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The primary objective of this research was to validate the short version of the Perinatal Grief Scale (SVPGS) in the Chinese population. The Chinese SVPGS was administered to a sample of Chinese women who had experienced recent reproductive loss (N = 314). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis rejected the original 3-factor model delineated by Potvin (1989). A follow-up exploratory factor analysis suggested an alternative 3-factor model, consisting of a 12-item Sense of Worthlessness subscale, a 7-item Social Detachment subscale, and a 7-item Painful Recollection subscale. Further analysis showed that both the original and Chinese SVPGS demonstrated good internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha equaled 0.86, 0.83, 0.90, and 0.95, respectively, for the three subscales of Active Grief, Difficulty Coping, and Despair, and the total original SVPGS, and 0.85, 0.93, 0.91, and 0.95, respectively, for the new subscales of Sense of Worthlessness, Social Detachment, and Painful Recollection, and the total Chinese SVPGS. Both versions demonstrated satisfactory correlations with the participants' psychological distress and spousal emotional support. The authors suggest that both versions are useful in measuring the responses of Chinese women to reproductive loss; the original SVPGS should be used for cross-cultural studies, whereas the Chinese SVPGS should be used for local studies. (Contains 4 tables.)

Background Women suffering from urinary incontinence have impaired quality of life ( Qo L). Pelvic floor muscle training ( PFMT) has been recommended to be the first-line treatment for them. Aims This study evaluated the role of ( PFMT) in women with urinary incontinence. Materials and Methods All women suffering from urinary incontinence without pelvic organ prolapse who attended the urogynaecology unit of a university hospital from January 2009 to June 2010 were recruited. Urinary symptoms and impact on Qo L were assessed using the Chinese validated Urogenital Distress Inventory short form ( UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire short form ( IIQ-7) before and after PFMT. Urodynamic studies ( UDS) were used to differentiate the diagnoses of urinary incontinence. Results Three hundred and seventy-two women, aged 52.3 ± 10.8 years and practised PFMT for 9.9 ± 7.3 months, completed the study. Over 65% recorded improvement in both UDI-6 and IIQ-7. Stratified for urodynamic diagnosis, stress incontinence group and those who had no UDS abnormality had significant improvement in their urinary symptoms and Qo L after PFMT. UDI-6 and IIQ-7 also improved significantly after PFMT in groups where the clinical presentation was stress incontinence, overactive bladder symptoms or mixed urinary incontinence. Age was not associated with a significant difference in the response to PFMT. Conclusions Pelvic floor muscle training appears to be an effective first-line intervention for improving urinary symptoms and Qo L of women presenting with urinary incontinence. Future studies on long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are also required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The CHD5 gene located on 1p36 encodes a protein - chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 5. CHD5 has been shown to be a tumor suppressor gene candidate. This study investigated the involvement of CHD5 in ovarian cancer and its clinicopathological significance. Methods: CHD5 expression in ovarian cancer and its counterpart were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. The correlation of CHD5 expression to clinicopathological features of the tumor was analyzed. Results: CHD5 expression was downregulated by at least twofold in 32 of 72 (41%) invasive epithelial ovarian carcinomas when compared to 12 controls in Hong Kong Chinese women. CHD5 downregulation was correlated to clinical status (p < 0.05), but not to patient age, tumor type and grade, recurrence and clinical stage (p > 0.05). Survival analysis showed that patients with CHD5 downregulation in their tumors were associated with shorter disease-free and total survival times compared to those without CHD5 downregulation (p < 0.05). Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis indicated that downregulation of CHD5 is an independent adverse prognostic factor in ovarian cancer. Conclusion: This study shows that CHD5 is downregulated in a certain number of ovarian cancers and appears to be an adverse predictor candidate of ovarian cancer disease-free and total survival. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rates of preterm birth in Chinese women and the potential effects of differing environments are poorly understood. Aim: To determine the rate of preterm birth in Chinese women in China, Hong Kong and Western Australia. Methods: The rates of preterm birth were obtained from records of 26 611 pregnancies in Jiangsu Province in mainland China, 48 976 pregnancies in Hong Kong and 185 798 pregnancies in Western Australia. Results: Preterm birth rates increased from 2.6 and 2.9% in urban and rural Jiangsu Province, respectively, and 2.5% in China-born women in Western Australia who required an interpreter; to 4.9% in China-born women in Western Australia who did not require an interpreter; to 5.6% in non-resident Chinese women in Hong Kong; and 7.6% for women resident in Hong Kong. Within Western Australia, the rate of preterm birth was significantly less in women who were born in China and declared themselves to be Chinese (4.4%) than Caucasians (7.8%), other women who declared themselves to be 'Asian' (8.7%) and women of Aboriginal heritage (14.5%). Conclusions: The rate of preterm birth in China is