Health Status Of Residents Research Articles

Empirical research on smart city construction and public health under information and communications technology

Big data and the internet of things in smart cities play an increasingly important role in the health of urban residents. However, few studies have collected empirical evidence to determine whether the implementation of smart cities can have a positive impact on healthcare. Using three years of panel data from the CHARLS national baseline survey, we examined whether and how smart city construction affects the health status of residents. The results show that the construction of smart cities improves residents’ health status. This relationship is achieved by reducing the use of outpatient services and increasing the utilization of inpatient services. Furthermore, compared with urban residents, rural residents show more significant behavioural changes in their use of medical services under the influence of smart city construction.

Mental health status of Chinese residents during the COVID-19 epidemic

BackgroundTo investigate the mental health status of Chinese residents during the epidemic of COVID-19, as well as to identify the positive and negative factors and regulatory effect of negative cognitive processing bias on mental health.MethodsA total of 60,199 residents in China were surveyed via an internet-based survey containing a general questionnaire, such as the self-rating depression scale, the state anxiety inventory, and the negative cognitive processing bias questionnaire. An ordered multiple logistic regression analysis model was used to analyze the collected data.ResultsThe survey revealed mild, moderate, and severe depressive symptoms in 62.65, 11.33, and 6.14% participants, respectively, and mild, moderate, and severe anxiety symptoms in 33.21, 41.27, and 22.99% participants, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that factors, such as female gender, being older than 55 years, high school education level, medical staff, marital conflicts, negative attention bias, rumination, and death growth rate, positively affected depression and anxiety symptoms. The good family functionality, democratic working atmosphere, and a myriad of social activities negatively affected the level of depressive and anxiety symptoms.ConclusionChinese residents exhibited a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms during the epidemic. Thus, psychological interventions should focus on the vulnerable groups, and cognitive training should focus on reducing the negative cognitive processing bias. This might be an effective way to alleviate the mental stress of the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The influence of greenspace characteristics and building configuration on depression in the elderly

The positive effects of natural landscapes, including green and blue spaces, have been widely documented on the psychological well-being of urban citizens; however, there is limited information on the effect of artificial landscapes, despite being significant components of urban landscapes. This study aimed to explore how the characteristics of green and blue spaces and building configuration are correlated with the mental health status of residents in Beijing, China. The mental health status of 757 citizens aged over 60 was obtained through questionnaires using GDS-15 (a shortened Geriatric Depression Scale). Nine urban landscape indices (including four indices on green and blue spaces and five on building configurations) were applied as independent variables at the neighborhood level. Five circular landscapes with different radii (from 50 to 250 m) that took each neighborhood of interviewees as the center were created to calculated the indices. Hierarchical linear models were estimated to identify the links between urban landscape characteristics and mental health status, controlling for other confounding effects. The results showed that the characteristics of natural landscapes were negatively associated with the psychological disorders of participants within certain distances (100 m and 150 m), while building configurations were positively correlated with the depression in the elderly. The floor area ratio and average building height showed statistically significant and positive correlations with the GDS-15 score. In conclusion, the characteristics of the urban landscape could be used to explore the hidden mechanisms of the pathogenesis of mental disorders in urban citizens.

Oral health matters in cognitive impaired aged residents in geriatric care facilities: A cross-sectional survey.

