Risk Reduction Effect Research Articles

Clarification of generation mechanism of volatilization flux based on detailed analysis of transport phenomena near the ground surface and quantitative evaluation of influencing factors

Assessing human health risks associated with inhalation exposure of volatile chemical substances (VCSs) volatilized from contaminated soil requires quantitative evaluation of volatilization fluxes (VFs) and an understanding of how environmental factors impact VF generation. We developed a numerical model that considers advection-dispersion and VCSs volatilization in unsaturated soil, enabling VF prediction through parameter optimization using soil column tests. We conducted parametric analyses to assess how key parameters, such as soil particle size, contamination depth, temperature, and surface soil thickness affect VF generation. By analyzing VCS transport near the ground surface, we uncovered the mechanisms underlying VF generation. We also identified characteristic differences in VF generation behavior linked to soil particle size and gas saturation at the ground surface. Under specific soil particle size conditions, significant VF generation occurred even when contamination was deep underground. This was primarily observed when capillary effect was pronounced, and VCSs continued to be supplied to the ground surface through upward advection. Considering the significant impact of VF generation on human health, our parametric study provides valuable insights into relationships between different parameters and VF behavior, especially under varying ground surface temperatures and surface soil thicknesses. This study contributes to developing effective remediation and risk-reduction strategies. Environmental ImplicationThis research examines the environmental implications of volatile chemical substances (VCSs), including hazardous materials like benzene and trichloroethylene, in contaminated soil. VCSs pose health risks when they volatilize from soil. The study quantifies volatilization fluxes (VF) and elucidates the environmental factors affecting VF generation. These findings are vital for effective environmental management. By comprehending the mechanisms governing VF generation, particularly regarding soil properties like particle size, this research enhances the effectiveness of soil contamination remediation and risk reduction. It emphasizes the essential need for a comprehensive VCS assessment in contaminated soils to protect both human health and the environment.

Risk reduction effects of introducing an automated painting process

As a consequence of the expansion of occupations, the emergence of new businesses and new forms of occupation, the risks to workers have increased. The world of work, the modern manufacturing industry, is full of dangers and hazards in the form of accidents at work and occupational diseases. The boom in production and the economy, combined with ever-increasing expectations of work, has led to an increase in the number of accidents at work, including occupational diseases and fatalities. Lack of knowledge of the pathogenic factors and lack of technical or personal protection are still the main reasons for the occurrence and emergence of cases of increased exposure. In the case of work with certain hazardous substances, mandatory biological monitoring is often not carried out, although early detection of cases and appropriate measures by the employer could lead to a reduction or elimination of exposure. Our work has investigated the health effects of workers exposed to chemical agents and the options for removing workers exposed to these agents from hazardous work environments. Our aim is to investigate the health effects of chemical agents on humans and the possibilities of their induction in order to reduce or provide optimal conditions for safe and healthy working. During the study, particular attention was paid to the investigation of substitutes and the possibility of automation.

Increasing Passenger Efficiency and Minimizing Infection Transmission in Chinese Metro Stations during COVID-19: A Simulation-Based Strategy Analysis

This study addresses the challenging problem of increasing passengers’ travel efficiency while lowering the infection transmission risk at metro stations during COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this objective, we deploy Anylogic software and formulate an infection risk model. As a case study, this study focuses on a transfer metro station in Xi’an, China. Firstly, by utilizing Anylogic software, three distinct strategies are simulated: flow-control fences, travel reservation, and the collaborative use of travel reservations and flow-control fences. Secondly, the passenger density and average dwell time under these strategies are assessed while constructing an infection risk model to quantify the risk faced by passengers. Thirdly, when compared to the absence of any strategy, the results are as follows: (1) The flow-control fences strategy: implementing flow-control fences can effectively reduce the risk of passenger infection when the length of the flow-control fences is fixed at 47.5 m, but comes at the cost of a 20.15% decrease in passenger travel efficiency; however, excessively long flow-control fences will neither alleviate congestion nor reduce the infection risk. (2) The travel reservation strategy: the adoption of travel reservations, along with a fast track for reserved users, when the reservation proportion is 40%, leads to a remarkable 29.05% improvement in travel efficiency and reduces the risk of passenger infection by 67.12%. (3) The combined strategy: the combined utilization of travel reservations and flow-control fences enhances travel efficiency by 15.80% and reduces the risk of passenger infection by 56.77% when the reservation proportion is set at 30%. When the reservation proportion is between 10 and 30%, its infection risk reduction effect is better than that of the travel reservation strategy, but this is not necessarily true for their effects on travel efficiency. Finally, this study was compared to an existing study that proposed a new strategy by combining travel reservations with departure intervals, analyzing the effect of the implementation of the strategy with different departure intervals. The findings from this study have implications for developing appropriate strategies to optimize passenger flow without significantly compromising the transmission of infection risk during the pandemic.

