Zhijuan Cao

Dr. Zhijuan Cao


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

13Years (2014-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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1 April 2019 in Journal of Hazardous Materials
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
YZYan Zhao
Yan Zhao
ZCZhijuan Cao
Zhijuan Cao
HLHuichu Li
Huichu Li
XSXiujuan Su
Xiujuan Su
YYYingying Yang
Yingying Yang
JHJing Hua
Jing Hua

10 January 2014 in BMC Public Health
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ZCZhijuan Cao
Zhijuan Cao
YCYue Chen
Yue Chen
SWShumei Wang
Shumei Wang
Background: Although multifaceted community-based programmes have been widely developed, there remains a paucity of evaluation of the effectiveness of multifaceted injury prevention programmes implemented in different settings in the community context. This study was to provide information for the evaluation of community-based health education programmes of injury prevention among high school students. Methods: The pre-intervention survey was conducted in November 2009. Health belief model (HBM) based health education for injury prevention started in January 2010 and stopped in the end of 2011 among high school students in the community context in Shanghai, China. A post-intervention survey was conducted six weeks after the completion of intervention. Injury-related health belief indicators were captured by a short questionnaire before and after the intervention. Health belief scores were calculated and compared using the simple sum score (SSS) method and the confirmatory factor analysis weighted score (CFAWS) method, respectively. Results: The average reliability coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.89. The factor structure of HBM was given and the data fit HBM in the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) very well. The result of CFA showed that Perceived Benefits of Taking Action (BEN) and Perceived Seriousness (SER) had the greatest impact on the health belief, Perceived Susceptibility (SUS) and Cues to Action (CTA) were the second and third most important components of HBM respectively. Barriers to Taking Action (BAR) had no notable impact on HBM. The standardized path coefficient was only 0.35, with only a small impact on CTA. The health belief score was significantly higher after intervention (p < 0.001), which was similar in the CFAWS method and in the SSS method. However, the 95% confidential interval in the CFAWS method was narrower than that in the SSS method. Conclusions: The results of CFA provide further empirical support for the HBM in injury intervention. The CFAWS method can be used to calculate the health belief scores and evaluate the injury related intervention. The community-based school health education might improve injury-related health belief among high school students; however, this preliminary observation needs to be confirmed in further research.

16 May 2019 in Environmental Health
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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ZCZhijuan Cao
Zhijuan Cao
LMLulu Meng
Lulu Meng
YZYan Zhao
Yan Zhao
CLChao Liu
Chao Liu
YYYingying Yang
Yingying Yang
JHJing Hua
Jing Hua
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is not only a major determinant of perinatal morbidity and mortality but also leads to adverse health effects in later life. Over the past decade, numerous studies have indicated that maternal exposure to ambient air pollution has been a risk factor for abnormal fetal growth in developed countries where PM2.5 levels are relatively low. However, studies in highly polluted regions, such as China, and studies that rely on assessments in utero are scarce. A total of 7965 women were selected from 11,441 women from the Shanghai Maternity and Infant Living Environment (SMILE) cohort who were pregnant between January 1, 2014, and April 30, 2015. From January 1, 2014, to April 30, 2015, weekly average PM2.5 values from 53 monitors were calculated and the inverse distance weighted (IDW) method was used to create a Shanghai pollution surface map according to the participants residential addresses. Individual exposure was the average PM2.5 value of every gestational week between the first gestational week and one week before the ultrasound measurement date (the range of measurements per participant was 1 to 10). Repeated fetal ultrasound measurements during gestational weeks 14~40 were selected. The estimated fetal weight (EFW) was calculated by biparietal diameter (BPD), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length (FL) formulas. In total, 29,926 ultrasound measurements were analysed. Demographic variables, other pollutants (SO2, NO2, PM10 and O3) and relative humidity and temperature were controlled for potential confounding through generalized estimating equations (GEE). The full model showed that with each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure, the means (mm) of AC, BPD, FL decreased by 5.48 (− 9.06, − 1.91), 5.57 (− 6.66, − 4.47), and 5.47 (− 6.39, − 4.55), respectively; the mean EFW decreased by 14.49 (− 16.05, − 13.49) grams by Hadlock’s third formula and 13.56 (− 14.71, − 12.50) grams by Shepard’s formula with each 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure. A negative correlation existed between maternal PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy and fetal growth indicators, which may increase the risk of fetal growth restriction.

