When I can be my whole authentic self, I feel safe and know that I belong: a photovoice study exploring what culturally safe pregnancy care is to Karen women of refugee background in Victoria, Australia.

OBJECTIVES: Inequitable pregnancy care experiences and outcomes disproportionately affect refugee background women in Australia. Culturally safe care is essential for achieving health equity, however, cultural safety can only be determined by the person receiving care. To our knowledge, women of refugee background in Australia are yet to be asked what culturally safe pregnancy care is to them. Specifically, this study aimed to explore what culturally safe pregnancy care is to Karen women (from Burma) of refugee background. DESIGN: A photovoice study founded on community-based participatory research principles was undertaken with a Karen community of refugee background living in Victoria, Australia. A community advisory group was established, guiding study design and conduct. Five S'gaw Karen-speaking women with experience of pregnancy care in Australia were invited to take photos within their community. Participants shared their photos and stories with each other in four online discussion groups. RESULTS: Reflexive thematic analysis guided by a critical constructionist lens developed three themes: Building foundations for belonging; cultivating reciprocal curiosity; and storytelling as an expression of self and shared power. These themes sit within the overarching theme When I can be my whole authentic self, I feel safe and know that I belong. CONCLUSION: When Karen women can embrace their cultural and spiritual identity without fear of discrimination, including racism, culturally safe pregnancy care is possible. This study contributes to the design and delivery of maternity services by providing insights that can enhance equitable and culturally safe pregnancy care for Karen women of refugee background.

'If I'm not sick, I'm not going to see the doctor': Access to preventive sexual and reproductive health care for Karen women from refugee backgrounds living in Melbourne, Australia-A qualitative study.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Women from refugee backgrounds have poorer health outcomes than host country populations. People from Myanmar, most of whom are from the Karen ethnic minority constitute one of the largest groups of humanitarian visa entrants to Australia since 2015. Barriers to and enablers of preventive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) for this group of women are poorly understood. The objective is to establish the preventive SRH care needs and experiences of Karen women from refugee backgrounds living in Australia. METHODS: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with a purposive sample of Karen women. A bi-cultural worker assisted in recruitment and interpreting during data collection. All interviews were conducted in Karen language with a bi-cultural worker interpreting into English during the interview. Audio recordings of English dialogue were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and report data. RESULTS: Thirteen women were interviewed. Five major themes were identified: (1) prevention awareness including lack of access to education and knowledge of services pre-arrival; appreciation of the new health system; limited vaccination knowledge, (2) perceived need for prevention including consequences of not screening; health care provider (HCP) attendance, (3) health information seeking including providing a comprehensive approach to information delivery; trusted sources of information, (4) barriers including missed opportunities; communication, language, illiteracy; lack of continuity of care and, (5) enablers including HCP' characteristics; peer support and individual responsibility. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study indicate that to improve access to preventive SRH services a multi-component strategy is needed. Provision of preventive SRH information using a multi-pronged approach; peer and community support interventions; and HCPs offering services and information opportunistically would benefit Karen women unfamiliar with preventive SRH care. SO WHAT?: Primary prevention services and education codesigned with community members may be effective in improving Karen women's access to SRH care.

Adaptation of the All Aspects of Health Literacy Scale (AAHLS) for Karen refugees: factor analysis.

Health literacy has been identified as a significant predictor of healthcare utilization among refugee and immigrant communities. Considering its potential impact on their health outcomes, accurately measuring levels of health literacy among limited English proficiency (LEP) populations is an important area of investigation. This study examined the psychometric properties of a modified version of the All Aspects of Health Literacy Scale (AAHLS), based on Nutbeam's model of health literacy, using an exploratory factor (EFA) and confirmatory factor (CFA) analysis among a sample of Karen refugees, an ethnic minority group from Burma. Results of the EFA confirmed a 3-factor model in our sample. CFA results indicated good model fits, demonstrating a promising use of the AAHLS in assessing health literacy among Karen refugees. The findings of this study support the validity of using this measure among this population and suggest some necessary adjustments to incorporate factors unique to the refugee experience that may affect the interpretation and application of items in the AAHLS. Further replication using other LEP samples is necessary to confirm the psychometric properties of the AAHLS and its ability to assess health literacy using Nutbeam's theoretical model of health literacy.

