Sunhee Park
@khu.ac.kr
College of Nursing Science
Kyung Hee University
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Junghee Kim and Sunhee Park
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Sunhee Park, Haein Lee, and Junghee Kim
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Summary Enhancing alcohol media literacy (AML) is a critical strategy to attenuate negative effects of alcohol-related media messages. We aimed to systematically review previous studies on AML in children and adolescents. Through database and hand searches, we identified four non-experimental and 13 experimental studies. From the 17 studies, we extracted data on theoretical framework, AML measures, intervention contents and main findings. Our review revealed the following. First, nine and four studies used a single theory and at least two theories, respectively. The most frequently used theory was the Message Interpretation Process model. Second, 13 studies assessed AML using participant self-reporting or evaluators’ ratings of participant performance, but no study reported validities of AML measures. Eight studies assessed tobacco or general media literacy as well as AML. Third, all experimental studies used three to five media literacy core concepts proposed by the Center for Media Literacy in AML interventions. Finally, all non-experimental studies found strong cross-sectional associations between higher AML and improved drinking outcomes; all experimental studies found strong intervention effects, such as an increase in AML or improvement in drinking outcomes. In addition, intervention effects differed across participants’ gender and drinking experiences. Given our review, health professionals should implement strategies to enhance children and adolescents’ AML. Future research should investigate (i) causal inferences in non-experimental studies, (ii) long-term intervention effects in experimental studies and (iii) differences in intervention effects across participants’ characteristics, while using solid theoretical frameworks and multidimensional AML concepts.
Sunhee Park, Haein Lee, Junghee Kim, Soyoon Min, and Saekyae Shin
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
We aimed at investigating the association between age at smoking onset and adult binge drinking among Korean adults. We cross-sectionally analyzed nationally representative secondary data obtained from 11,296 adults in 2013. We conducted survey data analyses to incorporate a complex sampling design in our analyses. Specifically, we conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship of age at smoking onset with binge drinking. In our study, about 28% of adults were past 30-day binge drinkers. We found the greatest risks of past 30-day binge drinking among those who started smoking at 14 years or younger. Additionally, greater risk of adult binge drinking was significantly associated with the male sex, younger age, higher income, employed status, past 30-day smoking, exercise, higher anxiety, and depressive feelings. Smoking prevention strategies should be implemented in earlier adolescence because they may play pivotal roles in reducing both alcohol- and cigarette-related problems in adulthood.
Sunhee Park and Junghee Kim
Informa UK Limited
The literature has indicated that higher smoking media literacy (i.e., SML) can buffer adverse effects of exposure to pro-smoking media content (i.e., PMC) on smoking-related outcomes in adolescence. Thus, we aimed to investigate (a) SML levels among Korean adolescents and (b) relationships of SML with smoking behavior, attitudes, and susceptibility. In 2017, we collected cross-sectional data from nine middle or high schools in Korea, using a convenience sampling method (N = 476). For the first aim, we calculated the average score of SML. For the second aim, we conducted multinomial logistic regression (MLR), multiple linear regression, and binary multiple logistic regression. Additionally, we conducted Firth logistic regression and confirmed the robustness of our findings obtained from the MLR. The average SML score was 6.48 out of 10 points, indicating that our respondents' average SML was slightly above the middle level. In addition, after adjusting for factors potentially affecting associations between SML and the three smoking-related outcomes, we found significant protective relationships of SML with all smoking-related outcomes: smoking behavior, attitudes, and susceptibility. Given our findings, the enhancement of SML through education should be considered an important strategy to weaken the link between exposure to PMC and smoking-related outcomes.
