Student heart health knowledge, smoking attitudes, and self-esteem

The Chicago Heart Health Curriculum Program (CHHCP) is a comprehensive, cardiovascular disease, risk-reduction program designed for a multiracial urban population of sixth-grade students and their families. The study showed strong program impact on student health knowledge, and found that independence of peers significantly influenced smoking attitudes and self-esteem. The latter was associated strongly with humanistic teacher attitudes and behavior as well. Smoking attitudes were found to be related significantly to general health attitudes. The results suggest that future programs conveying heart health knowledge should consider student learning in the affective context of self-esteem, independence of peers, and teacher humanism. Reinforcement through continual intervention over a prolonged period may produce more permanent change over time.     

Effects of Primary Grades Health Curriculum Project on Student and Parent Smoking Attitudes and Behavior

Family values regarding appropriate attitudes and behaviors are communicated to children from birth. Society's values begin to affect the child at an early age and as these change, so do children's beliefs and attitudes. A change in society's values toward smoking has been evidenced in the last decade by increased social sanctions against smoking and increased militancy of nonsmokers. This longitudinal Primary Grades Health Curriculum Project investigates the relationship between an activity-centered experiential health education program and: 1) positive health attitudes; 2) experimentation use and future expectancy to engage in cigarette smoking; and 3) changes in smoking behavior among the children's parents. Six hundred students in two New York school districts were pretested in their kindergarten year in 1977 on entry level of knowledge and attitudes about health. The results reported here from data collected at the end of third grade indicate that the experimental group possessed more positive attitudes about health, showed less exposure to experimentation with alcohol among their friends and less engagement in smoking cigarettes. A significant number of parents of experimental group students reported that they had changed their smoking habits since their child had entered school as a result of their children's health program.     

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes and dietary restriction behaviour of Taiwanese elderly

The purpose of this study is to understand knowledge about and general attitudes towards nutrition, dietary restriction attitudes, and dietary restriction behavior in the Taiwanese elderly, and the relationship of these various components to each other. Data from the Elderly Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (1999-2000) were used for analysis and included 1937 elderly persons aged over 65. The results indicated that the elderly had poor nutrition knowledge, especially about the relationship between nutrition and disease. Elderly nutrition attitudes were fair; they tended to disagree with misconceptions about "healthy" or functional foods and also had quite positive general eating attitudes. However, the Taiwanese elderly hold quite strong attitudes influenced by Chinese traditional or food-texture-related dietary restrictions. Elderly people frequently avoid eating foods considered unhealthy by modern medical science (e.g. high fat/cholesterol foods) as well as foods forbidden by Chinese traditional medicine (e.g. "heating" foods, "cooling" foods). Most of the elderly regularly eat three meals a day, however, they seldom pay attention to dietary and nutrition information. The most important sources of nutrition information are offspring or family members, TV, and medical practitioners. In general, elderly men with a higher educational level and living in less remote areas had better nutrition knowledge, held more positive nutrition attitudes, and kept to dietary restrictions less frequently. Elderly people's nutrition knowledge was positively related to their health-care attitudes, general eating attitudes, high- fat or high-cholesterol food restriction behavior, fermented or pickled food restriction behavior, attention to nutrition information, and regularity of meals. However, nutrition knowledge was inversely related to Chinese traditional or food-texture-related dietary restriction behaviors. The results of this study suggest that education of elderly people about nutrition is important, and the design of such nutrition education programs should consider the low educational levels of the elderly. Children or other family members may also be included in the program. The use of TV as a medium for nutrition education of the elderly may also be important for nutrition educators.     

Self-esteem and "at risk" women:determinants and relevance to sexual and HIV-related risk behaviors

In this study, we describe the relationship between self-esteem and HIV-related risk behaviors, and explore what factors predict self-esteem levels of "at risk" women. Interviews were conducted with 250 (predominantly African American) women living in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area between August 1997 and August 2000. A community identification process was used to identify potential study participants, with further expansion of the sample via targeted and theoretical sampling and ethnographic mapping procedures. Self-esteem was related to the number of times having oral sex, the number of times having sex with paying partners, the frequency of sexual risk-taking (all during the 90 days prior to interview), the number of different HIV risk behaviors practiced during the previous year, and condom use attitudes and self-efficacy. Greater involvement HIV risk behaviors was associated with lower self-esteem. Multivariate analyses revealed five significant predictors of women's self-esteem levels: race, religiosity, childhood experiences with emotional neglect, the number of money-related problems experienced, and the number of drug-related problems experienced. The findings indicate that self-esteem is highly relevant to "at risk" women's HIV risk behavior practices, and this has important implications for HIV intervention programs.     

