Effects of a Nurse-Led, Stage-Matched, Tailored Program for Smoking Cessation in Health Education Centers: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Associations of dual use of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes, sleep duration, physical activity and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Korean adults

AIM

There is limited evidence of the association between dual tobacco-e-cigarette use and health-related variables in Korea. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the associations between types of cigarette smoking, sleep duration, physical activity and depressive symptoms among Korean adults.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study design using the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey.

METHODS

The study subjects consisted of 179,004 adults older than 40 years from a total of 229,099 individuals. Self-reported general characteristics, smoking history, sleep duration, physical activity and depressive symptoms were analysed.

RESULTS

In multinomial logistic regression, dual users of tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes were more likely to have sleep duration of less than 7 h per day and to report both mild and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms than non-smokers. Single use of either cigarettes or e-cigarettes increased the risk of short sleep duration and moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms.

Characteristics of Hardcore Male Smokers in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of hardcore smokers who were previously hospitalized. Study design: A descriptive qualitative design was used to investigate a sample of 29 male Taiwanese smokers. Methods: Male hardcore smokers were recruited at a hospital in southern Taiwan and their smoking behaviors and attitudes were explored in semistructured interviews. Inclusion criteria were: (1) smoking at least weekly or daily during the past year, (2) 100 cigarettes during the lifetime, (3) persistent smoking, or (4) at least one hospitalization. Audio-recorded interview data were analyzed using content categorization of the responses. Results: Four main themes emerged to describe characteristics of Taiwanese hardcore smokers: (1) physiological and psychological dependence, (2) no motivation to quit despite knowledge of negative health consequences, (3) social interaction and cultural norms, and (4) negative attitudes toward, but compliance with, smoking-free policies. Conclusions: The results can inform public health nurses of characteristics of Taiwanese hardcore smokers, which in turn may develop effective smoking cessation program to increase smoking cessation rate among Taiwanese hardcore smokers.

The Impact of Innovative Smoking Reduction Education at Hospital Entrances: A Prospective Pre- and Post-Test Study Design

Background: Nurses are expected to play an important role in smoking reduction education. Although the smoking ban was enacted in Taiwan in 1997, which included the introduction of smoking-free areas around the entrances of hospitals, many smokers are still found near hospitals. Few smoking reduction programs have been initiated around hospital entrances. The aim of this study was to examine the impacts of an innovative smoking reduction education program, which was conducted by nursing students around the entrances of a teaching hospital. Methods: A prospective pre- and post-test study design was used. The smoking reduction education program consisted of posters, audio broadcasts, and dramatic performances that provided information and resources related to smoking reduction. Outcome variables included the number of smokers, number of cigarette butts on the ground, and the experiences from nursing students after conducting the program. Results: After adjusting for weather and temperature, the number of smokers decreased significantly in the afternoon and during the whole day after the implementation of the program. The number of cigarette butts significantly decreased during the implementation of the program. Conclusion: The findings reveal that alternative smoking reduction programs initiated around hospital entrances significantly reduced both the number of smokers and cigarette butts on the ground. Nursing students shared their positive experiences in conducting this study.