• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.17
• /
• pp.7535-7540
• /
• 2015

Background: Early initiation of smoking and chewing of diverse forms of tobacco among youth in India is a significant driver for tobacco epidemic in India. Several socio-demographic factors are predictors of tobacco use in populations, especially among youth. Interventions which address these socio-demographic factors can help policy makers to curb new initiations and avert morbidity and mortality due to tobacco use. Objective: To study the various sociodemographic variables associated with tobacco use among youth in India. Materials and Methods: Secondary analysis of data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey-India 2009-10 for the age group of 15-24 years was performed and predictors of smoking and smokeless tobacco were analyzed using data on occupation, education, and other sociodemographic factors. Results: In India there are a total of 51.3 million (22.1%) youth (15-24 years) tobacco users. Of these 35.1 million consumes chewable tobacco (15.1%), 16.2 million smoke (7%) and 1.6 million are dual users (3.1%). Males, urban, less educated, un-employed and those belonging to middle class preferred smoking over chewing; whereas, females, rural, students and those belonging to low socio-economic class are predictors of smokeless tobacco use. The major determinants of dual users are male sex, poor socio-economic strata and student class. The overall tobacco use was higher among males, rural populations, lower socioeconomic strata and un-employed class. Conclusions: India's youth is more susceptible to the tobacco addiction, especially of smokeless tobacco. Youth from rural India especially students, girls and those from poor socio-economic strata prefer to use smokeless tobacco products whereas urban, male and those less educated prefer smoking tobacco products. More population-based and region-focused research is needed to understand initiation patterns into tobacco use among youth so as to inform policymakers to devise new policy measures to curb the growing epidemic.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.186-194
• /
• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to find out the association between dual-use of the electronic cigarette (EC) and conventional cigarette (CC) and depression among undergraduate students. Methods: The participants of this study were 225 undergraduate students who were attending two universities located in Ulsan metropolitan city. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were conducted to analyze the data. Results: Nicotine dependence and depression were significantly higher in the dual-use group than in the single-use group. Dual-use of the EC and CC was significantly associated with depression among undergraduate students. In addition, quality of sleep was significantly associated with depression among undergraduate students. Conclusion: In order to prevent depression among undergraduate students, it is necessary to improve the awareness of the danger of dual use of the EC and CC.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.235-241
• /
• 2011

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarrettes) were recently introduced and advertised as a smoking cession device in South Korea. As the social norm to quit smoking has gained hold in the country, the number of e-cigarette users is growing rapidly. This phenomenon should be urgently considered, because of the lack of research that has been conducted to examine the safety of e-cigarettes and its efficacy as a smoking cessation aid. This paper raises several public health concerns on e-cigarettes in South Korea. Uncertain regulations of the government on e-cigarettes are contributing to an increase of e-cigarette users and allowing the e-cigarette industry to circumvent existing regulations. The aggressive marketing activity of this industry is also a core factor that is responsible for the rapid increase of e-cigarette use, in particular among the youth. Following the enforcement of tobacco control, some cigarette smokers may be encouraged to purchase e-cigarettes in order to circumvent the regulations, even though the dual use of e-cigarette and cigarette may be more harmful. Until there is clear evidence of the e-cigarette’s safety, it is recommended that the industry’s marketing and promotional activities be banned and closely monitored, and public campaigns be initiated to educate the public regarding e-cigarettes.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.27-39
• /
• 2024

Purpose : Smoking is a major factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the effect of electrical cigarette smoking on COPD development is still uncertain. This study aimed to compare the functions of airways and lungs exposed to combustible cigarettes and electrical cigarettes based on the pulmonary function test (PFT) results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods : This study used data from 8,942 participants with PFT results out of 47,309 total subjects from the 6th to 8th Korean NHANES (2014-2015, 2016-2018, and 2019, respectively). Individuals with diseases such as cancer, ex-smokers, and dual tobacco users were excluded. The PFT results were analyzed according to the COPD diagnostic criteria. After adjusting for confounding variables, a complex sample generalized linear model ANOVA test was performed to investigate the association between PFT results and combustible smoker or electrical cigarette user groups. Results : In an analysis based on the obstructive ventilatory disorders (forced expiratory volume in 1 second[FEV₁]/forced vital capacity[FVC]<.7), combustible cigarette smokers showed a 3.46 times higher risk of COPD compared to non-smokers, while electrical cigarette smokers exhibited no significant difference in terms of COPD-related risks compared to non-smokers. FEV₁ showed a negative relation with combustible cigarette smokers as reported elsewhere (B=-.07, p<.001). FEV₁/FVC was negatively related to both combustible cigarette smokers (B=-.03, p<.001) and electrical cigarette smokers (B=-.02, p<.001). Conclusion : FEV₁/FVC decreases were observed in the long-term exposure to both combustible and electrical cigarettes. The lower FEV₁ in the combustible cigarette group implies the worsening of the severity of COPD, suggesting more damage to the airways and lungs in the short term. Therefore, the temporary electrical cigarettes use for the transition period in order to smoking cessation potentially aids to reduce the harmful effect of combustible cigarettes in COPD development.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.4-10
• /
• 2019

