A longitudinal study examining determinants of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in regional referral hospitals across Uganda.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted essential health services worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, lockdowns initially controlled virus transmission but later negatively affected non-COVID-19 healthcare. In Uganda, government policies evolved from strict movement restrictions to moderate restrictions with consideration for socioeconomic activities.

Flooding and Cognitive Health among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Thailand: A Case Study of Resilient City Policy in Bangkok.

Thailand, a developing country in Southeast Asia, faces significant challenges due to urbanization, population aging, and climate change. This case study focuses on an adaptation strategy implemented in Bangkok to address the impacts of flooding. The study aims to examine the short-, medium-, and long-term effects of flooding exposure on cognitive health among middle-aged and older adults in Thailand and to identify the role of resilient city policy (RCP) in mitigating these impacts.

Determinants maintaining healthcare personnel's motivation during COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda.

Background: Maintaining the physical and psychological well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs) is crucial for health system resilience. In sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Uganda, HCWs faced significant challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, compounded by pre-existing resource constraints. This study investigated challenges faced by HCWs at a designated COVID-19 hospital ('the Hospital') and explored determinants of maintaining healthcare personnel's motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda.

Substantial Impact of Later-Life Depression Among Community Older Adults on the Family Caregivers' Burden in the Home Care Setting of Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.

: Depression is a common geriatric problem globally. It is particularly burdensome in low- and middle-income countries, where care for older people mainly relies on the family in the absence of long-term care facilities. This study aimed to assess the level of caregivers' burden among family caregivers who are taking care of older persons with depression in the home care setting within the communities of Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.

A scoping review of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Pakistan investigating the status of glycemic control, awareness, treatment adherence, complications and cost.

Background: The high prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) in Pakistan is a challenge to the existing healthcare system. This is the first comprehensive review of the status of glycemic control, diabetes knowledge, treatment adherence, complications and financial burden faced by the diabetic patient population of the country.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus for studies on diabetes control, knowledge, treatment adherence, prevalence of complications and cost in Pakistan published in English from 2000 to 2024.

Identifying the Relationship Between Residential Type and Health Outcomes of the Community-Dwelling Thai Older Adults in the Baseline Analysis of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background/objectives: As people age, their environment plays a critical role in shaping their health. With Thailand's rapidly aging population, it is crucial to understand how different living environments affect the well-being of older adults. This study examines differences in biopsychosocial health indicators between older adults living in village communities and private housing estates in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Lessons for Strengthening a Resilient Health System from the View of Health Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 caused significant negative damage to the health status of populations and health systems globally. In Uganda, our previous study revealed that the strict Public Health and Social measures (PHSMs) and the closure of Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital (ERRH) led to missed healthcare access among the citizens in the Entebbe municipality. Limited studies, however, exist on the impact of the response measures on the local health systems.

Myanmar migrants living along the Thailand-Myanmar border: Experiences related to pandemic and migration decisions.

Importance: In Myanmar, amid political and civil unrest, droves of Burmese are displaced to neighboring countries including Thailand. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about the available healthcare services and health and well-being among refugees and migrant workers within resettlement areas along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

Objective: To explore the unmet needs of migrants along the Thailand-Myanmar border during the COVID-19 pandemic and their reasons for leaving Myanmar.

Digital Inclusion among Community Older Adults in the Republic of Korea: Measuring Digital Skills and Health Consequences.

Many older adults are increasingly embracing digital technology in the Republic of Korea. This study investigated the relationship between the digital skills of Korean older adults and their perceived health status and digital technology application for health promotion. This mixed-method study comprised a community survey of 434 older adults aged ≥65 in two cities in South Korea, followed by focus group interviews.

Sociodigital Determinants of eHealth Literacy and Related Impact on Health Outcomes and eHealth Use in Korean Older Adults: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: eHealth literacy is an essential skill for pursuing electronic health information, particularly for older people whose health needs increase with age. South Korea is now at the intersection of a rapidly digitalizing society and an increasingly aged population. eHealth literacy enables older people to maximize the effective use of emerging digital technology for their health and quality of life.

Disparity in the Burden of Caring for Older Persons between Families Living in Housing Estates and Traditional Communities in Thailand.

Thailand's rapid population aging and reliance on family-based long-term care requires research into disparities in family caregiver burden. Since the type of residence matters to the caregiving outcome, this research aimed to examine the difference in caregiver burden between residents of private housing estates and traditional village communities. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 1276 family caregivers of community-dwelling Thai older adults, in Chiang Mai province, Thailand.

Prevalence and social determinants of depression: A cross-sectional survey of Myanmar migrant workers in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.

Background: Depression is a common mental disorder and the sixth leading cause of disability in Thailand. Chiang Mai has historically been a city of attraction for labour migration for Shan migrants from the adjacent Southern Shan State of Myanmar. Currently, only infectious diseases are screened during the pre-employment period.

