Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Qian Sun, Nan Jiang, Nan Lu, Vivian W. Q. Lou
Summary: This study investigated the bidirectional relationship between cognitive function and the loss hierarchy of activities of daily living (ADL) among older adults in China. The results showed that cognitive function predicted the intermediate and late loss of ADLs, but the loss hierarchy of ADLs was not a significant risk factor for cognitive function. Practitioners are encouraged to adopt the ADL loss hierarchy as a supplementary needs assessment tool and provide cognitive function monitoring programs and services to improve the quality of life for older adults.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jodie Bailie, Veronica Matthews, Ross Bailie, Michelle Villeneuve, Jo Longman
Summary: This paper explores the exposure to risk and experiences of people with disability and carers during a flooding event and the subsequent mental health impacts. The study finds that people with disability and carers face higher risks and challenges in terms of housing flooding, difficulties in accessing information, disruptions in essential services, and probable post-traumatic stress disorder.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Carley Riley, Brita Roy, Veronica Lam, Kerianne Lawson, Lauren Nakano, Jacqueline Sun, Erika Contreras, Brent Hamar, Jeph Herrin
Summary: The study found that a community-led, collective-impact initiative can increase the Life Evaluation Index (LEI) in Beach Cities, with the entire portfolio of interventions positively associated with change in LEI, especially process-oriented interventions closely related to improvement.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Luke Johnson, Kerry Gutridge, Julie Parkes, Anjana Roy, Emma Plugge
Summary: The study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of imprisoned people and prison staff, finding negative effects such as challenges and fears among prisoners. However, due to limited research and poor quality of studies, the conclusions are not definitive. Nevertheless, the findings suggest significant adverse impacts on the mental health and well-being of those living and working in prisons.
Article
Psychiatry
Ovais Wadoo, Shiekha Haya Abdulla Q. F. Althani, Javed Latoo, Majid Alabdulla
Summary: There is a lack of published research on mental health policy and legislation in Qatar. However, Qatar has developed specific policies and legislation for mental health and substance use based on international guidance. This article provides a narrative description of the evolution of mental health and substance use policy and legislation in Qatar.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Abay Woday Tadesse, Setegn Tarekegn Mihret, Gebeyaw Biset, Ayesheshim Muluneh Kassa
Summary: The study reveals a high level of anxiety, stress, and depression disorders among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Female gender, inadequate prevention measures, and urban residency are independent predictors of psychological problems among students. Local governments should develop effective psychological interventions for students, considering their educational enrolment type and academic year.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Per-Olof Ostergren, Theo Bodin, Catarina Canivet, Mahnaz Moghaddassi, Andreas Vilhelmsson
Summary: Over-indebtedness is associated with poor mental health, especially among individuals with low education, insecure employment, and foreign background. High education level may interact with over-indebtedness to affect mental health in men.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jian Rong, Xueqin Wang, Yanhong Ge, Guimei Chen, Hong Ding
Summary: The study aimed to explore the relationship between functional disability and depressive symptoms among older adults in rural China. A cross-sectional study with 3491 participants aged 60 and over showed a significant association between functional disability and depressive symptoms, with higher risk in mobility, getting along, life activities, and participation domains. Unemployed individuals and those with problems in mobility and getting along were more likely to have depressive symptoms.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Neha Shah, Ian F. Walker, Yannish Naik, Selina Rajan, Kate O'Hagan, Michelle Black, Christopher Cartwright, Taavi Tillmann, Nicola Pearce-Smith, Jude Stansfield
Summary: This study identified 20 reviews, mostly of low or critically low quality. Higher quality evidence suggests more generous welfare benefits may reduce socioeconomic inequalities in mental health outcomes. Lower quality evidence indicates various interventions and policies, such as unemployment insurance, warm housing interventions, and gender equality policies, are associated with improved mental health outcomes.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Insa Backhaus, Hanno Hoven, Cristina Di Tecco, Sergio Iavicoli, Arne Conte, Nico Dragano