AimsTo investigate the oral health status of aged residents and explore the possible factors associated with oral health and the effect of cognitive impairment (CI) on it in geriatric care facilities (GCF) using oral health assessment tool (OHAT) in Shanghai, China.BackgroundOral health is closely associated with overall health. Problems like missing teeth, dental caries, dental pain, periodontal diseases, oral infections and dysphagia are common in GCFs. Furthermore, residents in GCFs with CI are becoming a dominant group and this prevalence increases with age. Detection of oral problems earlier and taking oral care actions is required for these special populations.MethodsThe study was an observational cross‐sectional study conducted in 42 GCFs. Data were collected from 657 subjects, including oral health assessment (OHAT), cognitive impairment (Mini‐Mental State Examination, MMSE) and respondents’ characteristics. The subjects were divided into CI group and non‐CI group based on MMSE. Oral health conditions were compared between the two groups.ResultsOral health status in the CI group was significantly worse than that in the non‐CI group (p < .001) with four OHAT dimensions (tongue (p = .0007), saliva (p = .0011), natural teeth (p = .0155) and oral cleanliness (p < .001)). The worst dimension was natural teeth. Debris and plaque index (p < .001), oral odour (p < .001), chewing function (p = .0151) and swallowing function (p = .0405) were worse in CI group than those in non‐CI group. In the CI group, providing oral care was a protective factor in oral health (OR = 0.600 95CI% (0.39–0.92)) and wearing dentures was a risk factor (OR = 2.09, 95CI% (1.31–3.32)), while the similar effects were not found in non‐CI group.ConclusionsOral health status among aged residents in GCFs in China was worse among individuals with CI. Caregivers in GCFs should focus more on seniors’ oral health with CI.Relevance to Clinical PracticeResidents who are suffering from CI are more vulnerable to have oral problems. Regular and proper oral health check‐ups in daily nursing work to define oral problems of residents are significant. Nursing staff should pay more attention to oral assessment and effective intervention.

Treating in Place: Acute Care for Long-Stay Residents in Nursing Facilities Under a CMS Initiative.

Nursing facility (NF) residents are commonly hospitalized, and many of these hospitalizations may be avoidable. A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative enables participating NFs to bill Medicare for providing on-site acute care to long-stay residents diagnosed with one of six ambulatory care sensitive conditions (pneumonia, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dehydration, skin infection, and urinary tract infection) that account for many avoidable hospitalizations. This study describes the frequency of initiative-related treatment for the six conditions, both on site and in the hospital, and the health status of residents who were treated. We used the Minimum Data Set V3.0 and Medicare data to identify eligible residents, detect on-site treatment under the initiative as well as in-hospital treatment both before and during the initiative, and measure health status. Participating NFs during fiscal years 2017 to 2018. There were 47,202 long-stay NF residents from 260 facilities in seven states. CMS initiative to reduce avoidable hospitalizations among NF residents-payment reform. Percentage per year who received on-site treatment (2017-2018), and who received in-hospital treatment (2014-2018), for the six conditions. Each year, approximately 20% of residents received treatment on site during 2017 to 2018, and under 10% received treatment in the hospital during 2014 to 2018, with little change over these years. Residents treated on site had less chronic illness than those treated in the hospital. Although the initiative sought to reduce hospitalizations, in-hospital treatment for the six conditions did not substantially change after initiative implementation, despite substantial new billing for on-site treatment for those conditions. These findings suggest that many residents treated on site would likely not have been hospitalized even absent the initiative. The residents treated on site tended to have fewer chronic conditions than those treated in the hospital.

Housing and health evaluation related to general comfort and indoor thermal comfort satisfaction during the COVID-19 lockdown

ABSTRACT Health evaluation of the indoor environment is an important part of the housing study. During the recent COVID-19 lockdown and the increase of longer indoor stays pose a measured threat to general health conditions of residents, especially those that live in more compact and populated living environments. For health-oriented studies that focus on the analysis of indoor environments, many variables should be taken into consideration that could also help to optimize natural lighting, natural airflow, better privacy, less noise from neighboring housing units/buildings, etc. Hence, this study focuses on satisfaction analysis of both general comfort and indoor thermal comfort. By evaluating these, we are able to shed light on inequalities that exist across a large body of 10 housing typologies in the UK. The sample-based satisfaction analysis is representative to indicate the correlations between multiple factors, and specifically those that could have negative impacts on the living indoor environments and human health. The findings of this study suggest that based on the collected data, there is a definite link between dissatisfaction rates and the implications of the housing conditions. Under the circumstances of the lockdown period, the study’s findings could help to find solutions for better indoor environment design, upgraded standards, and pathways for new policy guidelines. A discussion on correlation analysis highlights the issues that are important for the study of housing and health.

