Objective. The Chronic Care Model, based on core elements of team-centered care in chronic diseases, has widely been accepted. This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the Chronic Care Model in type 2 diabetes management. Methods. A group randomized experimental study was conducted. Twelve communities of the Zhaohui Community Health Service Center in Hangzhou, China, were randomly assigned into an intervention group (n=6) receiving the Chronic Care Model-based intervention and a control group (n=6) receiving conventional care. A total of three hundred patients, twenty-five for each community, aged ≥18 years with type 2 diabetes for at least 1-year duration, were recruited. Data of health behaviors, clinical outcomes, and health-related quality of life (Short-Form 36-item questionnaire) were collected before and after a 9-month intervention and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, binary logistic regression, and linear mixed regression. A total of 258 patients (134 in intervention and 124 in control) who completed the baseline and follow-up evaluations and the entire intervention were included in the final analyses. Results. Health behaviors such as drinking habit (OR=0.07, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.75), physical activity (OR=2.92, 95% CI: 1.18, 7.25), and diet habit (OR=4.30, 95% CI: 1.49, 12.43) were improved. The intervention group had a remarkable reduction in glycated hemoglobin (from 7.17% to 6.60%, P<0.001). The quality of life score changes of the role limitation due to physical problems (mean=9.97, 95% CI: 3.33, 16.60), social functioning (mean=6.50, 95% CI: 2.37, 10.64), role limitation due to emotional problems (mean=8.06, 95% CI: 2.15, 13.96), and physical component summary score (mean=3.31, 95% CI: 1.22, 5.39) were improved in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion. The Chronic Care Model-based intervention helped improve some health behaviors, clinical outcomes, and quality of life of type 2 diabetes patients in China in a short term.

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) from excessive alcohol intake has a unique gut microbiota profile. The disease progression-free survival in ALD patients has been associated with the degree of gut dysbiosis. The vicious cycles between gut dysbiosis and the disease progression in ALD including: an increase of acetaldehyde production and bile acid secretion, impaired gut barrier, enrichment of circulating microbiota, toxicities of microbiota metabolites, a cascade of pro-inflammatory chemokines or cytokines, and augmentation in the generation of reactive oxygen species. The aforementioned pathophysiology process plays an important role in different disease stages with a spectrum of alcohol hepatitis, ALD cirrhosis, neurological dysfunction, and hepatocellular carcinoma. This review aims to illustrate the pathophysiology of gut microbiota and clarify the gut-brain crosstalk in ALD, which may provide the opportunity of identifying target points for future therapeutic intervention in ALD.

Background: This study was to culturally adapt a lifestyle intervention for employees’ obesity control and prevention using a participatory process, and evaluate the effectiveness of the project at worksites. Methods: A group randomized experimental study included four worksites (two intervention, two control) in the Yangtze River Delta in China was conducted. A total of 388 participants (216 in the intervention worksites and 172 in the control worksites) were finally recruited from 955 employees at the four worksites (464 in the intervention worksites and 491 in the control worksites). The final evaluation was completed by two hundred and seventy-eight employees (159 in the intervention worksites and 119 in the control worksites, respectively). Data of demographic information, weight, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and weight-related behaviors including diary behaviors and physical activities were collected before and after a 12-month intervention and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, linear mixed regression and logistic mixed regression. Results: Although the intervention worksites had a reduction in body mass index (23.21 to 22.95, p < 0.01), hip circumference (95.97 to 95.28, p = 0.03) and waist-to-height ratio (0.49 to 0.48, p = 0.01), the differential changes compared to those of the control group were not statistically significant. The frequency of sweet beverages (−1.81, 95%CI: −0.52, −3.11), frequency of vegetable intake (5.66, 95%CI: 1.59, 9.74), daily servings of vegetables (0.53, 95%CI: 0.24, 0.82), frequency of fruit intake (3.68, 95%CI: 1.25, 6.12), daily servings of fruit (0.26, 95%CI: 0.44, 0.92), daily servings of vegetables and fruit (0.79, 95%CI: 0.43, 1.16), daily steps (863.19, 95%CI: 161.42, 1564.97) and self-efficacy to change physical activity (OR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.02,3.60) were more improved in the intervention group than were those measures in the control group. Conclusions: The worksite-based lifestyle intervention project for obesity control and prevention improved several employees’ dietary behaviors and physical activities at worksites in China in a short time. Long-term intervention with larger samples in more worksites should be further examined.

Background: X-linked hypophosphataemia (XLH) is a rare inherited disorder often misdiagnosed and lacking sufficient aetiological treatment. Previous studies have shown that XLH is associated with worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and greater economic burden for children and their families compared with the general population, but evidence from China is scarce. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the burden and HRQoL of XLH children in China. Methods: An online retrospective survey of paediatric patients with XLH and their caregivers was conducted nationwide during March to June 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic, clinical and economic data. The EQ-5D-Y-3L instrument was employed to assess HRQoL, and the health utility score was calculated. Direct medical, non-medical and indirect costs were determined. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to explore potential associations between HRQoL and identified influencing factors. Results: The study included 221 subjects with a mean age of 7.25 years, of whom 119 (53.8%) were girls. Most XLH children (63.8%) lived in rural areas, and 39.4% reported a family history. Over 70% experienced misdiagnosis. The average total annual cost per patient was found to be 34 657.85 CNY. Of direct medical costs, patients’ out-of-pocket expenses were substantial. The incidence of catastrophic health expenditure was 19.9%. The means (SD) of EQ-5D-Y-3L health utility and EQ-5D VAS scores were 0.83 (0.14) and 56.07 (10.95). Both univariate and multivariate analyses found older age and lower economic affordability were associated with poorer HRQoL. Conclusions: The study underscores the significant burden of XLH on paediatric patients and their families in China, both in terms of HRQoL and economic costs. The findings emphasise the importance of early detection, accurate diagnosis, cost-effective targeted interventions and long-term multidisciplinary management strategies to improve the lives of XLH children and their families.

Background: Palliative care plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of life of older adults with chronic diseases, while service coverage in China remains limited. Shanghai faces increasing demand due to its rapidly aging population and high prevalence of chronic diseases. However, little is known about the needs, influencing factors, and care preferences of community-dwelling older adults. This study aimed to assess palliative care needs in this population and to identify associated determinants and care preferences. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among community-dwelling older adults with chronic diseases in Shanghai. Data on sociodemographic information, palliative care needs and preferences were collected. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize participant characteristics, chi-square tests assessed group differences, and logistic regression models examined predictors of palliative care needs. Results: A total of 611 older adults participated, of whom 6.5% were identified as having palliative care needs. Dependency in activities of daily living (p = 0.024) and poorer self-rated health (p = 0.001) were significantly associated with increased palliative care needs. Participants demonstrated a greater preference for comfort-oriented care for themselves than for family members. Gender differences were observed in care setting preferences: females were more likely to favor palliative care institutions, while males tended to choose non-palliative care wards in general hospitals. Conclusions: Even in Shanghai, where palliative care services are relatively advanced compared with other regions of China, awareness and utilization remain low among older adults with chronic conditions. Functional decline and negative self-rated health are associated with palliative care needs, underscoring the importance of incorporating functional and health assessments into community health services to identify eligible individuals earlier. The observed discrepancy between self- and family-oriented preferences, alongside gendered differences in care setting choices, highlights the need for culturally sensitive communication and tailored service provision. Expanding community-based palliative care and increasing public education may help align services with the needs and preferences of older adults in China.