Fen Yang

• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

Background Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that significantly impacts individuals and families. Previous research on ALS has predominantly focused on its pathophysiology, genetic factors, and potential therapeutic interventions. While these aspects are essential for understanding and treatin...

Fatigue is a common health complaint in older adults, but its prevalence varies widely among studies due to differences in populations and assessment tools. The objective of this review is to systematically evaluate the prevalence of fatigue and perceived fatigability in older adults with PRISMA 2020. Four databases—PubMed, Embase, Web of Science (...

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of chronic liver diseases characterized by hepatic steatosis exceeding 5% in the absence of alcohol and other liver-damaging factors. Clinical studies have identified a potential link between abnormal iron metabolism and the high incidence of NAFLD; however, the results from clinica...

UNSTRUCTURED Background: The Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), an artificial intelligence-based web application, has demonstrated substantial potential across various knowledge domains, particularly in medicine. This cross-sectional study assessed the validity and possible usefulness of the ChatGPT-4 in assessing anxiety and depres...

Smartphone distraction (SD) is closely related to depression, and the prevalence of SD among nursing students is gradually increasing. However, the potential mechanism of the effect of SD on nursing students’ depression is unclear. A total of 574 nursing students were assessed using Smartphone Distraction Scale, Ruminative Response Scale, Hikikomor...

Background Identifying high-risk populations and promoting stroke prevention measures can be achieved through studies on stroke and its risk factors. As a new alternative indicator of insulin resistance (IR), the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index may potentially increase stroke risk. However, the evidence confirming this association is inadequate an...

Fatigue is a common health complaint in older adults, but its prevalence varies widely among studies due to differences in populations and assessment tools. The object of this review is to systematically evaluate the prevalence of fatigue and perceived fatigability in older adults. Four major public databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science (WoS),...

The association between vitamin A and single cardiometabolic diseases has been extensively studied, but the relationship between dietary vitamin A intake and the risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) has not been studied. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the association with CMM risk by analyzing different sources of vit...

Background Smartphone distraction considerably affects the depression level of college students. These two variables are highly associated with social withdrawal and digital distress. However, the underlying mechanisms of how social withdrawal and digital stress were involved in the relationship between smartphone distraction and depression remain...

Objective This study aims to explore the psychological distress course of Chinese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients after the onset of the disease and to provide targeted nursing guidance. Design The interview content was analysed qualitatively. We used seven steps of Colaizzi’s method to analyse the participants’ data. Setting Wuhan,...

Objectives Incomplete combustion of solid fuel and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) are the primary causes of indoor air pollution (IAP), potentially leading to detrimental effects on individual mental health. However, current evidence regarding the association between IAP and depression remains inconclusive. This study aims to systematically inv...

Background The association between vitamin A and single cardiometabolic diseases has been extensively studied, but the relationship between dietary vitamin A intake and the risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) has not been studied. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the association with CMM risk by analyzing different sou...

Introduction Previous studies have found that diet’s inflammatory potential is related to various diseases. However, little is known about its relationship with gallstones. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and gallstones. Methods Data were obtained from the 2003–2020 National Health an...

Objectives With the world’s population increasing in age, there has been a significant rise in the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia among individuals. This study aims to investigate the association between grandparenting and cognitive function among middle-aged and older Chinese using data from 2011 to 2018 China Health and Retiremen...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons, and there is currently a lack of reliable diagnostic biomarkers. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate CHIT1, CHI3L1, and CHI3L2 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood and their diagnostic potential in ALS patients....

Objective This systematic review aimed to investigate the association between dietary inflammatory potential and liver cancer to provide evidence regarding scientific dietary health education. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify case-control or cohort studies that involve...

Aim The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Tai Chi, a mind–body movement therapy originating from China, on depression in middle-aged and older adults. Methods A systematic search was conducted in seven databases (Embase, Cochrane, Medline, Wanfang, SinoMed, Weipu date, CNKI) for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) published u...

Background Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder among older adults. Despite the effectiveness of pharmacological and psychological therapies, many patients with late-life depression (LLD) are unable to access timely treatment. Telecare has been shown to be effective in addressing patients' psychosocial issues, while its effectiveness...

Objective The popularization of the internet provides the possibility to improve the depressive symptoms (DS) and social isolation of middle-aged and older adults with functional disability. There was a significant correlation between internet use and DS in middle-aged and older adults with functional disability, but the relationship between intern...

Background Smartphones have fully penetrated into the daily life of Chinese nursing students. While smartphones bring convenience to nursing students, they have also become an important risk factor for depression among nursing students. Among them, smartphone distraction is closely related to depression, and the prevalence of smartphone distraction...

Objectives As the world’s population increases in age, the number of people suffering from cognitive impairment and dementia has increased dramatically. This study aims to investigate the association between grandparenting and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Chinese and explore the mediating effects of children’s intergenerational suppo...

Background: Depression affects 10% to 20% of older adults worldwide. The course of Late-Life Depression (LLD) is often chronic, with a poor long-term prognosis. Lower treatment adherence, stigma, and suicide risk lead to significant challenges in the Continuity of Care (COC) for patients with late-life depression. Elderly patients with chronic dis...

AimThis study investigated whether an individual’s age at diagnosis of hypertension, which is associated with a decline in cognitive performance in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) participants.Methods Our analysis was based on the CHARLS with baseline data collected between 2011 and 2018. We randomly selected a control p...

