Building a model for encouraging help-seeking for depression: a qualitative study in a Chinese society

BACKGROUND:Clinical depression has been increasingly prevalent in international health statistics but people are often found to be reluctant to seek help when they encounter depression. However, there is no general theory to explain how personal, social and cultural factors affect an individual's help-seeking intention, nor to guide the design of preventive programmes for such intention once needed.METHODS:Drawing on the theory of planned behavior, we deployed the illness narrative approach and interviewed 18 participants in Hong Kong.RESULTS:With the diverse results we gathered from the interviews, a behavioral model was built to conceptualize the interplays of various factors in shaping one's help-seeking intention and behavior for depression. Participants appeared to have a limited view of treatment options and had diverse views of the symptoms of depression, both of which profoundly affected their motivation to seek help.CONCLUSIONS:The role of family and friends and a holistic approach to mental health education were found to be particularly important for encouraging help-seeking behavior in future campaigns concerning depression.published_or_final_versio

Information seeking behavior of police officers in Hong Kong: an exploratory study

Open URL - http://www.academic-conferences.org/pdfs/ICICKM10-Booklet.pdfThe information seeking behavior of a random sample of 40 Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) officers was investigated from the perspectives of: information seeking behavior; type of searching undertaken; level of sophistication of searching; ability to retrieve required information, and use of the HKPF Library (HKPFL). Frameworks such as: the information seeking process (Chowdhury 2004); the information management cycle (Choo, 1998); and the Information seeking of professionals model (Leckie, Pettigrew & Sylvain 1996), were applied. Data gathering methods included: survey; interview; observation; and case study. Results indicate that the respondents are not, overall, effective information seekers. The respondents generally apply simple retrieval techniques despite perceiving them to be less effective than more advanced techniques. The respondents were often unable to effectively frame simple enquiries. A novice member was less effective and slower at retrieving information than an experienced member, suggesting that transfer of organizational members’ knowledge of information seeking to newer members could be valuable. The sampled HKPF members prefer using print materials to electronic materials or web pages, although these formats are also popular. 27 (67.5%) respondents visit the HKPFL two or less times per week, while 36 (90%) respondents visit the HKPFL website two or less times per week. Most respondents use the HKPFL for leisure rather than work related purposes, although this behavior is both position and department sensitive. Most respondents prefer to browse the collections on shelves and seek help from librarians instead of searching the library catalogue. Recommendations for improving HKPF members’ information skills include: information literacy instruction for new recruits; promoting the HKPFL as an information hub; providing guides for use; and further developing the HKPFL to match members’ information needs by improving collections.published_or_final_versionThe 7th International Conference on Intellectual Capital, Knowledge Management & Organisational Learning (ICICKM 2010), Hong Kong, China, 11-12 November 2010. In Proceedings of 7th ICICKM, 2010, p. 11-1

Identification of genetic risk factors in the Chinese population implicates a role of immune system in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a leading cause of mortality among the elderly. We performed a whole-genome sequencing study of AD in the Chinese population. In addition to the variants identified in or around the APOE locus (sentinel variant rs73052335, P = 1.44 × 10−14), two common variants, GCH1 (rs72713460, P = 4.36 × 10−5 ) and KCNJ15 (rs928771, P = 3.60 × 10−6 ), were identified and further verified for their possible risk effects for AD in three small non-Asian AD cohorts. Genotype–phenotype analysis showed that KCNJ15 variant rs928771 affects the onset age of AD, with earlier disease onset in minor allele carriers. In addition, altered expression level of the KCNJ15 transcript can be observed in the blood of AD subjects. Moreover, the risk variants of GCH1 and KCNJ15 are associated with changes in their transcript levels in specific tissues, as well as changes of plasma biomarkers levels in AD subjects. Importantly, network analysis of hippocampus and blood transcriptome datasets suggests that the risk variants in the APOE, GCH1, and KCNJ15 loci might exert their functions through their regulatory effects on immune-related pathways. Taking these data together, we identified common variants of GCH1 and KCNJ15 in the Chinese population that contribute to AD risk. These variants may exert their functional effects through the immune system

Large-scale plasma proteomic profiling identifies a high-performance biomarker panel for Alzheimer's disease screening and staging

INTRODUCTION: Blood proteins are emerging as candidate biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). We systematically profiled the plasma proteome to identify novel AD blood biomarkers and develop a high-performance, blood-based test for AD. METHODS: We quantified 1160 plasma proteins in a Hong Kong Chinese cohort by high-throughput proximity extension assay and validated the results in an independent cohort. In subgroup analyses, plasma biomarkers for amyloid, tau, phosphorylated tau, and neurodegeneration were used as endophenotypes of AD. RESULTS: We identified 429 proteins that were dysregulated in AD plasma. We selected 19 “hub proteins” representative of the AD plasma protein profile, which formed the basis of a scoring system that accurately classified clinical AD (area under the curve = 0.9690–0.9816) and associated endophenotypes. Moreover, specific hub proteins exhibit disease stage-dependent dysregulation, which can delineate AD stages. DISCUSSION: This study comprehensively profiled the AD plasma proteome and serves as a foundation for a high-performance, blood-based test for clinical AD screening and staging

