Progress and challenges in integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine in China from 2002 to 2021.

Objective: The World Health Organization advocated for enhanced integration of traditional medicine and complementary medicine into national healthcare systems across all countries. This study aims to explore the progress and challenges in integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine (ITCWM) in China over 20 years using nationwide data. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined various facets of ITCWM in China in terms of policies, resources, services, and funding. National policy documents from 2009 onwards were retrieved from official websites of the Chinese government. Data on ITCWM resources, services and subsidies from 2002 to 2021 were extracted from the China Statistical Yearbooks of Chinese Medicine and China Health Statistical Yearbooks. Research fund projects with the ITCWM discipline were collected from the database of National Natural Science Foundation of China. A mixed method of both quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed to present a comprehensive overview of the collected data. Results: This study presented five key findings. First, despite the issuance of 17 national policies by the Chinese government since 2009 to promote the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), only three of them were specifically tailored for ITCWM. Second, although the average annual growth rates of ITCWM institutions, beds, and practitioners reached 0.35%, 10.56%, and 10.88% from 2002 to 2021, with more equitable allocation of ITCWM resources, the overall proportion of ITCWM remained below 5% in 2021. Third, progress has been made in ITCWM practices, yet service efficiency requires further enhancement. In 2021, ITCWM hospitals accounted for 2% of outpatient and emergency visits and 1.57% of hospital admissions among all hospitals, and 9.82% of delivered services were preventive healthcare services. Fourth, ITCWM served a crucial role in primary healthcare services, but its service capabilities need improvement. From 2007 to 2021, the average growth rates of ITCWM clinics, outpatient departments, and practitioners in outpatient departments were 13.30%, 2.57%, and 12.14%, respectively, while the proportion within TCM hospitals dropped. Lastly, despite the Chinese government's emphasis on financial investment and related project funding for ITCWM, it remained lower than that allocated to TCM and western medicine. Conclusion: ITCWM played a pivotal role in China's healthcare system to advance individuals' health and well-being across the lifespan. In the future, China will provide further support to enhance ITCWM health resources and improve service capability, and the strategic integration of ITCWM into the broader healthcare system will play a crucial role in achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Immunization-related stress and stress-related responses of mucosal versus intramuscular COVID-19 vaccination among adults in China.

BACKGROUND: In late 2022, China became the first country to roll out mucosal COVID-19 vaccines. No prior study has yet compared the immunization stress-related responses (ISRR) among different routes of COVID-19 vaccine delivery. We aimed to compare the immunization-related psychological stress and ISRR between mucosal and intramuscular COVID-19 vaccines. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey using a biopsychosocial framework design was performed from January 11 to 20, 2023. Adults with COVID-19 vaccination were eligible for the study, and a total of 1073 adults participated with community-based sample. Primary outcomes were the psychological stress levels and prevalence of ISRR. Multivariate regression models were employed to compare these outcomes between the two vaccination groups. The potential mediating effects of stress on vaccination and ISRR were examined using bootstrap sampling method. To further ensure the robustness of our results, sensitivity analysis with propensity score matching was performed. FINDINGS: In the univariate analysis, participants who received mucosal vaccination reported significantly lower stress levels compared to those who received intramuscular vaccination (3.39 ± 3.02 vs. 3.93 ± 3.24, P = .006). The prevalence of overall ISRR was significantly lower in the mucosal group compared to the intramuscular group (38.4% vs. 47.9%, P = .002). Multivariate regression models revealed that participants who received mucosal vaccination had a significantly lower stress level (ß = -0.516, 95% CI: -0.852 to -0.180; P = .003) and 38.7% fewer overall ISRR (OR = 0.613, 95% CI: 0.427 to 0.881; P = .008), particularly in terms of neurological symptoms. The immunization-related stress mediated the association between vaccination type and ISRR, with indirect effects estimated at 0.0663 (95% CI: 0.0195 to 0.1346) for overall ISRR. CONCLUSIONS: Mucosal COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced psychological stress and physical responses, as compared to intramuscular vaccination, which may contribute to increased trust and compliance with routine or mass vaccination efforts in the future.

A reassessment of trends and rural-urban/regional differences in the total fertility rate in China, 2000-2020: analyses of the 2020 national census data.

