Close Family Members Research Articles

Wider family in post-privatisation Zambia

This article traces the economic and social dynamics animating kin-like relations amongst workers on the Zambian Copperbelt, their implications in everyday life and broader conceptions of family they engender. The article argues that the ability of mineworkers’ families to cope with the deteriorating economic situation that accompanied the privatisation of the mines in Zambia has, besides their close family members, the house and the union, rested on their ability to craft and maintain kin-like social relationships in the workplace and in their communities. This article draws on ethnographic fieldwork in the underground mines and mineworkers’ families conducted in 2015, between 2016 and 2021 and for a short period in 2023.

Development of core sets for deafblindness using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: the perspectives of individuals with lived experience.

The needs of people with deafblindness remain poorly understood and addressed globally. This study is part of a larger body of work to develop Core Sets for deafblindness using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). To determine the perspectives on functioning of individuals with lived experience of deafblindness as they relate to the ICF. Cross-sectional interview study. Global, representing all six regions of the World Health Organization. A diverse cohort of 72 individuals living with deafblindness or as close family members, ranging across the spectrum of severity. Qualitative interviews and focus groups were used to explore six open-ended questions about perceived barriers and facilitators to functioning of body functions and structures, activities and participation, and environmental and personal factors. Data were synthesized using content analysis, and the resulting topics were linked to the ICF codes using established linking methodology prescribed by the World Health Organization's ICF Research Branch. Descriptive statistics summarized all demographic data. The analyses of the transcripts uncovered 2534 meaning units, leading to the identification of 492 corresponding distinct codes from the ICF framework, and spanning across 93.33% of coding categories available. Sensory (b2) and Mental Functions (b1) emerged as the most frequent Body Functions (b) codes. Most categories referred to Activities & Participation, with Mobility (d4) being the most frequently mentioned topic. Services, Systems and Policies (e5) was the most frequently used Environmental factor. Over 93% of the ICF classification categories were accessed to code the data provided by participants, demonstrating the complexity of functioning with deafblindness. This study provides valuable information to shape policy and research by providing representation of lived experience towards the consensus conference for the comprehensive and abbreviated Core Sets for deafblindness. The inclusion of lived experience provides a holistic understanding of the daily challenges faced by individuals living with deafblindness. By being part of this process, they have a voice in shaping the classification system that will be used to describe their experiences, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment.

A Comparison of Close Family Members and Other Relationships in Live Kidney Donor Evaluation

A Comparison of Close Family Members and Other Relationships in Live Kidney Donor Evaluation

Examining Care Network Characteristics in Older Adults' Relocation to Residential Care Settings.

When older adults face increasing care needs or limited support, remaining safely and comfortably at home becomes challenging. Extant research has primarily concentrated on characteristics of the older adult or their primary caregiver on nursing home admission. This study examines the risk of older adults transitioning to residential care (e.g., assisted living, nursing home), focusing on the influence of their care network or involvement of multiple helpers. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study, we conducted competing risk regression models that account for mortality, following 7,085 initially community-dwelling older adults across Rounds 1-9 (2011-2019). We assessed network composition, size, shared tasks, and the number of in-network specialists or generalists while controlling for individual sociodemographic and health factors. Individuals with care networks that shared medical tasks had the highest risk of moving to a residential care setting, followed by those sharing household tasks. Conversely, shared mobility or self-care and transportation responsibilities were associated with lower risks. Having more generalists, but not specialists, increased the risk. Larger networks were associated with heightened risk, although having close family members like a spouse was protective. The findings underscore that care network characteristics are critical to older adults' ability to age in place. Specifically, older adults with larger networks, lacking a spouse or child, and providing complex care are at greater risk for relocating. Understanding care networks can guide interventions related to care network coordination and resource allocation to help avoid or postpone a residential care move.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Utrecht Grief Rumination Scale.

