The alcohol flushing response is associated with the risk of depression.

The alcohol flushing response is experienced by 36-45% of East Asians after they consume a small amount of alcohol. Because individuals with this response are unable to metabolize the toxic acetaldehyde derived from alcohol effectively, the response offers a potential indicator of the health risks associated with alcohol intake. Depression is a major health problem linked to alcohol consumption; it might also be associated with the alcohol flushing response. Therefore, we examined the association between the alcohol flushing response and the risk of depression in the general population of South Korea. Our analysis included 139,380 participants and used data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey. Only current drinkers were considered in the analysis. The relationship between the alcohol flushing response and depression was evaluated by logistic regression analysis using SAS 9.4. Of the participants, more than one-third were current flushers; compared to never flushers, current flushers had a significantly greater risk of depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.34, P < 0.001). Former flushers did not exhibit a risk of depression. The risk of depression was significantly greater among alcohol flushers who drank < 15 g alcohol/day (< 5 g alcohol/day: AOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.35, P = 0.002; 5-14.9 g alcohol/day: AOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.13-1.70, P = 0.002). In conclusion, a large number of South Koreans experience the alcohol flushing response; compared with never flushers, current flushers are more likely to develop depression with a small dose of alcohol (< 15 g alcohol/day).

Understanding the role of e-cigarette use in smoking cessation based on the stages of change model.

OBJECTIVE: We explored the role of e-cigarette use in smoking cessation based on the stages of change (SOC) model, which is a framework for describing the process of smoking cessation. METHODS: We used nationwide, cross-sectional data on adults (19+ years) from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2016-2018) and restricted the participants to 3,929 recent smokers, consisting of current smokers and recent quitters (≤2 years). A multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to reveal the relationships between e-cigarette use and cigarette quitting behaviors (e.g., current quitting status, past quit attempts, intention to quit, and duration of quitting) and all stages in smoking cessation, with adjustment for sociodemographic and smoking-related factors. RESULTS: E-cigarette use was positively related to past quit attempts, while not having quit, intention to quit, and longer duration of quitting. Based on the cessation stages, current and former e-cigarette users were significantly more likely to be in the 'Precontemplation' and 'Contemplation' stages than never users, while not to be in the 'Preparation' and 'Action' stages. Current users were particularly less likely to be in the 'Maintenance' stage compared to never users. CONCLUSION: E-cigarette use was closely linked with early-stage behavior than late-stage behavior in the smoking cessation process. E-cigarettes might promote quit attempts and short-term quitting in some smokers, but the negative role of inducing smokers to continue cigarette smoking with no immediate quit-intention for future attempts is dominant in the real world.

Effects of Emotional Labor Factors and Working Environment on the Risk of Depression in Pink-Collar Workers.

Analyzing men and women separately, we examined the associations between six key elements of the psychosocial work environment of pink-collar workers (n = 7633) and the risk of depression, using logistic regression analysis with data from the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) conducted in 2017. We assessed the risk of depression according to the presence of emotional display rules (EDR), health and safety information (HSI), and emotional labor. In males, the risk of depression increased when there were no EDR and they had to interact with angry customers (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.14-3.30). For women, the risk of depression increased if they had to interact with angry customers and EDR were present (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.00-3.00), and if they did not receive HSI but had to interact with angry customers (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.02-2.71), or hid their emotions and did not receive HSI (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.50-2.40). The risk of depression increased more in the presence of EDR among women who hid their emotions (OR 1.80, 95% CI, 1.40-2.31) compared to women who did not hide their emotions and in the absence of EDR. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effects of gender-specific factors on the risk of depression and revise current guidelines accordingly.