Exploring Chiropractic Healthcare in Hong Kong: Sick Leave Certification Dilemma.

Objective This study aims to investigate the characteristics of chiropractic patients in Hong Kong, their experiences with chiropractic care, and their perspectives on chiropractors' authority over sick leave certificates. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted among individuals receiving chiropractic treatment in Hong Kong. Data were collected through an online survey from May 11 to August 8, 2023, and descriptive analysis was employed to examine patient demographics, treatment effectiveness, and views on chiropractic sick leave authorization. A total of 522 valid responses were received. Result Among respondents, back pain was the primary reason for seeking chiropractic care, with many experiencing rapid relief and high satisfaction. However, many patients initially consulted other healthcare professionals, indicating potential integration challenges. Lengthy orthopedic wait times in Hong Kong highlight the need for chiropractic care. Concerns arose over chiropractors' inability to issue sick leave certificates, impacting patient convenience, treatment effectiveness, finances, and emotional well-being. Allowing chiropractors to authorize sick leave, with proper regulation, could address these issues. Conclusion In conclusion, this study underscores chiropractic care's potential in Hong Kong's healthcare system and suggests that recognizing chiropractors' role in sick leave authorization can enhance comprehensive patient care.

Analysis of COVID-19 Cases and Public Measures in China.

This paper briefly analyzes COVID-19 cases during Wuhan lockdown and travel restrictions on 23 January 2020 to 23 June 2020, which included total confirmed, in critical condition, deaths, recovered, and suspected cases in China. Results showed that there were 28,942 suspected cases on February 8, 2020, at the peak; then, it almost declined continually to only several cases. Total confirmed cases were more than 80,000 on March 1, 2020, but less than 84,000, and deaths were more than 3000 on March 4, 2020, but less than 4640, totally, thanks for the right public measures for COVID-19 in China, such as the Wuhan City lockdown and travel restrictions for isolation; positive screening and testing; and establishing a Huoshenshan hospital, a Leishenshan hospital, and a number of Fangcang shelter hospitals, traditional Chinese medicine and a combination of Chinese and western medicine, and the launch of the clinical trials of antiviral drugs (Lianhua Qingwen, remdesivir, and chloroquine). In addition, the iRT-ABCDEF program is very useful to control domestic, imported, and asymptomatic cases. Cases in critical condition decrease continually after the peak of 11,977 cases on February 18, 2020, and recovered cases increase continually to over 78,400 cases due to these right public measures and effective treatments. In recent months, there are only 2 deaths and only about ten cases in critical condition. All in all, these public measures in China are confirmed to be very effective and are worth conducting in countries worldwide.

Women and renal replacement therapy in Europe: lower incidence, equal access to transplantation, longer survival than men.

In 2018, World Kidney Day (WKD) and International Women's Day coincide. The WKD editorial focuses on women's kidney health. The European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry Annual Report 2015 summary provides an excellent snapshot of renal replacement therapy (RRT) epidemiology and women in Europe. The WKD editorial reports a lower incidence of RRT in women in major registries and potential limitations to women's access to transplantation. What is the situation in Europe? In Europe, the incidence of RRT is also lower in women: 38% of incident RRT patients are women. Does it represent milder chronic kidney disease (CKD) in women or barriers to RRT access? The question arises from the higher prevalence of CKD Stages G3-G5 in women than in men. However, in some European countries, such as Spain, non-dialysis CKD Stages G4-G5 is less frequent in women than in men, recapitulating the difference in RRT incidence. In the ERA-EDTA Registry, the incidence of transplantation as a first modality on Day 1 was slightly higher for women and survival on RRT was similar for women and men in the first 3 months, but an intergender gap favouring women increased as RRT vintage increased. However, women on RRT are worse off regarding survival when compared with women in the general population than men on RRT compared with men in the general population. In conclusion, the ERA-EDTA Registry Annual Report 2015 and European epidemiology data suggest a lower incidence of end-stage kidney disease in women, no gender differences in access to transplantation and better RRT survival in women.