Genetic and polygenic risk score analysis for Alzheimer's disease in the Chinese population

Introduction: Dozens of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated loci have been identified in European-descent populations, but their effects have not been thoroughly investigated in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Methods: TaqMan array genotyping was performed for known AD-associated variants in a Hong Kong Chinese cohort. Regression analysis was conducted to study the associations of variants with AD-associated traits and biomarkers. Lasso regression was applied to establish a polygenic risk score (PRS) model for AD risk prediction. Results: SORL1 is associated with AD in the Hong Kong Chinese population. Meta-analysis corroborates the AD-protective effect of the SORL1 rs11218343 C allele. The PRS is developed and associated with AD risk, cognitive status, and AD-related endophenotypes. TREM2 H157Y might influence the amyloid beta 42/40 ratio and levels of immune-associated proteins in plasma. Discussion: SORL1 is associated with AD in the Hong Kong Chinese population. The PRS model can predict AD risk and cognitive status in this population

Synaptic roles of Cdk5: Implications in higher cognitive functions and neurodegenerative diseases

Accumulating evidence indicates that cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), through phosphorylating a plethora of pre- and postsynaptic proteins, functions as an essential modulator of synaptic transmission. Recent advances in the field of Cdk5 research have not only consolidated the in vivo importance of Cdk5 in neurotransmission but also suggest a pivotal role of Cdk5 in the regulation of higher cognitive functions and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we will discuss the recent findings on the emanating role of Cdk5 as a regulator of synaptic functions and plasticity

Evaluation of an Online Campaign for Promoting Help-Seeking Attitudes for Depression Using a Facebook Advertisement: An Online Randomized Controlled Experiment

BACKGROUND: A depression-awareness campaign delivered through the Internet has been recommended as a public health approach that would enhance mental health literacy and encourage help-seeking attitudes. However, the outcomes of such a campaign remain understudied. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online depression awareness campaign, which was informed by the theory of planned behavior, to encourage help-seeking attitudes for depression and to enhance mental health literacy in Hong Kong. The second aim was to examine click-through behaviors by varying the affective facial expressions of people in the Facebook advertisements. METHODS: Potential participants were recruited through Facebook advertisements, using either a happy or sad face illustration. Volunteer participants registered for the study by clicking on the advertisement and were invited to leave their personal email addresses to receive educational content about depression. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups (campaign or control), and over a four consecutive week period, received either the campaign material or official information developed by the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong. Pretests and posttests were conducted before and after the campaign to measure the differences in help-seeking attitudes and mental health literacy among the campaign and control groups. RESULTS: Of the 199 participants that registered and completed the pretest, 116 (55 campaign and 62 control) completed the campaign and the posttest. At the posttest, we found no significant changes in help-seeking attitudes between the campaign and control groups, but the campaign group participants demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in mental health literacy (P=.031) and a higher willingness to access additional information (P<.001) than the control group. Moreover, the happy face Facebook advertisement attracted more click-throughs by users into the website than did the sad face advertisement (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides evidence that an online campaign can enhance people’s mental health literacy. It also demonstrates the practicality and effectiveness of an online depression awareness campaign using a Facebook-based recruitment strategy and distribution of educational materials through emails. It is important for future studies to take advantage of the popularity of online social media and conduct evaluative research on mental health promotion campaigns

Pctaire1 interacts with p35 and is a novel substrate for Cdk5/p35

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a serine/threonine kinase that plays important roles during central nervous system development. Cdk5 kinase activity depends on its regulatory partners, p35 or p39, which are prominently expressed in the central nervous system. We have previously demonstrated the involvement of Cdk5 in the regulation of acetylcholine receptor expression at the neuromuscular junction, suggesting a novel functional role of Cdk5 at the synapse. Here we report the identification of Pctaire1, a member of the Cdk-related kinase family, as a p35-interacting protein in muscle. Binding of Pctaire1 to p35 can be demonstrated by in vitro binding assay and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Pctaire1 is associated with p35 in cultured myotubes and skeletal muscle, and is concentrated at the neuromuscular junction. Furthermore, Pctaire1 can be phosphorylated by the Cdk5/p25 complex, and serine 95 is the major phosphorylation site. In brain and muscle of Cdk5 null mice, Pctaire1 activity is significantly reduced. Moreover, Pctaire1 activity is increased following preincubation with brain extracts and phosphorylation by the Cdk5/p25 complex. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that Pctaire1 interacts with p35, both in vitro and in vivo, and that phosphorylation. of Pctaire1 by Cdk5 enhances its kinase activity