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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Childhood injury prevention in Hong Kong Hong Kong Childhood Injury Prevention Research Group.

Injury is a major health problem in Hong Kong children. During the past two decades, injury and poisoning have surpassed infectious diseases as the leading cause of childhood mortality in Hong Kong. These two are also the leading cause of childhood disability. In 1995, injury and poisoning caused approximately 2% of the deaths among children aged 0 to 1 years, 26% of the deaths among children aged 1 to 4 years, and 36% of all deaths of children aged 4 to 14 years. Road traffic accidents, drowning and submersion, and accidental falls accounted for 30%, 20%, and 20%, respectively, of all deaths from unintentional injury in children younger than 15 years of age. Exact morbidity figures for injury and poisoning are not available but injuries are known to account for approximately 30% of paediatric attendances at the accident and emergency departments of regional hospitals, 20% of all hospitalisations among children, and 65% of surgical or orthopaedic admissions. It has been estimated that approximately 2.9% of children will be admitted to hospital for an injury at least once before their fourth birthday. Hong Kong is a small, highly urbanised, and densely populated place that has undergone tremendous socio-economic development in the past three decades. The pattern of injuries has changed and shows some special characteristics. Information on the extent of the problem, the type of injury, and contributing factors are scarce. Preventive measures are reactive in nature, piecemeal, and usually not subject to evaluation. It is recommended that childhood injury prevention be accorded a high priority, child safety be given prime consideration in all policies involving children, and more research be conducted.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Survey of the previous investigation and treatment by private practitioners of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis attending government chest clinics in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Chest Service/British Medical Research Council.

A questionnaire was applied to 159 consecutive patients with smear-positive and 187 with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis attending the 8 full-time Government chest clinics in Hong Kong for the first time for their current illness, who had already attended a private practitioner at a private general practice, a private clinic, or an independent hospital, outside the Government or Government-subsidised Service. The aim was to obtain details of management by private practitioners, and in particular of the antituberculosis chemotherapy prescribed. The great majority (86%) of the patients had originally attended a private practitioner because of symptoms. Only 18% had had their sputum examined, although 76% had had a chest radiograph; 65% of the smear-positive and 71% of the smear-negative patients had been told that they had, or might have, tuberculosis. For 40% there was an interval of more than a month between their first attendance at a private practitioner and at a Government chest clinic. Only 11% of the patients were referred without delay to a Government chest clinic, and another 21% once tuberculosis had been diagnosed or suspected. The patients were asked to name the drugs they had been prescribed, to produce samples, or to identify them from a perspex board containing samples of all 49 antituberculosis tablets and capsules known to be available in Hong Kong at the time. In the event, only 11% of the patients could name some or all of their medicaments and only 7% could produce samples, although a further 76% were able to describe them with or without the aid of the perspex board. In all, 19% of the patients were definitely or probably prescribed an antituberculosis regimen, although this was not always an adequate regimen. The findings suggest that there is considerable scope for active case-finding aimed at encouraging patients who are likely to have tuberculosis to attend a Government chest clinic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

A service program of antituberculosis chemotherapy with five drugs for four months in the treatment of drug addicts and prisoners with pulmonary tuberculosis in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Chest Service/British Medical Research Council.

The results are reported of a service in Hong Kong of intensive antituberculosis chemotherapy with 5 drugs given daily for 4 months, or until discharge from hospital or release from prison if earlier, in the treatment of male Chinese drug addicts and prisoners who had pulmonary tuberculosis positive for acid-fast bacilli on microscopic examination of the sputum. Of 69 patients who received 4 months of chemotherapy, all those with sputum cultures negative for M. tuberculois initially, and more than 80% of those with positive cultures, 41% of whom had strains resistant to isoniazid, streptomycin, or both drugs, achieved quiescent disease, which was maintained for a year of follow-up. Some of the patients who received less than 4 months of chemotherapy also reponded well. Despite the 5 drugs, the frequency of adverse reactions to the regimen was low.

Antitubercular Agents↗
PubMed1991

A controlled clinical comparison of 6 and 8 months of antituberculosis chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with silicotuberculosis in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Chest Service/tuberculosis Research Centre, Madras/British Medical Research Council.

