Improving driver alertness through music selection using a mobile EEG to detect brainwaves.

Driving safety has become a global topic of discussion with the recent development of the Smart Car concept. Many of the current car safety monitoring systems are based on image discrimination techniques, such as sensing the vehicle drifting from the main road, or changes in the driver's facial expressions. However, these techniques are either too simplistic or have a low success rate as image processing is easily affected by external factors, such as weather and illumination. We developed a drowsiness detection mechanism based on an electroencephalogram (EEG) reading collected from the driver with an off-the-shelf mobile sensor. This sensor employs wireless transmission technology and is suitable for wear by the driver of a vehicle. The following classification techniques were incorporated: Artificial Neural Networks, Support Vector Machine, and k Nearest Neighbor. These classifiers were integrated with integration functions after a genetic algorithm was first used to adjust the weighting for each classifier in the integration function. In addition, since past studies have shown effects of music on a person's state-of-mind, we propose a personalized music recommendation mechanism as a part of our system. Through the in-car stereo system, this music recommendation mechanism can help prevent a driver from becoming drowsy due to monotonous road conditions. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed drowsiness detection method to determine a driver's state of mind, and the music recommendation system is therefore able to reduce drowsiness.

Second-hand smoke exposure and the factors associated with avoidance behavior among the mothers of pre-school children: a school-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Second-hand Smoke (SHS) exposure is a significant public health problem that may be responsible for serious health hazards for child. This study aimed to examine the exposure status of SHS and the factors associated with SHS avoidance behavior among the mothers of pre-school children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was used to obtain a sample of the mothers of pre-school children (n = 1,020) in 30 registered kindergartens in eastern Taiwan. Overall, 919 (a response rate of 90%) completed the questionnaires. Regression models were used to identify factors with respect to the avoidance behavior of SHS. RESULTS: The prevalence of exposure to SHS was 70% and 50% for the mothers and their children, respectively. After adjusting for other variables, mothers who were current smokers (ß = -0.260, p < 0.001), had spouses who smoked (ß = -0.060, p < 0.05), SHS exposure (ß = -0.138, p < 0.001), and/or children with exposure to SHS (ß = -0.084, p < 0.05) were found to be less likely to avoid SHS, whereas mothers with a high knowledge score about SHS (ß = 0.082, p < 0.01), positive attitudes (ß = 0.274, p < 0.001) and a high self-efficacy level in regard to the avoidance of SHS (ß = 0.397, p < 0.001) were observed to be more likely to avoid SHS. Regression analyses confirmed that the significantly factors associated with the avoidance behavior of SHS were self-efficacy, being a current smoker, and the attitude toward the avoidance of SHS to be that of 55.5% of the total variance explained (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence rate of exposure to SHS for mothers and their children suggests that a well-designed future intervention program should be implemented in regard to pre-school children's mothers in order to prevent these mothers and their children from SHS exposure hazards, more particularly, to strengthen the knowledge base, to enhance self-efficacy and to foster a more positive attitude toward the avoidance of SHS in the mothers.

A preliminary reliability and validity study of the Chinese version of the self-efficacy for exercise scale for older adults.

BACKGROUND: Population ageing affects most undeveloped, developing and developed countries. Less than a quarter of older people undertake a level of physical activity worldwide that is sufficient to lead to health benefits. Understanding older people's confidence regarding engaging in exercise helps to structure physical activity interventions that motivate them to initiate and adhere to regular exercise. Estimates of the reliability and validity of the English version of the self-efficacy for exercise (SEE) scale has been widely tested and shown to be valid for use in various settings and among older people. The reliability and validity of a Chinese version of the SEE for older adults has not been tested. AIM: To undertake a preliminary assessment of the reliability and validity of the SEE scale when applied to the older Chinese adults. METHODS: The Chinese version of the self-efficacy for exercise (SEE-C) scale was tested on a sample of 192 older people from Taiwan with a mean age of 71.2 years recruited between October and December 2003. RESULTS: There was acceptable internal consistency of the SEE-C scale. The fit of the measurement model to the data for the SEE-C scale was acceptable. There was evidence of validity of the measure based on hypothesis testing: health status predicted exercise self-efficacy, and exercise self-efficacy predicted physical activity. Those who exercised regularly (n=102) had a higher mean SEE-C score (5.3) than those who did not (2.9, n=90). CONCLUSION: This preliminary validation study provided evidence for the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the SEE scale. Future testing of the SEE-C scale needs to be carried out to see whether these results are generalisable to older Chinese people living in urban areas and with different characteristics. A test of the scale among younger adults for a wider use of the instrument is also warranted.

Factors related to tobacco use among adolescents in southern Taiwan.

Identifying the factors related to the initiation and continuance of smoking among youth has been regarded as a crucial step for school nurses and public health nurses to develop effective smoking prevention and cessation programs in schools and communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to adolescent tobacco use in southern Taiwan. A total of 4,500 study samples were selected at random from the students of all high schools located in Pingdong County. This process yielded 3,307 valid samples (a 73.5% response rate). Study results found 62.4% (n = 2,063) reported never having smoked before. Thirty-eight percent (n = 1,244) of participants had experience using tobacco, 59.3% (n = 738) reported being ex-smokers, and 40.7% (n = 506) were current smokers. This study found that having friends who offered cigarettes, academic achievement, father's educational level, perceived peer smoking behavior to be primary influences on smoking, attitude, and self-efficacy and significant predicators of adolescents' current smoking behaviors. Parents' marital status and having classmate who offered cigarettes were significant predictors of adolescent smoking behavior. Study findings can provide a basis for school and public health nurses to design effective smoking prevention and cessation programs in schools and community settings. This study suggests further experimental studies are necessary to test the effectiveness of tobacco control programs designed in reference to the findings of this study.

The impact of social support and job stress on public health nurses' organizational citizenship behaviors in rural Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between job stress, social support, and organizational citizenship behaviors, by using job satisfaction and organizational commitment as intervening variables among public health nurses (PHNs) in rural areas of Taiwan. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used to sample all 265 PHNs in two rural counties of Taiwan. Of those, 231 (87.2%) PHNs responded. METHOD: A mailed survey questionnaire was sent to subjects for completion in early 2004. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, and multiple regression analyses. With six multiple regression models, intervening effects were explored by the approach of Baron and Kenny (1986). RESULTS: Supervisor support indirectly influenced organizational citizenship behaviors through the intervening effect of organizational commitment, whereas, kinship support, role ambiguity, and workload demonstrated direct impacts on organizational citizenship behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into how social support and job stress impacted PHNs' organizational citizenship behaviors. Those PHNs who experienced more supervisor support exhibited higher levels of organizational citizenship behaviors via the intervening effect of organizational commitment.

Clarification of the antecedents of hospital nurse organizational citizenship behavior -- an example from a Taiwan regional hospital.

Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) are deemed indispensable due to their importance in promoting positive relationships among employees and involving employees in the organization's activities. OCB is believed to facilitate attainment of a hospital's goals and enhance a hospital's performance. The aim of this study is to extend the work of previous studies by providing an integrated model of OCB and demonstrate its applicability in a non-Western culture. Questionnaires were completed by 314 non-supervisory hospital nurses, each of whom was given a supervisor rating for their OCB. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the convergent and discriminant validity of the variables in the model. Multiple regression analysis was used because it provided estimates of net effects and explanatory power. The results showed that job satisfaction, supervisor support, job involvement, and procedural justices had significant effects on the nurses' citizenship behaviors. Since the study used a non-Western site in one of Taiwan's health care institutions, its overall findings should contribute to further understanding of the cross-cultural aspects of OCB.