Psychometrics and population norm of the Chinese (HK) SF-36 Health Survey_version 2

Objective: To establish the psychometric properties and norm of the Chinese (HK) SF-36 version 2 Health Survey for the adult population in Hong Kong (HK) to facilitate its application and interpretation. Design: A cross-sectional random telephone survey of the general adult population. Subjects: 2410 Chinese adults randomly selected from the general Chinese adult population in Hong Kong. The mean age of the subjects was 42.9 (S.D. 17.3) years, 48% were men and 38% had one or more chronic disease. Main outcome measures: Responses to the SF-36v2 Health Survey questions were extracted. Item-scale correlations, internal and test-retest reliabilities, and the factor structure of the SF-36v2 Health Survey scores were analysed. The SF-36v2 Health Survey scores were calculated by the standard algorithm to establish the population norm. Results: All items had 100% scaling success indicating discriminant validity. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities of all scales were good (coefficients 0.66 to 0.89). The hypothesized two-factor structure underlying construction of the physical and mental health summary scales was confirmed. The psychometric properties of the SF-36v2 Health Survey were generally better than version 1. There were significant differences in the population norms between versions 1 and 2 of the Chinese (HK) SF-36 Health Survey, especially in the role-physical and role-emotional scales. Conclusion: The Chinese (HK) SF-36v2 Health Survey is valid and reliable for measuring HRQOL of Chinese adults in Hong Kong, and population norm is now available to support the interpretation of its scores.published_or_final_versio

Assessing self-efficacy behaviour of type 2 diabetes mellitus in primary care

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Confirmatory factor analysis on traditional Chinese version of 26-item Diabetes Self-Efficacy Scale (C-DSES) in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

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Brief problem-solving treatment in primary care (PST-PC) was not more effective than placebo for elderly patients screened positive of psychological problems

Objectives To evaluate whether screening followed by brief problem-solving treatment by primary care doctors (PST-PC) could improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and reduce consultation rates in the elderly. Design A single-blind randomized placebo controlled trial (RCT). Setting Two government funded primary care clinics in Hong Kong. Participants Two hundred and ninety nine Chinese patients aged 60 years or over, with positive screening scores for psychological problems by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Interventions One hundred and forty nine subjects were randomized to receive brief PST-PC from primary care doctors (treatment) and 150 to group video-viewing (placebo). All subjects were followed up by telephone at 6, 12, 26 and 52 weeks. Main Outcome Measures Changes in SF-36 HRQOL scores, HADS scores and monthly consultation rates were compared within and between groups. Results Study completion rates were 69-71%. There was significant improvement in the SF-36 role-emotional (RE) and mental component summary (MCS) scores at week 6 in the PST-PC group but not in the placebo group. Several SF-36 scores improved significantly in the placebo (video) group at week 6-52. Mixed effects analysis adjusting for baseline values and cofounders did not show any difference in any of the outcomes between the PST-PC and placebo (video) groups. Conclusions Screening followed by brief PST-PC was associated with a short-term improvement in HRQOL in Chinese elderly patients screened positive of psychological problems, but the HRQOL benefit was not greater than those found in the placebo group who participated in group-viewings of health education videos. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.postprin

Patient morbidity and management patterns of community-based primary health care services in Hong Kong

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Metabolic and morphological alterations induced by proteolysis-inducing factor from Walker tumour-bearing rats in C2C12 myotubes

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced cancer suffer from cachexia, which is characterised by a marked weight loss, and is invariably associated with the presence of tumoral and humoral factors which are mainly responsible for the depletion of fat stores and muscular tissue. METHODS: In this work, we used cytotoxicity and enzymatic assays and morphological analysis to examine the effects of a proteolysis-inducing factor (PIF)-like molecule purified from ascitic fluid of Walker tumour-bearing rats (WF), which has been suggested to be responsible for muscle atrophy, on cultured C2C12 muscle cells. RESULTS: WF decreased the viability of C2C12 myotubes, especially at concentrations of 20-25 mug.mL-1. There was an increase in the content of the pro-oxidant malondialdehyde, and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity. Myotubes protein synthesis decreased and protein degradation increased together with an enhanced in the chymotrypsin-like enzyme activity, a measure of functional proteasome activity, after treatment with WF. Morphological alterations such as cell retraction and the presence of numerous cells in suspension were observed, particularly at high WF concentrations. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that WF has similar effects to those of proteolysis-inducing factor, but is less potent than the latter. Further studies are required to determine the precise role of WF in this experimental model. © 2008 Yano et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Normative data and factors associated with SF-12 health survey in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Conference Theme: Towards A Community-based Chronic Care Model for Asia - 為亞洲建構一套以社區為基礎的慢性疾病護理模

Exploring the tutors' needs and perceptions with case-based, problem based learning in Family Medicine

PosterThe Asia Pacific PBL Conference (APC PBL) and the Asia-Pacific Association on Problem-Based Learning in Health Sciences (APA PHS

Patient centred care in a pluralistic primary care system: who gets the best care

Conference Theme: Building Bridge