Chinese Norms Research Articles

Emotional Responses of Hospital Staff to the DASS-21 Survey During Mass COVID-19 Testing After the Relaxation of Prevention and Control Measures in Zhejiang, China, and Their Change Trajectory.

To investigate the emotional response of hospital staff to the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) over the COVID-19 pandemic and after the relaxation of prevention and control measures in Zhejiang Province, China, and identify influencing factors. Multicenter online cross-sectional design. From January 10, 2023, to January 20, 2023, 1054hospital employees in Zhejiang, China, were recruited using WeChat. Data was gathered via online, self-administered surveys. T-tests and one-way analyses of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear stepwise regression analyses were used to examine the data. More than 90% of hospital employees were infected with COVID-19. Through regression analysis, the following variables were found to be independent predictors of emotional response to DASS-21: resilience (-13.346, P < 0.0001), sleep (14.689, P < 0.0001), friend support (-4.278, P < 0.0001), education level (2.699, P = 0.007), and marriage (-2.214, P = 0.027). The emotional responses were not as severe as predicted, but they were still well above the Chinese norm. A longitudinal comparison of DASS-21 emotional responses with similar studies showed a parabolic downward trend over time. Our results identified education level, marriage, friend support, resilience, and sleep as independent predictors of emotional responses to the DASS-21 among hospital workers in this outbreak. Improving the mental resilience and sleep status of staff is a key target. Unmarried medical personnel with higher education should be given greater attention and support by management. In addition, there is still room for further improvement in the government and societal responses to similar outbreaks. The study also found a parabolic downward trend in DASS-21 emotional responses among hospital workers during the COVID-19 outbreak over time.

When Socialist Chinese Law Meets Common Law Interpretation: Mandatory Sentencing and Mitigation Under the Hong Kong National Security Law

Abstract In HKSAR v Lui Sai Yu [2023] HKCFA 26, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (CFA) delivered its first judgment on the mandatory sentencing regime under the newly introduced National Security Law (NSL). Adopting a common law approach to interpreting the NSL, the CFA held that mitigating factors not listed in the NSL cannot bring about a sentence below the minimum prescribed by the relevant provision. In this article, we propose an alternative approach to interpreting the NSL. We argue that, contrary to the CFA’s rejection of any reference to Mainland Chinese laws in constructing the NSL, both a common law purposive approach and the principle of ‘convergence, compatibility and complementarity’—one of the working principles in the enactment of NSL—would support such reference. The implications of our proposed approach would be to (i) recognize that the sui generis nature of the NSL, being a Chinese national law applied in its Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, necessitates the consideration of relevant Chinese legal norms; and (ii) allow for a broader range of mitigating factors—those recognized by both Hong Kong common law and Mainland Chinese law—to be applied to the minimum sentencing regime in the interest of fairer and more principled outcomes for defendants.

B - 124 Neuropsychological Evaluation of Chinese Speaking Patients with Parkinson’s Disease for Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery

Abstract Objective Neuropsychological evaluation is a critical part of standardized workup of candidates with Parkinson’s disease (PD) for deep brain stimulation (DBS), identifying patients with cognitive dysfunction (Okun et al., 2006). Existing literature has primarily involved native English speakers with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), informing treatment planning (Troster et al., 2018). This case series aims to address the gap for Chinese-speaking patients, by describing Chinese neuropsychological measures and norms sensitive to MCI. Method Six cases of first-generation Chinese immigrants diagnosed with PD considering DBS were included in this study. They identified Chinese as their primary language and English as their second language. Duration of residency in the U.S. ranged from 11 to 44 years. The battery included Chinese version of the MOCA; Chinese WAIS-IV; Boston Naming Test (Cheung et al. 2004); semantic verbal fluency, Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Color Trail Test (Lee and Wang, 2010); and Brief Visuospatial Memory Test, Revised Edition (BVMT-R) or RBANS: Figure Recall. Results Consistent with studies for native English speakers (Foley et al., 2018), cognitive declines were found in attention, memory, and executive function domains. Two of the six cases were diagnosed with MCI, which warrants caution before DBS. Conclusions This case series explores measures for Chinese speakers with PD undergoing evaluation for DBS surgery, highlighting cultural considerations, including Chinese measures and norms. This battery can help to differentiate cognitive impairments before proceeding with DBS. Given the diversity within this population and the scarcity of Chinese tools, more research is urgently needed.