This study evaluates the Persian version of the Utrecht Grief Rumination Scale (UGRS), developed to assess grief-related rumination. The UGRS, originally validated in Western and Eastern cultures, had not been examined in a Iranian context. The research involved translating the UGRS into Persian, followed by a thorough psychometric evaluation involving 325 bereaved Persian-speaking adults. The Persian UGRS demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's ω = 0.92) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.85). Confirmatory factor analyses supported a second-order hierarchical model of grief rumination. Concurrent validity was affirmed through significant correlations with depression, anxiety, prolonged grief, and PTSD. Known-groups validity highlighted higher rumination levels among individuals with lower education, those who lost close family members, and women. These findings underscore the Persian UGRS's reliability and validity, offering a robust tool for assessing grief-related rumination in the Iranian population.

Exploring Factors Influencing the Physical and Mental Quality of Life of Caregivers of Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study at Hassan II University Hospital Center.

Background Cancer is a serious public health problem worldwide, causing an impact not only on the patient's quality of life (QoL) but also on their caregiver. This study aims to assess the socio-demographic characteristics, physical and mental QoL, and associated factors among caregivers of cancer patients at the Hassan II University Hospital Center in Fez, Morocco. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of 247 caregivers of cancer patients. Their QoL including physical and mental health aspects was assessed using a 12-item Short Form health survey (SF-12). Statistical analysis was conducted utilizing IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows v26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). This included calculating frequency distributions and percentages. The general and socio-demographic data associated with QoL were analyzed using the student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Only variables with p-value <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results The majority of the participants were 40 years old and over, and 54.3% of the total participants were women. The average physical QoL score was 47.32 (±7.08), while the average mental QoL score was 31.64 (±14.44).For caregivers, certain personal attributes and circumstances were found to influence their mental and physical QoL. Age, gender, and being unemployed were common factors impacting both the mental and physical well-being of caregivers. Moreover, being married (P=0.019) was an additional factor affecting their physical QoL. In contrast, specific aspects related to the caregiving role itself also played a significant role. Caregivers who were close family members of patients (P=0.0001) and those providing care for patients with genitourinary cancer (P=0.048) experienced a notable detrimental effect on their mental QoL. Conclusion This study highlights several factors associated with the poor QoL of caregivers, such as gender, age, professional activity, and the relationship with the patient. It is imperative to establish a specific support system for caregivers of cancer patients, including social and economic assistance, to enhance their physical and mental QoL.

Lower Perceived Social Support During Hospitalization by Close Family Members may have Significant Associations with Psychological Distress 1 Month After Cardiac Arrest.

The perception of having poor social support is associated with worse symptoms of psychological distress in close family members of critically ill patients, yet this has never been tested after cardiac arrest. Close family members of consecutive patients with cardiac arrest hospitalized at an academic tertiary care center participated in a prospective study. The validated Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) cued to index hospitalization was administered before discharge. Multivariate linear regressions estimated the associations between the total MSPSS score and total scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item (GAD-2), and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), assessed 1month after cardiac arrest. In 102 participants (mean age 52 ± 15years, 70% female, 21% Black, 33% Hispanic) with complete data, the prevalence of depression, generalized anxiety, and probable posttraumatic stress disorder at a median duration of 28.5days (interquartile range 10-63days) from cardiac arrest was 61%, 34%, and 13%, respectively. A lower MSPSS score was significantly associated with higher PHQ-8 scores (β = - 0.11 [95% confidence interval - 0.04 to - 0.18]; p < 0.01), even after adjusting for family members' age, sex, prior psychiatric condition, and witnessing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and patient's discharge disposition (β = - 0.11 [95% confidence interval - 0.02 to - 0.15]; p < 0.01). Similarly, significant inverse associations of total MSPSS scores were seen with 1-month GAD-2 and PCL-5 scores. Poor social support during hospitalization, as perceived by close family members of cardiac arrest survivors, is associated with worse depressive symptoms at 1month. Temporal changes in social networks and psychological distress warrant further investigation.