Trajectories of pro re nata (PRN) medication prescribing and administration in long-term care facilities.

Little is known about changes in pro re nata (PRN) medication prescribing and administration in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) over time. To determine the prevalence and factors associated with PRN medication administration in RACFs and examine changes over 12-months. Secondary analyses utilizing data from the SIMPLER randomized controlled trial (n=242 residents, 8 RACFs) was undertaken. PRN medication data were extracted from RACF medication charts. Factors associated with PRN medication administration in the preceding week were explored using multivariable logistic regression. At baseline, 211 residents (87.2%) were prescribed ≥1PRN medication, with 77 (36.5%) administered PRN medication in the preceding week. PRN administration was more likely in non-metropolitan areas, and less likely among residents with more severe dementia symptoms and greater dependence with activities of daily living. No significant differences in overall PRN prescribing or administration in 162 residents alive at 12-month follow-up were observed. Despite being frequently prescribed, the contribution of PRNs to overall medication use in RACFs is small. PRN prescribing and administration was relatively static over 12-months despite likely changes in resident health status over this period, suggesting further exploration of PRN prescribing in relation to resident care needs may be warranted.

Parental psychological distress associated with COVID-19 outbreak: A large-scale multicenter survey from Turkey.

Pandemics can cause substantial psychological distress; however, we do not know the impact of the COVID-19 related lockdown and mental health burden on the parents of school age children. We aimed to comparatively examine the COVID-19 related the stress and psychological burden of the parents with different occupational, locational, and mental health status related backgrounds. A large-scale multicenter online survey was completed by the parents (n = 3,278) of children aged 6 to 18 years, parents with different occupational (health care workers-HCW [18.2%] vs. others), geographical (İstanbul [38.2%] vs. others), and psychiatric (child with a mental disorder [37.8%]) backgrounds. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that being a HCW parent (odds ratio 1.79, p < .001), a mother (odds ratio 1.67, p < .001), and a younger parent (odds ratio 0.98, p = .012); living with an adult with a chronic physical illness (odds ratio 1.38, p < .001), having an acquaintance diagnosed with COVID-19 (odds ratio 1.22, p = .043), positive psychiatric history (odds ratio 1.29, p < .001), and living with a child with moderate or high emotional distress (odds ratio 1.29, p < .001; vs. odds ratio 2.61, p < .001) were independently associated with significant parental distress. Parents report significant psychological distress associated with COVID-19 pandemic and further research is needed to investigate its wider impact including on the whole family unit.

Residents living in communities with higher civic participation report higher self-rated health.

It has been shown that community-level social capital may affect residents’ health. The present mixed ecological study assesses the evidence for an association between the community-level social capital and the individual level of self-rated health. The Hakui City Health Interview Survey targeted 15,242 people aged 40 years and older from 11 communities. Among them, 6578 residents responded to the questionnaire (response rate, 43.2%). We examined whether the community-level social capital (general trust, norm, and civic participation) was associated with the individual level of self-rated health. Overall, 1919 (29.1%) answers of self-rated poor health were identified. Community-level civic participation was negatively associated with poor self-rated health after adjusting for individual demographic factors, individual social capitals, and community-level economic status, whereas community-level general trust, and norm were not significant. The findings suggest the importance of fostering communities with high civic participation to reduce the poor health status of residents.

The residents' mental health status and community's role during the COVID-19 pandemic: a community-based cross-sectional study in China.