11 April 2019 in BMJ Open
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
JHJing Hua
Jing Hua
JSJie Sun
Jie Sun
ZCZhijuan Cao
Zhijuan Cao
XDXiaotian Dai
Xiaotian Dai
SLSenran Lin
Senran Lin
WDWenchong Du
Wenchong Du
Objectives This study aimed to explore the cognitive development of low-risk children during early childhood for early-term births at 37 and 38 weeks of gestation compared with full term births at 39–41 weeks of gestation. Setting and participants We conducted a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, one of the largest cities in China. A total of 1444 children from singleton pregnancies born at term gestation were included in the study. Measures The cognitive outcomes of the subjects were measured using the cognitive subtest of Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) across three cities in China. We analysed the association between gestational age and cognitive development during infancy and toddler stages using multivariate linear modelling. Results The cognitive development scores for infants born at 37 gestational weeks were significantly lower than those born at 39–41 gestational weeks (β=−2.257, 95% CI −4.280 to −0.235; p0.05). Moreover, these effects were not found in toddlers (between 17 and 48 months of age) after adjusting for the possible confounders (p>0.05). Conclusions Infants born at 37 weeks of gestation exhibited weaker cognitive ability compared with those born at 39–41 weeks of gestation. Our findings provide evidences for the close monitoring of potential developmental problems in early-term children, especially those born at 37 gestational weeks.

12 September 2022 in Public Health Nutrition
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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XLXiao-Hui Liu
Xiao-Hui Liu
ZCZhijuan Cao
Zhijuan Cao
LCLiwei Chen
Liwei Chen
DZDong-Lan Zhang
Dong-Lan Zhang
XQXiao-Xian Qu
Xiao-Xian Qu
HYHao Ying
Hao Ying
Objective: To investigate the association between folate levels and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk during the whole pregnancy.Design: In this retrospective cohort study of pregnant women, serum folate levels were measured before 24 gestational weeks (GW). GDM was diagnosed between 24th and 28th GW based on the criteria of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups. General linear models were performed to examine the association of serum folate with plasma glucose (i.e. linear regressions) and risk of GDM (i.e. log-binomial regressions) after controlling for confounders. Restricted cubic spline regression was conducted to test the dosage–response relationship between serum folate and the risk of GDM.Setting: A sigle, urban hospital in Shanghai, China.Participants: A total of 42 478 women who received antenatal care from April 2013 to March 2017 were included.Results: Consistent positive associations were observed between serum folate and plasma glucose levels (fasting, 1-h, 2-h). The adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95 % CI of GDM across serum folate quartiles were 1·00 (reference), 1·15 (95 % CI (1·04, 1·26)), 1·40 (95 % CI (1·27, 1·54)) and 1·54 (95 % CI (1·40, 1·69)), respectively (P-for-trend < 0·001). The positive association between serum folate and GDM remained when stratified by vitamin B12 (adequate v. deficient groups) and the GW of serum folate measurement (≤13 GW v. >13 GWs)Conclusions: The findings of this study may provide important evidence for the public health and clinical guidelines of pregnancy folate supplementation in terms of GDM prevention.

1 January 2021 in Chemosphere
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
ZCZhijuan Cao
Zhijuan Cao
YZYan Zhao
Yan Zhao
SWShumei Wang
Shumei Wang
DZDong-Lan Zhang
Dong-Lan Zhang
YZYingchun Zhou
Yingchun Zhou
JHJing Hua
Jing Hua
Reduced growth velocity before birth increases the risk of adverse health outcomes in adult life. However, until recently, there has been a lack of studies demonstrating the impact of prenatal PM2.5 exposure on fetal growth velocity. The current study was embedded in a previous cohort built between January 1, 2014, and April 30, 2015, in Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, China, in 6129 eligible singleton pregnancies. The PM2.5 concentration was estimated by an inverse distance weighted method according to the residential addresses of the participants. Repeated fetal biometry measurements, including head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), femur length (FL), and biparietal diameter (BPD), were measured through ultrasound between 14 and 41 gestational weeks. A principal component analysis through conditional expectation for sparse longitudinal data was used to estimate the corresponding velocities. A total of 22782 ultrasound measurements were conducted among 6129 participants with a median of 2 and a maximum of 9 measurements. With each 10 μg/m3 increase in cumulative PM2.5 exposure, the velocity of HC, AC FL and BPD decreased by 0.12 mm/week, 0.17 mm/week, 0.02 mm/week and 0.02 mm/week, respectively, on average. The results of the Generalized Functional Concurrent Model showed that the velocity decreased significantly with PM2.5 exposure between 22 and 32 gestational weeks, which might be the potential sensitive exposure window. There are negative associations between prenatal exposure to PM2.5 and fetal growth velocity, and the late second trimester and early third trimester might be the potential sensitive window.