Deciphering dynamic interactions among multidimensional psychological motivations, academic performance, and sociocultural adjustment: The critical influence of excessive WeChat use.

As the preeminent mobile social media platform in Mainland China, WeChat's meteoric expansion has revolutionized the dynamics of interpersonal communication and the modalities of mutual interaction among individuals. Despite the escalating significance of mobile social media in the cross-cultural adaptation of international students, existing scholarly works have largely neglected the underlying relationship between psychological motivations, excessive WeChat use, academic performance, and sociocultural adaptation of these students. Anchored in uses and gratifications theory and cross-cultural adaptation paradigm, the primary objectives of this study are to devise a theoretical model and to scrutinize differential psychological motivations propelling international students' WeChat usage, its association with excessive WeChat use, and impacts on academic performance and sociocultural adjustment. The proposed model undergoes meticulous evaluation through data amassed online from 598 Chinese international students studying in Germany. Sequential analytical techniques, especially Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling, were employed to elucidate the dynamic interplay among key variables. The final results validate the path effect suggesting that both hedonic and social motivations are positive predictors of excessive WeChat use. Moreover, excessive WeChat use is negatively correlated with academic performance and sociocultural adjustment. However, utilitarian motivation is not significantly related to excessive WeChat use. By demystifying the driving factors and consequences of excessive WeChat use, these findings not only accentuate the pivotal role of mobile social media in the cross-cultural adaptation of international students but also enrich the theoretical landscape and enhance the strategic approaches for educators and academic institutions.

WeChat usage and preservation of cognitive functions in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: indications from a nationally representative survey, 2018-2020.

PURPOSE: To investigate the associations between the most popular social media platform WeChat usage and cognitive performance among the middle-aged and older Chinese population using data from a nationally representative survey. METHODS: In total, 17,472 participants (≥ 45 years old) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, Wave 4, 2018) were analyzed. Cognitive performance including episodic memory and executive function was assessed using Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). Other confounding variables included socio-economic characteristics, medical status, and lifestyle-related information. Multiple linear regression models were used to test the association between cognitive performance and WeChat usage by introducing covariates hierarchically. Subgroup analyses of age and gender were conducted to estimate the robustness of the primary findings. RESULTS: After adjusting for multiple confounders across all linear models, WeChat usage is significantly associated with executive function, episodic memory, and global cognitive performance (all p values<0.05). Such results remained robust in subgroup analyses, stratified by age and gender, and also verified according to longitudinal analyses. Compared to 'Chat-only' users who only used WeChat for online interpersonal communication, further usage of WeChat functions such as using 'Moments' appeared to be significantly associated with better cognitive performance, especially for episodic memory. CONCLUSION: Social media usage is significantly and positively associated with better cognitive performance among the middle-aged and older Chinese population. Along with point-to-point messaging, using 'Moments' and extended social media platform functions may correlate to better cognitive performance.

WeChat assisted electronic symptom measurement for patients with adenomyosis.

PURPOSE: Symptom assessment is central to appropriate adenomyosis management. Using a WeChat mini-program-based portal, we aimed to establish a valid symptom assessment scale of adenomyosis (AM-SAS) to precisely and timely identify needs of symptom management and ultimately, to alert disease recurrence. METHODS: A combination of intensive interviews of patients with adenomyosis and natural language processing on WeChat clinician-patient group communication was used to generate a pool of symptom items-related to adenomyosis. An expert panel shortened the list to form the provisional AM-SAS. The AM-SAS was built in a Wechat mini-programmer and sent to patients to exam the psychotically validity and clinical applicability through classic test theory and item response theory. RESULTS: Total 338 patients with adenomyosis (29 for interview, 179 for development, and 130 for external validation) and 86 gynecologists were included. The over 90% compliance to the WeChat-based symptom evaluate. The AM-SAS demonstrated the uni-dimensionality through Rasch analysis, good internal consistency (all Cronbach's alphas above 0.8), and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.65 to 0.84). Differences symptom severity score between patients in the anemic and normal hemoglobin groups (3.04 ± 3.17 vs. 5.68 ± 3.41, P < 0.001). In external validation, AM-SAS successfully detected differences in symptom burden and physical status between those with or without relapse. CONCLUSION: Electronic PRO-based AM-SAS is a valuable instrument for monitoring AM-related symptoms. As an outcome measure of multiple symptoms in clinical trials, the AM-SAS may identify patients who need extensive care after discharge and capture significant beneficial changes of patients may have been overlooked. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was approved by the institutional review board of the Chongqing Medical University and three participating hospitals (Medical Ethics Committee of Nanchong Central Hospital, Medical Ethics Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, and Medical Ethics Committee of Haifu Hospital) and registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number ChiCTR2000038590), date of registration was 26/10/2020.