Ahnna Lee, Sunhee Park, and Junghee Kim
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Concurrent electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) and cigarette use has been rising among college students. Thus, we investigated the following aims in a sample of 533 Korean college students: (a) characteristics of cigarette consumption in three e-cigarette use groups, (b) perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes and the greatest reason for e-cigarette use (EU), and (c) factors associated with EU among lifetime cigarette smokers. We conducted descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, Fisher’s exact test, and multinomial logistic regression. EU was significantly associated with lifetime and past 30-day cigarette smoking and the number of cigarette-smoking days and cigarettes smoked. Most e-cigarette users considered e-cigarettes as less harmful. Main reasons for EU were no smell, lower harm, and feasibility to use in non-smoking areas. Finally, EU among lifetime cigarette smokers was strongly associated with male sex, younger age, and greater numbers of cigarette-smoking days. Anti-smoking education and anti-smoking regulations should be systematically implemented on campus.
Haein Lee and Sunhee Park
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT Objectives: We aimed to investigate the drinking patterns of college students and successful predictors of latent class membership (LCM). Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data obtained from 1,338 Korean college students who had consumed at least one standard drink in their lifetime. Primary data were collected during December 2016. We conducted latent class analysis to investigate drinking patterns and successful predictors of latent class membership. Results: A three-latent class model best fit our data: low-risk drinking (34%), intermittent binge drinking (37%), and habitual binge drinking with negative experiences (29%) classes. In addition, successful predictors of LCM were gender, college year, monthly allowance, sensation seeking, age of drinking onset, current smoking, peer pressure, and friends’ drinking/smoking. Conclusions: Given that heavy drinkers were at greater risk of experiencing negative drinking consequences, health professionals should provide heavy-drinking college students with interventions that aim to equip students with protective behavioral strategies when drinking. In addition, in developing and providing interventions aiming to reduce at-risk drinking, health professionals should take into account the successful predictors of LCM.
Sunhee Park and Junghee Kim
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Objectives Although subgroups of adolescent problem behaviors (PBs) may exist and have different characteristics, most available studies have focused on exploring a single PB. Thus, we aimed to investigate latent classes of adolescent PBs and to identify important predictors of latent class membership. Methods We analyzed nationally representative secondary data—Waves 4 and 5 of the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey—obtained from the 2010 cohort of seventh graders and their parents. Specifically, using seven PBs (e.g., daily smoking, monthly drinking, and sexual intercourse) measured in Wave 5, we conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) to identify the model that best fit the data. In the next step, we conducted an LCA with covariates to investigate Wave-4 predictors of latent class membership. Results In our study, a three-latent-class model best fit the data: the Low Risk class (78%) characterized by low probabilities of engagement in all PBs, Non-Habitual Alcohol Use class (14%), and Habitual Cigarette and Alcohol Use class (7%). In addition, successful predictors of latent class membership included gender, parental education, friendships, relationships with teachers, parental affection, abuse inflicted by parents, and aggression. Conclusions Health professionals should develop interventions tailored to each homogeneous subgroups of PBs in order to obtain more effective outcomes. Additionally, when developing these interventions, they should consider multilevel characteristics (e.g., individual, peer, and parental factors) that differentiate these subgroups.
Haein Lee and Sunhee Park
Korean Society of Nursing Science
PURPOSE
Despite the high drinking rates and the complexity of drinking behaviors in adolescents, insufficient attention has been paid to their drinking patterns. Therefore, we aimed to identify patterns of adolescent drinking behaviors and factors predicting the distinct subgroups of adolescent drinking behaviors.
METHODS
We analyzed nationally representative secondary data obtained in 2017. Our final sample included 24,417 Korean adolescents who had consumed at least one glass of alcohol in their lifetime. To investigate patterns of drinking behaviors, we conducted a latent class analysis using nine alcohol-related characteristics, including alcohol consumption levels, solitary drinking, timing of drinking initiation, and negative consequences of drinking. Furthermore, we investigated differences in demographics, mental health status, and characteristics of substance use across the latent classes identified in our study. To do so, we used the PROC LCA with COVARIATES statement in the SAS software.
RESULTS
We identified three latent classes of drinking behaviors: current non-drinkers (CND), binge drinkers (BD), and problem drinkers (PD). Compared to the CND class, both BD and PD classes were strongly associated with higher academic year, lower academic performance, higher levels of stress, suicidal ideation, lifetime conventional or electronic cigarette use, and lifetime use of other drugs.