Health service utilization, economic burden and quality of life of patients with mucopolysaccharidosis in China

BackgroundPatients with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) often face delayed diagnoses, limited treatment options and high healthcare costs, that may significantly affect patients' quality of life. The objective of this study was to understand medical service utilization related to diagnosis and treatment, economic burden during diagnosis period, and health-related quality of life among MPS patients in China.MethodsA series of patients diagnosed with MPS registered in the national patient organization were recruited for a cross-sectional survey from May to July 2019. Information were collected from patients or their parents via phone interview, including demographic data, utilization of services related to diagnosis and treatment, total cost during the period of MPS diagnosis and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL was assessed by PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL) and 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) depending on the age of patients with MPS and compared with the general Chinese population.ResultsA total of 180 MPS patients (50, 67, 15, 46, 1 and 1 for type I, II, III, IV, VI and VII), with a mean age of 9.54 years and 137 (76.11%) males, were included in analysis. The mean age at first visit to a medical doctor for MPS related symptoms was 3.65 ± 2.58 years old, while only 12 patients (6.67%) were diagnosed on their first visit. The mean diagnostic delay, which is defined as the time between the first visit to a medical doctor for MPS related symptoms and the final diagnosis, was 9.42 months, with no significant difference between types. The average number of misdiagnosis was 4.56. Before the confirmed diagnosis, the patients made an average of 6.31 visits and visited 4.3 hospitals. During diagnosis period, the mean of ¥81,086.72 direct medical costs accounted for 63.75% of the total cost. Only 32.78% of the patients had ever received specific treatments. The mean scores of PedsQL and SF-36 of patients were significantly lower than the Chinese norms. Household annual income per person, specific treatment use and MPS subtype were significantly associated HRQoL of patients.ConclusionThe results highlight challenges faced by MPS patients in terms of diagnosis, access to specific treatments, economic burden and low HRQoL. There is an urgent need to improve early detection and diagnosis, create fair and consistent mechanisms to increase access to specialized treatment and reduce the economic burden of MPS patients in China.

China’s positive reporting trainings for ghanaian journalists: A boost to ‘balanced reportage’ in Ghana?

While Ghana’s 1992 Constitution is said to have established watchdog journalism as an imperative feature of Ghana’s fourth republican dispensation, the independent media’s obsession with the ‘negative news sells’ mentality is equally argued to be helping sell Ghana short. Within this context, Ghana’s former president, John Agyekum Kufuor (JAK), has emerged as a strong advocate for balanced reportage – which represents the journalistic practice involving impartial and equal attention paid to both positive and negative news – in Ghana. Against the backdrop of China’s extensive professionalization media trainings on positive reporting for Ghanaian journalists, this study examines whether such Chinese exposures should be considered as a boost to JAK’s quest for balanced reportage in Ghana. Based on the opinions of 13 respondent journalists, this study shows that the overwhelming majority of them are not practicing China’s positive reporting norm in Ghana. In fact, the Chinese trainings had a reverse effect on two of the respondents, who returned home from their trainings in China even more determined to do watchdog journalism. But since the few that are practicing the Chinese norm are doing so alongside (not as a replacement of) their extant practice of watchdog journalism, this study argues that the Chinese trainings may be preponderantly considered as a boost to JAK’s quest for balanced reportage in Ghana. These findings make original contributions to the scholarly gap on the impact-nexus of Beijing’s media trainings and journalistic practices; the notions and intersections of positive reporting, watchdog journalism, and balanced reportage; and norm localization theory.