Evaluating the Quality of Cancer-Related WeChat Public Accounts: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: WeChat (Tencent) is one of the most important information sources for Chinese people. Relevantly, various health-related data are constantly transmitted among WeChat users. WeChat public accounts (WPAs) for health are rapidly emerging. Health-related WeChat public accounts have a significant impact on public health. Because of the rise in web-based health-seeking behavior, the general public has grown accustomed to obtaining cancer information from WPAs. Although WPAs make it easy for people to obtain health information, the quality of the information is questionable. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the quality and suitability of cancer-related WeChat public accounts (CWPAs). METHODS: The survey was conducted from February 1 to 28, 2023. Based on the WPA monthly list provided by Qingbo Big Data, 28 CWPAs in the WeChat communication index were selected as the survey sample. Quality assessment of the included CWPAs was performed using the HONcode instrument. Furthermore, suitability was measured by using the Suitability Assessment of Materials. A total of 2 researchers conducted the evaluations independently. RESULTS: Of the 28 CWPAs, 12 (43%) were academic and 16 (57%) were commercial. No statistical difference was found regarding the HONcode scores between the 2 groups (P=.96). The quality of the academic and commercial CWPAs evaluated using the HONcode instrument demonstrated mean scores of 5.58 (SD 2.02) and 5.63 (SD 2.16), respectively, corresponding to a moderate class. All CWPAs' compliance with the HONcode principles was unsatisfactory. A statistically significant difference between the 2 groups was observed in the Suitability Assessment of Materials scores (P=.04). The commercial WPAs reached an overall 55.1% (SD 5.5%) score versus the 50.2% (SD 6.4%) score reached by academic WPAs. The suitability of academic and commercial CWPAs was considered adequate. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that CWPAs are not sufficiently credible. WPA owners must endeavor to create reliable health websites using approved tools such as the HONcode criteria. However, it is necessary to educate the public about the evaluation tools of health websites to assess their credibility before using the provided content. In addition, improving readability will allow the public to read and understand the content.

Evaluation of activities of daily living using an electronic version of the Longshi Scale in patients with stroke: reliability, consistency, and preference.

BACKGROUND: The Longshi Scale is a pictorial assessment tool for evaluating activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with stroke. The paper-based version presents challenges; thus, the WeChat version was created to enhance accessibility. Herein, we aimed to validate the inter-rater and test-retest reliabilities of the WeChat version of the Longshi Scale and explore its potential clinical applications. METHODS: We recruited 115 patients with stroke in the study. The ADL results of each patient were assessed using both the WeChat and paper-based version of the Longshi Scale; each evaluation was conducted by 28 health professionals and 115 caregivers separately. To explore the test-retest reliability of the WeChat version, 22 patients were randomly selected and re-evaluated by health professionals using the WeChat version. All evaluation criteria were recorded, and all evaluators were surveyed to indicate their preference between the two versions. RESULTS: Consistency between WeChat and the paper-based Longshi Scale was high for ADL scores by health professionals (ICC2,1 = 0.803-0.988) and caregivers (ICC2,1 = 0.845-0.983), as well as for degrees of disability (κw = 0.870 by professionals; κw = 0.800 by caregivers). Bland-Altman analysis showed no significant discrepancies. The WeChat version exhibited good test-retest reliability (κw = 0.880). The WeChat version showed similar inter-rater reliability in terms of the ADL score evaluated using the paper-based version (ICC2,1 = 0.781-0.941). The time to complete assessments did not differ significantly, although the WeChat version had a shorter information entry time (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval: -43.463 to -15.488). Health professionals favored the WeChat version (53.6%), whereas caregivers had no significant preference. CONCLUSIONS: The WeChat version of the Longshi Scale is reliable and serves as a suitable alternative for health professionals and caregivers to assess ADL levels in patients with stroke. The WeChat version of the Longshi Scale is considered user-friendly by health professionals, although it is not preferred by caregivers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second People's Hospital of Shenzhen (approval number: 20210812003-FS01) and registered on the Clinical Trial Register Center website: clinicaltrials.gov on January 31, 2022 (registration no.: NCT05214638).