Caregiving Across the Life Course: A Health Policy Priority for North Carolina.

At least one in five North Carolinians is an informal caregiver for a relative or friend with a serious health problem, illness, or disability. Existing state-level systems are inadequate to support caregivers' needs. We propose 10 recommendations for adopting a life course perspective to address caregiver needs across North Carolina's diverse population.

Quality of nursing care in Saudi's healthcare transformation era: A nursing perspective.

BACKGROUND: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia corporates performance improvement strategies in health sector to transform hospital operations and instituting a culture of quality through performance improvement initiatives. Quality of nursing care (QNC) is a concern for nursing professionals and administration. Donabedian's 'Quality-of-Care' framework plays a vital role in transforming nursing care and determining appropriate intervention development and implementation plans. AIM: To explore the nurses' perception for the QNC and find their perspectives in achievements and gaps by adopting the Donabedian model. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 639 nurses from a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia using Karen-personnel instrument for measuring QNC. The achievements and gaps in nursing care quality determined by redistributing Karen statements to the three dimensions of the Donabedian structure, process and outcome model. FINDINGS: The nurses' overall perception of the QNC was positive. According to the Donabedian model, the nurses focussed on care procedures (i.e., process-oriented) and required resources (i.e., structure-oriented), although the transformation era requires nurses' performance to focus on the outcome dimension. CONCLUSION: To activate the vital roles of nurses in accomplishing health transformation initiatives, there should be collaborative efforts among nursing managers, educators and policy-makers to sustain quality of structure, process and outcome-oriented nursing care and be more outcome-oriented.

Social Determinants of Mental Health Among Karen Refugees from Burma.

Extant literature has documented a higher level of mental health issues among refugee populations compared with that of the general population. Mental health problems may significantly decrease refugees' quality of life and interfere with a successful transition to their country of resettlement. Using the social determinants of mental health framework, we examined factors affecting psychological distress among Karen refugees from Burma residing in a mid-size city in a northeastern state in the United States. A total of 201 participants completed face-to-face interviews conducted in the Karen language. Results showed that trauma and religious participation were positively associated and education and health status were negatively associated with psychological distress. The findings of this study reiterate the importance of trauma and health conditions to mental health and suggest potential points of interventions among the resettled Karen refugees.

Dementia Care for Europeans in Thailand: A Geography of Futures.

We explore the creation of private care facilities around Chiang Mai in northern Thailand to provide dementia care for people from the Global North. We draw on three periods of ethnographic observation at care facilities, and interviews with Swiss and British owners and family members, as well as Thai managers and care workers. We locate this offshoring of dementia care from the Global North to South within existing underfunding of dementia care in the Global North and a "regime of anticipation" built around expected substantial growth in the numbers of people living with dementia. These facilities are opening new futures for those who migrate for care as they leverage their relative wealth and privilege to purchase care in Thailand. In line with other readings of international health migration, we note the negative impact of this state-supported privatized industry on the availability of nurses and care aids in public hospitals in Thailand. We then venture into less examined and expected futurities, namely, the opportunities these facilities provide to two groups of stigmatized Thai workers: transgender and Indigenous Karen caregivers.

Ownership and utilization of bed nets and reasons for use or non-use of bed nets among community members at risk of malaria along the Thai-Myanmar border.