Adjustment trade-offs and negative emotion reciprocation in adolescent-mother dyads during COVID-19

Adolescents may benefit socially from family members’ negative emotional reciprocation (e.g., having levels of concern about a certain thing that match with another family member), but excessive focus on their own anxiety can lead to negative outcomes. To date, implications of this ‘trade-off’ in adolescent-parent dyads (e.g., Rose in Child Development Perspectives 15(3):176–181 2021) for youth adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic remain largely unexplored. During the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Hong Kong (September 2020 to April 2021), 349 first-year university students from varying socioeconomic backgrounds and following diverse study majors (T1 Madolescent age = 18.2 years, 60.3% female) and their mothers gave bi-weekly reports of COVID-related preoccupation, negative affect, and perceived relational support from their dyad partner (5183 observations over 16 assessments). Multilevel response surface analyses tested whether congruence in COVID preoccupation between mothers and adolescents predicted relationship quality and negative affect over time. Results suggested that negative emotion reciprocation had ‘trade-off’ effects for adolescents’ adjustment. Youth who matched high levels of COVID preoccupation with mothers reported the most relational support but also reported higher negative affect than youth with lower levels of COVID preoccupation. Mothers’ reported support from adolescents was not related to either mothers’ or adolescents’ preoccupation. Mothers’ negative affect was only associated with their own COVID preoccupation. Our findings suggest that adolescents may have derived some benefit from adolescent-mother negative emotion reciprocation, whereas mothers did not. The absence of trade-off effects in mothers may be linked to Chinese cultural norms of preserving the hierarchical family structure, such that the negative emotion reciprocation process in Chinese adolescent-mother dyads might be more adolescent-focused, i.e., revolving around the adolescents’ distress rather than the parents’.

Beyond Translation: Exploring the Stigmatization of Rainbow Works Translation Under Frame Theory

ABSTRACT Drawing on Goffman’s frame theory, this study examines the attitudes of nine Chinese university teacher translators in translating rainbow works, ranging from hesitancy to resistance. The primary objective is to uncover the frames of stigmatization inherent in their negative attitudes toward rainbow works translation. The research clarifies the identities of perpetrators and victims in these frames leading to stigmatization. Findings indicate that various stigmatization events in rainbow works translation share a common feature—an unfavorable depiction of rainbow culture and related elements, encompassing the rainbow community, works, and translators. Perpetrators and victims vary across events, demonstrating diversity. The research interprets stigmatization in rainbow works translation at individual, institutional, and sociocultural levels. Providing a unique Chinese perspective, the study contributes to international understanding of stigmatization in a heteronormative society. It challenges traditional Chinese norms, advocates reevaluating identity labels for the rainbow community, and underscores the importance of addressing translators’ circumstances in translating rainbow works within specific societal contexts.

Barriers to Women’s Gaining a Role in Grassroots Government: The Case of a Questionnaire Survey of Grassroots Civil Servants in China

This dissertation investigated the barriers faced by female civil servants in grassroots government in China when it comes to work and promotion. On the basis of the existing literature, three research questions are posed in this dissertation:1) Do women face barriers when seeking access to local government? If so, what are these barriers? 2) Does gender socialisation and gender norms have an impact on women’s representation in government? 3) What are the career goals of women entering government at the primary level? To address these research questions, this dissertation used mixed methods research methodology, which employed a non-quantitative questionnaire to collect data. To ensure the accuracy of the final questionnaire, this dissertation conducted a Pilot Study to get feedback from the target people. According to findings and discussion, this dissertation found that traditional Chinese gender norms and gender-based discrimination, including internalised sexism constrain the job development of female civil servants at the primary level. It also found that the weakness of China’s elderly care facilities makes daughters-in-law the primary bearers of elderly care responsibilities, which can place additional family burdens on grassroots women and discourage their job advancement. The study further found that the patriarchal dominant ‘guanxi’ culture is unfair to the development of female civil servants at the grassroots level. This dissertation mainly reveals the restrictions and barriers imposed on women under the patriarchal culture.