Application of a WeChat Mini Program to provide pharmaceutical care for cancer pain patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study aimed to develop an individual WeChat Mini Program to provide pharmaceutical care to better manage cancer pain patients and to evaluate its feasibility and the differences in analgesic efficacy, medication adherence and safety versus conventional pharmacy interventions. Methods: In this parallel randomized clinical trial, 42 cancer pain patients were equally allocated into the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group received individualized pharmaceutical care based on the "Yao Nin You Wo" WeChat Mini Program, while the control group received conventional care during the 4-week period. Main outcomes contained pain scores, medication adherence, incidences and relief rates of breakthrough pain, and incidences of adverse events. Relief rates of pain were also calculated according to pain scores. Results: At the beginning of intervention, none of the pain scores and medication adherence showed relevant differences between the two groups (all P > .05). After intervention, the experimental group had significantly lower pain scores compared to the control group (P = .003). Breakthrough pain of both groups was alleviate; not only the incidence of breakthrough pain considerably was lower at 4 weeks than at baseline, but the relief rate of breakthrough in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group. Compared with the control group, the medication adherence rate of the experimental group was significantly improved (P = .02). Types of adverse events that happened in experimental and groups were similar, but the total incidence of adverse events in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group. Conclusions: WeChat Mini Program is a useful and facilitative tool with the potential to improve cancer pain self-management ability in discharged patients. In addition, pharmacists could play a key role through the Mini Program to connect with patients successfully by providing personalized pharmaceutical services.

Development of the WeChat Public Account I Love Parasitology and its Preliminary Application in the Teaching of Human Parasitology.

OBJECTIVE: To better construct teaching resources, enhance real-time interaction and feedback between teachers and students in and out of class, and improve the teaching quality of parasitology, our team set up a WeChat public account I love Parasitology. METHODS: The data sources were mainly from original pictures and multimedia materials of different parasites collected and produced by our team, as well as related materials collected from traditional publications and digital media. With the instant interactive platform, course schedules and corresponding teaching contents were sent by push notifications, case-based learning was carried out, and 2-way communication between students and teachers was achieved. Teaching effectiveness was assessed using a self-evaluation questionnaire. RESULTS: A WeChat public account suitable for our daily teaching of parasitology was established. The second recursion and implementation of the learning resources allowed students to conduct in-depth reading and get unrestricted access to high-quality resources through the public account. In addition, all contents were in digital forms and made the original resources reborn, which would make up for our current and future shortage of physical teaching specimens. Moreover, the results from the questionnaire indicated that all these actions encouraged students to master theoretical knowledge, improved their abilities of case analysis and communication, and increased their knowledge of academic progress. CONCLUSION: Our WeChat public account can provide excellent learning materials for students and is a good supplement to the routine education of human parasitology.

The impact of WeChat online education and care on the mental distress of caregivers and satisfaction of elderly postoperative colorectal cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: WeChat-based nursing interventions alleviate mental distress. This study intended to investigate the effect of WeChat online education and care (WOEC) on the mental health of caregivers and the satisfaction of elderly postoperative colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. METHODS: In total, 92 elderly postoperative CRC patients and 92 caregivers were randomly separated into the WOEC group (46 patients and 46 caregivers) and the control care group (46 patients and 46 caregivers). Caregivers received corresponding intervention for 8 weeks. Beck depression inventory (BDI) and beck anxiety inventory (BAI) of caregivers, and self-report satisfaction (SRS) of patients were assessed. RESULTS: In caregivers, BDI scores at 8 weeks after enrollment (W8) (P = 0.024) and BAI score at W8 (P = 0.009), depression severity at W8 (P = 0.036), as well as anxiety severity at 4 weeks after enrollment (W4) (P = 0.028) and W8 (P = 0.047) were declined in the WOEC group versus the control care group. Regarding patients, SRS scores at W4 (P = 0.044) and W8 (P = 0.025), the satisfaction degree at W4 (P = 0.033) and W8 (P = 0.034), as well as the satisfied and very satisfied rates at W4 (P = 0.031) and W8 (P = 0.029) were elevated in the WOEC group versus the control care group. By subgroup analyses, WOEC exhibited favorable effects on reducing mental stress in caregivers of patients with eastern cooperative oncology group performance status at enrollment <3, and in caregivers with an education level of high school & university and above. CONCLUSION: WOEC effectively relieves mental stress in caregivers of elderly postoperative CRC patients, and also elevates satisfaction in these patients.