Risk management committee and bank performance: Evidence from the adoption of the Dodd–Frank Act

AbstractWe test the effect of the establishment of a risk management committee on bank risk, bank loan performance and bank profitability. The Dodd–Frank Act of 2010 provides us with quasi‐experimental variation on risk management committee establishment that facilitates identification. We identify the risk management committee effect using an instrumental variable model based on the difference‐in‐differences design. We find that the establishment of a risk committee has effectively reduced bank risks. In addition, risk committee member independence, more risk committee meetings and more risk committee members are all instrumental to bank risk reduction. We also find evidence that the risk reduction effect from the risk management committee is more pronounced among asset‐diversified banks. Finally, the establishment of a risk committee helps with loan quality improvement and firm profitability increment, which sheds light on the bright side of stringent bank regulation.

Effect of Risk Reduction Nursing Measures on the Occurrence of Corneal Injury for Patients at Intensive Care Unit

Effect of Risk Reduction Nursing Measures on the Occurrence of Corneal Injury for Patients at Intensive Care Unit

Combined effects of UVC waterproof LED and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) on the reduction of bacterial pathogens risk in fresh cabbage and mung bean sprouts

This study investigated the combined effects of washing with slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW; 30 ppm) and ultraviolet-C waterproof light emitting diodes (UVC W-LED; 275 nm) on Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes numbers in fresh-cut shredded cabbage and mung bean sprouts. The risk reduction effect of washing was also evaluated by quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) using @Risk. The combined treatment when used for 5 min, effectively decreased the contamination levels of hygiene indicator microorganisms, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes in shredded cabbage (1.13–1.44 log CFU/g) and mung bean sprouts (1.45–1.64 log CFU/g). Neither pathogen survived in SAEW + UVC W-LED. The contamination levels of both pathogens increased from market to home, but L. monocytogenes grew more slowly than Salmonella spp. in cabbage and mung bean sprouts. Washing lowered the average probability risk of both pathogens in cabbage (Salmonella; 1.05 × 10−1, Listeria; 3.16 x 10−5) and mung bean sprouts (Salmonella; 6.62 × 10−2, Listeria; 1.25 × 10−7). The probability risk of salmonellosis and listeriosis was higher in cabbage than in mung bean sprouts, and the probability of listeriosis risk increased 10 times for the susceptible population. Transportation time from market to home is the most influential factor in increasing the risk of both pathogens in cabbage and mung bean sprouts. The synergistic effect of UVC W-LED with SAEW for washing fresh vegetables can be expected to decrease contamination levels and prevent cross-contamination during washing processing.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Wuxikou Integrated Flood Management Project Considering the Effects of Flood Risk Reduction and Resettlement

AbstractEvaluation of the economic costs and benefits of flood disaster risk management projects is crucial. However, current cost-benefit analyses (CBA) often lack reliable estimates of the expected loss reduction from flood control measures and ignore quantitative assessments of resettlement. To address these limitations, this study incorporated a probabilistic risk analysis method and quantitative resettlement benefits assessment into the CBA framework, using the Wuxikou Integrated Flood Management Project (WIFMP) in Jiangxi Province, China, as a case study. The direct economic benefits of flood control were estimated by integrating hydrological statistics, numerical flood inundation simulation, and quantitative damage analysis with exposure and vulnerability data. Furthermore, the resettlement benefits were quantified by measuring the annual income growth of migrants based on assumptions about household employment. Our analysis shows that the total WIFMP investment is RMB 3546.1 million yuan (USD 1 = RMB 6.976 yuan), including loan principal and interest of 244.4 million yuan, and operations and maintenance of 605.5 million yuan at 2020 prices. Annual project benefits are estimated at 351.3 million yuan in flood risk reduction, 155.7–191.9 million yuan from increased resettlement income, and 42.7 million yuan in power and water revenues. Considering the costs and benefits across the entire project lifecycle, the internal rate of return ranges from 13.7 to 14.2%, and the net present value ranges from 31.8 to 352.6 billion yuan. Through improved benefit estimation methodology, this research enables a more reliable and holistic evaluation of costs and benefits for flood risk management projects. It provides insights for policymakers and practitioners involved in similar projects, contributing to more informed decision making and better allocation of resources in flood disaster risk management.

