Assessing Barriers to Mental Healthcare Interventions for Deaf People in Ghana

While mental health issues are increasingly gaining attention in Ghana, little is known about the situation among deaf people. This study assessed the mental health care needs of deaf people in Ghana. A descriptive design, consisting of interviews and focus group discussions, was used to collect data from 97 participants. Findings indicated that participants had limited knowledge on mental health issues. Mental health stigma, inaccessible mental health information and exclusion from mental health programmes were the major barriers hindering access to mental health care services. This study bridges the knowledge gap and provides evidence for the implementation of deaf-friendly services.

Strengthening Active Aging through Older People’s Association and Economic Activity of the Older People in Nepal

Aging is a natural lifelong process ending in death. Many older people are living in poverty. Older people are generally considered dependent on others as they grow older. The purpose of this article is to explore the entrepreneurship activities of Nepalese older adults. Data for this study were collected from the project Help Age International (HAI) implemented in Nepal. Qualitative data observations and interviews were used to collect data. The findings of this study show the formation of the Older People’s Association (OPA) has supported many older people to participate outside the home in various social activities. Moreover, regular deposits through OPAs offer little help. OPAs support older people in their need of financial support to implement minor entrepreneurship. Older people who received support were pleased and were actively involved in their activities and also regularly deposited money in them. Subsequently, older people’s participation in social activities has increased and also helped to lower elderly abuse, loneliness, and depression. Local governments should promote such activities which will help with healthy aging.

Historical review and reflections on the participation of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of epidemics in the People’s Republic of China (from 1950 until now)

Since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, both the Communist Party and the government have placed great emphasis on the advancement of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture and moxibustion have been actively involved in combating major epidemics such as malaria, schistosomiasis, and COVID-19. This article conducts a historical review of these three significant cases to elucidate how the acupuncture community has effectively utilized its unique advantages and characteristics through theoretical discussions, clinical practices, experimental research, as well as receiving administrative leadership and political support from the Communist Party of China and government. We provide an objective evaluation of their effectiveness while summarizing historical experiences to serve as a reference for future utilization of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy in epidemic relief efforts. Additionally, propose four suggestions: strengthening Party leadership and enhancing political support;timely summarization of experiences to establish programs and systems;deepening scientific research by integrating experimental findings with clinical practice;focusing on public awareness campaigns and education to solidify grassroots foundations.

Double Tragedy: Examining the Effects of Mental Health Stigma on Help Seeking Behaviour among Deaf People in Ghana

Background: Globally, mental health is recognized as one of the major public health issues, and mental health stigma is one of the main barriers to mental healthcare. While several studies have been conducted on the stigma associated with mental health, very little is known about the mental health stigma experienced by deaf persons with mental health conditions in Ghana. This study examines the experiences of double stigmatization by deaf people with mental health conditions in Ghana. Methodology: A descriptive, mixed method data collection was used for seventy-nine (79) participants. The paper presents findings from the only qualitative component of the study. Results: The findings from the study showed that deaf people with mental illness experienced double stigma, namely being stigmatized for being deaf and for having mental illness. This hindered access to mental health services for deaf people with mental health condition. Conclusion: Deaf people with mental health conditions experience double stigmatization which discourages them from seeking professional psychiatric care. This implies that efforts to reduce mental health stigma and create awareness on deafness should be improved upon. It is recommended that, in view of the impact of stigma on the provision and use of mental health care services, strategies to improve access to mental health care, should seriously consider concerns about stigma.

Health risk assessment of trace metal(loid)s in agricultural soils based on Monte Carlo simulation coupled with positive matrix factorization model in Chongqing, southwest China

This study aimed to investigate the pollution characteristics, source apportionment, and health risks associated with trace metal(loid)s(TMs) in the major agricultural producing areas in Chongqing, China. We analyzed the source apportionment and assessed the health risk of TMs in agricultural soils by using positive matrix factorization(PMF) model and health risk assessment(HRA) model based on Monte Carlo simulation. Meanwhile, we combined PMF and HRA models to explore the health risks of TMs in agricultural soils by different pollution sources to determine the priority control factors. Results showed that the average contents of cadmium(Cd), arsenic (As), lead(Pb), chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), nickel(Ni), and zinc(Zn) in the soil were found to be 0.26, 5.93, 27.14, 61.32, 23.81, 32.45, and 78.65 mg/kg, respectively. Spatial analysis and source apportionment analysis revealed that urban and industrial sources, agricultural sources, and natural sources accounted for 33.0%, 27.7%, and 39.3% of TM accumulation in the soil, respectively. In the HRA model based on Monte Carlo simulation, noncarcinogenic risks were deemed negligible(hazard index <1), the carcinogenic risks were at acceptable level(10^(-6)<total carcinogenic risk ≤ 10^(-4)), with higher risks observed for children compared to adults. The relationship between TMs, their sources, and health risks indicated that urban and industrial sources were primarily associated with As, contributing to 75.1% of carcinogenic risks and 55.7% of non-carcinogenic risks, making them the primary control factors. Meanwhile, agricultural sources were primarily linked to Cd and Pb, contributing to 13.1% of carcinogenic risks and 21.8% of non-carcinogenic risks, designating them as secondary control factors.

