Three intervention levels for improving smoking behavior among Royal Thai Army conscripts.

We evaluated a smoking cessation program based on an ecological model among Royal Thai Army conscripts with three levels of behavioral change intervention: intrapersonal level, interpersonal level and organizational level. The program applied processes of change in the Transtheoretical Model for intervention at the intrapersonal level; social support from the family at the interpersonal level; strengthening policies and activities to support quitting, including providing a smoke-free workplace at the organizational level. Eighty-nine participants were purposively selected from the first regiment of conscripts at the King's Royal Guard, recruited into the Army in 2009. The behavioral change intervention was conducted during their first six months of duty. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data between May and November 2009. Individual interviews and checklist observations were employed to collect data. Data was analyzed using inferential statistics, comparing means by paired t-test and the chi-square test was used to analyze correlations. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Sixty-three percent of participants significantly (p<0.001) reduced the number of cigarettes smoked, and 4.5% quit smoking. There was significant improvement in self-efficacy for improving smoking behavior (p=0.002) and making an effort to quit (p<0.001).

Effectiveness of a Weight Management Program Applying Mobile Health Technology as a Supporting Tool for Overweight and Obese Working Women.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a weight management program applying mobile health (mHealth) technology as a supporting tool. A quasi-experimental research with a 1-group pretest and posttest design was conducted. Thirty-eight overweight and obese working women, aged 25 to 52 years, who were ready to take action on weight loss participated in a 12-week weight management program. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the mean differences in related variables. The results showed that the mean weight and waist circumference of the participants significantly decreased from baseline to post-intervention (week 6) and follow-up (week 12; 72.2 ± 10.4, 71.6 ± 10.8, 71.4 ± 11.0 kg, P = .008, and 92.1 ± 10.1, 89.9 ± 9.9, 87.8 ± 10.7 cm, P < .001, respectively). Moreover, they had significantly improved self-efficacy for healthy eating and physical activity, eating behaviors, dietary intake patterns, and frequency of taking stairs. This weight management program was effective for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity.