A Study Evaluating the Effect of Telephone Counselling on Smoking Performed by a Nurse Cessation: A Preliminary, Randomized, Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Smoking is well known as an important preventable risk factor contributing to mortality and morbidity. Telephone counseling might be one of adjunctive interventions for smoking cessation. We evaluated whether telephone counseling performed by a nurse could improve smoking cessation rate. METHODS: Study subjects were 152 male smokers who visited family practice in one tertiary hospital between November 2001 and January 2002 and agreed to participate in this study. After completing a self- administered questionnaire, the subjects received self-help materials and were randomly assigned into either an intervention or control group. A well-trained nurse provided telephone counseling only to experimental group at 8th and 17th week of follow-up. The 25-week smoking cessation rates were checked in both groups by telephone call. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in socio- demographic and smoking-related characteristics between intervention, control, and non-participants groups. Intention-to-treat smoking cessation rate at 25th-week of follow- up was 21.1% in control, 25.0% in intervention group and was not statistically different from each other. Smoking cessation rate according to the baseline stage of change toward quit smoking was not statistically different from each other. CONCLUSION: The telephone counseling performed by a nurse was not significantly effective for improving smoking cessation rate in this study.

Lifestyle Factors Related to Constipation in Working Women

BACKGROUND: While woman, old age, insufficent fiber and water supplement are well known risk factors of constipation, the relationships between constipation and stress, irregular diet and other lifestyle factors have not been well documented. We examined the relationship between constipation and those lifestyle factors in working women. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional study. The study subjects were 911 women who underwent health examination between May 30th, 2002 and June 30th, 2002 and completed the questionnaires relating to bowel movement. The information on bowel movement, demographic and lifestyle factors acquired through self-administered questionnaires were used for analysis. Chi-square test, t-test, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of constipation defined by Rome II criteria among study subjects was 48.6%. The most frequent abnormal symptom occurring in more than 25% of abnormal bowel movement was straining (50.0%). Fewer than three bowel movements per week was observed only in 16.1% of the subjects. Among the subjects with self-reported constipation, only 66% had constipation defined by Rome II criteria. High degree of stress was the strongest independent risk factor (odds ratio[OR]:3.02, 95% confidence interval[CI]:1.68-5.41). Low intake of fiber and dieting were significantly related with increased risk of constipation and the OR was 2.08 (95%CI: 1.13-3.81), 1.92 (95%CI: 1.12-3.27), respectively. CONCLUSION: The significant relationship between constipation and stress, fiber intake, and dieting suggest that they are the risk factors of constipation. The possibility of disagreement between self-reported and objective constipation should be considered during medical consultation of patient with abnormal bowel habit.

Can Periodic Health Examinations Modify Risk Factors of Coronary Heart Disease?

BACKGROUND: The management of risk factors of coronary heart disease is highly needed because the prevalence of ischemic heart disease is increasing in Korea. This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of periodic health examination on risk factors of coronary heart disease using Framingham Point Scores. METHODS: The medical records of 343 clients who underwent periodic health examination five times from January 1996 to December 2001 at one medical center in Seoul were reviewed. The five risk factor scores (age, total cholesterol, smoking, HDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure), total risk scores, absolute risk and the proportion of the high risk group and the obesity group were analyzed for all the periodic health examinations. RESULTS: For the five periodic health examinations, age risk factor score increased in men and women. Scores of risk factors such as smoking, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and systolic blood pressure decreased in men only (P<0.0001). The total risk score (P<0.0001) and the absolute risk (P=0.0002) increased in men. The total risk score (P<0.0001) and the absolute risk (P=0.3238) increased in women with no changes of other risk factors except increased age score and decreased HDL-cholesterol score. The proportion of the high risk group (P=0.5406) and the obesity group (P=0.0762) were very small and not changed. CONCLUSION: The risk of coronary heart disease as not reduced with the five periodic health examinations. Therefore, the total risk score and the absolute risk did not decrease. Continuous risk factors management must be emphasized after periodic health examination for absolute risk reduction.