CONCLUSION
Health professionals should develop and implement intervention strategies targeting individual subgroups of drinking behaviors to obtain better outcomes. In particular, health professionals should consider different characteristics across subgroups of adolescent drinking behaviors when developing the interventions, such as poor mental health status and other substance use among binge and problem drinkers.
Sunhee Park and Haein Lee
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Special attention should be paid to the types of online activities in which adolescents engage, along with frequencies of the activities. Thus, we aimed to identify homogeneous subgroups of adolescents using five online activities and to examine differences in 12 characteristics across the subgroups we identified. We cross-sectionally analyzed nationally representative secondary data collected in Korea (N = 1827 adolescents who used a computer at the time of the survey). We performed latent class analysis, which is a person-centered approach, to understand the patterns of online activities in adolescence. A three-latent-class model best fit the data: frequent use for academics (FUA), non-frequent use for all activities (NFUAA), and frequent use for multiple activities (FUMA). In general, the FUA class differed from the other two classes. Specifically, the FUA class spent less time online and had better psychosocial conditions. Given these findings, health professionals should implement strategies aimed at assisting (a) adolescents to be aware that some types of online activities can potentially pose a risk to their psychosocial conditions and (b) parents to actively participate in guiding children’s Internet use.
Sohyune R. SOK, Ji Sun RYU, Sun Hee PARK, and Mi Hueon SEONG
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Background: The incidence of many chronic diseases is increasing rapidly in South Korea. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease for which treatment by both doctors and long-term self-care by patients is deemed very important for successful disease management. Purpose: This study is designed to examine and identify the factors influencing self-care competence in Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed. Participants included 132 women aged 20 years or older who were visiting rheumatoid arthritis outpatient clinics at hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Measures included a demographics form, Self-as-Carer Inventory, Korean Activities of Daily Living scale, Visual Analogue Scale, Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale–Community Form, and Self-esteem Scale. Results: The analyses illustrated the significance of the prediction model (F = 21.744, p < .001). The value of the adjusted R2 was set at .401, corresponding to 40.1% explanatory power. Uncertainty (&bgr; = −.43) and self-esteem (&bgr; = .26) were identified as having the most influence on self-care competence in Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: This cross-sectional study yielded preliminary evidence that nursing interventions that reduce uncertainty and improve self-esteem in Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis are necessary to promote the self-care competence of this vulnerable population. Healthcare professionals should recognize uncertainty and self-esteem as factors that influence self-care competence in Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis.
Junghee Kim and Sunhee Park
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Despite the existence of ample evidence on long-term effects of early abuse experiences on smoking in adulthood, not much is known about smoking risk among abused adolescents in the current literature. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship of adolescent abuse with experimental and daily smoking among Korean adolescents. For our study, we analyzed nationally representative secondary data obtained from eleventh-grade students in 2014 (N = 2052). In order to obtain more accurate findings, we conducted survey data analysis by incorporating a complex sampling design into the entire data analysis process. We used descriptive statistics to investigate smoking-related characteristics; we conducted multinomial logistic regression analysis after adjusting for 10 control factors in order to investigate the association between the two conditions. In our study, approximately 9% of the students self-reported cigarette use during the past year, and about 78% of past-year cigarette users smoked a cigarette almost every day. In addition, we found a significant relationship of adolescent abuse with greater risk of both experimental and daily smoking. Specifically, the predicted odds of experimental smoking and daily smoking increased by approximately 77–85% with a one-unit increase in a perceived level of adolescent abuse. In addition, we found that six control factors were statistically significant: gender, perceived academic achievement, friends who smoke, relationships with friends, relationships with teachers, and participation in a volunteering service. Given our finding, more attention should be paid to adolescent abuse in developing strategies to prevent or reduce cigarette use in adolescence.
