Yes / Around 1.35 million deaths are caused by Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) each year. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of Vanuatu's Health Care Workers (HCWs) regarding the existing preventative strategies for RTI. Materials and methods: In 2020, this study used qualitative approaches to collect data from HCWs using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Study participants were self-identified Ni-Vanuatu HCWs who had been serving for more than 6 months in three main hospitals where the study was conducted and purposive sampling was used to gather the study participants. To guide the FGDs, a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was created. Thematic analysis was used to processed the data obtained, based on predetermined themes that were based on theory while also enabling the data to determine new themes. Result: From 5 FGDs with 22 HCWs who were emergency nurses, doctors and public health officers, data saturation was reached. The study yielded five main themes and sixteen subthemes. The relevance and trends of RTI, barriers to effective care, pre-hospital management capacity, barriers to pre-hospital care and addressing RTI were among the key subjects. The findings suggest that addressing health institutional leadership and resources will improve prevention of RTIs. Conclusion: Prevention of RTIs is hindered by the lack of health institutional capacities in terms of leadership and resources that include emergency equipment, financial and trained human resources. The health sector should consider developing stronger leadership in road safety to be an essential part of its core business. / We acknowledge with gratitude the Vanuatu Government through the Training and scholarship units under the Ministry of Education, for the financial support towards this study.

Yes / Children are at a higher risk of succumbing to diarrhoea. Zimbabwe remains one of the countries topping in terms of morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea diseases among under-fives. This study aims to determine factors affecting diarrhoea among under-five children in Zimbabwe. Methodology: A systematic review was executed based on searches from six databases. All types of studies published between 2018 and 2022 in English about diarrhoea disease and among children under the age of five in Zimbabwe were included. Seventeen articles met the requirements of this study. All the data was inputted onto a data extraction sheet and thematic analysis was carried out on the study outcomes to identify themes. Results: Diarrhoea risk factors can be categorized into two main themes; modifiable and non-modifiable diarrhoea risk factors. Under the modifiable risk factors are four subthemes: environmental, socio-economic, behavioural, and modifiable biological diarrhoea risk factors. Under the non-modifiable risk factors are two sub-themes: age and gender. For any Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) intervention to succeed, these risk factors should be present at optimum. If any of the factors is not optimally present, WASH interventions must concurrently address the risk factor or else the intervention is predestined to fail. Conclusion: WASH remains an important issue in Zimbabwe as a tool to improve the lives of children under five years old. There is a necessity to investigate why certain interventions work well in other low-income countries and not Zimbabwe. All WASH interventions must make a thorough baseline assessment of conditions present on the ground to ensure the success of interventions.

