Smoking-related knowledge, attitude, social pressure, and environmental constraints among new undergraduates in Chongqing, China

Prevalence and predictors of cigarette smoking among people with HIV in Western Jamaica

With highly active antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection has become a treatable chronic disease. However, modifiable risk factors such as cigarette smoking continue to impact the morbidity and mortality of people with HIV (PWH). We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with cigarette smoking and motivation to quit among PWH in Western Jamaica. A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 392 adults seeking HIV care at health facilities in Western Jamaica completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Current smoking prevalence among participants was 17.4%. Current smoking was significantly associated with being male (OR = 2.99), non-Christian/non-Rastafarian (OR = 2.34), living or working with another smoker (aOR =1.86), being moderate to severely depressed (OR = 3.24), having an alcohol drinking problem (OR = 1.84), and never being asked by a healthcare provider if they smoked (OR = 3.24). Among the PWH who currently smoke, 36.7% are moderately to highly dependent on nicotine. One-third of people who smoke (33.8%) started smoking for the first time after HIV diagnosis, while 66.2% initiated smoking before; 88% were willing to quit smoking. These findings provide baseline information for designing and implementing a comprehensive smoking cessation program that considers the needs of PWH in Jamaica, with the potential of becoming a replicable model for other HIV-specialized healthcare settings in the Caribbean.

Environmental Awareness and sensitivity of nursing students

OBJECTIVE

Currently, environmental problems have reached alarming levels, constituting a serious problem for public health. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the environmental awareness and sensitivity of nursing students.

METHODS

This descriptive study was conducted on 286 nursing students of a foundation university in Northern Cyprus in the fall term of the 2016-2017 academic year. Data were collected by using the personal information form and Environmental Awareness and Sensitivity Scale. Participants had moderate levels of environmental awareness and sensitivity. Nonsmoking nursing students had higher environmental awareness. Besides, participants who attended lectures on the environment, stayed in dormitories, participated in the activities of environmental organizations, and warned people who polluted the environment had higher environmental awareness and sensitivity.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that the number of lectures and social activities on the environment could be increased in order to promote the environmental awareness of nursing students.

Needs Assessment Survey for a Food Safety Education through We-Media: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Junior Students of an Education and a Medical University in Chongqing, China

Many studies on food safety cognition and practice intervention among university students exist, but only few conduct needs assessment surveys. In recent years, We-media has been applied in the field of health education and promotion, but its application in food safety intervention is limited at home and abroad. This study aimed to explore the current situation of We-media use and assess the needs for food safety information through We-media among junior students of an education and a medical university. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among junior students of an education and a medical university in Chongqing, China in 2016. A total of 1,250 education students and 1,434 medical students participated in the questionnaire survey. Findings revealed that 71.4% and 64.8% of the education and medical students were willing to accept food safety educational information by We-media, respectively. In addition, 47.6% and 48.8% of the education and medical students were willing to accept food safety information through WeChat official accounts, respectively. Among the education students, 83.8%, 63.9%, 59.6%, and 13.0% wanted to acquire food safety knowledge by picture, text, video, and voice, respectively. Of the medical students, 84.7%, 67.7%, 62.3%, and 11.9% wanted to acquire food safety knowledge by picture, text, video, and voice, respectively. Gender, school category, and whether food safety information is given attention were the influencing factors of participants' willingness to accept such information through We-media (p<0.05). This study indicated that We-media could be an appropriate intervention approach for the junior students of an education and a medical university to accept food safety intervention. WeChat was also revealed as the best platform. Pictures, text messages, and videos were observed the most popular means for students to acquire food safety knowledge.

Adolescent Personality Risk Factors for Tobacco Smoking and Alcohol Misuse in Adult Men

Background: Social identity theory proposes that people define themselves in terms of the social groups they belong to or aspire to belong to. Tobacco smoking and alcohol use in men have been hypothesized to be symbolic of adult male status. The current study examines whether adolescent personality characteristics linked to masculinity and nonconformity are associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol misuse in men. Methods: The analysis is based on the results of a cross-sectional study conducted in 2018 on a stratified, random sample of 703 adult male residents of Warsaw, Poland, with elementary- and secondary-school education. All survey data were collected through a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. A path model is employed to examine the direct and indirect effects of adolescent characteristics on tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption. Results: According to the path model, retrospective perceptions of self-reported character strength, rebellion against unjustified prohibitions and rules, ease in making decisions, willingness to differ from others, and interest in the opposite gender in adolescence had a significant direct effect on tobacco smoking in adolescence and a significant indirect effect on tobacco smoking in adulthood. The variables representing character strength, rebellion against unjustified prohibitions and rules, ease in making decisions, and interest in the opposite gender in adolescence also showed a significant direct effect on alcohol use in adolescence. Conclusion: Masculinity and nonconformity were related to addictive behaviors in men, which might have health policy implications. In this paper, associating traditional masculinity with health orientation in society is proposed as a possible preventive intervention.

