Household environmental tobacco smoke and risks of asthma, wheeze and bronchitic symptoms among children in Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although studies show that maternal smoking during pregnancy increases the risks of respiratory outcomes in childhood, evidence concerning the effects of household environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure remains inconsistent.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a population-based study comprised of 5,019 seventh and eighth-grade children in 14 Taiwanese communities. Questionnaire responses by parents were used to ascertain children's exposure and disease status. Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the effects of ETS exposures on the prevalence of asthma, wheeze, and bronchitic symptoms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The lifetime prevalence of wheeze was 11.6% and physician-diagnosed asthma was 7.5% in our population. After adjustment for potential confounders, <it>in utero </it>exposure showed the strongest effect on all respiratory outcomes. Current household ETS exposure was significantly associated with increased prevalence of active asthma, ever wheeze, wheeze with nighttime awakening, and bronchitis. Maternal smoking was associated with the increased prevalence of a wide range of wheeze subcategories, serious asthma, and chronic cough, but paternal smoking had no significant effects. Although maternal smoking alone and paternal smoking alone were not independently associated with respiratory outcomes, joint exposure appeared to increase the effects. Furthermore, joint exposure to parental smoking showed a significant effect on early-onset asthma (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.00-4.02), but did not show a significant effect on late-onset asthma (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.36-3.87).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We concluded that prenatal and household ETS exposure had significant adverse effects on respiratory health in Taiwanese children.</p

Endorsed Reasons for Not Drinking Alcohol: A Comparison of College Student Drinkers and Abstainers

Little is known about how the reasons that college student drinkers and abstainers have for choosing not to drink might differ. The present study examined this issue among a sample of 2,500 U.S. college students from 18 colleges and universities. Abstainers endorsed significantly more reasons for not drinking than drinkers, and among drinkers, light drinkers endorsed more reasons than heavy drinkers. Abstainers' decision not to drink appeared to be a lifestyle choice that was supported by multiple reasons, including personal values, religious beliefs, not wanting the image of a drinker, and beliefs about alcohol's effect on behavior. Heavy drinkers were more likely to endorse situational reasons such as having to drive home later or being concerned about school work or weight gain from drinking. Implications of these findings for alcohol prevention work on college and university campuses are discussed

The Impact of the Physical Attractiveness and Intellectual Competence on Loyalty

This study aims to explore the factors determining consumer loyalty to real estate agents. Based on the past literature regarding the factors of loyalty, the study considers physical attractiveness and intellectual competence combined with a traditional loyalty model in proposing its conceptual framework. It then estimates the relevant parameters using a linear structural equation model (SEM). The subjects of the study consist of consumers in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, aged at least 20 years old who have experience in engaging the services of real estate companies during housing transactions. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed, with 268 valid ones being returned, for a valid return rate of 89.33%. According to the empirical results, physical attractiveness indirectly influences satisfaction through trust and intellectual competence, with satisfaction in turn affecting customer loyalty. The effect of physical attractiveness on satisfaction through trust is more significant than its effect on satisfaction through intellectual competence. These findings show that the relationship among physical attractiveness, intellectual competence, and trust plays an important role in determining satisfaction and loyalty. Past studies related to loyalty introduced various factors of loyalty; however, they rarely explored the effects of physical attractiveness and intellectual competence on loyalty. That is the difference between this study and past research

E-Cigarette Use in a Country With Prevalent Tobacco Smoking: A Population-Based Study in Taiwan

Background: The different profiles of e-cigarette users in different age groups have seldom been investigated, particularly in populations facing a high prevalence of cigarette smoking. This study aims to examine the prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette use separately for adolescents and adults in nationally representative samples in Taiwan. Methods: Among 17,837 participants in the 2014 National Survey of Substance Use in Taiwan, 4445 were aged 12 to 17 years and 13,392 were aged 18 to 64 years. Individuals’ lifetime tobacco use was divided into four groups: non-use, exclusive e-cigarette use, exclusive cigarette use, and dual use. Questions on sociodemographic features, use and problematic use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and psychosocial distress, among others, were administered using a computer-assisted self-interview on tablet computers. Results: Among lifetime users of e-cigarette (2.2% for adults and 0.8% for adolescents), 4.5% for adults and 36.6% for adolescents were exclusive e-cigarette users. From use of exclusive e-cigarettes to use of exclusive cigarettes to dual use, those usage groups were related to an increasing trend of adjusted odds ratios for use of other psychoactive substances, particularly problematic use of alcohol or drugs, and with more depressive symptoms. Two correlates were specific to e-cigarette use: alcohol use had stronger relationships with e-cigarette use among adolescents, and younger adults (18–34) were more likely to try e-cigarettes compared to older adults. Conclusions: These results provide essential information regarding e-cigarette use in the general population, and future prevention strategies should account for its specific correlates in young people