Hong Kong Research Articles

Emergency remote teaching technology and pedagogy at covid outbreak: different perspectives of students, parents, and teachers in Hong kong

With the COVID-19 outbreak, emergency remote teaching – an unprepared distant mode of education became the only possible alternative for schools. The present large-scale survey with 3,672 Grade 3 and 9 students, their parents, and 863 teachers/principals was conducted in the metropolitan city of Hong Kong after half a year of school lockdown. Results showed teachers, principals, and parents were worried about students’ inability to concentrate and learn without teachers’ explanations. In contrast, students, particularly younger ones, were less affected. They perceived their academic achievement was not worsened and they were more lively. Generally, lack of computers and stable internet was not seen as problems. Notably, socially disadvantaged students were not different in their perceived challenges, affects, life satisfaction, or perceived academic achievement. For cities with adequate provision of computers and internet facilities, the pandemic probably forced a positive and giant leap in using advanced technologies and pedagogies.

A comparative study of bank efficiency in three Chinese regions: Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao

AbstractWe conduct a bank efficiency comparison among three Chinese regions: Mainland China (CN), Hong Kong (HK), and Macao (MO). Specifically, we investigate the reasons for efficiency differences observed in the three regions from within‐region and cross‐region perspectives. We show that HK and MO maintain stable bank performance over time that lies within the developed‐economy range of efficiency levels. CN used to be well below this range but has been catching up so quickly that efficiency convergence in the three regions seems to be underway. We find that the determinants of bank efficiencies in the three Chinese jurisdictions are similar in some aspects but different in others. Most significant are their similarities in the effects of interest rate differentials, forex reserve accumulations, bank capital positions, interbank financing opportunities, and liquidity mismatch problems. Also important are their differences in the effects of bank size, revenue diversification, government ownership, property, and stock market development.

Regional varieties and diachronic changes in Chinese political discourse

The present paper explores the synchronic variations and diachronic changes in political discourses in Hong Kong (HK) and in Mainland of People’s Republic of China (PRC). The relationship between lengths of linguistic constructs and their immediate constituents (including sentences and clauses, and clauses and words) are fitted using the function y = axb based on the Menzerath–Altmann (MA) law to capture the characteristics of language as self-organizing complex systems. We found that the two fitted parameters a and b, as distinctive characteristics of complex systems, can distinguish two regional variants of political speeches from HK and PRC over different periods in time. We also found that the same parameters can capture language changes between different periods of political speeches from the PRC. More specifically, we found that regional variations and historical changes show different degrees of salience at different constituency levels. In addition, we found compounding effects between historical change and regional variations. That is, the two regional variants of political speeches are closer to each other at the earliest diachronic period as compared with the latter two periods, as represented by the fitted parameters of the relationship between sentence and clause lengths. Our results provide strong support for the hypothesis for the MA Law capturing the characteristics of language as a complex self-organizing system, as the two fitted parameters account for the interaction of diachronic language change and synchronic variation.

Controlling marine greenhouse gas emissions in Hong Kong: policy considerations

ABSTRACT Maritime transport contributes to the exacerbation of global warming, which is responsible for several environmental issues. Since Hong Kong (HK) is recognized as one of the largest shipping registries in the world in terms of gross tonnage and its port is very busy, to examine the regulatory and policy measures adopted, and to discuss the need for introducing additional policy measures for controlling marine Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in HK is both necessary and important. This article accordingly investigates the current policy and regulatory measures controlling marine GHG emissions in HK, and confirms that HK implements the relevant international treaties; HK has meanwhile been working together with mainland China, particularly with cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), to combat air pollution. This article also highlights the main problems and issues associated with HK’s existing measures, and then discusses the way forward. It concludes that the current measures in HK are far from satisfactory, and that there is an apparent need to improve them so as to more effectively control marine GHG emissions.

Trends in contemporary advanced heart failure management: an in-depth review over 30 years of heart transplant service in Hong Kong.

