1
|
Li WHC, Ho LLK, Cheung AT, Xia W, Song P, Chung JOK. Health-Risk Behaviors among Chinese Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2157. [PMID: 36767525 PMCID: PMC9914950 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzed archived data from a previous large-scale survey study on multiple health-risk behaviors among Chinese adults in Hong Kong between 21 June and 31 August 2021. In addition, this study examined participants' perceptions of the risks associated with their behaviors, their attitudes toward adopting healthy behaviors, and the impact of COVID-19 on their health-risk behaviors. A total of 4605 participants who had at least one health-risk behavior were included in the analysis. The results showed that about half of the participants were unaware that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) can be caused by health-risk behaviors such as tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, and an unhealthy diet. More than half of the participants did not have regular body checkups or monitor their physical health at home. Many participants paid more attention to their health due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but few made changes to their unhealthy habits or adopted a healthier lifestyle. Of the 704 smokers, 60.9% did not realize that smoking increases the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others. Only 32.2% and 11.9% smokers had the intention to quit smoking and reduced their cigarette consumption, respectively. Additionally, 13.6% reported that their daily cigarette consumption had increased, and 78.8% changed their smoking behavior during the pandemic. Healthcare professionals must educate the public about the association between health-risk behaviors and NCDs and between COVID-19 and NCDs. The government should formulate a long-term plan to strengthen the primary healthcare system and address the challenges posed by the rising prevalence of NCDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Ho Cheung Li
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Laurie Long Kwan Ho
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ankie Tan Cheung
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Xia
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Peige Song
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310027, China
- Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li HCW, Ho LLK, Chung OKJ, Cheung AT, Xia W, Song P. A Descriptive Study on Multiple Health-Risk Behaviors among Chinese Adults in Hong Kong. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11393. [PMID: 36141666 PMCID: PMC9517276 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the prevalence and clustering patterns of multiple health-risk behaviors and their associations with non-communicable diseases among Chinese adults in Hong Kong. A large sample survey was conducted in all 18 districts of Hong Kong between 21 June and 31 August 2021. A total of 5737 adults completed the survey. Overall, 4605 (80.3%) had at least one health-risk behavior and 2696 (47.0%) had two or more health-risk behaviors. Multiple health-risk behaviors were more prevalent among men. The prevalence of smoking and alcohol consumption among Hong Kong Chinese women was considerably lower than in most Western countries. In contrast to previous findings, this study revealed that a high proportion of adults with high educational attainment or household income had multiple health-risk behaviors. In addition, this study revealed that the health-risk behaviors in Chinese adults co-occurred in clusters, with smoking and alcohol consumption co-occurring with other health-risk behaviors. Those who smoked or consumed alcohol had the highest proportion of multiple health-risk behaviors and the highest proportion of non-communicable diseases. The findings of this study add further evidence that health-risk behaviors co-occur in clusters and can contribute to non-communicable diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ho Cheung William Li
- Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Laurie Long Kwan Ho
- Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Oi Kwan Joyce Chung
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ankie Tan Cheung
- Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wei Xia
- School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Peige Song
- School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310027, China
- Centre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gobarani RK, Weeks GR, Abramson MJ, Bonevski B, Paul E, Webb A, Kirsa S, Smith BJ, Thomas D, Perinpanathan S, Parkinson J, Meanger D, Coward L, Rofe O, Lee P, George J. Which smokers enrol in a hospital based smoking cessation trial? Survey of smoking related behaviours, quit attempts and motivation to quit. Health Promot J Austr 2022; 34:420-428. [PMID: 36065155 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding smoking behaviours in hospital patients who smoke may improve inpatient cessation treatments. This study aimed to describe smoking-related behaviours, past-quit attempts, and self-reported difficulties experienced in quitting among those who enrolled in a smoking cessation trial of varenicline. METHODS Baseline data were obtained from adult hospitalised smokers (average ≥10 cigarettes/day in 4-weeks prior to hospitalisation) who enrolled in a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of varenicline ± nicotine lozenges at 5 Australian public hospitals. A logistic regression model tested the association between participant characteristics and quitting in the previous 12 months. RESULTS Participants' (n=320; 57% male, 52.5 ± 12.1 years old) motivation and confidence in quitting were