Irregular breakfast eating and health status among adolescents in Taiwan

BACKGROUND: Regular breakfast eating (RBE) is an important contributor to a healthy lifestyle and health status. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the relationships among irregular breakfast eating (IRBE), health status, and health promoting behavior (HPB) for Taiwanese adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to investigate a cluster sample of 1609 (7(th )-12(th )grade) adolescents located in the metropolitan Tao-Yuan area during the 2005 academic year. The main variables comprised breakfast eating pattern, body weight, and health promoting behaviors. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 1609 participants were studied, 64.1% in junior high school and 35.9% in high school, boys (47.1%) and girls (52.9%) ranging in age from 12–20 years. Of the total participant population, 28.8% were overweight and nearly one quarter (23.6%) reported eating breakfast irregularly during schooldays. The findings indicated that adolescents with RBE had a lower risk of overweight (OR for IRBE vs. RBE = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.04), and that the odds of becoming overweight were 51% greater for IRBE than for RBE even after controlling for demographical and HPB variables. IRBE also was a strong indicator for HPB. However, the profile of the high-risk IRBE group was predominantly junior high schoolchildren and/or children living without both parents. CONCLUSION: This study provides valuable information about irregular breakfast eating among adolescents, which is associated with being overweight and with a low frequency of health promoting behavior. School and family health promotion strategies should be used to encourage all adolescents to eat breakfast regularly

Motivations and reasons for women attending a Breast Self-Examination training program: A qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Breast cancer is a major threat to Taiwanese women's health. Despite the controversy surrounding the effectiveness of breast self-examination (BSE) in reducing mortality, BSE is still advocated by some health departments. The aim of the study is to provide information about how women decide to practice BSE and their experiences through the training process. Sixty-six women aged 27-50 were recruited.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A descriptive study was conducted using small group and individual in-depth interviews to collect data, and using thematic analysis and constant comparison techniques for data analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>It was found that a sense of self-security became an important motivator for entering BSE training. The satisfaction in obtaining a sense of self-security emerged as the central theme. Furthermore, a ladder motivation model was developed to explain the participants' motivations for entering BSE training. The patterns of motivation include opportunity taking, clarifying confusion, maintaining health, and illness monitoring, which were connected with the risk perception for breast cancer.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We recognize that the way women decide to attend BSE training is influenced by personal and social factors. Understanding the different risk assessments women rely on in making their health decisions is essential. This study will assist researchers and health professionals to gain a better understanding of alternative ways to deal with breast health, and not to be limited by the recommendations of the health authorities.</p

Alignment of the CMS muon system with cosmic-ray and beam-halo muons

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS muon system has been aligned using cosmic-ray muons collected in 2008 and beam-halo muons from the 2008 LHC circulating beam tests. After alignment, the resolution of the most sensitive coordinate is 80 microns for the relative positions of superlayers in the same barrel chamber and 270 microns for the relative positions of endcap chambers in the same ring structure. The resolution on the position of the central barrel chambers relative to the tracker is comprised between two extreme estimates, 200 and 700 microns, provided by two complementary studies. With minor modifications, the alignment procedures can be applied using muons from LHC collisions, leading to additional significant improvements.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR(Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Alignment of the CMS muon system with cosmic-ray and beam-halo muons

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS muon system has been aligned using cosmic-ray muons collected in 2008 and beam-halo muons from the 2008 LHC circulating beam tests. After alignment, the resolution of the most sensitive coordinate is 80 microns for the relative positions of superlayers in the same barrel chamber and 270 microns for the relative positions of endcap chambers in the same ring structure. The resolution on the position of the central barrel chambers relative to the tracker is comprised between two extreme estimates, 200 and 700 microns, provided by two complementary studies. With minor modifications, the alignment procedures can be applied using muons from LHC collisions, leading to additional significant improvements.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR(Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Morbidity at elementary school entry differs by sex and level of residence urbanization: a comparative cross-sectional study

[[abstract]]Background Health is vital to a child's learning in school and success in life. Therefore, early physical examination, and follow-up if necessary, would bring parents' attention to their child's health and would likely improve outcomes. The purposes of this study are twofold: to assess the health status of first-graders and to examine the health status differences between sexes, levels of residence urbanization, and quantity of available medical resources. Methods This is a comparative descriptive study. Data from the 2002 Student Entry Physical Examination (SEPE) and Student Medical History Inventory (SMHI) were obtained from 203 public and private elementary schools in northern Taiwan where a population of 53,053 students was included. Frequencies, independent sample t test, one-way ANOVA along with Scheff's post hoc test, and Pearson's correlation were conducted using SPSS. Results This study showed that 13.7% of students had at least one diagnosed disease from the SMHI reported by parents. Moreover, the SEPE indicated that 79.5% students had at least one health concern. Dental caries, myopia, and obesity were the most prevalent health problems among the first-graders (69.6%, 27.1%, and 9.5%, respectively). Research results show that there were significant differences in the prevalence of dental caries, myopia, and obesity between different sexes and among levels of urbanization. However, the quantity of available medical resources made no significant difference. Conclusion Elementary school entry physical examination is an important way to detect students' health problems. It is suggested that school health interventions consider students' health profiles along with their sex and level of urbanization in planning. More research is needed to find the risk factors of the health problems. Additionally, the creation of a school health committee is suggested to implement and evaluate the entry health examination program