NATURE-BASED FLOOD RISK REDUCTION VIA MULTIPLE LINES OF DEFENSE

Sea level rise, land subsidence and population growth lead to steadily increasing flood risks in low-lying coastal areas. Hard flood defense structures such as dikes and dams should be regularly heightened and strengthened to sustain their protective function. Further, such hard structures can induce negative effects on the surrounding ecosystem. Therefore, nature-based approaches to flood risk reduction are increasingly promoted. Vegetated foreshores (such as salt marshes and mangrove forests) reduce wave loads on coastal dikes (Vuik et al., 2016). Furthermore, they are able to keep pace with sea level rise due to natural sediment accretion. However, foreshores cannot always exist in front of flood defenses, for example because of shipping lanes, protected habitats or harsh waves and currents. Even in such situations, coastal safety can be enhanced by creating salt marshes in between multiple lines of defense (double dikes). In this study, we investigate the effectiveness, costs and coastal protection benefits of nature-based flood risk reduction via multiple lines of defense.

Does investing in countries along the belt and road reduce firms’ downside risk? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms

Investing in Belt and Road countries (BR countries) has emerged as an important strategic choice for Chinese firms seeking to integrate into the global economy. Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2000 to 2021, this study investigates whether investments in BR countries can reduce firms’ downside risks. We discover that investing in BR countries can help Chinese firms reduce their downside risks. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that state ownership weakens and institutional ownership strengthens the downside risk reduction effect of investment in BR countries.

Case study in Poland: Understanding spatial diversity of social vulnerability to natural hazards based on local level assessments within the European Union

Social vulnerability is an element of disaster risk theory and reduction, a tool to understand and improve risk mitigation. The paper focusses on social vulnerability to multi-hazards within the EU on Central and Southern Europe but not including physical factors; within Poland, this quantification type is as yet unavailable. Based on the knowledge and social vulnerability estimations in selected countries within the European Union and the US, it shows the Social Vulnerability to Natural Hazards index to unify these approaches.One case study in Poland, which included careful study of the national database, revealed the problems of collecting useful data in order to study social vulnerability within municipalities. But it also indicated a useful variable when placing a social vulnerability assessment. The paper shows maps within the most vulnerable municipalities in Poland by percentage share, with 41.8% urban and 41.46% urban-rural municipalities showing the highest value of social vulnerability based on this comprehensive index. It also indicates the need to take locally better-targeted and diverse policy and actions for risk reduction using social vulnerability in the type of municipality.Such a richness of approaches with a simultaneous diversity of used variables could be due to a lack of any homogeneous data collected for municipalities within EU states. So we suggest there is a need to build a unified database in Europe in order to estimate social vulnerability in municipalities. It is a basic requirement when it comes to comparing disaster risk reduction progress and effectiveness in the EU.

Fintech inputs, non-performing loans risk reduction and bank performance improvement

The function of Fintech is preventing and resolving financial risks, and the ability of small and medium-sized commercial banks to apply Fintech to resolve non-performing loan risks deserves attention. This paper uses as a sample the micro-survey data of 432 branches of the city commercial banks in Beijing from 2005 to 2022 and constructs an econometric model of the risk reduction effect of Fintech on non-performing loans.The findings are as follows.Firstly, Fintech inputs can significantly reduce the risk of non-performing loans. For every 1% increase in IT personnel inputs, software inputs, and hardware inputs, the non-performing loan ratio will reduce by 0.091%, 0.055%, and 0.024%, respectively. In other words, IT personnel inputs contribute the most to the reduction of non-performing loan risk, followed by software inputs.Fintech has a certain lag effect in alleviating the risk of non-performing loans in banks and tends to strengthen over time.Secondly, Fintech inputs has an indirect effect on banks' performance by reducing non-performing loan risk, And there is a positive feedback loop between Fintech inputs, non-performing loan risk mitigation, and improving performance. This effect is not significant in the current period but significant when lagged by three periods.Thirdly, Fintech inputs has a significant inhibitory effect on non-performing loans loans of concern and subprime. For every 1% increase in inputs in IT personnel, software, and hardware, concern will decrease by 0.263%, 0.358%, and 0.107%, respectively, while subprime will decrease by 0.115%, 0.216%, and 0.057%, respectively. Software and personnel inputs have a greater inhibitory effect on the above two types of loans than hardware inputs. Fourthly,mechanism analysis shows that data governance application, compliance enforcement, and internal control enforcement have a moderating effect on Fintech input's impact on banks' non-performing loan risk.

