Home Care Aides' Perspectives of Occupational Tobacco Smoke Exposure: A Q Methodology Study.

INTRODUCTION: The increased growth of older adults has generated demand for home care aides (HCAs). Occupational tobacco smoke exposure (OTSE) may risk their health which should be paid attention to. AIMS AND METHODS: This study explored the HCAs' perspectives of OTSE to inform health promotion programs catering to individual needs. A two-stage Q methodology was employed for data collection and analysis. Thirty-nine Q statements were extracted in the first stage and then 51 HCAs with OTSE were recruited to complete Q sorting in the second stage. PQ Method software was used for data analysis. Principal component analysis was performed to determine the most appropriate number of factors. RESULTS: The five factors identified from HCAs' perspective of OTSE explained 51% of the variance. The HCAs agreed that OTSE could increase cancer risk. The HCAs with factor I did not care about OTSE, tending to complete their work. The HCAs with factor II agreed with the health hazards of OTSE, but did not know how to help their clients stop smoking. The HCAs with factor III cared about OTSE but were afraid of disrupting the client-provider relationship. The HCAs with factor IV regarded OTSE as a priority for occupational interventions whereas the HCAs with factor V did not think OTSE was an issue and believed that they could balance work and OTSE health hazards. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings will inform the design of home care pre-service and on-the-job training courses. Long-term care policies should be developed to promote smoke-free workplaces. IMPLICATIONS: There are five types of HCAs' perspectives on OTSE. The tailor interventions can be developed to help them avoid the OTSE (eg, opening windows for ventilation or using air purification equipment) and have an OTSE-free space.

Experiences of person-centered care for sundown syndrome among nurses and nurse aides in dementia special care units: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the response and management experiences of nurses and nurse aides in dementia special care units when caring for residents with sundown syndrome based on the person-centered care model. METHODS: Focus group interviews were conducted among nurses and nurse aides from four dementia special care units that have been accredited by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan. Content analysis was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The 29 nurses and nurse aides were recruited to participate in the study. Analysis of interview content revealed six themes, identifying the intra-individual, inter-individual, and organizational dimensions. The central topic was commitment. Under the umbrella of commitment, six themes including self-preparation, non-suppression, diversion, pacification, continuity of meeting, and collaboration, which had 18 subthemes, emerged as responsive care practices for person-centered care when supporting residents with sundown syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide responsive care practices based on person-centered care for people living with dementia who develop sundown syndrome. The study can inform practices for quality of care for dementia in long-term care institutions and contribute to the development of materials for nursing training and education.

Impact of home healthcare on end-of-life outcomes for people with dementia: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Home healthcare (HHC) comprises clinical services provided by medical professionals for people living at home with various levels of care needs and health conditions. HHC may reduce care transitions from home to acute hospitals, but its long-term impact on homebound people living with dementia (PLWD) towards end-of-life remains unclear. We aim to describe the impact of HHC on acute healthcare utilization and end-of-life outcomes in PLWD. METHODS: Design: Systematic review of quantitative and qualitative original studies which examine the association between HHC and targeted outcomes. INTERVENTIONS: HHC. PARTICIPANTS: At least 80% of study participants had dementia and lived at home. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was acute healthcare utilization in the last year of life. Secondary outcomes included hospice palliative care, advance care planning, continuity of care, and place of death. We briefly reviewed selected national policy to provide contextual information regarding these outcomes. RESULTS: From 6831 articles initially identified, we included five studies comprising data on 4493 participants from USA, Japan, and Italy. No included studies received a "high" quality rating. We synthesised core properties related to HHC at three implementational levels. Micro-level: HHC may be associated with a lower risk of acute healthcare utilization in the early period (e.g., last 90 days before death) and a higher risk in the late period (e.g. last 15 days) of the disease trajectory toward end-of-life in PLWD. HHC may increase palliative care referrals. Advance care planning was an important factor influencing end-of-life outcomes. Meso-level: challenges for HHC providers in medical decision-making and initiating palliative care for PLWD at the end-of-life may require further training and external support. Coordination between HHC and social care is highlighted but not well examined. Macro-level: reforms of national policy or financial schemes are found in some countries but the effects are not clearly understood. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the dearth of dementia-specific research regarding the impact of HHC on end-of-life outcomes. Effects of advance care planning during HHC, the integration between health and social care, and coordination between primary HHC and specialist geriatric/ palliative care services require further investigation.