Patients with silicotuberculosis have been reported to respond poorly to antituberculosis chemotherapy. Therefore, in a study in Hong Kong, 240 Chinese male patients with both silicosis and pulmonary tuberculosis were all prescribed treatment three times weekly with streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampin, and pyrazinamide, allocated at random to be given for a total duration of either 6 (M6 regimen) or 8 months (M8 regimen) in a concurrent comparison. Those with a history of previous antituberculosis chemotherapy received ethambutol as well for the first 3 months. The intake in the M6 regimen was terminated when preliminary results showed that it was inadequate, and a further 53 patients were assigned to the M8 series. Of 91 assessable patients in the concurrent comparison with susceptible strains pretreatment, 44% were culture negative at 1 month, 80% at 2 months, and 98% at 3 months, and 1 had an unfavorable bacteriologic response during chemotherapy. During 3 yr of assessment, bacteriologic relapse after chemotherapy occurred in 22% of the M6 compared with 7% of the M8 patients (p less than 0.025, log-rank test). Inadequate chemotherapy was received by 12% of the 240 patients in the concurrent comparison because of default and by 22% because of adverse effects, but by 3 yr 92% of patients with susceptible strains pretreatment in each series had a favorable status following retreatment for relapse or for initially inadequate chemotherapy when required. The results show that patients with silicosis require at least 8 months of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of three antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis regimens in patients with silicosis in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Chest Service/Tuberculosis Research Centre, Madras/British Medical Research Council.

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis was undertaken in sillicotic subjects in Hong Kong where there is a high prevalence of both silicosis and tuberculosis. During 1981 to 1987, 679 Chinese men with silicosis, with no history of previous antituberculosis chemotherapy and no evidence of active tuberculosis, were admitted to the trial and have been studied for between 2 and 5 yr. They were allocated at random to four series-rifampin for 12 wk (R3), isoniazid and rifampin for 12 wk (HR3), isoniazid alone for 24 wk (H6), or placebo (Pl)--in a double-blind design with matching placebos for isoniazid and rifampin as appropriate. Active pulmonary tuberculosis developed more frequently during the 5 yr in the placebo series than in the three chemoprophylaxis series (p less than 0.01, log-rank test), but there were no significant differences between the chemoprophylaxis series. The estimated proportions of patients with active pulmonary disease in the placebo series were 9% at 2 yr, 15% at 3 yr, 20% at 4 yr, and 27% at 5 yr. In contrast, in the three chemoprophylaxis series combined they were 5, 8, 10, and 13%, respectively. Thus, although chemoprophylaxis halved the proportion of patients in whom tuberculosis developed, this proportion was still substantial. There was no evidence that chemoprophylaxis led to the selection of drug-resistant strains of bacilli. Adverse effects were reported with a similar frequency in all four series, suggesting that few were drug related. During the first 12 wk, hepatic toxicity was reported in 8 (1%) patients (3 HR3, 3 H6, and 2 Pl), but only 1 (H6) had symptomatic hepatitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Epidemiology of diabetes mellitus in children in Hong Kong: the Hong Kong childhood diabetes register.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a registry for Chinese children with onset of type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus before 15 years of age and to determine the incidence of childhood onset type 1 diabetes mellitus in Chinese children in Hong Kong. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A registry was established in 1997 to collect childhood diabetes cases retrospectively from all districts in Hong Kong. The study included all newly diagnosed cases of diabetes with onset < 15 yr of age from 1st January 1984 to 31 December 1996. Primary ascertainment was based on review of medical records at all regional public hospitals in Hong Kong and survey of all the registered practitioners in Hong Kong. The secondary source of validation was made impractical, if not impossible, because of the recent implementation of the Personal Data Privacy Ordinance in Hong Kong. RESULTS: A total of 255 diabetic cases were identified, 227 type 1 diabetes mellitus (218 were Chinese), 18 type 2 diabetes mellitus and 11 secondary diabetes. 246 patients were Chinese and 9 non-Chinese. The age-standardized incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus in southern Chinese children in Hong Kong was 1.4/100,000/yr and 0.1/100,000/yr respectively for children < 15 yr of age during the study period. The incidence rates for type 1 diabetes were 0.9, 1.5 and 1.7 per 100,000/yr for 0-4 years, 5 to 9 years and 10 to 14 years age-groups respectively. The incidence for males was 1.2/100,000/yr and for females 1.7/100,000/yr. A significant increase in the incidence was demonstrated during the study period by simple linear regression (slope 0.14/100,000/year, r2 = 0.73, p = 0.0002) CONCLUSIONS: A diabetic registry is established in Hong Kong. This study documents a very low incidence rate of childhood type 1 diabetes mellitus in southern Chinese children in Hong Kong and we have seen an increasing incidence of the disease in the past 13 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

The prevalence of diabetes, association with cardiovascular risk factors and implications of diagnostic criteria (ADA 1997 and WHO 1998) in a 1996 community-based population study in Hong Kong Chinese. Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Steering Committee. American Diabetes Association.

