Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Carbohydrate Intake, Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Stroke: A Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
The objective of this study was to investigate associations between carbohydrate intake/glycemic index (GI)/glycemic load (GL) and stroke risk. A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and CBM databases was performed to retrieve eligible studies published up to March 2014. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the strength of this association. Publication bias was assessed by the Egger’s regression asymmetry test and Begg’s rank correlation test with Begg’s funnel plot. All analyses were conducted using software STATA 12.0 (StataCorp LP, Colle...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - June 25, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Cai, X., Wang, C., Wang, S., Cao, G., Jin, C., Yu, J., Li, X., Yan, J., Wang, F., Yu, W., Ding, F. Tags: Review Article Source Type: research

Nepal Disaster: A Public Health Response Needed
(Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health)
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - June 25, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Binns, C., Low, W. Y. Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

Fruit Consumption Reduces the Risk of Esophageal Cancer in Yanting, People's Republic of China
This study aimed to investigate the contribution of fruit and family history to esophageal cancer, among residents with abnormal esophagus discovered in screening. The study was a frequency-matched case–control design in groups of normal esophagus, abnormal esophagus but not carcinoma, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Odds ratio (OR) was estimated by unconditional logistic regression. Fruit intake (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.06-0.56) and positive family history of esophageal cancer (OR = 3.87, 95% CI = 1.41-10.63) were associated with esophageal cancer compared to individuals with abnormal conditions of the esophag...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Song, Q., Zhao, L., Li, J., Ren, J. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Respiratory Symptoms Among Home-Based Garment Workers in Bangkok, Thailand
This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with respiratory symptoms. A cross-sectional study with random sampling method was employed and 300 home-based garment workers (HBGWs) were recruited. Risk factors, including personal factors; knowledge, health preventive behaviors, and skill of self-health surveillance, working condition, and respiratory symptoms were assessed. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires. Prevalence of respiratory symptom was 22.3%. Majority of participants were female (78%). Mean age and working experience were 37.38 years (SD = 10.70) and 13.58 years (SD...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Chumchai, P., Silapasuwan, P., Wiwatwongkasem, C., Arphorn, S., Suwan-ampai, P. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Factor Structure of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in Malaysian Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
This study aimed to establish the factor structure of HADS in a Malaysian sample of 189 patients with CAD. Factor analysis of HADS using principal component analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 factors. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the use of HADS in assessing 3 distinct dimensions of psychological distress—namely, anxiety, anhedonia, and psychomotor retardation. The HADS showed good internal consistency and was found to be a valid measure of psychological distress among Malaysian patients with CAD. However, low mean scores on the original 2 factors—that is, anxiety and depression—and also o...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Kaur, S., Zainal, N. Z., Low, W. Y., Ramasamy, R., Sidhu, J. S. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Assessment of Internalized Stigma Among Patients With Mental Disorders in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India
This study aims to compare the prevalence of high internalized stigma of mental illness among patients attending community-based and psychiatric hospital–based care in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India and to examine the factors associated with high internalized stigma. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 290 patients, mean age 45 years, 38.2% and 61.8% female. A Malayalam version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness inventory was used for assessing internalized stigma. A multistage random sampling method was adopted. The prevalence of high internalized stigma was higher among patients from ...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: James, T. T., Kutty, V. R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Socioeconomic Inequities in Health Care Utilization in China
The study assessed the present degree of inequity in health care utilization as well as the contributions of the main determinants in the context of expending health insurance coverage in China. Data were obtained from the 2008 National Health Services Survey (NHSS) in China. A concentration index was used to quantify the degree of income-related inequity in health care utilization. The need-standardized concentration indexes of outpatient care and inpatient care were 0.015 and 0.197, respectively. Income made the largest contribution to inequity favoring the better-off in the use of health care. The impacts of health insu...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Zhang, X., Wu, Q., Shao, Y., Fu, W., Liu, G., Coyte, P. C. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Financial Risks From Ill Health in Myanmar: Evidence and Policy Implications
The government of Myanmar, with support from international donors, plans to address household financial risks from ill health and expand coverage. But evidence to design policy is limited. WHS (World Health Survey) data for 6045 households were used to investigate the association of out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending, catastrophic expenditures, and household borrowing and asset sales associated with illness with key socioeconomic and demographic correlates in Myanmar. Households with elderly and young children and chronically ill individuals, poor households, and ethnic minorities face higher financial stress from illness...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Htet, S., Fan, V., Alam, K., Mahal, A. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Economic Burden of Disease-Associated Malnutrition in China
This article reports the results of a burden-of-illness study on DAM in 15 diseases in China. Using data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the China Health and Nutrition Survey, and the published literature, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost because of DAM were calculated; a financial value of this burden was calculated following WHO guidelines. DALYs lost annually to DAM in China varied across diseases, from a low of 2248 in malaria to a high of 1 315 276 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The total burden was 6.1 million DALYs, for an economic burden of US$66 billion (Chinese ¥ ...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Linthicum, M. T., Thornton Snider, J., Vaithianathan, R., Wu, Y., LaVallee, C., Lakdawalla, D. N., Benner, J. E., Philipson, T. J. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Rural-Urban Differences in the Prevalence of Chronic Disease in Northeast China
Rural–urban differences in the prevalence of chronic diseases in the adult population of northeast China are examined. The Jilin Provincial Chronic Disease Survey used personal interviews and physical measures to research the presence of a range of chronic diseases among a large sample of rural and urban provincial residents aged 18 to 79 years (N = 21 435). Logistic regression analyses were used. After adjusting for age and gender, rural residents had higher prevalence of hypertension, chronic ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic low back pain, arthritis, chronic gastroenteritis/peptic ulcer, chr...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Wang, S., Kou, C., Liu, Y., Li, B., Tao, Y., D'Arcy, C., Shi, J., Wu, Y., Liu, J., Zhu, Y., Yu, Y. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