The decline in the total fertility rate (TFR) is a key driver of population change and has important implications for population health and social development. However, China's TFR has been a considerable controversy due to a lack of high-quality data. Therefore, this study used the 2020 national population census of China (NPCC) data and reverse survival method to reassess temporal trends in the TFRs and to reexamine rural-urban differences and regional variations in TFRs from 2000 to 2020 in China. Overall, there were significant gaps between the estimated and reported TFRs before 2020, and the estimated TFRs based on the 2020 NPCC data remained higher than the reported TFRs from government statistics. Although TFRs rebounded shortly in the years after the two-child policy, they have shown a wavelike decline since 2010. Additionally, the estimated TFRs fluctuated below 1.5 children per woman in urban areas compared to above 1.8 in rural areas, but the rural-urban differences continued to decrease. Regarding geographic regional variations, the estimated TFRs in all regions displayed a declining trend during 2010-2020, especially in rural areas. Large decreases of over 25% in TFRs occurred in the north, east, central, and northwest regions. In addition to changing the birth policy, the government and society should adopt comprehensive strategies, including reducing the costs of marriage, childbearing, and child education, as well as promoting work-family balance, to encourage and increase fertility levels.

Subsidized gestational diabetes mellitus screening and management program in rural China: a pragmatic multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major challenge, particularly in rural areas of China where control rates are suboptimal. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a GDM subsidy program in promoting GDM screening and management in these underserved regions. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in obstetric clinics of six rural hospitals located in three provinces in China. Eligible participants were pregnant women in 24-28 weeks' gestation, without overt diabetes, with a singleton pregnancy, access to a telephone, and provided informed consent. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or control groups using an internet-based, computer-generated randomization system. The intervention group received subsidized care for GDM, which included screening, blood glucose retesting, and lifestyle management, with financial assistance provided to health care providers. In contrast, the control group received usual care. The primary outcomes of this study were the combined maternal and neonatal complications associated with GDM, as defined by the occurrence of at least one pre-defined complication in either the mother or newborn. The secondary outcomes included the GDM screening rate, rates of glucose retesting for pregnant women diagnosed with GDM, dietary patterns, physical activity levels, gestational weight gain, and antenatal visit frequency for exploratory purposes. Primary and secondary outcomes were obtained for all participants with and without GDM. Binary outcomes were analyzed by the generalized linear model with a link of logistic, and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Count outcomes were analyzed by Poisson regression, and incidence rate ratios with 95% CIs were reported. RESULTS: A total of 3294 pregnant women were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 1649) or the control group (n = 1645) between 15 September 2018 and 30 September 2019. The proportion of pregnant women in the intervention group who suffered from combined maternal and/or neonatal complications was lower than in the control group with adjusted OR = 0.86 (0.80 to 0.94, P = 0.001), and a more significant difference was observed in the GDM subgroup (adjusted OR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.95, P = 0.025). No predefined safety or adverse events of ketosis or ketoacidosis associated with GDM management were detected in this study. Both the intervention and control groups had high GDM screening rates (intervention: 97.2% [1602/1649]; control: 94.5% [1555/1645], P < 0.001). Moreover, The intervention group showed a healthier lifestyle, with lower energy intake and more walking minutes (P values < 0.05), and more frequent blood glucose testing (1.5 vs. 0.4 visits; P = 0.001) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: In rural China, a GDM care program that provided incentives for both pregnant women and healthcare providers resulted in improved maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Public health subsidy programs in China should consider incorporating GDM screening and management to further enhance reproductive health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: China Clinical Trials Registry ChiCTR1800017488. https://www.chictr.org.cn/.