BACKGROUND: With the goal for malaria elimination in Thailand set for 2024, increased coverage and utilization of bed net, especially insecticide-treated net (ITN) or long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) is a key strategy. This study aims to provide the necessary information about bed net ownership and utilization among the population at risk of malaria living along the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a mixed-method approach in 331 households from 5 hamlets in the villages of the Thai-Myanmar border. The research tools included a questionnaire, bed net inspection, and semi-structured interviews. Logistic regression was used to explore the sociodemographic factors associated with bed net utilization. The qualitative analysis employed a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: This survey found that 98.5% of households had at least one bed net per household, and 74.3% had at least one ITN/LLIN. However, only 30.8% of households reached the standard policy set by the Minister of Public Health of one ITN/LLINs per two persons. Most residents used bed net (92.1% used in the previous night and 80.9% used every day). For those using bed nets, however, 61.9% used ITNs or LLINs the night before and 53.1% used them every day. Nonetheless, the usage rates of bed nets (any type) in the previous night among children and pregnant women were high, reaching 95.3% and 90.0%, respectively. Seven explanatory variables showed statistically significant associations with bed net use every day, including: "not staying overnight in the forest or the field", "sleeping pattern based on gender", "sufficient numbers of bed nets to cover all sleeping spaces", "preference for free bed nets", "age", "gender", and "SES score" showed statistically significant association with bed net use every day. The major reasons for the regular use of bed nets in both household and the forest were to prevent mosquito biting. The reasons for not using bednets in the household were discomfort feelings from heat, perception of unnecessity due to low mosquito density, whereas the reason for not using bed nets in the forest was inconvenience. CONCLUSION: Despite that overall coverage and usage of bed nets was high, only one third reached the standard level specified by the policy. Overnight in the forest, the dissatisfaction with the quality of free bed nets, insufficient number of bed nets, sleeping alone, male gender, age more than 10 years, low socioeconomic status, discomfort from heat, perception of no benefits of bed nets due to low mosquito density, and inconvenience were factors influencing bed net use. Maintaining high coverage and utility rate of bed nets should be a priority for the malaria high-risk population.

Cultural Influences on Healthy Weight Care in Karen Children.

PURPOSE: Although the rates of childhood obesity are disproportionately higher in children of racial and ethnic minorities, research rarely addresses possible cultural factors. The purpose of this study was to discover cultural influences that contribute to or prevent childhood obesity from the perspectives of Burmese-American children and adolescents of Karen ethnicity in the southeast U.S. DESIGN AND METHODS: The ethnonursing research method was used to seek perspectives of healthy weight care from Karen children between 8 and 15 years-of-age (n = 10). Karen parents (n = 5) and non-Karen community members (n = 13) were also interviewed. Data sources - interviews, fieldnotes, and observation notes - were analyzed using the four phases of the ethnonursing method. RESULTS: Four themes important to healthy weight care in Karen children were discovered: views of a healthy child, food and food preparation, physical activity, and mutual support among family and community. These themes revealed both Karen and non-Karen influences. CONCLUSIONS: Most Karen cultural influences promote healthy weight care in Karen children and adolescents which may protect them from childhood obesity. Lack of after-school transportation, limited space to play/exercise, and the sedentary tendencies of girls could limit healthy weight care. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric nurses may use knowledge gained from this study for promotion of healthy weight care in Karen families and to advocate for community changes which could benefit all children.

Disorders of Consciousness, Past, Present, and Future.

This paper, presented as the 2019 Cambridge Quarterly Neuroethics Network Charcot Lecture, traces the nosology of disorders of consciousness in light of 2018 practice guidelines promulgated by the American Academy of Neurology, the American College of Rehabilitation Medicine and the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research. By exploring the ancient origins of Jennett and Plum's persistent vegetative state and subsequent refinements in the classification of disorders of consciousness-epitomized by the minimally conscious state, cognitive motor dissociation, and the recently described chronic vegetative state-the author argues that there is a counter-narrative to the one linking these conditions to the right to die. Instead, there is a more nuanced schema distinguishing futility from utility, informed by technical advances now able to identify covert consciousness contemplated by Jennett and Plum. Their prescience foreshadows recent developments in the disorders of consciousness literature yielding a layered legacy with implications for society's normative and legal obligations to these patients.

Real time PCR detection of common CYP2D6 genetic variants and its application in a Karen population study.