The year 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of heart transplant service in Hong Kong (HK). In this study, we describe prevailing trends and outcomes of advanced heart failure (AHF), including heart transplantations (HTx), in HK over the past 30 years. Trends in heart failure prevalence in HK from 1993 to 2021 were analyzed based on data from the Hospital Authority Clinical Data and Reporting System. All AHF patients referred for HTx consideration between 1992 and 2021 were reviewed. The bridge-to-transplant (BTT) utilization of short-term mechanical circulatory support (ST-MCS) devices, including venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), from 2010 to 2021 was reviewed. Overall, 237 heart transplants were performed in HK, with 10-year posttransplant and median survival of 68.1% and 18.7 years, respectively. An increase in AHF clinic referrals was correlated with increasing heart failure prevalence (R2=0.635, P<0.001). In total, 146 referrals were made for ST-MCS, and an observed increase in ST-MCS referrals was correlated with increasing VA-ECMO utilization (R2=0.849, P<0.001). Among 62 patients accepted for AHF therapy, those with durable LVAD implementation had better 1-year survival (71.5%) than those receiving an extracorporeal CentriMag (Levitronix) device as BTT (40%, P=0.008). In total, 143 LVADs were implanted, with 130 as BTT or bridge-to-candidacy (BTC) methods. The survival rate among the 130 BTT/BTC LVAD patients resembled that of HTx recipients (73.8% vs. 69.8% at 9 years, P=0.296). The burden of AHF management has increased and gained complexity over the past 30 years in Hong Kong.

Dimensions of effective government pandemic‐crisis communication in the context of COVID‐19: A public‐centric perspective

AbstractDrawing on two representative online surveys in Hong Kong (HK) and the United States (US) during the COVID‐19 pandemic, this study investigates, from a public‐centric perspective, public expectations of effective government pandemic‐crisis communication. The study looks specifically at what the publics want to be communicated in times of a global pandemic and how. In each region, the findings identify four significant dimensions. Three are culturally universal dimensions—basic responsibility, locus of pandemic‐crisis responsibility, and disfavour of promotional tone. The fourth is culture‐specific—personal relevance for HK and frequency for the US. Among the significant dimensions, the most highly expected is what people consider to be the government's basic responsibility in pandemic communication, that is, a basic responsibility dimension. This includes providing instructing and adjusting information and securing accuracy, timeliness, and transparency in pandemic communication. In both regions, respondents preferred by far traditional media and nongovernmental sources to social media and governmental sources.

Greater pQCT Calf Muscle Density Is Associated with Lower Fracture Risk, Independent of FRAX, Falls and BMD: A Meta-Analysis in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study.

We investigated the predictive performance of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) measures of both calf muscle density (an established surrogate for muscle adiposity, with higher values indicating lower muscle adiposity and higher muscle quality) and size (cross-sectional area [CSA]) for incident fracture. pQCT (Stratec XCT2000/3000) measurements at the tibia were undertaken in Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) United States (US), Hong Kong (HK), and Swedish (SW) cohorts. Analyses were by cohort and synthesized by meta-analysis. The predictive value for incident fracture outcomes, illustrated here for hip fracture (HF), using an extension of Poisson regression adjusted for age and follow-up time, was expressed as hazard ratio (HR) per standard deviation (SD) increase in exposure (HR/SD). Further analyses adjusted for femoral neck (fn) bone mineral density (BMD) T-score, Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) 10-year fracture probability (major osteoporotic fracture) and prior falls. We studied 991 (US), 1662 (HK), and 1521 (SW) men, mean ± SD age 77.0 ± 5.1, 73.9 ± 4.9, 80 ± 3.4 years, followed for a mean ± SD 7.8 ± 2.2, 8.1 ± 2.3, 5.3 ± 2.0 years, with 31, 47, and 78 incident HFs, respectively. Both greater muscle CSA and greater muscle density were associated with a lower risk of incident HF [HR/SD: 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-1.0 and 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66-0.91, respectively]. The pattern of associations was not materially changed by adjustment for prior falls or FRAX probability. In contrast, after inclusion of fn BMD T-score, the association for muscle CSA was no longer apparent (1.04; 95% CI, 0.88-1.24), whereas that for muscle density was not materially changed (0.69; 95% CI, 0.59-0.82). Findings were similar for osteoporotic fractures. pQCT measures of greater calf muscle density and CSA were both associated with lower incidence of fractures in older men, but only muscle density remained an independent risk factor for fracture after accounting for fn BMD. These findings demonstrate a complex interplay between measures of bone, muscle size, and quality, in determining fracture risk. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Wavelet analysis of the atmospheric flows over real urban morphology