Summary: This study provides an overview of the impact of the Great Recession on population health and highlights the importance of mitigating measures during economic downturns. The findings demonstrate that countries with severe economic impact and prolonged austerity measures experienced the highest deterioration in health, while countries that rejected austerity measures did not suffer as much. The most vulnerable groups, such as the unemployed and those living in poverty, were disproportionately affected. Lessons learned include prioritizing mental healthcare and prevention, avoiding austerity measures in the healthcare system, and protecting vulnerable groups.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Naomi Wilson, Shari McDaid
Summary: This paper conducts a literature review on the effects of UBI on mental health, finding that most studies show significant improvements in mental wellbeing for individuals receiving unconditional payments. Potential mediating factors include spending more time with family and friends, reducing perceived stigma, and a renewed sense of hope for the future. Future studies should aim for larger sample sizes and longer durations to better understand the mental health benefits of UBI.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wanying Mao, Vincent I. O. Agyapong
Summary: This literature review examines the impacts of social determinants on mental health and resilience following natural and man-made disasters. Factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, social support, and socioeconomic status are explored, along with other potential factors like previous trauma and family psychiatric history. The implications for public health policy and practice are discussed in relation to the findings.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Rhiannon Barker, Greg Hartwell, Chris Bonell, Matt Egan, Karen Lock, Russell M. Viner
Summary: Children and young people have faced mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a greater impact on those already disadvantaged. Adopting a whole-school approach and building social and emotional skills are crucial for recovery. An evidence-based response to support schools, along with the need for research to identify suitable screening methods, is essential.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Felicita Omari, Stavroula A. Chrysanthopoulou, Lonnie E. Embleton, Lukoye Atwoli, David O. Ayuku, Edwin Sang, Paula Braitstein
Summary: The study found that OSCA living in CCIs in western Kenya were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicidality compared to those in FBC, while SCY were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with these mental health issues compared to those in FBC.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Chungah Kim, Celine Teo, Andrew Nielsen, Antony Chum
Summary: This study found that the implementation of housing austerity measures in the UK may increase psychological distress among social housing tenants, while the government's announcement did not lead to a change in psychological distress.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Heidi Peck, Nithila Anbumurali, Kimberley McMahon, Kevin Freeman, Ammar Aziz, Leah Gillespie, Bingyi Yang, Jean Moselen, Yi Mo Deng, Benjamin J. Cowling, Ian G. Barr, Kanta Subbarao, Sheena G. Sullivan
Summary: Despite low circulation of influenza, 42 cases were identified among 15,026 travelers in quarantine in Darwin, Australia, in 2020. Testing during quarantine is an important source of viruses for influenza vaccine strain selection and underscores the potential for influenza epidemics as global travel resumes.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Benjamin J. Cowling, Samuel M. S. Cheng, Mario Martin-Sanchez, Niki Y. M. Au, Karl C. K. Chan, John K. C. Li, Lison W. C. Fung, Leo L. H. Luk, Leo C. H. Tsang, Dennis K. M. Ip, Leo L. M. Poon, Gabriel M. Leung, J. S. Malik Peiris, Nancy H. L. Leung
Summary: We administered a third dose of BNT162b2 to 314 adults aged >= 30 years who had previously received 2 doses of inactivated vaccine. Blood samples were collected before the third dose, after 1 month, and after 6 months. The study found robust antibody responses to the ancestral strain at 6 months after receiving BNT162b2, but weaker and declining antibody responses to Omicron BA.2 after the third dose.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Critical Care Medicine
Benjamin J. Cowling, Shuyi Zhong
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Faith Ho, Kris V. Parag, Dillon C. Adam, Eric H. Y. Lau, Benjamin J. Cowling, Tim K. Tsang
Summary: This study developed a negative binomial framework to estimate R-t and a time-varying dispersion parameter (k(t)), and applied it to COVID-19 incidence data in Hong Kong in 2020 and 2021. The results showed that our approach estimated an R-t peaking around 4, similar to the conventional method but with a better model fit. Our approach also identified significant heterogeneity in transmission and a sharp decrease in the dispersion parameter (k(t)) when large clusters of infections occurred.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jiehu Yuan, Wendy Wing Tak Lam, Jingyi Xiao, Michael Yuxuan Ni, Benjamin John Cowling, Qiuyan Liao
Summary: This qualitative study aimed to explore the reasons behind COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Chinese older adults in Hong Kong. The study found that older adults' hesitancy was influenced by factors such as lack of decisional support, negative perception of aging, fatalistic risk attitudes, present-oriented time perspectives, and negative values on western biomedicine.
