Alice Yip

Background/Objectives: The transition to adulthood is a challenging period for young people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Despite caregivers playing a key role in this process, no validated instrument exists to assess caregivers’ perceptions of employment-related transition difficulties. This study aimed to develop and validate the Caregiver Perceived Employment-related Transition Difficulties Scale (CPTDS). Methods: A sequential exploratory mixed-method design was adopted. Qualitative interviews and a literature review informed item development. Subsequently, 251 caregivers of young people with intellectual disabilities attending special schools in Hong Kong completed the questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability and validity testing were conducted. Results: The final CPTDS consisted of 11 items forming a unidimensional scale. The scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency and satisfactory validity. Higher CPTDS scores were significantly associated with greater caregiver burden. Caregivers with greater caregiving responsibilities also reported higher levels of caregivers’ perceived employment-related transition difficulties. Conclusions: The CPTDS is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing caregivers’ perceived employment-related transition difficulties. The scale may assist in identifying caregiver concerns, informing transition planning, and evaluating employment-related transition services and interventions.

Background/Objectives: Globally, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients struggle to meet the expectation of being active in their daily lives. The burden on these individuals is twofold, including physical limitations and emotional stress, which make looking after themselves a major challenge. Supporting self-management requires more than just offering strategies; it requires fitness. Whether we are proposing new daily habits or creative outlets like ceramic workshops, it is essential to tap into the patient’s perspective to understand exactly what kind of support will resonate with them. This study explored how ceramic workshops can help people with RA to build resilience and improve their well-being. Methods: Using a phenomenological study design, we interviewed 16 patients with RA in Hong Kong who engaged in ceramic workshops. These participants were selected through purposive sampling, and their insights were gathered via semi-structured interviews. We applied Colaizzi’s seven-step method to analyze the findings. Results: Four key themes emerged: (i) embodied manageability; (ii) clear comprehension of body limits; (iii) the meaningfulness of creating art; and (iv) supporting resilience. Conclusions: This study reveals that effective self-management support should prioritize patient-driven needs, particularly peer interaction and high-demand creative pursuits such as ceramic workshops.

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed healthcare education, increasing the shift to digital tools and establishing a hybrid curriculum blending online learning with traditional clinical practice. This study aims to understand how this shift impacts the educational growth and skill building of nursing students. A qualitative approach was conducted to understand the experience of Hong Kong nursing students adapting to online learning during the pandemic and beyond. Fifty nursing students were interviewed, and Colaizzi’s phenomenological method revealed key themes in their learning narratives. The analysis revealed four distinct themes characterizing the students’ experiences: (i) Learning on their terms: the mandated shift in healthcare reflecting a lack of agency during the educational transition; (ii) Knowledge without touch: the perceived incompetence of the COVID-19 nursing cohort, highlighting anxieties regarding a lack of hands-on clinical proficiency; (iii) Words left unsaid: The weight of insecurity, indicating a decline in interpersonal skills due to isolation; and (iv) Beyond the perfect algorithm: the unrehearsed art of care, describing the difficulty in translating digital simulations to complex, human-centric patient care. Findings show that while digital progress ensured continuity in education, it also contributed to reduced clinical confidence, weaker communication skills, and shifts in how nursing students approached their learning. Consequently, the post-COVID environment demands that training programs evolve to address these specific deficits. Advancing the existing pandemic-era nursing literature, this study emphasizes the need for diverse, targeted teaching methods to mitigate these gaps. By intentionally bridging theoretical knowledge with hands-on clinical practice, educators can better support student wellbeing and help restore the confidence and competence required of future graduates.