by Chan Yat Heung. / Thesis submitted in: December 1998. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-88). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Declaration --- p.2 / Abstract --- p.3 / Abstract in Chinese --- p.5 / Acknowledgements --- p.7 / Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Literature review on the prevalence of vertebral deformity --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1 . --- Prevalence of vertebral deformity in women --- p.16 / Chapter 2.2. --- Prevalence of vertebral deformity in men --- p.21 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- Literature review on the risk factors for osteoporosis and vertebral deformity --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1. --- Dietary calcium intake --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Epidemiological studies --- p.25 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Intervention studies --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Calcium intake and osteoporosis in Chinese --- p.28 / Chapter 3.2. --- Physical Activity --- p.30 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Epidemiological studies --- p.30 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Intervention studies --- p.33 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Physical activity and osteoporosis in Chinese --- p.34 / Chapter 3.3. --- Cigarette smoking --- p.35 / Chapter 3.4. --- Alcohol consumption --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- Subjects and Methods --- p.39 / Chapter 4.1. --- Objectives --- p.39 / Chapter 4.2. --- Study Subjects --- p.40 / Chapter 4.3. --- Radiology and digitization protocol --- p.41 / Chapter 4.4. --- Diagnosis of vertebral deformity --- p.43 / Chapter 4.5. --- Definition of cases and controls --- p.48 / Chapter 4.6. --- Questionnaire and measurement of risk factors --- p.49 / Chapter 4.6.1. --- Dietary calcium intake --- p.49 / Chapter 4.6.2. --- Physical activity --- p.49 / Chapter 4.6.3. --- Cigarette smoking --- p.50 / Chapter 4.6.4. --- Alcohol consumption --- p.50 / Chapter 4.7. --- Pilot study --- p.51 / Chapter 4.8. --- Statistical methods --- p.52 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- Results of Prevalence study --- p.54 / Chapter 5.1 . --- Demographic characteristics --- p.54 / Chapter 5.2. --- Vertebral height and vertebral height ratio --- p.55 / Chapter 5.3. --- Distribution of deformity --- p.59 / Chapter 5.4. --- Comparison of prevalence between Chinese and Caucasian populations --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 6. --- Results of study on risk factors --- p.62 / Chapter 6.1. --- Dietary calcium intake --- p.62 / Chapter 6.2. --- Physical activity --- p.63 / Chapter 6.3. --- Cigarette smoking --- p.65 / Chapter 6.4. --- Alcohol consumption --- p.67 / Chapter 6.5. --- Results of Multiple logistic regression --- p.69 / Chapter Chapter 7. --- Discussion --- p.70 / Chapter 7.1. --- Study sample --- p.70 / Chapter 7.2. --- Digitization method and definition of vertebral fracture --- p.71 / Chapter 7.3. --- Prevalence of vertebral deformity in Chinese men --- p.72 / Chapter 7.4. --- Risk factors --- p.74 / Chapter 7.4.1. --- Calcium intake --- p.74 / Chapter 7.4.2. --- Physical activity --- p.75 / Chapter 7.4.3. --- Cigarette Smoking --- p.77 / Chapter 7.4.4. --- Alcohol consumption --- p.78 / Chapter Chapter 8. --- Conclusion --- p.80 / Reference --- p.81 / Appendix --- p.89

Nine physiological measures were evaluated pre- to post-intervention on subjects participating in a university health promotion program over a seven-month period. Frequency of program attendance and choice of activity were also assessed. Of the 88 employees initially screened, most of the subjects were staff members (n=82, 93%),with a majority being female (n=68, 77%). Significant differences in physiological measures were found pre- to post-intervention between "higher" and "lower" cardiovascular risk participants, primarily due to the type of activity chosen. .The results indicate that health promotion programs at a university are an effective way to have an impact on employees in reducing their cardiovascular risk factors.

