Biomedical and Environmental Sciences

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Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2023: An Updated Summary (30 day view times: 59)

National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases The Writing Committee of the Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China

2024, 37(9): 949-992. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.162

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Since 1990, China has made considerable progress in resolving the problem of “treatment difficulty” of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The prevalent unhealthy lifestyle among Chinese residents has exposed a massive proportion of the population to CVD risk factors, and this situation is further worsened due to the accelerated aging population in China. CVD remains one of the greatest threats to the health of Chinese residents. In terms of the proportions of disease mortality among urban and rural residents in China, CVD has persistently ranked first. In 2021, CVD accounted for 48.98% and 47.35% of deaths in rural and urban areas, respectively. Two out of every five deaths can be attributed to CVD. To implement a national policy “focusing on the primary health institute and emphasizing prevention” and truly achieve a shift of CVD prevention and treatment from hospitals to communities, the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases has organized experts from relevant fields across China to compile the “Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China” annually since 2005. The 2024 report is established based on representative, published, and high-quality big-data research results from cross-sectional and cohort population epidemiological surveys, randomized controlled clinical trials, large sample registry studies, and typical community prevention and treatment cases, along with data from some projects undertaken by the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases. These firsthand data not only enrich the content of the current report but also provide a more timely and comprehensive reflection of the status of CVD prevention and treatment in China.

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Identification of Critical Intervention Windows for Central Obesity from Childhood to Early Adulthood: A 30-year Longitudinal Study in China (30 day view times: 46)

Weiwei Zhou, Hanyi Li, Feifei Huang, Jiguo Zhang, Chang Su, Xiaofang Jia, Xianglin Qin, Wenwen Du, Huijun Wang, Aidong Liu

2026, 39(4): 396-407. doi: 10.3967/bes2026.027

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Objective To characterize long-term transition probabilities in waist circumference (WC) status from childhood into early adulthood and identify critical age windows for the development, persistence, and reversal of central obesity. Methods Using the China Health and Nutrition Survey data (1993–2022), 7,007 WC measurements from 2,440 participants aged 6–17 years at baseline were analyzed. Participants were grouped by baseline age: 6–11, 12–14, and 15–17 years. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate WC transition probabilities, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Results Central obesity prevalence increased from age 6, declined in early adulthood (approximately 22 years), and subsequently increased again. The 6–14-year age window exhibited dynamic, bidirectional transitions; specifically, the 10-year reversal probabilities from central obesity to normal WC were 44.19% (ages 6–11) and 41.39% (ages 12–14), decreasing to 26.93% for ages 15–17. Among those aged 15–17 years with central obesity, boys had a > 80% probability of maintaining increased WC for 20 years. Conclusion Ages 6–14 years represent a critical “reversal period” for central obesity. Interventions should prioritize this window using age- and sex-specific strategies to maximize normalization and curb long-term obesity risk.

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Association between Dietary Diversity during Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Cohort Study (30 day view times: 36)

Weiming Wang, Qian Liang, Jin Liu, Chenfan Zhang, Yuhui Luo, Xuefeng Yang, Liping Hao, Nianhong Yang

2026, 39(4): 418-426. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.160

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Objective The study aims to prospectively examine the association between the minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) score and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods All participants were pregnant women enrolled in the Tongji Maternal and Child Health Cohort. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) or 24-h dietary recall. The MDD-W score was constructed by categorizing all food items into 10 food groups, following the Food and Agriculture Organization guidelines. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were conducted during 24−28 weeks of gestation to screen for GDM. Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between MDD-W scores and GDM risk. Results In total, 357 (11.8%) of the 3,026 women were diagnosed with GDM. Compared with participants whose MDD-W score was ≥ 8, those with a score of 5−7 had an increased risk of GDM (relative risk (RR): 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03, 1.69), and those with a score ≤ 4 had a significantly higher GDM risk (RR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.26). Furthermore, these findings indicate that pregnant women with MDD-W scores < 8, in conjunction with being overweight or obese before pregnancy and excessive gestational weight gain, have the highest risk of developing GDM. Conclusions These data suggest that a higher MDD-W score during pregnancy is independently associated with a lower GDM risk. Therefore, promoting dietary diversity and weight management is recommended to protect pregnant women from developing gestational diabetes.