AIMS: While the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 1997 diagnostic criteria advocate the use of fasting plasma glucose only, the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria retain the use of the standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The present study evaluated the relative merit of the respective diagnostic criteria in Chinese. METHODS: Data collected for the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study was analysed. This was a representative population-based study, conducted from 1995 to 1996 among 2,900 Chinese subjects aged 25-74 years using a 75-g OGTT. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes (known plus unknown) was 6.2% (95% confidence interval 5.3-7.1%), 9.2% (8.1-10.3%), and 9.8% (8.7-10.9%) based on ADA 1997, WHO 1985 and WHO 1998 criteria, respectively, with a very high prevalence in older subjects. The 2,451 subjects classified as normal under ADA 1997 criteria were heterogenous: 15.3% had impaired glucose tolerance; 2.1% had diabetes under WHO 1998 criteria. These latter two smaller groups had cardiovascular risk profiles comparable to that found among the impaired fasting glucose subjects (under ADA), but worse than that among the concordant normal glucose tolerance subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The ADA criteria underestimate both diabetes prevalence and cardiovascular risk in this population. Hence fasting glucose alone is an inadequate approach and OGTT should be retained to identify at-risk individuals in both clinical diagnosis and epidemiological studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Development of basic nursing education in China and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong returned to the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China in July 1997. In the past, Hong Kong has been greatly influenced by the British system of nurses' training, which was very different from that in mainland China. As Hong Kong is now a part of China again, there is an increased opportunity for the exchange of experience and ideas among nurse educators. The First China-Hong Kong Nursing Education Conference has provided opportunities for the authors to gain a deeper understanding of the development of nursing education in China and Hong Kong. The authors believe that it is also important for China and Hong Kong to increase networking with the international nursing community. This paper has been written largely based on the information gathered from papers presented in the Conference and the discussion with nurse educators who attended the Conference, together with a review of literature. This paper focuses on comparing the history and present development of basic nursing education in both places. The future direction for the development of nursing education in these two places will also be discussed.

China↗
PubMed2001

Indoor air quality at nine shopping malls in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is one of the most attractive shopping paradises in the world. Many local people and international tourists favor to spend their time in shopping malls in Hong Kong. Good indoor air quality is, therefore, very essential to shoppers. In order to characterize the indoor air quality in shopping malls, nine shopping malls in Hong Kong were selected for this study. The indoor air pollutants included carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (THC), formaldehyde (HCHO), respirable particulate matter (PM10) and total bacteria count (TBC). More than 40% of the shopping malls had 1-h average CO2 levels above the 1000 ppm of the ASHRAE standard on both weekdays and weekends. Also, they had average weekday PM10 concentrations that exceeded the Hong Kong Indoor Air Quality Objective (HKIAQO). The highest indoor PM10 level at a mall was 380 microg/m3. Of the malls surveyed, 30% had indoor airborne bacteria levels above 1000 cfu/m3 set by the HKIAQO. The elevated indoor CO2 and bacteria levels could result from high occupancy combined with insufficient ventilation. The increased PM10 levels could be probably attributed to illegal smoking inside these establishments. In comparison, the shopping malls that contained internal public transport drop-off areas, where vehicles were parked with idling engines and had major entry doors close to heavy traffic roads had higher CO and PM10 indoor levels. In addition, the extensive use of cooking stoves without adequate ventilation inside food courts could increase indoor CO2, CO and PM10 levels.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed2003

Women and retirement planning: towards the "feminization of poverty" in an aging Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's population is aging but retirement research is largely missing from the research agenda in Hong Kong. This study, based on a telephone survey of 1,078 respondents, examines middle-aged adult's retirement planning activities in Hong Kong. The findings show men are more likely to be involved in financial planning, while women are more likely to take part in some forms of health, living arrangement and psychological planning for retirement. Further, there are age, education and income differences in the various forms of retirement planning activities within genders. Women are living longer; because of their lack of financial retirement planning, they are prime candidates for poverty. The discussion concludes with policy implications related to assisting midlife individuals, in particular women, in planning for retirement.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2003