Study protocol for a type-II hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial to reach teenagers using mobile money shops to reduce unintended pregnancies in Uganda.

Introduction: Unintended teenage pregnancies have become a global public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a notably high prevalence of unintended pregnancies among unmarried teenagers in Uganda. This study will develop an intervention programme using mobile money shops (vendors) as a platform to deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services to teenagers and assess its effectiveness and scalability in Uganda.

Association Between Dietary Habits and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Thai Adults: A Case-Control Study.

Background: The prevalence of T2DM is escalating in Thailand affecting over 10% of adults aged 20-79 years old. It is imperative to identify modifiable risk factors that can potentially help mitigate the risk of developing diabetes.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary habits and type 2 diabetes in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Exploring the contribution of Japan's experience in addressing rapid aging in Asia: Focus on dementia care.

This review article explores the potential contribution of Japan's experience in addressing rapid aging in Asia with a specific focus on dementia care. As Japan is a frontrunner in terms of aging society, we consider valuable insights and lessons from Japanese policy history and reflect on its contribution. The World Health Organization, Regional Office for the Western Pacific Regional Action Plan on Healthy Ageing for the Western Pacific was compared with the Japanese "Outline for Promotion of Dementia Policies".

Analysis of digital capacity-related factors influencing health promotion participation and active aging of older adults residing in rural areas in South Korea: A structural equation model.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the correlation between digital capacity, health promotion participation, and active aging of older people living in rural areas in South Korea to assess the factors influencing participation in programs for health promotion and active aging.

Methods: Data were collected through a 1:1 face-to-face survey using a structured questionnaire from 13 February to 24 February 2023 during the older individuals' visits in the senior citizen welfare centers and senior citizen centers in the region. The Measuring Digital Skills questionnaire used to assess the digital competence of South Korean individuals was employed in this study.

Impact of Hospital Closure on Patients with Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda: A Cross-Sectional and Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its measures have had a profound impact on universal access to health services. We investigated the impact of the closure of the Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital (ERRH) for two years on the accessibility to necessary healthcare among non-COVID-19 patients.

Methods: This mixed-methods study focused on ERRH patients with tuberculosis (TB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), diabetes/hypertension, and mental illness.

Enhancing community health system resilience: lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda through the qualitative inquiry of the COVID Task Force.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the elements of a resilient community health system during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss whether the frameworks described in previous studies can be applied to real-world situations with those who implemented the Community Engagement Strategy, a strategy to make health systems work in their communities during health crises in Uganda.

Methods: Focus group discussions (22 participants in total) were conducted with COVID Task Force members in four districts in Uganda in March 2022. These districts implemented a Community Engagement Strategy to ensure that health systems in their communities continued to function during health scares, and have been evaluated to ensure that the strategies have been implemented.

Towards Cultural Adequacy of Experience-Based Design: A Qualitative Evaluation of Community-Integrated Intermediary Care to Enhance the Family-Based Long-Term Care for Thai Older Adults.

In this qualitative study, we provided an in-depth understanding of how Community-Integrated Intermediary Care (CIIC), a new service model for family-based long-term care (LTC), was perceived by its users. The CIIC, established in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, consisted of three main interventions: (1) A temporary respite care center; (2) A family-centered care capacity building; (3) Functional training delivered as community group exercise and home exercise to improve healthy ageing for independent older adults. Ten pairs of dependent Thai older adults, their primary family caregivers, and ten village health volunteers were recruited using the purposive sampling method.

Roles of Social Protection to Promote Health Service Coverage among Vulnerable People toward Achieving Universal Health Coverage: A Literature Review of International Organizations.

A wider range of social protection services, including social insurance and social assistance, are gaining global attention as a key driver of improved health service coverage and financial protection among vulnerable populations. However, only a few studies have investigated the associations between social protection and universal health coverage (UHC). Therefore, we conducted a literature review on relevant international organizations with respect to this topic.

COVID-19 Phobia among Korean, Chinese, and Japanese students: An international comparative study.

This study aimed to identify the characteristic differences and potential contributing factors of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) phobia between undergraduate and graduate students in Korea, Japan, and China. We used the online survey tool, we retained 460 responses from Korea, 248 responses from Japan, and 788 responses from China for analysis. We performed the statistical analysis; ANOVA F-test and Multiple linear regression.

Digital-Based Policy and Health Promotion Policy in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Thailand: A Scoping Review of Policy Paths to Healthy Aging.

People are living longer, and our life has become more digital. Hence, the benefits from digital technology, including economic growth, increasing labor productivity, and ensuring health equity in the face of an aging population emerged as a vital topic for countries around the world. Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore, and Thailand are in the top ten rankings in terms of information and communication technology (ICT) development within the Asia Pacific Region and all are facing challenges of population aging.