Assessing health-related quality of life of Chinese population using CQ-11D

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the Chinese population by using the Chinese medicine quality of life-11 dimensions (CQ-11D) questionnaire and to identify factors associated with HRQoL.MethodsThe data was derived from a survey conducted by the Institute of Pharmacoeconomics Evaluation at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine on the quality of life of the Chinese population. The sex and age of respondents were considered through quota sampling. Demographic, socioeconomic, and health indicators were collected using the structured questionnaire. We performed bivariate analyses first to examine the associations between the above factors and the HRQoL of respondents measured by the CQ-11D. Multivariate linear regression and ordinal logistic regression models were established to analyze the factors (demographic, socioeconomic, and health indicators) differences in HRQoL, as well as the risk of each group reporting problems across the 11 dimensions of CQ-11D.ResultsFrom February 2021 to November 2022, a total of 7,604 respondents were involved and 7,498 respondents were included. The sample approximated the general adult Chinese population in terms of age, sex, and district of residence, and each geographic distribution ranged from 9.71 to 25.54%. Of the respondents, 45.84% were male, and 89.82% were Han ethnicity. The mean utility score ranged from 0.796 to 0.921 as age increased. According to the respondents, most health problems were identified in the PL (fatigue) (70.16%) and SM (quality of sleep) (63.63%) dimensions. The CQ-11D index scores varied with the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of respondents, except for ethnicity (p > 0.05) and income (p > 0.05). The multivariate analysis revealed significant negative associations between health utility scores and various factors. These factors include sex (female), age over 65, belonging to ethnic minorities, rural household registration, being widowed or divorced, having a primary school education or below, being a student or unemployed, having a low income of 0–1,300, engaging in smoking or drinking, limited participation in physical activities, experiencing changes in self-perceived health status compared to the previous year, and having chronic diseases. The odds of respondents reporting problems in 11 dimensions varied among different socio-demographic groups.ConclusionsThis study reports the first Chinese population norms for the CQ-11D derived using a representative sample of the Chinese general population. Self-reported health status measured by the CQ-11D varies among different socio-economic groups. In addition to participation a physical activity and the presence of chronic disease, smoking and drinking also significantly influence HRQoL.

Challenges in Achieving Coherence and Cohesion: A Discourse Analysis of Chinese EFL Students’ Essays

This paper aims to highlight the prevalent challenges faced by Hong Kong Chinese students in utilizing connectives and ensuring coherence in their English academic writing. Research indicates that constructing fluent, effective, and cohesive English written texts that maintain logical flow poses a significant challenge for Chinese learners studying English as a foreign language (EFL). This difficulty is likely attributed to the substantial cultural differences between the English and Chinese languages, regardless of the learners’ grasp of English grammar and vocabulary usage. In order to raise awareness among EFL teachers regarding the struggles Chinese students encounter in mastering connectives and cohesion in English writing, this qualitative study analyses five sample English term papers written by Hong Kong university students majoring in English in 2023. The findings reveal that the Hong Kong EFL participants tend to present their arguments in an indirect and circular manner within their English essay assignments. Additionally, due to cultural norms and politeness, the true intent of their writing is often withheld, and the thesis statement is implicitly inferred towards the end of the essay rather than being explicitly stated at the beginning in the introduction. Furthermore, a focus group interview with the student participants conducted after the written analysis demonstrated that their English academic essays reflect the influence of Chinese social interaction norms on rhetorical patterns. The relevance of this study lies in its potential to inform EFL instruction, enabling educators to better support Hong Kong Chinese students in navigating the complexities of English academic writing and to adapt pedagogical approaches that bridge cultural and linguistic gaps.