Sunhee Park, Junghee Kim, and Heejin Hwang
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT Background: Despite the greater risk of lifetime smoking among high sensation seekers, it is difficult to change a sensation seeking tendency through interventions. Therefore, it is important to identify a modifiable factor mediating the link between these two conditions in order to weaken or disconnect the association. Objectives: Based on the literature, deviant peers may play a pivotal role in explaining this association. Thus, we aimed to investigate the mediating effect of deviant peers on the association between sensation seeking and lifetime smoking among Korean adolescents. Methods: We analyzed secondary data obtained from 876 high school students. Approximately 51% of the participants were male. In order to investigate the mediating effect of deviant peers after controlling for 16 factors, we tested an indirect effect in a simple mediation model using the PROCESS macro, which is a regression-based approach. Results: We found a significant total effect of sensation seeking on lifetime smoking: greater risk of lifetime smoking among high sensation seekers. In addition, we found a significant mediating effect of deviant peers on the association between the two conditions. Specifically, higher sensation seeking successfully predicted a greater number of deviant peers, which, in turn, successfully predicted greater risk of lifetime smoking. Conclusion: Given difficulties in directly changing levels of sensation seeking and the significant mediating effect of deviant peers on the association between the two conditions, prevention strategies focusing on peers may be advantageous for high sensation seekers in reducing their risk of lifetime smoking in adolescence.
Sunhee Park and Junghee Kim
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT Purpose: We aimed to investigate substance use patterns and identify predictors of homogeneous subgroups of adolescent substance users. Methods: We analyzed nationally representative secondary data collected from Korean adolescents (N = 72,435). To investigate substance use patterns, we conducted latent class analysis using seven behaviors linked to alcohol, cigarette, and e-cigarette use. After choosing the best latent class model, we investigated predictors of latent class membership (LCM) for substance use, using demographics and mental health conditions. Results: A four-latent class model best fit the data. Non-users (74%) had low likelihoods of reporting lifetime and current use of alcohol, cigarette, and e-cigarette. Experimenters (10%) had high likelihoods of reporting lifetime alcohol and cigarette use. Current drinkers (10%) had high likelihoods of reporting lifetime and current alcohol use. Multi-substance users (6%) had high likelihoods of reporting lifetime and current use of alcohol and cigarettes, lifetime e-cigarette use, and current binge drinking. Additionally, demographics (gender, grades, socioeconomic status, co-residence with family members, and grade point average) and mental health conditions (depression, suicidal ideation, and subjective unhappiness) successfully predicted LCM. Conclusions: In developing interventions for addressing substance-related issues, health professionals should focus on adolescent substance use patterns and take into account factors predicting LCM.
Sunhee Park, Sungwon Lim, Junghee Kim, Haein Lee, and Kyung Ja June
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT This nationally representative study examined (a) gender and age differences in household secondhand smoke exposure (HSHSE) and (b) associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and HSHSE among non-smoking Korean adolescents. Two subsamples were analysed: males (n = 25,648) and females (n = 30,240). The HSHSE measures were incidence of HSHSE (yes/no) and number of days of HSHSE (1–7 days); the SES measures were parental education, perceived economic status, and family wealth. For the first aim, chi-square test, t-test, and bivariate negative binomial regression analysis were performed; For the second aim, multivariate logistic regression and negative binomial regression analyses were performed. The incidence and number of days of HSHSE were significantly higher among females (32.35% and 3.48 days) than males (26.83% and 3.08 days). The HSHSE incidence was significantly higher among younger adolescents (23.32% to 31.08% of males and 26.58% to 37.03% of females). Lower SES was associated with (a) greater odds of HSHSE (odds ratio: 1.12–1.58 among males and 1.19–1.85 among females) and (b) greater incidence rates of HSHSE (incidence rate ratio: 1.05–1.17 among males and 1.10–1.14 among females). Efforts should be made to decrease HSHSE among adolescents, particularly low-SES youth.
