84,838 research outputs found
Socioeconomic Gradients in Healthcare Access and Health-Seeking Behavior in Hong Kong
No full textIntroduction: Limited healthcare accessibility and lower health-seeking behaviour have been shown to contribute to poor health in low-income families. Given that Hong Kong has heavily-subsidized public healthcare-services, it is unclear as to whether differences in healthcare access and health-seeking behaviour exist across different socioeconomic groups. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize the literature on the socioeconomic gradients of access to healthcare-services and health-seeking behaviour in Hong Kong. Methodology: Original pieces of research conducted in Hong Kong that examined low-income populations and assessed healthservice accessibility and health-seeking behaviour were eligible for inclusion. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO) were searched using keywords: (1)‘low-income’, ‘poverty’, or ‘socioeconomic’, (2)‘Hong Kong’ and (3) ‘health-service access’, ‘health-service utilization’ or ‘health-seeking behaviour’. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Results: 121 articles were identified, 35 studies were screened, and 6 were included. Overall, in Hong Kong, there is horizontal inequity with pro-rich bias in private primary care outweighing the pro-poor bias of public care. The quality of primary care experienced was higher for those with higher income and private insurance and were able to pay out-of-pocket. Cervical and breast cancer detection are also much later in low-income or ethnic minority women. Almost half had never received a cervical smear before, which delayed their opportunity for earlier treatment and better prognosis. Last, lower household income and education level were associated with less frequent health information seeking, which makes individuals less aware of methods to improve their health. Conclusions: There is socioeconomic inequity in health-seeking behaviour and access to healthcare services, which is most likely related to the private-dominated primary-care system. Affordable, holistic and community-based primary care should be made more accessible to low-income families. This will be an essential step to improving healthcare service accessibility and health-seeking behaviour in low-income families, in order to reduce health inequities in Hong Kong
Ill-health and Poverty: Physical Health Outcomes of Low-income Populations in Hong Kong
No full textIntroduction: The inextricable relationship between poverty and ill-health is well-documented worldwide and can be intergenerational. Although Hong Kong has a high GDP per capita, income inequality is severe, which may lead to health disparities across socioeconomic groups. A better understanding of poverty and physical health can better inform health policy on reducing health inequities. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise the existing literature on physical health outcomes of low-income families in Hong Kong. Methods: Articles that were original pieces of research, conducted in Hong Kong, examined low-income populations, and assessed physical health-related outcomes were included. Electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus were searched according to PRISMA guidelines, using keywords related to ‘low-income’(e.g. ‘poverty’, socioeconomic’), ‘Hong Kong’, ‘physical health’ (e.g. ‘health-status’, ‘cancer’, ‘cardiovascular’, ‘diabetes’) and risk factors (e.g. ‘tobacco’, ‘diet’). Results: 560 articles were identified, 64 screened and 11 eligible for inclusion. 3 were cohort studies and 8 were crosssectional. Low-income individuals have higher risk of multimorbidity, with a higher prevalence of obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Lower SES is associated with higher risk of childhood obesity and hypertension, which can severely affect both short term and long term health. The lack of accessibility to healthy food options is also detrimental to health of low-income families, increasing their risk of non-communicable diseases. Oral health for low-income families worsens without universal access to publicly-funded dental services. Low-income families are more prone to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and experience increased mortality risks associated with air pollution. Conclusions: There are gradients of physical health across different income groups in Hong Kong. Physicians should be aware of the complex health-related conditions low-income populations experience in order to provide better support. A good primary healthcare system has been shown to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities, and should be made more accessible to low-income populations in Hong Kong
Mental Health and Health-related Quality of Life of Low-Income Families in Hong Kong
No full textIntroduction: The growing prevalence of mental health problems in Hong Kong warrants a better understanding of its underlying factors. Poverty is a known significant social determinant of mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), with wide-ranging effects across the life course. This systematic review aimed to appraise the literature on the mental health and HRQoL of low-income families in Hong Kong. Methodology: Original pieces of research conducted in Hong Kong that examined low-income populations and assessed mental health or HRQoL were identified according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, PsycINFO and SCOPUS were searched using controlled keywords, including (1)‘low-income’, ‘poverty’ or ‘socioeconomic’, (2)‘Hong Kong’ and (3)‘mental health’, ‘depression’, anxiety’, psychosocial’, ‘domestic violence’ or ‘health-related quality of life’. Results: 543 studies were identified, 88 were screened, and 14 were included (4 cohort studies and 10 cross-sectional studies). Children in poverty experience more anxiety and depression, lower psychological wellbeing and reduced happiness. Poverty negatively affects self-rated health and HRQoL in adults, with having income <50% of HK household median as the threshold for impairment. In particular, low-income mothers have lower HRQoL, which is shown to have spillover effects in their children, who then have more behavioural problems and experience worse physical and psychosocial health. Furthermore, low socioeconomic-status and living-alone is significantly associated with geriatric depression, which is expected to increase with the rapidly ageing population and growing elderly population living in poverty. Conclusions: Low-income populations across all age-groups in Hong Kong experience worse mental health, and HRQoL. Primary care doctors should be better equipped to manage mental and psychosocial health issues of low-income groups, including depression and loneliness in elderly, anxiety/depression in children, HRQoL and intimate partner abuse, which has spillover effects in children and may contribute to intergenerational poverty. This can improve accessibility of mental health services in the community and reduce stigma of seeking help