Effectiveness of WeChat-assisted preoperative education to reduce perioperative anxiety in breast cancer patients: a prospective randomized controlled study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women globally, and surgical procedures continue to be the primary treatment. However, over 50% of patients experience preoperative anxiety due to the unknown and fear associated with surgery. Although drug therapy is commonly used to address this anxiety, its side effects have led to a heated debate regarding its effectiveness. Consequently, non-pharmacological therapies, such as preoperative education, have emerged as an alternative approach to alleviate anxiety. WeChat, a widely popular social media platform, offers a public platform that can potentially be utilized for effective preoperative education. This study aims to evaluate the use of WeChat public platform as a tool for preoperative education in patients undergoing breast surgery. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized, and controlled trial will involve 392 adult women scheduled for breast cancer resection. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the WeChat education group or the regular group. In addition to regular preoperative visits, the WeChat education group will also watch science videos through the WeChat public platform. The regular group will only receive education from ward nurses during preoperative visits. The primary outcome measure will be the incidence of preoperative anxiety, defined by scores of the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) exceeding 40 points. Secondary outcome measures include the incidence of severe anxiety (SAI > 44) on the day before surgery, incidence of anxiety 72 h after surgery, incidence of severe anxiety 72 h after surgery, NRS scores for pain at rest and during activity 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery, incidence of nausea and vomiting within 24 h after surgery, subjective sleep score at 1 week postoperatively, quality of life QoR-15 scores at 1 and 3 months postoperatively, incidence of chronic pain at 3 months postoperatively, bowel function recovery, length of hospital stay, and hospitalization expenses. DISCUSSION: This is the first clinical trial to investigate the use of WeChat public platform for delivering preoperative education on perioperative anxiety in breast cancer patients. By utilizing the renowned WeChat public platform, our study aims to improve patient outcomes by providing video education that explains the disease, surgery, and anesthesia in a more accessible manner, thereby reducing the incidence of perioperative anxiety. If our hypothesis is confirmed, this non-pharmacological approach can be universally acknowledged as a cost-effective and practical method in clinical care. Its application can also be extended to other medical fields beyond breast cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05291494. Registered on 29 December 2021.

Post-abortion needs-based education via the WeChat platform to lessen fear and encourage effective contraception: a post-abortion care service intervention-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to investigate post-abortion needs-based education via the WeChat platform for women who had intended abortion in the first trimester, whether they are using effective contraception or becoming pregnant again. DESIGN: This single hospital intervention-controlled trial used a nearly 1:1 allocation ratio. Women who had intended abortions were randomly assigned to a Wechat group (needs-based education) and a control group (Traditional education). The women's ability to use effective contraception was the main result. Whether they unknowingly became pregnant again was the second result. Another result was patient anxiousness. Before and after education, women filled out questionnaires to assess their contraception methods and anxiety. METHODS: Based on the theoretical framework of contraceptions of IBL (inquiry-based learning), post-abortion women were included in WeChat groups. We use WeChat Group Announcement, regularly sending health education information, one-on-one answers to questions, and consultation methods to explore the possibilities and advantages of WeChat health education for women after abortion. A knowledge paradigm for post-abortion health education was established: From November 2021 until December 2021, 180 women who had an unintended pregnancy and undergone an induced or medical abortion were recruited, their progress was tracked for four months, and the PAC service team monitored the women's speech, discussed and classified the speech entries and summarized the common post-abortion needs in 8 aspects. At least 2 research group members routinely extracted records and categorized the outcomes. RESULTS: Before education, there were no appreciable variations between the two groups regarding sociodemographic characteristics, obstetrical conditions, abortion rates, or methods of contraception (P > 0.05). Following education, the WeChat group had a greater rate of effective contraception (63.0%) than the control group (28.6%), and their SAS score dropped statistically more than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Following the education, there were no unwanted pregnancies in the WeChat group, whereas there were 2 in the traditional PAC group. Only 5 participants in the WeChat group and 32 in the conventional PAC group reported mild anxiety after the education.

