• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.77-87
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of current smoking and the factors that influence current smoking among male high school students in Korea according to school type. Methods: Data were extracted from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (2017) and multiple logistic regression was used based on complex sample analysis. The study sample comprised of 15,777 male high school students: 12,583 from general high schools (GHS) and 3,194 from specialized vocational high schools (SVHS). Results: The prevalence of current smoking was significantly higher in SVHS students (19.6%) compared to GHS students (12.6%). Low academic achievement, depressive symptoms, current drinking, and high household economic status were commonly associated with current smoking in male students from both school types. However, exposure to secondhand smoking at home, non-exposure to anti-smoking advertisement, exposure to tobacco advertisement, participation in smoking prevention or cessation education were related to current smoking in GHS students, while living in rural area was associated with current smoking in SVHS students. Conclusion: To reduce current smoking among male high school students, it is necessary to develop smoking prevention policies reflecting the factors associated with current smoking that are different by school type.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.131-139
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate smoking patterns, oral health behavior and perception of dental healthcare of military personnel in the South Korea Army. All 367 subjects were surveyed by the structured questionnaires with convenience sampling method. The questionnaires were consisting of 22 items. Depending on the conditions of military training, the distribution and differences of smoking patterns and oral behaviors were evaluated by frequency test, Weighted Kappa, Paired t-test and ANOVA. The differences of oral health perception on smoking were demonstrated by Mantel-Haenszel Chi-square test. In addition, Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to estimate the effects of oral behavior for the conditions of military training and smoking. The number of cigarette during military training period was similar to that during non-military training (p=0.109). The perception of smokers such as smoking effect on oral health, oral health and systemic health, and need of education for smoking cessation was significantly lower than non-smokers (p=0.0095, p=0.0007, and p<0.0001). The probability that toothbrush frequency per day was only one was associated with higher during military training period than non-military training (OR=9.29, 95% CI 5.05-17.07). Moreover, the probability that hours of toothbrush were less than one minute was associated with higher during military training than non-military training (OR=2.19, 95% CI 1.78-2.71). To improve knowledge, attitude, and behavior of oral health for the members, the army needs to develop oral health education and tobacco cessation programs. In particular, motivation and practice for oral health care are required to improve poor oral health behavior during the military training.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.119-134
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand a variety of intervention studies to prevent smoking by adolescents in U.S. and find out implications for Korea. Methods: This study reviewed articles found in the internet and analysed the data of US DHHS and CDC. Results: The School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) is a national survey periodically conducted to assess school health policies and programs of U.S. The main components of SHPPS are health education and physical education, health services, mental health and social services, school policies, and school environments. The CDC guidelines for school health programs to prevent tobacco use and addiction are composed of policy, instruction, curriculum, training, family involvement, tobacco-use cessation efforts, and evaluation. School-based interventions to prevent smoking can be classified into the categories of information-giving curricula, social competence curricula, social influence approaches, combined methods draw on social competence and social influence approaches and multi-modal programmes and Youth Empowerment study. The key programs for adolescent smoking prevention are ALERT Project, HSPP, TNT Project, MPP, NC YES. Conclusions: As smoking is often the first step of unhealthy behaviour such as alcohol drinking, illegal drugs, and violence, smoking prevention programmes for adolescents in U.S. have been comprehensive school-based health programs. In smoking prevention programs for adolescents, CDC plays a critical role by supporting survey, research, policy, and funds. The effectiveness of the programs was high when it was based on school and involved parents, community, and mass media. As the effect of each programme is not expected to last for a long time, consistent repetition of these interventions is essential. Current smoking prevention programs for adolescents are exploring the empowerment approach focused on the active involvement of participants rather than traditional approaches using order and discipline.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5483-5488
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• 2012

