Gender Differences Among Out-of-School Korean Adolescents in a Counselor-Visiting Smoking Cessation Program.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to explore the determinants of self-reported smoking cessation among out-of-school Korean adolescents who participated in a counselor-visiting smoking cessation program. This retrospective descriptive study analyzed data from the Korea Health Promotion Institute. Participants were enrolled between June 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017, at a regional smoking cessation center in a counselor-visiting smoking cessation program for out-of-school adolescents. Participants consisted of 807 adolescents (70.3% male) with a mean age of 16.9 ± 1.2 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that female gender (OR = 1.54-1.92), cohort year 2016 (OR = 1.69-1.90), smoking more than half a pack a day (OR = 0.44-0.50), strong motivation to quit (OR = 1.44), and number of counseling in person (OR = 1.97-2.10) were statistically significant independent contributors to quitting, based on follow-up assessments at 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months. This study explored smoking cessation outcomes of a government-driven smoking cessation program that targeted out-of-school adolescents and identified several risk factors that affect a successful outcome. More research is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of such smoking cessation programs for marginalized or understudied populations.

Development and Evaluation of a Blended Self-Management Program for Metabolic Syndrome in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases.

Rheumatic diseases are known to be associated with the development of metabolic syndrome, which increases mortality rates due to cardiovascular complications. Although a variety of self-management programs for rheumatic diseases have been developed, few have concentrated on metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to develop and verify a blended (a mixture of telephone and online interventions) metabolic syndrome self-management program. The program was developed in four stages: analysis to identify program contents, website design, website development, and validity testing. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was adopted to verify the program effectiveness in 54 patients with rheumatic disease. The program was initially implemented via telephone for 4 weeks and then self-administered via a web-based platform for 20 weeks. Indices of metabolic syndrome and self-management and quality of life scores were measured as outcome variables. Data were collected three times: before intervention, after 4 weeks of telephone interventions, and after 20 weeks of online self-interventions. The devised program had a significant overall effect on metabolic syndrome indices, metabolic syndrome-related self-management behaviors, and quality of life. Detailed analysis showed the program effectively reduced body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and blood glucose levels and improved metabolic syndrome self-management behaviors. Based on our findings, it can be expected that the use of this program may retard or prevent the progression of metabolic syndrome by improving some metabolic syndrome indices and metabolic syndrome-related self-management behaviors, which are key components of care in rheumatic disease patients with metabolic syndrome. This web-based program appears to be beneficial in public health care settings because it is cost-effective, readily available, and may provide long-term support.

Smoking cessation strategies for women: An analysis of smoking cessation determinants among Korean female smokers participating in a smoking cessation outreach program.

Background: Although there is strong evidence that behavioral counseling improves quit rates, limited data are available on individualized smoking cessation counseling provided to female smokers because they often are hesitant to identify as smokers. This study aimed to elucidate factors related to smoking cessation among Korean women who participated in the smoking cessation outreach program. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study used data retrieved from the Korea Health Promotion Institute. The data included individual participant characteristics, supportive services received, and self-reported smoking cessation outcomes from June 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017. Results: Data from 709 women were analyzed. We found cessation rates of 43.3% (confidence interval [CI]=0.40, 0.47) at four weeks, 28.6% (CI=0.25, 0.32) at 12 weeks, and 21.6% (CI=0.19, 0.25) at six months. Significant determinants of quitting at six months were regular exercise (odds ratio [OR]=3.02; 95% CI=1.28, 3.29; P=0.009) and the number of counseling sessions during the first four weeks of the program (OR=1.26; 95% CI=1.04, 1.82; P=0.041). Conclusion: Providing intensive counseling during initial phase of smoking cessation program and regular exercise would be effective strategies for smoking cessation programs for women smokers to promote their health.

Korean college students' attitudes toward a tobacco-free campus: a cross-sectional descriptive study.

PURPOSE: A tobacco-free campus (TFC) is the most advanced tobacco-control policy for college campuses, but it has rarely been explored in Korea. This study aimed to explore Korean college students' attitudes toward TFC and related factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study enrolled college students who were taking an elective course on smoking cessation and a healthy lifestyle at a university located in Incheon, Korea. Data were collected from March 1 to December 31, 2019 using a structured questionnaire, and study participants were recruited using convenience sampling. RESULTS: Data on 309 college students were analyzed. Of those participants, 6.1% supported the TFC policy. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that female gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=5.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.47-22.95), taking the course to quit smoking oneself (aOR=11.03, 95% CI=1.04-117.05), anxiety in the past month (aOR=4.27, 95% CI=1.06-17.31), and being a current smoker (aOR=0.06, 95% CI=0.01-0.70) were statistically significant independent predictors of TFC support. CONCLUSION: Women, students taking the course to quit smoking themselves, nonsmokers, and students who felt anxious in the past month were more likely to support TFC. Further research with more representative samples is required to examine the characteristics of people who favor TFC.

Development and Validity Testing of a Morning Stiffness Assessment Scale for Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Morning stiffness is known to exert a significant impact on functional ability, quality of life, and employment status. There is an increasing need for a valid, reliable tool to comprehensively assess morning stiffness. The purpose of this study was to develop and verify a Morning Stiffness Assessment Scale. Items were developed on the basis of a framework of the conceptual attributes of morning stiffness. Validity and reliability tests were conducted on the devised scale. Eighty-five patients with rheumatoid arthritis were included to verify the devised scale. A 10-item Morning Stiffness Assessment Scale was developed. Its content and construct validities were well supported. The scale was found to have good reliability. The devised scale is simple and brief, but it provides a more comprehensive means of evaluation for morning stiffness. We believe this scale offers a clinically useful means of properly assessing morning stiffness and has potential utility for evaluating the effects of morning stiffness treatments.

Comparisons of the stages and psychosocial factors of smoking cessation and coping strategies for smoking cessation in college student smokers: Conventional cigarette smokers compared to dual smokers of conventional and e-cigarettes.

AIM: This study was conducted to compare conventional cigarette and dual smokers (users of both conventional and e-cigarettes) with respect to the stages of smoking cessation behavior change and psychosocial factors and coping strategies for smoking cessation among college students. METHODS: Using convenience and snowball sampling methods, 300 college student smokers were recruited. The data were collected from July to December, 2016. The data included the general characteristics of the participants, information related to smoking and smoking cessation, the stages of smoking cessation behaviors, self-efficacy in, and barriers to, smoking cessation, and adoption of coping strategies for smoking cessation. RESULTS: The prevalence of e-cigarette use in the cohort was 19.3%. Nicotine dependence in the dual smoker group was significantly higher than that in the conventional cigarette smoker group. No significant intergroup differences were observed for the stage of smoking cessation behavior and self-efficacy in, and perceived barriers to, smoking cessation. However, the dual smokers had a significantly higher prevalence of quit attempts and were more likely to adopt smoking cessation coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that the dual smokers had higher levels of nicotine dependence, but were more likely to attempt to quit smoking and adopt smoking cessation coping strategies. This implies that dual smokers might find it more difficult to quit smoking related to higher nicotine dependence, despite having a higher motivation for smoking cessation. These characteristics should be considered when developing smoking cessation strategies for e-cigarette smokers. In addition, different approaches to smoking cessation education should be used for e-cigarette and conventional cigarette smokers.