PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Samuel Yeung Shan Wong

Publications and source records attributed to Samuel Yeung Shan Wong.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Depressive symptoms in middle-aged men: results from a household survey in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in middle-aged Chinese men aged 45-64. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional household survey was performed in Hong Kong. Demographic, lifestyle and medical information were obtained from a standardized questionnaire. Clinically relevant depressive symptoms were measured by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). RESULTS: Five hundred forty five men participated in this study (response rate: 72.4%); 18.1% suffered from clinically depressive symptoms. For psychosocial factors in bivariate analyses, being divorced/separated/widowed, living alone, having an education level of primary school or less, having a low income, unemployment and having experienced a significant life event over the past year were associated with an increased odds of having depressive symptoms. In multiple regression analysis, living alone, being unemployed and having experienced a negative life event such as having experienced serious financial trouble, having given up a hobby or activity that was important to subject and having been separated from a child, close friend or relative were associated with increased odds of having clinically relevant depressive symptoms. LIMITATIONS: Although random sampling was performed, there might be a selection bias for men who were unemployed and at home at the time of the interview. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically relevant depressive symptoms are an important public health problem in Chinese middle-aged men particularly those who are unemployed, have a negative life events and live alone. As middle-aged men are at high risk for suicide, public health intervention should be targeted at these men.

Cohort Studies↗

Prevalence of and risk factors for androgen deficiency in middle-aged men in Hong Kong.

The purpose of this investigation was to study the prevalence of and risk factors for androgen deficiency in middle-aged men in Hong Kong. A community-based, cross-sectional household survey was performed in Hong Kong on men aged 45 to 64 years. Demographics, lifestyle information (cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity), and symptoms previously defined for identifying those with androgen deficiency were measured by using standardized questionnaires. Blood samples were collected in the morning, and total, free, and bioavailable testosterone levels were assessed. Data on androgen deficiency were available for 252 men aged 45 to 64 years. Crude prevalence of androgen deficiency was 9.52%. Prevalence increased significantly with age. For risk factors, having a lower personal income and having a history of hypertension were independently associated with increased risk of having androgen deficiency (odds ratio, 3.72; confidence interval, 1.01-13.61; and odds ratio, 2.89; confidence interval, 1.06-7.91, respectively). The prevalence of androgen deficiency in Hong Kong Chinese is similar to that found in Caucasians by using a similar definition. From this age-specific prevalence cross-sectional data, it is estimated that there are approximately 68,775 Hong Kong Chinese men aged 45-64 years with androgen deficiency. Future studies with large sample size are needed to evaluate the risk factors for androgen deficiency in men.

Androgens↗

Depression and lower urinary tract symptoms: Two important correlates of erectile dysfunction in middle-aged men in Hong Kong, China.

AIM: To evaluate the correlates of erectile dysfunction (ED) in Hong Kong middle-aged Chinese men aged 45-64 years. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional household survey was performed in Hong Kong. The Chinese abridged version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) was used to measure erectile function. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was used to measure lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Demographic and lifestyle data were also collected. The association between ED and its correlates was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Of the 545 subjects who agreed to participate in the survey, 75 refused to answer questions about their sexual activities and function. Out of those who responded, 118 (22%) subjects were not sexually active (not sexually active over the past 4 weeks). Out of 352 subjects, 60.3% suffered from some degree of ED. Age, presence of depression defined by CES-D and moderate LUTS were associated with increased odds of having ED. In multivariate analysis, depressive symptoms identified by CES-D (OR = 2.3, CI: 1.2-4.6) and moderate LUTS (OR = 3.7, CI: 1.6-8.3) were independently associated with increased odds of having ED. CONCLUSION: ED is an important public health problem in Chinese middle-aged men, with more than half suffering from some degree of ED. Depression and LUTS were significant and important risk factors associated with ED.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

Primary care physicians in Hong Kong and Canada--how did their practices differ during the SARS epidemic?

BACKGROUND: Hong Kong and Canada have very different primary health care systems. We thus hypothesized family physicians between the two places would be different in how they protected themselves, their staff and families during the epidemic. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore and contrast the impact of SARS on family physicians in Hong Kong and Toronto. METHODS: A postal questionnaire was designed and sent to 183 tutors affiliated with the Chinese University of Hong Kong with 137 replies (74.8%). In Toronto, 150 questionnaires were sent to academic family physicians affiliated with the University of Toronto with 51 replies (34%). RESULTS: All agreed SARS had changed their clinical behaviour. For public health measures in the control of SARS, Hong Kong physicians were less likely to quarantined themselves (77.1% versus 19.4%, P < 0.01) or gave quarantine leave to staff (95% versus 59.7%, P < 0.01) after exposure to probable or suspected SARS. However, they were more likely to wear a mask (52.7% versus 97.7%, P = 0) during consultation, having support staff to wear masks (68.6% versus 97.8%, P = 0) and test patient's temperature (47.1% versus 68.1%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: There were noticeable differences in how family physicians deal with SARS between the two cities. As SARS emerged as a global disease, better understanding of practice differences among physicians from different countries would facilitate globalization of public health.

Canada↗

The prevalence of Apo E4 genotype and its relationship to bone mineral density in Hong Kong Chinese.

Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) polymorphism has been implicated in many chronic diseases, including Alzheimer disease and osteoporosis. Significant association of the Apo E4 allele to low bone mineral density (BMD) has been repeatedly reported. We here examined the Apo E genotype frequencies in the Chinese population (n = 692) and its relationship to BMD. A significantly lower frequency (a prevalence of 7%) of the E4 alleles was found in our Chinese subjects compared to that reported in Caucasians (14.7%) or in Japanese (11.7%). However, no significant association between the Apo E4 allele and BMD Z score was observed in our test subjects; this may be due to the rarity of the Apo E4 allele frequency in Chinese, which requires a larger sample size for detection of significant association. Significant associations detected between Apo E2 allele and BMD at the femoral neck in elderly women (P = 0.02) and at the spine in elderly men (P = 0.03) were in the opposite direction and thus regarded as false-positive results. It is concluded that the Apo E4 allele is rare in Chinese, and a larger population size is needed to see if Apo E4 is associated with BMD in Chinese.

Aged↗

Osteoporosis and transforming growth factor-beta-1 gene polymorphism in Chinese men and women.

Transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-Beta(1)) has been implicated in bone mineral density (BMD) determination. We investigated the relationship between the TGF polymorphism, BMD, and vertebral fractures in 588 Chinese men and women. No association between TGF polymorphism and BMD was observed in postmenopausal women (aged 55-59 years), elderly men (aged 70-79 years), or elderly women (aged 70-79 years) at the hip, spine, or total body ( P >> 0.05 by two-way ANOVA). In all study groups, there was no effect of an interaction between TGF polymorphism and calcium intake on BMD ( P >> 0.05 for the interaction effects by two-way ANOVA). No statistical significant association was observed between TGF polymorphism and vertebral fracture in elderly men or women ( P >> 0.05 by the chi-square test), even though men of the TT and TC genotypes seem to have more vertebral fractures. Contrary to previous studies that found an association between BMD and TGF polymorphism in the Japanese, we found no association between TGF polymorphism and BMD of elderly Chinese men or women. This finding could result from different sampling methods between the previous and current studies and environmental factors and ethnic differences between the two populations.

Aged↗