Ng, Mei. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves xvi-xlviii). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / ABSTRACT / In English --- p.ii / In Chinese --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURE --- p.viii / ABBREVIATIONS / For Units --- p.ix / For Prefixes of the International System of Units --- p.ix / For Terms Commonly Used --- p.X / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- Overview of Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) / Chapter 1.1 --- Prevalence --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Clinical Features --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Definitions and Cutoffs --- p.4 / Chapter 1.4 --- Pathophysiology --- p.6 / Chapter 1.5 --- Risk Factors / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Gender --- p.8 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Obesity --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Genetic --- p.11 / Chapter 1.5.5 --- Atopic Diseases --- p.12 / Chapter 1.6 --- Complications / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Neurobehavioural Deficits --- p.13 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Growth Defects --- p.14 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Metabolic Disorders --- p.16 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Systemic inflammation --- p.17 / Chapter 1.6.5 --- Cardiovascular Consequences --- p.19 / Chapter 1.7 --- Diagnosis --- p.20 / Chapter 1.8 --- Treatment / Chapter 1.8.1 --- Surgical Treatment --- p.22 / Chapter 1.8.2 --- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) --- p.24 / Chapter 1.8.3 --- Corticosteroids --- p.24 / Chapter 1.8.4 --- Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist --- p.25 / Chapter 1.8.5 --- Oral Appliances --- p.26 / Chapter 1.8.6 --- Weight Control --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- OSAS and Cardiovascular Complications in Adults / Chapter 2.1 --- Mechanism / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Acute Cardiovascular Responses --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Chronic Cardiovascular Responses --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2 --- Hypertension / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Epidemiological and Clinical Data --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Characteristics --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Mechanisms --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Treatment --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3 --- Heart Failure --- p.35 / Chapter 2.4 --- Stroke --- p.37 / Chapter 2.5 --- Cardiac Arrhythmias --- p.39 / Chapter 2.6 --- Myocardial Ischemia and Vascular Disease --- p.41 / Chapter 2.7 --- Pulmonary Hypertension --- p.43 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- OSAS and cardiovascular complication in children / Chapter 3.1 --- Blood Pressure --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2 --- Ventricular Hypertrophy and Dysfunctions --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3 --- Heart Rate Variability --- p.50 / Chapter 3.4 --- Arterial Tone --- p.51 / Chapter 3.5 --- Endothelial Function --- p.51 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- Longitudinal follow-up study of children with OSAS - a cardiovascular perspective / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.53 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methods / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Subjects and Study Design --- p.57 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Polysomnography --- p.59 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurement --- p.61 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.62 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Subject Characteristics --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Blood Pressure During Wakefulness --- p.71 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Blood Pressure During Sleep --- p.76 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Nocturnal Blood Pressure Dipping --- p.83 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Blood Profile --- p.86 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.87 / Chapter 4.5 --- Conclusion --- p.99 / Reference List --- p.xvi

Au, Chun Ting. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves xxvii-lv). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / ABSTRACT / In English --- p.ii / In Chinese --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / ABBREVIATIONS / For Units --- p.ix / For Prefixes of the international system of units --- p.ix / For Terms commonly used in the report --- p.x / STATEMENT OF WORK DONE --- p.xvi / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- Overview of Childhood Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) / Chapter 1.1. --- Clinical Features of Childhood OSAS --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2. --- Definition of Childhood OSAS --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3. --- Prevalence of Childhood OSAS --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4. --- Pathophysiology --- p.4 / Chapter 1.5. --- Risk Factors --- p.6 / Chapter 1.6. --- Diagnosis --- p.10 / Chapter 1.7. --- Treatment / Chapter 1.7.1. --- Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy (T&A) --- p.12 / Chapter 1.7.2. --- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) --- p.14 / Chapter 1.7.3. --- Corticosteroids --- p.15 / Chapter 1.7.4. --- Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist --- p.16 / Chapter 1.8. --- Complications of Childhood OSAS / Chapter 1.8.1. --- Growth Failure --- p.17 / Chapter 1.8.2. --- Neurocognitive Abnormalities --- p.19 / Chapter 1.8.3. --- Cardiovascular Abnormalities --- p.20 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- Cardiovascular Complications of OSAS in Adults (Literature Review) / Chapter 2.1. --- Acute Effects of OSAS on Cardiovascular System --- p.21 / Chapter 2.2. --- Chronic Effects of OSAS on Cardiovascular System --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3. --- Hypertension --- p.24 / Chapter 2.4. --- Heart Failure --- p.28 / Chapter 2.5. --- Pulmonary Hypertension --- p.30 / Chapter 2.6. --- Arrhythmias --- p.31 / Chapter 2.7. --- Cardiac Ischemia and Vascular Disease --- p.33 / Chapter 2.8. --- Stroke --- p.34 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- Cardiovascular Complications of Childhood OSAS (Literature Review) / Chapter 3.1. --- Blood Pressure --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2. --- Ventricular Structure and Function --- p.40 / Chapter 3.3. --- Arterial Distensibility --- p.42 / Chapter 3.4. --- Heart Rate Variability --- p.42 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Children with OSAS / Chapter 4.1. --- Introduction --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2. --- Methods / Chapter 4.2.1. --- Subjects and Study Design --- p.46 / Chapter 4.2.2. --- Polysomnography (PSG) --- p.47 / Chapter 4.2.3. --- Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurement (ABPM) --- p.49 / Chapter 4.2.4. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.50 / Chapter 4.3. --- Results / Chapter 4.3.1. --- Subject Characteristics --- p.52 / Chapter 4.3.2. --- Blood Pressure during Wakefulness --- p.55 / Chapter 4.3.3. --- Blood Pressure during Sleep --- p.57 / Chapter 4.4. --- Discussion --- p.62 / Chapter 4.5. --- Conclusion --- p.70 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- Cardiac Remodeling and Dysfunction in Children with OSAS / Chapter 5.1. --- Introduction --- p.71 / Chapter 5.2. --- Methods / Chapter 5.2.1. --- Subjects and Study Design --- p.72 / Chapter 5.2.2. --- Polysomnography (PSG) --- p.74 / Chapter 5.2.3. --- Conventional Echocardiography --- p.75 / Chapter 5.2.4. --- Tissue Doppler Imaging --- p.76 / Chapter 5.2.5. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.77 / Chapter 5.3. --- Results / Chapter 5.3.1. --- Study Population --- p.79 / Chapter 5.3.2. --- Polysomnographic Findings --- p.79 / Chapter 5.3.3. --- Echocardiographic Findings / Chapter 5.3.3.1. --- Right Ventricle --- p.81 / Chapter 5.3.3.2. --- Left Ventricle --- p.83 / Chapter 5.3.4. --- Treatment Effect --- p.86 / Chapter 5.4. --- Discussion --- p.90 / Chapter 5.5. --- Conclusion --- p.95 / Chapter CHAPTER 6 --- Conclusion --- p.96 / APPENDIX I Hong Kong Children Sleep Questionnaire (Chinese) --- p.xvii / APPENDIX II Hong Kong Children Sleep Questionnaire (English) --- p.xxii / REFERENCES --- p.xxvii