Development of biotinylated and magnetic bead-immobilized enzymes for efficient glyco-engineering and isolation of antibodies.

The chemoenzymatic remodeled monoclonal antidodies with well-defined glycan structure at the Fc domain display improved biological activities, such as ADCC and ADCP, and are more likely to yield a better safety profile by eliminating the non-human glycans derived from CHO cell culture. We covalently immobilize wild type endoglycosidase S (EndoS), fucosidase, and EndoS2 mutant on magnetic beads through a linker to efficiently generate homogeneous antibody glycoforms without additional purification step to remove endoglycosidase and fucosidase. We also used the biotinylated wild type EndoS2 and EndoS2 mutant in combination with covalently immobilized fucosidase on magnetic beads to allow the sequential removal of endoglycosidases and fucosidase for efficient glyco-engineering and isolation of antibodies without purifying deglycosylated antibody intermediate. Notably, the relatively expensive fucosidase can be recovered to reduce the cost, and the strong affinity of streptavidin to biotin would complete the isolation of biotinylated enzymes. We used Trastuzumab as a model to demonstrate both approaches were reliable for the large-scale production and isolation of antibodies without the residual contamination of endoglycosidase to avoid deglycosylation over storage time.

Integrating health literacy into a theory-based drug-use prevention program: a quasi-experimental study among junior high students in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: In Taiwan, illegal drug use is a critical health problem during adolescence. Schools playa vital role in preventing students' illegal drug use. Accordingly, we developed and evaluated a school-based, drug-use prevention program integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and health literacy for junior high school students. AIM: This study aimed to use a theory-based program to prevent students from illegal drug use in Taiwanese junior high school students. METHODS: We recruited 648 junior high school students aged around 13-14 years (grades 7 to 8 students) from 14 selected schools: N = 323 in the experimental group, N = 325 in the comparison group. The experimental group received 10 45-min sessions of a theory-based drug-use prevention program. The comparison group received traditional didactic teaching and drug refusal skill training. We used a generalized estimating equation (GEE) to analyze data. RESULTS: Results of paired t-tests indicated that drug-use health literacy and TPB-related variables improved in the experimental group. The GEE analyses indicated that participants in the experimental group also demonstrated significantly improved health literacy (p < 0.001) compared to the comparison group, especially for functional (p < 0.001) and critical health literacy (p = 0.017). The experimental group also showed significant post-intervention improvement in terms of subjective norm scores (p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Study results demonstrated the effectiveness of a drug-use prevention program on health literacy and subjective norm through integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior and health literacy. The study supports that the future implementation of similar programs for junior high school students can integrate health literacy and subjective norms as two critical program components.

Examining the Effectiveness of 3D Virtual Reality Training on Problem-solving, Self-efficacy, and Teamwork Among Inexperienced Volunteers Helping With Drug Use Prevention: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Illegal drug usage among adolescents is a critical health problem. The Taiwanese government provides an accompanying volunteer program to prevent students who experiment with drugs from reusing them. An appropriate training program can improve volunteers' abilities to assist students using drugs. Problem-solving, self-efficacy, and teamwork are critical abilities for inexperienced volunteers who help with drug use prevention. By interacting with the animation or 3D virtual reality (VR) in the virtual scene, learners can immerse themselves in the virtual environment to learn, and 3D VR can increase learning opportunities and reduce the cost of human and material resources. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) training in improving problem-solving, self-efficacy, and teamwork among volunteers who helped prevent adolescents from using illegal drugs. METHODS: This study used a randomized controlled design with a total of 68 participants in the experimental (n=35) and control (n=33) groups. The participants in the experimental group received the SVVR training program and their counterparts in the control group did not receive any training. RESULTS: Generalized estimating equation analyses indicated that the experimental group showed significant posttraining improvements in problem-solving and self-efficacy but not teamwork when compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study revealed that SVVR could improve participants' problem-solving skills and self-efficacy for assisting students in not using illegal drugs. However, future studies are suggested to develop effective SVVR to assist inexperienced volunteers in enhancing their teamwork abilities. We believed that introducing the training program to more sites can enhance volunteer training so that volunteers can have a better companionship effect when helping students quit drugs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05072431; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05072431.