Winds are the basic forces for atmospheric transport such as pollutant removal and pedestrian thermal comfort. The transport capability is commonly measured in terms of length and velocity scales. In this connection, the flows in the atmospheric surface layer (ASL) over the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong (HK) are scrutinized by the large-eddy simulation (LES) to characterize the motion scales over real urban morphology. Apart from statistical analysis, the streamwise fluctuating velocity u′ is examined by both wavelet and energy spectrum in which a primary peak is consistently shown at streamwise wavelength 70 m ≤ λx ≤ 300 m. A secondary peak at a longer wavelength 800 m ≤ λx ≤ 3000 m, however, is unveiled by wavelet only. It denotes the existence of intermittent turbulence structures whose sizes are much larger than those of buildings. Further wavelet analysis reveals that majority energy-carrying eddies are enlarging (tens to hundreds of meters) from the roughness sublayer (RSL) to the inertial sublayer (ISL). Analogous to its smooth-wall and schematic rough-wall counterparts, the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) over urban areas is peaked in the ISL which is carried by eddies of size 50 m ≤ λx ≤ 1000 m. The (horizontal) spatial distribution of energy-carrying eddies is further visualized to compare the crucial motion scales in the RSL and ISL. Finally, conditional sampling is used to demystify the contribution to vertical momentum flux u′w′ in terms of streamwise wavelength and quadrants. The results advance our fundamental understanding of ASL transport processes, fostering sustainable environmental policy.

Exploring the contributions of concepts of time to pension studies in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom

PurposeThis article aims to link discussions of the role of earnings-related pension measures with time in Hong Kong (HK) and the United Kingdom (UK). It presents a new conceptual “time-based framework” to explore two related types of government response to the way people accumulate pension incomes through participation in paid work. The first is to consider governments' perceptions of appropriate time in work and retirement. The second is to consider how governments use pension measures to influence the connection between the amount of time people spend in paid work and retirement.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper. The time-based framework is developed using literature concerning discretionary time and the social construction of time. To explore the empirical significance of this framework, the authors discuss how it can be applied to the analysis of earnings-related pension measures in HK and the UK.FindingsThe evidence generated from the discussion of the earnings-related pension measures in HK and the UK shows that pension policies can serve both as a financial and time instrument. At the same time as influencing the connection between the amount of time people spend in paid work and the pensions they can accumulate, pension policies can be used to convey the government's views on important time issues, namely the appropriate length of time in work and retirement, and the relative value of the time spent in paid work and providing informal care.Originality/valueA new framework is developed to explore the connection between the studies of earnings-related pension measures and time, which is an understudied area.

Impact of additional community services provision on dementia caregiver burden: an interrupted time-series analysis of 12-year interRAI assessments in Hong Kong

ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of providing additional dementia caregiver support services on caregiver burden.DesignInterrupted time-series analysis using territory-wide panel data.SettingsAll public-funded district elderly community centres in Hong Kong (HK).ParticipantsPrimary caregivers...