Irregular breakfast eating and health status among adolescents in Taiwan

[[abstract]]Background Regular breakfast eating (RBE) is an important contributor to a healthy lifestyle and health status. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the relationships among irregular breakfast eating (IRBE), health status, and health promoting behavior (HPB) for Taiwanese adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to investigate a cluster sample of 1609 (7th -12th grade) adolescents located in the metropolitan Tao-Yuan area during the 2005 academic year. The main variables comprised breakfast eating pattern, body weight, and health promoting behaviors. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Results A total of 1609 participants were studied, 64.1% in junior high school and 35.9% in high school, boys (47.1%) and girls (52.9%) ranging in age from 12–20 years. Of the total participant population, 28.8% were overweight and nearly one quarter (23.6%) reported eating breakfast irregularly during schooldays. The findings indicated that adolescents with RBE had a lower risk of overweight (OR for IRBE vs. RBE = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.04), and that the odds of becoming overweight were 51% greater for IRBE than for RBE even after controlling for demographical and HPB variables. IRBE also was a strong indicator for HPB. However, the profile of the high-risk IRBE group was predominantly junior high schoolchildren and/or children living without both parents. Conclusion This study provides valuable information about irregular breakfast eating among adolescents, which is associated with being overweight and with a low frequency of health promoting behavior. School and family health promotion strategies should be used to encourage all adolescents to eat breakfast regularly

自費安養 機構老人的自覺健康狀況

社會組織和倫理觀念的改變，使老人對於安養照護機構的需要遠超過以往。對這些聚 居的群體提供完整的健康照顧，是社會對老人的照護任務之一。本研究目的在瞭解自 費安養機構老人的人口社會特質、健康狀況及與健康狀況有關的影響因素，期能達成 促進健康、提高生活品質的目標。本研究自四所安養機構1333位合乎選樣標准的老人 中隨機抽出150位，以問卷進行面對面訪談，完成訪談者共142位。其中男性、女性約 各佔二分之一，平均年齡77.4歲，居民大部分爲外省籍老人(88.7%)，教育程 度最多的是大專或以上者。研究結果發現大多數老人認爲自己的身體、心理及 社會功能尚佳，但這些老人平均罹患2.3種長期、慢性的疾病，如高血壓、心臟病、 腸胃疾病及糖尿病等；平均每人每天服用8.7顆藥物。也有部分老人自述情緒較差或 無法獨力進行家事處理或外出購物等社會性活動。研究顯示，有八個因素與健康較差 的情況有關，如女性、年齡越大、從未就業者、過去從事勞力工作、與室友同住、了相過清靜的日子或不願勞累家務而進住者、經濟狀況較差、沒有醫療保險者 。預測身體功能最重要的變項是：與子女聯繫之頻率及心理狀況；而心理功能的最顯 著變項爲性別與進住原因；至於社會功能的有力預測變項則爲：經濟滿 意度、醫療保險、與子女見面頻率、居住狀況等。The change of society structure and ethics has greatly generated the elderly’s demand for nursing homes. Providing comprehensive care to the aged is one of the missions of society. The purpose of this study was to assess the demographic characteristics, the health status, and the health related factors of the institutionalized elderly to promote their health and improve their quality of life. A sample of 150 elderly was drawn by randam sampling out of 1333 elderly from four self-paid nursing homes for this study. The researcher completed interviews with 142 elderly with structured questionnaires. The elderly being interviewed were 50% male and 50% female with an average age of 77.4. Most of the elderly were educated higher than college and were mostly (88.7%) from provinces other than Taiwan. The results revealed that most elderly considered their health conditions passable. On average, every elderly person suffered from 2.3 long-term and chronic diseases, such as hypertension, heart disease, G-I disease, and diabetes. An average of nine tablets were taken by every elderly person per day. Some elderly described their social dysfunctions; for example, unstable emotional status, not being able to do housework independently or going out for shopping. Eight factors were identified as significantly related to poor health conditions. The eight factors are being female, becoming older, never being hired, previous labor, living with roommates, being institutionalized because of the wish to live alone or not to bother their families, having worse economic conditions, and having no medical insurance. The most important factors in predicting the elderly’s body functions are the frequency of contacts with their children and their mental conditions. Gender and reasons for residing in the institution were the factors that most influence the mental functions. Significant predicting factors for social functions include economic satisfaction, medical insurance, frequency of meeting with children, and living status

行動研究法的概念及其在護理的應用

行動研究法運用於在護理研究領域中已逐漸普遍，此方法可縮短理論、研究與實務間 的落差。行動研究法的特質有四：(1)強調研究者與實務工作者間的合作，(2)以解決 實問題為訴求，(3)主要目的為改變實務，及(4)發展理論。行動研究法能超脫實證論 或自然科學研究法的侷限，能夠用來發展或測試某些行動理論。行動究法對於護理實 務工作者的吸引力，包括其與護理過程具有類似的特質；對於護理來說，行動研究法 被視為加強專業化的策略之一。 Action research is becoming increasingly popular in nursing research. It has been developed with the specific intention of bridging the gaps between theory, research and practice. There are four characteristics: (1) collaboration between researcher and practitioners, (2) a focus on the solution of practical problems, (3) change in practice, and (4) the development of theory. Action research can go beyond the confines of positivism or scientific paradigms and has the potential to generate and test action theories. There are many features of action research which make it attractive to nurse practitioners, including similarities between the action research process and the nursing process. In nursing, action research is being deployed as part of a professionalizing strategy