WeChat mini program in laboratory biosafety education among medical students at Guangzhou Medical University: a mixed method study of feasibility and usability.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory biosafety should be a priority in all healthcare institutions. In traditional laboratory safety teaching students typically receive knowledge passively from their teachers without active involvement. The combination of experiential learning and mobile learning may provide students with greater engagement, retention, and application of knowledge. To address this issue, we developed and conducted a convergent mixed methods study to assess the feasibility and usability of a WeChat mini program (WMP) named WeMed for laboratory biosafety education for medical laboratory students at Guangzhou Medical University (GMU). METHODS: The study was conducted between November 2022 and October 2023 among second-year undergraduate students at GMU. It involved the concurrent collection, analysis, and interpretation of both qualitative and quantitative data to assess feasibility and usability. In the quantitative strand, two evaluations were conducted via online surveys from students (n = 67) after a four-week study period. The System Usability Scale (SUS) was used to evaluate usability, while self-developed questions were used to assess feasibility. Additionally, a knowledge test was administered 6 months after the program completion. In the qualitative strand, fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, whereby a reflexive thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the interview data. RESULTS: The overall SUS score is adequate (M = 68.17, SD = 14.39). The acceptability of the WeMed program is in the marginal high range. Most students agreed that WeMed was useful for learning biosafety knowledge and skills (13/14, 93%), while 79% (11/14) agreed it was easy to use and they intended to continue using it. After 6 months, a significant difference in the knowledge test scores was observed between the WeMed group (n = 67; 2nd year students) and the traditional training group (n = 90; 3rd year students). However, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the absence of a pretest. CONCLUSION: The combination of experiential learning and mobile learning with WMP is a feasible tool for providing laboratory biosafety knowledge and skills. Ongoing improvements should be made in order to increase long-term acceptance.

Effects of Wuxi CDC WeChat official account article features on user engagement in health promotion.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the characteristics of subscribers to assess users' needs and analyze the features of articles published on Wuxi CDC WeChat official account (WOA) to evaluate the effectiveness of health education dissemination and guide future communication strategies. METHODS: Collect data from the WeChat official account (WOA) of the Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify factors affecting the effectiveness of health education dissemination as measured by shares and 100% reading completion rate between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify influencing features of articles associated with health education dissemination. RESULTS: By the end of 2022, our account had accumulated 891,170 subscribers, of which, 523,576 were females (58.75%), 349,856 were males (39.3%), mainly located in third-tier cities (82.59%). Age distribution peaked in the 26-35 and 36-45 age groups (43.63% and 30.6%, respectively). A total of 170 articles were included in the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that articles with a lower word count (OR = 0.999, 95% CI = 0.998 ~ 1), lower picture count (OR = 0.892, 95% CI = 0.828 ~ 0.962), dominated headlines (OR = 2.454, 95% CI = 1.234 ~ 4.879) and thematically focused on Nutrition and food-borne diseases (OR = 5.728, 95% CI = 1.778 ~ 18.458) demonstrated higher engagement, as measured by shares and 100% completion rates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that future content should prioritize conciseness, optimize images, and align with subscriber interests, particularly in nutrition and food hygiene. Additionally, maintaining informative yet engaging content formats remains crucial for maximizing reach and impact.

The influence of WeChat education and care program on anxiety, depression, insomnia, and general state of health in parents of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients.

PURPOSE: WeChat-based education and care program serves as a promising nursing method for relieving mental stress in parents of pediatric patients. This study purposed to explore the influence of the WeChat education and care program (WECP) on mental health, insomnia, and general state of health in parents of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. METHODS: Totally, 146 parents of 73 primary pediatric ALL patients were randomized into the WECP group (74 parents of 37 patients) and standard care (SC) group (72 parents of 36 patients) to receive a 6-month corresponding intervention. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), Athens insomnia scale (AIS), and 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) were assessed in parents of patients. RESULTS: SAS scores at the third month (M3) (P = 0.041) and M6 (P = 0.032) were reduced in WECP group versus SC group. SAS-defined anxiety rate at M6 (P = 0.035) was declined in WECP group versus SC group. SDS score at M6 was descended in WECP group versus SC group (P = 0.024). However, there was no discrepancy in SDS-defined depression rate at any time point between groups (all P > 0.05). AIS scores at M1 (P = 0.015) and M6 (P = 0.021), as well as GHQ-12 scores at M3 (P = 0.007) and M6 (P = 0.001) were decreased in WECP group versus SC group. By subgroup analyses, WECP exhibited good effects at M6 in mothers, but not in fathers. CONCLUSION: WECP is a feasible and efficacy intervention to improve mental stress and health status among parents of pediatric ALL patients, especially in mothers.