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Interpretation of Annual Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2024 (30 day view times: 35)

Mingbo Liu, Xinye He, Xiaohong Yang, Zengwu Wang

2025, 38(8): 893-917. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.099

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Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and their risk factors are exerting an increasingly significant impact on public health, and the incidence rate of CVD continues to rise. This article provides an interpretation of essentials from the newly published Annual Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China (2024), aiming to offer scientific evidence for CVD prevention, treatment, and the formulation of relevant policies.

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Cardiovascular Health and Disease Report in China: Two Decades of Progress (30 day view times: 29)

Shuyao Su, Fangchao Liu

2025, 38(8): 891-892. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.098

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Heat Wave and Mortality Burden of Chronic Kidney Disease: Current Assessment and Future Projection in China (30 day view times: 23)

Mengen Guo, Jiangmei Liu, Guanhao He, Jinlei Qi, Jianxiong Hu, Peng Yin, Sujuan Chen, Yulin Zhuo, Yi Lin, Xuelong Gu, Tao Liu, Ziqiang Lin, Fengrui Jing, Jinling You, Wenjun Ma, Fanna Liu, Maigeng Zhou

2026, 39(4): 464-475. doi: 10.3967/bes2026.013

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Objective Although many studies have examined temperature-related non-accidental mortality, the impact of heat waves on the mortality burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the CKD mortality burden associated with heat waves in China under global warming. Methods Mortality data on CKD from 2,790 counties/districts in China from 2004 to 2022 were collected from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention; meteorological data for the same period were obtained from the fifth-generation European Reanalysis Land dataset. A time-stratified case-crossover design combined with a distributed lag nonlinear model was used to examine the association between heat waves and CKD mortality. Future CKD mortality burdens attributable to heat waves under climate change and future population scenarios were projected. Results In total, 236,260 CKD deaths were included in this study. Compared to that during non–heat wave days, CKD mortality increased by 3.48% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67% to 5.33%) during heat waves, and the mortality risk escalated by 2.48% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12% to 4.91%) for each 1 °C increment during heat wave days. Stratified analyses revealed that CKD mortality risks were greater for women (Excess Risk [ER] = 5.52%, 95% CI: 2.71% to 8.40%), individuals aged 65 years and older (ER = 4.60%, 95% CI: 2.30% to 6.96%), and people in mesic/cold regions (ER = 6.20%, 95% CI: 1.13% to 11.53%). The projections showed that the attributable fraction(AF) of CKD mortality due to heat waves would rise from 0.64% (95% CI: 0.52% to 0.78%) in the 2020s to 2.44% (95% CI: 1.97% to 2.95%) in the 2090s under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, with the highest burden in southeastern China, including Hainan (3.31%, 95% CI: 1.66% to 5.02%), Yunnan (3.05%, 95% CI: 1.46% to 4.75%), and Guangdong Province (2.84%, 95% CI: 1.24% to 4.41%). Conclusion This nationwide study demonstrated that exposure to heat waves significantly increased the mortality risk of CKD, and that women, older individuals, and people in mesic/cold regions are more susceptible to heat waves. Global warming will significantly increase the future CKD mortality burden attributed to heat waves, particularly in southeastern China. Our findings emphasize the need to address CKD in the context of ongoing climate change.

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Association of Planetary Health Diet with Decreased Risk of All-cause Mortality and Environmental Benefits: Insights from a Multi-national Prospective Cohort Study (30 day view times: 22)

Xi Li, Liyuan Tao, Jue Liu

2026, 39(4): 476-481. doi: 10.3967/bes2026.026

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Whether adherence to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) benefits human and environmental health is less known. We included 131,130 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and UK Biobank. Adherence to the PHD was measured using the Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI) and mortality was ascertained by linking to national registries. Cox proportional hazards and linear/ordinal logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between PHD and the risk of mortality and environmental impacts, respectively. During a median follow-up of 10.6 years, participants in higher adherence groups (Quartile 2: hazard ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval = 0.82–0.95; Quartile 3: 0.87, 0.82–0.93; Quartile 4: 0.70, 0.54–0.92) had a lower risk of mortality, compared to Quartile 1. The relationship between the PHDI and mortality showed linearity in the two cohorts (P = 0.1877 and 0.5456, respectively), and body mass index mediated 11.88% of the relationship. A higher PHDI was associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions but higher freshwater use. Our findings suggest that greater compliance with the PHD reduces mortality risk; however, its benefits for environmental sustainability are less certain.

