Background. Hand grip strength (HGS) is a tool for diagnosing sarcopenia. In this study, we examined some anthropometric and body circumference measurements as determinants for HGS. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted with participants (Mongolians, n = 1080, aged 18–70, mean age of 41.2 ± 13.9 years, 33.7% of men) from the “Mon-Timeline” cohort study. To measure HGS, a digital grip strength dynamometer was used. Results. Mean HGS in men was 40.1 ± 10.4 kg and in women was 24.5 ± 5.6 kg. Correlation analysis showed that the strongest correlation with HGS was height (r = 0.712, $p<0.001$ ). Moreover, HGS was inversely correlated with age (r = −0.239, $p<0.001$ ) and thigh circumference (r = −0.070, $p<0.01$ ), while it was positively correlated with body weight (r = 0.309, $p<0.001$ ), neck circumference (r = 0.427, $p<0.001$ ), upper arm circumference (r = 0.108, $p<0.0001$ ), lower arm circumference (r = 0.413, $p<0.0001$ ), and calf circumference (r = 0.117, $p<0.0001$ ). In the multivariate linear regression analysis (unstandardized B coefficient, 95% CI), age (−0.159, −0.188; −0.129), sex (−9.262, −10.459; −8.064), height (0.417, 0.357; 0.478), lower arm circumference (1.003, 0.736; 1.270), and calf circumference (−0.162, −0.309; −0.015) were significantly associated with HGS. Conclusions. When detecting sarcopenia using HGS, it is important to take into account variables such as body height and body circumference.

Various psychological, biological, and social factors make people vulnerable to mental health problems. These precursory factors as mental distress, are not sufficient alone for diagnosing a mental disorder but are recognised as risks to mental health. There has been no screening tool available in Mongolia that is adequately validated for mental health screening and neuropsychiatric functions of the brain. Therefore, we aimed to translate and validate the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) to identify potential mental distress in healthy people. The HADS is reliable, valid, and practical for identifying the most common psychological disturbances. This nationwide comparative observational study for the validity of a self-reported measure was conducted between June and December 2020. One thousand ninety-four participants were randomly selected, aged 13-75, mean age was 37.7±13.7 years old, 60.9% were females, 63.9% were married. HADS total score was 13.0±5.7, HADS anxiety (HADS-A) score was 6.8±3.6, and HADS depression (HADS-D) score was 6.0±3.1 for the original two-factor model. The external reliability was good in the whole scale, and both subscales using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (0.872, 0.837, and 0.801 for the HADS-T, HADS-A, and HADS-D, respectively). Cronbach's alpha value was 0.776, 0.756, and 0.582, respectively, for the HADS-T, HADS-A, and HADS-D, indicating an acceptable internal consistency for the entire scale but marginal reliability for the HADS-D subscale. The reliability of both the two-factor and three-factor structures of the HADS was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis with a satisfactory model fit on a separate sample. In conclusion, the Mongolian version of the HADS can be considered a valid and reliable measurement tool for various scientific and clinical practices in the general population.

(1) Background: The “Ger Recommendations” have been advised to promote a healthy diet in Mongolia. These recommendations emphasize the ratio of six macro-food components to ensure proper nutrition. In this study, the ratio of these six groups to the total daily caloric intake was determined. (2) Methods: This study was conducted as part of a study at the Clinical Cohort (“Mon-Timeline”) of the Mongolian National University of Medical Science. A macro-community ratio was calculated using a 24-h dietary recall diary of a total of 498 people. (3) Results: The mean age of the study participants was 43.9 ± 12.9 years. Among them, 21.8% (n = 110) were male. Of the total calories, 44.7% were grains, 29.2% were meat and protein products, 9.3% were fats, 7.1% were dairy products, 6.6% were vegetables, and 3.1% were fruits. According to the ratio of the six groups in the Ger Recommendations, meat and grains exceeded the recommended amount, while fruits, milk, and vegetables were consumed less. It has been observed that the older a person ages, the closer they are to following these recommendations. In terms of gender, women consumed more fruit and milk than men. (4) Conclusions: The ratio of macronutrients in the daily caloric intake of Mongolians is inadequate. Therefore, knowledge about the “Ger Recommendations” needs to be studied in relation to people’s healthy eating knowledge and attitudes. If necessary, the appropriate awareness needs to be increased to educate the public on proper eating habits.