The term new tobacco products (NTPs) refers to the new alternatives to conventional cigarettes. There are several kinds of NTPs in South Korea. The present study discusses the most widely used NTPs namely electronic cigarette (ECs) and heated tobacco products (HTPs). The aims of this study are to evaluate the risk related to the use of ECs and HTPs, introduce policy examples across different countries of management of this issue, and finally, present some policy implications of the problem and our response strategies. Since the advent of ECs, there has been a lot of debate about its risk. Some studies have reported that ECs are less harmful than conventional cigarettes and that they are effective in aiding smoking cessation. Nevertheless, the efficacy of ECs in smoking cessation and its potential health risks are still unclear. However, the obvious fact is that it is not harmless. Regulations on ECs differ from country to country. In many countries, they are strictly regulated as tobacco or toxic substances; however, in the United Kingdom, the use of ECs are included as part of their smoking cessation policy, and in Japan, they are treated as a form of medication. On the other hand, HTPs are the most recently introduced NTPs and they have attained sensational popularity because of the wrongly held belief that they are less harmful to health. So, what about our policy response to these two tobacco products? The research on ECs requires more systematic statistical monitoring, such as monitoring the ratio of dual-users. Further, the new EC smokers should be identified taking into account that the arguments for the use of ECs often emphasize smoking cessation or less risks to health, the government should further strengthen its policy to prevent those claims. The HTPs market experienced a very sharp growth and continues to grow because the government policy is too passive. Taking this as a lesson, it is necessary to approach NTPs, such as HTPs, proactively and increase their contribution to the National Health Promotion Fund by imposing greater taxes on them. Finally, considering the likelihood of NTPs being promoted as a less harmful tobacco product, it is essential to strictly regulate tobacco companies' publicity from the very beginning to ensure that potential consumer s are not mislead.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.530-540
• /
• 1999

The purpose of this study was to investigate the life style, self-efficacy, and Bone Marrow Density (BMD) in osteoporosis female patients. The subjects were recruited at the four Osteoporosis Clinics. A convenience sample of 190 women completed a survey instrument which included the Osteoporosis Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Life Style Questionnaire and demographic items. BMD of L$_4$ was measured by Dual Photon Absor photiometry. The sample ranged in age from 40 to 82 years (Mean＝60.28). Eighty-one percent were married and 14.9% were widowed. Forty-four percent lived with their spouse and children. Excercise, diet, medication, alcohol consumption, and smoking were measured to investigate the life style. Fifty-seven percent of the subjects exercised regularly. Mountain climbing, brisk walking, and free gymnastics were frequently cited excercises by the subjects in this study. Sixty percent drank one cup of milk and 34.7% had 1.13 cups of coffee in a day. Thirty-nine percent used calcium supplements, 9.5% drank alcohol, and 3.2% smoked cigarettes. Economic status and education level were related to self-efficacy. Age, economic status, and education level were related to BMD. As a life style, exercise, diet(milk, ice cream, and coffee), and medication(calcium) were associated with self-efficacy. The subjects who exercised regularly and took calcium supplements for a longer time had a higher level of self-efficacy than those who did not. Smoking and alcohol consumption had no relationship with self-efficacy. Excercise, medication(calcium), and alcohol consumption were related to BMD. The subjects who took calcium supplements for a longer time had a higher level of BMD. Alcohol consumption was not related to self-efficacy but related to BMD. The subject who drank alcohol had a higher level of BMD than those who did not drink. The amount of alcohol consumption was positively related to BMD.

• Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.194-199
• /
• 2018

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between the number of remaining natural teeth (NRT) and the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in older adults. Methods: This study was based on data from the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys. The participants were 2,378 older participants (984 men and 1,394 women) aged over 65 years. Survey dentists conducted oral health examinations, and ASM was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The participants with $NRT{\geq}20$ had more ASM and SMI than those with NRT<20 in both sexes. SMI was correlated with NRT in men (r=0.018, p<0.001) and in women (r=-0.007, p<0.001). The positive correlation between the NRT and SMI remained significant in men even after adjusting for age, marital status, income, smoking, drinking, physical activity, protein intake, energy intake, calcium intake, body mass index, fasting blood glucose level, medications, and prostheses (${\beta}=0.011$, p=0.001). In women, the correlation disappeared after adjustment for smoking, alcohol, physical activity, protein intake, energy intake, calcium intake, marital status, income, fasting basal glucose, medication administration, and prostheses. Conclusion: This study showed a correlation between NRT and SMI in those ${\geq}65$ years of age in Korea. The relationship persisted in men, but not in women, even after adjusting for confounders.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.95-105
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The measurement of body composition, including muscle and fat mass, remains challenging in large epidemiological studies due to time constraint and cost when using accurate modalities. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate prediction equations according to sex to measure lean body mass (LBM), appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and body fat mass (BFM) using anthropometric measurement, serum creatinine level, and lifestyle factors as independent variables and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry as the reference method. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A sample of the Korean general adult population (men: 7,599; women: 10,009) from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2011 was included in this study. The participants were divided into the derivation and validation groups via a random number generator (with a ratio of 70:30). The prediction equations were developed using a series of multivariable linear regressions and validated using the Bland-Altman plot and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: The initial and practical equations that included age, height, weight, and waist circumference had a different predictive ability for LBM (men: R2 = 0.85, standard error of estimate [SEE] = 2.7 kg; women: R2 = 0.78, SEE = 2.2 kg), ASM (men: R2 = 0.81, SEE = 1.6 kg; women: R2 = 0.71, SEE = 1.2 kg), and BFM (men: R2 = 0.74, SEE = 2.7 kg; women: R2 = 0.83, SEE = 2.2 kg) according to sex. Compared with the first prediction equation, the addition of other factors, including serum creatinine level, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol use, resulted in an R2 that is higher by 0.01 and SEE that is lower by 0.1. CONCLUSIONS: All equations had low bias, moderate agreement based on the Bland-Altman plot, and high ICC, and this result showed that these equations can be further applied to other epidemiologic studies.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.137-148
• /
• 2004

Objective : To identify the risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis in Korea Materials and methods : Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in 808 apparently normal postmenopausal Korean women. Questions about life style, demographic parameters, medical history and social habits etc. were asked on these women; 2ll women with normal bone mineral density, and 597 women with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Results 'Age of >50 years, low body mass index (BMI; <18.5 kg/m2), long duration of menopause(>10 years), and previous history of fracture were associated with increased prevalence of osteopenia or osteoporosis. Women without the outside activity also showed a higher frequency of low bone mass, Risk for osteopenia or osteoporosis was low in women with high BMI (>23 kg/m2) and women with job. The prevalence of low bone mass appeared to be independent of the following parameters: socioeconomic status, familial history, smoking, drinking, exercise, previous use of oral contraceptive, coffee or milk consumption, and degree of sunlight exposure. Conclusion 'Age, BMI, duration of menopause, previous history of fracture and degree of outside activity are the risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.203-211
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of obesity on self-rated health in Korean males and females. Methods: The 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1) data were used. Participants included 1,231 males and 1,289 females aged 20 years or older and had no disease. Chi-square test, t-test, and multiple logistic regression with dummy variables using SAS 9.2 were performed. Results: From univariate analysis, total body fat was significantly greater in males with a self-perception of poor health (p=.006), and the percentage of total body fat was significantly greater in males and females with a self-perception of poor health (p for all=.001). After controlling for demographic and health behavior variables, similar results were found. Females with higher education had a healthy perception of their health. Smoking for males and drinking for females were significantly related to unhealthy perception of their health. Conclusion: The current study provides evidence that obese Korean males and females had worse self-rated health, even though they had no disease. In particular, it is important to note that the relatively direct obesity measures from Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, such as total body fat and percentage of body fat, were significantly related to self-rated health.