relatively low but appears to differ in Chinese women in other environments. Differences between traditional Chinese and contemporary Western lifestyles, possibly including smoking and sexual practices, may contribute to the different rates of preterm birth. Further research in this area may provide avenues for the prevention of preterm birth and also help to prevent a possible rise in this complication of pregnancy as Chinese society continues on the path of economic and social reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this research was to validate the short version of the Perinatal Grief Scale (SVPGS) in the Chinese population. The Chinese SVPGS was administered to a sample of Chinese women who had experienced recent reproductive loss (N = 314). The results of the confirmatory factor analysis rejected the original 3-factor model delineated by Potvin (1989). A follow-up exploratory factor analysis suggested an alternative 3-factor model, consisting of a 12-item Sense of Worthlessness subscale, a 7-item Social Detachment subscale, and a 7-item Painful Recollection subscale. Further analysis showed that both the original and Chinese SVPGS demonstrated good internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha equaled .86, .83, .90, and .95, respectively, for the three subscales of Active Grief, Difficulty Coping, and Despair, and the total original SVPGS, and .85, .93, .91, and .95, respectively, for the new subscales of Sense of Worthlessness, Social Detachment, and Painful Recollection, and the total Chinese SVPGS. Both versions demonstrated satisfactory correlations with the participants' psychological distress and spousal emotional support. The authors suggest that both versions are useful in measuring the responses of Chinese women to reproductive loss; the original SVPGS should be used for cross-cultural studies, whereas the Chinese SVPGS should be used for local studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives. To examine the validity and reliability of the short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory in a clinical Chinese pregnant population. Background. Childbirth self-efficacy has become an important psychological construct for both childbirth educators and researchers because pregnant women's perception may influence the meaning and consequences of childbirth. Assessment done by the original Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory limits the scientific rigor for generating additional research into the construct, as its items were repetitive and its structure is lengthy. Methods. This prospective study investigated 293 Chinese pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy. The women completed the short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, the Chinese Self-efficacy Scale and the socio-demographic questionnaire in an interview room of the study hospital. The re-testing of the scale on the participants was carried out two weeks later in the same clinic. Results. Factor analysis and item-subscale correlations supported the conceptual dimensions of the short form of the Chinese Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for both subscales were over 0·9. The convergent validity with the Chinese Self-Efficacy Scale was reflected by a moderate correlation for the two subscales. The efficacy expectancy subscale differentiated primigravid from multigravid women ( t = 2·83, P < 0·01, CI = −2·33 to 2·34). Conclusions. The reliability and validity information presented in this paper supports the use of the short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory as a research instrument in measuring the childbirth self-efficacy among the Chinese population. Further validation of the measure is warranted. Relevance to clinical practice. The reliable short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory could be used in routine clinical practice in maternity care services to provide a point of reference for future research and development in both childbirth education and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although there have been many studies of the biological and psychosocial causations of postnatal depression, studies of sociocultural risk factors are rare. Aims To investigate the sociocultural risk factors of postnatal depression using ethnographically informed epidemiological methods. Method A total of 959 women were assessed at their first ante-partum visit (baseline), in the third trimester, immediately after delivery, and 3 months post-partum. Six domains of risk factors were examined. The dependent variable was postnatal depression (as defined by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) at 3 months post-partum, Results Conflict with mother-in-law, marital dissatisfaction, past depression and antenatal depression independently predicted the occurrence of postnatal depression, The cultural practice of peiyue — a Chinese post-partum custom of mandated family support — was associated with better social support and a slightly lower risk of postnatal depression. Conclusions Sociocultural aspects of the immediate puerperium shape maternal emotional well-being. In-law conflict is an important source of household distress in many Asian societies. The findings have implications for clinical practice and future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the performance of hotel websites in Hong Kong, China in terms of information quality. Advantages of having websites for hotels; Comparison of the performance of websites among different hotel categories; Incorporation of the perceptions of hotel guests and practitioners in the evaluation development process; Differences in the performance scores of luxury, mid-priced, and economy hotels.