Hanfu catwalk shows: A performance of Chinese femininities

This article analyses the complex relationship between the construction of gender identities among young Chinese females and the practice of dressing up in Hanfu attire. The study employs the perspectives of dress as a situated embodied practice, the performativity of gender and the catwalk as a form of performance art. By drawing on an ethnography of self-defined Hanfu fans in Beijing, China, the authors investigate how the female participants construct femininities through performing on Hanfu catwalks. The ethnographic findings are that, first, the Hanfu catwalk mediates the intricate interplay of Chinese aesthetic norms and gender expression between performers and the audience. Second, wearing Hanfu is an embodied practice unifying the Hanfu costume style, gender construction and corporeal acts, situated in China’s sociopolitical context. Third, Chinese femininity is complex, with both flexibility and internal conflicts, reflecting China’s paradoxical modernization.

Affective norms for 501 Chinese words from three emotional dimensions rated by depressive disorder patients.

Emotional words are often used as stimulus material to explore the cognitive and emotional characteristics of individuals with depressive disorder, while normal individuals mostly rate the scores of affective words. Given that individuals with depressive disorder exhibit a negative cognitive bias, it is possible that their depressive state could influence the ratings of affective words. To enhance the validity of the stimulus material, we specifically recruited patients with depression to provide these ratings. This study provided subjective ratings for 501 Chinese affective norms, incorporating 167 negative words selected from depressive disorder patients' Sino Weibo blogs, and 167 neutral words and 167 positive words selected from the Chinese Affective Word System. The norms are based on the assessments made by 91 patients with depressive disorder and 92 normal individuals, by using the paper-and-pencil quiz on a 9-point scale. Regardless of the group, the results show high reliability and validity. We identified group differences in three dimensions: valence, arousal, and self-relevance: the depression group rated negative words higher, but positive and neutral words lower than the normal control group. The emotional perception affected the individual's perception of words, to some extent, this database expanded the ratings and provided a reference for exploring norms for individuals with different emotional states.

Between Spanish Franciscans and Chinese Literati in Late Ming and Early Qing: Modes of Interactions and Cultural Exchanges

The Franciscan Order was one of the most important missionary orders in China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. While rooted in the local communities, they also engaged in various forms of interactions with Chinese literati. This article will begin by briefly discussing the issue of the Franciscans changing from religious habit into Chinese dress as well as their evolving attitude towards Confucianism and Chinese rituals, aiming to illustrate the process of shaping their “Western Confucian” image and their adaptation to Chinese culture. Subsequently, the focus of this paper will be shifted to exploring the modes of interactions between the Spanish Franciscans and the Chinese literati. The author argues that the interactions between the two sides were primarily power-based. These power-based interactions entailed establishing connections with officials and leveraging their influence to safeguard missionary activities. It can be further categorized into three types. The first type involved socializing with officials, while the second type included interaction with Jesuit officials in court, and the third type was direct involvement in official positions. In their engagement with literati, the Franciscans demonstrated a thorough understanding of and adaptation to Chinese societal and cultural norms, thereby facilitating the development of their mission.

Regression-based Chinese norms of number connection test A and digit symbol test for diagnosing minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Number connection test A (NCT-A) and digit symbol test (DST), the preferential neuropsychological tests to detect minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in China, haven’t been standardized in Chinese population. We aimed to establish the norms based on a multi-center cross-sectional study and to detect MHE in cirrhotic patients. NCT-A and DST were administered to 648 healthy controls and 1665 cirrhotic patients. The regression-based procedure was applied to develop demographically adjusted norms for NCT-A and DST based on healthy controls. Age, gender, education, and age by education interaction were all predictors of DST, while age, gender, and education by gender interaction were predictors of log10 NCT-A. The predictive equations for expected scores of NCT-A and DST were established, and Z-scores were calculated. The norm for NCT-A was set as Z ≤ 1.64, while the norm for DST was set as Z ≥ − 1.64. Cirrhotic patients with concurrent abnormal NCT-A and DST results were diagnosed with MHE. The prevalence of MHE was 8.89% in cirrhotic patients, and only worse Child–Pugh classification (P = 0.002, OR = 2.389) was demonstrated to be the risk factor for MHE. The regression-based normative data of NCT-A and DST have been developed to detect MHE in China. A significant proportion of Chinese cirrhotic patients suffered from MHE, especially those with worse Child–Pugh classification.

