• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.67-88
• /
• 1998

Present study was attempt to explore the relationship between perceived family support and depression and to emphasize the importance or needs of family support in psychological care especially among adolescents. Study subjects comprized of 308 high school students including vocational students in part, and data collection was done in the Kwangju City area in April. 1998. The Moos Family Environment Scale and the Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale modified by investigators were used as measurement tools of 59 item questionnaire and in data analysis, statistical methods of T-test, ANOVA. and Pearson Correlation Coefficient were utilized. The study findings are as follows 1. The hypothesis of the study, 'the higher the degree of perceived family support among adolescents, the lower the level of depression', was supported (r=-0.4469, p<.001). 2. Some variables in demographic characteristics related to the degree of family support with statistical significance were school division of vacational vs non-vocational(t=-2.02, p<.05), age(f=5.47, p<.01), family monthly income (f=2.49, p<.05), mother's level of education (f=3.01. p<.05), residence at developmental stage (f=2.87, p<.05), personal problem of highest priority at present(f=7.73, p<.001), and family problem perceived by adolescents(f=7.38, p< .001). 3. Items In general characteristics related to the level of depression with statistical significance were sex(t=-2.91, p<.0l). mother's level of education(f=2.53. p<.05). residence at developmental stage (f=3.95. p<.0l). present personal problem of highest priority (f=3.68. p<.1l). and perceived in-family problem (f=4.58. p<.001). 4. The mean score of the degree of perceived family support was 61.26 $(SD=\pm14.45)$ in a range of 21.00 to 96.00 ; that of the level of depression. 43.74 $(SD=\pm8.04)$ in a range of 23.00 to 67.00. which demonstrated that the higher the degree of perceived family support, the lower the level of depression. In conclusion. it was found that the degree of family support perceived by adolescents is a variable affecting the level of depression. Based on the study outcome, further research suggestions can be made as such that repeated studies are needed in order to delineate the various factors affecting family support and depression, and a study involving family support implementation program is required as a nursing intervention for the development of emotional security among adolescents, perceived family support, depression, adolescence.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.15
• /
• pp.6347-6352
• /
• 2015

Background: Breast malignancies are one of the leading causes of deaths in females worldwide. There are a number of risk factors associated with breast cancer but in Karachi Pakistan there are insufficient data available. Materials and Methods: A case control study was conducted on females in age group between 30-80 years. This study was accomplished by retrospective data collection in Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 108 females with primary malignancy of breast were included along with 108 matched controls. Relationship of various factors with disease was studied using logistic regression to calculate odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals. Results: A total of 14 variables were analyzed and based on and 7 were found to be risk factors: old age, family history of breast cancer, family history of other carcinomas, personal history of breast carcinoma, early age of menarche, older age of mother at first delivery and lower number of children. Five factors, parity, breast feeding, history of oral contraceptive pills intake, past history of oophorectomy and hysterectomy showed protective associations. One variable, use of hormonal replacement therapy, showed a controversial link and one other, marital status, was not significant in this study. Conclusions: It is concluded that most of the well-known risk factors for breast cancer are also associated with the disease in the female population of Karachi, Pakistan. High risk patients should be the focus with the help of this study so that screening can be more effective for early diagnosis before clinically evident breast malignancy.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.420-436
• /
• 1996

The goal of this study is to explore different risk factors for smoking and look at the relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions regarding smoking among schoolchildren, in order to reduce teenage smoking. To achieve this goal a self-administered questionaire regarding smoking was provided to schoolchildren in the 7th and 8th grades in one junior high school in Jerusalem. The schoolchildren were exposed to 10-12 hours of a smoking prevention intervention program. The questionaire focused primarily on the personal characteristics, social environment, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and behavioral intentions of the children. Crosstabs were performed on each variable to determine if significant associations exist among the different variables. The statistical computer, package, SPSS PC, was used to manipulate the data along with Chi-square test. The findings were as follows : About 11% of the children aged 12-14 have ever smoked or are smoking currently, and about 24.0% of those who ever smoked started smoking at the age of 10. Boys smoke more(p<.01), poorer students(by self-perception of school performance) smoke more, and those who had peers who were smokers were more likely to smoke(p<.05). The percentage of the children who reported that either father or mother smoked was about 30%, but no statistical association was found between parental smoking and children's smoking, although trends were noted in the expected direction, i.e. more smokers among children of smokers. Only 1.1% of the children intended to smoke in the future, and 98.0% of the children indicated that they can or they might be able to withstand social pressure. Seventy percent of the children demonstrated medium to high knowledge about smoking, Males, 8th graders, better students, and those without friends who smoke had higher social pressure showed more negative attitudes(p<.01). Those with non-smoking siblings showed more negative behavioral intentions regarding smoking(p<.01), and better students showed more negative behavioral intentions. Those who had higher knowledge scores showed more negative attitudes towards smoking, but not significantly so. Those who had very negative behavioral intentions showed highly significant negative attitudes towards smoking(p<.01).