Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health最新文献

In 2020, Bhutan pioneered a school-based gender-neutral human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program, achieving an impressive 96% vaccination coverage rate by 2021. This study, conducted through 49 in-depth interviews with community leaders, policymakers, parents, teachers, and health workers, and 12 focus group discussions with boys who received HPV vaccination. We used conventional content analysis to analyze the data. Enablers of the extension of gender-neutral HPV vaccination included social mobilization and advocacy efforts, which encompassed community engagement and leadership and collaborations with schools. Equally crucial were proficient program management and the strategic use of digital interventions. Challenges included tracking and reaching eligible adolescents. Vaccinated boys perceived school-based vaccination to be a key enabler of vaccine update. The study concludes that extending a girls-only HPV vaccination program to gender-neutral is feasible and acceptable in Bhutan. Findings related to challenges and ways for overcoming them can support other countries interested in gender-neutral HPV vaccination program.

This study aims to examine the complex relationship between household food insecurity and outpatient care utilization among Indonesian older adults. Individual-level data from the 2020 National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS; n = 29 950 older adults aged 60 and over in poor self-rated health who are unable to do daily activities) and environmental-level data (n = 84 096 villages in a data aggregation across 514 municipalities) from the 2021 Village Potential Data Census Collection Survey (PODES) are used in a two-level binary logistic regression model. Older adults who live in severely food insecure households (odds ratio [OR] 1.963) and lack of health insurance (OR 1.654) are more likely of not utilizing outpatient care. The interclass correlation coefficient value is 0.162, indicating that primary health care services in every village improve outpatient care utilization. Food insecurity is the major determinant of reduced likelihood of outpatient care utilization, which can be explained by household resource constraints.

The study investigated mental health status of the students of public and private universities, their willingness to take vaccine against COVID-19, and its association with fear, anxiety, and depression. A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted from July 26 to September 15, 2021, using a well-structured questionnaire among 504 university students. The average age of the participants was 22.92 ± 2.28 years and 76.98% of them were willing to vaccinate against COVID-19. The fear of COVID-19 was found mild, and depression level was demonstrated moderate among the students irrespective of the university types. Moreover, Masters/MPhil/PhD students and the students living in semi-urban areas had the highest rate of willingness to vaccinate. The study demonstrated that level of fear, anxiety, and depression was directly associated with increased willingness to vaccinate among the tertiary level students in Bangladesh. The outcome of this study sketched a positive association of knowledge and education with better management of pandemic in a society.

The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed national health care systems, not least in the context of hepatitis elimination. This study investigates the effects of the pandemic response on the incidence rate, mortality rate, and case fatality rate (CFR) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) cases in China. We extracted the number of hepatitis C cases and HCV-related deaths by month and year for 2015 to 2021 in China and applied two proportional tests to analyze changes in the average yearly incidence rates, mortality rates, and CFRs for 2015 to 2020. We used the autoregressive integrated moving average model to predict these three rates for 2020 based on 2015 to 2019 HCV data. The incidence of hepatitis C decreased by 7.11% and 1.42% (P < .001) in 2020 and 2021, respectively, compared with 2015 to 2019, while it increased by 6.13% (P < .001) in 2021 relative to 2020. The monthly observed incidence in 2020 was significantly lower (-26.07%) than predicted. Meanwhile, no differences in mortality rate or CFR were observed between 2021, 2020, and 2015 to 2019. Our findings suggested that nonpharmaceutical interventions and behavioral changes to mitigate COVID-19 could have reduced hepatitis C incidence and accelerated China's implementation of a plan to eliminate HCV infection.