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax malaria is characterized by relapses arising from the hypnozoite stages in the liver. The only currently registered drug for radical treatment to prevent relapse is primaquine. Primaquine, a prodrug, requires metabolism through the liver cytochrome CYP2D6 isoenzyme to its active metabolite. Mutations in the CYP2D6 gene may thus affect primaquine efficacy. A SNPs genotyping technique was developed to characterize the CYP2D6 genetic variants and tested this in the patients with Plasmodium vivax infection collected in a Karen population on the Thailand-Myanmar border, where P. vivax malaria is endemic. METHODS: Direct sequencing of PCR-reamplified products (DSP) was used to uncover exonic CYP2D6 sequence variations. Subsequently, an allele-specific oligonucleotide probe real-time SNPs genotyping (ASO) assay was developed for rapid detection of the four clinically relevant CYP2D6 variants occurring in this population. These two in-house developed assays were used to genotype CYP2D6 mutations in blood samples obtained from 70 Karen adults. RESULTS: Results showed a high degree of concordance between the DSP and ASO methods. Six CYP2D6 point mutations were identified within the Karen population: C100T, C1039T, G1661C, G1846A, C2850T and G4180C, at frequencies of 0.43, 0.43, 0.76, 0.02, 0.32 and 0.76, respectively. The CYP2D6*2, *4, *5, *10 and *36 allelic frequencies were 0.33, 0.02, 0.03, 0.40 and 0.01, respectively. Alleles conferring an intermediate CYP2D6 metabolizer phenotype comprised 46% of the total number of alleles. CONCLUSION: The newly developed ASO assay is a reliable and rapid tool for large-scale CYP2D6 genotyping. The high frequency of the CYP2D6*10 allele in the Karen population warrants further assessment of its association with the radical curative efficacy of primaquine.

Assessment of HNA alloimmunisation risk in Northeastern Thais, Burmese and Karen.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine human neutrophil antigen (HNA) frequency, estimate possible HNA incompatibilities and predict the risk of HNA alloimmunisation in the Northeastern Thai, Burmese and Karen populations. BACKGROUND: Alloantibodies against HNA are implicated in a number of clinical conditions, including immune-mediated neutropenia and transfusion reactions. METHODS: A total of 400 unrelated healthy Thais, 261 Burmese and 249 Karen was included in this study. DNA samples were typed for HNA-1, -3, -4 and -5 systems using polymerase chain reactions with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). RESULTS: In this cohort, HNA-1a was more prevalent than HNA-1b. Accordingly, the possible risk of HNA-1a alloimmunisation against HNA-1a is lower than HNA-1b (0·0802-0·1351 vs 0·2293-0·2497). This is in contrast to the situation reported in Caucasian and African populations. The predicted risk of HNA-3 incompatibility in Thais, Burmese and Karen were 28·09%, 30·66% and 22·77%, respectively. The possible risks of HNA-3a alloimmunisation were 0·0493 in Thais, 0·0608 in Burmese and 0·0196 in Karen, respectively. No individuals were found to be homozygous for HNA-4bb. The probability of developing alloantibodies against HNA-4a was low in these populations and every population in Asia. In contrast, the overall frequency of HNA-5bb homozygous individuals was high in this study, peaking at 0·192. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that reported the allele frequencies of HNA-1, -3, -4, and -5 in a large sample of healthy unrelated individuals from ethnic Thais, Burmese and Karen. Our results indicated the high possible risk of HNA-1, -3 and -5 alloimmunisation in these populations.

Human platelet antigens in Burmese, Karen and north-eastern Thais.

OBJECTIVES: A comparative study of allele frequencies at HPA-1 to -6 and HPA-15 in Burmese and Karen populations as well as at HPA-15 in north-eastern Thais (NET) is presented. BACKGROUND: Human platelet antigens (HPAs) are clinically important in several immune platelet disorders, including foetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT), post-transfusion purpura (PTP) and platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR). The knowledge of antigen frequencies in a population is essential for the evaluation of patients suffering from immune-mediated platelet disorders. METHODS: A total of 285 unrelated, healthy Burmese, 242 Karen and 300 NET were recruited to this study. Genotype and allele frequencies of HPA-1 to -6 and HPA-15 were defined using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) RESULTS: No individuals homozygous for HPA-1bb, -2bb, -4bb, -5bb and -6bb were detected. HPA-1a, -2a, -4a, -5a and -6a were present in all samples of Burmese and Karen origin. HPA-1b, -2b, -4b, -5b and -6b were rare in these populations. The frequencies of HPA-3a/-3b were 60·4/39·6% in Burmese and 55·8/44·2% in Karen, respectively. Frequencies of HPA-15a/-15b were 57·2/42·8% in Burmese, 52·5/47·5% in Karen and 49·8/50·2% in NET. CONCLUSIONS: The frequencies of HPA genotypes in our study indicates that HPA-1a, -2a, -4a, -5a and -6a are unlikely involved in FNAIT, PTP and PTR in Burmese and Karen populations. However, HPA-1b, -2b, -3a, -3b, -4b, -5b, -6b, -15a and -15b may likely stimulate alloantibodies in these populations.