Association of changes in body mass index and waist circumference with cardiovascular risk in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide study

BackgroundWe investigated whether changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are associated with cardiovascular risk in patients with NAFLD using a nationwide dataset. MethodsUsing the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) data in Korea, a total of 19,057 subjects who underwent two consecutive medical check-ups (2009–2010 and 2011–2012) and who had a fatty-liver index (FLI) value of ≥ 60 were included in the analysis. Cardiovascular events were defined as the occurrence of stroke or transient ischemic attack, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular death. ResultsAfter multivariable adjustment, the risk of cardiovascular events was significantly lower in subjects with decreases in both BMI and WC (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.69–0.99) and those with increased BMI and decreased WC (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59–0.94) when compared with those who showed increases in both BMI and WC. The effect of cardiovascular risk reduction among the group with increased BMI but decreased WC was particulary pronounced among those who had metabolic syndrome during the second check-up (HR, 0.63; 95% CI 0.43–0.93, p for interaction 0.02). ConclusionsChanges in BMI and WC were significantly associated with cardiovascular risk in NAFLD patients. NAFLD patients with increased BMI and decreased WC had the lowest cardiometabolic risk.

Prioritization of risk mitigation strategies for contact with sharp object accidents using hybrid bow-tie approach

Occupational accidents are still a priority for the construction industry and safety professionals. Appropriate and proactive risk management strategies for complex construction safety management issues are essential to transform the “if-it-breaks-fix-it” approach into “fix-it-so-as-not-to-break.” This study introduces a novel hybrid bow-tie (H-BT) model to identify the riskiest causal paths and the most effective protective and preventive strategies. A dataset comprising 829 “contact-with-sharp-object” (CwSO) injury cases collected from 63 projects carried out by three companies is used to define the pairwise relationships among risk factors and define the risk paths using a mutual information matrix. A Delphi analysis is conducted to achieve the final strategies and calculate the risk reduction effect (ΔRR) and cost of each strategy. Finally, protective and preventive strategies are prioritized according to the ΔRR/cost ratio. The findings show that to reduce the number and severity of CwSO accidents, “stop working authority” and “staffing for safety” are the most effective preventative and protective strategies, respectively. Besides, inadequate supervision/management leadership is found to be the originating risk factor in many of the risk paths. This study incorporates mutual information between risk factors, BT, and preventive and protective barriers in the same, easy-to-understand visual model to examine a particular injury type, which is the primary contribution to theory. Overall, the risk assessment model developed is expected to improve the effectiveness of safety management applications in construction sites and eventually contribute to the minimization of incidents in construction projects.