Imaginative gender roles of care in the smart home: an analysis of ‘carescapes’ in Chinese commercial narratives

This article investigates how the representations of smart home build upon gendered narratives of home as a carescape in the Chinese market on the basis of a qualitative analysis of smart home advertisements in the Chinese market. From a gender-technology perspective, it unveils contradictory narratives of gendered care and domestic carescapes arising from the current smart home industry. On the one hand, these narratives promote gender equality and democratize the home by inviting both men and women to engage in technology-mediated care work. While on the other hand, they unfold a socio-technical imaginary that reinforces gender stereotypes of domestic care. These gendered narratives are shaped by the Chinese socio-technical contexts and cultural norms, especially public discourses and cultural traditions of heteronomative family lives and gender norms as well a the gender structure imbalance in the technology industry. This article can offer a nuanced understanding of feminist geographies of home and care in a post-socialist technological context.

Hybrid choreographic femininities: DanceSport, physical culture, and performative corporeality in contemporary China

ABSTRACT The integration of conventional Western styles and Chinese (physical) cultural elements has become an increasingly utilised choreographic trend in Chinese DanceSport. In major competitions and televised events, choreographers have sought to create distinctive performance-based identities and practices that at once adhere to Western stylistic and competitive conventions but also incorporate traditional Chinese physical and cultural aesthetics. In this study, we draw from Foucault’s theorisations of power and knowledge and disciplinary techniques to offer a dispositive analysis of the bodily performances of Chinese female DanceSport dancers – specifically analysing 19 prized dance pieces in two national competitions. Through the analysis of discursive, non-discursive, and material choreographic elements, we seek to examine how the bodies of Chinese female dancers interact with multiple forms of Western DanceSport and Chinese socio-cultural and political power/knowledge. We conclude that Chinese female dancing bodies are subject to the anatomical knowledge regarding the physical execution of Western technical skills as well as adhering to the norms of Western feminine aesthetics. However, our analysis illustrates how Chinese female dancers strategically utilise Western dance movements and techniques to navigate and potentially negotiate with traditional Chinese norms. Yet, these practices may still function within an anatomopolitical framework of female dancing bodies that is shaped through the promotion of Chinese national identity by the state.

Association between social capital and quality of life in older adults with subjective cognitive decline: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundSubjective cognitive decline (SCD) is increasingly recognized as a clinical and medical risk factor for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Currently, there is little evidence regarding the quality of life (QoL) in older adults with SCD and the impact of social capital on their QoL. AimsTo examine the perceptions of social capital and QoL among older adults with SCD. MethodsA total of 325 participants (92.9 % response rate) with a self-reported diagnosis of SCD completed the Chinese version of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, the Chinese Shortened Social Capital Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale. A t-test was used to compare the QoL score of our sample with the Chinese norm. Pearson correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to assess the association of social capital with QoL. ResultsSocial capital were strongly correlated with the total QoL, as well as its physical component summary and mental component summary. The QoL score of older adults with SCD was significantly lower than the Chinese norm (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that social capital, physical activity, nutrition and anxiety symptoms were factors associated with QoL among older SCD population (P < 0.05). ConclusionThe findings of the current study suggest that older adults with SCD may experience lower QoL. Social capital is associated with the QoL in older adults with SCD. These findings have implications for clinicians who work with older adults with SCD.

Impression life with pulmonary hypertension: clinically relevant characteristics and quality of life among patients in Gansu, China.