The Perception and Intervention of Internship Nursing Students Helping Smokers to Quit: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chongqing, China

Background: Smoking is among the most preventable causes of death globally. Tobacco cessation can lessen the number of potential deaths. The China Tobacco Cessation Guidelines encourage medical staff to perform the 5As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) when delivering tobacco dependence treatments to patients. Nursing students will develop to be nurses in the future and they have to finish 9 months of clinical practicum study in the last year at hospitals or care centers. However, the frequency of behaviors used to help smokers quit among Chinese nursing internship students is unclear. This study analyzed the rate of nurse interns' performance of the 5As and which demographic characteristics, perceptions of smoking and knowledge predicted higher performance of the 5As. Methods: The cluster sampling method was used to select 13 teaching hospitals among 29. All nursing intern students were expected to finish the questionnaire about their 5As behaviors to help patients quit smoking. Their 5As performances were scored from one to five with 5 being the best and scores were summed. A multivariate linear mixed-effect model was employed to test the differences between their 5As. Results: Participating in the survey were 1358 interns (62.4% response rate). The average scores were as follows-Ask-3.15, Advise-2.75, Assess-2.67, Assist-2.58 and Arrange-2.42. A total of 56.3% students perceived that medical staff should perform the 5As routinely to help patients quit smoking. On the other hand, 52.1% viewed clinical preceptors as role models of the 5As. School education regarding tobacco control, smoking dependence treatment, self-efficacy and positive intentions were predictors of higher performance of the 5As (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Nursing internship students seldom administered tobacco dependence treatments to patients. It is essential to improve the corresponding education, skills and self-efficacy of the 5As. Meanwhile, clinical preceptors should procure more training in the responsibilities and skills related to tobacco cessation. In this way, clinical preceptors can be role models of the 5As and impart positive influences on interns.

Prevalence of Tobacco Smoking and Factors Associated with the Initiation of Smoking among University Students in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Introuduction

Tobacco smoking is considered to be the key preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality at the global level. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of tobacco smoking and factors associated with the initiation of smoking among university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with 264 students of Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2015. A standard, self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions on socio-demographic variables, tobacco smoking status, family and peer tobacco smoking history, attitudes and beliefs about tobacco smoking, as well as knowledge about the negative health consequences of tobacco smoking was administered to participants. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models, chi square, and Fisher exact tests.

Results

The overall prevalence of tobacco smoking was 60.2%, where males smoked at higher rates than females (68.81% and 19.56%, respectively). The influence of friends was the most significant reason for initiating tobacco smoking (OR: 0.862; CI: 0.810-0.917). Perception regarding tobacco smoking was significantly related to continuing tobacco use. Logistic regression models identified that smoking-related attitudes, potential health problems, and family members dying from cardiovascular disease and cancer were significantly associated with tobacco smoking.

Conclusion

The current tobacco smoking prevalence among university students in Bangladesh is over 60%. We suggest adopting WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) policies, especially for university students.

Protection motivation theory and cigarette smoking among vocational high school students in China: a cusp catastrophe modeling analysis

BACKGROUND

Tobacco use is one of the greatest public health problems worldwide and the hazards of cigarette smoking to public health call for better recognition of cigarette smoking behaviors to guide evidence-based policy. Protection motivation theory (PMT) provides a conceptual framework to investigate tobacco use. Evidence from diverse sources implies that the dynamics of smoking behavior may be quantum in nature, consisting of an intuition and an analytical process, challenging the traditional linear continuous analytical approach. In this study, we used cusp catastrophe, a nonlinear analytical approach to test the dual-process hypothesis of cigarette smoking.

METHODS

Data were collected from a random sample of vocational high school students in China (n = 528). The multivariate stochastic cusp modeling was used and executed with the Cusp Package in R. The PMT-based Threat Appraisal and Coping Appraisal were used as the two control variables and the frequency of cigarette smoking (daily, weekly, occasional, and never) in the past month was used as the outcome variable.

RESULTS

Consistent with PMT, the Threat Appraisal (asymmetry, α1 = 0.1987, p < 0.001) and Coping Appraisal (bifurcation, β2 = 0.1760, p < 0.05) significantly predicted the smoking behavior after controlling for covariates. Furthermore, the cusp model performed better than the alternative linear and logistic regression models with regard to higher R2 (0.82 for cusp, but 0.21 for linear and 0.25 for logistic) and smaller AIC and BIC.

CONCLUSION

Study findings support the conclusion that cigarette smoking in adolescents is a quantum process and PMT is relevant to guide studies to understand smoking behavior for smoking prevention and cessation.

Knowledge, attitude and behavioral determinants of tobacco use among 13-15 year old school children

Background:

The epidemic of tobacco use is one of the greatest threats to global health today. Tobacco attributable deaths in India currently range from 800,000 to 900,000 per year. Adolescents are among the most vulnerable group to start tobacco use. Information on tobacco use among the youth is necessary to establish control measures against it.

Objectives:

To assess the knowledge, attitude, and behavioral determinants of tobacco use among high school students (age13–15 years) in Bangalore.

Materials and Method:

A cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 3 weeks in the month of September 2012. A structured, pretested questionnaire was administered randomly to 500 high school students in Bangalore to assess the knowledge, attitude, and behavioral determinants of tobacco use.

Results:

Majority of the study population [94.4% (472/500)] believed that smoking is definitely harmful to our health. Also, 39.0% of the participants of age 13 years believed that smoking does not help in socializing and 92.2% of study subjects had negative attitude toward starting the habit. Most of them (83.9%) had a negative perception about smokers that they lack confidence. However, less than 1% of the study population had a habit of smoking at this young age.

Conclusion:

Awareness of the harmful effects of smoking was high among the study population. The study provides insight into the factors to consider while planning adolescent anti-smoking programs in this and similar settings.