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nicole Ngai Yung Tsang, Hau Chi So, Benjamin J. Cowling, Gabriel M. Leung, Dennis Kai Ming Ip
Summary: This study investigated the effectiveness of the BNT162b2 and CoronaVac vaccines against Omicron variant infections. The results showed that the use of booster doses of these vaccines significantly reduced the risk of Omicron variant infections.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Meihong Dong, Dennis Kai Ming Ip, Jiehu Yuan, Hau Chi So, Benjamin J. Cowling, Qiuyan Liao
Summary: The school-located influenza vaccination programme (SIVP) can effectively promote childhood seasonal influenza vaccination. However, the longitudinal effects of continuation and discontinuation of the SIVP on parents' vaccine hesitancy remained unknown.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Letter
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Joseph E. Blais, Peng Wu
EXPERT OPINION ON PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Yonghong Zhou, Chongchen Zhou, Kai Wang, Qi Qiu, Yibing Cheng, Yu Li, Peng Cui, Lu Liang, Peng Li, Xiaowei Deng, Lili Wang, Wen Zheng, Hui Gong, Fang Wang, Meng Xu, Justin Jang Hann Chu, Lance Turtle, Hongjie Yu
Summary: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a major public health problem among children in the Asia-Pacific region. Stool has the highest diagnostic yield for EV-A71-infected HFMD, and if stool is unavailable, rectal swabs can be collected to achieve a similar diagnostic yield. Otherwise, throat swabs may be useful in detecting positive samples.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kaiwei Luo, Yanpeng Wu, Yan Wang, Ziyan Liu, Lan Yi, Shanlu Zhao, Xuemei Yan, Hao Yang, Kaiyuan Sun, Marco Ajelli, Shixiong Hu, Hongjie Yu
Summary: Little is known about the epidemiology, natural history, and transmission patterns of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant. This report analyzed a contained outbreak in Hunan, China, and provided insights into the characteristics of the Delta variant, including key age groups, risk factors, and transmission pathways. These findings contribute to future response efforts against SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wen Zheng, Xiaowei Deng, Cheng Peng, Xuemei Yan, Nan Zheng, Zhiyuan Chen, Juan Yang, Marco Ajelli, Juanjuan Zhang, Hongjie Yu
Summary: This study quantitatively describes the spatiotemporal transmission patterns and risk factors for the 2022 Omicron BA.2 epidemic in Shanghai and identifies associations between spatial spread metrics at the subdistrict level and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, human mobility patterns, and adopted interventions.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Xinhua Chen, Xufang Bai, Xinghui Chen, Nan Zheng, Juan Yang, Juanjuan Zhang, Hongjie Yu
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Yuxia Liang, Cheng Peng, Qian You, Maria Litvinova, Marco Ajelli, Juanjuan Zhang, Hongjie Yu
Summary: This study aims to quantify the time-varying contact patterns by age in Chinese mainland in 2020 and evaluate their impact on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Diary-based contact surveys revealed that during the post-epidemic period, daily contacts resumed to a moderate level in most cities, suggesting a moderate risk of resurgence. Combining school closure with a reduction of contacts at the workplace could lead to a significant reduction in the attack rate.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Yan Wang, Kaiyuan Sun, Yang Pan, Lan Yi, Da Huo, Yanpeng Wu, Shuaibing Dong, Jinxin Guo, Xiangfeng Dou, Wei Wang, Shuangsheng Wu, Xufang Bai, Hongjie Yu, Quanyi Wang
Summary: China has successfully contained multiple outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 using targeted non-pharmaceutical interventions. This report highlights the effectiveness of case isolation, contact tracing, targeted lockdowns, and mobility restrictions in containing the virus without city-wide lockdowns. Mass testing can further aid in containment efforts.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Hualei Xin, Peng Wu, Jessica Y. Wong, Justin K. Cheung, Eric H. Y. Lau, Gabriel M. Leung, Benjamin J. Cowling, Joshua Nealon
Summary: Hong Kong implemented a strict COVID-19 elimination strategy in 2020. This study estimated the impact of pandemic responses on hospitalizations and deaths. The findings showed a reduction in hospitalizations and an increase in deaths, potentially due to changes in healthcare seeking behavior and the vulnerability of certain population groups. Better healthcare planning is necessary during public health emergencies.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)