The adverse effects of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) on physical, emotional, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) remain primarily unrecognized, especially in resource-limited settings. This study aims to characterize the HRQoL of patients with PAH in this area and also identify the potential role of clinically relevant characteristics, including the 6-min walk distance test (6MWD), WHO-Functional Classification (WHO-FC), and mental health in the occurrence of lowering quality of life. This was a cross-sectional observational study. Inpatients with PAH were chosen from a tertiary hospital located in Gansu province, China. All participants were interviewed face-by-face by using questionnaires, including items from the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the self-rating anxiety scale, and the self-rating depression scale. Data on demographic and clinically relevant characteristics, including WHO-FC and 6MWD, were also collected by tracing medical recorders. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the association between demographic, clinically relevant characteristics data, and physical component summary (PCS) or mental component summary (MCS) in SF-36. Of the 152 participants, SF-36 differed significantly from Chinese norms in all eight domains, with role-physical (21.55 ± 9.87) less than one-third of the norm (88.79 ± 28.49). Multiple linear regression results showed that the factors with the greatest impact on PCS were anxiety scores (β = -0.22, p = 0.001), followed by WHO-FC (β = -0.16, p = 0.014) and 6MWD (β = 0.15, p = 0.036). The factors with the greatest impact on MCS were WHO-FC (β = -0.30, p < 0.001), followed by anxiety (β = -0.23, p = 0.001) and depression scores (β = -0.16, p = 0.013). HRQoL was substantially reduced among PAH patients in the resource-limited area, mainly the physiological functions. WHO-FC and anxiety scores were independently associated with both PCS and MCS in SF-36. Clinicians should make reasonable rehabilitation programs and plans for patients according to their cardiac function grade and the severity of clinical symptoms. In addition, psychological interventions should also be taken, especially for those with anxiety symptoms, so as to improve their HRQoL.

Sleep quality and related factors among healthcare workers in designated quarantine hospital site in post-pandemic based on the health ecological model: a cross-sectional study in Nanjing, China.

This study aims to assess the status and related factors among healthcare workers (HCWs) in designated quarantine-hospital-site (DQHS) based on the model of health ecology. The cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May, 2022, which included 351 valid samples. We measured sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which encompasses seven dimensions: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Each dimension is scored individually, contributing to an overall sleep quality score. Factors associated with the sleep quality of HCWs in DQHS were divided into individual, behavioral, interpersonal and social dimensions. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to identify the potential factors associated with sleep quality among HCWs in DQHS. HCWs in DQHS had a statistically higher sleep quality than the Chinese national norm. HCWs who were female, afraid of Coronavirus disease, had more negative emotions, frequently worked overtime, were married, and had a higher income were more likely to experience worse sleep quality (p < 0.05), while those who worked between 51 and 70 h weekly, treated over 10 patients daily, and engaged in more health behaviors may have better sleep quality (p < 0.05). This study revealed a worrying level of sleep quality among HCWs in DQHS. The government, hospital managers, and families should collaborate to ensure the sleep quality of HCWs in DQHS.

An Overseas Chinese Author on Chineseness: A Study of Catherine Lim’s Novels

The objectives of this documentary research are to study Catherine Lim’s concept of Chineseness in the Chinese diasporic context as well as to investigate the identity and existence of the ethnic culture of the Chinese diaspora in the Straits Settlement. This study is analyzed through Lim’s three novels: The Bondmaid (1995), The Teardrop Story Woman (1998), and The Song of Silver Frond (2003). All the novels present stories of the Straits Chinese or the Chinese diaspora in the Straits Settlement, the territories under the British occupation in the age of colonisation. The findings reveal that Lim’s cultural and social upbringing in Straits Chinese society helped mold her as a female diasporic Chinese. Straits Chinese society in Lim’s novels is one that adheres to Chinese beliefs and cultural norms as well as their cultural roots. However, Lim still reflects how the context of displacement from the motherland becomes an important factor to dilute the sense of Chineseness among the Straits Chinese. Moreover, Lim also interestingly presents the images of Chinese diasporic women in various dimensions in her novels.