Nurses' knowledge of universal health coverage for inclusive and sustainable elderly care services

Objectives: to explore nurses' knowledge of universal health coverage (UHC) for inclusive and sustainable development of elderly care services. Method: this was a cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of 326 currently practicing enrolled nurses (EN) or registered nurses (RN) was recruited. Respondents completed a questionnaire which was based on the implementation strategies advocated by the WHO Global Forum for Governmental Chief Nursing Officers and Midwives (GCNOMs). Questions covered the government initiative, healthcare financing policy, human resources policy, and the respondents' perception of importance and contribution of nurses in achieving UHC in elderly care services. Results: the knowledge of nurses about UHC in elderly care services was fairly satisfactory. Nurses in both clinical practice and management perceived themselves as having more contribution and importance than those in education. They were relatively indifferent to healthcare policy and politics. Conclusion: the survey uncovered a considerable knowledge gap in nurses' knowledge of UHC in elderly care services, and shed light on the need for nurses to be more attuned to healthcare policy. The educational curriculum for nurses should be strengthened to include studies in public policy and advocacy. Nurses can make a difference through their participation in the development and implementation of UHC in healthcare services.Objetivos: explorar o conhecimento dos enfermeiros sobre a cobertura universal de saúde (CUS) para o desenvolvimento inclusivo e sustentável de serviços de saúde a idosos. Método: estudo transversal. Foi recrutada uma amostra de conveniência de 326 enrolled nurses (EN) ou registered nurses (RN). Os entrevistados responderam a um questionário com base nas estratégias de implementação preconizadas pelo Fórum Global da OMS para Governmental Chief Nursing Officers and Midwives (GCNOMs). As perguntas abordavam iniciativas do governo, políticas de financiamento da saúde, políticas de recursos humanos e percepção dos entrevistados sobre a importância e contribuição do enfermeiro no alcance da CUS em serviços de cuidados a idosos. Resultado: o conhecimento de enfermeiros sobre a CUS em serviço de atenção ao idoso foi razoavelmente satisfatório. Enfermeiros tanto da prática clínica como da gestão perceberam-se contribuindo mais e tendo mais importância do que aqueles que trabalham na educação. Eles eram relativamente indiferentes à política de saúde e à política. Conclusão: a pesquisa revelou uma lacuna de conhecimento considerável no conhecimento da CUS pelos enfermeiros nos serviços de cuidados a idosos e evidenciou a necessidade de enfermeiros terem mais sintonia com a política de saúde. O currículo de formação para preparar os enfermeiros deve ser reforçado para incluir estudos em política pública e advocacia. Os enfermeiros podem fazer a diferença por meio de sua participação no desenvolvimento e implementação da CUS nos serviços de saúde.Objetivos: explorar los conocimientos que tienen las enfermeras sobre la cobertura universal de salud (CUS) para el desarrollo inclusivo y sostenible de servicios para el cuidado de adultos mayores. Método: se utilizó una encuesta transversal. Se formó una muestra de conveniencia de 326 enrolled nurses (EN) o registered nurses (RN) que actualmente estuvieran ejerciendo. Los encuestados respondieron a un cuestionario basado en las estrategias de implementación apoyadas por el WHO Global Forum for Government Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers (WGFGCNO). Las preguntas abarcaban la iniciativa del gobierno, políticas de financiamiento de la salud, las políticas de recursos humanos y la percepción de los encuestados sobre la importancia y la contribución de las enfermeras en el logro de la CUS en los servicios de cuidado para adultos mayores. Resultados: el conocimiento de las enfermeras sobre CUS en el servicio de cuidado para los adultos mayores fue bastante satisfactorio. Tanto las enfermeras de práctica clínica y como las de gestión perciben tener un mayor aporte e importancia que las de que están en educación. Tenían un punto de vista relativamente indiferente a la política sanitaria y la política. Conclusión: la encuesta descubrió una considerable brecha en el conocimiento de las enfermeras sobre CUS en los servicios de cuidado para adultos mayores y puso de manifiesto la necesidad de que las enfermeras estén más en sintonía con la política sanitaria. El plan de estudios para la preparación de las enfermeras debe fortalecerse para incluir estudios en las políticas públicas y promoción. Las enfermeras pueden hacer una diferencia a través de su participación en el desarrollo e implementación de CUS en los servicios de salud