Abstract: Postnatal depression affects both men and women. The detection of postnatal depression is important, yet there are few validated screening tools on Chinese men. The goals of the present study were to compare the psychometric properties of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Patient Health Questionnaire — Depression Module (PHQ-9) in screening for postnatal depression among Chinese fathers in Hong Kong. The prevalence of depression at 8 weeks postpartum was also estimated. A prospective cohort of 551 men completed the EPDS, BDI, and PHQ-9 at 8 weeks postpartum. Clinical diagnosis of depression was established with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV), non-patient version (SCID-NP). The criterion validity of the instruments was evaluated against this clinical diagnosis. The EPDS was significantly more accurate than the BDI and PHQ-9 in detecting postnatal depression among Chinese men. With a cut-off score of 10 or more, the EPDS has a sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 97%, positive predictive value of 57%, and negative predictive value of 99%. Approximately 3.1% men met the DSM-IV criteria for depression at 8 weeks postpartum. The prevalence rate of postnatal depression in Chinese men is comparable to their Western counterparts. The Chinese EPDS is a valid instrument for detecting postnatal depression in men. It could be applied as a supplementary assessment tool in Chinese fathers who may be reluctant to disclose their depressive symptoms in face-to-face interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Hypothesis: To evaluate the effect of levator ani muscle (LAM) injury on pelvic floor disorders and health-related quality of life in Chinese primiparous women during the first year after delivery., Methods: At 8 weeks and 12 months after delivery, 328 women were assessed for symptoms of pelvic floor disorders and quality of life using the standardised questionnaire, POP-Q; and translabial ultrasound to detect LAM injury. Descriptive analysis, independent sample t test, non-parametric testing, Chi-squared test and two-sided Fisher's exact test were used., Results: At 8 weeks after delivery, 48 (19.0% [95% CI, 14.2-23.8%]) women with vaginal delivery had LAM injury; 38 women (79.2%) had persistent LAM injury at 12 months. At 8 weeks, LAM injury was associated with prolapse symptoms, descent at Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) Aa and Ba points and a higher Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI) general and Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI) Obstructive subscale score. At 12 months, it was not associated with prolapse symptoms, Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) or Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ). There was also no association between stress urinary incontinence (SUI), urge urinary incontinence (UUI), mixed urinary incontinence (UI), faecal incontinence (FI) with LAM injury at both time points., Conclusions: Seventy-nine per cent of women who had LAM injury at 8 weeks after vaginal delivery had persistent LAM injury at 12 months. LAM injury was associated with prolapse symptoms, lower POP-Q Aa and Ba points at 8 weeks after delivery and a higher POPDI general and UDI Obstructive subscale scoring. However, we are not able to confirm the association between LAM injury and SUI, UUI, mixed UI, FI at 8 weeks or 12 months after delivery; or prolapse symptoms, PFDI or PFIQ scores at 12 months after delivery.

Introduction and Hypothesis: This study evaluated factors and their prevalence associated with urinary (UI) and fecal (FI) incontinence during and after a woman's first pregnancy., Methods: Nulliparous Chinese women with no UI or FI before pregnancy were studied with a standardized questionnaire for UI and FI from early pregnancy until 12 months after childbirth. Maternal characteristics and obstetric data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent sample t test, chi-square test, and logistic regression., Results: Three hundred and twenty-eight (74.2 %) women completed the study. The prevalence of antenatal UI increased with gestation. Overall, 192 (58.5 %), 60 (18.3 %), and 76 (23.1 %) had normal vaginal delivery, instrumental delivery, and cesarean section, respectively. Twelve months after delivery, prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge urinary incontinence (UUI) was 25.9 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 21.5-30.6] and 8.2 % (95 % CI 5.2-11.2), respectively. In those who delivered vaginally, the prevalence was 29.7 % and 9.1 %, respectively. Prevalence of FI was 4.0 % (95 % CI 1.9-6.1). On logistic regression, vaginal delivery [odds ratio (OR) 3.6], antenatal SUI (OR 2.8), and UUI (OR 2.4) were associated with SUI. Antenatal UUI (OR 6.4) and increasing maternal body mass index (BMI) at the first trimester (OR 1.2) were associated with UUI. Antenatal FI was associated with FI (OR 6.1)., Conclusions: The prevalence of SUI, UUI, and FI were 25.9 %, 8.2 %, and 4.0 %, respectively, 12 months after delivery. Vaginal delivery, antenatal SUI, and UUI were associated with SUI; antenatal UUI and increasing maternal BMI at the first trimester were associated with UUI. Antenatal FI was associated with FI. Pregnancy, regardless of route of delivery and obstetric practice, had an effect on UI and FI.