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Association between Sensitivity to Thyroid Hormones and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Cohort Study (30 day view times: 18)

Xuan Wang, Jianmin Tang, Linrun Kong, Yumei Han, Shuo Chen, Bo Gao, Xinghua Yang

2026, 39(4): 427-436. doi: 10.3967/bes2026.005

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Objective To investigate the association between thyroid hormone sensitivity indices and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) in euthyroid Chinese adults. Methods This cohort study included 5,356 euthyroid patients. The peripheral and central thyroid hormone sensitivity indices were calculated. Cox regression models were used to evaluate associations with MAFLD risk, and restricted cubic splines were used to assess potential nonlinearity. Mediation analyses based on an accelerated failure-time model were used to examine the role of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index. Results MAFLD incidence in euthyroid participants was 18.26%. After adjustment, higher free thyroxine (FT4) levels were inversely associated with MAFLD (HR = 0.973, 95% CI: 0.948 to 0.999, P = 0.043), whereas higher free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels increased MAFLD risk (HR = 1.118, 95% CI: 1.000 to 1.250, P = 0.050). Enhanced thyroid hormone sensitivity, as reflected by elevated FT3/FT4 levels and lower total thyroxine resistance index (TT4RI), thyroid stimulating hormone index (TSHI), and thyroid feedback quantile-based index (TFQI_FT4), was also associated with a higher incidence (all P < 0.05). Mediation analyses indicated that TyG partially mediated the FT3/FT4-MAFLD and TFQI_FT4-MAFLD associations, with indirect effects of –96.27 (95% CI: –124.67 to –70.42) and –4.95 (95% CI: –8.29 to –2.10), respectively. Conclusion Increased FT3/FT4 and decreased TFQI_FT4 levels were significantly associated with a higher MAFLD risk in euthyroid adults, with TyG acting as a partial mediator.

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Compound Temperature–humidity Extremes Increase Acute Mental Health Outcomes: A 12-year Case-crossover Metropolitan Study (30 day view times: 17)

Xin Liu, Xin Huang, Jingya Zhang, Haoran Li, Ning Zhang, Yingying Su, Yang Wang, Tongyan Liu, Rengyu Wu, Jincai Wei, Bin Zhu

2026, 39(4): 493-498. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.150

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Total Energy Expenditure in Healthy Middle-aged Chinese Adults with Light-intensity Physical Activity: A Doubly Labeled Water Study (30 day view times: 16)

Minghang Guo, Jie Feng, Guangbo Tong, Weidong Li, Xinghua Tong, Zhibin Ren, Deqian Mao, Lichen Yang

2026, 39(4): 482-485. doi: 10.3967/bes2026.028

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Hemoglobin Thresholds for Defining Anemia among Healthy Infants Aged 0–5 Months in China: A Population-based Study (30 day view times: 16)

Shuxia Wang, Shan Jiang, Xuehong Pang, Qian Zhang, Bowen Chen, Tao Xu, Yuying Wang, Wenhua Zhao, Zhenyu Yang

2026, 39(4): 408-417. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.144

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Objective To develop hemoglobin (Hb) percentiles and thresholds for defining anemia among infants aged 0–5 months in China. Methods The National Nutrition and Health Systematic Survey for children aged 0–17 years in China, a nationwide cross-sectional study, was conducted between 2019 and 2021. Hb levels were measured in infants using the HemoCue 201+ analyzer. Age- and sex-specific Hb distributions were constructed for “healthy infants”, defined as those with adequate iron reserves at birth, exclusive breastfeeding, normal weight-for-age Z-score and weight growth velocity, normal neuropsychological development, and absence of acute or chronic diseases. A generalized additive model for location, scale, and shape was applied to fit the Hb percentiles. The 5th percentile of the Hb distribution was defined as the threshold for anemia. Results A total of 10,174 infants aged 0–5 months participated in the study, among whom 2,155 healthy infants were included in the analysis. Hb levels peaked at birth, gradually decreased to a nadir around 60 days after birth, and then rose to a plateau. The Hb thresholds defining anemia were 102.7 g/L, 96.3 g/L, 92.8 g/L, 95.4 g/L, 97.1 g/L, and 95.8 g/L for the 0-, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-month age groups, respectively. Conclusion This study establishes hemoglobin thresholds for defining anemia in infants aged 0–5 months based on a nationwide, population-based dataset in China.

