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This study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) recipients aged 18 or older and associated factors, 2 years after HAART administration had started in Kagera, Tanzania. Using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), 329 HAART recipients were interviewed in May 2007. Questions on sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases (besides HIV/AIDS), HAART side effects and adherence to antiretroviral drugs were added. Treatment data, the first and latest available CD4 counts were retrieved from patients' records. Gender and age-adjusted mean scale scores of the sample were compared to those of the general Tanzanian population of the late 1990s using t test. Logistic regression was used to explore the effect of sex, age, education level, income, chronic diseases, CD4 count, HAART side effects and adherence to antiretroviral drugs on recipients' physical functioning and mental health scale scores. The mean scale scores of HAART recipients were generally lower than those of the general population except for general health perceptions (p = 0.191) and mental health (p = 0.161). HAART recipients with chronic disease comorbidity were more likely to score below the general population's mean score for mental health (p = 0.007). While the effect of chronic disease comorbidity on physical functioning among those who recorded a CD4 count increase was negative (odds ratio [OR] = 13.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.7, 49.9), there was no effect on those who did not have such an increase. The control of chronic diseases among recipients should be given priority to improve their HRQOL.

This study was aimed at assessing physicians' and physician assistants' knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS and identifying determinants of willingness to care for infected individuals in Southeast China. From May to June 2004, 454 physicians and physician assistants from 5 different medical facility levels in Fujian Province, China, undertook a survey on knowledge, attitude, behavior, and practice (KABP). Only 40.4% (95% confidence intervals: 35.9, 44.9) were willing to provide healthcare services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). Knowledge (p < 0.001) and attitude scores (p = 0.01) as well as the proportion of those willing to provide care (p < 0.001) significantly differed by facility level. Multivariate analysis identified supportive attitudes toward PLWHAs (p < 0.001), self-confidence in providing care (p < 0.001), and facility level as significant predictors of willingness to care for infected individuals. Village medical stations showed the most unfavorable outcomes. Enhanced education as well as specific programs promoting supportive attitudes and willingness to care is therefore required, especially among those working at lower facility levels in remote areas.

Objectives: In contrast to the health of migrants, which has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the health of adults left behind by family members who out‐migrated to other locations. This study was performed to investigate the association between being left behind and the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) antibody titer, which is an indicator of cellular immune functioning previously shown to be associated with psychological stress. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in rural communities in Fujian, China, in 2015. Questionnaire data and dried blood spot samples were collected from 748 adults. A mixed effect regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association. Results: Results indicated that the EBV antibody titers were higher among people who had been left behind compared with those who had not. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, in rural Fujian, China, family separation following the out‐migration of family members is an important determinant of psychological stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera (PEP) on glucose metabolism in a rat model of diabetes mellitus (DM). PEP (0, 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg) was administered intragastrically to rats for four weeks. After treatment, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin (INS) levels were measured, and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was calculated. The morphopathological changes in the pancreas were observed. Serum samples were collected to measure the oxidant-antioxidant status. The mRNA expression levels of glucokinase (GCK) and insulin receptor (InsR) in liver tissue and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) and adiponectin (APN) in adipose tissue were determined. Compared with the model group, the FBG and INS levels were lower, the ISI was higher, and the number of islet β-cells was significantly increased in all the PEP groups. In the medium- and high-dose PEP groups, MDA levels decreased, and the enzymatic activities of SOD and GSH-Px increased. The mRNA expression of InsR and GCK increased in all the PEP groups; APN mRNA expression increased in the high-dose PEP group, and GLUT-4 mRNA expression increased in adipose tissue. These findings suggest that PEP is a potential therapeutic agent that can be utilized to treat DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was extraordinarily harmful, with high rates of infection and hospitalization. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 vaccination status and other factors on hospitalization and disease severity, using data from Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection with vaccination status were included and the differences in characteristics between different vaccination statuses, hospitalization or not, and patients with varying levels of disease severity were analyzed. Furthermore, logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the association of various factors with hospitalization and disease severity. From March 14, 2020 to August 31, 2022, 23,139 patients were unvaccinated 13,668 vaccinated the primary program with one or two doses, and 4,575 completed the booster. Vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization with an odd ratio of 0.759 (95% CI: 0.654-0.881) and the protective effect of completed booster vaccination was more pronounced (OR: 0.261, 95% CI: 0.207-0.328). Similarly, vaccination significantly reduced the risk of disease severity (vaccinated primary program: OR: 0.191, 95% CI: 0.160-0.228; completed booster vaccination: OR: 0.129, 95% CI: 0.099-0.169). Overall, unvaccinated, male, elderly, immunocompromised, obese, and patients with other severe illness factors were all risk factors for COVID-19-related hospitalization and disease severity. Vaccination was associated with a decreased risk of hospitalization and disease severity, and highlighted the benefits of completing booster.

Previous studies have demonstrated that sharps-related infectious disease is a global concern. Several papers have also reported that students are at a higher risk than healthcare workers. The prevalence of sharps exposure in China, however, is unknown. This study explored the incidence of sharps exposure and its related risk factors among students in all academic years and majors at a medical university in China. This cross sectional study was conducted at a Chinese medical university in May 2005. Stratified random sampling was used. Students in all five academic years (Y1-Y5) who were majoring in clinical medicine, nursing, dentistry, medical technology, pharmacology, acupuncture/massage, and public affairs management were provided questionnaires. Nine hundred seventy of 1,070 (90.7%) students completed the questionnaire. One hundred twenty-two of 968 (12.6%) students reported a total of 131 sharps exposures during the previous 12 months. Of these exposures, 24.7% occurred in academic year five (Y5) students, followed by 23.4% in academic year four (Y4) students. Dental students had the highest incidence rate at 20.6%, followed by medical students (16.0%), nursing students (12.2%), and acupuncture/massage students (5.0%). Only 45 (34.4%) of sharps exposures were reported to a supervisor, and the students displayed a general lack of knowledge of occupational exposure standards (OES). In conclusion, sharps exposures most frequently occurred among students from 3 majors: dentistry, nursing, and clinical medicine. Sharps exposures were underreported to supervisors. Effective OES educational programs need to be developed and should be implemented early in health science students' education.

Two decades have already passed since the first HIV/AIDS case was described in 1981. Cumulatively, over 20 million people have unfortunately lost their lives, and more than 40 million people are now living with HIV, and most of them are from developing countries. China, as the biggest developing country, has an impact on the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. From the first case of AIDS diagnosed in Mainland China in 1985, the epidemic has spread at an alarming rate. The feature of HIV/AIDS spread in Mainland China concerns its geographical characteristics that can be described as occurring in three phases. According to data from World Health Organization (WHO), it was estimated that about 840,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in China, and 80,000 of them have already developed AIDS. WHO warned that, if there were no effective preventive measures adopted, that the number of HIV/AIDS infected cases would reach 10 million in China by 2010. In this study, we described the current situation of the epidemic of HIV/AIDS, as well as an historic review. The development of policy-making and the control measures are also highlighted. The experience from China described in this study would hopefully be for more public awareness of this crisis that is threatening all the citizenry of China.