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The economic burden of brucellosis care on patients can lead to significant financial strain, despite partial coverage by medical insurance. However, there is limited research on the out-of-pocket costs faced by brucellosis patients. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the costs and out-of-pocket expenses of brucellosis care, specifically examining the varying socioeconomic status of patients in Xinjiang, China. We collected cost and demographic data from 563 respondents and their hospital bills and employed latent variable analysis to assess socioeconomic status. The majority of patients belonged to the middle and lower socioeconomic status categories (85.97%), and they were primarily farmers and herders (82.77%). The median direct cost per brucellosis episode was USD 688.65, with out-of-pocket expenses amounting to USD 391.44. These costs exceeded both the 2020 Xinjiang and national per capita health expenditures (USD 233.66 and USD 267.21, respectively). Notably, the overall medical reimbursement rate was 48.60%, and for outpatient costs, it was merely 12.82%. Despite higher out-of-pocket costs among high socioeconomic status patients, the percentage of income spent was higher (37.23%) for patients in the lower socioeconomic status group compared to other groups (16.25% and 12.96%). In conclusion, our findings highlight that brucellosis patients are predominantly from the middle and lower socioeconomic status, with high out-of-pocket expenses placing them under significant financial pressure. Moreover, there is notable inequity in economic consequences across different socioeconomic status groups. These results call for policy interventions aimed at reducing brucellosis-related poverty and promoting equitable access to care., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hai-Bo He et al.)

Objective: Using Intelligence Scale of Mini Mental State Estimated (MMSE) as the gold standard to determine the relevance of International HIV-associated Dementia Scale (IHDS) in minority ethnic areas in Guangxi populations with different cultural values. Corresponding boundary value related to the authenticity and reliability on IHDS were also evaluated., Methods: 200 patients with HIV infection were randomly selected from the minority ethnic groups in Guangxi. For each infected person, MMSE and IHDS blind scale were tested at the same period. Using the results from MMSE scale test as the gold standard, ROC curve and IHDS scale in Guangxi minority populations with different education levels which related to the diagnosis of dementia-HIV values were determined. The value of a specific sector under the IHDS sensitivity, specificity, and internal consistency coefficients was also evaluated., Results: When considering the infected person did not differ on their educational level, the IHDS scale diagnostic cutoff appeared as 8.25, while IHDS sensitivity as 0.925, specificity as 0.731 and Kappa as 0.477 (P < 0.001). When considering the extent of cultural differences did influence the prevalence of infection, the different education groups showed different IHDS diagnostic cutoff values. People with high school, secondary school or higher education levels, the IHDS diagnosis appeared to be 8.25, when sensitivity was 0.917, specificity was 0.895 and Kappa was 0.722 (P < 0.001). People with only primary education level, the IHDS appeared to be 7.25. When sensitivity was 0.875, specificity was 0.661 and Kappa was 0.372 (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The IHDS diagnostic sector in Guangxi minority groups was lower than the internationally recommended level of diagnostic cutoff value (IHDS ≤ 10 points). When using IHDS to perform the HIV related dementia screening program, in the minority areas of Guangxi, culture context, the degree and difference of HIV infection should be considered, especially in using IHDS diagnostic cutoff values.

Objective: To study the spatiotemporal trend of Japanese encephalitis in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between 1989 and 2006., Methods: Retrospective space-time permutation scan statistic and inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation were employed to detect the spatiotemporal trend of Japanese encephalitis in Guangxi, from the year 1989 to 2006., Results: The spatiotemporal pattern of Japanese encephalitis was divided into four phases by IDW interpolation maps, from 1989 to 2006. The first phase was spatiotemporal cluster located in southeast region, from 1989 to 1996. The second phase showed discrete distribution from 1997 to 1998. The third phase of spatiotemporal cluster located in Lingshan county, Pubei county and Bobai county, in 1999. And the last phase was spatiotemporal cluster located in northwest region from 2000 to 2006. Three statistically significant spatiotemporal clusters were detected by retrospective space-time permutation scan statistic. The primary cluster appeared in 1999 (LLR = 253.25, P = 0.001, RR = 4.62), with 109°54' E, 22°28' N (located in Pubei county) as its center and radiated 45.24 km. From 2000 to 2006, the secondary cluster showed in northwest (LLR = 75.91, P = 0.001, RR = 1.88), with center located at 105° 23' E, 24° 68' N (Longlin county), and radiated 199.85 km. From 1989 to 1996, the other secondary cluster appeared in the southeast area (LLR = 46.29, P = 0.001, RR = 1.16), with center located at 110°94' E, 24°03' N (Zhaoping county) and radiated 229.12 km., Conclusion: Space-time permutation scan statistic and geographical information system could be applied to quantitatively detect the potentially spatiotemporal trend of the disease. The spatiotemporal cluster shifted from southeast to northwest, from 1989 to 2006.

The aims of this study were to define the relationships between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor antagonist (alpha 1 blocker). A prospective clinical study of 48 male patients examined between May 2004 and December 2007 was performed. 4.0-9.9 ng/ml PSA level who had no notable clinical findings of urinary retention, urinary tract infections and prostate cancer (PC) received tamusulosin 0.2 mg once daily for 3 months, and then received prostate biopsy. We divided the patients into two groups: PC and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH)/lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) group. In total, the PSA level showed no significant change after treatment. In the PC group, PSA significantly increased after treatment. However, PSA decreased in the BPH/LUTS group. The alpha 1 blocker significantly improved urination status (the subjective symptoms and urodynamics parameters) in the BPH/LUTS group. In two groups, prostate volume showed no significant difference. Among those patients in the BPH/LUTS group, their urination status was significantly improved with alpha 1 blocker and their PSA level dropped slightly. On the other hand, the PSA level was significantly increased in the PC group. This study shows that by using an alpha 1 blocker, it may be possible to avoid conducting the prostate biopsy at an early stage or indeed one may not be needed at all for patients with only slight increases in PSA.

Objective: To study the spatial distribution characteristics of liver cancer in Guangxi so as to provide evidence for the development of control and prevention on liver cancer., Methods: The average eight year morbidity was computed, using the rates of liver cancer in 2000-2007. The spatial statistics module of GIS was used to conduct spatial autocorrelation analysis, and the disease mapping was drawn, using the Map Info 8.0 software., Results: The average morbidity rate was clustered in Guangxi in the past eight years, with Moran's I index as 0.34 and P value below 0.01. G index appeared to be 0.77 and the P value was below 0.01. Moran's I correlogram lifted up in four spaces, specifically, the cluster took place in both macro-scale (one to three spatial intervals, 45 to 135 km real scale) and micro-scale (16 to 18 spatial intervals, 720 to 800 km real scale). When the spatial interval became 14 and real scale was 60 km, the spatial distribution of liver cancer showed the most intensive autocorrelation. Most of the regions with high morbidity would be clustered in the southwest and southern parts, along the coastal areas of Guangxi while the regions with low morbidity clustered in the northern part of Guangxi., Conclusion: Liver cancer was found un-randomly distributed and geographically clustered in Guangxi in 2000-2007.