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The Global, Regional, and National Burden of Cardiovascular Diseases Attributable to Household Air Pollution from 1990 to 2021: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (30 day view times: 15)

Zehao Zhao, Yong Zeng

2026, 39(4): 447-463. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.141

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Objective This study investigates the global, regional, and national cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden caused by household air pollution (HAP) from 1990 to 2021 across regions, time periods, sexes, and age groups. Methods The global CVD mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to HAP are analyzed to assess their current status and historical trends. Quantitative methods are used to assess health inequalities. Projections up to the year 2040 are made using the Nordpred method. Results In 2021, 0.758 million deaths and 18.175 million DALYs were attributed to HAP-related CVD, with age-standardized rates (ASR) for mortality and DALYs of 8.950 and 210.354 per 100,000 individuals, respectively. The disease burden increased with age and was higher in men. While mortality and DALYs rates have decreased over the past three decades, with more significant reductions in low- and middle-income regions, health inequalities persist despite improvements. Projections indicate a slow increase in the CVD burden attributable to HAP by 2040, even as the per capita rates decline. Conclusion Although significant reductions in CVD attributable to HAP have occurred globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, disparities persist. Health inequalities have improved but remain significant. As the global population grows and ages, total cases will increase, highlighting the need for continued, targeted interventions.

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Intermittent Hypoxia-Hyperoxia Training Ameliorates Symptoms and Improves Cerebral Perfusion Status in Patients with Cerebral Venous Outflow Disorders: A Pilot Study (30 day view times: 14)

Milan Jia, Chenxia Zhou, Hui Li, Jing Lan, Wenbo Zhao, Lingyun Jia, Sijie Li, Changhong Ren, Chen Zhou, Lu Liu, Xunming Ji

2026, 39(2): 192-201. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.118

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Objective Cerebral venous outflow disorders (CVOD) can impair cerebral perfusion and produce diverse, often debilitating symptoms, substantially reducing quality of life. Intermittent hypoxia-hyperoxia training (IHHT) has demonstrated therapeutic potential across various pathologies and may represent a promising non-pharmacological approach for CVOD management. Methods Patients with imaging-confirmed CVOD underwent 14 IHHT sessions, each comprising four cycles of 10-minute hypoxia (11% O₂) stimulation and 20-minute hyperoxia (38% O₂). Physiological parameters and adverse events were monitored throughout the intervention. Clinical scales, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure, blood tests, jugular ultrasound, and perfusion imaging were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results No participants experienced intolerable discomfort or severe adverse events; vital signs remained within normal ranges. No significant changes were observed in 24-hour blood pressure, blood cell counts, lipid profiles, or other blood markers. Notably, 60% of patients (n = 12) reported overall symptom improvement on the Patient Global Impression of Change scale. Headache severity, as measured by the visual analogue scale, significantly decreased (6.33 ± 1.22 vs. 4.89 ± 2.03, P = 0.016). In patients with internal jugular vein (IJV) stenosis, significant improvements were observed in regional cerebral blood flow (including the insula, occipital lobe, internal capsule, and lenticula) and left J3-segment IJV flow volume (107.27 [47.50, 160.00] vs. 140.83 [55.00, 210.00] mL/min, P = 0.011). Conclusion The current IHHT protocol is safe and well-tolerated in patients with CVOD. IHHT may alleviate CVOD-related symptoms by improving oxygen saturation, cerebral perfusion, and venous outflow pattern, supporting its potential as a non-invasive therapeutic strategy.

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Correlation between Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Quality in College Students (30 day view times: 14)

ZHANG Yu Tong, HUANG Tao, ZHOU Fang, HUANG Ao Di, JI Xiao Qi, HE Lu, GENG Qiang, WANG Jia, MEI Can, XU Yu Jia, YANG Ze Long, ZHAN Jian Bo, CHENG Jing

2022, 35(7): 648-651. doi: 10.3967/bes2022.084

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Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2022: an Updated Summary (30 day view times: 13)

The Writing Committee of the Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China