Effects of user experiences on continuance intention of using immersive three-dimensional virtual reality among institutionalized older adults.

AIM: To evaluate the acceptance of three-dimensional virtual reality programs and to explore the factors influencing the acceptance of the programs among the institutionalized older adults. DESIGN: A cross-sectional explanatory study. METHODS: A total of 71 residents completed the program successfully. They were invited to join a 9-week program included eight activities related to horticultural therapy in a virtual environment. Data were collected by structured questionnaires from August 2018 to February 2019. Ten association hypotheses were derived from the literature review. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to examine the proposed hypotheses. RESULTS: Program acceptance was defined as virtual reality practices and continuous usage intention. Frequency of practice was about 12 times during 9-week free-trial period, and the score of continuance usage intention was 13.06 (maximum value of 15). The findings indicated that virtual reality practices were significantly affected by presence and the presence was significantly affected by involvement and interactivity. Continuance usage intention was significantly affected by involvement; and involvement was significantly affected by interactivity. However, continuance usage intention was not significantly influenced by virtual reality practices. CONCLUSIONS: The findings supported that immersive three-dimensional virtual reality program was accepted by the institutionalized older adults. The acceptance, in terms of virtual reality practices and continuous usage intention, was influenced by different paths. The findings have a potential impact on the design of virtual reality technology for the care of institutionalized older adults. IMPACT: What problem did the study address? There were controversial findings about the acceptance of immersive 3D virtual reality program among older adults. What were the main findings? Interactivity advanced the sense of presence and, thus, resulted in a higher frequency of virtual reality practices. Interactivity enhanced perception of involvement, thus, contributing to an increased intention of continuous usage Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The immersive 3D virtual reality program was appropriate for older adults, even for first time users or individuals aged over 80 years. The findings revealed new insights for developing immersive 3D virtual reality programs for the older adults.

HOme-based Longitudinal Investigation of the multidiSciplinary Team Integrated Care (HOLISTIC): protocol of a prospective nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The use of home health care (HHC) is increasing worldwide. This may have an impact not only on patients and their caregivers' health but on care resource utilization and costs. We lack information on the impact of HHC on the broader dimensions of health status and care resource utilization. More understanding of the longitudinal HHC impact on HHC patients and caregivers is also needed. Moreover, we know little about the synergy between HHC and social care. Therefore, the present study aims to observe longitudinal changes in health, care resource utilization and costs and caregiving burden among HHC recipients and their caregivers in Taiwan. METHODS: A prospective cohort study "Home-based Longitudinal Investigation of the Multidisciplinary Team Integrated Care (HOLISTIC)" will be conducted and 600 eligible patient-caregiver dyads will be recruited and followed with comprehensive quantitative assessments during six home investigations over two years. The measurements include physical function, psychological health, cognitive function, wellbeing, shared decision making and advance care planning, palliative care and quality of dying, caregiving burden, continuity and coordination of care, care resource utilization, and costs. DISCUSSION: The HOLISTIC study offers the opportunity to comprehensively understand longitudinal changes in health conditions, care resource utilization and costs and caregiving burden among HHC patients and caregivers. It will provide new insights for clinical practitioners and policymakers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is NCT04250103 which has been registered on 31st January 2020.

