BackgroundIn China, there is increasing concern because of the rapid increase in HIV infection recorded over recent years. Migrant workers are recognized as one of the groups most affected. In this study, HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among unmarried migrant workers in Shanghai are investigated, with the aim of providing critical information for policy makers and sex educators to reinforce sexual health services and sex health education targeting the behavior and sexual health of unmarried male migrants.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among unmarried male migrant workers in Shanghai, China’s largest city and housing the most migrants. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was used to collect information on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior associated with increased risk of HIV/AIDS.ResultsA total of 2254 subjects were questioned, with a response rate of 91.3%. Among those interviewed, 63.5% reported sexual activities. Misconceptions regarding HIV transmission, poor perception of HIV infection, and low use of condoms were not uncommon. Among those who had sexual intercourse, 73.7% had not used condoms in their last sexual intercourse, and 28.6% reported having engaged in sexual risk behavior (defined as having at least one non-regular partner). Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified several indicators of sexual risk behavior, including younger age at first sexual intercourse (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.31–0.91 for older age at first sexual intercourse), more cities of migration (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 2.17–3.81 for high level; OR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06–1.29 for medium level), poor perception of acquiring HIV/AIDS (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.33–1.96 for unlikely; OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.61–3.70 for impossible), frequent exposure to pornography (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.11–0.43 for never; OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.60–1.81 for less frequently), not knowing someone who had or had died of HIV/AIDS and related diseases (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.70–2.53 for no), and having peers who engaged in sex with a non-regular sex partner (OR: 4.40, 95% CI: 3.37–5.56 for yes).ConclusionsToday, it is necessary to reinforce sex health education among unmarried migrants and sexual health services should target vulnerable migrant young people.

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BackgroundThe main goal of this study is to examine the distributions of illness conditions and resulting medical expenditures and their associated factors. To achieve this goal, an in-house survey was conducted in August of 2012 in rural Beijing, the capital city of China.ResultsThe survey was conducted in Nanjianchang and Beijianchang, which are two villages 20 KM away from Miyun, a satellite city of Beijing. Data was collected on 346 households, which included 834 members. Variables measured included household characteristics, household head characteristics, illness conditions, and medical expenditures. Illness conditions and corresponding expenditure were measured for inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, and self-treatment separately. Multivariate analysis suggested that the presence of inpatient treatment was associated with household head characteristics including age, gender, and education. The presence of a high level of outpatient treatment was associated with household head characteristics including gender and education. The presence of a high level of self-treatment was significantly associated with household size. In the analysis of overall out-of-pocket (OOP) medical expenditure, only age of household head was borderline significant. In the analysis of OOP inpatient expenditure, age and gender of household head were borderline significant. The OOP outpatient expenditure was associated with household size, presence of members older than 60, household head's gender, marital status, and occupation. The OOP self-treatment expenditure was not associated with any household characteristic.ConclusionsFor the surveyed households, medical expenditure made up a considerable proportion of the total consumption. This study suggested that the presence of illness conditions and resulting OOP medical expenditure were associated with certain household and household head characteristics. Such results may help identify the subgroup that is the most affected by illness conditions. As this study collected recent data on inpatient, outpatient, and self-treatment separately, it may provide a useful complement to the existing studies.

Successful aging is gaining increasing attention given the growth in the older adult population. Criteria and definitions within multiple disciplines vary greatly in Western literature, with no consensus on its meaning. Sociocultural, economic, and political differences between the Western view of successful aging and its view in China add to the confusion. Similarities and differences in the meaning of successful aging in the United States and China are examined, and potential for a common definition useful to nursing in both countries is explored. Using concept analysis, shared criteria for successful aging were the following: decreased incidence of disease and disability, life satisfaction, meaning and purpose in life, and ability to cope effectively to achieve goals based on personal values and priorities. A comprehensive, multidimensional definition of successful aging for nursing and a midrange nursing theory of successful aging were identified that may be useful to guide nursing research, practice, and policy.

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