Background: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dietary landscapes of young adults have been profoundly reshaped. As social restrictions ease, the resurgence of dining out presents new behavioral shifts regarding health and safety. Objective: This study investigates the post-pandemic experiences of young adults in Hong Kong, focusing on the burgeoning phenomenon of eating out of home and its complex influence on eating habits and food hygiene consciousness. Methods: This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach to explore participants’ lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 young adults in Hong Kong to gather narratives regarding their dining practices. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns associated with their return to public dining spaces. Results: Three core themes emerged: (i) confined palates: the remaking of the Hong Kong meal in the shadow of a pandemic; (ii) shared screen: mediating hunger from the home-as-hub; and (iii) watchful guard: the moralization of the meal amidst viral uncertainty. Conclusions: These findings dissect the critical, evolving relationship between contemporary consumption patterns and health maintenance. While the small size limits statistical generalizability, the study suggests that post-pandemic dining involves a modified reality of sustained hypervigilance. These insights offer a basis for developing sensitive and targeted public health strategies that resonate with the altered dietary realities of young adults in a post-pandemic world.

Background/Objectives: Internationally, breast cancer incidence and survivorship are increasing. As the number of breast cancer survivors continues to rise, so does the demand for supportive care. This study aimed to explore how treatment experiences of breast cancer survivors in Hong Kong (HK) affect their unmet care needs, with a focus on how Chinese culture influences their journey. Methods: This phenomenological qualitative study engaged a purposive sample of 28 breast cancer survivors in HK through semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method to interpret their lived experiences. Results: Four key themes emerged: (i) carrying the burden in silence: the isolation of self-preservation; (ii) beyond the clinic: making medical advice fit into everyday routine; (iii) bridging two worlds: resilience through the integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Care; and (iv) reclaiming femininity: women helping women heal. Conclusions: This study provides an understanding of breast cancer survivors’ experiences and offers insights into delivering more realistic services. Basically, it extends survivorship knowledge by demonstrating how integrating cultural values into clinical care bridges the gap between medical treatment and holistic well-being.

Background: Motorsport events necessitate medical services from first aid to intensive care due to high‐velocity impacts and fire hazards. Urban circuits pose unique logistical challenges. We report the adaptations, operational experience and lessons learnt from four international Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)‐tier motorsport events in Hong Kong. Methods: This mixed‐methods observational study used the Data Reporting, Evaluation, and Analysis for Mass‐Gathering Medicine Model, analysing medical usage rates, stakeholder interviews and protocol observations. Data from anonymised patient records and debrief notes were descriptively analysed. Key stakeholders, including the Chief Medical Officer and FIA delegates, were interviewed. Results: Between 2017 and 2023, Hong Kong hosted four FIA‐level events on temporary street circuits. Planning evolved from reactive, ad hoc collaborations to proactive, simulation‐driven multi‐agency strategies. Service provision improved with more advanced life support, refined medical roles, and structured communication. Across the events, 87% of presentations were minor. Patient presentation rates ranged 0.416–0.83 per 1000 attendees, and no competitors required hospital transfer from on‐track crashes, highlighting the high‐acuity, low‐occurrence nature of incidents. Key measures included a Unified Communication Channel, a Joint Agency Command Centre, and specialized extrication training. These measures enhanced situational awareness and streamlined resource allocation, providing effective for managing complex motorsport events in urban setting. Conclusions: Medical preparedness for urban circuits requires clear command, centralised communication, risk‐based resource allocation, and targeted training. The Hong Kong experience offers transferable strategies for infrequent, high‐profile city events. Prospective, comparative studies across global events are recommended to further improve practices and ensure safety for all participants.

Emergency medical services confront significant challenges in delivering timely patient assessments within geographically isolated or disaster-impacted regions. While drones (unmanned aircraft systems, UAS) show transformative potential in healthcare, standardized protocols for drone-assisted patient evaluations remain underdeveloped. This study introduces the ABCD-IN-BARS protocol, a 9-step telemedicine checklist integrating patient-assisted maneuvers and drone technology to systematize remote emergency assessments. A wait-list randomized controlled trial with 68 first-aid-trained volunteers evaluated the protocol’s feasibility. Participants underwent web-based modules and in-person simulations and were randomized into immediate training or waitlist control groups. The ABCD-IN-BARS protocol was developed via a content validity approach, incorporating expert-rated items from the telemedicine literature. Outcomes included time-to-assessment, provider confidence (Modified Cooper–Harper Scale), measured at baseline, post-training, and 3-month follow-up. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Most of the participants can complete the assessment with a cue card within 4 min. A mixed-design repeated measures ANOVA assessed the effects of Time (baseline, post-test, 3-month follow-up within subject) on assessment durations. Assessment times improved significantly over three time points (p = 0.008), improving with standardized protocols, while patterns were similar across groups (p = 0.101), reflecting skill retention at 3 months and not affected by injury or not. Protocol adherence in simulated injury identification increased from 63.3% pre-training to 100% post-training. Provider confidence remained high (MCH scores: 2.4–2.7/10), and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) ratings emphasized strong Perceived Usefulness (PU2: M = 4.48) despite moderate ease-of-use challenges (EU2: M = 4.03). Qualitative feedback highlighted workflow benefits but noted challenges in drone maneuvering. The ABCD-IN-BARS protocol effectively standardizes drone-assisted emergency assessments, demonstrating retained proficiency and high usability. While sensory limitations persist, its modular design and alignment with ABCDE principles offer a scalable solution for prehospital care in underserved regions. Further multicenter validation is needed to generalize findings.