HUBUNGAN KETERATURAN PEMERIKSAAN ANC TERHADAP KEJADIAN ANEMIA DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS TURIKALE KECAMATAN TURIKALE KABUPATEN MAROS

Regular pregnancy checks will determine the mother's health status during pregnancy because basically the cause of Fe deficiency anemia in pregnant women is caused by two factors, namely direct and indirect factors. Meanwhile, factors that do not directly influence a person's Hb levels by influencing the availability of Fe in food include the low economy.The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between the regularity of ANC examinations and the incidence of anemia in the Turikale Community Health Center Working Area, Turikale District, Maros Regency. The type and research method used is the Cross Sectional Study method. In this study, the samples taken were 36 third trimester pregnant women who had their pregnancies checked in the Turikale Community Health Center Working Area, Maros Regency, using purposive sampling. The research results showed that 29 people (80.6%) regularly made ANC visits and 7 people (19.4%) did not regularly. Six respondents (16.7%) experienced anemia and 30 respondents (83.3%) did not experience anemia. There is a relationship between the regularity of ANC visits and the incidence of anemia with a value of ρ=0.004&lt;from α=0.05, this means that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. It is hoped that it can increase monitoring and screening of pregnant women who experience high levels of anemia through home visits, making class activities more effective for pregnant women and empowering families, especially husbands or parents, to be motivated to invite pregnant women to have their pregnancies checked regularly. The husband or closest family member can be given an understanding of the dangers and efforts to prevent anemia in pregnant women

Social networks as facilitators and barriers to behavior change among U.S. South Asian adult participants of a culturally adapted, group lifestyle intervention

ObjectivesThis qualitative study aimed to characterize how social networks influence cardiovascular health behaviors among U.S. South Asian adults in a culturally adapted, group lifestyle intervention. MethodsA purposive sample of participants (n = 24) from the South Asian Healthy Lifestyle Intervention (SAHELI) randomized trial’s intervention arm participated in semi-structured process evaluation interviews. Specific open-ended questions were used to probe participants’ behavior changes, personal social networks, and social support for behavior change. The team transcribed interviews and identified themes using inductive and deductive coding, based on a theoretical model of social influence. ResultsAmong 24 participants (67 % female, mean age 50.5 years, 88 % foreign-born, 50 % with limited English proficiency), three themes emerged: 1) SAHELI participants and their family members provided bidirectional social support for behavior change; 2) intervention participants provided social support to one another; and 3) participants faced resistance to change from some community members. ConclusionsBehavior changes initiated during SAHELI diffused to participants’ close family members. Several social network influences varied by participant gender, English language proficiency, and network member type. Practice ImplicationsHealth professionals should ask patients about how their social networks facilitate or hinder behavior changes. Gender and cultural factors may modify how social networks influence behavior change.

Associations between Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Domains in Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Their Families One Month Post-Event.

Background: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) affects many critical care survivors and family members. Nevertheless, the relationship between PICS-relevant domains in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors and psychological distress in their family members (henceforth, PICS-F) remains underexplored. Methods: We enrolled consecutive CA patients admitted between 16 August 2021 and 28 June 2023 to an academic medical center, along with their close family members, in prospective studies. Survivors' PICS domains were: physical dependence (Physical Self-Maintenance Scale, PSMS), cognitive impairments (Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, TICS-M), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSS) symptoms (PTSD Checklist-PCL 5), as well as PICS-F (PCL-5 Total Score). Hierarchical multivariate linear regressions examined associations between PICS-F and survivors' PICS domains. Results: Of 74 dyads (n = 148), survivors had a mean (SD) age of 56 ± 16 years, with 61% being male and with a median hospital stay of 28 days. Family members (43% spouses) were slightly younger (52 ± 14 years), predominantly female (72%), and of minority race/ethnicity (62%). A high prevalence of PICS assessed 28.5 days (interquartile range 10-63) post-CA was observed in survivors (78% physical dependence, 54% cognitive impairment, 30% PTSS) and in family members (30% PTSS). Survivor PTSS was significantly associated with family member distress (β = 0.3, p = 0.02), independent of physical dependence (β = 0.0, p = 0.9), cognitive impairment (β = -0.1, p = 0.5), family member characteristics, and duration of hospitalization. Conclusions: Both CA survivors and their family members showed substantial evidence of likely PICS. Survivor PTSS is notably associated with family member distress, highlighting the need for dyadic interventions to enhance psychosocial outcomes.