Feasibility of a Mobile Health Intervention for Providing a Continuum of HIV Services for MSM: Pilot Study of the WeTest Program in 3 Cities in China.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in China have a high risk for HIV infection but experience suboptimal rates of HIV testing and service engagement due to various social and structural barriers. We developed a mobile health (mHealth) intervention entitled "WeTest-Plus" (WeTest+) as a user-centered "one-stop service" approach for delivering access to comprehensive information about HIV risk, HIV self-testing, behavioral and biomedical prevention, confirmatory testing, treatment, and care. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the current study was to investigate the feasibility of WeTest+ to provide continuous HIV services to high-risk MSM. METHODS: Participants completed a 3-week pilot test of WeTest+ to examine acceptability, feasibility, and recommendations for improvement. Participants completed a structured online questionnaire and qualitative exit interviews facilitated by project staff. "Click-through" rates were assessed to examine engagement with online content. RESULTS: 28 participants were included, and the average age was 27.6 years (standard deviation = 6.8). Almost all participants (96.4%) remained engaged with the WeTest+ program over a 3-week observational period. The majority (92.9%) self-administered the HIV self-test and submitted their test results through the online platform. Overall click-through rates were high (average 67.9%). Participants provided favorable comments about the quality and relevance of the WeTest+ information content, the engaging style of information presentation, and the user-centered features. CONCLUSION: This pilot assessment of WeTest+ supports the promise of this program for promoting HIV self-testing and linkage to in-person services for MSM in China. Findings underscore the utility of a user-centered approach to mHealth program design.

A Mobile Applet for Assessing Medication Adherence and Managing Adverse Drug Reactions Among Patients With Cancer: Usability and Utility Study.

BACKGROUND: Medication adherence and the management of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are crucial to the efficacy of antitumor drugs. A WeChat applet, also known as a "Mini Program," is similar to the app but has marked advantages. The development and use of a WeChat applet makes follow-up convenient for patients with cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the usability and utility of a newly developed WeChat applet, "DolphinCare," among patients with cancer in Shanghai. METHODS: A qualitative methodology was used to obtain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of patients with cancer when using DolphinCare from the usability and utility aspects. The development phase consisted of 2 parts: alpha and beta testing. Alpha testing combined the theory of the Fogg Behavior Model and the usability model. Alpha testing also involved testing the design of DolphinCare using a conceptual framework, which included factors that could affect medication adherence and ADRs. Beta testing was conducted using in-depth interviews. In-depth interviews allowed us to assist the patients in using DolphinCare and understand whether they liked or disliked DolphinCare and found it useful. RESULTS: We included participants who had an eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) score of ≥50%, and a total of 20 participants were interviewed consecutively. The key positive motivators described by interviewers were to be reminded to take their medications and to alleviate their ADRs. The majority of the patients were able to activate and use DolphinCare by themselves. Most patients indicated that their trigger to follow-up DolphinCare was the recommendation of their known and trusted health care professionals. All participants found that labels containing the generic names of their medication and the medication reminders were useful, including timed pop-up push notifications and text alerts. The applet presented the corresponding information collection forms of ADRs to the patient to fill out. The web-based consultation system enables patients to consult pharmacists or physicians in time when they have doubts about medications or have ADRs. The applet had usabilities and utilities that could improve medication adherence and the management of ADRs among patients with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence regarding the usability and utility of this type of WeChat applet among patients with cancer, which is expected to be promoted for managing follow-up among other patients with other chronic disease.