An Internet quiz game intervention for adolescent alcohol drinking: a clustered RCT

Background and Objectives: Interventions on adolescent drinking have yielded mixed results. We assessed the effectiveness of an Internet quiz game intervention compared to conventional health education. Methods: In this cluster randomized controlled trial with parallel group design, we randomly allocated 30 participating schools to the Internet quiz game intervention or the conventional health education (comparison) group, with 1:1 ratio. Students of Hong Kong secondary schools (aged 12–15 years) were recruited. The intervention was a 4-week Web-based quiz game competition in which participating students answered 1000 alcohol-related multiple-choice quiz questions. The comparison group received a printed promotional leaflet and hyperlinks to alcohol-related information. Results: Of 30 eligible schools, 15 (4294 students) were randomly assigned to the Internet quiz game intervention group and 15 (3498 students) to the comparison group. Average age of participants was 13.30 years. No significant between-group differences were identified at baseline. Overall retention rate for students was 86.0%. At 1-month follow-up, fewer students in the intervention group reported drinking (9.8% vs 12.1%, risk ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68 to 0.92; P = .003), and those who drank reported drinking less alcohol (standardized difference β −0.06, 95% CI −0.11 to −0.01; P = .02). Between-group differences remained statistically significant at 3-month follow-up (10.4% vs 11.6%, risk ratio 0.86, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.999; P = .048; β −0.06, 95% CI −0.11 to −0.01; P = .02). Conclusions: The Internet quiz game intervention reduced underage drinking by 21% at 1-month and 14% at 3-month follow-up compared with conventional health education

Nurses' knowledge of universal health coverage for inclusive and sustainable elderly care services

Objectives: to explore nurses' knowledge of universal health coverage (UHC) for inclusive and sustainable development of elderly care services. Method: this was a cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of 326 currently practicing enrolled nurses (EN) or registered nurses (RN) was recruited. Respondents completed a questionnaire which was based on the implementation strategies advocated by the WHO Global Forum for Governmental Chief Nursing Officers and Midwives (GCNOMs). Questions covered the government initiative, healthcare financing policy, human resources policy, and the respondents' perception of importance and contribution of nurses in achieving UHC in elderly care services. Results: the knowledge of nurses about UHC in elderly care services was fairly satisfactory. Nurses in both clinical practice and management perceived themselves as having more contribution and importance than those in education. They were relatively indifferent to healthcare policy and politics. Conclusion: the survey uncovered a considerable knowledge gap in nurses' knowledge of UHC in elderly care services, and shed light on the need for nurses to be more attuned to healthcare policy. The educational curriculum for nurses should be strengthened to include studies in public policy and advocacy. Nurses can make a difference through their participation in the development and implementation of UHC in healthcare services

Mitochondrial diseases in Hong Kong: prevalence, clinical characteristics and genetic landscape

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence of mitochondrial diseases (MD) in Hong Kong (HK) and to evaluate the clinical characteristics and genetic landscape of MD patients in the region. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed the phenotypic and molecular characteristics of MD patients from participating public hospitals in HK between January 1985 to October 2020. Molecularly and/or enzymatically confirmed MD cases of any age were recruited via the Clinical Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) using relevant keywords and/or International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes under the HK Hospital Authority or through the personal recollection of treating clinicians among the investigators. Results A total of 119 MD patients were recruited and analyzed in the study. The point prevalence of MD in HK was 1.02 in 100,000 people (95% confidence interval 0.81–1.28 in 100,000). 110 patients had molecularly proven MD and the other nine were diagnosed by OXPHOS enzymology analysis or mitochondrial DNA depletion analysis with unknown molecular basis. Pathogenic variants in the mitochondrial genome (72 patients) were more prevalent than those in the nuclear genome (38 patients) in our cohort. The most commonly involved organ system at disease onset was the neurological system, in which developmental delay, seizures or epilepsy, and stroke-like episodes were the most frequently reported presentations. The mortality rate in our cohort was 37%. Conclusion This study is a territory-wide overview of the clinical and genetic characteristics of MD patients in a Chinese population, providing the first available prevalence rate of MD in Hong Kong. The findings of this study aim to facilitate future in-depth evaluation of MD and lay the foundation to establish a local MD registry