Assessing the relationship between health literacy intervention and hypertension self-management:A 7-year systematic review from January 2016 to December 2022

Hypertension(HTN)is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting over 30%of the adult population globally,with a growing incidence rate.This review assesses the relationship between health literacy(HL)intervention and hypertension(HTN)self-management among people with HTN.The study design was a systematic review of empirical research articles using a well-defined strategy.Online journals were accessed through databases such as PubMed,CINAHL,Google Scholar,ProQuest,Global Health,WHOLIS,Embase,and EbscoHost,spanning from January 2016 to December 2022 as the scope of the study.Articles selected for inclusion were those published in English during the specified time frame and adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and Sample,Phenomenon of Interest,Design,Evaluation,Research Type framework for systematic review,focusing on criteria related to the sample,the phenomenon of interest,study design,evaluation,and research type.Out of 180 studies initially identified in the database search,20 studies were ultimately included in the review.The findings were reported based on these five emerging themes:Relationship between HL and HTN self-management;Effect of HL intervention on HTN self-management;Factors predicting self-care behaviors among HTN patients with low HL;Effect of HL and self-management efficacy on health-related quality of life(HRQoL);and level of self-care practices.This review highlights a relationship between HL,self-efficacy,self-care,and HRQoL,underscoring the necessity for further well-designed intervention studies focused on enhancing HL in individuals with HTN in Nigeria to enhance their quality of life.

Flavor Amidst Plainness:An Examination of the Subjectivity of the“People’s Films”From the Perspective of Classical Aesthetics

The“People’s Films,”when examined from the perspective of classical aesthetics,present a unique visual style that creates artistic conceptions through sparse filming and deliver a scenery-based ideology through background shots,contributing to the overall aesthetic taste dominated by plainness.Chinese national aesthetic tastes,distinguished by implicitness,symbolism,and ethereality,have the magical power to present charming conceptions via plain and simple scenes,thus endowing the“People’s Films”with natural,plain,and harmonious frames that are unique to China.Behind the silent and plain scenes are representations of personal cultivation and essential values cherished by the Chinese people,which are achieved via the momentary presence and entirety of scenes photographed in the films,delivering an internal transcendence of people’s consciousness.

People's Well-rounded Development:The Value Orientation of Common Prosperity in the New Era

Achieving common prosperity for all is an important feature of Chinese modernization and an essential requirement of socialism with Chinese characteristics,with the core value orientation of promoting the people’s well-rounded development.This reflects the close relationship between people’s well-rounded development and common prosperity and implies that common prosperity is not just an economic issue,but also a political matter,a moral subject,and a human rights goal.Being“people-centered”is the core positioning of common prosperity,with its inherent collective and individual attributes.In terms of the object dimension of prosperity,it encompasses a wide range of rights such as material and spiritual well-being,which are advanced in a coordinated manner,and a deepening level of guarantee gradually improving.In the practical concept of“shared development,”it emphasizes the unity of state obligations and individual responsibilities,as well as the phased approach and promotion of common prosperity through the rule of law.Therefore,the essence of common prosperity lies in shifting from a“material-centered”perspective to a“people’s well-rounded development-centered”perspective.It combines the principles of fairness and inclusiveness with the recognition of diverse developmental needs.The focus is on enhancing the subjective initiative of the people,aiming to truly achieve the happiness of the people and promote people’s well-rounded development through the realization of“common prosperity.”

Human Rights in China:Exploration and Development of Whole-process People’s Democracy

Whole-process people’s democracy represents a new exploration of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era as well as a novel and important method for protecting the human rights of the Chinese people.It is conducive to solving a multitude of problems hindering the protection of civil rights and political rights.The greatest highlight of whole-process people’s democracy is that the people are the masters of their own country and exercise the power to govern the state through“extensive participation and consultation.”China’s experience and approaches in advancing whole-process people’s democracy provide a reference for other countries.

