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Biomedical subjects

C W Kam

Publications and source records attributed to C W Kam.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Risk factors for injury to married women from domestic violence in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To examine risk factors for injury to married women from domestic violence in Hong Kong. DESIGN: Case control study. SETTING: Regional public hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS: All married women aged 18 to 60 years who attended an accident and emergency department for treatment of a domestic violence injury from January 2004 to June 2005. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Social and health characteristics of abused women and their husbands. RESULTS: A total of 293 cases were compared to 313 controls. Eight predictive variables were found to be significant by univariate analysis: woman who is a new immigrant (P = 0.003), woman with no job (P = 0.019), husband with low educational level (P < 0.001), presence of extramarital affairs (P < 0.001), husband's unemployment (P < 0.001), husband's alcohol abuse (P < 0.001), husband's illicit drug abuse (P = 0.032), husband's mental illness (P < 0.001). Five factors were found to be significant in a logistic regression analysis: husband with a low educational level (nil to primary) [adjusted odds ratio = 2.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.149-6.727], husband unemployed (adjusted odds ratio = 9.031; 95% confidence interval, 5.163-15.796), presence of extramarital affairs (adjusted odds ratio = 5.218; 95% confidence interval, 2.899-9.395), husband's alcohol abuse (adjusted odds ratio = 6.089; 95% confidence interval, 3.460-10.716), husband's mental illness (adjusted odds ratio = 9.443; 95% confidence interval, 2.351-37.926). CONCLUSIONS: Several significant risk factors have been identified for injury incurred during domestic violence to married women in Hong Kong. It provides information useful for developing local preventive strategies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Smoking among secondary school students in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

This study was done to determine the prevalence of smoking and factors influencing cigarette smoking among secondary school students in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. This is a cross-sectional school survey conducted on 4500 adolescent students based on a structured questionnaire. Data was collected using the supervised self-administered questionnaire the Youth Risk Behaviour Surveillance in the Malaysian National Language Bahasa Malaysia. The prevalence of smoking among the students was 14.0%. About a third of the students (37.8%) started smoking at 13 to 14 years of age. The prevalence of smoking among the male students was higher (26.6%) compared to the female students (3.1%). Adolescent smoking was associated with (1) sociodemographic factors (age, ethnicity, rural/urban status); (2) environmental factors (parental smoking, staying with parents); (3) behavioural factors (playing truant and risk-taking behaviours such as physical fighting, drug use, alcohol use, sexual activity, lack of seatbelt use, riding with a drunk driver); (4) lifestyle behaviours (being on diet and lack of exercise); (5) personal factors (feeling sad and suicidal behaviours). In conclusion, smoking is a major problem among Malaysian adolescents. Certain groups of adolescents tend to be at higher risk of smoking. This problem should be curbed early by targeting these groups of high risk adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Non-accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal in attempted combined homicide-suicide.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an emerging form of serious child abuse in combined homicide-suicide in Hong Kong. METHOD: This is a retrospective hospital chart review in a regional hospital in Hong Kong from January to December 2000. RESULTS: Eight children, with a mean age of 7.8 years (range 0.5-11 years), from four families were admitted to hospital because of non-accidental exposure to carbon monoxide when their parents attempted suicide by burning charcoal. A 7-year-old boy died on arrival. His 5.6-year-old sister and another 6-month-old boy had cerebral hypoxia on admission. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was used in both cases, with rapid improvement, although there were persistent neurological deficits in the girl. The other children in the present study were asymptomatic and none had delayed neurological sequelae. Concomitant use of sedatives was also detected in three of the surviving patients. CONCLUSIONS: Non-accidental poisoning with carbon monoxide appears to be a new means of child abuse with potentially serious consequences. Concomitant intoxication with psychotropic drugs is common in such cases. The reason for parents killing their own children under such circumstances was unclear, but a desire to exact revenge on an estranged partner was suggested.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

