Health-Risk Behaviors among Chinese Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study analyzed archived data from a previous large-scale survey study on multiple health-risk behaviors among Chinese adults in Hong Kong between 21 June and 31 August 2021. In addition, this study examined participants' perceptions of the risks associated with their behaviors, their attitudes toward adopting healthy behaviors, and the impact of COVID-19 on their health-risk behaviors. A total of 4605 participants who had at least one health-risk behavior were included in the analysis. The results showed that about half of the participants were unaware that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) can be caused by health-risk behaviors such as tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet. More than half of the participants did not have regular body checkups or monitor their physical health at home. Many participants paid more attention to their health due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but few made changes to their unhealthy habits or adopted a healthier lifestyle. Of the 704 smokers, 60.9% did not realize that smoking increases the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others. Only 32.2% and 11.9% smokers had the intention to quit smoking and reduced their cigarette consumption, respectively. Additionally, 13.6% reported that their daily cigarette consumption had increased, and 78.8% changed their smoking behavior during the pandemic. Healthcare professionals must educate the public about the association between health-risk behaviors and NCDs and between COVID-19 and NCDs. The government should formulate a long-term plan to strengthen the primary healthcare system and address the challenges posed by the rising prevalence of NCDs.

Psychological distress experienced by nurses amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong: A qualitative study.

Introduction: The fifth wave of COVID-19 has significantly overburdened the health care system in Hong Kong. Health care professionals, particularly nurses continue to experience significant levels of psychological distress when tackling this ongoing outbreak. Yet, no study has explored the psychological experiences of nurses during the most recent outbreak of the highly transmissible Omicron variant in Hong Kong. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the psychological distress experienced by nurses during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Methods: Twenty-two nurses (14 female and 8 male nurses; average age, 36.7 ± 8.5 years) were recruited to attend the one-to-one semi-structured telephone interviews from June to July, 2022. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Four main themes emerged from the interview: (1) Intense fear, worry, and anxiety; (2) Feeling worn out and psychologically distress; (3) Impact on psychosocial and physical health; and (4) Limited options to cope with psychological distress during the difficult times. Discussion: Our study findings may provide concerned stakeholders with useful insights into reducing the psychological distress experienced by nurses in Hong Kong. Offering psychological support is of paramount importance to address the unmet psychological needs of nurses and reduce their psychological distress during the pandemic, particularly when they are working under high levels of workplace stress.

Psychological distress experienced by nurses amid the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong: A qualitative study

Introduction The fifth wave of COVID-19 has significantly overburdened the health care system in Hong Kong. Health care professionals, particularly nurses continue to experience significant levels of psychological distress when tackling this ongoing outbreak. Yet, no study has explored the psychological experiences of nurses during the most recent outbreak of the highly transmissible Omicron variant in Hong Kong. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the psychological distress experienced by nurses during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Methods Twenty-two nurses (14 female and 8 male nurses;average age, 36.7 ± 8.5 years) were recruited to attend the one-to-one semi-structured telephone interviews from June to July, 2022. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Four main themes emerged from the interview: (1) Intense fear, worry, and anxiety;(2) Feeling worn out and psychologically distress;(3) Impact on psychosocial and physical health;and (4) Limited options to cope with psychological distress during the difficult times. Discussion Our study findings may provide concerned stakeholders with useful insights into reducing the psychological distress experienced by nurses in Hong Kong. Offering psychological support is of paramount importance to address the unmet psychological needs of nurses and reduce their psychological distress during the pandemic, particularly when they are working under high levels of workplace stress.

Awareness and Use of Heated Tobacco Products among Youth Smokers in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The growing popularity of heated tobacco products (HTPs) among youth may act as a gateway for smoking and jeopardize youth health. We aimed to describe the use of HTPs among youth smokers in Hong Kong and examine their risk awareness of HTPs as well as awareness of the proposed legislation. We conducted retrospective data analyses on the Youth Quitline Cohort (n = 731). We extracted participants' sociodemographic data, smoking profiles, and HTP use from 1 January 2017. Participants' HTP use increased from 5.7% in 2017 to 37.9% in 2020. Among the 731 participants, 175 were HTP users and 556 were HTP nonusers. Compared with nonusers, a significantly higher proportion of HTP users had tried using other tobacco products at least once. The most common reason for using HTPs was curiosity. HTP users were more likely than nonusers to misclassify HTPs as e-cigarettes; agree that HTPs were healthier and contained fewer harmful substances than conventional cigarettes; consider HTPs as a smoking cessation aid; and believe that HTPs could reduce conventional cigarette consumption. Overall, 61.2% of youth smokers disagreed with banning HTPs. Risk awareness of HTPs among youth might affect their likelihood of using these products. Stricter regulations on advertising and intensive health education are imperative to avoid misleading information and limit youth exposure to such harmful products.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Hong Kong Youth Quitline Service and Quitting Behaviors of Its Users.

Tobacco use is a possible risk factor for contracting and spreading COVID-19. We aimed to describe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Youth Quitline service and quitting behaviors of its users in Hong Kong. We conducted a telephone survey involving 201 participants of the Youth Quitline service, and retrospectively analyzed the operation and use of Quitline since the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. The number of incoming calls to the Youth Quitline and the participants' quit rate has increased since the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong. Many participants (68%) did not realize that tobacco use potentially increased their risk for developing and spreading COVID-19; however, 43% agreed that the pandemic motivated their intention to quit, and 83% changed their smoking habits during the pandemic. These changes were mainly due to wearing masks (30%), closure of bars/pubs (25%), suspension of classes (14%), and being unable to socialize with friends (24%). Overall, 58% reduced their tobacco use; of these participants, 66% reported a ≥50% reduction in daily cigarette consumption. The participants reduced their smoking during the COVID-19 pandemic despite lacking knowledge about the potentially increased risk for contracting COVID-19 from continued smoking. The pandemic could create new opportunities to motivate young smokers to quit smoking, especially those seeking support for smoking cessation, and may further contribute to reducing the risks posed by COVID-19.