Poor sleep quality is associated with decreased brain health, such as fatigue, low quality of life, and risk of neurological and psychiatric comorbidities. Until now, no testing instruments for an accurate assessment of sleep quality for use in the general population have been rigorously translated and validated in Mongolia. We aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the globally recognized screening tool and sleep quality in the general population of Mongolia. In this cross-sectional study, participants were randomly selected between August and October 2020, from 64 sites in 8 urban, and 9 rural areas in Mongolia. Of the total 1152 participants (mean age, SD=42.66±12.6, range: 18 and 65) 76% were women. An overall Cronbach’s α was 0.69. Both EFA and CFA indicated a two-factor solution. The PSQI total score was positively correlated with anxiety and depression. The PSQI total score (p values < 0.01) was negatively correlated with the mean scores of all domains of WHOQOL-BREF. The mean PSQI total score was 5.67±3.4 and 43% of the participants were classified as poor sleepers by a global cut-off point of 5. The Mongolian version of the PSQI demonstrated a reliable and valid tool for screening sleep quality among the Mongolian general population. The results suggest that the prevalence rate of poor sleep quality was 43% using PSQI global cut-off point.

Improving knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 is critical to control the infection rate of the pandemic successfully. Mongolia declared a state of emergency in January 2020 but no study was performed on public adherence to centralised measures and awareness of the pandemic in Mongolia. This study aimed to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 in the general population, especially regarding the extent to which KAP has contributed to the control measures before local COVID-19 outbreaks. The study was conducted between July and October 2020, when the pandemic was limited to internationally imported cases. We adapted a structured KAP questionnaire that was used to survey residents of Wuhan, China, during the initial outbreak of the pandemic. Participants aged between 13 and 65 years (n=1324, mean age=39.79±14.8), 73.2% were women, and 27.2% held a bachelor's degree or above. The results suggested that 81.9% of the participants had sufficient knowledge about the transmission, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of the disease. In the multiple linear regression, an increase in age and education contributed positively to a high knowledge score (p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively). The majority of the participants (96.2% - 96.5%) had compliance with the measures to control COVID-19 spread with good practices (82.4% - 93.1%) toward COVID-19 prevention. In the binary logistic regression analyses, the COVID-19 knowledge score was associated with a higher likelihood of optimistic attitudes and preventive practices (OR: 0.617 - 0.845). In conclusion, despite the sufficient knowledge toward the COVID-19 pandemic among the general population of Mongolia, a relatively low level of optimistic attitudes and appropriate practices compared to other populations may negatively impact preventing the outbreak in the society. Health education programs aimed at improving COVID-19 knowledge will be helpful to minimise local epidemic growth and the current government measures such as lockdowns, quarantines, and travel restrictions.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of non-organic sleep disorders and sleep quality, using a structured psychiatric interview following screening through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among the general population. This nationwide population-based cross-sectional study was carried out between August and October 2020 and involved 964 participants (74% women, mean age: 40.72±14.34) who were randomly selected from 64 clusters in 10 sites of Mongolia. 27.9% of the study participants were evaluated as having non-organic sleep disorders based on the diagnostic guidelines of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition, Clinical Modification (ICD-10). The prevalence of non-organic sleep disorders differed in age (p<0.001). Non-organic sleep disorders were related to age, employment, diastolic blood pressure, sleep quality, and quality of life. The prevalence of non-organic sleep disorders in the general population of Mongolia was calculated as 27.9%, while the prevalence rate of the poor sleep quality was 42.2%.