Cost-Effectiveness of Salt Substitute and Salt Supply Restriction in Eldercare Facilities: The DECIDE-Salt Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Salt substitution has been reported to be a cost-saving sodium reduction strategy that has not yet been replicated in different contexts. Objective: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of sodium reduction strategies within the DECIDE-Salt trial. Design, Setting, and Participants: The DECIDE-Salt trial cluster randomized in a 1:1:1:1 ratio 48 eldercare facilities in China into 4 groups for evaluation of 2 sodium reduction strategies for 2 years: 1 with both strategies, 2 with either strategy, and 1 with neither strategy. The trial was conducted from September 25, 2017, through October 24, 2020. Interventions: The 2 intervention strategies were replacing regular salt with salt substitute and progressively restricting salt supply to kitchens. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes included per-participant costs of intervention implementation and medical treatments for hypertension and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) against mean reductions in systolic blood pressure, hypertension prevalence, MACE incidence, and mortality. The incremental cost-utility ratio was then assessed as the additional mean cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained. Analyses were conducted separately for each strategy, comparing groups assigned and not assigned the test strategy. Disease outcomes followed the intention-to-treat principle and adopted different models as appropriate. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore uncertainty, and data analyses were performed between August 13, 2022, and April 5, 2023. Results: A total of 1612 participants (1230 males [76.3%]) with a mean (SD) age of 71.0 (9.5) years were enrolled. Replacing regular salt with salt substitute reduced mean systolic blood pressure by 7.14 (95% CI, 3.79-10.48) mm Hg, hypertension prevalence by 5.09 (95% CI, 0.37-9.80) percentage points, and cumulative MACEs by 2.27 (95% CI, 0.09-4.45) percentage points. At the end of the 2-year intervention, the mean cost was $25.95 less for the salt substitute group than the regular salt group due to substantial savings in health care costs for MACEs (mean [SD], $72.88 [$9.11] vs $111.18 [$13.90], respectively). Sensitivity analysis showed robust cost savings. By contrast, the salt restriction strategy did not show significant results. If the salt substitution strategy were rolled out to all eldercare facilities in China, 48 101 MACEs and 107 857 hypertension cases were estimated to be averted and $54 982 278 saved in the first 2 years. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cluster randomized clinical trial indicate that salt substitution may be a cost-saving strategy for hypertension control and cardiovascular disease prevention for residents of eldercare facilities in China. The substantial health benefit savings in preventing MACEs and moderate operating costs offer strong evidence to support the Chinese government and other countries in planning or implementing sodium intake reduction and salt substitute campaigns. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03290716.

Adding new childhood vaccines to China's National Immunization Program: evidence, benefits, and priorities.

China's National Immunization Program has made remarkable achievements but does not include several important childhood vaccines that are readily available in the private market, such as pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), rotavirus vaccine, Haemophilus influenzae serotype b (Hib) vaccine, and varicella vaccine. We reviewed the literature to assess these four non-National Immunization Program vaccines in terms of their disease burdens, coverage, inequalities, and cost-effectiveness in China and aimed to recommend priorities for introducing them to the National Immunization Program. Based on our calculations using the available evidence, incorporating these vaccines into China's National Immunization Program in 2019 could have averted 11 761 deaths among children younger than 5 years, accounting for 10·29% of the total deaths in children younger than 5 years and reducing the mortality rate from 7·8 per 1000 to 7·0 per 1000. The review showed that 13-valent PCV (PCV13) had the lowest and most inequitable coverage but could prevent the highest number of deaths. In a budgetary analysis for the cohort of newborns in 2023, we estimated that the projected aggregate government costs were US$1954·92 million for PCV13, $1273·13 million for pentavalent rotavirus vaccine, $415·30 million for Hib vaccine, and $221·64 million for varicella vaccine. Our overall multicriteria decision analysis suggested the following priority order for introducing these four non-programme vaccines to the National Immunization Program to benefit the Chinese population: PCV13, rotavirus vaccine, Hib vaccine, and varicella vaccine.

Factors associated with recommendation behaviors of four non-National Immunization Program vaccines: a cross-sectional survey among public health workers in China.

BACKGROUND: Immunization is a crucial preventive measure to safeguard children under five years old against a range of diseases. In China, the coverage rate of non-National Immunization Program (non-NIP) vaccines can be improved by leveraging the recommendation from public health workers. Hence, understanding the influencing factors of recommendation behaviors assume paramount importance. This study aims to investigate influencing factors of public health workers' recommendation behaviors towards non-NIP vaccines, with a particular emphasis on financial incentives. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a multi-stage sampling method in 2019 from August to October. 627 public health workers were recruited from 148 community healthcare centers in ten provincial-level administrative divisions in China. An anonymous questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, attitudes towards vaccination, and recommendation behaviors towards non-NIP vaccines, including Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, varicella vaccine, and rotavirus vaccine. Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were adopted in this study. RESULTS: Of the 610 public health workers with complete survey data, 53.8%, 57.4%, 84.1%, and 54.1% often recommended Hib vaccine, pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine (PCV), varicella vaccine, and rotavirus vaccine, respectively. Logistic regression revealed that gender (Hib vaccine: OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8; PCV: OR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8; rotavirus vaccine: OR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.2-0.6), financial incentives for non-NIP vaccination (Hib vaccine: OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.6; PCV: OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1-3.9; rotavirus vaccine: OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.8) and perception of vaccine safety (Hib vaccine: OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.1-7.0; PCV: OR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.2-8.0; rotavirus vaccine: OR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.2-7.7) were associated with public health workers' recommendation towards Hib vaccine, PCV and rotavirus vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlighted public health workers' recommendation behaviors of non-NIP vaccines in China and revealed strong association between vaccine recommendation and financial incentives. This highlights the importance of financial incentives in public health workers' recommendation toward non-NIP vaccines in China. Proper incentives are recommended for public health workers to encourage effective health promotion in immunization practices.