INTRODUCTION: The risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are associated with coronary atherosclerosis and having multiple risk factors potentiates atherosclerosis. This study examined the prevalence of multiple biological and lifestyle/behavioral risk factors and their association with coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker for subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of 1607 community-dwelling asymptomatic individuals from central Appalachia who participated in CAC screening between January 2011 and December 2012. Data on demographics (sex and age) and 7 traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) were collected and categorized into 5 groups (0-1, 2, 3, 4, and ≥5). Prevalence of these risk factors and CAC scores (0, 1-99, 100-399, ≥400) were assessed, and the impact of the number of risk factors on CAC scores were delineated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Over 98% of participants had ≥1 risk factor. While obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and family history of CAD significantly increased the odds of having CAC, CAC scores significantly increased with number of risk factors. After adjusting for demographic factors, having 3, 4, and ≥5 risk factors was significantly associated with increased odds of having higher CAC scores when compared to zero CAC score by more than one and half times [OR=1.65, CI (1.20-2.25)], two times [OR=2.32, CI (1.67-3.23)] and three times [OR=3.45, CI (2.42-4.92)], respectively. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of multiple risk factors in the study population suggests the need for aggressive multiple risk factors interventions for primary prevention of CAD, which could address CVD health disparities.

No description available.

Recent research has shown that the combination of high triglyceride (TG) levels and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, significantly increases the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD). The incidence of CAD is also increased in abdominally obese individuals. To assess differences in postprandial TG clearance patterns between abdominally obese (AO) and controls (C), fourteen healthy, normolipidemic males (seven controls and seven abdominally obese) completed an oral fat loading test (78 grams of fat). Blood samples were collected every hour for eight hours. Abdominally obese individuals had significantly greater TG values, significantly lower total HDL and HDL2 values and significantly greater area under the TG curve (p = 0.03). Time to reach peak TG and time to reach baseline TG values did not differ between the two groups, even though fewer AO individuals reached baseline within eight hours. The data from the present investigation indicate that increased time to clear TG in AO individuals may be one pathway that increases the incidence of CAD in this group. / School of Physical Education

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science