Objective: Employment is important for patients with chronic illness, and to remain employed is a robust support to them. This study aimed to examine the employment rate and to identify factors associated with employment among multiple sclerosis (MS) in Hong Kong. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from 2010 to 2011 at five major public hospitals. Fifty-nine clinical definite MS patients with no evidence of dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination ≥ 22) were recruited. Demographic data and neuropsychological test results including memory, visual perception, psychological well-being, motor, executive domain and processing speed were collected. Principal component analysis and logistic regression with multiple imputation were used in data analyses. Results: The employment rate among MS patients was 56%. Patients with better cognitive functions were more likely to be employed (p=0.002). No significant association was found between employment status and age, gender, level of education, types of MS, disease duration, frequency of relapse or use of interferon. Conclusion: MS patients had high unemployment rate (44%) which was 11.5 times higher than the general population in Hong Kong. MS patients with better cognitive functions had higher employment rates.
Multiple Sclerosis

Adult ; Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease ; etiology ; genetics ; Female ; GTP Phosphohydrolases ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; genetics ; Mitochondrial Proteins ; genetics ; Mutation ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

BACKGROUNDSingle incision laparoscopic colectomy has been performed in recent years, and has been shown to be feasible and safe. This study was to assess the feasibility of single incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy and to compare the differences in different approaches.

METHODSThis retrospective study included eighteen patients with carcinoma of caecum and ascending colon, undergoing single incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. This study also compared single incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy using different approaches: (1) single incision multiport, (2) single access port and (3) glove port.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in surgical outcomes. Concerning the surgeon's satisfaction toward three methods, overcrowding and durability were similar but the single incision multiport was associated with the highest gas-leak and the "glove" port was associated with poor durability. However, the method of single incision multiport has the lowest average cost of the special trocar or port in each operation. The operative time and blood loss of the operations in this study were comparable to previous publications.

CONCLUSIONThere was no significant difference between different approaches of single incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for colonic cancer in right side colon.

Aged ; Cecal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Colectomy ; methods ; Colonic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

No abstract available.
Hong Kong* ; Rehabilitation* ; Stroke*