Combination of 3-Dimensional Virtual Reality and Hands-On Aromatherapy in Improving Institutionalized Older Adults' Psychological Health: Quasi-Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: In Taiwan, which has one of the most rapidly aging populations in the world, it is becoming increasingly critical to promote successful aging strategies that are effective, easily usable, and acceptable to institutionalized older adults. Although many practitioners and professionals have explored aromatherapy and identified its psychological benefits, the effectiveness of combining 3-dimensional (3D) virtual reality and hands-on aromatherapy remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: A quasi-experimental trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of this combination in lowering perceived stress and promoting happiness, sleep quality, meditation experience, and life satisfaction among institutionalized older adults in Taiwan. METHODS: A total of 60 institutionalized elderly participants either received the combined intervention or were in a control group. Weekly 2-hour sessions were implemented over 9 weeks. The outcome variables were happiness, perceived stress, sleep quality, meditation experience, and life satisfaction, which were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. RESULTS: Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses indicated that the experimental group showed significant post-intervention improvements in terms of scores for happiness, perceived stress, sleep quality, meditation experience, and life satisfaction (n=48; all P<.001). Another GEE analysis showed that the significant improvements in the 5 outcome variables persisted in participants aged 80 years and older (n=35; all P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first trial to explore the effectiveness of a combination of 3D virtual reality and hands-on aromatherapy in improving older adults' psychological health. The results are promising for the promotion of psychological health in institutionalized older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04324216; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04324216.

Effects of a Combination of Three-Dimensional Virtual Reality and Hands-on Horticultural Therapy on Institutionalized Older Adults' Physical and Mental Health: Quasi-Experimental Design.

BACKGROUND: Institutionalized older adults have limited ability to engage in horticultural activities that can improve their physical and mental health. OBJECTIVE: This study explored the effects of a combination of 3D virtual reality and horticultural therapy on institutionalized older adults' physical and mental health. METHODS: The study used a quasi-experimental design. A total of 106 older adults from 2 long-term care facilities were recruited and assigned to the experimental (n=59) or control (n=47) group. The experimental participants received a 9-week intervention. Both groups completed 3 assessments: at baseline, after the intervention, and 2 months later. The outcome variables included health status, meaning in life, perceived mattering, loneliness, and depression. RESULTS: The experimental group demonstrated significantly improved health status (P<.001), meaning in life (P<.001), and perceived mattering (P<.001) as well as significantly reduced depression (P<.001) and loneliness (P<.001) compared to the control group immediately after the intervention; these effects persisted for up to 2 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study verified the beneficial effects of a combination of 3D virtual reality and hands-on horticultural therapy on older adults' health. These results could support the future successful implementation of similar programs for institutionalized older adults on a larger scale.

Patterns of parents' perspectives on protecting young children from secondhand smoke exposure: A Q-methodology study.

AIMS: To identify and describe the various patterns of parents' perspectives on avoiding secondhand smoke exposure. DESIGN: Q methodology was applied to investigate the parental perspectives of 50 parents. METHODS: The study was implemented from September-December 2016. Forty-two Q-statements were constructed based on the literature related to parental attitudes and prevention practices regarding preventing young children from experiencing secondhand smoke exposure. A series of Q-sorts was performed by the participants to rank the statements into a Q-sort grid. PQMethod 2.35 software was used to perform principal component analysis to identify different patterns of parents' perspectives. RESULTS: Five patterns of shared perspectives, which accounted for 62% of the total variance, were derived from the analysis: (a) lack of confidence to confront smokers in non-smoking areas; (b) awareness of health hazards but not ready to take preventive actions; (c) emphasis on parental responsibility and behavioural guidance; (d) awareness of health rights protected by legislation; and (e) strong willingness to take protective actions. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed the shared perspectives of five groups of parents. The exploration of clusters of parents could assist healthcare professionals in acknowledging parents' tendencies related to attitudes and responses towards secondhand smoke exposure. IMPACT: Using a forced distribution through the Q-sorting technique, the particular perspective patterns of parents' experiences would be captured. These findings can serve as a useful guide for researchers and practitioners to develop tailored intervention programs for parents with the purpose of reducing secondhand smoke exposure in young children.

A common glycan structure on immunoglobulin G for enhancement of effector functions.

Antibodies have been developed as therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer, infection, and inflammation. In addition to binding activity toward the target, antibodies also exhibit effector-mediated activities through the interaction of the Fc glycan and the Fc receptors on immune cells. To identify the optimal glycan structures for individual antibodies with desired activity, we have developed an effective method to modify the Fc-glycan structures to a homogeneous glycoform. In this study, it was found that the biantennary N-glycan structure with two terminal alpha-2,6-linked sialic acids is a common and optimized structure for the enhancement of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, and antiinflammatory activities.

