• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1125-1130
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• 2012

Objective: The objective of present study is to investigate the determinants of smoking behaviour among adults in Malaysia. Method: Findings of the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-3) by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, were used. The sample consisted of 34,539 observations. A logistic regression model was thus applied to estimate the probability to participate in smoking. Results: Age, income, gender, marital status, ethnicity, employment status, residential area, education, lifestyle and health status were statistically significant in affecting the likelihood of smoking. Specifically, youngsters, low income earners, males, unmarried individuals, Malays, employed individuals, rural residents and primary educated individuals were more likely to smoke. Conclusion: In conclusion, socio-demographic, lifestyle and health factors have significant impacts on smoking participation in Malaysia. Based on these empirical findings, several policy implications are suggested.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.199-208
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• 2012

Objectives: Although evidence-based medicine (EBM) is a useful method for integrating evidence into the decision-making process of occupational physicians, occupational physicians lack EBM knowledge and skills, and do not have the time to learn the EBM method. In order to enable them to educate themselves at the time and place they prefer, we designed an electronic EBM course. We studied the feasibility and utility of the course as well as its effectiveness in increasing EBM knowledge, skills, and behaviour. Methods: Occupational physicians from various countries were included in a within-subjects study. Measurements were conducted on participants' EBM knowledge, skills, behaviour, and determinants of behaviour at baseline, directly after finishing the course and 2 months later (n = 36). The feasibility and utility of the course were evaluated directly after the course (n = 42). Results: The course is applicable as an introductory course on EBM for occupational physicians in various countries. The course is effective in enhancing EBM knowledge and self-efficacy in practising EBM. No significant effect was found on EBM skills, behaviour, and determinants of behaviour. After the course, more occupational physicians use the international journals to solve a case. Conclusion: An electronic introductory EBM course is suitable for occupational physicians. Although it is an effective method for increasing EBM knowledge, it does not seem effective in improving skills and behaviour. We recommend integrating e-learning courses with blended learning, where it can be used side by side with other educational methods that are effective in changing behaviour.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2781-2789
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• 2012

Assessment of perceptions of the community, the determinants and development of their behavior regarding common malignancies, helps in establishing evidence-based activities for prevention and early diagnosis of cancer. However information on this important aspect is lacking in our country. Qualitative methods were here used to obtain information through in depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with all categories of identified stakeholders. Most were unaware of the activities of the cancer control program. Even the providers were not fully conversant. All respondents mentioned lack of diagnostic and treatment facilities in government, primary and secondary level facilities. Perceptions of different categories of stakeholders regarding why many community members did not attend screening camps and other services reflect the determinants of community behavior, acting independently as well as in combination. The cancer control program was thought to be restricted only to some private facilities and overcrowded government tertiary care facilities where the visits were time consuming. Almost all the facilities were considered curative oriented. Issues of supervision, monitoring and feedback were inadequately addressed by providers who were inadequately trained in many program activities. The program lacked effective planning, coordination and appropriate implementation at the grass roots level in Delhi. Social mobilization was grossly inadequate, as most of the community members were unaware of the existence of the program. Misconceptions about the risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment were common amongst community members as well as many of the providers. Thus the national cancer control program in our country needs further community participation and social mobilization. Accessibility, availability, acceptability and affordability of various preventive, curative and rehabilitative activities, as well as intersectoral coordination, training, supervision and monitoring of program activities, all need to be addressed to ensure the success of this important public health program.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1931-1935
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• 2013

Background: This study was undertaken to identify the socio-demographic determinants of quit attempts among smokers and smokeless tobacco users to identify correlates of tobacco cessation behaviour in India Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study for the outcome of quit attempts made by current tobacco users in last 12 months in twelve districts in two states. Simple and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to obtain the odds ratios (ORs) of socio-demographic variables (age, gender, education, occupation, socio-economic status, community, area, type of family) and tobacco user status (smoker/smokeless). Results: In the combined analysis, a smoker had higher predicted probability of attempting quitting (OR-1.41,CI 1.14-1.90), in comparison to a smokeless tobacco user and a tobacco user in the state of Gujarat was less likely to attempt quitting than a user in Andhra Pradesh (OR-0.60, CI 0.47-0.78). The probability of making a quit attempt was higher among tobacco users who were more educated (OR-1.40, CI 1.04-1.94), having a higher socio-economic status (SES) (OR-2.39, CI 1.54-3.69), and belonging to non-agricultural labourer occupational group (OR-1.90, CI 1.29-2.78). The effects were maintained even after adjusting for all other variables. In disaggregated analysis, findings were similar except in smokeless as a separate group, education level was not significantly associated with quit attempts and with lower odds (OR-0.91, CI 0.58-1.42). Conclusions: This is one of the first studies to provide useful insight into potential determinants for quit attempts of tobacco users in India including smokeless tobacco users, exploring the socio-demographic patterning of correlates of quit attempts.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.83-95
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• 2008

This study was firstly to reflect upon the background of the generation and the urban spatial value and significance of the medieval plaza. The main aim of this study was to extract the spatial determinants which give the great influence on the formation of the medieval plaza and in addition the endogenous rules and aesthetical grounds regarding the respective elements. Especially they could be applied to the design guideline. They are dimension(volume and scale), shape, elevation as the morphological elements and enclosure, proportion, grade difference, spatial sequence and plaza group as the spatial determinants and visual sequence, visual or spatial boundary, approaching axis and perspective effect as the aesthetic and visual elements and function(use), human behaviour as the social-behavioral elements and otherwise, for instance, plaza furniture, ground decoration and vegetation. This study was intended to analyze each elements based on the classical historical literatures and to suggest the planning conditions for composing the ideal plaza referring to the cases and literature review on the medieval plaza and finally is expected to contribute to the plaza design methodology.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.721-734
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• 2012