Background: eHealth literacy can facilitate the uptake of benefits of health for older persons. The aim of this study was to examine the association of eHealth literacy with depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older persons. Methods: A survey of 6183 participants (aged 60 years and above) from 17 communities was conducted in...

Objective To identify the relationship between obesity indicators and hypertension–diabetes comorbidity (HDC) among adults in central China. Design and setting A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 June 2015 to 30 September 2018 in 11 districts of Hubei Province, China. Participants A total of 29 396 participants aged 18 years or above wer...

Aim The objective of this study was to evaluate the Chinese version of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (C-SDS), which is an easy-to-use tool for screening the risk of smartphone distraction in Chinese college students. Methods The C-SDS, Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV), Fear of Missing Out scale (FoMO) and Metacognition about...

Depression is a prevalent mental disorder in older adults, but the prevalence in older adults varies largely across studies due to differences in regional cultures and screening tools. The objective of this review is to systematically evaluate the global prevalence of depression in older adults. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochran Library da...

Background: In general, given the insufficient sample size, considerable literature has been found on single studies of diabetes and hypertension and few studies have been found on the coexistence of diabetes and hypertension (CDH) and its influencing factors with a large range of samples. This study aimed to establish a structural equation model...

Background: Cutoff scores of the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) for screening mild cognitive impairment in older adults differ across the world and within the Chinese culture. It is argued that to seek a cutoff score is essential to classify test participants. It was unknown how taking a classifying approach might reveal the cutoff score for...

Background Social media has become an integrated part of nursing profession, requiring nursing students to develop confidentiality and professional fitness to practice. The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students’ usage, professionalism and attitudes toward social media. Methods A cross-section study was conducted online among underg...

Background: The higher level of eHealth literacy the elderly has, the easier it is to acquire benefits of health-seeking information online. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and examine the associations of eHEALS scores with depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), li...

Tongqi (gays’ wives) in China were under tremendous distress and social pressure due to their special identities and were not clearly known. A sample of 179 Chinese Tongqi were recruited through online social media groups in 2017-2018. Their hidden lives, social support, and coping styles were analyzed. The results showed that the majority of Tongq...

Aims The present study was conducted to apply and examine case‐based learning (CBL) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education concept in the training of nursing student's clinical thinking. Design A randomized experimental design with non‐equivalent group pretest–posttest. Methods Participants were requested to participant i...

Background: The STEM education philosophy aims to incorporate the core content of the STEM field into a real and attractive problem scenario, using problem-driven and student-centered teaching methods to support students' multidisciplinary content integration learning and help students master the practice skills which coincide with the training of...

Background The development and assessment of clinical judgment ability are essential in nursing education. The Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR) was shown to be valid in evaluating nursing students’ learning outcomes and skills in western cultures but has not been validated in mainland China. This study aimed to compare a simulation-teaching...

Background: Mobile health applications are increasingly used in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to improve their self-management, nonetheless, without firm evidence of their efficacy. This meta-analysis was aimed to assess the efficacy of mobile health applications in supporting self-management as an intervention to redu...

Background: At 9:28 pm on June 1, 2015, the cruise ship "Oriental Star" sank into Yangtze River in Jianli County, with 422 people killed. When the accident occurred, the Chinese government took immediate action and dispatched more than 9000 rescuers. The risk for outbreak of schistosomiasis was increased because of the shipwreck. Obviously it is c...

Stroke is a major cause of disability and mortality worldwide; yet; prior to this study; there had been no sufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of various transitional care interventions (TCI) on the disability and mortality of stroke survivors. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness of TCI in reducing mortality and improv...

Snail control is a key link in schistosomiasis control, but no unified methods for eliminating snails have been produced to date. This study was conducted to explore an engineering method for eliminating Oncomelania hupensis applicable to urban areas. The engineering specifications were established using the Delphi method. An engineering project ba...

Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the most common cancers in rural China. The aim of this study was to describe the time trends of esophageal cancer mortality in rural China and to better elucidate the causes of these trends. Methods: The mortality data were obtained from the World Health Organization Mortality Database and the China Health S...

Readmissions of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to hospitals cast a heavy burden to health care systems. This meta-analysis was aimed to assess the efficacy of continuity of care as interventions, which reduced readmission and mortality rates of such patients. PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase were searched for articles...

The relation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and cognitive function in the elderly was found conflictory in studies of western samples and under-explored in mainland China. This study explored the relation with a sample of 447 older adults from Wuhan, central China. Cognitive function was measured with the Chinese version of Montreal Cognitive Assess...

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a risk indicator for some eye diseases. However, the association between BMI and Visual Impairment (VI) was not quite certain in Chinese students. Our aim was to assess the relationship between BMI and VI with a cross-sectional study. A total of 3771 students aged 6-21 years, including 729 with VI, were sampled from 24 scho...

SUMMARY Social networks facilitate the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people who inject drugs (PWID). The aim of this study was to assess how certain network structural characteristics are related to HCV infections in PWID and to determine the most susceptible individuals for HCV transmission in a network of PWID. PWID ( N = 80) from ce...

Schistosomiasis is the second widespread tropical disease that affects the health of over 240 million people of 78 countries. Questionnaires have been commonly used to diagnose schistosomiasis, while no meta-analysis of their efficacy had been reported previously. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess their diagnostic accuracy of schistosomias...

Cervical cancer is the second cause of cancer death in females in their 20s and 30s, but there were limited studies about its prognosis. This study aims to identify miRNA related to prognosis and study their functions. TCGA data of patients with cervical cancer were used to build univariate Cox's model with single clinical parameter or miRNA expres...