high. A total of 120 participants (37.5%) had attempted quitting in the previous 12-months. Prior hospitalisation (P=0.008) and employment status (P=0.015) were significantly associated with past quit attempts. No statistically significant differences were noted in the reason for hospitalisation or the level of nicotine dependence between participants who attempted quitting in the previous 12 months and their counterparts. Smoking cessation pharmacotherapy was used by 55% of those attempting to quit; nicotine replacement therapy (65.2%) and varenicline (16.7%) most common. Stress or anxiety, urges to smoke and a lack of motivation were the difficulties experienced in past quit attempts. CONCLUSIONS Those who had a prior hospitalisation and were unemployed had significantly greater odds of reporting past quit attempts. Further research is needed to investigate the degree of adherence among inpatient smokers with the smoke-free hospital policies and the frequency of NRT provision and uptake on admission. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rukshar K Gobarani
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gregory R Weeks
- Pharmacy Department, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Billie Bonevski
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia
| | - Eldho Paul
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Clinical Haematology Department, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashley Webb
- Anaesthetist, Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sue Kirsa
- Pharmacy Department, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brian J Smith
- General and Respiratory Medicine, Bendigo Hospital, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dennis Thomas
- Priority Research Centre for Healthy Lungs, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | | | - Darshana Meanger
- Pharmacy Department, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lisa Coward
- Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olivia Rofe
- Pharmacy Department, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paula Lee
- Pharmacy Department, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Johnson George
- Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ho KY, Lam KKW, Wu CST, Tong MN, Tang LN, Mak YW. Exploring Contributing Factors of Solitary Drinking among Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents and Young Adults: A Descriptive Phenomenology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19148371. [PMID: 35886219 PMCID: PMC9316069 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Adolescents and young adults mostly drink alcohol because of social activities. However, some drink outside of normative social contexts, exhibiting a behaviour pattern known as solitary drinking. Increasing evidence indicates that solitary drinking is strongly associated with problematic drinking in adolescents and young adults. However, it remains unclear why individuals initiate and maintain this drinking habit. To address this gap in the existing literature, the current study explored the factors contributing to solitary drinking in this population. Descriptive phenomenology was used. A convenience sample of 44 solitary drinkers aged between 10 and 24 were invited to undergo individual semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed by two researchers separately using Colaizzi’s method. Using qualitative descriptions, the following factors were identified as explaining the initiation and continuation of solitary drinking among adolescents and young adults: (1) enhancement and coping drinking motives, (2) social discomfort, (3) reduced self-control, (4) automatic mental process, and (5) a desperate response to stressors. Since reduced self-control plays an important role in long-term addiction, future studies should be conducted to determine potential applications of mindfulness-based interventions to improve self-control, which may prevent the progression from solitary drinking to alcohol use disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ka-Yan Ho
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +852-27666417
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Obieche O, Lee M, Salehi N. Exploring attitudes towards smoking behaviour and cessation among hospitalised smokers via a socio-ecological framework: A scoping review. Addict Behav 2021; 122:107040. [PMID: 34246988 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality and disability. Smoke-free policies in healthcare settings have been implemented as a public health measure. This scoping review aims to explore attitudes on smokers' cessation in smoke-free healthcare settings using a socio-ecological framework. METHODS Four databases were searched for terms: smoking cessation, patient attitudes, and smoke-free policy. Of 420 studies, 17 met full inclusion criteria. RESULTS The review identified four socio-ecological aspects of smoking cessation in smoke-free healthcare settings: Intrapersonal factors (health literacy, health conditions, and self-efficacy), interpersonal factors (social support, peer pressure, and social responsibility), healthcare factors (perceived mixed messages, healthcare setting, clinical, psychosocial and health promotion supports), and societal factors (restrictions on smoking in a public place and social acceptability of smoking). Smoke-free policies effectively encouraged cessation in some patients but were ineffective in those that felt a loss of autonomy. Provision of smoke breaks within smoke-free policies was considered a mixed message. CONCLUSIONS Holistic strategies are required to interconnect the four socio-ecological dimensions for successful smoking cessation.
Collapse
|