Psychological impact of the earthquake 2023 in Turkey

BackgroundThe Turkish and Syrian earthquake on February 6th 2023, was one of the deadliest earthquakes in the last decade. It affected approximately 26 million people and left at least 50.000 dead. In this paper, we analyzed the psychological impact and the relationship between mental health factors, earthquake-related experiences and stressors, and resources related to the earthquake, 4 months after the event.MethodsWe conducted an analytical cross-sectional study, applying a survey to 320 adults (18–93 years old) in Adiyaman, Turkey. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms were assessed using the PC-PTSD, general psychiatric morbidity using the GHQ-12, together with questions focusing on suicidality, drug abuse, as well as experiences, related stressors and received support related to the earthquake.ResultsWe found a high prevalence of general mental health symptoms, and of PTSD. Fear of aftershocks and the loss of close family members were found to be risk factors for such symptoms. We didn’t find significant differences in the GHQ or the PC-PTSD scores when considering ethnicity, religion or financial income.ConclusionsHigh levels of general mental health symptoms and PTSD symptoms were found 4 months after the earthquake and need to be addressed in all groups, independently from potential religious, social or ethnic backgrounds. The results indicate a large psychiatric and material burden on the entire sample and some priority needs.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2018 -2022: current trends, usage of automated external defibrillators (AED) and bystanders’ involvement

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Aim&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; To investigate out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) trend, provided advanced life support (ALS) measures, automated external defibrillator (AEDs) utilization and by-standers involvement in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during OHCA incidents.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Methods&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; This cross-sectional study encompassed data pertaining to all OHCA incidents attended to by the Emergency Medical Service of Canton Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, covering the period from January 2018 to December 2022.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Results&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; Among a total of 1131 OHCA events, 236 (20.8 %) patients achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC); there were 175 (74.1%) males and 61 (25.9%) females. The OHCA incidence was 54/100.000 inhabitants per year. After a 30-day period post-ROSC, 146 (61.9%) patients fully recovered, while 90 (38.1%) did not survive during this timeframe. Younger age (p&amp;amp;lt;0.05), initial rhythm of ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) (p&amp;amp;lt;0.05) and faster emergency medical team (EMT) response time (p&amp;amp;lt;0.05) were significantly associated with obtaining ROSC. Only 38 (3.3%) OHCA events were assisted by bystanders, who were mostly medical professionals, 25 (65.7%), followed by close family members, 13 (34.3%). There was no report of AED usage.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Conclusion&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt; This follow-up study showed less ROSC achievement, similar bystanders&amp;amp;rsquo; involvement, similar factors associated with achieving ROSC (age, EMT response time) and a decline in OHCA events (especially in year 2021 and 2022) comparing to our previous study (2015-2019). There was an extremely low rate of bystander engagement and no AEDs usage. Governments and health organizations must swiftly improve public awareness, promote better practice (basic life support), and actively encourage bystander participation.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Clinical Dilemmas for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Children: From Guideline to Practice.

Helicobacter pylori infection is often acquired in early childhood. While most infected children remain asymptomatic, H. pylori can cause chronic gastritis, gastric ulceration, and, in the long term, gastric cancer. This article aimed to review different diagnostic and treatment options and discuss the challenges associated with applying the current guidelines in the real world. Relevant articles published from 2015 to August 2023 in the English language in PubMed and Medline electronic databases were extracted using subject headings and keywords of interest to the topic. References of interest in the selected articles were also considered. Invasive and noninvasive diagnostic tests have advantages but also disadvantages and limitations according to the clinical setting and age of the child. Guidelines recommend not performing diagnostic testing in children with long-lasting or recurrent abdominal complaints or cases of a family history of severe disease caused by H. pylori. However, parents regularly consult with the explicit demand to test for H. pylori because of them or a close family member experiencing severe gastric disease caused by H. pylori. In some situations, it may be challenging for the healthcare professional to stick to evidence-based guidelines and not consider "patient-centered care," with the risk of putting a trustful relationship in danger. Physicians may find it challenging not to perform diagnostic tests for H. pylori and prescribe eradication treatment in specific clinical settings when maintaining a trusting patient-physician relationship by applying this "patient-centered care" method when evidence-based guidelines recommend differently.