主流媒体视觉表达中的国家形象建构——基于《人民日报》海外版抖音“People's Daily”的分析

讲好中国故事,在国际社会积极传播中国形象,对提高中国在国际社会上的话语权具有积极的现实意义。研究发现,《人民日报》海外版抖音“People’s Daily”立足中国历史、地理、文化、艺术以及人民故事等丰富资源,涉及国内外多元声音,巧妙运用传播技巧多方位建构中国的立体国家形象。

The Role of Library and Information Science Education in the Development of Community Health Information Services for People Living with HIV/AIDS: Perspectives of Directors and Managers of Public Libraries

This article identifies the role of library and information science (LIS) education in the development of community health information services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Preliminary findings are presented from semi- structured qualitative interviews that were conducted with eleven directors and managers of local branches in the Knox County Public Library (KCPL) System that is located in the East Tennessee region in the United States. Select feedback reported by research participants is summarized in the article about strategies in LIS education that can help local public librarians and others in their efforts to become more responsive information providers to PLWHA. Research findings help better understand the issues and concerns regarding the development of digital and non-digital health information services for PLWHA in local public library institutions.

Evaluation of a School-Based Health Education Program for Urban Indigenous Young People in Australia

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a school-based health promotion and education program in improving knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy and behaviours of urban Indigenous young people regarding chronic disease and associated risk factors. A mixed methods approach was adopted for this evaluation;however, this paper will focus on the quantitative aspect of the study. The Deadly Choices? health education program was delivered weekly at six education facilities in Brisbane, Australia to participants from years seven to 12 over seven weeks. One school that received the Deadly Choices program the following term acted as the control group. Questionnaire data was collected immediately pre and post intervention to assess program impact. As self-reported by participants there were mostly significant improvements over time for questions relating to knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy regarding leadership, chronic disease and risk factors within the intervention group. There were also significant changes within the intervention group regarding breakfast frequency (P = 0.002), physical activity frequency (P ≤ 0.001), fruit (P = 0.004) and vegetable (P ≤ 0.001) intake. Overall, there were few significant differences between the control and intervention groups regarding health attitudes and behaviours;however, there were considerably more improvements relating to self-efficacy and knowledge of chronic disease and associated risk factors between groups. The program also facilitated 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health checks for participants. Deadly Choices is an innovative and comprehensive school-based program which has great potential to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous young people in urban areas by providing education in leadership and chronic disease prevention;engaging students in physical activity participation;and collaborating with health services to facilitate health checks.

Deepening China-Africa Cooperation, Benefiting People’s Health

CHINA and Africa have been a commu- nity of shared interests and shared destiny Their collaboration benefits not only the development of China and Africa but also promotes the unity and cooperation of developing countries. Health cooperation is a powerful testimony to the friendship between Chinese and African people. Based on win-win cooperation and aiming at the well-being of the people, China and Africa have attained fruitful results through health cooperation over the last five decades.

Celebrating 70 years of health research on the 70^th birthday of the People's Republic of China:Outstanding Scientific Achievements by Academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences A Chinese Academy of Engineering in Neural Regeneration

Gong Ju,Member,Chinese Academy of Sciences In 1953 Prof.Gong Ju was recruited by People’s Liberation Army to be a teacher in Department of Anatomy of the Fourth Military Medical University,a school just established and located in Xi'an,a very back-woods city.The university had little,if any,research facilities.

Oral health status of older people in residential homes in Saudi Arabia

The aim of the study was to de-termine the oral health status and treatment needs of elderly residents of residential homes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Among 129 elderly residents, 83 (51 males, and 32 females) of them were interviewed and clini-cally examined according to WHO criteria by two calibrated dentists. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 72 ± 8.5. Male subjects had a higher smoking rate than females. Among elderly subjects below 74 years old, 20.8% had a functional dentition (> or = 20), while only 6.7% for those aged greater or equal to 75 years (p = 0.0004). Mean number of the sound teeth in all subjects was 6.7 ± 8.5. The mean number of DMFT was 18.6 ± 12.6. The missing component was the highest (16 ± 13) for both genders. The mean number of decayed roots was 2.75 ± 3.95 in males and 0.63 ± 1.96 in females. Overall, males had more sound and decayed teeth and less filled and missed teeth than females. There was no significant difference between males and females in periodontal problems except the calculus scores. The majority of subjects in need for tooth extraction were male subjects. With no gender difference 63% were in need for restorations, 40% needed upper and lower full dentures. Need for partial dentures was 38% upper and 48% lower. Conclusion: The oral health of the institutionalized elderly population in Saudi Arabia is generally poor and their treatment needs are high.