The impact of telehealth education on self-management in patients with coexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension: a 26-week randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of coexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension is increasing globally and posing significant health challenges. Effective self-management is crucial for controlling the disease and preventing complications. Telehealth education has emerged as a promising approach to enhancing self-management. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of telehealth education on glycolipid metabolism, blood pressure, and self-management in patients with coexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension. METHODS: This study included 174 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and hypertension from October 2022 to March 2023 at the 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The patients were randomly assigned to the control group or the telehealth education group. The control group received conventional diabetes education including diet and exercise guidance, while the telehealth education group received additional online education through the WeChatapplication. Both groups were followed up for 26 weeks and the changes in glycolipid metabolism, blood pressure, and self-management were compared between the groups. RESULTS: After 26 weeks of intervention, the telehealth education group showed statistically significant reductions in weight, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, 2 h postprandial blood glucose, and hemoglobin A1c compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The telehealth education group also exhibited a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein-C level (P < 0.05). The Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities score, which reflects the level of diabetes self-management, demonstrated that the telehealth education group had a significantly better total score as well as superior scores in all five sub-categories (diet, blood glucose testing, medication use, and foot care) compared to the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings confirmed that telehealth education effectively enhanced the self-management capabilities of patients with coexisting type 2 diabetes and hypertension, leading to better glycolipid and blood pressure control. The use of telehealth education may potentially improve the interaction between medical staff and patients in the management of chronic diseases.

A smartphone-based crowd-sourced real-time surveillance platform (apple snail inspector) for the invasive snails: a design and development study.

BACKGROUND: The large amphibious freshwater apple snail is an important invasive species in China, but there is currently no method available for their surveillance. The development and popularization of smartphones provide a new platform for research on surveillance technologies for the early detection and effective control of invasive species. METHODS: The ASI surveillance system was developed based on the infrastructure of the WeChat platform and Amap. The user can directly enter the game interface through the WeChat port on their mobile phone, and the system automatically obtains their location. The user can then report the location of apple snails. The administrator can audit the reported information, and all information can be exported to Microsoft Excel version 2016 for analysis. The map was generated by ArcGIS 10.2 and was used to characterize the spatial and temporal distribution of apple snails in Jiangsu Province. RESULTS: The architecture of ASI consists of three parts: a mobile terminal, a server terminal and a desktop terminal. We published more than 10 tweets on the official WeChat account of the system to announce it to the public, and a total of 207 users in 2020 and 2021 correctly reported sightings of apple snails. We identified 550 apple snails breeding sites in 2020 and 2021, featuring ponds (81%), parks (17%) and farmland (2%). In addition, most of the locations contained snail eggs, and the reporting times mainly occurred between May and September. CONCLUSIONS: The ASI is an effective surveillance system that can be used to identify the breeding locations of apple snails and provides the basis of prevention and control for its dispersal. Its successful development and operation provide new potential avenues for surveillance of other public health issues.

Real-time intelligent detection of ethephon based on a high-throughput ratiometric fluorescent probe.

Ethephon (ETH) is a common pesticide, and its overuse has resulted in a variety of health problems for humans. However, the existing ETH detection methods are tedious and time-consuming, and real-time ETH identification remains a significant difficulty. To mitigate this concern, a dual-emission ratiometric fluorescent probe Ru@ZrMOF was rationally synthesized for the detection of ETH. In the presence of ETH, the emission peak at 435 nm gradually increased, while the peak at 600 nm remained constant, accompanied by the fluorescence color change from red, pink, blue-violet to blue. The fluorescence intensity ratio (F435/F600) demonstrated two linear relations with the ETH concentration ranges at 3 - 50 µM and 50 - 500 µM, with a lowest detection limit at 1 µM. This was attributed to the formation of Zr-O-P bonds which attenuated the ligand-metal charge transfer (LMCT) process, resulting in the recovery of blue fluorescence of the ligand 2-Aminoterephthalic acid (2-APDC). To validate the practical application of the developed platform, a YOLO v5x-based WeChat applet "96 Speckles" was developed, and a 96-well plate and smartphone-embedded 3D-printed portable toolbox was designed for the real-time intelligent detection of ETH. This smart platform allows for real-time and efficient ETH analysis in various real samples including apples, pears and tomatoes.

