Biomedical subjects

Yin Tan

Publications and source records attributed to Yin Tan.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Asian Tobacco Education and Cancer Awareness Research Special Population Network. A model for reducing Asian American cancer health disparities.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing and the second largest foreign-born ethnic group in the United States. Cancer is a leading cause of death among Asian Americans. The Asian Tobacco Education and Cancer Awareness Research (ATECAR) Special Population Network, Center for Asian Health, aimed to reduce or eliminate cancer health disparities in these diverse, underserved populations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. The ATECAR logic model was adapted from a variety of conceptual frameworks to develop and implement the network's multifaceted cancer health disparities research, training, awareness, and outreach programs. The model was the basis for the developmental phases of the network that included (1) needs assessment, infrastructure, and partnership building; (2) intervention research, training, and mentorship; and (3) evaluation, dissemination, and diffusion. Community involvement occurred at every operational level to ensure program and network sustainability. Between 2000 and 2005, the ATECAR network consisted of 88 partners, representing a cross-section of Asian communities, academia, cancer centers, and health service agencies, ensuring a viable infrastructure for the network's multidimensional cancer health disparities programs. ATECAR's research covered tobacco control, cancer prevention and intervention, and clinical trials. More than 22 research projects were conducted and their results disseminated in peer-reviewed journals. ATECAR also trained 76 junior researchers and special population investigators and 1014 community professionals in disparity issues. ATECAR's multimedia cancer awareness education program reached over 116,000 Asians. The ATECAR network's achievements have had a profound impact on Asian Americans and established a trend toward reducing cancer health disparities, especially among underserved Asian Americans. Cancer 2006. (c) 2006 American Cancer Society.

Asian↗

PubMed2006

A brief smoking cessation intervention for Chinese and Korean American smokers.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated changes in smoking-related beliefs and behavior following a brief, culturally adapted smoking cessation intervention for Chinese and Korean smokers. METHOD: From May 2002 to March 2003, 66 smokers residing in or around southeastern Pennsylvania were randomly assigned to a theory-based smoking cessation intervention or general health counseling. Participants completed assessments of perceived risks of smoking, pros and cons of quitting, quitting self-efficacy, and distress at baseline and follow-up time points. Sessions were conducted in the participant's native language (Korean, Cantonese, or Mandarin). Both groups received nicotine replacement therapy. RESULTS: Overall, 38% of participants reported quitting smoking at 3-month follow-up. Quit rates were higher (52.6% among Chinese, 60.0% among Korean) in the intervention condition compared to the control condition (23.5% among Chinese, 40.0% among Korean) at 1-month, but not 3-month, follow-up. There was a main effect of treatment condition for self-efficacy with intervention participants reporting significantly higher levels of self-efficacy compared to control participants. Further, a treatment x time interaction was observed for cons of quitting, reflecting fewer cons in the intervention group than the control group at 1-month and 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: A culturally adapted intervention for Chinese and Korean Americans can be effective in changing specific smoking-related cognitions and behavior. This study represents a promising first step toward advancing our understanding of the associations between smoking-related cognitions and behavior among Asian American smokers.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Tobacco dependence, risk perceptions and self-efficacy among Korean American smokers.