Matriarchy, Buddhism, and food security in Sanephong, Thailand.

Sanephong is a matriarchal Karen community located in western Thailand. The community benefits greatly from the availability of local foods, such as cereals, tubers, wild vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, and animals. In the first phase of this project, 387 distinct local foods were identified, which were shown to be good sources of energy, protein, and vitamins. Despite the availability of a variety of nutritious local foods, the majority of households surveyed expressed concern over a decline in local foods due to changing socio-economic and environmental conditions. This study used a qualitative research approach to look at the dual influences of matriarchy and Buddhism on food security in the community. Through this approach, matriarchal values central to the community were adopted as a framework; these included care, consensus, collaboration, and cosmological respect. In Sanephong, women are central to life in the community, and matriarchal cultural practices reflect a nurturing spirit-for both the earth and family. The community practices Buddhism, which is very complementary to the matriarchal system. A type of gift economy within the Buddhist context, known as dhana, transfers food from the wealthy to the poor with no expectation of reciprocity. Consequently, matriarchy and Buddhism jointly promote food security in the community. Studies of matriarchal societies help society-at-large to understand the potential benefits of systems that contrast the current patriarchal paradigm.

(Dis)entangling Barad: Materialisms and ethics.

In the wake of the widespread uptake of and debate surrounding the work of Karen Barad, this article revisits her core conceptual contributions. We offer descriptions, elaborations, problematizations and provocations for those intrigued by or invested in this body of work. We examine Barad's use of quantum physics, which underpins her conception of the material world. We discuss the political strengths of this position but also note tensions associated with applying quantum physics to phenomena at macro-scales. We identify both frictions and unacknowledged affinities with science and technology studies in Barad's critique of reflexivity and her concept of diffraction. We flesh out Barad's overarching position of 'agential realism', which contains a revised understanding of scientific apparatuses. Building upon these discussions, we argue that inherent in agential realism is both an ethics of inclusion and an ethics of exclusion. Existing research has, however, frequently emphasized entanglement and inclusion to the detriment of foreclosure and exclusion. Nonetheless, we contend that it is in the potential for an ethics of exclusion that Barad's work could be of greatest utility within science and technology studies and beyond.

HLA alleles and haplotypes in Burmese (Myanmarese) and Karen in Thailand.

This is the first report on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele and haplotype frequencies at three class I loci and two class II loci in unrelated healthy individuals from two ethnic groups, 170 Burmese and 200 Karen, originally from Burma (Myanmar), but sampled while residing in Thailand. Overall, the HLA allele and haplotype frequencies detected by polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) at five loci (A, B, C, DRB1 and DRQB1) at low resolution showed distinct differences between the Burmese and Karen. In Burmese, five HLA-B*15 haplotypes with different HLA-A and HLA-DR/DQ combinations were detected with three of these not previously reported in other Asian populations. The data are important in the fields of anthropology, transplantation and disease-association studies.

Hydrogen sulfide production from subgingival plaque samples.

Periodontitis is a polymicrobial anaerobe infection. Little is known about the dysbiotic microbiota and the role of bacterial metabolites in the disease process. It is suggested that the production of certain waste products in the proteolytic metabolism may work as markers for disease severity. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gas produced by degradation of proteins in the subgingival pocket. It is highly toxic and believed to have pro-inflammatory properties. We aimed to study H2S production from subgingival plaque samples in relation to disease severity in subjects with natural development of the disease, using a colorimetric method based on bismuth precipitation. In remote areas of northern Thailand, adults with poor oral hygiene habits and a natural development of periodontal disease were examined for their oral health status. H2S production was measured with the bismuth method and subgingival plaque samples were analyzed for the presence of 20 bacterial species with the checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization technique. In total, 43 subjects were examined (age 40-60 years, mean PI 95 ± 6.6%). Fifty-six percent had moderate periodontal breakdown (CAL > 3 < 7 mm) and 35% had severe periodontal breakdown (CAL > 7 mm) on at least one site. Parvimonas micra, Filifactor alocis, Porphyromonas endodontalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum were frequently detected. H2S production could not be correlated to periodontal disease severity (PPD or CAL at sampled sites) or to a specific bacterial composition. Site 21 had statistically lower production of H2S (p = 0.02) compared to 16 and 46. Betel nut chewers had statistically significant lower H2S production (p = 0.01) than non-chewers. Rapid detection and estimation of subgingival H2S production capacity was easily and reliably tested by the colorimetric bismuth sulfide precipitation method. H2S may be a valuable clinical marker for degradation of proteins in the subgingival pocket.