A functional approach to measuring acceptance of social robots among elderly singletons in hong kong and singapore: protocol review of a purposeful sampling study

A functional approach to measuring acceptance of social robots among elderly singletons in hong kong and singapore: protocol review of a purposeful sampling study

Adapting and pretesting the World Health Organization’s Caregiver Skills Training Program for children with autism and developmental disorders or delays in Hong Kong

The World Health Organization Caregiver Skills Training Program (WHO-CST) was developed to strengthen caregivers’ skills in supporting children with developmental delays and the caregivers’ well-being. The WHO-CST Hong Kong (HK) was adapted, and pre-pilot tested to support families with children suspected of having developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder and to empower the caregivers to foster their children’s learning, social communication, and adaptive behavior. A sequential mixed-methods research methodology was undertaken to examine the adaptation process and initial implementation experiences. The acceptability, feasibility, and perceived benefits of the WHO-CST were assessed using stakeholders’ and caregivers’ qualitative and caregivers’ quantitative pre- and post-intervention feedback. The data included materials generated from (1) three consultation meetings with stakeholders; (2) detailed reviews of the translated and adapted WHO-CST materials by master trainees (n = 10) trained by the WHO-CST representatives; (3) needs assessment focus group interviews with caregivers (n = 15) of children with autism spectrum disorder; and (4) pre- and post-CST program qualitative focus group interviews and quantitative evaluation. Consultation with stakeholders suggested that the program was acceptable for the local community, but the home visit and fidelity components were initially considered to be challenges towards the feasibility and sustainability of the program. Caregivers in the needs assessment focus groups gave widely diverse views about the program’s uniqueness, length, delivery mode, and the inclusion of videotaping in-home visits. Post-intervention comments by caregivers about the program were mainly positive, while the MTs were critical of the content and length of the training and fidelity process. As one of the first high-income locations to adopt the WHO-CST, the evaluation findings of the WHO-CST-HK indicate that it is feasible and acceptable to implement the program in a metropolitan area where families have busy work schedules and are very conscious of privacy issues. The study results suggest that the WHO-CST program in HK and other high-income countries require scaling up and further evaluation of its implementation in real community settings. This involves systemic and contextual changes to allow task-sharing between professionals and non-specialists at the macro level. Furthermore, technology should be used to support the supervision of non-specialists. In addition, easier access to the WHO-CST materials at the micro level is required to ensure equity, equality, diversity, and inclusion of diversified families of children with developmental delays.

Politics and PTSD: The case of Hong Kong BN(O) visa arrivals in the UK

This article adopts an ethnographic perspective to present the mental health situation of arrivals from Hong Kong (HK) to the UK on the British National (Overseas) – BN(O) – visa. In the months after the 2019–2020 HK protests, Western and Chinese media announced the onset of a mental health crisis. I discuss the construction of this crisis in terms of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disaster mental health, which translate the role of trauma from the clinical sphere into a marker of a moral economy. I also argue that the UK and the People's Republic of China classify populations according to ontological structures of distress for political gain. In this way, they participate in ‘damage‐centred’ research, which regards BN(O) visa holders in the UK as victims without agency and subject to global players. By taking an anthropological stance on the debates surrounding this nascent immigrant group, I assert that PTSD is always political and that mental health integrates itself into larger goals Hongkongers have regarding their future educational, housing and employment prospects in the UK.

A questionnaire based study on the status quo and future action over the regulation of marine greenhouse gas emissions in Hong Kong

Ships contribute to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with their environmental effects being of particular concern in port cities such as Hong Kong (HK). HK aims to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, and therefore the ongoing targets for reducing emissions from shipping must be in line with this aim. This article results from conducting a questionnaire-based study on the current regulatory measures in HK, followed by a discussion of whether it is appropriate and necessary to adopt any new measures. It discovers that most of the respondents in our survey are satisfied with the current regulatory measures, which are comprised mainly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) technical and operational measures, and that they are also willing to accept any new IMO measures. However, the stakeholders have mixed concerns about adopting the suggested market-based measures as a complementary measure for combating marine emissions. We suggest that it is still necessary for HK to consider additional measures that will obviate any risk of carbon leakage from shipping and that will at the same time promote a level playing field for the sustainable development of shipping.