Psychosocial variables related to smoking cessation may differ among ethnic groups. This research focuses on Korean Americans, a group that receives little attention in smoking cessation research, yet has an elevated smoking rate when compared with that of the general US population. This article reports our findings on tobacco dependence, risk perceptions and self-efficacy and examines potential associations between these psychosocial variables and key demographic variables. One hundred Korean American adult smokers enrolled in the study and completed the psychosocial measurement. The majority of the participants (61%) were heavy smokers. The findings indicated that demographic factors were associated with key psychosocial variables that have been demonstrated to play a role in smoking cessation behaviors. In particular, younger age and higher educational level were associated with greater self-efficacy in quitting smoking. No differences in risk perception were observed by any of the demographic indicators assessed. The findings suggest that enhancing self-efficacy among older and less educated smokers may improve the efficacy of smoking cessation efforts that target Korean smokers.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Breast cancer early detection among Chinese women in the Philadelphia area.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among Chinese American women. Previous studies identified disparities in breast cancer screening between Asian and Caucasian women. This study describes breast cancer awareness, attitudes, and knowledge, as well as barriers and facilitators of early detection among Chinese women in Philadelphia. METHODS: A cross-sectional, translated survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 111 Chinese women from the greater Philadelphia area. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to describe participant experiences and attitudes, and Pearson correlation coefficients, chi-square tests, and multiple regressions were used to identify significant predictors of breast cancer screenings. RESULTS: Of respondents, 53.2% had ever performed breast self-examination (BSE). Among women aged >or=40, 53.6% had ever had clinical breast examination (CBE), and 71.1% had ever had mammogram. Knowledge (p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (p = 0.001) predicted BSE ever performance. Having a doctor as information source of CBE (p = 0.001) and belief in family history as a risk factor of breast cancer (p = 0.002) were significant predictors of having ever had a CBE. Having a doctor as information source of mammogram (p = 0.002) was the only significant predictor of having ever had mammogram screening. CONCLUSIONS: This study laid a foundation for developing culturally sensitive breast cancer education and screening programs for Chinese women in the Philadelphia area. Recommendations include a call for physician education to improve breast cancer screening rates in this population.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure and their related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among Asian Americans.

The present study examined tobacco use, secondhand smoke exposure and related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among Asian Americans in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and the relationship between acculturation and smoking, social influence patterns on smoking, and stages of change of smoking among Asian subgroups. Study sample was 1174 Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians, and other Asians. Findings revealed mean age of initiation to be 18.3, 40% ever and 30% current users. Significant differences were reflected in smoking by gender, ethnicity, educational level, marital and employment status. While knowledge and attitudes about smoking and secondhand smoke were associated with these variables, ethnic pride and smoking status played significant roles. Fathers and brothers had greater social influence on young male smoking behavior; smoking friends had influence on both genders. Stages of change of smoking and acculturation impact on smoking varied with gender, age, and time living in the U.S. Findings provide comprehensive insights into tobacco use and related KAB among Asian Americans that reflect the need for developing culturally appropriate programs for this underserved population.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2005

Knowledge, attitudes and behavior regarding secondhand smoke among Asian Americans.

BACKGROUND: This study seeks to measure exposure to secondhand smoke and to evaluate potential differences in knowledge, attitudes, and tolerance of secondhand smoke among subgroups of Asian Americans in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1374 Asian Americans, which included Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Cambodians. The sample was selected by using a stratified-cluster proportional sampling technique. Study measures included demographic variables, smoking status, exposure to secondhand smoke, and knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding secondhand smoke. Data were analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: Involuntary exposure to secondhand smoke remains a common public health hazard among Asian Americans, with 38.3% reporting exposure at home and 40.3% at the worksite. Knowledge and tolerance differed significantly by ethnic groups, gender, education, and smoking status. Knowledge level had a significant effect on tolerance behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate an urgent need for a smoke-free policy at home, in the work place, and in public areas. Tobacco prevention/intervention and cessation programs for Asian Americans should emphasize the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke and promote a smoke-free environment. Further studies are needed to explore the unexplained differences in tolerance levels regarding secondhand smoke across ethnic groups.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Acculturation and smoking behavior in Asian-American populations.

The relationship between acculturation and smoking behavior was examined in four Asian-American groups that included recent immigrants and US-born Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodians residing in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The study was part of a community-based, comprehensive cross-sectional study designed to assess a broad array of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors on tobacco use and tobacco-related cancer issues in the target multi-ethnic and multi-lingual Asian-American community. The sample of 1374 respondents was selected using a stratified-cluster proportional sampling technique, with a response rate of 83%. Findings indicated that acculturation had a variable effect on smoking behavior: more acculturated youth and less acculturated male adults had higher smoking rates than the less acculturated youth and the more acculturated male adults. Smoking rates for all females were generally lower than those of males regardless of acculturation status; however, acculturated adult females had a higher smoking rate than the less acculturated.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2004

Development of a culturally appropriate smoking cessation program for Chinese-American youth.