Sunhee Park
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
This study examined the association between household secondhand smoke exposure (HSHSE) and health status among non-smoking adolescents in Korea using two subsamples obtained from nationally representative cross-sectional secondary data: males (n = 25,653) and females (n = 31,187). Two self-reported HSHSE measures included exposure to household secondhand smoke during the week before the survey (yes or no) and number of days of HSHSE (1–7 days); and five self-reported health problems included asthma, perceived stress, depression, suicidal ideation, and self-rated health. For each subsample, this study performed (1) multivariate logistic regressions to examine HSHSE effects on asthma, depression, and suicidal ideation; and (2) multiple linear regressions to examine HSHSE effects on perceived stress and self-rated health. The rate and number of days of HSHSE were significantly higher among females (30.1% and 3.4 days) than among males (25.9% and 3.1 days). In both subsamples, HSHSE was associated with all five health problems (ORs 1.15–1.32; βs: 0.04–0.14). An increase in the number of days of HSHSE was positively associated with (1) greater perceived stress and poorer self-rated health in both subsamples (βs: 0.01–0.04), and (2) greater odds of asthma, depression, and suicidal ideation in the female subsample (ORs 1.03–1.12). Given the findings related to the strong associations (1) between HSHSE and physical, mental, and general health problems; and (2) between days of HSHSE and a greater number of health problems in females, health professionals should actively implement interventions that encourage adult smokers to stop smoking in their homes.
Sunhee Park, Haein Lee, and Soyoon Min
Elsevier BV
OBJECTIVE
Despite a rapid increase in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use and substantial dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes among adolescents, little is currently known about adolescent e-cigarette use. Thus, this study aimed to investigate (a) rates of e-cigarette use and (b) significant factors associated with e-cigarette use among current cigarette users in adolescence.
METHODS
We analyzed secondary data collected from a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents. Our study sample included 6307 current smokers. Our dependent variable was e-cigarette use and consisted of three categories (nonuse, former use, and current use); independent variables included demographics, perceived stress, parental and friends' smoking, three characteristics of cigarette smoking, and other health risk behaviors. Descriptive statistics was used for the first aim; multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed for the second aim.
RESULTS
Of current cigarette users, 20% smoked e-cigarettes in their lifetime but not within the past 30days (former users), and 42% smoked e-cigarettes in their lifetime and within the past 30days (current users). Both former and current e-cigarette use were significantly associated with male gender, higher grades, higher weekly allowance, residence in urban areas, friends' smoking, daily smoking, a higher number of cigarettes smoked, and quit attempts. In addition, current e-cigarette use was significantly associated with at-risk drinking, lifetime drug use, and lifetime sexual intercourse.
CONCLUSIONS
E-cigarette use should be included in intervention strategies for smoking prevention and cessation. Strict regulations should be implemented in order to prohibit easy access to e-cigarettes and forbid advertising of e-cigarettes as well.
Sunhee Park and Junghee Kim
Informa UK Limited
Abstract Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the mediating effects of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) on the association between depression and problem drinking among Korean college students. Methods: For this study, we analyzed secondary survey data collected to enhance the understanding of drinking behavior among Korean college students. The study sample consisted of 447 college students who had consumed alcohol at least one time during the month prior to the survey. To examine the mediating effects of PBS, structural equation modeling analysis was performed; as part of this effort, (a) model fit was examined, (b) the model was modified to improve fit statistics, and (c) standardized indirect, direct, and total effects of depression on problem drinking were estimated. Results: PBS was a significant mediator explaining the association between depression and problem drinking. We found that college students with greater depression were less likely to use PBS, which resulted in increased risk of problem drinking. Conclusions: Given the significant mediating effect of PBS on the association between depression and problem drinking, it would be advantageous to implement interventions that motivate depressed college students to use PBS when drinking alcohol in order to prevent or reduce the risk of problem drinking.