Treatment options for postmenopausal osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease, characterized by a decrease of bone mass and bone quality, with a subsequent reduction of bone strenght and an increased risk of fracture. Hormone Therapy for menopausal women can significantly prevent osteopenia and osteoporosis, thus reducing the fracture risk. The use of HT, according to guidelines, is for postmenopausal women within 10 years since last menstruation or under the age of 60 years. Only HT at standard dose is able to reduce the fracture risk, while low-dose HT can prevent bone loss. Estrogens (with and without the addition of a progestin) and tibolone showed a fracture risk reduction effect. Also Tissue Selective Estrogen Complex (TSEC) can reduce the bone loss in postmenopause. For women without climacteric symptoms (as hot flushes and/or night sweats) the use of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) can be indicated, with a reduction of risk of vertebral fracture (for raloxifene and bazedoxifene), and non-vertebral fracture in high-risk women (for bazedoxifene). In more advence ages, antiresoptive agents as Bisphosphonates (Alendronate, Risedronate, Ibandronate and Zoledronate) can reduce the risk of vertebral, non-vertebral and hip fracture risk. Denosumab (DMAB), monoclonal antibobody against Rank-ligand (RANKL), providing an increased bone mass, significantly decreases risk of vertebral, non-vertebral and hip fracture. A drug holiday or treatment interruption is not recommended with DMAB, and DMAB dosing should not stopped without subsequent antiresorptive or other therapy to prevent a "rebound effect" with a possible increased risk of multiple vertebral fracture. Teriparatide (fraction 1-34 of recombinant PTH, administered daily 20 mcg sc) can stimulate osteoblast activity, with an important increase of bone mass and a significant reduction of risk of vertebral fracture, and of multiple vertebral fractures, but also of non-vertebral fragility fracture. Romosozumab (RMZ, adimnistered monlty 210 mg sc), is a bone-forming monoclonal antibody that binds to and inhibits sclerostin, with a dual effect of increasing bone formation and decreasing bone resorption. RMZ has showed to give marked increases in spine and hip bone density after 1 year of administration, also reducing fracture risk. The differences among the various treatments is the basis for the individualization of osteoporosis treatment, according to combination and/or sequential regimens of administration.

Quantile Dependence between Crude Oil and China’s Biofuel Feedstock Commodity Market

This paper investigates the heterogeneous dependence between global crude oil futures and China’s biofuel feedstock commodities under different market conditions. Quantile-on-quantile regression and the causality-in-quantiles test are employed to capture comprehensive and informative relationships. The empirical results are as follows: First, there is a positive relationship between the returns on China’s biofuel feedstock commodities and crude oil. The effects are heterogeneous, conditional on the market regimes, where the impacts of the bearish/bullish crude oil market on biofuel feedstock commodity returns are significant when the commodity market in China is in a bearish/bullish state. Second, crude oil returns have reliable predictive power for the returns on China’s biofuel feedstock commodities under the average market condition and move in connection with the volatility of China’s biofuel-related commodity market in normal and bullish market conditions. Third, the risk reduction effectiveness of soybean and corn is significant, while for wheat, this reduction in portfolio risk is less apparent and enhanced, and the risk reduction effectiveness increases significantly during financial and oil crises. Overall, our findings will be helpful in understanding the heterogeneous interplay between global oil and China’s biofuel-related commodities and in evaluating portfolio diversification opportunities under different market conditions.

Green walls and health: An umbrella review

Current societal challenges like climate change led to a general agreement that our cities need to become greener and our lifestyles more sustainable. This transformation of our daily living environments can also impact the prevalence of non-communicable diseases as a global disease burden of our time. These positive impacts of horizontal green spaces on human health are widely recognized. However, it is still unclear whether the same is true for green walls, as a promising nature-based solution for dense urban spaces which is increasingly applied. To date, the available research on green walls has not been systematically synthesized along the potential impact pathways of reducing environmental stressors (Mitigation), restoring capacities (Restoration), and promoting healthier behavior (Instoration). We conducted a systematic review of 30 reviews to synthesize available evidence on all three pathways and direct health outcomes, following the established strategies of PICOS and PRISMA. We assessed the review quality through AMSTAR. We found strong consistent evidence that green walls can mitigate urban heat island effects (daylight surface temperature: -0.3 °C to -31.9°, daylight air temperature: -0 °C to -8.7 °C), air pollution (PM2.5: -25% to -99%, PM10: -23% to -60%), and noise pollution (sound pressure level: -1dBA to -5dBA). We found some evidence for disaster risk reduction and restoration effects. There were no reviews on the instoration pathway or direct health outcomes. The underlying reviews rated low according to the AMSTAR checklist, which might limit our findings. We recognize a generally young research field and conclude that more in-field studies are needed in all pathways to better understand the relationship between green walls and health.

코스닥 기업의 ESG 활동이 기업 위험에 미치는 영향

We examined whether ESG practice could reduce firm risk in the Korea KOSDAQ firms during 2012-2022 period. We found that there was a significantly negative relation between ESG practice and firm risk. This negative relation remains intact when we use different measures of firm risk. The results imply that the higher levels of ESG practice can act as channel to reduce firm risk. In addition, as a result of comparative analysis of the risk reduction effect of ESG practice of KOSDAQ firms before and after the outbreak of COVID-19, we found that the risk reduction effect of ESG practice was limited under the crisis. Our results imply that KOSDAQ firms not only can reduce firm risk through ESG investment, but also can somewhat mitigate the negative impact on companies even in crisis. Our results are consistent with previous research that ESG practices can be viewed as a tool to provide non-financial information and reduce information asymmetries.