Better adherence to childhood Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination with combination vaccines compared to single-antigen vaccines: Evidence from China.

Background: The coverage of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccination remains suboptimal in China, and this study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of caregivers' Hib-containing vaccine choices and the association between combination vaccine use and adherence to Hib immunisation schedule among Chinese children. Methods: From August to October 2019, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 148 community health care centres from ten provinces in China, which collected vaccination records from 5294 children aged 6-59 months. The children were categorised into three groups based on their Hib-containing vaccine receipt: unvaccinated group, monovalent vaccine group, and combination vaccine group. The outcome measures included: (1) receipt and choice of Hib-containing vaccines, and (2) completion of the three-dose schedule. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate the influencing factors of Hib-containing vaccine receipt and choice, and logistic regression was adopted to investigate the associations between vaccine choice and schedule completion. Results: Of the 5294 children, 19.53% received monovalent vaccines only, 22.59% received at least one dose of combination vaccines, and 57.88% were not vaccinated against Hib. The overall three-dose completion rate was 27.03%. The multinomial logistic (mlogit) regression findings indicated strong associations of socioeconomic status and Hib-containing vaccine supply with vaccination status. Multiple logistic regression among those who received at least one Hib-containing dose demonstrated a 3-fold increase in the likelihood of three-dose schedule completion by children who received any combination dose compared with those received single-antigen vaccines only (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.97 (95% CI = 3.14-5.03)). Conclusions: Findings from the current study provide a more comprehensive understanding of the strong relationship between combination vaccine receipt and completion outcomes. Facing the suboptimal Hib vaccination rate in China, the use of combination vaccines could help increase vaccination compliance, and appropriate government actions to reduce out-of-pocket burden of immunisation are encouraged to address inequities in vaccine choices.

Assessing the impact of the 2018 Changchun Changsheng vaccine incident on childhood vaccination in China.

BACKGROUND: The 2018 Changchun Changsheng vaccine incident is an emergent public health event in China with reports of DTaP vaccines with compromised efficacy. This study aimed to estimate the impact of the vaccine incident on real-world vaccination behaviors in China. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in ten provinces in 2019. Vaccination records were collected from 5294 children aged 6-59 months, with information on 75,579 vaccine doses for seven National Immunization Program (NIP) vaccines and two non-NIP vaccines received from 2014 to 2019. Chi-square test, interrupted time series, and logistic regression were used to evaluate the impacts of vaccine incident on vaccination delay, measured as the proportion of delayed doses out of total doses in schedule. RESULTS: Here we show significant increases in doses delayed ≤ 3 months (19.12% to 22.51%, p = 0.000) and > 3 months (7.17% to 11.82%, p = 0.000) for DTaP vaccine after the incident. By scaling nationally, there will be extra 2.1 million doses delayed ≤ 3 months and 2.8 million doses delayed > 3 months in the year following this incident. More guardians choose expensive private-market substitutes containing DTaP elements over government-funded DTaP vaccines. Controlling for socio-demographic factors, doses scheduled after the incident have higher odds of delays for DTaP vaccine (OR: 3.49, 95% CI: 3.08-3.96) and other NIP vaccines (OR: 2.76, 95% CI: 2.55-2.99), but not for non-NIP vaccines. CONCLUSIONS: The observed delays in the incident-involved DTaP vaccine immunization reflect the negative effects of the vaccine incident on vaccination behaviors under the NIP. However, its effects seem minimal for non-NIP vaccines.

In the 2018 Changchun Changsheng vaccine incident, the vaccine manufacturer was accused of producing substandard vaccines with compromised efficacy. This study assessed the impacts of the vaccine incident on subsequent vaccination of children in China. We found that vaccinations occurred later than normal for the specific vaccine involved in the incident, but there was no impact on the timing of other childhood vaccines. Children's guardians also chose different vaccines from that involved in the vaccine incident. Information about how children's guardians reacted to this incident could be used to improve the information provided in future about childhood vaccination, and be used to decide how vaccination programs could respond following similar incidents.

Estimating global and regional between-country inequality in routine childhood vaccine coverage in 195 countries and territories from 2019 to 2021: a longitudinal study.