PURPOSE: To identify potential cultural factors to enhance the efficacy of smoking cessation curricula for Asian-American adolescents, Chinese-Americans, and to present the process and challenges of implementing a culturally specific curriculum. METHODS: Chinese-American male (n = 17) youth smokers, aged 14-19 years, were recruited from community-based Asian-American organizations in the Delaware Valley Region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A 36-item questionnaire was developed to measure smoking behavior, attitudes, and culturally related factors. Focus groups were conducted. Cultural themes were addressed, such as interdependency and collective orientation of the Asian culture, importance of harmony in Asian families, and culturally related factors for smoking initiation and maintenance. A pre-post quasi-experimental research design was used. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test to determine differences in the intervention and control groups in smoking behavior and the Chi-square test for differences in program characteristics. RESULTS: Participants almost never read their native language, they disagreed that their friends would accept them more if they were nonsmokers, and they thought they smoked because of high parental expectations. Asian teens perceived that a high percentage of their Asian-American peers smoke. The most important facilitator characteristics, program processes, relevant cultural factors and topics were identified for the program. Two groups were compared, a standard smoking cessation curriculum (SC) and a culturally modified program (ACT) for Asian adolescents. A 23.1% quit rate for the SC program and an 18.2% quit rate for the ACT program at 3-month follow-up was achieved. Among participants who continued to smoke, there was a larger reduction in reported weekend and weekday cigarette use among ACT participants, than the Standard (SC) group. There was a reduction of 6.7 cigarettes on a typical weekday and 6 cigarettes on a typical weekend day for ongoing smokers of the ACT group. CONCLUSIONS: Given the positive results among a high-risk population, the ACT program needs to be tested among a larger population of Chinese-Americans.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

The impact of acculturation on smoking in Asian American homes.

This study examined the relationship between acculturation and smoking in Asian American homes and the factors that predict whether Asian Americans have family members or visitors smoking in the home. A sample of 1,374 participants was selected using a stratified-cluster proportional sampling technique. Overall, 38.3% were exposed to secondhand smoke in their home and 33.7% allowed smoking by visitors. Vietnamese had the significantly highest rates of smoking in the home (44.9%), followed by Cambodians (43.8%), Koreans (42.0%), and Chinese (29.7%). The independent variables that predicted smoking in the home were living in the United States five or fewer years, less acculturation, being female, being foreign born, having a family size of four or more, being Korean, Vietnamese, or Cambodian, and being smokers. The same variables predicted allowing visitors to smoke in the home, excluding being female. Protective factors included being more educated, being older, and having children under 18 at home.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2003

Perceptions of risks of smoking among Asian Americans.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of illness and death in the United States. Few studies focus on Asian Americans, one of the fastest growing but underserved populations in the United States. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey method was used for this study. The study sample was identified by using a stratified-cluster proportional sampling technique. A questionnaire was developed in English, translated into the four Asian languages (Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Cambodians), and back-translated. The sample consisted of 1174 individuals, distributed as follows: Chinese, 34.9%; Korean, 37.1%, Vietnamese, 16.7%; Cambodian, 8.4%; and others, 2.7%. RESULTS: Findings indicated that attitudes toward tobacco-related dangers were associated with smoking status: former and never smokers held more negative perceptions regarding smoking compared to current smokers. Further, results indicated that the Asian American subgroups differed in their respective attitudes. The study is the first to compare attitudes toward tobacco-related dangers among racial/ethnic and language subgroups of Asian Americans. CONCLUSION: The growing body of empirical data on smoking among Asian Americans indicates that smoking cessation programs should take into account variations in smoking-related perceptions and attitudes across the ethnic subgroups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Ethnic differences in adolescent smoking behaviors, sources of tobacco, knowledge and attitudes toward restriction policies.