Background: Although nicotine dependence plays a role as a main barrier for smoking cessation, there is still a lack of solid evidence on the validity of biomarkers to determine nicotine dependence in clinical settings. This study aimed to investigate whether urinary cotinine levels could reflect the severity of nicotine dependence in active smokers. Materials and Methods: Data regarding general characteristics and smoking status was collected using a self-administered smoking questionnaire. The Fagerstr$\ddot{o}$m test for nicotine dependence (FTND) was used to determine nicotine dependence of the participants, and a total of 381 participants were classified into 3 groups of nicotine dependence: low (n=205, 53.8%), moderate (n=127, 33.3%), and high dependence groups (n=49, 12.9%). Stepwise multiple linear regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analyses were used to determine the validity of urinary cotinine for high nicotine dependence. Results: In correlation analysis, urinary cotinine levels increased with FTND score (r=0.567, P<0.001). ROC curves analysis showed that urinary cotinine levels predicted the high-dependence group with reasonable accuracy (optimal cut-off value=1,000 ng/mL; AUC=0.82; P<0.001; sensitivity=71.4%; specificity=74.4%). In stepwise multiple regression analysis, the total smoking period (${\beta}$=0.042, P=0.001) and urinary cotinine levels (${\beta}$=0.234, P<0.001) were positively associated with nicotine dependence, whereas an inverse association was observed between highest education levels (>16 years) and nicotine dependence (${\beta}$=-0.573, P=0.034). Conclusions: The results of this study support the validity of using urinary cotinine levels for assessment of nicotine dependence in active smokers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.386-392
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• 2017

Objectives: Refugees resettled in the US may be at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about CVD-related issues among Karen refugees who have migrated to the US from the Thai-Myanmar border. The purpose of this study was to examine CVD-related health beliefs and lifestyle issues among Karen refugees resettled in the US. Methods: Karen refugees resettled in the US from the Thai-Myanmar border (n=195) participated in a survey study on health beliefs related to CVD, salt intake, physical activity (PA), and smoking in the fall of 2016. Results: A high-salt diet, physical inactivity, and smoking were major lifestyle problems. Participants who adhered to a low-salt diet considered themselves to be susceptible to CVD. Most participants did not engage in regular PA. Regular PA was associated with less perceived susceptibility to CVD and greater perceived benefits of a healthy lifestyle for decreasing the likelihood of CVD. Conclusions: Each refugee population may require individualized strategies to promote PA and a healthy diet. Future studies should develop health education programs that are specifically designed for Karen refugees and evaluate such programs. In addition to health education programs on healthy lifestyle choices, tobacco cessation programs seem to be necessary for Karen refugees. At the same time, it is important to foster strategies to increase the utilization of preventive care among this population by promoting free or reduced-fee resources in the community to further promote their health.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2016

Printing of pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on cigarette packages became obligatory by the Vietnam Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harm in May 2013. Literature from high-income countries suggests that PHWs motivate smokers to quit smoking although their long-term effects have been questioned due to reduction of impact over time. This study aimed to assess the salience of PHWs and smokers' reactions towards PHWs over time. In May 2014 and May 2015, a cross-sectional questionnaire-based household survey was administered to respectively 1,462 and 1,509 Vietnamese male smokers aged 18 to 35. The result showed that salience of the PHWs 2 years after the implementation was higher than at the point of 1 year after the implementation. The proportion of respondents who tried to avoid noting the PHWs was reduced from 35% in wave 1 to 23% in wave 2. However, "Tried to avoid looking/thinking about the PHWs" increased 1.5 times the odds of presenting quit intention compared to those respondents who did not try to avoid looking/thinking about the PHWs (OR=1.5; 95%CI: 1.2-2.0). In conclusion, avoidance regarding PHWs may not work as a barrier when aiming at a higher level of quit intention. Salience of the PHWs may increase in the period shortly after their introduction onto packs but can be expected to decrease with time. In other words, it might be advisable to change or renew PHWs after a period of implementation to maintain their beneficial effects.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.272-278
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• 2008

Objectives: To compare the health behaviors of widowed women with those of currently married women. Methods: We randomly sampled the subjects from the Jeollanamdo Resident Registration Data and we then selected 2,331 widowed women and 4,775 married women. Well-trained examiners measured the height, weight, blood pressure and abdomen circumference, and the women were interviewed with using a questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios(OR) of the two groups. Results: The smoking rate (OR=2.46; 95% confidence interval [CI]1.65, 3.66) was significantly higher for the widowed women. On the contrary, the awareness rate of a smoking cessation campaign (OR=0.80; 95% CI=0.70, 0.92), a quit tobacco telephone line (OR=0.73; 95% CI =0.61, 0.88) and a quit smoking clinic (OR=0.74; 95% CI=0.62, 0.89) were lower for the widowed women. The rate of receiving a health exam (OR=0.80; 95% CI=0.70, 0.91), the rate of undergoing gastric cancer screening (OR=0.77; 95% CI=0.68, 0.88), breast cancer screening (OR=0.79; 95% CI=0.69, 0.89), cervix cancer screening in the last 2 years (OR=0.81; 95% CI=0.71, 0.92), colon cancer screening in the last 5 years (OR=0.74; 95% CI=0.63, 0.87) were significantly lower for the widowed women. Conclusions: This study revealed that the health behaviors are significantly different between the widowed women and the married women. To improve the health behaviors of the widowed women, further study and research that will investigate the socioeconomic and environmental factors that affect the health behaviors of widowed women will be needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2018