Introduction and Hypothesis: We performed an investigation of symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and factors affecting women's treatment choice of pelvic organ prolapse (POP)., Methods: Three hundred and eight women presenting with POP were assessed by Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ), Short Form-36 (SF-36), Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system, and urodynamic studies. Treatment was arranged according to each woman's preference after counseling. Factors affecting treatment choice were evaluated. Descriptive statistics, chi-square or Fisher exact test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, and logistic regression analysis were used., Results: Patients had high prevalence of urinary, prolapse, and bowel symptoms. Their QOL was impaired, with Urinary Impact Questionnaire (UIQ) higher than the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Impact Questionnaire (POPIQ) score and lower SF-36 score compared with the population norm. Logistic regression analysis indicated that complication from vaginal pessary, urodynamic stress incontinence (USI), stage of prolapse, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI) scoring were factors for choosing surgical treatment., Conclusions: Women with POP had great symptomatic distress and impaired QOL. Complication from vaginal pessary, USI, stage of prolapse, and POPDI scores were factors increasing the likelihood of the patient choosing surgical treatment.

Introduction and Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ)., Methods: Women who presented for pelvic floor disorders completed the Chinese version of PFDI and PFIQ, SF-36, a 3-day urinary and fecal diary. POP-Q assessment, urodynamic study, anal manometry, and ultrasound were performed where appropriate., Results: Five hundred and ninety-seven women completed the study. The Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability of PFDI and PFIQ was 0.92 and 0.98, and 0.77 and 0.79, respectively. Convergent validity was demonstrated with negative correlation of PFDI and PFIQ with SF-36; positive correlation of staging of prolapse, urinary or fecal incontinent episodes with the respective subscales of PFDI and PFIQ., Conclusions: The Chinese version of PFDI and PFIQ are reliable and valid condition-specific health-related quality of life questionnaires for women with pelvic floor disorders.

Introduction and Hypothesis: UDI-6 and IIQ-7 are useful disease-specific questionnaires evaluating the impact of urinary incontinence on the QOL of women. We aim at validating them in Chinese language., Methods: Both instruments were translated; 207 urinary incontinent women completed UDI-6 and IIQ-7, SF-36, bladder diary and urodynamic evaluation. The reliability and validity were assessed., Results: There were high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha for UDI-6 and IIQ-7 was 0.80 and 0.93) and test-retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.72 and 0.75, P < 0.001). Scoring of UDI-6 and IIQ-7 was negatively correlated with SF-36 (P < 0.001); positively correlated with daytime urinary frequency and incontinent episodes (P < 0.001), and women's VAS (P < 0.001). Subscales of UDI-6 and IIQ-7 could discriminate women with different urodynamic diagnoses., Conclusions: The Chinese UDI-6 and IIQ-7 is reliable and valid. Study on the responsiveness to treatment is in progress. They are useful in assessing impact of the urinary incontinence in Chinese women.

Objective: to identify the antenatal taboos commonly practised by pregnant Hong Kong Chinese women; to explore the health beliefs behind these taboos; and to examine how pregnant women perceived and reacted to the cultural tradition., Design: general ethnography and in-depth interviews, followed by a quantitative self-reported survey., Setting: Antenatal clinic of a university-affiliated hospital in Hong Kong., Participants: consecutive samples of 60 women for in-depth interviews, and 832 women for the survey., Measurements: an inventory on the adherence and attitude towards antenatal taboos, and the Beck Depression Inventory that measures severity of depression., Findings: antenatal taboos were still commonly observed by contemporary Chinese women. Miscarriage, fetus malformation and fetal ill-health were the key cultural fears that drove contemporary Chinese women to observe the traditional taboos. About one-quarter and one-tenth of the women, respectively, felt unhappy and disputed with their families about the taboos. These women had significantly higher levels of depression in late pregnancy and during childbirth., Implications for Practice: health-care practitioners should be aware of the benefits and risks of traditional antenatal taboos on maternal health. Although some taboos can be socio-morally protective, the tension created by the observation of cultural tradition in modernity may impair maternal psychological well-being. Health-care providers in Western countries should be vigilant of the complex cultural tension faced by migrant Chinese mothers.