Properties of adenosine-metabolising enzymes extracted from vascular endothelial cells
No full textAdenosine is formed extracellularly by ecto-5'-nucleotidase during exercise vasodilation. It was also suggested that adenosine was released from vascular endothelial cells during hypoxia. However, it is not known whether adenosine originating from endothelial cells is formed intracellularly by …link_to_OA_fulltextThe 11th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine (ICSM), Hong Kong, China, 8 December 2007. In Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology, 2007, v. 15 n. 2, p. 85, abstract no. P
The evolution of citizenship education in nation-building in Singapore and Hong Kong
No full textCitizenship Education is a highly political agenda for politicians and governments, especially those of the emerging nations studied in transitology. Political circumstances that surround the birth of ล nation are inextricably tied up with the unique economic, social and even globalisation contexts that shape the formation of that particular nation. Citizenship education mirrors the political climate of such circumstances. A ruling government's policies and ideologies are often transmitted to the masses through education in the form of citizenship education in its evolving forms that take after the political orientations of the nation. A historical-comparative study of Singapore and Hong Kong is the focus of the thesis and a combined case in point. This historical-comparative approach presents a chronological and qualitative analysis of Singapore and Hong Kong that links the past to the present, and points to future direction on how citizenship education has transformed in its focus, dimensions, content, message and values. Theories of nationalism, nation-state and national identity provide a basis for the understanding of the political, economic and social factors that impact nation- building and the subsequent evolvement of Civic and Moral Education in Singapore and Hong Kong after independence. In an analysis of the content-domain of citizenship education, Singapore’s curriculum is shown to reflect the ruling party's ideologies infused through National Education, where the Singapore story is sacrosanct and has to be mastered by all students so that the continual survival instinct is preserved at ill times. Hong Kong covers more breadth with a curriculum that includes the history of China that can be taught critically and a Chinese cultural heritage element that is infused into all the Key Learning subjects. The Life Event Approach is also more practical and relevant to the students' appreciation of the more individual-growth values learnt. Singapore is identified as an Objective/Globalised nation-state with a parallel Objective/Globalised National Identity that has a predominantly strong political leadership and economic priority in its nation-building foundation. It recognizes the need to rise up to the global challenges ahead. Hong Kong has a combination of Objective/Subjective/Globalised region-state with a parallel Objective/Subjective/Globalised National Identity with China due to its cultural heritage component inherited from China and also the need to meet global challenges. The thesis demonstrates how education can be used as a channel to serve the ideologies of the politicians who have a direct stake in shaping the focus of the political content in citizenship education in building national identity. It also illustrates how the respective political circumstances, economic reasons, social contexts and globalisation challenges drive the evolvement of the citizenship education in both Singapore and Hong Kong
Hong Kong cinema 1982-2002 : the quest for identity during transition
No full textElectronic redacted version excludes material for which permission has not been granted by the rights holderThis thesis seeks to interpret the cinematic representations of Hong Kongers’ identity quest during a transitional state/stage related to the sovereignty transfer. The Handover transition considered is an ideological one, rather than the overnight polity change on the Handover day. This research approaches contemporary Hong Kong cinema on two fronts and the thesis is structured accordingly: Upon an initial review of the existing Hong Kong film scholarship in the Introduction, and its 1997-related allegorical readings, Part I sees new angles (previously undeveloped or underdeveloped) for researching Hong Kong films made during 1982-2002. Arguments are built along the ideas of Hong Kongers’ situational, diasporic consciousness, and transformed ‘Chineseness’ because Hong Kong has lacked a cultural/national centrality. This part of research is informed by the ideas of Jacques Derrida, Homi Bhabha and Stuart Hall, and the diasporic experiences of Ien Ang, Rey Chow and Ackbar Abbas. With these new research angles and references to the circumstances, Part II reads critically the text of eight Hong Kong films made during the Handover transition. In chronological order, they are Boat People (Hui, 1982), Song of the Exile (Hui, 1990), Days of Being Wild (Wong, 1990), Happy Together (Wong, 1997), Made in Hong Kong (Chan, 1997), Ordinary Heroes (Hui, 1999), Durian Durian (Chan, 2000), and Hollywood Hong Kong (Chan, 2002). They meet several criteria related to the undeveloped / underdeveloped areas in the existing Hong Kong film scholarship. Hamid Naficy’s ‘accented cinema’ paradigm gives the guidelines to the film analysis in Part II. This part shows that Hong Kongers’ self-transformation during transition is alterable, indeterminate, and interminable, due to the people’s situational, diasporic consciousness, and transformed ‘Chineseness’. This thesis thus contributes to Hong Kong cinema scholarship in interpreting films with new research angles, and generating new insights into this cinematic tradition and its wider context