Close Family Members or Cosurvivors of Cardiac Arrest Patients Need Support

Close Family Members or Cosurvivors of Cardiac Arrest Patients Need Support

Cryo-EM structure of the human glucose transporter GLUT7

GLUT7 is a Class II glucose transporter predominantly expressed at the apical membrane of enterocytes in the small intestine. Here, we report the cryo-EM structure of nanodisc-reconstituted human GLUT7 in the apo state at 3.3 Å resolution. Our atomic model reveals a typical major facilitator superfamily fold, with the substrate-binding site open to the extracellular side of the membrane. Despite the nearly identical conformation to its closest family member, rat GLUT5, our structure unveils distinct features of the substrate-binding cavity that may influence substrate specificity and binding mode. A homology model of the inward-open human GLUT7 indicates that similar to other members of the GLUT family, it may undergo a global rocker-switch-like reorientation of the transmembrane bundles to facilitate substrate translocation across the membrane. Our work enhances the current structural understanding of the GLUT family, and lays a foundation for rational design of regulators of GLUTs and other sugar transporters.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Adults in Communities With Mass Violence Incidents

Mass violence incidents (MVIs) are prevalent in the US and can have profound and long-lasting psychological consequences on direct survivors, but their outcomes among the broader communities where the MVI occurred are unknown. To investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with past-year and current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adults in communities that experienced an MVI. This cross-sectional survey was completed between February and September 2020 with a household probability sample of adults from 6 communities that had experienced an MVI between 2015 and 2019: Dayton, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; Parkland, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Bernadino, California; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Address-based sampling was used to identify randomly selected households, mail invitations, and select 1 adult per household to complete a self-administered paper or online survey. Data analysis was performed from September to November 2023. The primary outcome was presumptive diagnostic-level past-year PTSD and current (past month) PTSD determined using American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (DSM-5) PTSD criteria. A total of 6867 adults aged 18 years or older accessed the website with a description of the study and consent materials. Of these, 5991 (87.2%) agreed to participate and completed the survey, 343 (6.3%) partially completed the survey, and 443 (6.5%) did not meet eligibility criteria or refused to participate. Most of the 5991 respondents were female (3825 individuals [53.5%]) and had a mean (SD) age of 45.56 (17.58) years. A total of 1261 of 5931 individuals (21.0%) reported high exposure to the MVI (either they or a close friend and/or family member was on site during the shooting). Nearly one-quarter (23.7%; 1417 of 5977 participants reporting PTSD) met presumptive DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for past-year PTSD, with 8.9% (530 participants) meeting the criteria for current PTSD. Regression analyses found that being female (odds ratio, 2.32; 95% CI, 2.01-2.68) and having a history of both physical or sexual assault and other potentially traumatic events (odds ratio, 9.68; 95% CI, 7.48-12.52) were associated with the greatest risk of past-year PTSD. In this survey study of 5991 participants, presumptive PTSD was quite prevalent long after the MVI among adults in communities that have experienced an MVI, suggesting that MVIs have persistent and pervasive public health impacts on communities, particularly among those with prior exposure to physical or sexual assault and other potentially traumatic events. Focusing exclusively on direct exposure to MVIs is not sufficient. Incorporating these findings into screening should improve efforts to identify the individuals most in need of prevention or mental health service after MVIs.

A sound methodology: Measuring experiences of violent conflict through audio self-interviews

This paper investigates the impact of different survey administration methods on the disclosure of sensitive or traumatic experiences. Respondents of a pilot study in Ethiopia were randomly assigned to answer questions either using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (ACASI) or as part of a face-to-face (FtF) enumerator-based interview. Results indicate that ACASI led to higher disclosure rates of conflict-related experiences, particularly for the most sensitive questions, i.e., when either the respondent or a close friend or family member was the victim, or when the trauma suffered was more severe. ACASI offers a viable solution to measure traumatic conflict-related experience exposure in low-literacy settings, overcoming the underestimation problem commonly observed when using standard survey methods.