An exploration of self-reported negative affect by adolescents as a reason for smoking: implications for tobacco prevention and intervention programs

BACKGROUND: Negative affect is related to initiation and maintenance of smoking among youth and understanding its role is important when developing effective prevention and cessation programs. This study investigates the relationship between adolescent negative affect and smoking dependence, behaviors, attitudes, and self-efficacy in order to shed light on differences in adolescent smoking maintenance and cessation. METHODS: 721 smoking youth participated in a cognitive-behavioral smoking cessation program. Reasons for smoking were categorized (alpha = 0.87) and youth were placed into one of two groups based on presence or absence of negative affect. One-way repeated measures ANOVA determined if differences existed between the groups on smoking behaviors, attitudes, and self-efficacy. One-way ANOVA determined if differences existed on Fagerstr?m Nicotine Tolerance Dependence (FTND) scores. RESULTS: Adolescents indicating negative affect for smoking were significantly more likely to have future smoking intentions and had significantly less self-efficacy to quit smoking than adolescent reporting other reasons. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the need to address negative affect among adolescents participating in prevention and cessation programs. An examination of negative affect will provide program developers and facilitators with information to improve their interventions, assist with cessation, and provide an avenue to access other needed health services.     

广州市六所中学初中男生吸烟行为影响因素的结构方程模型

目的 分析广州市青少年吸烟行为影响因素的直接与间接作用。方法 利用自填式问卷调查2021名初中男生的吸烟相关信息，确证性因子分析构建测量模型，迭代加权虽小二乘法（ERLS法）估计参数，通过评价修正来确定最佳模型。结果 提取了三个环境因素潜变量，即监护人限制、吸烟环境和学校环境。吸烟相关态度只提取一个潜变量。模型拟合效果较好，模型能解释吸烟行为38馆％的变异。对吸烟行为起直接作用的有：吸烟环境、监护人限制、拒烟决心和吸烟态度等。年级、健康知识和学校环境则起间接作用。危险因素排序：吸烟环境（45．76％）〉吸烟态度（19．88％）〉年级（0．44％）；保护因素排序：拒烟决心（16.61％）〉监护人限制（10．51％）〉健康知识（3．89％）〉学校环境（2．92％）。结论 健康知识只能通过相关信念而对学生吸烟行为起间接的抑制作用，且贡献比例很低。年级的增长对学生吸烟行为的促进作用大于抑制作用。青少年控烟不能只限于健康教育，环境因素应受到高度重视。     

Self-Esteem, Health Locus of Control, and Health Attitudes Among Native American Children

Self-esteem and health locus of control have been postulated as predictors of attitudes and behaviors related to child health. The association among these variables has not been assessed adequately among Native American children. This study measured the relationship among self-esteem, health locus of control, and health attitudes of Native American fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students. A statistically significant relationship was found between self-esteem and positive attitudes toward health. Self-esteem was a modest predictor of health attitudes and health behavioral intentions among Navajo and Pueblo children.     

Medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior concerning diet and heart disease

Demand for physician-based dietary treatment of hypercholesterolemia is increasing, but medical care providers feel that they lack the skills and confidence necessary to provide these services. Using a self-administered questionnaire, we studied the relationships among dietary knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to identify the educational needs of entering medical students. On average, dietary behavior and background knowledge of the diet-coronary heart disease association compared favorably to national dietary recommendations and knowledge of the U.S. public. However, practical knowledge necessary for diet counseling was weak, and attitudes about the "prudent" diet were poor. More favorable attitude scores were associated with healthier eating habits, while greater knowledge was not. Our results suggest that entering medical students already have a basic understanding of the diet-heart disease link, which is covered in the curricula of most medical schools. Medical education should include more emphasis on practical dietary knowledge and improving attitudes about the prudent diet.     