Background: Global routine childhood vaccine coverage has plateaued in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted immunisation services. We estimated global and regional inequality of routine childhood vaccine coverage from 2019 to 2021, particularly assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used longitudinal data for 11 routine childhood vaccines from the WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), including 195 countries and territories in 2019-2021. The slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) of each vaccine were calculated through linear regression to express the difference in coverage between the top and bottom 20% of countries at the global and regional levels. We also explored inequalities of routine childhood vaccine coverage by WHO regions and unvaccinated children by income groups. Findings: Globally between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2021, most childhood vaccines showed a declining trend in coverage, and therefore an increasing number of unvaccinated children, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Between-country inequalities existed for all 11 routine childhood vaccine coverage indicators. The SII for the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccine (DTP3) coverage was 20.1 percentage points (95% confidence interval: 13.7, 26.5) in 2019, and rose to 23.6 (17.5, 30.0) in 2020 and 26.9 (20.0, 33.8) in 2021. Similar patterns were found for RII results and in other routine vaccines. In 2021, the second dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV2) coverage had the highest global absolute inequality (31.2, [21.5-40.8]), and completed rotavirus vaccine (RotaC) coverage had the lowest (7.8, [-3.9, 19.5]). Among six WHO regions, the European Region consistently had the lowest inequalities, and the Western Pacific Region had the largest inequalities for many indicators, although both increased from 2019 to 2021. Interpretation: Global and regional inequalities of routine childhood vaccine coverage persisted and substantially increased from 2019 to 2021. These findings reveal economic-related inequalities by vaccines, regions, and countries, and underscore the importance of reducing such inequalities. These inequalities were widened during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in even lower coverage and more unvaccinated children in low-income countries. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Evidence synthesis of Chinese medicine for monkeypox: Suggestions from other contagious pox-like viral diseases.

Background: Monkeypox, a zoonotic disease caused by an Orthopoxvirus, presents an etiology similar to smallpox in humans. Currently, there are no licensed treatments for human monkeypox, so clear and urgent research on its prophylaxis and treatment is needed. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the evidence of Chinese medicine for contagious pox-like viral diseases and provide suggestions for the multi-country outbreak management of monkeypox. Methods: The review was registered on INPLASY (INPLASY202270013). Ancient classics in China and clinical trials involving randomized controlled trials , non-RCTs, and comparative observational studies of CM on the prevention and treatment of monkeypox, smallpox, measles, varicella, and rubella were retrieved from the Chinese Medical Code (fifth edition), Database of China Ancient Medicine, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP, Wanfang, Google Scholar, International Clinical Trial Registry Platform, and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry until 6 July 2022. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were applied to present the data collected. Results: The use of CM to control contagious pox-like viral diseases was traced back to ancient Chinese practice cited in Huangdi's Internal Classic, where the pathogen was recorded nearly two thousand years back. There were 85 articles (36 RCTs, eight non-RCTs, one cohort study, and 40 case series) that met the inclusion criteria, of which 39 studies were for measles, 38 for varicella, and eight for rubella. Compared with Western medicine for contagious pox-like viral diseases, CM combined with Western medicine showed significant improvements in fever clearance time (mean difference, -1.42 days; 95% CI, -1.89 to -0.95; 10 RCTs), rash/pox extinction time (MD, -1.71 days; 95% CI, -2.65 to -0.76; six RCTs), and rash/pox scab time (MD, -1.57 days; 95% CI, -1.94 to -1.19; five RCTs). When compared with Western medicine, CM alone could reduce the time of rash/pox extinction and fever clearance. Chinese herbal formulas, including modified Yinqiao powder, modified Xijiao Dihaung decoction, modified Qingjie Toubiao decoction, and modified Shengma Gegen decoction, were frequently applied to treat pox-like viral diseases and also showed significant effects in shortening the time of fever clearance, rash/pox extinction, and rash/pox scabs. Compared with Western medicine (placental globulin) or no intervention, eight non-randomized trials and observational studies on the prevention of contagious pox-like viral diseases showed a significant preventive effect of Leiji powder among high-risk populations. Conclusion: Based on historical records and clinical studies of CM in managing contagious pox-like viral diseases, some botanical drugs could be an alternative approach for treating and preventing human monkeypox. Prospective, rigorous clinical trials are urgently needed to confirm the potential preventive and treatment effect of Chinese herbal formulas. Systematic Review Registration: [https://inplasy.com/], identifier [INPLASY202270013].

Associations between mental health status and labor force transitions in China: A longitudinal study between agricultural and nonagricultural sectors.

