Jiunn-Jye Sheu

Extreme Ritualistic Alcohol Consumption Among College Students on Game Day

Abstract Alcohol use and the related consequences associated with college football games are a serious public health issue for university communities. Objective: Examining “Extreme Ritualistic Alcohol Consumption” (ERAC), defined as consuming 10 or more drinks on game day for a male, and 8 or more drinks for a female, is the focus of this study. Participants: In the fall of 2006, college students ages 18 to 24 were randomly selected to complete the Game Day Survey. Methods: Researchers utilized a cross sectional research design to collect data. Results: Sixteen percent of the respondents engaged in ERAC on game day, whereas 36% drank 5 or more drinks (4 or more for females). Male, Caucasian, Greek (members of a social fraternity or sorority), and students of legal drinking age consumed alcohol at disproportionately high rates. Conclusion: Alcohol use is common on game day, with a significant percentage of students placing themselves at risk by drinking large amounts of alcohol.

Stages of smoking acquisition of young Taiwanese adolescents: self-efficacy and decisional balance.

The objective of this study was to assess relationships of the stages of smoking acquisition with self-efficacy and decisional balance in young Taiwanese adolescents. A random sample of 401 students was recruited. Students who were at the precontemplation stage had higher self-efficacy to resist smoking initiation than those who were at the decision-making or maintenance stages. Ratings of benefits of smoking were significantly higher for those in the maintenance stage than in the precontemplation or decision-making stages. In a discriminant function analysis, self-efficacy and decisional balance correctly predicted 77.4% of membership in the three stages. Health educators could use stage-specific skills and strategies based on self-efficacy and decision balance constructs to develop smoking prevention programs.

Type of Tobacco Product Used: Are There Differences between University and Community College Students?.

This article describes and compares smoking prevalence, types of tobacco products used, and motivation to quit among college students at universities and community colleges. Data were collected using the Florida Annual College Tobacco Survey (FACTS). Nine universities and eight community colleges participated in the study (n = 4973). Most students (69%) experimented with tobacco. Cigarettes were used more often (57.4%), followed by Black ‘N Mild (31.8%), cigars (30.1%), kreteks/bidis (24.1%), smokeless tobacco (13.9%), and pipe (8.9%). University students were more likely than community college students to have tried kreteks/bidis and cigars (p < .05). University students experimented at a significantly earlier age with cigarettes and pipes while community college experimented at a significantly earlier age with cigars and kreteks/bidis (p < .05). The majority of cigarette smokers (62%) were not interested in quitting. The implications for college tobacco education programs are discussed.

The chinese version of the decisional balance scale: further validation.

Background: Although the Decisional Balance Scale (DBS) has been established to have sound psychometric properties, the reliability and validity of this instrument have not been evaluated in different populations. Objectives: The aim of this study was to conduct psychometric validations for the Chinese version of the DBS (CDBS). Methods: This research project was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study. The CDBS was administered to children in Grades 5-9 (ages 11-17 years, n = 952) recruited from elementary and junior high schools in northern Taiwan. A random cluster sampling method was used. Results: The pros and cons subscales were supported by Cronbachs &agr; coefficients of .88 and .85, respectively. Item-to-subtotal correlation coefficients for the subscales were above .48. The results from confirmatory factor analysis, used to assess the construct validity of the CDBS, indicated that the two-factor structure was the best fit for the CDBS when it was used with Taiwanese adolescents (comparative fit index = .96). The contrasted group approach affirmed the construct validity of the pros and the cons of the CDBS. The validity and reliability of the CDBS were supported by the psychometric test results of this study. Discussion: The CDBS is congruent with the culture of Taiwanese adolescents. However, to expand the usefulness of this tool across cultures, the CDBS should continue to be tested with other Chinese-speaking populations and settings.

Psychometric Testing of the Chinese Version of the Decisional Balance Scale (CDBS)

The purpose of this study was to conduct psychometric testing on the Chinese version of the decisional balance scale (CDBS) with Taiwanese seventh, eighth,and ninth graders who were recruitedfrom the Taipei metropolitan area. A random cluster sampling method was used with 554 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 years. Factor analysis procedures showed two components, Pros and Cons, accounting for 74.32% of the total variances andcontrastedgroupcomparisonsaffirmedthe constructvalidityof the Pros, the Cons, andthe CDBS. Item-to-subtotalcorrelationcoefficients for the two subscales, the Pros and Cons, were greater than .50 and their reliability was supported by Cronbachs alpha coefficients, .87 and .91, respectively. The validity and reliability of the CDBS suggestedthat the CDBS was applicableto and congruentwith the culture of the Taiwanese adolescents smoking behavior. Further validation of the CDBS scale with different populations and larger sample size is suggested.

An assessment of certified health education specialists' attitudes on direct third-party reimbursement for health education services.

This study used a valid questionnaire to assess certified health education specialists’ (CHES) opinions regarding issues of seeking payment from insurance companies (third-party reimbursement) for health education services. A total of 1,942 usable questionnaires were returned, and the responses were used for data analysis. Results from descriptive statistics indicated that the participants acknowledged both the potential advantages and disadvantages associated with seeking direct third-party reimbursement (DTPR) for health education services. In addition, study results suggested positive attitudes among the participants regarding DTPR. However, study results also indicated existing reservations among the participants in terms of the feasibility of seeking DTPR. Inferential statistics indicated that all demographic factors except race had no influence on participants’ attitudes toward seeking DTPR. Discussions of the study results and recommendations for the health education profession are provided.