BackgroundThe related research of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of community residents is still lacking. Here we reported the mental health status of Chinese residents as well as the community’s prevention and control during the pandemic period of COVID-19 and further explored the influencing factors of mental status.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods were adopted from February 16 to February 23, 2020, and Chinese community residents were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three questionnaires, including General Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), and a self-designed “Community prevention and control questionnaire”, were used. A multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to analyze the impact factors of anxiety and depression.ResultsA total of 3,001 community residents were included in this study. In total, 85.6% and 83.7% of participants had minimal anxiety and depression, respectively. Among all the community residents, 16.6% of participants proved that the communities they lived in had confirmed cases. 95.3% of participants reported that the residents were screened for mobility and contact history. 97.8% of participants reported the entrance and exit of the community were managed in their communities. There were 97.5% and 99% of participants needed to take body temperature and wear masks in their communities. Ninety-two percent (92%) of communities have their public areas and facilities disinfected daily, and 95.4% of communities have conducted health education about COVID-19. Factors including gender, education level, chronic illness, the frequency of going out, achieving information about COVID-19 by community and newspaper, and confirmed cases in the community, show association with community residents’ anxiety and depression.ConclusionsThe vast majority of Chinese residents have little anxiety and depression, and most communities have adopted standardized control measures following the government’s regulations and policy, which plays a vital role in the control of COVID-19 and improving residents’ anxiety and depression.

Does Educational Attainment Affect Residents’ Health?

Based on the data of the Chinese General Social Survey 2015 (CGSS2015), this article conducts an empirical analysis on the relationship between education and health status of Chinese residents by using the structural equation model (SEM), the propensity score matching (PSM) method, and generalized ordered logit (Gologit) model. Our study found that education promotes both the subjective and objective health of residents, and the finding holds true after considering the selection bias. In addition to having a direct role, education could promote health through improved mental health, economic status, and healthy behaviors. The finding is consistent with the explanations in existing research of “efficiency-improving effect”, “mental health effect”, and “budget relaxation effect”. Further research on the mechanism of education affecting health through structural equation modeling finds that mental health plays a more important role than healthy behaviors and economic status. In terms of the differences of various groups, education has stronger effect on vulnerable groups with fewer social resources, which shows that education helps reduce health inequality. The conclusion has important policy significance.

Effects of Toxic Metal Contamination in the Tri-State Mining District on the Ecological Community and Human Health: A Systematic Review.

Although extensive research exists on toxic environments in the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD), there has been a lack of research on how harmful effects in TSMD could affect residents living in those areas. However, quite recently, such research regarding relationships between the health conditions of residents and toxic elements in the TSMD began to grow. The increase of empirical studies means greater complexity of the findings that require a more intricate understanding. To meet the goals of this study, an extensive, systematic review of the literature using PRISMA was conducted. This method resulted in 19 articles that define the harmful effects of the TSMD on the ecology and the physical health of residents. This research found that toxic metals not only negatively impact natural processes in the TSMD environments (fish species reduction, kidney and liver problems, and toxic diet) but also continuously affect the health of residents (high blood Pb and mortality).This study makes a vital contribution building upon the existing outcomes of the correlations between toxic elements in the TSMD areas and the health of residents. Furthermore, conclusions of this study provide updated information to policymakers and health-related professionals by providing adequate and innovative remediations and health-related services in the TSMD.

A qualitative study on resident engagement in a community-based health promotion intervention

Abstract Emerging evidence points towards lower quality of life, more fragile social relations and suboptimal health behaviour and health status of residents living in social housing areas characterized by ethnic diversity and socioeconomic disadvantage. Residents from social housing areas are less likely to engage in health promotion interventions compared to the rest of society. Community-based health promotion interventions developed in collaboration with the target group and adjusted to local context can affect the acceptance of and engagement in such interventions. However, few studies have investigated the potential of community-based interventions in social housing areas. This study explores resident perspectives on engagement in a community-based health promotion intervention focusing on enhancing social relations. Engagement was the key foundation for the designing and implementation of the intervention by the use of graphic facilitation. The intervention consisted of social outings to different sights and historical landmarks in Denmark. The study builds on qualitative methods including participant observations combined with pre- and post-intervention interviews with a selected group of residents (n = 9). Data were thematically analysed with a focus on participation in an everyday life context and by concepts of othering and territorial stigmatization. Engagement in the intervention was motivated by a need for establishing and enhancing social relations, and exploring the world outside the housing area. However, barriers including cultural and language differences among residents and competing contextual factors challenged engagement. We conclude that participatory community-based interventions have a potential to enhance social relations in social housing areas. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand the motives and barriers to ensure feasible and relevant health promotion interventions and future engagement among residents living in social housing areas.