A content analysis of heated tobacco product business in Hong Kong on Facebook.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are increasingly popular in Hong Kong (HK) even though they have not been formally launched and the sale of duty-not-paid tobacco sticks is illegal. We investigated how Facebook was used against regulations to sell HTPs in HK. We screened Facebook pages run by HTP businesses targeting HK users in June 2019 and included pages with over 300 "Likes" for inductive content analysis by coding their "About" descriptions and all posts including comments published since January 2017. HTPs included heating devices, accessories, and tobacco sticks. Various attributes were recorded including methods of customer inquiries (telephone, Instant Messaging [IM], address), business responses (comments or private messages, PM), and services provided (warranty/repair). Among 30 pages (50.9% of all 59 eligible pages with related information on HTPs), two-thirds provided phone numbers (66.7%), IM accounts (65.5%), and addresses (66.7%). Most pages sold heating devices (26, 86.7%) and accessories (22, 73.3%) with over 72% providing phone numbers, IM accounts, or addresses. Only 8 pages (26.7%) sold tobacco sticks with 75.0% providing telephone numbers but fewer provided IM accounts (62.5%) and addresses (50.0%). All pages responded using PMs and only 12.5% also used comments. Warranty/repair services were provided by 43.3% of the pages. We found Facebook pages were used as dedicated stores to promote and sell HTPs including heating devices, accessories, and even illicit tobacco sticks in HK, a non-official market.

Processed Food as a Risk Factor for the Development and Perpetuation of Crohn's Disease-The ENIGMA Study.

(1) Background: Developing countries have experienced a rapid recent rise in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) incidence and emerging evidence suggests processed foods and food additives may predispose one to the development and perpetuation of Crohn’s disease (CD). The aim of this study was to evaluate processed food and food additive intake in CD patients and controls, in Australia (high CD incidence), Hong Kong (intermediate incidence) and mainland China (emerging incidence). (2) Methods: In 274 CD patients (CD), 82 first-degree relatives (FDR), 83 household members (HM) and 92 healthy unrelated controls (HC) from Australia (n = 180), Hong Kong (HK) (n = 160) and mainland China (n = 191) we estimated early life (0–18 years), recent (12 months), and current processed and food additive intake, using validated questionnaires and a 3-day-food diary. (3) Results: Early life processed food intake: Combining all regions, CD were more likely to have consumed soft drinks and fast foods than HM, more likely to have consumed processed fruit and snacks than their FDR, and more likely to have consumed a range of processed foods than HC. HK and China CD patients were more likely to have consumed a range of processed foods than HC. Recent food-additive intake (12-months): Combining all regions, CD patients had significantly higher intakes of aspartame and sucralose, and polysorbate-80, than HC, and more total emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and titanium dioxide than FDR and HC. HK and China CD patients had a higher intake of almost all food additives than all controls. Current additive intake (3-days): Australian and HK CD patients had higher total food-additive intake than FDR, and HK CD patients had a higher intake of total food-additives and emulsifiers than HM. (4) Conclusions: CD patients have been exposed to more processed food and food additives than control groups, which may predispose them to CD development and ongoing inflammation.

Adoption of Clear Convincing Evidence in Hong Kong

Drawing from overseas practices, namely the law in England &amp; Wales (E&amp;W) and the law in the United States (US), this article will critically discuss whether a higher standard of proof of ‘clear and convincing evidence (CCE) should be adopted in non-criminal proceedings in Hong Kong (HK), and if so, in what types of cases. Consequently, because the 'balance of probabilities ("BOP") and 'beyond reasonable doubt' ('BRD') standards have themselves proved to be highly complex, and jurors have found these standards even more complicated to understand, the introduction of an intermediate CCE standard would invariably lead to even more complexity and misunderstanding in the current HK evidentiary system applicable to non-criminal proceedings. This is precisely the opposite of what the HK evidentiary system needs now. Whilst a higher CCE standard of proof could in principle be adopted within HK, for instance, in cases where due process principles may potentially be invoked, unless the such standard is conceptually or empirically justified based on irreproachable evidence, it would represent an arbitrary re-allocation of evidentiary standards.