Smartphone-based markers of social connectivity in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Social isolation and social impairment are hallmarks of progression as well as predictors of relapse in psychiatric disorders. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of sensing the social activity phenotype and loneliness using active and passive markers collected using a smartphone application. The study included 9 schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients followed in the Bipolar Longitudinal study for at least 1 month and for whom mobile communication data was collected using the Beiwe smartphone application. Subjects completed daily surveys on digital and in-person social activity, and feelings of being outgoing or lonely. We described the level and variability of social activity features. We employed k-means clustering to identify “important contacts”. Further, we investigated whether social network-derived features of mobile communication are independent predictors of weekly counts of outgoing calls and text, weekly average self-reported digital social activity, and loneliness using mixed effect models and clustering with dynamic time warping distance. Subjects were followed between 5 and 208 weeks (number of days of observation = 2538). The k-means cluster analysis approach identified the number of “important contacts” among close friends and family members as reported in clinical interviews. The cluster analysis and longitudinal regression analysis indicate that the number of individuals a person communicates with on their phone is an independent predictor of perceived loneliness, with stronger evidence when “important contacts” only are included. This study provides preliminary evidence that the number of “important contacts” a person communicates with on their phone is a promising marker to capture subjects’ engagement in mobile communication activity and perceived loneliness.

Piloting and watch over in the end-of-life care of intensive care unit patients with COVID-19-A qualitative study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, intensive care units (ICUs) were under heavy pressure, with a significantly increased number of severely ill patients. Hospitals introduced restrictions, and families could not visit their ill and dying family members. Patients were cared for without privacy, and several died in shared patient rooms, leaving the intensive care nurse to protect the patient's need for loving care in a vulnerable situation at the end of life. This study aimed to investigate how piloting and watch over were revealed in end-of-life care for patients with COVID-19 in intensive care COVID-19. A qualitative study was conducted with an abductive approach was conducted. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews to cover the research area while allowing the informant to talk freely about the topic; 11 informants were interviewed. The findings are presented based on four categories: The road to the decision, End-of-life care, Farewell of close family members and Closure. Each category and subcategory reveal how piloting and watch over were addressed in the end-of-life care of patients with COVID-19 in the ICU during the pandemic. Overall findings indicated that workload and organization of care directly affect the quality of care given, the acceptance of privacy and the possibility of dignified end-of-life care. Workload directly affects the quality of care, risking dehumanization of the patient. Visiting restrictions hindered supporting family members through the various piloting phases. Visiting restrictions also forced the ICU nurses to take on the role of the relative in watching over the patient. Collaboration with family members is essential for the intensive care nurse to be able to provide a person-centred and dignified end-of-life care.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of e-cigarette use among undergraduate students: A comparative study between China and Indonesia.

The health risks associated with e-cigarettes are currently the focus of tobacco control efforts and public health initiatives. Given that China and Indonesia have the highest rates of adult smoking worldwide, it is imperative to gain a comprehensive understanding of e-cigarette prevalence among college students in these two nations. From May to June 2023, a cross-sectional study was employed to conduct an online questionnaire survey among college students in three universities located in Kunming (China) and Jakarta (Indonesia), respectively. The chi-squared test was utilized to compare the rates/ratios, while binary logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the factors influencing e-cigarette knowledge, attitude, and practice. A total of 1327 individuals were included in the investigation. The proportion of Indonesian students (75.6%) with a high level of e-cigarette knowledge was lower than that observed among Chinese students (87.4%) (χ2=29.7, p<0.001). Additionally, the prevalence of e-cigarette use among Indonesian students (9.4%) was higher compared to their Chinese counterparts (3.0%) (χ2=22.32, p<0.001). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that age, place of residence, studies, gender, and e-cigarette use by friends and family, significantly influenced knowledge levels and attitudes toward e-cigarettes in both countries (p<0.05). Despite the positive knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards e-cigarettes among undergraduate students in both countries, a notable knowledge gap exists concerning the harmful effects of e-cigarettes. Chinese students had better e-cigarette knowledge and demonstrated lower usage rates, suggesting that heightened awareness plays a favorable role in preventing e-cigarette use. Furthermore, it becomes imperative for policymakers and health educators to focus on specific factors, such as the influence of close friends and family members, as well as the area of residence.