Patterns of perspectives on fall-prevention beliefs by community-dwelling older adults: a Q method investigation.

BACKGROUND: Falling has high incidence and reoccurrence rates and is an essential factor contributing to accidental injury or death for older adults. Enhancing the participation of community-dwelling older adults in fall-prevention programs is crucial. Understanding fall-prevention beliefs will be beneficial for developing a community-based fall-prevention program. The aim of the present study was to identify the distinct types of subjective views on the fall-prevention beliefs of community-dwelling older adults aged 80 years and older by applying the Q method. METHODS: The Q method was adopted to investigate the pattern of perception on fall-prevention beliefs. Forty-two older adults aged 80 - 92 years from a community care center in Northern Taiwan were recruited and requested to complete a Q-sorting. A series of Q-sorts was performed by the participants to rank 30 statements into a normal distribution Q-sort grid. The Q-sorts were subjected to principal component analysis by using PQMethod software Version 2.35. RESULTS: Four statistically independent perspectives were derived from the analysis and reflected distinct viewpoints on beliefs related to fall prevention. Participants in the Considerate perspective believed that health problems caused by falling were serious and fall prevention could decrease the burden they place on their family. Participants in the Promising perspective believed that existing health problems could cause a fall and that fall prevention contributed to their well-being. Participants in the Adaptable perspective perceived low barriers to execute fall prevention and displayed self-confidence and independence in preventing falls. Participants in the Ignorance perspective believed that they could not prevent falls and perceived barriers to fall prevention. CONCLUSIONS: By combining theoretical constructs and the Q methodology approach, this study identified four distinct perspectives on fall prevention among community-dwelling older adults. Critical reflection on older adult personal perspectives and interpretations of the required responsive approach is a key element for appropriating fall-prevention support.

Interventions to reduce the number of falls among older adults with/without cognitive impairment: an exploratory meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This exploratory meta-analysis aimed to examine and compare the effective interventions to prevent falls among institutionalized/non-institutionalized older adults without cognitive impairment with interventions to prevent falls for older adults with cognitive impairment. DESIGN: A database search identified 111 trials published between January 1992 and August 2012 that evaluated fall-prevention interventions among institutionalized/non-institutionalized older adults with and without cognitive impairment as measured by valid cognition scales. RESULTS: Exercise alone intervention was similar effective on reducing the numbers of falls among older adults without cognitive impairment regardless of setting (non-institutionalized: OR = 0.783, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.656-0.936; p = 0.007 institutionalized: OR = 0.799, 95% CI = 0.646-0.988, p = 0.038). Vitamin D/calcium supplementation had a positive effect on the reduction of numbers of falls among non-institutionalized older adults without cognitive impairment (OR = 0.789, 95% CI = 0.631-0.985, p = 0.036), as did home visits and environment modification (OR = 0.751, 95% CI = 0.565-0.998, p = 0.048). Exercise alone, exercise-related multiple interventions, and multifactorial interventions were associated with positive outcomes among both institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults with cognitive impairment, but studies are limited. CONCLUSIONS: Single exercise interventions can significantly reduce numbers of falls among older adults with and without cognitive impairment in institutional or non-institutional settings. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation, home visits, and environment modification can reduce the risk of falls among older adults in non-institutional settings. Exercise-related multiple interventions and multifactorial interventions may only be effective for preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment.

User Evaluation of a Chat-Based Instant Messaging Support Health Education Program for Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: Preliminary Findings of a Formative Study.

