa Fu, Sara E. Davies, Karen A. Grepin, Rosemary Morgan, Julia Smith, Clare Wenham
Summary: Social media can serve as a source of both accurate and inaccurate information during health emergencies. Research on social media posts during COVID-19 has focused mainly on Western platforms, leaving a knowledge gap regarding gendered experiences communicated on non-Western platforms. Using data from China's leading social media platform Weibo, this study examines gendered user patterns and sentiment during the first wave of the pandemic. The findings suggest that while posting patterns and keyword usage align with gendered norms identified on other platforms, sentiment does not fully conform. This insight has implications for targeted public health messaging on social media during future health emergencies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosa S. Wong, Keith T. S. Tung, Nirmala Rao, Ko Ling Chan, King-Wa Fu, Jason C. Yam, Winnie W. Y. Tso, Wilfred H. S. Wong, Terry Y. S. Lum, Ian C. K. Wong, Patrick Ip
Summary: Rising income inequality is closely linked to health disparities, especially in impoverished regions. This study investigated patterns of family hardship among preschoolers in disadvantaged neighborhoods of Hong Kong and compared their parenting behavior, lifestyle practices, and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings revealed associations between family hardship and child maltreatment, highlighting the importance of flexible intervention strategies during large disease outbreaks.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Communication
Yuner Zhu, King-wa Fu
Summary: Digital technology can empower both citizen journalism and state media in authoritarian regimes. The propaganda apparatus in China has adapted itself to the changing media environment, with newspapers deliberately producing more soft news, which serves as a gateway to propaganda. The popularity of soft news can influence the popularity of propaganda news.
DIGITAL JOURNALISM
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Haipeng Liang, Zion Tsz Ho Tse
Summary: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is valuable in minimally invasive surgery, and there is a need for surgical robots that can work in the MRI environment. This article presents a novel approach to designing pneumatic motors and conducts experimental validation with a physical prototype.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2023)
Article
Communication
Edmund W. Cheng, Elizabeth Lui, King-wa Fu
Summary: Recent studies have focused on the power of digital activism, but few have examined its impact outside of domestic audiences and illiberal regimes. The simultaneous mass protests in East and Southeast Asia from 2019-2021, where protesters sought help from the international community, provide an opportunity to test the power of digital media. Using a dataset of 154 million Twitter posts and a time-series model, this study compares collective action metrics and connective action metrics to predict foreign politicians' responses. The findings suggest that the new metrics are more effective in predicting responses, and agency- and network-centered metrics outperform number- and intensity-oriented metrics.
NEW MEDIA & SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Communication
King-Wa Fu
Summary: This study examines the propaganda strategies used by Chinese state media in their coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in 46 countries. The results show that Chinese state media exaggerated the severity of the pandemic in other countries and deviated from the actual situation and public perception. This study enhances our understanding of the complex nature of propaganda in the present era.
POLITICAL COMMUNICATION
(2023)
Article
Communication
King-wa Fu
Summary: Scholars have found that contemporary digitally-mediated activism is a mix of different organizational structures, action-repertoires, and movement logics. However, the extent to which this hybridization occurs in contentious politics and its impact on movement mobilization remains uncertain. This study examines online activism during the 2019 Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement, analyzing 2 million Telegram Channel messages. The findings highlight the importance of self-organized activists who played a crucial role in the movement, supported by a smaller number of organizational and news media actors. The study also establishes a link between the attention received by call-for-action messages online and subsequent protest turnout, indicating the impact of networked media on public participation in contemporary politics.
INFORMATION SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Winnie W. Y. Tso, Frank Reichert, Nancy Law, King Wa Fu, Jimmy de la Torre, Nirmala Rao, Lok Kan Leung, Yu-Liang Wang, Wilfred H. S. Wong, Patrick Ip
Summary: This study found that digital competence is negatively correlated with gaming addiction, reducing the risk of gaming addiction and cyberbullying behavior.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2022)