Goals of Work: The objective of the study was to examine quality of life (QOL) and its age-specific factors in cervical cancer patients at different stages of life., Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy-three Chinese patients with cervical cancer were surveyed by telephone. QOL was assessed with the WHO Quality of Life Scale-Chinese/Hong Kong (HK) version (WHOQOL-BREF-HK) and compared across age groups. Using multiple regression analyses, demographic and medical factors that were independently associated with QOL outcomes in each age group were identified., Main Results: The age groups did not differ in the level of QOL, except for the social relationship domain. Older patients reported poorer social functioning than younger patients. Different factors were associated with QOL outcomes in different age groups. For patients in young adulthood, employment and education level were positively associated with QOL. For patients in midlife adulthood, time since diagnosis and stage of cancer were positively associated with QOL. For patients in aging adulthood, QOL was negatively associated with age, physical morbidity, and a history of termination of pregnancy. However, having a partner and possessing religious belief were positively associated with QOL., Conclusions: Patient's age had a significant impact on the experience of QOL. Older patients had poorer social relationships than younger patients. Religion seemed to have a protective effect against poor social functioning in aging patients.

Aims and Objectives: To examine the validity and reliability of the short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory in a clinical Chinese pregnant population., Background: Childbirth self-efficacy has become an important psychological construct for both childbirth educators and researchers because pregnant women's perception may influence the meaning and consequences of childbirth. Assessment done by the original Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory limits the scientific rigor for generating additional research into the construct, as its items were repetitive and its structure is lengthy., Methods: This prospective study investigated 293 Chinese pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy. The women completed the short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory, the Chinese Self-efficacy Scale and the socio-demographic questionnaire in an interview room of the study hospital. The re-testing of the scale on the participants was carried out two weeks later in the same clinic., Results: Factor analysis and item-subscale correlations supported the conceptual dimensions of the short form of the Chinese Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for both subscales were over 0.9. The convergent validity with the Chinese Self-Efficacy Scale was reflected by a moderate correlation for the two subscales. The efficacy expectancy subscale differentiated primigravid from multigravid women (t = 2.83, P < 0.01, CI = -2.33 to 2.34)., Conclusions: The reliability and validity information presented in this paper supports the use of the short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory as a research instrument in measuring the childbirth self-efficacy among the Chinese population. Further validation of the measure is warranted., Relevance to Clinical Practice: The reliable short form of the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory could be used in routine clinical practice in maternity care services to provide a point of reference for future research and development in both childbirth education and clinical practice.

Objectives and Methods: HLA II DQB1 polymorphisms have been shown to associate with cervical cancer risk, but results varied among different populations. In this study, the HLA DQB1 alleles among 221 southern Chinese women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (CIN III)/invasive cervical carcinoma (ICC) were compared to 191 controls., Results: The frequency of DQB1*03 was significantly lower among ICC overall as compared to controls (65.4% vs. 79.1%, odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.50 [0.28-0.88], corrected p-value: 0.04). The protective association of DQB1*03 remained significant for human papillomavirus (HPV) 16-positive ICC, but not for HPV16-negative cases. This is in contrast to studies on European populations where DQB1*03 was associated with an increased risk for ICC. In the current study, 70.1% of the HPV16 isolates were Asian variants, and 28.0% were European variants. However, no significant association between HPV16 variant and DQB1*03 distribution was observed. HPV52 and HPV58 were found respectively in 16.3% and 10.0% of CIN III/ICC, which were higher compared to that of Europe and North America. Further analyses revealed a positive risk association between DQB1*06 and HPV58-positive CIN III/ICC (3.68 [1.37-9.92], corrected p-value: 0.012)., Conclusion: The host genetics and the distribution of HPV types/variants may account for the observed differences among southern Chinese and other populations.