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence-driven chatbots are increasingly being used in health care, but few chat-based instant messaging support health education programs are designed for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to evaluate their effectiveness. In addition, limited research exists on the usage of chat-based programs among patients with CKD, particularly those that integrate a chatbot aimed at enhancing the communication ability and disease-specific knowledge of patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this formative study is to gather the data necessary to develop an intervention program of chat-based instant messaging support health education for patients with CKD. Participants' user experiences will form the basis for program design improvements. METHODS: Data were collected from April to November 2020 using a structured questionnaire. A pre-post design was used, and a total of 60 patients consented to join the 3-month program. Among them, 55 successfully completed the study measurements. The System Usability Scale was used for participant evaluations of the usability of the chat-based program. RESULTS: Paired t tests revealed significant differences before and after intervention for communicative literacy (t54=3.99; P<.001) and CKD-specific disease knowledge (t54=7.54; P<.001). Within disease knowledge, significant differences were observed in the aspects of CKD basic knowledge (t54=3.46; P=.001), lifestyle (t54=3.83; P=.001), dietary intake (t54=5.51; P<.001), and medication (t54=4.17; P=.001). However, no significant difference was found in the aspect of disease prevention. Subgroup analysis revealed that while the findings among male participants were similar to those of the main sample, this was not the case among female participants. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal that a chat-based instant messaging support health education program may be effective for middle-aged and older patients with CKD. The use of a chat-based program with multiple promoting approaches is promising, and users' evaluation is satisfactory. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05665517; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05665517.

Mortality rate and its determinants among people with dementia receiving home healthcare: a nationwide cohort study.

People with dementia (PwD) who receive home healthcare (HHC) may have distressing symptoms, complex care needs and high mortality rates. However, there are few studies investigating the determinants of mortality in HHC recipients. To identify end-of-life care needs and tailor individualized care goals, we aim to explore the mortality rate and its determinants among PwD receiving HHC. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a Taiwanese national population database. People with new dementia diagnosis in 2007-2016 who received HHC were included. We calculated the accumulative mortality rate and applied Poisson regression model to estimate the risk of mortality for each variable (adjusted risk ratios, aRR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). We included 95,831 PwD and 57,036 (59.5%) of them died during the follow-up period (30.5% died in the first-year). Among comorbidities, cirrhosis was associated with the highest mortality risks (aRR 1.65, 95% CI 1.49-1.83). Among HHC-related factors, higher visit frequency of HHC (> 2 versus ≦1 times/month, aRR 3.52, 95% CI 3.39-3.66) and higher level of resource utilization group (RUG, RUG 4 versus 1, aRR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.25-1.51) were risk factor of mortality risk. Meanwhile, HHC provided by physician and nurse was related to reduced mortality risk (aRR 0.79, 95% CI 0.77-0.81) compared to those provided by nurse only. Anticipatory care planning and timely end-of life care should be integrated in light of the high mortality rate among PwD receiving HHC. Determinants associated with increased mortality risk facilitate the identification of high risk group and tailoring the appropriate care goals. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is NCT04250103 which has been registered on 31st January 2020.

Epidemiologic Implication of the Association between Herpes Simplex Virus Infection and the Risk of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Case-Control Study in Taiwan.

Enterovirus infection is a known risk factor for type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Whether infection with other viruses induces T1DM remains undetermined. This study investigated the association between human herpesvirus (HHV) infection and the development of T1DM, using the data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with T1DM and age- and sex-matched controls were included. Subjects with HHV infection were subgrouped into those with histories of varicella-zoster virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus, and human cytomegalovirus infections. The odds ratio of the risk of T1DM was calculated using a multivariable conditional logistic regression model. Atopic diseases, autoimmune thyroid diseases, and history of enterovirus infection served as adjusted comorbidities. Our findings suggested a significant association between HSV infection and the risk of T1DM (adjusted odds ratio: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.01-1.47, p = 0.048), while infection with other HHVs was not. The result of HSV infection remained significant when subjects were restricted to age ≤ 18 years (adjusted odds ratio: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.08-1.70, p = 0.010). We found a history of HSV infection might be an independent predictive risk factor for T1DM. This could be potentially helpful to the practice in public health.

Influence of Personal, Environmental, and Community Factors on Cigarette Smoking in Adolescents: A Population-Based Study from Taiwan.