A First-Degree Relative With Diabetes Mellitus Is an Important Risk Factor for Rural Thai Villagers to Develop Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
The screening of 609 villagers in rural areas of northeastern Thailand resulted in the detection of 110 (18.1%) new cases of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The diagnoses were made on the basis of a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) value ≤6.5%. Among all those screened, 243 (40%) reported having a father or mother with T2DM. Among the new cases, 66 (60%) reported a first-degree relative, predominantly their mothers, who had the disease. Together with age and the body mass index, a mother or father with DM was strong risk factor for the development of T2DM (adjusted odds ratio = 2.9, 95% confidence interval = 1.84-4.57) when compared...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Muktabhant, B., Sanchaisuriya, P., Trakulwong, M., Mingchai, R., Schelp, F. P. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Disparity in Diabetes Risk Across Native Hawaiians and Different Asian Groups: The Multiethnic Cohort
We evaluated the impact of body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle risk factors on ethnic disparity in diabetes incidence among 89 198 Asian, Native Hawaiian, and white participants of the Multiethnic Cohort who completed multiple questionnaires. After 12 years of follow-up, 11 218 new cases were identified through self-report and health plan linkages. BMI was lowest in Chinese/Koreans, Japanese, and Filipinos (22.4, 23.5, and 23.9 kg/m2). Using Cox regression, the unadjusted hazard ratios were 1.9 (Chinese/Korean), 2.1 (Japanese, Mixed-Asian), 2.2 (Filipino), 2.5 (Native Hawaiian), and 2.6 (part-Asian) as compared with whites...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Maskarinec, G., Jacobs, S., Morimoto, Y., Chock, M., Grandinetti, A., Kolonel, L. N. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

The APJPH Supports "World No Tobacco Day"
(Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health)
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - May 12, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Binns, C., Low, W.-Y. Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

Book Review: Trade in Health: Economics, Ethics and Public Policy by Reisman D
(Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health)
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - April 21, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Chan, C. K. Tags: Book Review Source Type: research

Utilization of the Local Government Health Insurance Scheme (JKA) for Maternal Health Services Among Women Living in Underdeveloped Areas of Aceh Province, Indonesia
This study aims to compare the utilization rate of maternal health care (MHC) services and contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) before JKA, during the transition period, and after JKA had been established. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted from June 2011 to July 2012. Utilization of MHC services and CPR during the 3 periods was assessed using a questionnaire. The Mantel-Haenszel 2 test was used to examine the association between period and coverage. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to examine utilization and type of service, period of service, and type of scheme. Coverage of utilization of sk...
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health - April 21, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Kesuma, Z. M., Chongsuvivatwong, V. Tags: Articles Source Type: research