Comparison of an AI Chatbot With a Nurse Hotline in Reducing Anxiety and Depression Levels in the General Population: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have been customized to deliver on-demand support for people with mental health problems. However, the effectiveness of AI chatbots in tackling mental health problems among the general public in Hong Kong remains unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a local AI chatbot and compare the effectiveness of the AI chatbot with a conventional nurse hotline in reducing the level of anxiety and depression among individuals in Hong Kong.

The protective role of vitamin D in BNT162b2 vaccine-related acute myocarditis.

Introduction: Vaccine-related myocarditis is recognized as a rare but important complication, especially after mass-scale mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Knowledge regarding how to minimize the risk is limited. As NK cells can mediate acute myocarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and vitamin D may inhibit NK cells via cytokine modulation, we hypothesize that the myocarditis side effect is related to a hypovitaminosis D - mRNA vaccine - hypercytokinemia - NK cell axis, which is amendable to clinical intervention.

Application of an integrated behaviour-change model on grandparental adherence towards childhood domestic injury prevention in Hong Kong: a longitudinal study.

Background/purpose: Every year, unintentional injury claims thousands of children's lives and causes disabilities in many more. For very young children, these injuries often occur at home. The risks of domestic injury can be reduced through proper implementation of injury preventive measures.

Development of a YouthFit Index to assess health-related quality of life in Hong Kong children.

Objective: To develop a YouthFit Index, a comprehensive and easily interpretable measure of youth health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Method: A repeated cross-sectional design was employed to develop and validate the YouthFIt index using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Activity level and sleep data were collected by a wearable device, Actigraph.

Husband involvement in antenatal care moderates the link between vitamin D status and depressive symptoms in pregnant women.

Aims: The association between a pregnant mother's vitamin D status and depressive symptoms has yielded inconsistent results. It is possible that other factors play a role in this association, as depression can have multiple causes. Recognizing the significance of the husband's participation in antenatal care, this study aimed to examine whether the husband's involvement moderates the link between the mother's vitamin D status and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

Examining maternal social perceptions and stress responses during pregnancy.

Pregnant women are sensitive to the emotions and cues present in social interactions. They may exhibit heightened stress responses when support is lacking in a harmonious environment. The objective of this study was to examine the interaction of family harmony and social support and its association with stress responses among pregnant women.

Multi-cohort analysis identifying core ocular surface microbiome and bacterial alterations in eye diseases.

Purpose: Inconsistency exists among reported studies on the composition of human ocular surface microbiome (OSM). The roles of OSM in ocular diseases remain uncertain. In this study, we aimed to determine the composition of OSM and to evaluate its potential roles and functions from multiple cohorts.

A Mobile App for Promoting Breastfeeding-Friendly Communities in Hong Kong: Design and Development Study.

Background: Breastfeeding is vital for the health and well-being of both mothers and infants, and it is crucial to create supportive environments that promote and maintain breastfeeding practices.

Objective: The objective of this paper was to describe the development of a breastfeeding-friendly app called "bfGPS" (HKU TALIC), which provides comprehensive territory-wide information on breastfeeding facilities in Hong Kong, with the goal of fostering a breastfeeding-friendly community.

Methods: The development of bfGPS can be categorized into three phases, which are (1) planning, prototype development, and preimplementation evaluation; (2) implementation and updates; and (3) usability evaluation.

Maternal and pregnancy factors contributing to the association between area deprivation and infant mortality in England: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Socioeconomic inequality in infant mortality in the UK is rising. This study aims to identify contributory maternal and pregnancy factors that can explain the known association between area deprivation and infant mortality.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted using Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) primary care data between 2004 and 2019 linked to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), and infant mortality from the Office for National Statistics death data.

Development and validation of the Post-COVID Symptom Scale for Children/Youth (PCSS-C/Y).

This study aims to develop and validate the Post-COVID Symptom Scale for Children/Youth (PCSS-C/Y), which is a comprehensive tool for measuring the symptom burden of post-COVID-19 conditions-persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection, commonly known as Long COVID-and its impact on health-related quality of life among children and adolescents. Parents of children and adolescents, adolescents, and young adults with and without a history of COVID-19 were invited to fill in a questionnaire from October 2022 to June 2023. There were 386 valid parent proxy-reported responses, 433 valid adolescent self-reported responses, and 324 valid young adult self-reported responses included in the final analysis.

Effects of Physical Activity and Inactivity on Microvasculature in Children: The Hong Kong Children Eye Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of physical activity and inactivity on the microvasculature in children, as measured from retinal photographs.

Methods: All participants were from the Hong Kong Children Eye Study, a population-based cross-sectional study of children aged 6 to 8 years. They received comprehensive ophthalmic examinations and retinal photography.

The 5-year outcomes of a health-empowerment program on low-income children's behaviors and quality of life.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the 5-year impact of a Health Empowerment Program (HEP) on mitigating problematic conducts and enhancing the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among children living in poverty.