2023, 36(8): 669-701. doi: 10.3967/bes2023.106

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In the past 30 years, the accessibility and quality index of medical care have made remarkable progress in China, ranking the first among middle-income countries. Many cardiovascular technologies are at or near the world's leading level, and significant progress has been achieved in China solving the problem of “treatment difficulty” of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, due to the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles among Chinese residents, a huge population with CVD risk factors, accelerated population aging, and other reasons, the incidence and mortality rate of CVD are still increasing, and the turning point of the decline in disease burden has not appeared yet in China. In terms of proportions of disease mortality among urban and rural residents, CVD still ranks the first. In 2020, CVD accounted for 48.00% and 45.86% of the causes of death in rural and urban areas, respectively; two out of every five deaths were due to CVD. It is estimated that the number of current CVD patients in China is around 330 million, including 13 million stroke, 11.39 million coronary heart disease, 8.9 million heart failure, 5 million pulmonary heart disease, 4.87 million atrial fibrillation, 2.5 million rheumatic heart disease, 2 million congenital heart disease, 45.3 million peripheral artery disease, and 245 million hypertension cases. China has entered a new stage of transformation from high-speed development to high-quality development, and the prevention and control of CVD in China should also shift from previous emphasis on scale growth to strategies focusing more on strategic and key technological development in order to curb the trend of increasing incidence and mortality rates of CVD.

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Cardiac Organoids: Emerging Tools for Investigating Environmental Roles in Cardiomyopathy Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Development (30 day view times: 13)

Yaoyao Xu, Zhimin Wang

2026, 39(1): 82-104. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.104

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Human cardiac organoids have revolutionized the study of cardiac development, disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative therapies. This review systematically discusses strategies and progress in the construction of cardiac organoids, categorizing them into three main types: cardiac spheroids, self-organizing/assembloid organoids, and organoid-on-a-chip systems. This review uniquely integrates the advances in vascularization, organ-on-chip design, and environmental cardiotoxicity modeling within cardiac organoid platforms, offering a critical synthesis that is absent in the literature. In the context of escalating environmental threats to cardiovascular health, there is an urgent need for physiologically relevant models to accurately identify cardiac toxicants and elucidate their underlying mechanisms of action. This review highlights advances in cardiac organoid applications for disease modeling—including congenital heart defects and acquired cardiovascular diseases—drug development, toxicity screening, and the study of environmentally induced cardiovascular pathogenesis. In addition, it critically examines ongoing challenges and underscores opportunities brought by bioengineering approaches. Finally, we propose future directions for developing standardized cardiac organoid platforms with clinical predictability, aiming to expand the utility of this technology across broader research applications.

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Airflow Obstruction in Post-tuberculosis Lung Disease: A 5-year Prospective Cohort Study (30 day view times: 13)

Zikang Sheng, Wenli Cao, Hongling Chu, Yanqing Le, Junfeng Wu, Yue Zhang, Yafei Rao, Brian Allwood, Yongchang Sun, Xiaoyan Gai

2026, 39(2): 146-157. doi: 10.3967/bes2025.121

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Objective Post tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD) manifests in various forms, including tuberculosis-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (TB-COPD), yet the clinical features of PTLD remain undercharacterized. This study aimed to assess longitudinal changes in lung function over a 5-year period and to identify predictors of airflow obstruction in a cohort of patients treated for active pulmonary TB. Methods Patients with active pulmonary TB were enrolled in this study and were followed during treatment, at treatment completion and five years post-treatment. Assessments included lung function and chest CT, analyzing longitudinal trends and airflow obstruction risk factors. Results Among 53 patients (mean age 36.9 ± 13.9 years; 64.2% male), 7 patients (13.2%) exhibited airflow obstruction. At the 5-year follow-up, the mean FEV₁/FVC declined significantly (76.27% ± 12.04% vs. 80.23% ± 11.02%, P < 0.001) and 9 patients (17.0%) exhibited airflow obstruction. Seven of these patients predominantly showed air trapping consistent with small airway disease on chest CT, aligning with TB-COPD phenotype. Notably, four young-to-middle-aged patients (< 60 years old) had persistent obstruction over the five years. Conclusion The initial test revealed that 13.2% of patients presented with airflow obstruction. By the 5-year follow-up, this proportion had increased to 17.0%, with most cases demonstrating imaging findings aligning with TB-COPD, even among younger, non-smoking individuals. These findings emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up and routine lung function assessments in TB survivors.

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Effect of Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring Plus Additional Support on Blood Pressure Control: A Randomized Clinical Trial (30 day view times: 11)

MENG Wen Wen, BAI Yong Yi, YAN Li, ZHENG Wei, ZENG Qiang, ZHENG Yan Song, ZHA Lin, PI Hong Ying, SAI Xiao Yong