Aim: To explore the lived experiences of Chinese older adult cancer patients in Hong Kong navigating the challenges of long COVID. Design: A descriptive phenomenological study. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 27 purposively sampled older Chinese cancer survivors in Hong Kong between January 2023 and January 2024. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's thematic analysis method. Results: Four key themes emerged: (1) the invisible scars of COVID‐19: unrecognised and diverse symptoms; (2) the double‐edged sword of protection: shielding from COVID‐19 while battling cancer and long COVID; (3) forging strength in the crucible: adapting and thriving with cancer and long COVID and (4) nurturing resilience: the integral role of nursing in supporting cancer patients with long COVID during a pandemic. Conclusion: Older Chinese cancer patients with long COVID experience a dual burden of unrecognised physical symptoms and profound psychological distress from isolation. Despite this, they demonstrate remarkable resilience, a process that can be actively supported through specialised nursing care. Originality/Novelty: This study offers original contributions to the limited literature on the intersection of cancer, long COVID, and ageing. It provides in‐depth insights into the lived experiences of this vulnerable population, highlighting the diversity of long COVID symptoms, the psychological impact of pandemic‐related precautions, and the crucial role of nursing in fostering resilience. Impact: This study highlights the urgent need for nurses to recognise the unique challenges of this population. It provides a foundation for developing nurse‐led, resilience‐focused interventions that integrate tailored education, emotional support, and resource navigation into oncology care. These findings can inform practice and policy to better support the well‐being of a vulnerable and growing patient demographic. Reporting Method: The study adhered to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution.

This qualitative study explored the motivations for, and resilience of, family caregivers visiting family members with dementia in residential care homes (RCHs) in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data for this qualitative descriptive study was obtained through audio-recorded, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 25 family caregivers of individuals with dementia in RCHs. Following transcription, a thematic analysis was performed on the verbatim data. Three main themes emerged: (a) virtue of respect and filial piety; (b) family expectations and hopes; and (c) from red flags to resilience and rebuilding stronger relational bonds. The findings elucidate family caregiver motivations and resilience during RCH visits, offering crucial insights for healthcare policymakers. This can inform the design of care services and support to bolster the resilience of both caregivers and their relatives with dementia amidst ongoing global health-system pressures.

This qualitative study explored the development of an innovative simulation training program designed to bolster the preparedness and resilience of healthcare teams during the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Focus groups with interprofessional clinicians illuminated key educational priorities, revealing a need for enhanced safety protocols, clear in communication, and targeted training to address knowledge gaps specific to the novel coronavirus. Recognizing the profound emotional toll of the pandemic, the program also emphasized cultivating compassion and fostering emotional resilience alongside the essential clinical skills. By immersing participants in realistic, evolving scenarios that were reflective of the dynamic COVID-19 landscape, the simulations offered a safe space to rehearse critical skills, practice crisis resource management, and build confidence in navigating the complexities of pandemic care. This tailored approach aimed to empower healthcare teams not only with enhanced knowledge and expertise but also with the emotional fortitude and resilience necessary to provide optimal patient care while safeguarding their own well-being throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight the profound potential of simulation-based training to strengthen both individual and systemic resilience within healthcare systems facing the enduring strain of this global health crisis.