On the local and regional influence on ground-level ozone concentrations in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a densely populated city situated in the fast developing Pearl River Delta of southern China. In this study, the recent data on ozone (O3) and related air pollutants obtained at three sites in Hong Kong are analyzed to show the variations of O3 in urban, sub-urban and rural areas and the possible regional influences. Highest monthly averaged O3 was found at a northeastern rural site and lowest O3 level was observed at an urban site. The levels of NOx, CO, SO2 and PM10 showed a different spatial pattern with the highest level in the urban site and lowest at the rural site. Analysis of chemical species ratios such as SO2/NOx and CO/NOx indicated that the sites were under the influences of local and regional emissions to varying extents reflecting the characteristics of emission sources surround the respective sites. Seasonal pattern of O3 is examined. Low O3 level was found in summer and elevated levels occurred in autumn and spring. The latter appears different from the previous result obtained in 1996 indicating a single maximum occurring in autumn. Principal component analysis was used to further elucidate the relationships of air pollutants at each site. As expected, the O3 variation in the northeastern rural area was largely determined by regional chemical and transport processes, while the O3 variability at the southwestern suburban and urban sites were more influenced by local emissions. Despite the large difference in O3 levels across the sites, total potential ozone (O3+NO2) showed little variability. Cases of high O3 episodes were presented and elevated O3 levels were formed under the influence of tropical cyclone bringing in conditions of intense sunlight, high temperature and light winds. Elevated O3 levels were also found to correlate with enhanced ratio of SO2 to NOx, suggesting influence of regional emissions from the adjacent Pearl River Delta region.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2000

A statement for health care professionals on type 2 diabetes mellitus in Hong Kong. Diabetes division, Hong Kong Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Reproduction.

OBJECTIVE: To issue a statement for health care professionals on type 2 diabetes mellitus in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: The Diabetes Division was established under the auspices of the Hong Kong Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Reproduction. The Division consists of medical and paediatric specialists, as well as health educators, including nurses, podiatrists, and dietitians who have a particular interest in diabetes. EVIDENCE: The statement was based on evidence from the available scientific literature on diabetes management from Hong Kong and overseas. CONSENSUS PROCESS: The draft statement was prepared on 16 February 2000 by a working group of diabetologists working in the public and private sectors. It was presented to the Council of the Diabetes Division on 7 March 2000 and approved by the Council of the Hong Kong Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Reproduction on 11 March 2000. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects people of all ages and is a massive public health problem. The criteria used to diagnose diabetes mellitus have recently been revised. Physicians require increased vigilance to screen for glucose intolerance in individuals who have risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus. There are now recommended cost-effective procedures for the optimal management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which emphasise regular monitoring, the control of both diabetes and associated risk factors, and self-management. To address this public health problem, concerted efforts by health care professionals and public bodies are needed to increase levels of awareness and improve the standard of care.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Acid rain, storm period chemistry and their potential impact on stream communities in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong experiences acid deposition, however, little is known about the potential impact upon aquatic ecosystems. In a small drainage basin observations reveal that despite acid rain runoff, both baseflow and stormflow, was close to neutral in terms of pH. During storm events chemical analysis reveals that calcium (Ca) concentrations tended to rise. It also appears that the input of acid rain may increase aluminium (Al) levels in the stream. Due to the increased levels of Ca and only slight changes in pH acid deposition may not be generating problems in this stream. The presence of mayflies reported elsewhere may further support the results of the chemical study.

Acid Rain↗
PubMed2003

SARS: retrospective cohort study among German guests of the Hotel 'M', Hong Kong.

Hong Kong played a pivotal role in the international spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): a doctor who spent the night of 21-22 February 2003 at Hotel 'M' was identified as the index case for four national and international clusters of SARS. In parallel to the international collaborative study led by WHO and United States, a retrospective study on the cohort of German persons staying at Hotel 'M' was conducted. The inclusion criteria covered a period from 21 February to 3 March 2003 to allow the detection of cases possibly due to environmental contamination. In the twenty-one German guests traced as having stayed at Hotel "M" during this period, one case of laboratory confirmed SARS was found. The case history suggests that close vicinity to the index patient may have played a role in transmission. In line with findings of environmental investigations in the hotel, environmental contamination should be considered as a possible source of infection.

Antibodies, Viral↗