Smoking status, reading level, and knowledge of tobacco effects among low-income pregnant women

BACKGROUND: Smoking during pregnancy increases the health risks of the unborn child as well as the mother. Although smoking rates for the population as a whole have declined drastically in the past generation, since 1992 there has been an increase in smoking among women, teenagers, and adults living in poverty. The purpose of this study was to assess reading level, tobacco knowledge, attitudes, and practices of tobacco use among pregnant adult and adolescent women in the public health system in north Louisiana. METHODS: A convenience sample of 600 pregnant women was interviewed in person in the Obstetrics Clinics at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport and E.A. Conway in Monroe. The structured interview contained detailed questions about smoking practices, tobacco knowledge, and attitudes. Reading was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Smoking practices were assessed by self-report and verified by measuring urine cotinine levels. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to estimate the relationship between reading level and knowledge and attitude; multiple logistic regression was used to determine which variable(s) predicted current smoking practices. RESULTS: Knowledge about the effects of smoking and concern about the health effect of smoking on their baby varied significantly by reading level, with participants with higher reading levels having more knowledge and greater concern. Smoking practices did not vary by reading level even when race, age, and living with a smoker were controlled. Race was a significant determinant of smoking practices, with more white women reporting currently smoking during pregnancy than African Americans (34% vs 8%). CONCLUSIONS: Reading level was related to knowledge about health effects of smoking. Women with higher reading levels were also more concerned about the adverse health effects of smoking on themselves and their babies. However, reading level was not correlated with smoking prevalence. The most significant determinant of smoking was race (with whites smoking significantly more than African Americans).     

Peer education of tobacco issues in Hungarian communities of Roma and socially disadvantaged children

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this demonstration program was to examine the effectiveness of peer education in disseminating tobacco related information and influencing knowledge, attitudes and beliefs related to smoking in socially disadvantaged youth communities. METHOD: Peer educators were trained to become messengers of tobacco issues. Intervention sites were selected. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess the effectiveness of interventions. Recommendations were drawn up on the inclusion of peer conducted health education into the comprehensive program of the Ministry of Health to improve the health situation of Roma (Gypsy) and disadvantaged population groups. RESULTS: Peer educators were recognised as trustworthy mediators of tobacco related information. Interventions resulted in an improved level of knowledge of and changes in attitudes towards smoking in the targeted youth communities. CONCLUSIONS: The program demonstrated that peer education is an effective tool to raise awareness on smoking issues in communities of Roma and disadvantaged children, when multiple socio-cultural-environmental factors facilitate the taking up of unhealthy habits. If disseminated, this tool could be effective in helping reduce teenage smoking in these communities.     

北京市某高校大学生生殖健康教育干预效果评价

目的了解北京市某高校大学生生殖健康相关知识、态度和行为状况,评价健康教育效果。方法采用随机整群抽样方法,对某高校1027名大学生健康教育干预前后进行相同匿名问卷调查。结果干预后大学生对生殖健康基本知识、避孕知识、预防知识的正确认知均有所提高。大学生"宿舍留宿异性"、"多性伴"、"交易性行为"正向态度分别上升到68.6%、82.8%和86.0%(P<0.05或P<0.01),29.4%的大学生认可在校发生性行为。干预后,登陆色情网站(33.4%)、看色情书籍(36.6%)、看色情影碟(44.3%)等与性有关的行为均有所降低。结论在大学生中开展生殖健康教育是必要的,广播宣传、网络宣传、展板展示、发放宣传资料等综合干预,是有效的健康教育形式。     

Orthorexia Nervosa and Disordered Eating Attitudes,Self-Esteem and Physical Activity among Young Adults

A relation between Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) and increased frequency of physical activity has been put in evidence by recent studies. It is well known that intense physical exercises are typically related to eating disorders, but its relationship with ON is still a subject of debate. Other transdiagnostic features could be necessary to conceptualize and understand ON; in this way, low self-esteem is related to eating behavior but is not still extensively investigated in ON, and, to date, data are so heterogeneous that they do not allow us to understand if this is a psychological feature somehow associated with ON. The current study aimed to assess whether disordered eating attitudes, self-esteem, and physical activity are associated with ON in young adults from Poland and Italy. Moreover, we investigated the differences by comparing lower and higher ON levels related to disordered eating attitudes, self-esteem, and physical activity. Our results indicated that a great concern about dieting significantly predicted problems associated with healthy eating, knowledge about healthy eating, and feeling positive about healthy eating. In addition, young adults with a high level of ON demonstrated higher levels of disordered eating attitudes and vigorous-intensity physical activity than young adults with a low level of ON. Future studies are needed to assess the direct effect of physical activity and self-esteem on ON.     

