COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among nurses is a global public health concern and it is imperative to understand associated factors. Information environment plays a critical role in shaping health behaviors, while few studies explored such effects in the context of COVID-19 vaccination. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1902 nurses in China. The study investigated the effects of social media exposure/interpersonal discussion on intention of COVID-19 vaccination and tested whether perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines (perceived vaccine efficacy, perceived duration of protection, and perceived effectiveness in preventing resurgences) mediated such associations. Results showed that about 68.0% and 56.5% of the participants had an intention of free and self-paid COVID-19 vaccinations, respectively. Frequent social media exposure and interpersonal discussion were positively associated with vaccination intentions. Perceived vaccine efficacy significantly mediated the effects of frequent social media exposure and interpersonal discussion, whereas perceived effectiveness in preventing resurgences suppressed the effects of frequent social media exposure. In conclusion, the prevalence of intention of COVID-19 vaccination was relatively low among Chinese nurses and health promotion is needed. Frequent social media exposure and interpersonal discussion potentially enhanced vaccination intentions via increased perceived vaccine efficacy. The findings can help inform the development of relevant health communication interventions.
1 July 2020 in Psychology Research and Behavior Management
Background: Firefighters are routinely exposed to occupational stress and are therefore vulnerable to psychological problems. Patients and Methods: This study assessed the prevalence of mental health symptoms and potential contributing factors in a sample of firefighters in Shantou city, in the Guangdong Province of China. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 335 firefighters, including 329 male and 6 female firefighters. We used a questionnaire which assessed anxiety and depression, as indicated by the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), as well as other mental health symptoms, using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Basic information and potential-related factors were also collected. Results: The average age of participants was 27.38 (SD ± 6.11) years. Assessed by the indexed score of different scales, SAS and SDS positive screening rates were 6.86% and 22.68%, respectively. SCL-90 scores indicated that 6.86% of participants had mental health symptoms. Logistic regression analysis showed that educational level, firefighter rank, and birth order were associated with mental health outcomes. Firefighters in Shantou were also shown to have better mental health outcomes than the Chinese military, but worse than the national population of firefighters. Conclusion: These findings indicated the mental health of firefighters is not good. It is necessary to explore effective approaches to help preventing and treating mental disorder in firefighters.
Objective: to examine parents’ use of child restraint systems (CRS), and determine if parents’ knowledge of, attitude toward, and use behavior of child restraint systems have improved following enactment of child restraint use laws in other cities. Design: Observations and a cross-sectional survey of drivers transporting children 17 years and under were conducted at the gate of the schools and parking lots of hospitals in Shantou. Observers recorded the seating location of child passengers, the type of restraint, and appropriate use of CRS and safety belts based on the observation. Knowledge of and attitudes towards use of CRS were reported by the driver following observation. Results: Approximately 6.6% of passengers aged 0–12 were in CRS; rate of forward-facing CRS in children aged 3–5 (9.9%) was higher than rear-facing CRS for children aged 0–2 (1.1%) and booster seat use among children aged 6–12 (0.1%). Children younger than four years old (OR = 3.395, 95% CI = 2.125–5.424), drivers having a college or higher lever education (OR = 2.908, 95% CI = 1.878–4.500) and drivers wearing seatbelt (OR = 3.194, 95% CI = 1.605–6.356) had greater odds of CRS use. Over half (56.6%) of parents might or would use CRS if they could rent CRSs with fees. Conclusions: The rate of CRS is still low in Shantou. Comprehensive public education programs supported by legislation might be an effective way to improve child passenger safety. Renting CRSs to parents could be a new approach to encourage use.
1 April 2019 in Grey Systems: Theory and Application
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the method of clinical department classification in comprehensive hospital to provide a scientific management reference in performance evaluation. Design/methodology/approach: In order to perform the classification of clinical departments, a grey cluster model was constructed. In this model, the benefit index of each clinical department was analyzed using grey associative analysis, and a superior index was chosen to incorporate in this model. Through the relevancy degree of superior index, the authors confirmed the weight of index, and the quintile threshold was calculated by a quintile method and whitening weight functions were constructed. Findings: This model, based on grey entropy weight cluster, can reasonably distinguish the merits of clinical departments. From the case we study, neurology?/Cardiovasology?/Integrated disease and Emergency were the optimum assessing department. Originality/value: The results demonstrated that the index selection, weight determination, whitening weight functions and model construction in this study could provide technique’s reference and application for hospital administrators. It avoids the subjective discrimination and reduces the influence of sample noise, and it is easy to perform while conducting performance evaluation in a comprehensive hospital.
3 March 2022 in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
Background: The association between impaired fasting glucose level (IFG) and coronary heart disease (CAD) remain controversial. In the present study, we sought to ascertain a relationship of IFG with the number of diseased coronary artery and occurrence of myocardial infarction, among CAD cases.Methods: We studied 1,451 consecutive no-diabetic patients who underwent coronary angiography at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College in Southern China. Demographic, biochemical, clinical and angiographic data were collected.Results: The prevalence of IFG was higher in patients with angiographically confirmed CAD than in subjects without angiographic evidence of CAD (33.4 versus 28.2%, p = 0.034). Compared with CAD cases without IFG, CAD cases with IFG had a higher odds ratio (OR) of having triple-vessel disease as opposed to having single- or double-vessel disease [OR = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13–2.07]. Furthermore, the occurrence of MI was higher in CAD cases with IFG than in CAD cases without IFG (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.27–2.36).Conclusions: There is an association between IFG and a predisposition to severe CAD indicated by triple vessel disease or myocardial infarction.