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This study was conducted to assess the real-world efficacy of a universal programme for the prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) in Shenzhen. Given the lack of evidence on routine PPD screening and intervention in China, it sought to provide insights for programme planning and implementation, particularly in relation to achievement of the targets set by the first national guidelines for PPD prevention and treatment.Using routine health information system data, the PPD screening, referral and intervention rates for 2015-2019 were calculated and compared to the programmes targets. Trends of variables were tested by using trend χThe programme screened 137,761 to 178,857 women for PPD every year with the coverage among all postpartum women increased steadily from 71.1% to 82. 5% (χThis study demonstrated high efficacy of Shenzhen's comprehensive PPD prevention programme initiated in 2013. The resultant rise in the screening rate among all postpartum women, together with a high referral rate of those screened positive, have contributed to the city's relatively low PPD prevalence. PPD screening and intervention should be included as part of basic public health services to ensure universal coverage and specific strategies should be adopted to ensure referral uptake.

Cervical cancer is a major public health concern in China, accounting for almost one-fifth of the global incidence and mortality. The recently prequalified domestic bivalent HPV vaccine offers a practical and feasible preventive measure. In response to the WHO's call for action, the National Health Commission established an Action Plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030, with the promotion of HPV vaccination for eligible girls as a critical step. Despite this, implementation of the vaccination programme has been patchy, with very low coverage among eligible girls. To address this, a demonstration project was launched in Shenzhen in December 2021 to promote the inclusion of HPV vaccine in the immunisation programme and to address existing barriers to implementation. Using multiple sources of data, this article presents a case study of the demonstration project, analysing its impact on increasing the HPV vaccination rate among eligible girls and identifying any challenges encountered during implementation. The demonstration project has shown promising results in increasing the HPV vaccination rate, promoting public awareness and acceptance of the domestic HPV vaccine, and establishing a model for scaling up the vaccination programme at the municipal level. The success of the project can be attributed to several factors, including the strong governmental commitment, sufficient funding, multi-sectoral collaboration, improved vaccine accessibility and affordability, enhanced capacity of primary care practitioners, and effective health education and communication strategies. Lessons learned from Shenzhen can provide valuable insights for future advocacy and implementation in other areas of China, but challenges must be addressed to achieve universal coverage. These challenges include vaccine hesitancy, expanding the programme to cover a broader age range, and ensuring consistent quality of vaccination services in primary care facilities. Overcoming these challenges will require innovative strategies, public-private partnerships, and sustained funding and resources. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of the HPV vaccination programme and identifying contextual factors that may impact implementation in different settings. Overall, the effective control of cervical cancer in China will rely on the “political will” to ensure that preventive interventions are incorporated into policies and that programme coverage is equitable and universal.

Previous studies on the prevalence and predictors of postpartum depression (PPD) in China were mostly hospital-based with relatively small study samples. Basing on a routine screening programme, this study assessed the prevalence and factors associated with PPD at community level.A cross-sectional study was conducted with all the women who delivered in a hospital and were screened for depression during routine postpartum home visits in Shenzhen between 2015 August and 2017 April. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used as the screening tool with a cut-off score of 10. Predictors of PPD were determined by Chi-square test and stepwise logistic regression.Approximately 300,000 puerperal women were included in the study with a PPD prevalence of 4.3%. Prenatal anxiety and depression were associated with 4.55 and 3.80 times of PPD risk, respectively. Stressful life events, family history of mental illness, poor economic status, low Apgar scores and birth defects of the infants, bottle and mixed feeding, as well as living with parents-in-low after childbirth were related to moderate risk. Higher gravidity and parity, larger gestation age, prenatal education, and living with the women's own parents were associated with lower risk.The large sample size might have suggested statistically significant differences which were not practical.The prevalence of PPD at community level is significantly lower than the rates detected within hospitals. Prenatal anxiety and depression are the most important predictors of PPD. Integrating depression screening into routine postpartum home visits facilitates achievement of universal coverage.