Access to Supportive Health Services for People with Physical Disabilities: A Case of Health Facilities in Singida Rural District, Tanzania

Background: It is estimated that above one billion people (15%) of the world’s populations are living with disabilities. The poor and unfriendly infrastructure at health facilities is the core challenge for people with physical disabilities in accessing healthcare. This study aimed to explore at what extent the existing infrastructure and design of health facilities in Singida rural district, Tanzania supports people with physical disabilities to access healthcare. Methods: A cross sectional health facility-based assessment of all thirty-two functioning health facilities in the district was done between June and December 2020 using observational checklist and key informants’ interviews consist of measurement procedures of the architectural condition of health facilities. Observation checklist was designed based on standard of health facilities in Tanzania, national guideline for safe care standards for dispensaries, health centers and district hospital of 2014 and national guideline for water, sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities of 2017. Data were analyzed by SPSS-26 using descriptive statistics to obtain frequencies tables, percentage and figure. Qualitative data were analyzed by using NVivo-12 software. Results: The study revealed that there was no signage, entrance area, parking and toilets designated for people with physical disabilities in all health facilities. There was no special seat, examination table/bed and special weight scale for people with physical disabilities in all facilities. Also, the doors were not wide enough to support wheelchair user to maneuver in all health centers and dispensaries. In addition, door handles were not user friendly for wheelchair users. In fact, only the hospital and health centers had wheelchairs while 27 (96.4%) of all dispensaries had no wheelchairs. Furthermore, ramp and pathways were not available in all dispensaries. All health facilities had stairs but the challenge was most of the staircases had no floor located before the steps. Conclusion: The study revealed that the infrastructures in most healthcare facilities pose challenges to people with physical disabilities when they access healthcare services. These findings call for need of improving health facilities’ infrastructure to accommodate people with physical disabilities and this should be given a priority.

Factors related to compliance with the COVID-19 health regulations among young people

The coronavirus pandemic has affected all facets of our lives and all ages and social strata worldwide.Measures have been taken to protect against the spread of the virus,such as more rigorous hand hygiene,the use of face masks and social distancing.However,the focus has often been on young people,who have been seen as a group lacking sufficient respect for government-imposed measures.This review outlines the preventive measures that have been taken in different countries and discusses their specific impact on young people and adolescents,taking into account the developmental stage and concrete needs of this age group.It summarizes those studies that have provided information on compliance with preventive measures by young people and adolescents,concluding that although compliance levels among this age group are lower than among older adults,the general view of youths as non-compliant is not consistent with real,objective data.The review also summarizes different views regarding the possible reasons for this lower level of compliance,taking into account both social(gender and age)and personal factors(personality,empathy,prosociality,self-control,cognitive styles and motivations),and discusses the practical implications of these findings for the future.

Evaluation of Quality of Healthcare Service Avaeilable to People Living with HIVIAIDS： Evidence from Enugu State

The study evaluated the quality of healthcare services given to PLWHA （people living with HIV/AIDS） in different communities of Enugu State of Nigeria. Descriptive cross sectional survey design was employed for the study. The participants were PLWHA attending health facilities in different communities in the state. A sample of 180 PLWHA who participated in the study were selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure and were interviewed at community level. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that 82.2% of the respondents were cared for by government health facilities, 75% were of the opinion that the health workers in those places do not discriminate against them, 81.7% felt that they were being given high quality healthcare, 82.8% stated that their drugs were readily available, 75% were of the opinion that the physical facilities in their care centers were adequate, 84.4% felt that grievance redressing were good while 90% felt that their healthcare providers maintain confidentiality about their conditions. It was concluded from the findings that quality of care provided to PLWHA in communities was of good quality as perceived by PLWHA and that the national antiretroviral programmes are making drugs available and affordable in the state. It was then recommended that all levels of government in the nation should strengthen the programmes on HIV prevention and control to maintain the continuity of care to PLWHA.

For People's Right to Safety Of Lives and Health——On development of health-related human rights in China

Medical and health work constitutes the prerequisite to protection of the people's right to safety of lives and health. Over the past decades, the Chinese Government has spared no effort in this regard and, as a result, the Chinese people's health has significantly improved. In the nationwide fight against the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic in the first half of 2003, the Government placed the health of the Chinese people and the safety of their lives above everything else. With a huge input of human, financial and material resources, the country won a decisive victory over the epidemic. Following is the full text of an interview by Human Rights with Gao Qiang, executive vice-minister of the Ministry of Health, on China's medical and health work and how it is related to protection of human rights.

Reform of Health System for People's Right to Health——An interview with Gao Qiang,Minister of Health

EDITOR＇S NOTE： In an interview given of late to our staff reporter, Gao Qiang, Chinese Minister of Health, spoke on the achievements made by China in medical and health work during the Tenth Five-Year Plan period （2001-2005）, the soaring medical costs that have invoked much public complaint, ways of carrying to depth the reform of the medical service system, development of the rural cooperative medical system and community-based medical services in cities, as well as prevention and control of AIDS. Following is a transcript of the interview.