Vulnerable populations during COVID-19 response: Health-related quality of life among Chinese population and its influence due to socio-demographic factors and loneliness.

BackgroundInfection control policy affected people's wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those vulnerable populations. This study aimed to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the Hong Kong (HK) Chinese population under the pandemic with the normative profiles and explore its influencing factors, including socio-demographic characteristics, loneliness, and the interaction between them.MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire survey (301 online and 202 in-person) was conducted between June and December 2020 among the adult Chinese population during the 2nd wave of COVID-19 in HK. HRQoL was measured by a Hong Kong validated EQ-5D-5L instrument (EQ-5D-5L HK). Loneliness was measured by a single-item question regarding the frequency of the participants reporting feeling lonely and their subjective social status was measured by the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status. A series of Tobit regressions was conducted. The interaction terms between socio-demographics and loneliness were also examined to decide their association with HRQoL.ResultsA total of 503 responses were collected. The level of HRQoL of the respondents was significantly lower than the referred norms profile among the local general population. The findings identified that younger age, single, a higher subjective social status, and a lower level of loneliness were significantly associated with better HRQoL. Moreover, age and marital status were significant moderators in the relationship between loneliness and HRQoL.ConclusionThe present study found that some population groups face additional vulnerabilities during the pandemic in terms of declined HRQoL. In addition, reducing loneliness can protect the HRQoL during the pandemic, especially among older people. This article provides useful information for policy-makers to design and promote effective services or provide education to improve the connection of people and recover from the global pandemic.

Online Peer-Support Group's Role in Addressing Filipino Domestic Workers' Social Support Needs: Content and Social Media Metrics Analysis.

The study aimed to examine what types of social support a prominent online peer support group has provided to Filipino domestic workers (FDWs) in Hong Kong (HK), how impactful each type of support was, and to what extent the support could address group members’ expressed needs. Posts published from 1 September 2021 to 31 December 2021 in one of the largest online peer-support groups for FDWs in HK and their meta-data were extracted from Facebook. Thematic content analysis was performed to extract relevant information from the posts. Descriptive statistical analysis on the social media metrics was conducted to measure post impacts. A total of 599 posts published over the study period can be categorized to provide informational (76.67%), emotional (33.56%), and instrumental support (13.52%). Posts including emotional support were often more impactful. A total of 58 posts responded to requests explicitly expressed by individual FDWs, of which 13 required external resources. The online peer-support group acts as a new channel to raise FDWs’ awareness of important issues related to their well-being, to encourage and facilitate them to seek formal and informal help, and to keep them emotionally attended to. Formal support services should recognize and collaborate with them and support their long-term sustainability.

Genetic Variations and Expansion of the Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus pelagicus) in Southeast Asia

Blue swimmer crabs (Portunus pelagicus) primarily inhabit the coastal regions of Southeast Asia. This study aimed to examine their population genetic structure, phylogeography, and historical demography by applying partial sequences to the control region in the mitochondrial DNA. The analysis focused on 6 populations comprising 166 individual samples collected from Taiwan (Kezailiao Kaohsiung (KK) and Penghu (PH)), mainland China (Xiamen (XM) and Hong Kong (HK)), Vietnam (Hanoi (VN)), and Singapore (SGP). The estimated nucleotide diversity (π) for all of the samples was 0.062, with values ranging between 0.018 (PH) and 0.045 (HK). Our study collected 116 haplotypes and classified them into lineages A and B. The XM, HK, VN, and SGP populations made up lineage A, and the PH and KK populations comprised lineage B. For each lineage, the results highlighted indications of demographic expansion. Lineage A can be traced back to the second-to-last interglacial period, while lineage B possibly originated in the last glacial period. There were significant differences in the FST values among the six populations, except for the pairs HK–XM and PH–KK. In conclusion, the phylogeography and genetic structure of P. pelagicus in Southeast Asia were potentially affected by the Pleistocene glacial cycles and human introduction. These findings further highlight the possible dispersal routes of P. pelagicus throughout Southeast Asia.