Haein Lee, Sunhee Park, Kyounjoo Lim, Kyoungmi Lim, Younghye Park, and Jungsook Jang
Informa UK Limited
ABSTRACT The high risk of dementia among elderly women is a major health issue in Korea. Lifestyle should be given special attention because a healthful lifestyle is highly likely to reduce the risk of dementia. This study aimed to explore the association between lifestyle and cognitive impairment, which is one of the major symptoms of dementia, among community-dwelling elderly women in Korea (N = 2,401). Descriptive statistics were used to examine demographics, and a chi-square test was performed to examine differences in the prevalence of cognitive impairment across age groups. Finally, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between lifestyle (i.e., daily water intake, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, and volunteering activities) and cognitive impairment. In this study, approximately 20% of participants were cognitively impaired, and the prevalence of those with cognitive impairment was significantly higher with age. Moreover, the odds of cognitive impairment were significantly lower among those who regularly participated in volunteering activities compared to those who did not. In addition, older age and a higher number of symptoms of subjective cognitive impairment were risk factors for cognitive impairment, whereas higher education was a protective factor. In conclusion, intervention strategies to motivate older women to participate in volunteering should be implemented to decrease the risk of dementia.
Junghee Kim and Sunhee Park
Elsevier BV
OBJECTIVE
The literature indicates that protective behavioral strategies (PBS) have been effective in addressing problem drinking among college students. However, the effects of PBS on problem drinking have not been thoroughly investigated among Korean college students. Thus, the two study aims were to (a) examine drinking behavior among Korean college students and (b) investigate the effects of PBS on problem drinking.
METHODS
A pilot study was first conducted to obtain information needed to determine a sample size and to examine the understandability and reliability of seven instruments. The instruments were then used to collect data from full-time college students (N=479). The data were analyzed using (a) descriptive statistics such as frequencies and means for the first aim and (b) multivariate logistic regression for the second aim.
RESULTS
Approximately 93% of the respondents had drunk alcohol during the month before the survey, and 72.7% were problem drinkers. The use of PBS significantly decreased the odds of problem drinking (odds ratio [OR]=0.90 [95% CI, 0.87-0.93]). In addition, male gender and positive alcohol expectancy were associated with increased odds of problem drinking (ORs=3.32 [95% CI, 1.59-6.94] and 1.04 [95% CI, 1.01-1.08]), whereas greater age of drinking onset was associated with decreased odds of problem drinking (OR=0.81 [95% CI, 0.70-0.94]).
CONCLUSIONS
Given the prevalence of the drinking problem among Korean college students, it is important to develop and implement interventions that will encourage students to use PBS in order to avoid problem drinking and its negative consequences.
Sunhee Park and Junghee Kim
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
AbstractSmoking and suicidal behaviors are significant health problems in adolescence. To address these two important health problems in youth, it is critical to understand the associations between them. Thus, this study aimed to explore the relationships between smoking and suicidal behaviors in adolescence. This study analyzed secondary data obtained from a national survey of Korean adolescents (i.e., the 7th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey). Respondents were divided into two samples (38,474 middle school students and 37,169 high school students). In each sample, sample characteristics, smoking behaviors, and suicidal behaviors were examined using descriptive statistics (means and frequencies). The associations between smoking and suicidal behaviors were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analyses. To obtain more accurate findings, the complex sampling design employed in the national survey was incorporated in the analyses. Lifetime smokers and daily smokers made up 20% and 13% of the middle school sample and 32% and 29% of the high school sample, respectively. In both samples, of the three suicidal behaviors, the proportion of suicidal ideation was the greatest (20%), followed by suicide plans (6%–8%) and suicide attempts (4%–5%). This study revealed statistically significant associations between smoking and suicidal behaviors. Furthermore, most analyses revealed noncausal dose-related associations between these behaviors. On the basis of the study findings, health professionals should implement concurrent strategies targeting both smoking and suicidal behaviors rather than focus on them separately to address related health problems.
Haein Lee and Sunhee Park
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the effects of risk-taking tendency on experimental smoking and current smoking among male high school students in the Republic of Korea (N = 295). A multinomial logistic regression was used to examine their relationship. After adjustment for other covariates, risk-taking tendency showed no significant association with experimental smoking but did show a statistically significant association with current smoking. In addition, other factors significantly related to cigarette use differed depending on the type of smoking behavior. Social factors were significantly associated with experimental smoking, whereas personal attributes were significantly linked to current smoking.