The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in adolescent smoking behavior, sources of tobacco, knowledge of and attitudes toward youth tobacco restriction policies, and perceptions of tobacco availability by adolescents. The study is important as it will add to the growing body of literature regarding tobacco use by minors, and will help policymakers and public health professionals develop efficacious policies and interventions to prevent and reduce tobacco use among adolescents. Minors obtain tobacco from social and commercial sources. Previous studies have emphasized rural homogeneous populations and so the present study addresses the need to determine these sources of tobacco to youth in a large urban, heterogeneous population, such as Philadelphia. A stratified multistage purposive sampling procedure was used to ensure an ethnically/racially sample. A 68-item questionnaire was administered to 645 students in Grades 8-10 in five public and nonpublic funded schools in a culturally diverse part of Philadelphia. Correlations between selected independent variables and smoking behavior were determined. Results from this study indicate that rates of smoking are high among students, with 50% of students ever having smoked, 19% within the last month, 17% weekly, and 15% smoke daily. Further, there were differences in rates of smoking between ethnic/racial groups. Social sources were the most common sources of tobacco reported, with friends being the most frequent source. There were differences in social and commercial ever sources of cigarettes between ethnic/racial groups and in perceived school and parental sanctions for tobacco use. The results of this study suggest that more financial and educational resources should be committed to prevent and reduce smoking behaviors among adolescents. Educational prevention programs, especially parenting programs should be employed to reduce smoking.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Differences in stages of change of smoking behavior among current smokers of four Asian American subgroups.

This study assessed the impact of demographics and acculturation on stages of change in smoking behavior among Asian current smokers (Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cambodians) who live in the Delaware Valley region. Three stages (precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation) that applied to current smokers in Prochaska's Transtheoretical Model were measured, with a small modification. A cross-sectional self-report survey was conducted by utilizing a stratified cluster proportional sampling technique. Recruited were 1374 Asian Americans from 26 randomly selected community organization clusters and 1174 completed the survey (83%). Data were analyzed using the Pearson chi(2) test of significance. Education was negatively associated with stages of smoking behavior change. Time living in the United States showed a statistically significant positive correlation. Individuals older than 21 years appeared more seriously inclined to quit (be in the preparation stage) than those below age 21. Among the four subgroups, Cambodians (91%) were more likely to fall in either contemplation or preparation, while Chinese had the highest rate in precontemplation stage. Men were more likely than women to be in the preparation stage. Immigration status was not a significant predictor of stages.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[HLA genotyping by automatic semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction-reverse sequence specific oligonucleotide].

OBJECTIVE: To explore a HLA genotyping method that can be used for organ transplantation tissue typing, and especially for establishing hemopoietic stem cell bank and the cord blood stem cell bank by analyzing the PCR-DNA. METHODS: Modified automatic method based on semi-quantitative amplification system of HLA-I, I allele genotyping was established using reverse sequence-specific oligonucleotide with polymerase chain reaction (PCR-RSSO), and was compared with PCR (using sequence specific primer, PCR-SSR) and manual PCR-RSSO in terms of the accuracy, resolution, and the quantity of DNA consumption. A total of 635 blood samples were genotyped with HLA-A, B, C, DR and DQ alleles using auto semi-quantitative PCR-RSSO, 166 of which were also examined using PCR-SSP and manual PCR-RSSO simultaneously. RDSULTS: The success rate of automatic semi-quantitative PCR-RSSO, PCR-SSP and manual PCR-RSSO was 98.4% (3 124/3 175), 98.8% (656/664) and 88.3% (732/830) respectively, with no significant difference between the former 2 as indicated by X2 test (P>0.05). Auto semi-quantitative PCR-RSSO, however, yielded significantly higher success rate than manual PCR-RSSO (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PCR-RSSO is capable of identifying 706 alleles of HLA-I, II antigens which amounts to 75.43% of the 936 alleles published by WHO in 2000, with intermediate to high resolution, even in the case of the homozygote. The hybridization results documenting the original data can be conveniently preserved. This method therefore possesses the merits of low expenses, low labor intensity, and rapid processing of large number of samples.