An assessment of the patients' needs in mental health education.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to identify the specific educational needs of Chinese patients with schizophrenia using a Chinese version of the Educational Needs Questionnaire. BACKGROUND: Patient education provides adequate clinical information to patients, increases understanding of their illness condition and encourages their health-promoting behaviour. A full understanding and satisfaction of patient needs in relation to specific illness has played an important part in the development of an education programme for psychiatric patients. However, psychiatric patients' perceptions of their specific educational needs and whether or not these needs are being met have seldom been explored for the purposes of optimizing the effects of patient education programmes. This study served the purpose of assessing the learning needs of Chinese patients with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Hong Kong with 192 Chinese outpatients with schizophrenia. The principles for determining the equivalence of translated tools were applied to the development of the Chinese version of the questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients gave high importance to gaining information about mental illness, strategies for improving social relationships and solving daily problems. Socioeconomic factors including education level and membership in a mutual support group correlated significantly with need importance and the unmet-need score. Length of illness negatively correlated with need importance, indicating the adverse effect of illness on patients' interests in fulfilling needs. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of mental health consumers' perceptions of their specific educational needs and tailoring patient educational curricula to the expressed needs appear essential. The importance of validity testing of a translated tool is also highlighted in this study.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Growth and nutrition of Chinese vegetarian children in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the nutritional status of Chinese lacto-ovo-vegetarian children aged 4-14 years. METHODOLOGY: Dietary intake over 7 days was assessed using a computer program, previously used for a local population-based dietary survey. Anthropometric measurements were made and fasting venous blood was examined for serum lipids, haematological data, iron, vitamin B12 and folate status. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine (L2 - L4) was measured as a reflection of calcium status. RESULTS: Fifty-one lacto-ovo-vegetarians aged 4-14 years were investigated. The mean +/- standard deviation (SD) daily energy intake was 1600 +/- 425 kcal. The mean (+/- SD) daily protein intake was 1.6 +/- 0.6 g/kg bodyweight which met the United States recommended dietary allowance. Compared to that of the local omnivore diet, the vegetarian diet was closer to the recommended healthy diet with lower fat (20-23%), more fibre (5.8-8.7 g/day) and better polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio (1.0-1.1). Growth and BMD of the vegetarian children were comparable to the general omnivore population. Two children had iron deficiency and two children had anaemia. The calcium status, as reflected by the BMD, was not impaired. Serum folate and vitamin B12 were within the normal range. Six (25%) boys and four (15%) girls were obese. Three boys had hyperlipidaemia. CONCLUSIONS: A Hong Kong Chinese vegetarian diet appears healthy, providing adequate iron and vitamin B12 nutrition, but the prevalence of obesity was high.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Morbidity patterns of non-urgent patients attending accident and emergency departments in Hong Kong: cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To study the morbidity patterns of non-urgent patients utilising accident and emergency services and compare these patients with 'true' accident and emergency cases. To analyse the morbidity pattern of non-urgent cases over different time periods, and across different age groups. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study completed over a 1-year period. SETTING: Four accident and emergency departments in Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Two thousand, four hundred and ten patients randomly selected from four accident and emergency departments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The morbidity patterns by body system, according to the International Classification of Primary Care, were tabulated and analysed for 'true' accident and emergency cases versus non-urgent cases. The ten most frequent diagnoses for the 'true' accident and emergency and non-urgent cases were also compared. Further analysis of accident and emergency service utilisation was conducted comparing different age groups, and also different time periods. RESULTS: Significantly more cases presenting to the accident and emergency service with respiratory and digestive problems were found to be non-urgent, rather than appropriate accident and emergency cases. In contrast, significantly more cases presenting with circulatory and neurological problems were appropriate cases for accident and emergency department management. The morbidity pattern for the ten most frequent diagnoses seen in non-urgent cases was noted to be similar to the Hong Kong general practice morbidity pattern for self-limiting conditions. Utilisation of accident and emergency services for acute self-limiting conditions was more marked in the late evening, and also among children and the younger population in general. CONCLUSION: The utilisation of accident and emergency services by patients requiring a general practice service only, reflects problems in the primary health care delivery system. These may be solved by appropriate interfacing between general practitioners and other service providers, with the aim of providing seamless health care. Without revision of primary health care services, accident and emergency departments will continue to be used inappropriately by patients as an alternative to general practice care.

Accidents↗
PubMed2000

Factors associated with non-urgent utilization of Accident and Emergency services: a case-control study in Hong Kong.

Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E) have been a popular source of primary care, and studies have shown that up to two thirds of patients attending A&E have problems that could be managed by general practitioners (GPs). Although many studies have found that patients of lower socio-economic class with less social support have a higher utilization rate of A&E, some recent studies have revealed contrary evidence. In this study 2410 patients were randomly selected from four A&E at different times. The gold standard in differentiating true emergency cases and GP cases was based on a retrospective record review conducted independently by a panel of emergency physicians. Two emergency physicians reviewed each case independently, and if their independent ratings were in agreement, this became the gold standard. Patients classified as GP cases were given a telephone interview, and a sample was selected and matched with cases from general out patient clinics (GOPC) in the public sector by morbidity. Reasons for not attending a private GP included closure of clinic, deterioration of symptoms, GPs' inability to diagnose properly, and patients' wish to continue medical treatment in the same hospital. Reasons why non-urgent patients did not choose to attend the nearby public GOPC included affordability, closure of the GOPC, patients' wish to continue treatment at the same hospital, GOPC too far away, no improvement shown after visits to GOPC doctors, and GOPC doctors' inability to make proper diagnoses. The reasons for high level of utilization of A&E services are complex and reflect problems of delivery of GP services. There is an urgent need for GPs to set up a network system to provide out of hours services, and also for a better interfacing between primary and secondary care, and between public and private sectors, so that patients can be referred back to GPs. Interim clinical services provided to those non-urgent cases by nursing practitioners or by GPs working in A&E could also facilitate discharge of patients to primary care facilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Management of carbon monoxide poisoning using oxygen therapy.

The management of carbon monoxide poisoning requires an accurate assessment of the extent of blood oxygenation. Measuring the fractional oxyhaemoglobin content by using co-oximetry gives a true picture of the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood in the presence of carboxyhaemoglobin. The use of readings from pulse oximetry or a standard blood gas analyser is insufficient and can be misleading. We report on a case of carbon monoxide poisoning to illustrate this potential pitfall.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Measuring the inappropriate utilization of accident and emergency services?

Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments are increasingly popular venues for primary care, causing a serious threat to healthcare quality. This paper reports the development of a comprehensive research method for identifying primary care patients attending A&E. Patients were randomly selected from the four A&E departments across different time periods and different regions in Hong Kong. The definition of GP cases was based on a retrospective record review conducted by a panel of emergency physicians using the standard laid down by the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians. The patients sampled were similar in sex and age distribution to A&E attendees for the whole territory. The level of GP cases was found to be 57 per cent, with a significantly higher proportion of patients in the younger age group. The high level of use reflects the lack of a well co-ordinated development of primary care services and interfacing with secondary care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Outcome of major trauma patients in a Hong Kong general hospital.

This is a retrospective study on the outcome using the TRISS methodology of 94 significantly injured patients over a 24-month period, managed by the Hospital Trauma Team in a general hospital since the formation of the Team in August 1994. There were 37 deaths and nine (24.3%) of these were 'potentially preventable' according to TRISS methodology. Seven of these nine 'potentially preventable or unexpected deaths' were transferred from a nearby district hospital where there was no acute operative facilities. There was no significant difference between the sex, age, mode of injury or Injury Severity Score between the direct admission and transfer-in cases and the M-statistic values of the two groups were similar. Five of the nine deaths happened in the first 4 months after the formation of the Trauma Team and the other four were scattered in the subsequent 20 months. The rate of preventable deaths was 50% (five out of 10 deaths) in the first 4 months, and was 15% (four out of 26) in the subsequent period. The probable causes for the 'potentially preventable trauma deaths' were delay owing to interhospital transfer, delay in activation of the trauma team, unidentified intra-peritoneal haemorrhage, failure to control haemorrhage and delayed or inadequate definitive operation. The evident improvement in the reduction of unexpected trauma deaths were likely associated with the success factors of the improvement of the multi-disciplinary cooperation including mutual understanding, simultaneous patient assessment, higher readiness to use diagnostic peritoneal lavage or ultrasonography to evaluate blunt abdominal trauma, earlier senior participation in patient care, shortening in response time of supportive facilities and a gradual cultural change towards dedicated trauma patient care. Further reduction in unexpected deaths can be expected if better prehospital triage by ambulance staff is attained to transfer trauma patients to the most appropriate instead of the nearest hospital.

Adult↗