"Here nobody holds your heart": metaphoric and embodied emotions of birth and displacement among Karen women in Australia.

Our objective was to explore the ways in which displaced Karen mothers expressed emotions in narrative accounts of motherhood and displacement. We contextualized and analyzed interview data from an ethnographic study of birth and emotions among 15 displaced Karen mothers in Australia. We found that women shared a common symbolic language to describe emotions centered on the heart, which was also associated with heart "problems." This, along with hypertension, collapsing, or a feeling of surrender were associated responses to extremely adverse events experienced as displaced peoples. A metaphoric schema of emotional terms centered on the heart was connected to embodied expressions of emotion related to illness of the heart. This and other embodied responses were reactions to overwhelming difficulties and fear women endured due to their exposure to political conflict and global inequity.

Exploring Trauma- and Violence-Informed Pregnancy Care for Karen Women of Refugee Background: A Community-Based Participatory Study.

Women of refugee background experience poorer perinatal outcomes when compared to their local-born counterparts. Women of refugee background have often experienced trauma and are likely to encounter barriers to accessing health services in host countries which can exacerbate their recovery from trauma and contribute to poor health outcomes. Trauma- and violence-informed approaches to care offer opportunities to address barriers to pregnancy care which may, in turn, improve these poor outcomes. Trauma- and violence-informed care is a framework that acknowledges a person's experiences of trauma, recognises its impact and symptoms, and works toward resisting re-traumatisation by integrating knowledge into practice. Despite this, trauma- and violence-informed care in maternity care settings has rarely been explored from the perspectives of women of refugee background. This study aimed to explore trauma- and violence-informed pregnancy care from the perspectives of Karen women of refugee background using Community-Based Participatory Research methods. The lead researcher is a Karen-Australian woman with lived refugee experience. A Community Advisory Group was formed to support the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven Karen women of refugee background who had recently had a baby in Western metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. The data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Karen women shared what they considered to be important elements of trauma- and violence-informed pregnancy care. Three major elements were identified: (1) care design and accessibility; (2) promoting choice and control; and (3) trauma-informed interpreting. The critical importance of the interpreter-mediated setting was highlighted as women reported that they may not experience trauma- and violence-informed maternity care if they cannot access an interpreter or their relationship with the interpreter is unsafe. This study offers critical insights regarding the elements of trauma- and violence-informed pregnancy care that are important to Karen women of refugee background.

Establishment of colloidal gold immunochromatography strip for rapid detection of Karen mikimotoi and its application.

In China, harmful algal blooms (HABs) are one of the most prominent ecological disasters in the coastal areas. Among the harmful algae species that cause HABs, Karen mikimotoi is a kind of algae that appear frequently. It can secrete hemolytic toxins and fish toxins such as glycolipids and unsaturated fatty, posing a significant threat to marine life. In order to establish a fast and effective detection technology for Karen mikimotoi that can be promoted and applied on site, we have developed a test strip which is based on monoclonal antibody technology and the colloidal gold immune-chromatography assay (GICA). The experimental results show that this test strip can detect different growth stages including growth, and stable and recession period of Karen mikimotoi. The detection results can be displayed within 3-15 min. It had high sensitivity and specificity, with a detection limit of 754 cells/mL. A colorimetric card was made to further determine the concentration of algae detected. What is more, we had developed a method that can be used for on-site enrichment of algae cells using a syringe to detect lower concentrations of Karen mikimotoi, with a minimum detection concentration of 100 cells/mL. Also the test strip was used for on-site testing along the coast of China. This test strip not only serves as a warning for the outbreak of red tide, but also provides a new approach for the development of rapid detection technology for red tide algae.