Background: There has thus far been no empirical research on the occurrence of antenatal psychiatric morbidity in Chinese population. Epidemiological studies in western societies generally show that depressive episodes occur in 10-20% of pregnant women. Longitudinal studies have demonstrated that antenatal depression is one of the most powerful predictors of postnatal depression. There is also a growing literature that shows that antenatal psychological distress can adversely affect maternal and foetal well being., Methods: At 38 weeks of pregnancy, 238 consecutive women were invited to return for psychiatric assessment. The participants were interviewed using the non-patient version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-NP)., Results: Seventy women (29%) declined to participate, and another 11 (5%) defaulted the SCID interview. Among the 157 women interviewed, the 1-month prevalence of antenatal depression was 4.4%. The 1-month prevalence of all psychiatric diagnoses was 6.4%. The prevalence of antenatal depression and all psychiatric diagnoses for the entire pregnancy was 6.4% and 8.3%, respectively., Limitations: About a third of eligible subjects did not participate in the study., Conclusions: A significant proportion of Chinese women suffer from psychiatric morbidity during pregnancy. Depressive disorders are by far the commonest morbidity in the study population. Given the scope of the morbidity and the potential impact on obstetric and neonatal outcomes, early screening and treatment are warranted.

Objective: To investigate the effects of 6-month treatment of tibolone on menopause symptoms, psychological well-being, and the dyadic relationship of postmenopausal Chinese women and their spouses., Design: A randomized, double-blind, crossover study was conducted in 100 postmenopausal Hong Kong Chinese women who received tibolone (2.5mg/day) and placebo. At baseline, 6-month and 13-month visits, the women filled in the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS), 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), and their spouses completed GHQ and DAS., Results: Both tibolone and placebo treatment were associated with a significant reduction in the GCS total scores after the first 6-month interventional period (95% CI: -8.0 to -2.5 for tibolone, and -5.7 to -0.7 for placebo). After the correction for placebo response, tibolone treatment was associated with a significant reduction in the GCS somatic subscore (-1.1 +/- 0.4 for tibolone group versus 0.6 +/- 0.5 for placebo group, P < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the GHQ and DAS total scores of the women and their spouses after tibolone treatment, both with and without the correction for placebo response., Conclusions: Tibolone treatment had a significant beneficial effect on the somatic menopause symptoms but had no effect on the psychological well-being or marital relationship of the postmenopausal Chinese women and their spouses.

Objectives: Hypoestrogenism occurring in association with the menopause may result in the development of vasomotor symptoms and it may also have a detrimental effect on psychological well being and quality of life (QOL). The aims of this study were to measure menopausal symptoms, mood and QOL in postmenopausal Chinese women and to assess the effect of different doses of oestrogen on these outcome indicators., Methods: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the effect of 1 and 2 mg oestradiol on menopausal symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and QOL in 152 postmenopausal women over a 12 month study period. Menopausal symptoms were measured using a modified Kupperman's scale. Anxiety and depressive symptoms and QOL were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales and a modification of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire, respectively., Results: Baseline scoring of vasomotor symptoms in our population was low whilst QOL scoring was relatively high. Over 12 months, after adjustment for differences in baseline scoring, there was a significant reduction in menopausal symptom scores in the 2 mg oestradiol group compared with placebo but not in the 1 mg group. There were no statistically significant changes in levels of anxiety and depression or QOL in either the 1 or the 2 mg group compared with placebo., Conclusions: These results suggest that relatively few Chinese women will be expected to benefit from hormone replacement in terms of either QOL or mood. In addition, the overall benefit of treatment for vasomotor symptoms will be less for a given number of Chinese women than for Caucasians. Therefore, when considering the reasons for prescribing hormone replacement therapy in this population, protection against osteoporosis will for most women be the prime consideration.

A large-scale epidemiologic survey on the prevalence of different types of human papillomavirus (HPV) in cervical cancer in China is indicated because of the implications for the development of diagnostic probes and vaccines against cervical cancer. A total of 809 cervical cancer specimens were collected from 5 regions in China including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Sichuan, Beijing and Hong Kong. HPV DNA was detected in 83.7% of the specimens. HPV-16 was present in 79.6%, HPV-18 in 7.5%, HPV-52 in 2.6% and HPV-58 in 3.8% of all HPV-positive specimens. The prevalences of HPV-16 and HPV-18 in Hong Kong were 61.7 and 14.8%, respectively, representing a lower HPV-16 and a higher HPV-18 proportion compared with the other regions. HPV-16 remained the most common HPV infection in both squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC). The proportion of HPV-18 infection was significantly higher in AC than in SCC., (Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)