Methods: A prospective cohort study (N = 239, Intervention group: n = 124, Comparison group: n = 115) was established with participants recruited between July 2013 and March 2016 and followed until November 2021. During the 5-year study period, children and their parents from the intervention group were invited to join a multi-dimensional HEP.

Trajectories and predictors of depressive symptoms among pregnant women: A 3-year longitudinal study.

Objective: Not all women experience the same changes in depression from pregnancy through the years following childbirth, but the patterns of prenatal and postnatal depression are underexplored. This study investigated the trajectories and associated predictors of depressive symptoms in women from pregnancy through the first 3 years postpartum.

Method: We followed 340 pregnant women from an antenatal clinic in Hong Kong, first at 20-24 weeks of gestation, then at 4 weeks after childbirth, and again at 3 years after childbirth.

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy: To screen or not to screen?

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy emerges as a compelling and urgent concern within the domain of public health, casting a long shadow over a substantial cohort of women. Its pernicious consequences extend beyond the individual, enveloping the well-being of both the mother and the fetus, giving rise to an elevated risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, fetal harm, and maternal psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and, tragically, maternal mortality. Despite the prevalence of IPV being comparable to other conditions like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, a universal screening protocol for IPV remains absent globally.

Reference values for reticulocyte haemoglobin equivalent in healthy Chinese children under 5 years and its associations with various blood parameters.

Background: Reticulocyte haemoglobin equivalent (RET-He) is a useful tool for evaluating recent iron usage irrespective of inflammatory status. This study aims to establish a reference for RET-He among Hong Kong healthy children under the age of 5 years and to investigate the association between RET-He and various blood parameters.

Methods: A total of 946 children aged 2-48 months from July 2019 to December 2022 were recruited in this cross-sectional study.

Effect of wearable activity trackers on physical activity in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Physical inactivity in children and adolescents has become a pressing public health concern. Wearable activity trackers can allow self-monitoring of physical activity behaviour and promote autonomous motivation for exercise. However, the effects of wearable trackers on physical activity in young populations remain uncertain.

The Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Healthy Eating Questionnaire: a pilot validation study in Chinese families.

Introduction: Identifying the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) gaps of healthy eating can inform the design of effective interventions. This study aimed to test the validity and psychometric properties of a KAP of Healthy Eating Questionnaire (KAP-HEQ) tailored to the Chinese culture.

Methods: The dimensions and potential items of each KAP scale were identified from published KAP and health literacy questionnaires, which were supplemented by the findings of a previous qualitative healthy eating study.

Building a baby-friendly community: Development, strategy, implementation and evaluation of a BFCI program.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the use of baby-friendly community initiative (BFCI) model on various stakeholders in the community.

Design: Quasi-experimental research design.

Method: The study was conducted in public premises and online workshops from April 2019 to September 2022.

Genome-wide association study of BNT162b2 vaccine-related myocarditis identifies potential predisposing functional areas in Hong Kong adolescents.

Vaccine-related myocarditis associated with the BNT162b2 vaccine is a rare complication, with a higher risk observed in male adolescents. However, the contribution of genetic factors to this condition remains uncertain. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive genetic association analysis in a cohort of 43 Hong Kong Chinese adolescents who were diagnosed with myocarditis shortly after receiving the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Early-life family and school impacts on adolescent conduct problems: A path analysis.

Limited research has been conducted to examine the factors during early childhood that may contribute to conduct problems in later stages of life. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between family and school environments during early childhood and conduct problems in adolescence. In Wave 1 (W1), the study recruited 502 participants, aged 5-6 years, from Hong Kong local kindergartens, with 51.

A systematic review on the applicability of cell-free DNA level as an obesity biomarker.

Obesity has become a global health concern in recent decades. Utilizing biomarkers presents a promising approach to comprehensively monitor the progress of obesity and its associated health conditions. This review aims to synthesize the available evidence on the correlation between cfDNA level and obesity and to provide insights into the applicability of using cfDNA level as a tool for monitoring progression of obesity.

Maternal diabetes and risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring in a multinational cohort of 3.6 million mother-child pairs.

Previous studies report an association between maternal diabetes mellitus (MDM) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), often overlooking unmeasured confounders such as shared genetics and environmental factors. We therefore conducted a multinational cohort study with linked mother-child pairs data in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Taiwan, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden to evaluate associations between different MDM (any MDM, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM)) and ADHD using Cox proportional hazards regression. We included over 3.

Effectiveness of a 5-year health empowerment programme on promoting cardiovascular health for adults from low-income families in Hong Kong.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a health empowerment programme (HEP) to enhance cardiovascular health for adults from low-income families.

Methods: A prospective cohort study (N = 219, Intervention group: n = 103, comparison group: n = 116) was conducted with participants recruited from January 2013 to November 2015 and followed up until January 2022. Throughout the study duration, intervention group were invited to participate in the HEP.