Psychosocial Factors Associated with Smoking Cessation Attempts in Korean High School Students Who Engage in Intermittent and Light Smoking

Purpose@#This study aimed to identify psychosocial factors associated with smoking cessation attempts among Korean high school students who engage in intermittent and light smoking. @*Methods@#Cross-sectional secondary data derived from the 2018 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey were analyzed within the framework of the biopsychosocial model. The sample comprised 829 high school students who reported current intermittent and light smoking, which was defined as cigarette smoking on 1~29 days in a 30-day period and no more than 10 cigarettes per day. Purposeful selection logistic regression analysis was performed. @*Results@#In total, 71.7% (n=586) of the respondents had tried to stop smoking during the past 12 months. The main result was that respondents who had viewed an anti-smoking advertisement in the past year significantly more smoking cessation attempts than those who had not (adjusted odds ratio=2.59; 95% confidence interval=1.45~4.62, p=.001). @*Conclusion@#To encourage smoking cessation attempts among high school students who engage in intermittent and light smoking, healthcare providers, including school and community nurses, should develop effective interventions using anti-smoking advertisements tailored to adolescents’ interests and developmental stage.

Factors Associated with Pressure to Eat as a Feeding Practice among Mothers with Infants

Purpose@#This study aimed to identify factors-both infant-related and maternal-associated with pressure to eat as a feeding practice among mothers with infants. @*Methods@#This study used a cross-sectional design and included 163 mothers of infants aged 2~12 months. Of the 180 self-reported questionnaires that were distributed, 163 (91%) were included in the data analysis. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with pressure to eat as a feeding practice among the mothers. @*Results@#Infant’s temperament (β=-.17, p=.035), mother’s body mass index (β=-.16, p=.048), and concern about the infant being underweight (β=.30, p=.001) were associated with pressure to eat as a feeding practice among mothers. The explanatory power of these variables in the predictive model was 19.2%. @*Conclusion@#Educational programs should be developed for improving mother’s awareness of cues from infants with difficult temperament. In addition, educational interventions regarding the correct evaluation of infant’s weight are needed to relieve mother’s concern about their infant’s being underweight. These interventions might be helpful to reduce the prevalence of pressure to eat as a feeding practice among mothers with infants.

Hand Grip Strength according to the Smoking Status in Korean Adults: The 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2017

Background@#Smoking is a well-known risk factor for respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and many types of cancers, but there is little information about the effects of smoking on muscle strength. Hand grip strength (HGS) is a simple way to measure muscle power. We compared the mean HGS according to smoking status and smoking level in Korean male and female smokers. @*Methods@#We obtained data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VII and included adults aged 20–79 years. We identified factors that affect HGS and after adjusting for these factors, we compared the mean HGS of smokers, ex-smokers, and nonsmokers. We also compared the mean HGS of smokers according to the smoking level. ANOVA and ANCOVA analyses were performed to compare the mean HGS. In addition, we examined the relationship between smoking, and mean main HGS, which is the mean HGS of the dominant hand. @*Results@#A total of 9,848 people were analyzed after excluding those with uncertain smoking status and those who did not respond to the study variables. After adjusting for all cofactors, the mean HGS and the mean main HGS were higher in smokers and ex-smokers than in both male and female nonsmokers with no previous history of smoking. In smokers, the amount of smoking did not affect the mean HGS or mean main HGS. @*Conclusion@#Smokers and ex-smokers have higher mean HGS and mean main HGS than nonsmokers, and the amount of smoking does not affect the mean HGS and mean main HGS in smokers.

Associated Factors of Ischemic Heart Disease Identified Among Post-Menopausal Women

OBJECTIVES: This study identifies associated factors of ischemic heart disease (IHD) among post-menopausal Korean women at the biomedical (age, family history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or cerebro-cardiovascular disease, body mass index, and metabolic syndrome), biosocial (socioeconomic status and educational level), and psychosocial levels (stress, depression, smoking, binge alcohol consumption, and physical activity). METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional design with secondary data analysis of the 2013–2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data from 3,636 women were analyzed by logistic regression analysis using a complex sample procedure. RESULTS: Of the biomedical factors, older age [odds ratio (OR): 2.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.87–4.80, p < 0.001], family history (OR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.44–3.65, p = 0.001), and metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.27–2.95, p = 0.002) were associated with IHD in post-menopausal women. Of the psychosocial factors, depression (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.66–3.96, p < 0.001) and smoking (OR: 1.92, CI: 1.04–3.55, p = 0.038) were associated with IHD in post-menopausal women. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that healthcare providers need to consider the contributing adverse effects of older age, family history, metabolic syndrome, depression and smoking when evaluating risk factors for IHD in post-menopausal women.

Self-efficacy, Depression and Health Promotion Behaviors of Nursing and Non-nursing Female College Students / 한국간호교육학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the self-efficacy, depression, and health promotion behaviors of nursing and non-nursing female college students, and to develop a program to improve the health promotion behaviors of female college students. METHODS: One hundred sixty-six females (84 nursing, 82 non-nursing) college students participated in the study. Data collection was conducted between November 20 and December 8, 2017. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2 test, ANCOVA, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression analysis with the SPSS/WIN 22.0. RESULTS: The results of health promotion behaviors of the nursing college students were higher than non-nursing college students (F=7.14, p=.008). Both nursing and non-nursing college students showed a positive correlation between health promotion behaviors and self-efficacy, and there was a negative correlation between health promotion behaviors and depression. Self-efficacy was the most influential factor in health promotion behaviors for both nursing and non-nursing female college students. CONCLUSION: In order to improve the health promotion behaviors of female college students, it is necessary to educate individuals to help them improve their self-efficacy and be able to maintain healthy lifestyles by perceiving and managing their own health conditions.