The Effects of China’s Targeted Poverty Alleviation Policy on the Health and Health Equity of Rural Poor Residents: Evidence from Shaanxi Province

Objective: China’s targeted poverty alleviation policy has a profound impact on the country’s rural economic and social development now. This study aimed to learn about the health status and health equity of rural poor residents under the implementation of the policy. It further explores the factors affecting the health status and health equity of rural poor residents in order to contribute to the improvement of the policy. Methods: The data of 1233 rural poor residents were collected from a questionnaire survey from 12 prefecture-level cities and areas of Shaanxi province in 2017, and the self-reported health was used to reflect the health status. A concentration index was applied to measure the inequity of the health status of rural poor residents. The decomposition method was employed to explore the source of health inequity. Results: The results showed that 44.56% of rural poor residents in Shaanxi province had a poor or very poor health status, which was affected by their economic level, gender, age, degree of education, and marital status. Additionally, participation in agricultural industry development, relocation, health poverty alleviation, and basic living standards were significantly correlated with health status. The concentration index of the health status of rural poor residents was 0.0327. The primary contributors to the health inequity in different regions varied, but the economic level and the degree of education were the most significant factors, and the targeted poverty alleviation policy had a significant impact on health equity. Conclusions: The results indicated that the health status of rural poor residents in Shaanxi province was generally poor, there was a pro-rich inequity in the health status, and the degree of education and economic level were the primary factors affecting the health status and health equity. The targeted poverty alleviation policy greatly impacted the health status and health equity of rural poor residents, and the difference in health status would lead to the inequity of benefits of the targeted poverty alleviation policy. In the future, the policy should focus on ensuring the sustainable development ability of rural residents with poor health status.

COVID-19: digital equivalence of health care in English prisons

COVID-19: digital equivalence of health care in English prisons

Study protocol: older people in retirement villages. A survey and randomised trial of a multi-disciplinary invention designed to avoid adverse outcomes

BackgroundThere is increasing interest among older people in moving into retirement villages (RVs), an attractive option for those seeking a supportive community as they age, while still maintaining independence. Currently in New Zealand there is limited knowledge of the medical, service supports, social status and needs of RV residents. The objective of this study is to explore RV facilities and services, the health and functional status of RV residents, prospectively study their healthcare trajectories and to implement a multidisciplinary team intervention to potentially decrease dependency and impact healthcare utilization.MethodsAll RVs located in two large district health boards in Auckland, New Zealand were eligible to participate. This three-year project comprised three phases: The survey phase provided a description of RVs, residents’ characteristics and health and functional status. RV managers completed a survey of size, facilities and recreational and healthcare services provided in the village. Residents were surveyed to establish reasons for entry to the village and underwent a Gerontology Nurse Specialist (GNS) assessment providing details of demographics, social engagement, health and functional status. The cohort study phase examines residents’ healthcare trajectories and adverse outcomes, over three years. The final phase is a randomised controlled trial of a multidisciplinary team intervention aimed to improve health outcomes for more vulnerable residents.Residents who triggered potential unmet health needs during the assessment in the survey phase were randomised to intervention or usual care groups. Multidisciplinary team meetings included the resident and support person, a geriatrician or gerontology nurse practitioner, GNS, pharmacist and General Practitioner. The primary outcome of the randomised controlled trial will be first acute hospitalization. Secondary outcomes include all acute hospitalizations, long-term care admissions, and all-cause mortality.DiscussionThis paper describes the study protocol of this complex study. The study aims to inform policies and practices around health care services for residents in retirement villages. The results of this trial are expected early 2020 with publication subsequently.Trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616000685415. Registered 25.5.2016.Universal Trial Number (UTN): U111–1173-6083.

