Y. H. Cheng

Self-rated economic condition and the health of elderly persons in Hong Kong

Studies have documented that health and income are important variables affecting the quality of life in old age. However, there is little knowledge about whether perceived financial sufficiency affects the health of elderly persons. Recent research has documented that in addition to material and behavioural determinants, psychosocial pathways also have an influence on health inequalities. This is the first paper to examine the relation between self-rated economic condition (measured with a single item question) and reported health conditions (i.e., somatic complaints, diagnosed physical diseases, functional health (Activities of Daily Living), self-rated health, and mental health status (General Health Questionnaire-30 [GHQ-30]) among elderly persons in Hong Kong. The respondents of the study were persons aged 65 and over residing in public housing estates in the Southern District of Hong Kong Island. Four hundred and fifty respondents were interviewed in 1995 by means of a structured questionnaire. The study found that although it did not record the actual income levels of the respondents, the subjective measure vividly demonstrated the health differentials among the elderly respondents. Multiple regression analyses suggested that self-rated economic condition was a significant predictor of the number of somatic complaints and physical illnesses reported, as well as of functional health, self-rated health, and mental health status (controlling for socio-demographic variables). However, the measure explained a higher proportion of variance in models related to psychological health than those related to physical health. The findings substantiated the role of psychosocial processes in understanding perceived health and illness and health inequalities in particular.

Retrospective comparison of convalescent plasma with continuing high-dose methylprednisolone treatment in SARS patients.

ABSTRACT Treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is experimental, and the effectiveness of ribavirin-steroid therapy is unclear. Forty SARS patients with progressive disease after ribavirin treatment and 1.5 g of pulsed methylprednisolone were given either convalescent plasma (n = 19) or further pulsed methylprednisolone (n = 21) in a retrospective non-randomised study. Good clinical outcome was defined as discharge by day 22 following the onset of symptoms. Convalescent plasma was obtained from recovered patients after informed consent. Patients in the plasma group had a shorter hospital stay (p 0.001) and lower mortality (p 0.049) than the comparator group. No immediate adverse effects were observed following plasma infusion.

The development and evaluation of an integrated community-based, patient-centred learning activity at the University of Hong Kong

Objective  To develop and evaluate the Patient Care Project (PCP), an integrated patient‐centred, community‐based learning activity, implemented at the University of Hong Kong since 1992.

Barriers to exercise scale for chinese older adults

The psychometric and factor-analytic properties of the Chinese Barriers to Exercise (CBE) scale were developed and validated in a Hong Kong Chinese older adults. Exploratory factor analysis identified 10 factors: family, symptoms, equipment, learning, appearance, friend, location, facilities, environment, and excuse. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, interrater reliability, and criterion-related validity of the CBE were also established. Moreover, we found that self-efficacy on exercise was a mediator in the linkage between CBE and exercise activity. Finally, CBE also moderated the effect of self-efficacy on exercise and exercise behavior. Results suggest that barriers to exercise play an important role in exercise behavior among Hong Kong Chinese older adults and in the relationship between self-efficacy on exercise and exercise behavior.