The main purpose of this paper is to identify the characteristics of the private educational institute street in Pyengchon, Anyang-si by analyzing the locational determinants of private education institute, the spatial range of it educational service and the spatial behaviour of private education institute students. The research has concerned with the locational determinants of private educational institutes in Pyengchon. Its main locational determinants are a reputation as a region of private educational institution street, access to large residential areas and rents. Also, it has considered the spatial service range of private educational institutes. To this end, it divided private educational institutes into three hierarchies from first sized to third sized private educational institute. The educational service of first sized institutes delivers to within a 10km radius of them, including Suwon. In particular, the service of them is concentrated on within a 6km radius of them. The educational service of second and third sized institutes both delivers to within a 6km radius of them. The service of second sized one is concentrated on within a 2km radius of them, and third sized one is within a 1km radius of them. What is more, it has analyzed the spatial behaviour of private educational institute students.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.173-186
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• 2005

This paper develops the argument that the 'Healthy Cities Approach' extends beyond the boundaries of officially designated Healthy Cities and suggests that signs of it are evident much more widely in efforts to promote health in the United Kingdom and in national policy. It draws on examples from Leeds, a major city in the north of England. In particular, it suggests that efforts to improve population health need to focus on the wider determinants and that this requires a collaborative response involving a range of different sectors and the participation of the community. Inequality is recognised as a major issue and the need to identify areas of deprivation and direct resources towards these is emphasised. Childhood poverty is referred to and the importance of breaking cycles of deprivation. The role of the school is seen as important in contributing to health generally and the compatibility between Healthy Cities and Health Promoting Schools is noted. Not only can Health Promoting Schools improve the health of young people themselves they can also develop the skills, awareness and motivation to improve the health of the community. Using child pedestrian injury as an example, the paper argues that problems and their cause should not be conceived narrowly. The Healthy Cities movement has taught us that the response, if it is to be effective, should focus on the wider determinants and be adapted to local circumstances. Instead of simply attempting to change behaviour through traditional health education we need to ensure that the environment is healthy in itself and supports healthy behaviour. To achieve this we need to develop awareness, skills and motivation among policy makers, professionals and the community The 'New Health' education is proposed as a term to distinguish the type of health education which addresses these issues from more traditional forms.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.47-56
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• 2014

This paper investigates the characteristics of unstable behaviour and critical buckling load by joint rigidity of framed large spatial structures which are sensitive to initial conditions. To distinguish the stable from the unstable, a singular point on equilibrium path and a critical buckling level are computed by the eigenvalues and determinants of the tangential stiffness matrix. For the case study, a two-free node example and a folded plate typed long span example with 325 nodes are adopted, and these adopted examples' nonlinear analysis and unstable characteristics are analyzed. The numerical results in the case of the two-free node example indicate that as the influence of snap-through is bigger; that of bifurcation buckling is lower than that of the joint rigidity as the influence of snap-through is lower. Besides, when the rigidity decreases, the critical buckling load ratio increases. These results are similar to those of the folded-typed long span example. When the buckling load ratio is 0.6 or less, the rigidity greatly increases.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2000

With rapid economic development, the emphasis of the public health movement in Korea has shifted towards addressing the burden of chronic disease. With this shift in direction comes a greater focus on health behaviour and the need for planning models to assist in lifestyle modification programs. The Health Belief Model (HBM), which originated in the US, has generated more research than any other theoretical approach to describe and predict the health behaviour of individuals. In recent years it has been applied in many different cultures and modifications have been suggested to accommodate different cultures. Given the centrality of language and culture, any attempts to use models of health behaviour developed in a different culture, must be studied and tested for local applicability. The paper reviews the applicability and suitability of the HBM in Korea, in the context of the Korean language and culture. The HBM has been used in Korea for almost three decades. The predictability of the HBM has varied in Korean studies as in other cultures. Overall, this literature review indicates that the HBM has been found applicable in predicting health and illness behaviours by Korean people. However if the HBM is used in a Korean context, the acquisition of health knowledge is an important consideration. Most new knowledge in the health sciences is originally published in English and less frequently in another foreign language. Most health knowledge in Korea is acquired through the media or from health professionals and its acquisition often involves translation from the original. The selection of articles for translation and the accuracy of translation into language acceptable in the Korean culture become important determinants of health knowledge. As such translation becomes an important part of the context of the HBM. In this paper modifications to the HBM are suggested to accommodate the issues of language and knowledge in Korea.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.247-258
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• 2019

The paper aims to examine the factors affecting brand and student decision in buying fresh milk. Combining qualitative and quantitative research methods, this study used self-completed questionnaires to investigate 520 students in Ho Chi Minh City. The results of the study show that that there are five key determinants affecting the dairy brand and student decision in buying fresh milk, including: (1) product quality, (2) fair price, (3) product promotion and customer services, (4) product convenience, and (5) reference group's attitude to the brand. In addition, it is also found that product brand has a direct and positive impact on the student decision. The finding in this study is quite different from other existing literatures in terms of the importance level of the determinants of the student decision in buying fresh milk; specifically, in deciding to buy their fresh milk, students are often interested in the promotion and customer service, the product convenience, and the reference group for the purchase, more than in the quality and price of the product. From these findings, some managerial implications are proposed for policy-makers and relevant enterprises to have appropriate policies and strategies for their business development.