Associations of Family Meals with Adolescent Perception of Family Relationship and Compliance with Parental Guidance in Hong Kong: Results of a Representative Cross-Sectional Survey.

Family meals are beneficial for adolescent development, but evidence from Chinese populations has been limited. This study aimed to examine the associations between family meal frequency and adolescent perception of family relationship and compliance with parental guidance in Hong Kong. During the period from October to December 2016, a stratified random sample of 3359 students were recruited from 25 secondary schools in Hong Kong. Students completed questionnaires about family characteristics, relationship quality, and meal frequency by paper-and-pencil in class. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between family meal frequency and perceived family relationship and compliance with parental guidance overall and by subgroups. After adjusting for sociodemographic and school confounders, family breakfast and dinner frequency were significantly associated with adolescent compliance (breakfast: B = 0.07, p < 0.001; dinner: B 0.07, p < 0.001) and perception of family relationship (breakfast: B = 0.10, p < 0.001; dinner: B = 0.25, p < 0.001). Risk factors for infrequent family meals included older age, not born in Hong Kong, less educated fathers, and unmarried parents. Our findings support the associations of regular family meals with adolescent perception of high family bond and compliance with parental guidance. Interventions are needed to enhance quality family meal interactions in disadvantaged families.

Sexual behaviors and intention for cervical screening among HPV-vaccinated young Chinese females.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening prevent cervical cancer effectively. However, there are concerns whether vaccination leads to high-risk sexual behaviors and less intention for cervical screening. We aimed to evaluate the influence of HPV vaccination on high-risk sexual behaviors, and intention for cervical screening among young Chinese females. We also reported the latest HPV vaccination uptake in Hong Kong. METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted between September 2016 and January 2017. Subjects were school-age girls from twenty-five secondary schools (in-school) and community females between 18 and 27 years (out-school). Demographics, vaccine-related attitudes, intention for cervical screening and participants' sexual behaviors were examined. RESULTS: We surveyed 2260 females from in-school (n = 1664) and out-school (n = 596) settings. 11.5% in-school and 23.5% out-school participants received at least one dose of HPV vaccine. Vaccination was not associated with age (in-school Odds Ratio [OR] 0.99, p = 0.87; out-school OR 1, p = 0.94), ethnicity (in-school OR 0.82, p = 0.72; out-school OR 0, p = 0.98), maternal education (in-school OR for secondary school 1.19, p = 0.43; for post-secondary school 1.28, p = 0.48), underage sex (in-school OR 1.22, p = 0.80; out-school OR 0.63, p = 0.67), earlier sexual exposure (in-school ß 0.01, p = 0.99; out-school ß 0.13, p = 0.68), multiple sex partners (in-school OR 3.27, p = 0.22; out-school OR 1.16, p = 0.43), and unprotected sex (in-school OR 1.14, p = 0.78; out-school OR 0.60, p = 0.10). Out-school females with higher personal education level was associated with higher vaccine uptake (post-secondary OR 3.4, p < 0.001; bachelor's degree or above OR 3.71, p < 0.001). More vaccinated females intended for cervical screening (in-school 23.6% vs. 21.1%; out-school 53.6% vs. 43.6%). Costs and knowledge were important factors for non-vaccination and non-intention for cervical screening. CONCLUSIONS: HPV vaccination was not associated with earlier and high risk sexual behavior among Chinese young females. Vaccinated Chinese young females had a higher intention for cervical screening.

Emergency contraception: knowledge, attitude and prescription practice among doctors in different specialties in Hong Kong.

AIM: Few studies have evaluated doctors' knowledge, attitudes and practices as regards emergency contraception (EC). Some studies have reported inadequate knowledge, bias and wrong prescriptions by doctors. This article compares the prescription pattern, attitude and knowledge of EC in Hong Kong doctors in different specialties. METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to family physicians, obstetrician-gynecologists and doctors working in family planning clinics to ascertain their attitudes to EC. Those who provided EC described the types of EC used, whether drugs were given in advance and answered a 12-question knowledge test. Those who did not provide EC stated why. RESULTS: A total of 443 completed questionnaires were analyzed: 70.9% of doctors agreed that the benefits of EC outweigh its risks and 61.2% agreed that doctors should discuss it with clients. Advanced provision was supported by 54.2% of doctors but reduced to 32.5% if the target client was a girl aged 16 or below. Even fewer doctors (40.2%) supported the over-the-counter sales of EC pills. In the knowledge test, family planning doctors scored 10.45 out of 12 and obstetrician-gynecologists in private practice had the lowest score of 6.08. Family planning doctors used levonorgestrel pills while private family physicians and obstetrician-gynecologists used Yuzpe. Among 352 doctors who provided EC, only 21.7% of private family physicians and 15.9% of private obstetrician-gynecologists prescribed it in advance. CONCLUSIONS: Only doctors working in family planning clinics were competent in their knowledge of emergency contraception and up to date with current practice. Although half of the doctors supported advanced provision, few implemented it. Most doctors did not support advanced provision to young girls nor the over-the-counter sales of EC pills.

Effect of advanced provision of emergency contraception on women's contraceptive behaviour: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Emergency contraception (EC) can prevent pregnancy but is under-used. Advanced provision increases use but the effect on contraceptive behaviour varies. METHODS: Women aged 18-45 years, using less effective contraceptives, were randomized to either advanced provision of three courses of EC (intervention) or to obtaining each course from clinic (control). EC use and contraceptive behaviour were monitored for 1 year. RESULTS: In all, 1030 women were recruited in 6 months. The mean+/-SD number of courses of EC used in intervention versus control group was 0.56+/-1.2 versus 0.20+/-0.6 (P<0.001). In the intervention group, 47% women aged <26 years used at least one course of EC compared with 23% of older women (P<0.001). The majority of women used condoms before (intervention 89%, control 91%) and during the study (89% for both groups). Consistency of contraceptive use was higher during the study (65 versus 60% of women in both groups) (P<0.001). There were 17 unplanned pregnancies, eight in the intervention group, six of whom did not use EC in the conception cycle. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced provision increases EC use especially among young women in Hong Kong. Contraceptive choice and consistency of use remains the same even among young women.