This study investigates the interdependence of dietary knowledge and preference and potential rural-urban differences among middle-aged and older Chinese couples. Couple-level data from the 2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey were included (N = 2933). Structural Equation Model examined the actor and partner effects of dietary knowledge on dietary preferences. Findings indicated that greater dietary knowledge was associated with one's healthier diet preferences among both rural and urban residents (P < .01). In rural areas, ones' dietary knowledge was associated with their partners' dietary preferences (P < .01). However, in urban areas, husbands' dietary knowledge was not associated with their wives' dietary preferences (P = .58), whereas wives' dietary knowledge was associated with their husbands' dietary preferences (P < .05). The rural-urban difference indicates the greater decision-making power of men in rural households. A couple-based approach is suggested for dietary interventions and guidelines promoting healthy eating in China, particularly in rural regions.

While anemia constitutes a prevalent health issue among children in Vietnam, comprehensive aggregate data remain scarce. Consequently, the objective of this meta-analysis is to establish the pooled prevalence of anemia in the pediatric population of Vietnam. A comprehensive systematic search of existing prevalence studies was conducted up until June 2022, encompassing databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, as well as reference list analysis. Pooled prevalence estimates, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated using a random-effects model. Publication bias was assessed using the Egger regression test and funnel plot inspection. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify potential variations in anemia prevalence across study groups. The pooled prevalence estimate for anemia among children under 10-year-olds amounted to 35.5% (95% CI = [23.9, 49.1]). Notably, gender-specific analyses unveiled distinct prevalence rates, with 37.8% among males and 33.4% among females. Furthermore, variations in anemia prevalence among Vietnamese children were evident across different demographic strata, encompassing gender, age groups, and rural or poor rural residency. The calculated pooled prevalence of anemia among children in Vietnam revealed a significant burden. Addressing this issue necessitates targeted interventions within specific regions and the implementation of government policies aligned with global targets for the eradication of childhood anemia.

This study aimed to analyze the impact of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs) mortality on Tianjin's life expectancy (LE) in 2004 compared with 2020 using Arriaga's decomposition method. The LE increment for Tianjin residents due to the decrease in CCVDs mortality was 1.54 years (38.7%). Males, females, urban residents, and rural residents contributed 1.29 years (36.83%), 1.76 years (40.25%), 2.11 years (44.41%), and 0.71 years (25.06%), respectively. A total of 38.2% of the LE increment was attributed to deaths from CCVDs in people aged ≥65 years. Cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, acute myocardial infarction, and other heart diseases contributed positively to the increase in LE (24.8%, 22.68%, 16.66%, and 11.3%). Sequelae of cerebrovascular disease and other coronary heart diseases contributed negatively to the increase in LE (-25.2% and -17.92%). Therefore, we need to control the risk factors of the elderly, males, rural residents, sequelae of cerebrovascular disease, and other coronary heart diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends physical activity for more than 150 minutes a week to improve health and reduce disease burden; however, previous studies have shown a lack of participation among persons with disabilities. Logistic regression analysis was performed on National Health Insurance Service data to analyze the relationship between physical activity levels by disability type and socioeconomic factors. The results showed that women with disabilities exercised 0.663 times compared to men with disabilities and individuals with severe disabilities exercised 0.719 times compared to those with mild disabilities. Those from the highest income level households (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.442) and the re-employed (AOR = 1.119) exercised adequately. Thus, physical activity levels and socioeconomic factors are related in persons with disabilities. Exercise policies and programs are required to support persons with disabilities by income level.

Frailty is identified in middle-aged and older adults, and frail individuals are vulnerable to dependency and poor health. In this study, we analyzed nationally representative data that includes 5592 participants aged 40 years and above to determine the prevalence and factors associated with frailty among community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults in Malaysia. Using a 40-item Frailty Index, the overall prevalence of frailty and prefrailty was 19.5% and 64.1%, respectively. A total of 38.6% of older adults (≥60 years) were frail and 56.2% were prefrail. Among middle-aged adults (<60 years), the prevalence of frailty was 10.4% and that of prefrailty was 67.9%. Factors associated with frailty include older age, ethnicity, low education and income level, moderate to poor self-rated health, abdominal obesity, absence of a spouse, and previous history of falls. These findings may serve as evidence for the implementation of a frailty policy and health care planning in Malaysia.