No consensus has been reached on the relationship between retirement and mental health, and limited information is available on retirement and mental health in developing countries. This study investigated the associations between short-term changes in mental health status and labor force transitions (retirement and reemployment) in both the agricultural and nonagricultural sectors in China. This study used nationally representative panel data from three waves (2011, 2015, and 2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study on workers and retirees aged 40-70 years in China. The latent change score (LCS) model was employed. The transition from nonagricultural and agricultural sectors to retirement significantly increased the changes in the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D-10) score. Reentering the nonagricultural sectors significantly decreased the changes in the CES-D-10 score, whereas reentering the agricultural sectors had no impact on the changes in the CES-D-10 score. Stronger associations were identified among male workers, while the associations were weaker and less significant for female workers. Findings are consistent with the resource-based dynamic theory and extends the work in developing country by showing the mental health status worsens after retirement transitions and improves after reentering the workforce, especially for nonagricultural male workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Estimating national, regional and provincial cost-effectiveness of introducing childhood 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in China: a modelling analysis.

Background: Although 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) is available in China's private market, it has yet to be introduced into the National Immunization Programme (NIP) and is therefore not available to large parts of the population. This study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of including PCV13 in China's NIP at national and provincial levels. Methods: We adopted a decision-tree Markov model to estimate the cost-effectiveness of adding 3-dose PCV13 in the NIP compared to the status quo in the private market from a societal perspective. The model hypothesized a birth cohort for five years after vaccine introduction. Treatment costs and vaccine program costs were calculated from Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and national insurance databases. Disease burden data, incidence rate ratios, and other parameters were derived from published and grey literature. Cases and deaths averted, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were estimated at the provincial, regional, and national levels. One-way, scenario and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore model uncertainty. Findings: At the national level, introducing PCV13 in the NIP was predicted to prevent approximately 4807 pneumococcal deaths (66% reduction) and 1,057,650 pneumococcal cases (17% reduction) in the first five years of the 2019 birth cohort. Under the assumed base case price of US$ 25 per dose in the NIP, PCV13 in the NIP was cost-effective nationally with ICER of US$ 5.222 per QALY gained, and was cost-effective in 17 and cost-saving in 4 of the 31 provinces compared to the status quo. One-way and scenario sensitivity analyses indicated robust results when varying all model parameters, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed a 98% probability of cost-effectiveness nationally. Interpretation: Our findings highlight the cost-effectiveness of introducing PCV13 in China's NIP. Provincial results supported subnational introduction of PCV13, and priority should be given to less socioeconomically developed provinces. Since vaccination cost is the most influential model parameter, efforts to improve PCV affordability after pooled procurement will benefit public health in a cost-effective manner. Funding: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Family physician services and blood pressure control in China: A population-based retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Given the importance of continuous family physician (FP) care in the management of hypertension, we explored the effects of such care among hypertensive patients in China, a country where such care is generally underutilized. We examined the longitudinal association between the use and continuity of FP services and health outcomes including blood pressure (BP) control rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). METHODS: We conducted a population-based cohort study using data from the retrospective regional electronic health record database in Xiamen City, China. The study considered 18,119 hypertensive patients aged over 18 years who had at least two visits to a health center in the preceding 12 months. The generalized estimating equation model was adopted to estimate the longitudinal association between FP service utilization and health outcomes. RESULTS: Hypertensive patients treated by their own FPs had a higher BP control rate (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02-1.28) and lower DBP (-0.36 mmHg, 95% CI: -0.52 to -0.20) than those without a FP or those with a FP but treated by a general community physician (GCP). Compared with hypertensive patients treated exclusively by GCPs, patients treated continuously and exclusively by a FP were 45% more likely to have their BP under control (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.32-1.60), and their SBP and DBP were lower by 0.6 mmHg (95% CI: -0.78 to -0.39) and 0.6 mmHg (95% CI: -0.79 to -0.47), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive patients continuously treated by their own FPs performed better in terms of BP control rate, SBP and DBP values. In addition, the number and continuity of FP visits were associated with better BP control.

Cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines among adults aged 65 years and older in China: A comparative study.

We aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness and health benefits of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), 13-valent pneumococcal conjunctive vaccine (PCV13), and PCV13-PPSV23 sequential vaccination strategies in preventing pneumonia and other pneumococcal diseases among the senior citizens (≥ 65 years) in China. The cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines compared to no vaccination was estimated using a decision-tree Markov model from a societal perspective. Parameters including epidemiological data, vaccine efficacy and cost data were obtained from previous studies. Cases and deaths averted, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were presented as outcomes. Sensitivity analyses were performed to explore the uncertainty in the model. In the base-case analysis, compared with no pneumococcal vaccination, the ICERs of PPSV23, PCV13 and PCV13-PPSV23 are US$10,776.7/QALY, $9,193.2/QALY, and $15,080.0/QALY, respectively. PCV13 is the most cost-effective strategy and the only cost-effective strategy based on a threshold of the one-time national GDP per capita, whereas PPSV23 vaccine strategy is provided with the lowest cost, and PCV13-PPSV23 demonstrates the greatest impact on pneumococcal disease burden. Sensitivity analyses reveal that the results are greatly influenced by serotype coverage, vaccine efficacy, CAP incidence and vaccine prices. The PCV13 vaccination for Chinese seniors is more cost-effective than PPSV23 vaccination and PCV13-PPSV23 sequential vaccination.