A place-based risk appraisal model for exploring residents' attitudes toward nature-based solutions to flood risks.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) have gained popularity as a sustainable and effective way of dealing with increasing flood risks. One of the key factors that often hinders the successful implementation of NBS is residents' opposition to their implementation. In this study, we argue that the place where a hazard exists should be considered a critical contextual factor alongside flood risk appraisals and perceptions of NBS themselves. We have developed a theoretical framework-the "Place-based Risk Appraisal Model (PRAM)"-that draws on constructs inspired by theories of place and risk perception. A citizen survey (n=304) was conducted in five municipalities in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, where dike relocation and floodplain restoration projects have been conducted along the Elbe River. Structural equation modeling was adopted to test the PRAM. Attitudes toward the projects were assessed in terms of "perceived risk-reduction effectiveness" and "supportive attitude." With regard to risk-related constructs, well-communicated information and perceived co-benefits were consistently positive factors for both perceived risk-reduction effectiveness and supportive attitude. Trust in local flood risk management was a positive and threat appraisal a negative predictor of perceived risk-reduction effectiveness affecting "supportive attitude" only through "perceived risk-reduction effectiveness." Regarding place attachment constructs, place identity was a negative predictor of a supportive attitude. The study emphasizes that risk appraisal, pluralities of place contexts to each individual, and their relations are key for determining attitudes toward NBS. Understanding these influencing factors and their interrelationships enables us to provide theory- and evidence-based recommendations for the effective realization of NBS.

The effect of vaccination during the COVID-19 for the restaurant industry

The purpose of the study is to determine whether vaccination rates and the use of franchising have an impact on the volatility of stock returns in the restaurant industry. Based on the agency and resource scarcity theories, this study first examines the effect of vaccinations against COVID-19 on a restaurant firm’s stock return volatilities caused by uncertainty during a crisis. The study further investigates whether firm-specific vaccination rates more greatly reduce stock return volatilities as the degree of franchising increases. With a two-way fixed-effects model, the study finds that the firm-specific vaccination rate reduces volatilities of the firm’s stock returns. However, the study also finds an opposite direction to the moderating effect of franchising in that the more a restaurant firm franchises, the further the risk-reduction effect of its vaccination rate diminishes. Theoretical and practical implications along with limitations are discussed.

'Some of my patients only come to renew their prescriptions. They are not interested in any additional advice or support'. Physicians' perceptions on their roles in cardiovascular diseases risk reduction and management in Fiji.

Primary health care (PHC) physicians' perceptions are vital to understand as they are the first-line health care providers in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk assessment and management. This study aims to explore PHC physicians' perceptions on their roles and their perceptions on management and risk reduction approaches on CVD risk reduction and management in Fiji. This is a qualitative study conducted in the Suva Medical area among 7 health centers from 1 August to 31 September, 2021. Purposive sampling was used to recruit physicians who worked in the Suva medical area as PHC physicians with at least 6 months' experience in the Special Outpatients Department clinics. In-depth interview were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire over the telephone and recorded on a tablet device application. The interview content was then transcribed, and thematic analysis was done. This study included 25 PHC physicians. From the thematic analysis, 2 major themes emerged with 6 subthemes. Theme 1 was CVD management skills with 3 subthemes including education, experience and trainings, beliefs and attitudes of physicians, self-confidence and effectiveness in CVD risk reduction and management. Theme 2 was roles and expectations with 3 subthemes including perceptions of effective treatment, perceptions of physicians' roles and perceptions of patients' expectations. Physicians generally see their role as central and imperative. They perceive to be important and leading toward combating CVDs. Physicians' perceptions on their commitment to prevention and management of CVDs through their skills and knowledge, beliefs and motivation should be acknowledged. It is recommended that the physicians are updated on the current evidence-based medicine. Limitations include results that may not be the reflection of the entire physician and multidisciplinary community and the difficulties in face-to-face interviews due to the coronavirus diseases of 2019 pandemic.