Control of adenosine formation by vascular endothelial cells
No full textINTRODUCTION: Adenosine is formed extracellularly by ecto-5'-nucleotidase (5'N) during exercise vasodilation. It has been suggested that vascular endothelial cells act as a source of adenosine during hypoxia. However, it is not known whether the adenosine originating from endothelial cells is formed intracellularly by cytosolic-5'-nucleotidase or extracellularly by ecto-5'-nucleotidase ...link_to_OA_fulltextThe 12th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine (ICSM), Hong Kong, China, 13-14 December 2008. In Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology, 2008, v. 16 n. 2, p. 58, abstract no. OC
Hong Kong: a historical and political analysis of the former British colony
No full textopenLa tesi si propone di analizzare la storia della ex colonia britannica Hong kong e della attuale regione amministrativa speciale SAR. Si approfondiranno inoltre le controversie del suo passaggio da Gran Bretagna a Repubblica Popolare Cinese e le nuove sfide da affrontare per il mantenimento di un sempre più sbiadito stile di vita democraticizzato.The thesis aims to analyze the history of the former British colony Hong Kong and the current SAR Special Administrative Region. The controversies surrounding his passage from Great Britain to the People's Republic of China and the new challenges to be faced in maintaining an increasingly faded democratized lifestyle will also be deepened
Involvement of CFTR and K-ATP channel in acidosis-induced ATP release from L6 cells
No full textINTRODUCTION: In our earlier study in dog skeletal muscle, muscle contractions brought about an increase in interstitial adenine nucleotides and a decrease in muscle pH. Depression of the pH of rat soleus or EDL muscle with lactic acid infusion also stimulated ATP release, which could be inhibited by CFTRinh172, an inhibitor of CFTR, or glibenclamide, an inhibitor of both …link_to_OA_fulltextThe 13th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Medicine (ICSM), Hong Kong, China, 12 December 2009. In Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology, 2009, v. 17 n. 2, p. 57, abstract no. P
Motivating students attending a teacher education programme in Hong Kong using quality learning teams
No full textPurpose. In 1995, the Government of Hong Kong amalgamated six independent, Government sponsored Colleges of Education, which offered Certificate in Education courses, into the Hong Kong Institute of Education. The remit of the newly-formed, autonomous Institute was to attain university status and to upgrade courses to degree and post-degree level. Many of the existing staff remained with the newly-formed institute while a recruitment drive resulted in an increase in international lecturing staff. This study results from action research, undertaken by the author, to develop pedagogy suitable for both the international lecturing staff and the Chinese student teachers. The research set out to take advantage of the diverse backgrounds of the lecturing staff. Of the various pedagogic strategies employed by lecturing staff, the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach emerged as the most effective, promoting as it does a way for the students to plumb co-operatively the often difficult depths of what they are studying, as well as motivating them in their chosen career. The stringent examination system in Hong Kong, the lack of university places and the economic situation all play their part in determining the student population in the Institute of Education where students whose first choice is to enter the teaching profession could well be outnumbered by those who consider themselves without more attractive alternatives. In addition, the lecturing staff from overseas became aware of the Chinese culture of 'Shame’ among their students - the students who had failed were castigated and further marginalized by their family and friends. It was hoped that the employment of a TQM approach through the use of Quality Learning Teams would help to combat this 'shame' and, hopefully, increase the self-confidence of these 'shamed' students. The project's aim was to introduce and role-model a different pedagogic practice and to utilise constructivist-based pedagogy so that two major outcomes could be measured: (1) that student teachers would become active and confident learners who would themselves challenge their own pupils and (2) that colleagues outside the project could observe the usefulness of this alternative pedagogy and make use of the innovation in their own lecture rooms. This involved investigation of diverse aspects of teaching and learning. Research on individual areas has been quite extensive, but little research has been done in this particular area with regard to student teachers in Hong Kong and it is, therefore, the purpose of this study to add to existing knowledge, with specific emphasis on Quality Learning Teams. The rationale for the study was, on the one hand, the Hong Kong Special Administration (HKSAR) Government Educational Reforms, but also - and more importantly for the lecturers concerned - the search for a means to inculcate a culture of co-operative learning within the student-teacher body, as well as a means for international lecturing staff to create an effective pedagogy, utilizing both mother tongue and English as languages of instruction. Major Findings. The findings of the study indicated that student learning was enhanced by using Quality Learning Teams. This was demonstrated by the overall module results which showed higher module grades for the groups who were subjected to the innovative pedagogy than for those groups who were subjected to the normal 'traditional' pedagogy. Student self-esteem, self-confidence, trust in peers, and a work ethos of self-sufficiency developed amongst the majority of student teachers. Language skills were enhanced and strategies for learning were improved. It is hoped that the results of this study will assist in the future planning of courses in the education of student-teachers and in creating a more 'risk-taking' culture within the lecturing staff at the Institute
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