Understanding the factors that influence cigarette smoking among adolescents is critical. We identified personal, community, and environmental factors associated with current cigarette smoking among adolescents. This population-based cross-sectional analysis study was conducted using the 2012 Taiwan Global Youth Tobacco Survey and the sociodemographic statistics of the city or county from Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior. A total of 27,524 participants (age: 12-18-years) was included. The associated factors were identified through logistic regression. A path analysis was performed to examine the pathway from the associated factors to current cigarette smoking. According to this analysis, the following factors were prominently and positively associated with adolescent cigarette smoking: one personal factor (pocket money), five environmental factors (home secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, smoker friends, outside SHS exposure, school SHS exposure, and smoker parents), and two community factors (free cigarettes from tobacco companies and indigenous population). By contrast, five personal factors (feeling less comfortable smoking at social occasions, feeling indifferent about smoking or not smoking at social occasions, female sex, feeling that quitting is difficult, and feeling that quitting after having smoked is harmful to health) and one environmental factor (school antismoking education) had negative effects. Thus, comprehensive interventions promoting the perception of harm caused by smoking and interrupting access to cigarettes through social networks can reduce cigarette smoking in adolescents.

Reliability and Validity of the Traditional Chinese Version of the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: A Pilot Evaluation in Taiwanese Outpatients.

Objective: The Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey (ACP-ES) has proven effective in evaluating individuals' engagement in advance care planning (ACP). However, a Traditional Chinese version of ACP-ES (ACPES-TC) has not yet been developed. Therefore, this study aimed to translate and preliminarily validate the ACPES-TC in the Taiwanese context. Material and Methods: A forward and backward translation process was conducted. The translated questionnaire was confirmed by clinical and academic experts. The ACPES-TC was then evaluated for its reliability and validity with participants in the community and from an outpatient clinic in a medical center in Northern Taiwan. The participants comprised healthy people aged 20 to 30 years and patients ≥55 years old, recruited from September 17 to October 28, 2019. Results: Seventy people were recruited, including 20 people aged 20 to 30 years in the community and 50 patients ≥ 55 years old from clinics. The ACPES-TC scores are significantly higher among those of older age, having financial independence, and under long-term medication (p < .05). The patients' preference for health-related decision-making is significantly correlated with the ACPES-TC score; the point-biserial correlation coefficient is 0.46 (p < .001). The discriminant and criterion-related validities are verified. The ACPES-TC demonstrated a good internal consistency (Cronbach's α .97), acceptable one-week test-retest reliability (overall intraclass correlation coefficient 0.86), and low practice effect between the test and retest (Cohen's d .43). Conclusion: The overall reliability and validity of the ACPES-TC are fair, which could be used to evaluate the patients' engagement in ACP in Taiwan. However, further studies with a full-scale psychometric evaluation are needed.

Medical care needs for patients receiving home healthcare in Taiwan: Do gender and income matter?

Studies about medical care needs for home healthcare (HHC) previously focused on disease patterns but not gender and income differences. We used the Taiwan National Health Research Insurance Database from 1997 to 2013 to examine trends in medical care needs for patients who received HHC, and the gender and income gaps in medical care needs, which were represented by resource utilization groups (RUG). We aimed to clarify three questions: 1. Are women at a higher level of medical care needs for HHC than men, 2. Does income relate to medical care needs? 3. Is the interaction term (gender and income) related to the likelihood of medical care needs? Results showed that the highest level of medical care need in HHC was reducing whereas the basic levels of medical care need for HHC are climbing over time in Taiwan during 1998 and 2013. The percentages of women with income-dependent status in RUG1 to RUG4 are 26.43%, 26.24%, 30.68%, and 32.07%, respectively. Women were more likely to have higher medical care needs than men (RUG 3: odds ratio, OR = 1.17, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.10-1.25; RUG4: OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.06-1.22) in multivariates regression test. Compared to the patients with the high-income status, patients with the income-dependent status were more likely to receive RUG3 (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.77-3.09) and RUG4 (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.44-2.71). The results are consistent with the perspectives of fundamental causes of disease and feminization of poverty theory, implying gender and income inequalities in medical care needs. Policymakers should increase public spending for delivering home-based integrated care resources, especially for women with lower income, to reduce the double burden of female poverty at the higher levels of medical care needs for HHC.