Construction and application of the “school-enterprise-community”linkage community pharmaceutical care mode based on the WeChat mini program / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To construct the “school-enterprise-community” linkage community pharmaceutical care mode based on the WeChat mini program， upgrade the content and mode of community pharmaceutical care， and improve the quality of healthy life of the residents. METHODS Focusing on the pharmaceutical care needs of community residents， by integrating school， enterprise and community pharmaceutical resources， the WeChat mini program of “drug enjoying health” was created and the “online+offline” community pharmaceutical care mode was built. Using classified random sampling， mini program users were randomly selected as the observation group， and offline pair-assisted community residents as the control group. The intervention effects of the two groups were compared around the three aspects of medication health knowledge mastery， medication compliance and medication behavior. RESULTS The “drug enjoying health” mini program consisted of four modules：“ drug for health”，“ drug for warmth”，“ drug for safety”， and “personal information”. The “school-enterprise-community” linkage community pharmaceutical care mode based on the “drug enjoying health” mini program began to be applied in July 2022， with 6 185 users， 2 732 recovery records of expired drugs， 941 times of pharmaceutical care， and 3 354 consultation orders. After the intervention， the qualified rate of medication health knowledge mastery， complete compliance rate， and the correct rate of medication behavior in the observation group increased from 33.53% to 76.87%， 20.23% to 46.26%， and 49.71% to 89.80%， respectively； the proportion of the increase after the intervention was higher than that of the control group （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS This mode has effectively improved the quality of community pharmaceutical care， improves the health awareness of community residents in drug use， and promotes the standardization， rationalization and safety of residents’ drug use.

Efficacy of a WeChat-Based Multimodal Digital Transformation Management Model in New-Onset Mild to Moderate Hypertension: Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: The advantages of multimodal digitally transformed mobile health management for patients diagnosed with mild to moderate hypertension are not yet established. OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of a novel WeChat-based multimodal digital transforming management model in mobile health blood pressure (BP) management. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial included 175 individuals with new-onset mild to moderate hypertension who were admitted to our center between September and October 2022. The patients were randomly assigned to either the multimodal intervention group (n=88) or the usual care group (n=87). The primary composite outcome was home and office BP differences after 6 months. The major secondary outcomes were 6-month quality-of-life scores, including the self-rating anxiety scale, self-rating depression scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS: The mean home BP decreased from 151.74 (SD 8.02)/94.22 (SD 9.32) to 126.19 (SD 8.45)/82.28 (SD 9.26) mm Hg in the multimodal intervention group and from 150.78 (SD 7.87)/91.53 (SD 9.78) to 133.48 (SD 10.86)/84.45 (SD 9.19) mm Hg in the usual care group, with a mean difference in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of -8.25 mm Hg (95% CI -11.71 to -4.78 mm Hg; P<.001) and -4.85 mm Hg (95% CI -8.41 to -1.30 mm Hg; P=.008), respectively. The mean office BP decreased from 153.64 (SD 8.39)/93.56 (SD 8.45) to 127.81 (SD 8.04)/ 82.16 (SD 8.06) mm Hg in the multimodal intervention group and from 151.48 (SD 7.14)/(91.31 (SD 9.61) to 134.92 (SD 10.11)/85.09 (SD 8.26) mm Hg in the usual care group, with a mean difference in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of -9.27 mm Hg (95% CI -12.62 to -5.91 mm Hg; P<.001) and -5.18 mm Hg (95% CI -8.47 to -1.89 mm Hg; P=.002), respectively. From baseline to 6 months, home BP control <140/90 mm Hg was achieved in 64 (72.7%) patients in the multimodal intervention group and 46 (52.9%) patients in the usual care group (P=.007). Meanwhile, home BP control <130/80 mm Hg was achieved in 32 (36.4%) patients in the multimodal intervention group and 16 (18.4%) patients in the usual care group (P=.008). After 6 months, there were significant differences in the quality-of-life total and graded scores, including self-rating anxiety scale scores (P=.04), self-rating depression scale scores (P=.03), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (P<.001), in the multimodal intervention group compared with the usual care group. CONCLUSIONS: The WeChat-based multimodal intervention model improved the BP control rates and lowered the BP levels more than the usual care approach. The multimodal digital transforming management model for hypertension represents an emerging medical practice that utilizes the individual's various risk factor profiles for primary care and personalized therapy decision-making in patients with hypertension. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200063550; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=175816.