Coverage and Equity of Childhood Vaccines in China.

Importance: Measuring vaccination coverage rates and equity is crucial for informing immunization policies in China. Objectives: To estimate coverage rates and multidimensional equity for childhood vaccination in China. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study was conducted via a survey in 10 Chinese provinces between August 5 and October 16, 2019, among children ages 6 months to 5 years and their primary caregivers. Children's vaccination records and their primary caregivers' demographics and socioeconomic status were collected. Data were analyzed from November 2019 to March 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: Vaccine coverage rates were measured as a percentage of National Immunization Program (NIP) and non-NIP vaccines administered before the day on which the child was surveyed. A multidimensional equity model applied a standardized approach to ranking individuals from least to most unfairly disadvantaged by estimating differences between observed vaccination status and estimated vaccination status as function of fair and unfair variation. Fair sources of variation in coverage included whether the child was of age to receive the vaccine, and unfair sources of variation included sex of the child and sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers. Absolute equity gaps (AEGs), concentration index values, and decompositions of factors associated with vaccine equity were estimated in the model. Results: Vaccine records and sociodemographic information of 5294 children (2976 [52.8%] boys and 2498 [47.2%] girls; age range, 6-59 months; 1547 children aged 12-23 months) and their primary caregivers were collected from 10 provinces. Fully immunized coverage under the NIP was 83.1% (95% CI, 82.0%-84.1%) at the national level and more than 80% in 7 provinces (province coverage ranged from 77.8% [95% CI, 74.3% to 81.3%] in Jiangxi to 88.4% [95% CI, 85.7%-91.1%] in Beijing). For most non-NIP vaccines, however, coverage rates were less than 50%, ranging from 1.8% (95% CI, 1.3%-2.2%) for the third dose of rotavirus vaccine to 67.1% (65.4% to 68.8%) for the first dose of the varicella vaccine. The first dose of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine had the largest AEG, at 0.603 (95% CI, 0.570-0.636), and rotavirus vaccine dose 3 had the largest concentration index value, at 0.769 (95% CI, 0.709-0.829). The largest share of non-NIP vaccine inequity was contributed by monthly family income per capita, followed by education level, place of residence, and province for caregivers. For example, the proportion of explained inequity for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine dose 3 was 40.94% (95% CI, 39.49%-42.39%), 22.67% (95% CI, 21.43%-23.9%), 27.15% (95% CI, 25.84%-28.46%), and 0.68% (95% CI, 0.44%-0.92%) for these factors, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study found that NIP vaccination coverage in China was high but there was inequity for non-NIP vaccines. These findings suggest that improvements in equitable coverage of non-NIP vaccination may be urgently needed to meet national immunization goals.

Maternal choices and preferences for screening strategies of gestational diabetes mellitus: A exploratory study using discrete choice experiment.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate maternal preferences for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening options in rural China to identify an optimal GDM screening strategy. Methods: Pregnant women at 24-28 gestational weeks were recruited from Shandong province, China. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to elicit pregnant women's preferences for GDM screening strategy defined by five attributes: number of blood draws, out-of-pocket costs, screening waiting-time, number of hospital visits, and positive diagnosis rate. A mixed logistic model was employed to quantify maternal preferences, and to estimate the relative importance of included attributes in determining pregnant women's preferences for two routinely applied screening strategies ("one-step": 75 g oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT] and "two-step": 50 g glucose challenge-test plus 75 g OGTT). Preference heterogeneity was also investigated. Results: N = 287 participants completed the DCE survey. All five predefined attributes were associated with pregnant women's preferences. Diagnostic rate was the most influential attribute (17.5 vs. 8.0%, OR: 2.89; 95%CI: 2.10 to 3.96). When changes of the attributes of "two-step" to "one-step" strategies, women's uptake probability from full "two-step" to "one-step" significantly increased with 71.3% (95%CI: 52.2 to 90.1%), but no significant difference with the first step of "two-step" (-31.0%, 95%CI: -70.2 to 8.1%). Conclusion: Chinese pregnant women preferred the "one-step" screening strategy to the full "two-step" strategy, but were indifferent between "one-step" and the first step of "two-step" strategies.

PPSV-23 recommendation and vaccination coverage in China: a cross-sectional survey among healthcare workers, older adults and chronic disease patients.

BACKGROUND: 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV-23) is crucial to protecting high-risk groups. This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of PPSV-23 recommendation among healthcare workers, and PPSV-23 coverage among Chinese older adults and chronic disease patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In 2019, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in ten provinces in China among older adults aged ≥65 years, chronic disease patients aged 18-64 years, and primary healthcare workers. Multiple logistic regression model was adopted to identify the influencing factors of PPSV-23 recommendation and vaccination uptake. RESULTS: Of the 1138 healthcare workers, 46.75% often recommended PPSV-23 to target groups, and public health workers were more likely to recommend than general practitioners. PPSV-23 vaccination rate was 3.29% among chronic disease patients aged <65 years, 6.69% among older adults without chronic disease(s), and 8.87% among chronic disease patients aged ≥65 years. Multiple logistic regression revealed that only general practitioners' recommendation was associated with increased PPSV-23 coverage (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlighted the suboptimal PPSV-23 coverage rate in China and the strong association between healthcare workers' recommendation and residents' vaccination uptake. Targeted and coherent PPSV-23-related training is suggested for general practitioners to encourage effective health promotion in clinical practices.

Influenza vaccination hesitancy and its determinants among elderly in China: A national cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The Chinese elderly face a significant threat from seasonal influenza, owing to the consistently low vaccination coverage. This study investigated the prevalence and determinants of influenza vaccination hesitancy among the Chinese elderly. METHODS: In 2019, 3849 elderly individuals from 10 provinces in China were recruited in a cross-sectional survey. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to investigate the determinants of influenza vaccination hesitancy. RESULTS: Among the elderly respondents, 37.18% expressed some degree of hesitancy towards influenza vaccination: 19.28% were hesitant, and 17.90% refused influenza vaccination, including 19.28% acceptors with doubts and 17.90% refusers. Only 39.10% of the respondents considered themselves as the priority group for influenza vaccination, and 13.93% reported receiving a recommendation for vaccination from healthcare workers. Respondents with higher education levels and from urban areas had significantly higher odds of vaccine hesitancy than their counterparts. Confidence in the safety of vaccines was negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy, but confidence in vaccine efficacy had no such association. Respondents who perceived themselves as highly susceptible to influenza (AOR = 0.85; 95 %CI = 0.77-0.93) and those aware of the elderly as a priority group for influenza vaccination (AOR = 0.51; 95 %CI = 0.41-0.64) had a significantly lower odds of being refusers. CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence of hesitancy towards influenza vaccination among the Chinese elderly, especially well-educated and urban-dwelling respondents. The government should address vaccine hesitancy through culturally appropriate communication, subsidies for vaccination, and actively promoting vaccines through primary care professionals.

Parental preference for influenza vaccine for children in China: a discrete choice experiment.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate what factors affect parents' influenza vaccination preference for their children and whether there exists preference heterogeneity among respondents in China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. A discrete choice experiment was conducted. Five attributes were identified based on literature review and qualitative interviews, including protection rate, duration of vaccine-induced protection, risk of serious side effects, location of manufacturer and out-of-pocket cost. SETTING: Multistage sampling design was used. According to geographical location and the level of economic development, 10 provinces in China were selected, and the survey was conducted at community healthcare centres or stations. PARTICIPANTS: Parents with at least one child aged between 6 months and 5 years old were recruited and the survey was conducted via a face-to-face interview in 2019. In total, 600 parents completed the survey, and 449 who passed the internal consistency test were included in the main analysis. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: A mixed logit model was used to estimate factors affecting parents' preference to vaccinate their children. In addition, sociodemographic characteristics were included to explore the preference heterogeneity. RESULTS: In general, respondents preferred to vaccinate their children. All attributes were statistically significant and among them, the risk of severe side effects was the most important attribute, followed by the protection rate and duration of vaccine-induced protection. Contrary to our initial expectation, respondents have a stronger preference for the domestic than the imported vaccine. Some preference heterogeneity among parents was also found and in particular, parents who were older, or highly educated placed a higher weight on a higher protection rate. CONCLUSION: Vaccination safety and vaccine effectiveness are the two most important characteristics that influenced parents' decision to vaccinate against influenza for their children in China. Results from this study will facilitate future policy implementations to improve vaccination uptake rates.