对围手术期患者吸烟知识、态度和行为的调查

目的探讨围手术期患者吸咽知识、态度和行为。方法由护士对2010年3月～12月住院的60例围手术期吸烟患者采用交谈及问卷调查相结合的方式评定患者吸烟知识、态度和行为的比值。结果 60名吸烟患者中,吸烟与健康知识测试得分平均为（15.8±4.9）分,但只有8.3%患者知道吸烟可引起手术后并发症,6.7%患者知道吸烟可降低身体的免疫力,使手术后伤口愈合迟缓。30%的患者不想戒烟,随便和比较想戒烟者占63.3%,只有6.7%的患者极想戒烟。38.3%的患者吸烟行为是偶吸,61.7%的患者是常吸。结论对围手术期患者实施控烟干预以提高患者术后的康复是非常必要的。     

某医科大学不同专业学生营养知识态度和饮食行为调查

目的了解某医科大学不同专业学生的营养知识、态度和饮食行为,为有针对性地开展营养教育提供科学依据。方法采用自行设计的营养知识、态度、饮食行为调查问卷,随机抽取某医科大学不同专业学生682人。结果医学相关专业大学生在营养知识最高达86%、态度最高达86%和饮食行为53.25%,均比非医学相关专业高。所有大学生对营养知识掌握均较好、营养态度积极程度较高,但是在饮食行为方面较差。结论医科大学生营养知识普遍缺乏,应加强营养教育,提高营养知识和态度,促进其改变不良的饮食行为,促进健康。     

Cigarette smoking: knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in an adult population in Italy

The study explores knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour regarding cigarette smoking and related factors in an adult population. A total of 935 parents of children attending the eighth class of ten randomly selected primary schools in Catanzaro (Italy) received a questionnaire consisting of questions on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, knowledge, behaviour and attitudes about cigarette smoking. Six hundred and sixty-nine parents returned the questionnaire, with a response rate of 71.5%. Knowledge of risk associated to smoking was significantly higher in more educated subjects and in past smokers compared to current. Current and past smokers were respectively 39.6% and 17.2%, and current smokers were younger, not married, less prone to consider smoking as a major risk for their health and more likely to live with other smokers compared to past and never smokers. Females of higher education were more likely to be current smokers, whereas male current smokers were more likely to be less educated compared to past or never smokers. The results strongly recommend the provision of accurate information about the health consequences related to smoking, with a more intensive involvement of health care providers, particularly targeted to women and younger age groups.     

Adolescent peers and anti-smoking activities

In this paper, we aim to evaluate and discuss the details of a five days' peer education training program, including creative drama techniques, which was then used to carry out anti-smoking activities among a group of 10th grade adolescents at a high school in Ankara, Turkey. Participatory methods/approaches were used during the training of the peers. Interactive (ice-breakers, feedback of the peers about each day of the training, role play, brain storming discussions, case studies, video recording, etc) and creative drama techniques were the two major training methods used during the process. Although the smoking prevalence in the study school did not significantly decrease after the intervention, this method contributed to increasing students' awareness of anti-smoking issues. Change in the knowledge and attitudes of the students in the study school were significantly different from the change in the control school. This study was also an opportunity for the peer leaders to be part of an enjoyable educational activity. The findings of the study suggest that peer counselors, well trained, and with on-going supervision, can have a positive effect on "knowledge" and "attitudes" about smoking among their friends. Changing behaviors may require a longer time. Peer counseling programs in which the intervention component lasts at least 6 months are recommended to be carried out among similar groups.     