Health and Physical Activity in Urban Neighbourhoods. Case Study: Shah Alam City, Selangor, Malaysia

Environmental health is referring to the health of people in relation to environmental quality. Due to rapid urbanisation, more people are living in urban neighbourhoods. Urban planning and design aspects including the neighbourhood environment are potentially affecting the human healthy lifestyle and health condition. Thus, the relationship between Malaysian neighbourhood environmental aspects and human health has become the concern of this research. One of the neighbourhood units in Shah Alam city had been chosen as the study area for this purpose. Questionnaire survey had been carried out to examine the health condition and physical activeness of residents. Besides, the perception of residents on the quality of neighbourhood environmental aspects also had been collected in the questionnaire survey. The health condition of residents was measured by non-communicable diseases (NCD) and the physical activeness was measured in duration as well as the frequency of physical exercise activities. The study found that the quality of neighbourhood environmental aspects significantly increased the physical activeness of respondents. The physical activeness was positively associated with human health as measured in NCD (heart diseases and high blood pressure, HBP). It shows that neighbourhood environmental (physical and social) aspects are potentially affecting the healthy life of people living in the neighbourhood.Keywords: Healthy life, Neighbourhood environment, Non-communicable diseases (NCD), Physical activeness, Quality.

The Role of Health Technology and Informatics in a Global Public Health Emergency: Practices and Implications From the COVID-19 Pandemic.

At present, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is spreading around the world. It is a critical and important task to take thorough efforts to prevent and control the pandemic. Compared with severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, COVID-19 spreads more rapidly owing to increased globalization, a longer incubation period, and unobvious symptoms. As the coronavirus has the characteristics of strong transmission and weak lethality, and since the large-scale increase of infected people may overwhelm health care systems, efforts are needed to treat critical patients, track and manage the health status of residents, and isolate suspected patients. The application of emerging health technologies and digital practices in health care, such as artificial intelligence, telemedicine or telehealth, mobile health, big data, 5G, and the Internet of Things, have become powerful “weapons” to fight against the pandemic and provide strong support in pandemic prevention and control. Applications and evaluations of all of these technologies, practices, and health delivery services are highlighted in this study.

Illness prevalence rate in Tibet, China: data from the 2018 National Health Service Survey

BackgroundTibet is located in the high-altitude area of Southwest China, where the health level is influenced by specific factors such as the natural environment and living habits. However, there has been little research that has focused on Tibetan health conditions. The two-week prevalence rate is an important indicator of the health level of residents. The purpose of this study was to understand the health status of the residents and the health service needs in Tibet.MethodsThe two-week prevalence rate was calculated using data from a population of 10,493 individuals aged 15 and above that was obtained from the 2018 Sixth National Health Service Survey of Tibet. We initially analysed the types and associated factors of two-week illnesses in Tibetan. The influencing factors for the two-week prevalence rate in Tibet were determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Subsequently, we assessed the severity of two-week illnesses by calculating the average days of the duration of the disease, the days of being bedridden and the days of being off work.ResultsThe two-week illness prevalence rate was 20.1% in Tibet. Digestive system diseases were frequent, and hypertension was the most common disease. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the two-week prevalence rate was associated with gender, age, residence, marital status, and employment status. In addition, the severity of two-week illnesses differed among the residents.ConclusionThis study identified that health service needs have increased in Tibet and that the health status of the local residents needs to be improved. Moreover, hypertension has become a major health hazard for the residents and should be considered in the utilization of health services.

Mental health status among residents in Hubei province during novel coronavirus disease epidemic: an online survey

Objective To examine mental health status among the residents in Hubei province during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic (COVID-19) and to provide evidences for conducing psychological intervention in the population. Methods Using snowball sampling, we conducted an online anonymous survey among 1 444 residents of Hubei province recruited during 10 – 12 February 2020. A self-designed questionnaire and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item (GAD-7) were administered among the respondents via WeChat platform. Results Of the 1 157 respondents with valid information, 16.51% reported anxiety symptoms and the anxiety symptoms differed significantly by age, education, marital status, and occupation (all P Conclusion The novel coronavirus disease epidemic had various adverse impacts on mental health status of residents in Hubei province and the impacts varied by residents′ gender, age, marital status, education, residence, and occupation; the results suggest that early specific mental health intervention should be promoted in the population.