2023, 36(6): 517-526. doi: 10.3967/bes2023.063

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Objective Current clinical evidence on the effects of home blood pressure telemonitoring (HBPT) on improving blood pressure control comes entirely from developed countries. Thus, we performed this randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether HBPT plus support (patient education and clinician remote hypertension management) improves blood pressure control more than usual care (UC) in the Chinese population. Methods This single-center, randomized controlled study was conducted in Beijing, China. Patients aged 30–75 years were eligible for enrolment if they had blood pressure [systolic (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg; or SBP ≥ 130 mmHg and/or DBP ≥ 80 mmHg with diabetes]. We recruited 190 patients randomized to either the HBPT or the UC groups for 12 weeks. The primary endpoints were blood pressure reduction and the proportion of patients achieving the target blood pressure. Results Totally, 172 patients completed the study, the HBPT plus support group (n = 84), and the UC group (n = 88). Patients in the plus support group showed a greater reduction in mean ambulatory blood pressure than those in the UC group. The plus support group had a significantly higher proportion of patients who achieved the target blood pressure and maintained a dipper blood pressure pattern at the 12th week of follow-up. Additionally, the patients in the plus support group showed lower blood pressure variability and higher drug adherence than those in the UC group. Conclusion HBPT plus additional support results in greater blood pressure reduction, better blood pressure control, a higher proportion of dipper blood pressure patterns, lower blood pressure variability, and higher drug adherence than UC. The development of telemedicine may be the cornerstone of hypertension management in primary care.

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Analysis of a Community-based Intervention to Reduce Heat-related Illness during Heat Waves in Licheng, China:a Quasi-experimental Study (30 day view times: 10)

LI Jing, XU Xin, ZHAO Yun, LIU Zhi Dong, CAO Li Na, JIANG Bao Fa

2016, 29(11): 802-813. doi: 10.3967/bes2016.107

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Objective To reduce health-related threats of heat waves, interventions have been implemented in many parts of the world. However, there is a lack of higher-level evidence concerning the intervention efficacy. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of an intervention to reduce the number of heat-related illnesses.
Methods A quasi-experimental design was employed by two cross-sectional surveys in the year 2014 and 2015, including 2,240 participants and 2,356 participants, respectively. Each survey was designed to include one control group and one intervention group, which conducted in Licheng, China. A representative sample was selected using a multistage sampling method. Data, collected from questionnaires about heat waves in 2014 and 2015, were analyzed using a difference-in-difference analysis and cost effectiveness analysis. Outcomes included changes in the prevalence of heat-related illnesses and cost-effectiveness variables.
Results Relative to the control participants, the prevalence of heat-related illness in the intervention participants decreased to a greater extent in rural areas than in urban areas (OR=0.495 vs. OR=1.281). Moreover, the cost-effectiveness ratio in the intervention group was less than that in the control group (US$15.06 vs. US$15.69 per participant). Furthermore, to avoid one additional patient, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio showed that an additional US$14.47 would be needed for the intervention compared to when no intervention was applied.
Conclusion The intervention program may be considered a worthwhile investment for rural areas that are more likely to experience heat waves. Meanwhile, corresponding improving measures should be presented towards urban areas. Future research should examine whether the intervention strategies could be spread out in other domestic or international regions where heat waves are usually experienced.

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Benefits of Mindfulness Training on the Mental Health of Women During Pregnancy and Early Motherhood: A Randomized Controlled Trial (30 day view times: 10)

WANG Shu Lei, SUN Meng Yun, HUANG Xing, ZHANG Da Ming, YANG Li, XU Tao, PAN Xiao Ping, ZHENG Rui Min

2023, 36(4): 353-366. doi: 10.3967/bes2023.041

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Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based psychosomatic intervention on depression, anxiety, fear of childbirth (FOC), and life satisfaction of pregnant women in China. Methods Women experiencing first-time pregnancy (n = 104) were randomly allocated to the intervention group or a parallel active control group. We collected data at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), 3 days after delivery (T2), and 42 days after delivery (T3). The participants completed questionnaires for the assessment of the levels of depression, anxiety, FOC, life satisfaction, and mindfulness. Differences between the two groups and changes within the same group were analyzed at four time points using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results Compared with the active control group, the intervention group reported lower depression levels at T2 (P = 0.038) and T3 (P = 0.013); reduced anxiety at T1 (P = 0.001) and T2 (P = 0.003); reduced FOC at T1 (P < 0.001) and T2 (P = 0.04); increased life satisfaction at T1 (P < 0.001) and T3 (P = 0.015); and increased mindfulness at T1 (P = 0.01) and T2 (P = 0.006). Conclusion The mindfulness-based psychosomatic intervention effectively increased life satisfaction and reduced perinatal depression, anxiety, and FOC.

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