长沙市儿童家长预防接种知识、态度、行为影响因素分析

目的了解湖南省长沙市儿童家长的预防接种知识、行为、态度(Knowledge,Attitude and Practice,KAP),分析其影响因素,为制定长沙市预防接种干预策略提供依据。方法制作《儿童疫苗预防接种KAP调查问卷》,采用多阶段随机抽样的方法,从长沙市接种单位的预防接种建册信息系统抽取410名儿童家长为研究对象进行调查。结果知识与态度、知识与行为、态度与行为之间得分呈正相关关系(P0.001)。影响预防接种知识的主要因素为与儿童关系、文化程度、职业;而影响预防接种态度、行为的主要因素皆为与儿童关系、文化程度。结论儿童家长预防接种的行为在一定程度上由知识和态度决定,针对预防接种知晓率和预防接种知识需求较高的情况,要进一步加强长沙市儿童家长预防接种健康教育工作,且重点要注重对儿童父亲、年长人群、低学历人群、农民、工人和个体商户等职业人群的健康教育。     

NTU: An Africentric Approach to Substance Abuse Prevention Among African American Youth

The primary goal of the NTU project was to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors for ATOD use among African American 5th and 6th graders. The objectives of the NTU program were: 1) to improve knowledge of and increase intolerance of drugs; 2) to improve values; 3) to increase racial identity; 4) to improve self-esteem; 5) to increase knowledge of African culture; 6) to improve family communications; 7) to improve behaviors in school; and 8) to improve problem solving skills. Africentric philosophy and world-view provided the conceptual framework for the development of intervention activities. Intervention components for 5th graders included a rites of passage program, a substance abuse education program, an Africentric education program, a parenting program, and a family therapy program. Sixth graders participated in a booster program designed to reinforce skills and values learned the previous year. Pre and post data were collected from 5th and 6th grade participants in an intervention and a comparison group. Measures of drug knowledge, Africentric values, self-esteem, racial identity, family communication, child behaviors, and problem solving were obtained. The results indicated significant program effects for protective factors including racial identity, knowledge of African culture, self-esteem, and school behaviors.     

Improving the body image, eating attitudes, and behaviors of young male and female adolescents: a new educational approach that focuses on self-esteem

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effect of an interactive, school-based, self-esteem education program on the body image and eating attitudes and behaviors of young male and female adolescents following the program and after 12 months. METHOD: All 470 eligible students (63% female) aged 11-14 years volunteered to participate. The intervention group students participated in the program, whereas the control group students received their scheduled personal development and health class. RESULTS: The program significantly improved the body satisfaction of the intervention students and significantly changed aspects of their self-esteem; social acceptance, physical appearance, and athletic ability became less important for the intervention students and more important for control students. Female intervention students rated their physical appearance as perceived by others significantly higher than control students and allowed their body weight to increase appropriately by preventing the age increase in weight-losing behaviors of the control students. One year after the intervention, body image and attitude changes were still present. These findings also held for the 116 students (63% females) with low self-esteem and higher anxiety, who were considered at risk for the development of eating disorders. These students also had significantly lower drive for thinness and greater body satisfaction following the intervention and the decreased importance of physical appearance to their self-esteem was present at 12 months. Control at-risk students significantly decreased their body weight, whereas the weight of the intervention at-risk students significantly increased. The intervention program was effective, safe, having no effect on measures of students' anxiety or depression, and was rated highly by students. DISCUSSION: This is the first controlled educational intervention to successfully improve body image and to produce long-term changes in the attitudes and self-image of young adolescents. This new approach to prevent the development of eating disorders by improving self-esteem may be effective, particularly if reinforced by teachers and family.     

兰州市吸毒者艾滋病知识,态度和行为调查

为了解兰州市吸毒者的性行为学特征及他们艾滋病相关行为、知识和态度情况,对在兰州市某戒毒所内戒毒的４７７ 名吸毒者进行匿名问卷调查。发现９０－９ ％ 的吸毒者曾有过性行为,４２－０ ％ 的已婚者曾有过婚外性行为,２－９ ％ 的吸毒者曾有过同性性行为。８７－１ ％ 的吸毒者口吸毒品,２－２ ％ 静脉注射,１０－８ ％ 口吸混合静脉注射;２９－５ ％ 的吸毒者与固定的人在一起吸毒,２７－３ ％ 的吸毒者与不固定的人一起吸毒;２１－０ ％ 的静脉吸毒者曾借过或用过他人的注射器吸毒。只有６－３ ％ 的吸毒者认为自已有可能感染艾滋病。只有４１－７ ％ 的吸毒者认为自己出戒毒所后不会再吸毒了。调查结果提示,兰州市吸毒者艾滋病知识、行为和态度情况不容乐观,应该引起有关部门的重视,及时做好艾滋病的预防工作