No research has been conducted to explore the variables associated with healthcare providers’ (HCPs) knowledge and attitudes toward the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) since the vaccine was approved for free use in some Chinese cities. In Shenzhen, southern China, a convenience sample strategy was used to distribute questionnaires to HCPs involved in the government’s HPV vaccination program from Shenzhen. There were 828 questionnaires collected in total, with 770 used in the analysis. The mean HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge score was 12.0 among HCPs involved in the government HPV vaccination program (with a total score of 15). the average scores for HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge varied among different types of medical institutions. District hospitals had the highest mean score of 12.4, while private hospitals ranked fourth with a mean score of 10.9. Multivariate logistic regression results revealed significant disparities in the type of license and after-tax annual income across HCPs (p < 0.05). The future education and training for HCPs should focus on private community health centers (CHCs), HCPs whose license type is other than a doctor, and HCPs with low after-tax annual income.

Wijesooriya and colleagues (1) recently reported an approximately 40% decrease in the global burden of both syphilis in pregnancy and syphilis-associated adverse pregnancy outcomes over the period from 2008 to 2012. The determinants of the welcome decrease are manifold, but chief among them are (I) the reduction in overall adult syphilis prevalence levels, and (II) some improvement in the coverage of interventions for screening and treatment of pregnant women. The findings of the report illustrate the importance of establishing and maintaining support for policies and programmes which are effective in controlling this preventable condition which, nonetheless, still afflicts hundreds of thousands of infants and their parents worldwide, as well as the importance of robust surveillance systems to monitor progress (or not) over time.

Introduction Despite a large and growing burden of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of syphilis in China over the past 20 years, the issue received far less attention and fewer resources than prevention of MTCT (PMTCT) of HIV, which has a substantially lower burden. China’s Ministry of Health issued the first national plan for syphilis control in 2010, aiming to integrate PMTCT of syphilis and HIV. Our study aimed to identify: 1) why PMTCT of syphilis had a lower political/resource priority than PMTCT of HIV before 2010; and 2) what actions would improve the prospects of successful implementation of dual PMTCT. Methods A comparative policy analysis was undertaken, based on informant interviews, documentation review, and nonparticipant observation of relevant meetings/trainings, to investigate priority-setting prior to 2010. Policy data were analysed by using a nine-factor framework which assesses political prioritization across three categories: transnational influence; domestic advocacy; and national political environment. Results Several factors contributing to the lower priority accorded to PMTCT of syphilis were identified: 1) relative neglect at a global level; 2) dearth of international financial and technical support; 3) poorly unified national policy community with weak accountability mechanisms; 4) insufficient understanding of the epidemic and policy options; and 5) a prevailing negative framing of syphilis that resulted in significant stigmatization. Conclusion The goal of dual PMTCT of syphilis and HIV will only be achieved when equal priority is accorded to both infections. This will require stronger cohesion and leadership from the syphilis policy community. The community will also need to reframe the issue so as to overcome stigmatization against those affected by the illness, organize focusing events to attract political attention, and work more closely with the HIV policy community in order to enhance the recognition of the need to control syphilis on both the national and sub-national agendas.

Introduction Despite a large and growing burden of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of syphilis in China over the past 20 years, the issue received far less attention and fewer resources than prevention of MTCT (PMTCT) of HIV, which has a substantially lower burden. China’s Ministry of Health issued the first national plan for syphilis control in 2010, aiming to integrate PMTCT of syphilis and HIV. Our study aimed to identify: 1) why PMTCT of syphilis had a lower political/resource priority than PMTCT of HIV before 2010; and 2) what actions would improve the prospects of successful implementation of dual PMTCT. Methods We undertook a comparative policy analysis, based on informant interviews, documentation review, and nonparticipant observation of relevant meetings/trainings, to investigate priority-setting prior to 2010. We used a nine-factor framework developed by Shiffman et al . which assesses political prioritisation across three categories: transnational influence; domestic advocacy; and national political environment. Results We identified several factors contributing to the lower priority accorded to PMTCT of syphilis: 1) relative neglect at a global level; 2) dearth of international financial and technical support; 3) poorly unified national policy community with weak accountability mechanisms; 4) insufficient understanding of the epidemic and policy options; and 5) a prevailing negative framing of syphilis that resulted in significant stigmatisation. Conclusion The goal of dual PMTCT of syphilis and HIV will only be achieved when equal priority is accorded to both infections. This will require stronger cohesion and leadership from the syphilis policy community. The community will also need to reframe the issue so as to overcome stigmatisation against those affected by the illness, organise focusing events to attract political attention, and work more closely with the HIV policy community in order to enhance the recognition of the need to control syphilis on both the national and sub-national agendas. Disclosure of interest statement This study was funded by the Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization during the period from September 2011 to August 2012. The views expressed are not necessarily those of UNAIDS.