Heejin Hwang and Sunhee Park
Elsevier BV
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to explore the relationship between the four components of sensation seeking (i.e., disinhibition, thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, and boredom susceptibility) and three types of smoking behavior (i.e., non-smoking, experimental smoking, and current smoking) among high school students in the Republic of Korea.
METHODS
Multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed using two models. In Model 1, the four subscales of sensation seeking were used as covariates, and in Model 2, other control factors (i.e., characteristics related to demographics, individuals, family, school, and friends) were added to Model 1 in order to adjust for their effects.
RESULTS
In Model 1, the impact of disinhibition on experimental smoking and current smoking was statistically significant. In Model 2, the influence of disinhibition on both of these smoking behaviors remained statistically significant after controlling for all the other covariates. Also, the effect of thrill and adventure seeking on experimental smoking was statistically significant. The two statistically significant subscales of sensation seeking were positively associated with the risk of smoking behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS
According to extant literature and current research, sensation seeking, particularly disinhibition, is strongly associated with smoking among youth. Therefore, sensation seeking should be measured among adolescents to identify those who are at greater risk of smoking and to develop more effective intervention strategies in order to curb the smoking epidemic among youth.
Nayoung Bae, Sunhee Park, and Sungwon Lim
Elsevier BV
PURPOSE
Repeated participation in fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is one of the major factors affecting the long-term success of population-based colorectal cancer screening programs. The aim of this study is to explore strong factors linked to repeated participation in FOBT in the prior decade (2002-2011) among adults using the Health Belief Model (HBM) after controlling for other covariates.
METHODS
Data were obtained from South Korean adults, aged 50 years and over, who visited a national health screening center within a magnet hospital (N = 237). A pilot test was conducted to investigate the internal consistency of the HBM instruments and the clarity of survey questions. Sample characteristics and rates of adherence to FOBT screening were examined using means and frequencies. Important factors associated with adherence to FOBT were examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS
About 44% of the respondents were adherent to FOBT screening over the prior decade. Four out of the six HBM-driven factors (perceived susceptibility, severity, and barriers, and health motivation) were statistically significant. Those with greater levels of susceptibility and health motivation and lower levels of severity and barriers were more likely to adhere to FOBT.
CONCLUSIONS
Health professionals should focus more on the four modifiable HBM-related factors to encourage adults to adhere to FOBT. Intervention programs, which lower perceived severity and barriers and increase susceptibility and health motivation, should be developed and implemented.
Sunhee Park
Elsevier BV
The purposes of this study are to explore the differences in the rates of suicide ideation (SI) between male and female youths, and to investigate gender-specific factors strongly associated with SI. This study analyzed nationally representative secondary data, the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected over a 3 year period (2007-2009) (N=2358; youths aged 12-18 years). Significant differences in characteristics between adolescents with and without SI were analyzed using either t-test or chi-square test. After adjusting for demographics (i.e., age, monthly household income, and family intactness), gender-specific factors associated with SI were examined using multivariate logistic regression. Current research reveals that (a) the prevalence of SI is higher among female adolescents than among their male counterparts, (b) depression and stress are strong factors in both males and females, and (c) psychological counseling and experimentation with smoking and drinking are strong factors among females only. Different factors influencing SI between males and females should be considered when identifying youths at risk for SI and providing targeted interventions.
Sunhee Park, Daniel Romer, and Sungwon Lim
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
AbstractThe association between smoking and depression has been well stated in the literature. However, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. Recent research using an animal model suggests that even low-level nicotine exposure during adolescence has long-lasting effects on the development of depression. This study aims to examine the association between smoking initiation and depression analyzing secondary data. A sample that is representative of the South Korean adult population was selected from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected from 2007 to 2009 (N = 18,406). Regardless of life stage of smoking initiation, smokers had greater risk for depression in adulthood than nonsmokers after adjusting for demographics and other depression-related covariates. The results indicate that, with regard to risk for depression, it is important to prevent smoking initiation at any life stage. Successful implementation of smoking prevention strategies should lead to enhanced mental (i.e., reduced risk for depression) as well as physical health of adults in the long run.