Objectives: Smoking is a significant public health issue in Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to examine peer smoking and smoking-related beliefs among college students in Bangladesh. Methods: College students at two universities in Dhaka, Bangladesh participated in a self-administered survey in May and June 2017. Results: First, being a current or former smoker is associated with lower levels of beliefs among respondents that they would not smoke even with smoker friends or nervousness, and lower levels of intentions that they would not smoke, while current smokers and former smokers have different smoking-related beliefs. Second, having smoker friends is associated with lower levels of intentions that they would not smoke. Third, higher levels of normative beliefs that it is important not to smoke are associated with higher levels of beliefs that they would not smoke even with smoker friends or nervousness, higher levels of intentions that they would not smoke, and higher levels of avoidance of smoking. Conclusions: Smoking-related beliefs and perceived norms in individuals' social networks are important components in promoting tobacco cessation in Bangladesh. But it is challenging to prevent or intervene in smoking because of the high rates of smoking in this country and the high prevalence of smokers in individuals' social networks. Future studies should examine the most effective interventions to combat smoking in high-smoking social networks, such as using mobile apps or social media, and evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.99-115
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• 2023

Purpose: Exclusive breastfeeding promotes gut microbial compositions associated with lower rates of metabolic and autoimmune diseases. Its cessation is implicated in increased microbiome-metabolome discordance, suggesting a vulnerability to dietary changes. Formula supplementation is common within our low-income, ethnic-minority community. We studied exclusively breastfed (EBF) neonates' early microbiome-metabolome coupling in efforts to build foundational knowledge needed to target this inequality. Methods: Maternal surveys and stool samples from seven EBF neonates at first transitional stool (0-24 hours), discharge (30-48 hours), and at first appointment (days 3-5) were collected. Survey included demographics, feeding method, medications, medical history and tobacco and alcohol use. Stool samples were processed for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and lipid analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Alpha and beta diversity analyses and Procrustes randomization for associations were carried out. Results: Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were the most abundant taxa. Variation in microbiome composition was greater between individuals than within (p=0.001). Palmitic, oleic, stearic, and linoleic acids were the most abundant lipids. Variation in lipid composition was greater between individuals than within (p=0.040). Multivariate composition of the metabolome, but not microbiome, correlated with time (p=0.030). Total lipids, saturated lipids, and unsaturated lipids concentrations increased over time (p=0.012, p=0.008, p=0.023). Alpha diversity did not correlate with time (p=0.403). Microbiome composition was not associated with each samples' metabolome (p=0.450). Conclusion: Neonate gut microbiomes were unique to each neonate; respective metabolome profiles demonstrated generalizable temporal developments. The overall variability suggests potential interplay between influences including maternal breastmilk composition, amount consumed and living environment.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.656-665
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• 2016

Objectives: This study examined the characteristics and related factors by comparing the lifestyles and health behaviors between Korean Seventh-day Adventists and the general population of Korea. Methods: A survey was conducted of 878 people more than 20-years-old Korean Seventh-day Adventists who live in the metropolitan area and 3,000 people more than 20-years-old who live in the metropolitan area in 4th (2nd year) National Health and Nutrition Survey. A comparison of health behaviors related to health screenings, smoking, drinking, physical activity, subjective stress, weight management, and oral health was analyzed using a chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the contributing factor to the health behavior. Results: Health screening rates among Korean Seventh-day Adventists were higher than the general population (p<0.001), but Korean Seventh-day Adventists showed lower rates of health screening in the 20-30 ages. Lifetime smoking experience rates and current smoking rates were significantly lower in the Korean Seventh-day Adventists than in the general population (p<0.001). The success rate of smoking cessation among ex-smokers of Korean Seventh-day Adventists were very high. In terms of the drinking rate, Korean Seventh-day Adventists were significantly lower than the general population (p<0.001). The drinking rate of men was higher than women (p<0.001). Moderate physical activity of men were higher than women in Korean Seventh-day Adventists (p<0.001). Conclusion: The lifestyles and health behaviors of Korean Seventh-day Adventists, such as tobacco smoking and alcoholic drinking, were eminently healthier than the general population. Nevertheless, further well-organized studies will be needed.