Alleles↗

PubMed2002

Perceived risks of certain types of cancer and heart disease among Asian American smokers and non-smokers.

This study assessed knowledge levels of health risks of tobacco use among the Asian American (AA) community in the Delaware Valley region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including metropolitan Philadelphia. A cross-sectional self-report survey was conducted to collect the information, and a stratified-cluster proportional sampling technique was used to obtain a representative sample size of the target population of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Cambodians. 1374 AA were recruited from 26 randomly selected community organization clusters; of the total recruited, 1174 completed the survey, which consisted of 410 Chinese, 436 Korean, 196 Vietnamese, 100 Cambodian and 32 other-group. Other-group was excluded for this study. Ten questions were asked to determine the knowledge level of the sample population. Results indicated that the vast majority of respondents (82.2%) recognized the association between smoking and increased risk of developing various types of cancers and heart disease. Between 81.3% and 93.3% of respondents recognized the increased risk for lung, mouth, throat.and esophageal cancer and heart disease. For these variables, there were statistically significant differences between the ethnic groups: Koreans were the most knowledgeable, followed by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cambodians. For bladder, pancreatic, cervical, and kidney cancers, the percentage of respondents indicating an association between these cancers and smoking ranged from 49.2 to 56.8. There were no statistically significant differences among the four ethnic groups for these variables. Generally, however, results showed that the awareness level was higher among women and the more educated respondents, non-smokers and former smokers, and Chinese and Korean groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

An evaluation of ventilation system flow rates and levels of carbon dioxide, ambient temperature, and relative humidity in restaurants.

Studies of the indoor air quality of restaurants have rarely focused on ventilation system performance in relation to air pollutants and climatic factors. This study was conducted in eight restaurants to examine this issue by determining the ventilation flow rates and the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), ambient temperature, and relative humidity during at least one complete shift of serving a meal. The mean values of number of dining patrons, ventilation flow rates, and the levels of CO2, ambient temperature, and relative humidity were not significantly different in the nonsmoking dining rooms and the smoking dining rooms. The mean ventilation flow rates in individual restaurants ranged from 42-113 cubic feet per minute per person (cfm/person), overall exceeding the recommended lower limit of 30 cfm/person. The mean levels of CO2 in two restaurants (646 and 819 ppm) were below, and in the other six restaurants (ranging 1,012-1,820 ppm) were above the recommended upper limit of 1000 ppm. The levels of CO2 in each restaurant significantly correlated with the number of dining patrons and in four restaurants accumulated gradually over time. In the nonsmoking dining rooms, the levels of CO2 increased significantly as the ventilation How rates decreased. The mean ambient temperature in restaurants (ranging from 22 degrees C - 24 degrees C) were within the recommended range of 20 degrees C - 26 degrees C. The mean relative humidity in six restaurants (ranging from 46%-59%) were within the recommended upper limit of 60 percent, and in two restaurants (62% and 71%) were slightly higher than this recommended limit. It was concluded that although the mean ventilation flow rates in all restaurants exceeded the recommended value, the design of the ventilation system or the distribution of air flow rate in some sections of restaurants were not appropriate to keep the levels of CO2 and relative humidity at some measurement locations below the recommended limits.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗

PubMed2002

Prevalence and predictors of tobacco use among Asian Americans in the Delaware Valley region.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined tobacco use rates and potential predictors of use among Asian Americans residing in the Delaware Valley region. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. The sample consisted of 1174 Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese, and Cambodians. RESULTS: Findings indicated that the mean age at initiation of tobacco use was 18.3 years. Among the respondents, 40.2% had a history of tobacco use, and 29.6% were current users. Men were more likely than women to smoke. There were significant differences between never smokers, current smokers, and ex-smokers in sex, ethnicity, educational attainment, and marital and employment status. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that tobacco use is still a serious public health problem among Asian Americans, especially men.

Adolescent↗