Supporting smokers to quit

We all know that smoking is harmful to our health, but quitting is easier said than done. Many smokers have trouble quitting for reasons such as heavy addiction or unable to receive counselling services during working hours. A team at HKU School of Nursing and Public Health developed community-based smoking cessation services to provide information on smoking hazards and cessation advice through telephone counselling and instant messages. The team is also developing an artificial intelligence chatbot to provide 24/7 smoking cessation support.

Join the “Quit to Win” Campaign: https://quittowin.hk/

Quantifying losses caused by air pollution

Hong Kong is notorious for its severe air pollution problem. Poor air quality poses a serious threat to the health of the public and our future generations.

In 2008, a research team launched the Hedley Environmental Index (HEI). Drawing on the local air pollution statistics and incidence of health conditions, the Index estimates and quantifies the costs of air pollution, such as economic losses, health expenditure and the loss of labour. The Index’s goal is to better communicate health risks and accurately report local air pollution levels to ensure the issue is addressed.

Check out HEI: http://hedleyindex.hku.hk/

戒煙大贏家

「吸煙危害健康」這道理無人不曉，可是戒煙知易行難，不少吸煙人士因心癮或難以抽空接受戒煙輔導等原因半途而廢。香港大學護理與公共衞生學院的研究團隊開發以社區為基礎的戒煙服務，通過電話諮詢和即時消息提供有關吸煙危害的信息和戒煙建議。 團隊現時更積極開發人工智能聊天機器人，希望全天候協助吸煙人士戒煙。

參加「戒煙大贏家」計劃：https://quittowin.hk/

量化空氣污染造成的損失

香港空氣污染問題嚴重，惡劣的空氣質素為公眾及下一代的健康帶來嚴重威脅。

港大醫學院公共衞生學院研究團隊於2008年設計出達理指數（Hedley Environmental Index，簡稱HEI），以香港空氣污染和公共衞生的統計數據為基礎，推算並量化因空氣污染而產生的經濟損失、醫療成本及勞動力損失等。

指數旨在加強傳達健康風險及準確匯報本地空氣污染水平，以提醒社會各界需要認真及盡快處理香港的空氣污染問題。

查閱達理指數： http://hedleyindex.hku.hk/

Guardian of the Liver

Binge drinking is defined as episodic excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages over a short period of time, which commonly means consuming five or more standard drinks for a man, or four or more drinks for a woman, in a single sitting. It is a major public health issue causing problems such as fatty liver, hypertension and neuronal damage.

A research team discovered that Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a plasma membrane-signaling protein, plays a critical role in preventing alcoholic liver injury through inhibiting Reactive Nitrogen Species. Plasma Cav-1 level could be an biomarker indicating the capacity of alcohol tolerance. With relative high level of Cav-1 in the blood, one would have strong alcohol tolerance, which in turn have less liver damage after binger drink.

Although Cav-1 helps protect the liver, the best way to protect the liver is not to binge drink. The artist painted a liver-shaped pond with blooming lilies and swimming koi, symbolising that a healthy liver nurtures life.

肝臟守護者

暴飲為偶爾在短時間內過量飲用酒精飲料，泛指男性在單一場合中飲用五杯或以上，而女性則為四杯或以上酒精飲品。暴飲為主要公共衞生議題，可導致脂肪肝、高血壓及神經細胞受損等問題。

中醫藥學院團隊發現血漿中負責訊息傳遞的Caveolin-1（Cav-1）膜蛋白，可透過抑制活性氮自由基（Reactive Nitrogen Species，簡稱RNS），防止酒精肝臟損傷。血漿中的Cav-1含量愈高，對酒精的耐受度亦愈高，對肝臟造成的損害也較少。

雖然Cav-1可以幫助保護肝臟，適量攝取酒精始終才是護肝上策。

Reducing pre-mature deaths and medical costs through diabetes risk assessment and management

With an aging population and an increasing prevalence of obesity, the number of people with diabetes mellitus (DM) is forecast to grow substantially. In Hong Kong, DM is among the top 10 leading causes of death in 2020.

In response, a research team at HKUMed investigated the 5-year effectiveness of a multidisciplinary Risk Assessment and Management Programme for Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) in primary care patients with DM.

The research found that RAMP-DM significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality alongside reducing the use of hospital services. The study highlighted the importance of early diabetes control and risk factor management to delay disease progression and prevent complications.

Evaluate your diabetes risk: https://www.hk-dm-cx-risk-engine.hku.hk/predm

評估及管理糖尿病風險 降低醫療成本

隨著人口老化及癡肥問題日益普遍，糖尿病患者數目預期將大幅增長。在香港，糖尿病更是2020年前十位致命疾病之一。

有見及此，港大家庭醫學及基層醫療學系的團隊，探討了健康風險評估及管理計劃－－糖尿病 (RAMP-DM) 對基層糖尿病病人的五年成效。

研究結果顯示，RAMP-DM顯著降低糖尿病病人心血管疾病風險、死亡率和醫院服務使用率。研究亦揭示了早期控制及風險因素管理對糖尿病的重要性，可以延緩疾病惡化及預防併發症。

評估糖尿病風險：https://www.hk-dm-cx-risk-engine.hku.hk/predm?lang=zh

LeonLollipop 黎晃亨

In LeonLollipop’s Moving Mosaic series, plants sprout and flowers blossom, goldfishes swim freely in the open waters, birds calmly sitting among flowering branches, against a background of lung and liver, patched together with various patterned fabrics. Leon Lollipop offers this refreshing, spring-like imagery of nature as a symbol of the revival and renewal of the damaged lung and liver achieved through HKUMed’s medical resources.

Leon Lai, also known as LeonLollipop is a multi-disciplined artist from Hong Kong, who graduated from Central St. Martins College of Arts and Design in London and received a D&AD design award in the same year.

Best known for his animal paintings, he primarily works in acrylics on fabric and canvas, bringing to life all kinds of delicate, imaginative and playful animals from flamingos to pandas to the stoic deer. His works have been showcased internationally in major cities from Milan, London, Tokyo, to Seoul. He has also engaged in numerous crossover projects with local and global brands such as Michael Kors, Benefits Cosmetic, MCM Worldwide, SPCA, and published his own illustration books and children’s storybooks.

黎晃亨，又稱LeonLollipop，是一位來自香港的多元創作人。他畢業於倫敦中央聖馬丁藝術與設計學院，並在同年獲得了英國設計與藝術指導協會獎（D&AD Awards）。

LeonLollipop以繪畫動物聞名，主要在布料和畫布上以丙烯顔料創作，把各種奇幻和有趣的動物畫在其作品中，從火烈鳥、熊貓到鹿的都能夠栩栩如生地呈現。LeonLollipop的作品曾在多個國際城市展出，包括米蘭、倫敦、東京、首爾等。他亦曾參與多個本地和全球品牌的跨界合作項目，如Micheal Kors、Benefit Cosmetics、MCM Worldwide、愛護動物協會等；他曾出版其個人插畫書和兒童故事書。