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Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Yanping Cui, Mao Ying and Hongqi Fan

This paper aims to investigate the average daily consumption of cigarettes and its correlates, attitudes toward smoking, and suggestions for anti‐smoking measures in a sample of…

2264

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the average daily consumption of cigarettes and its correlates, attitudes toward smoking, and suggestions for anti‐smoking measures in a sample of Chinese college student smokers.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 150 college student cigarette smokers in Baoding, a city near Beijing, filled out a questionnaire asking about their average daily consumption of cigarettes, attitude toward smoking and their opinions on how they might control their smoking behavior.

Findings

In total, 85.3 percent of the smoking students were males and 14.7 percent females, and males had started smoking earlier. However, and surprisingly, the average daily consumption among females was greater than among males (9.6 vs 5.6 cigarettes a day, p<0.01). Average daily cigarette consumption was significantly associated with perceived health condition (students who thought themselves in poorer health consumed more), perceived risk of cigarette smoking (but with those who thought it harmful actually consuming more than those who did not), frequency of offering cigarettes as gifts, and perceived enjoyment from smoking. The three most commonly reported measures which curbed smoking were friends' or classmates' suggestions, the urging of a boyfriend/girlfriend, and the urging of parents.

Practical implications

Findings in this paper underscore the importance of developing effective smoking cessation programs through gender‐specific approaches at post‐secondary educational institutions as well as coordinating anti‐smoking efforts at multiple levels of educational administration in China.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the few studies on Chinese college students' cigarette smoking practices and student smokers' attitudes toward cigarette smoking. It also reports for the first time possible effective anti‐smoking measures as suggested by the students themselves. The value of this study lies in the finding that cigarette smoking among highly educated individuals in China is on the rise and vigorous research on the smoking behavior of this group should be a high priority.

Details

Health Education, vol. 112 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Han Zao Li

The goal of the special issue is to review current cigarette smoking trends in China; this article aims to provide an overview of the main themes of the special issue.

1322

Abstract

Purpose

The goal of the special issue is to review current cigarette smoking trends in China; this article aims to provide an overview of the main themes of the special issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The instruments for data collection of the five studies in this special issue are surveys. One study used a random sampling method, one used an intercept survey method, and three used a convenience sampling method.

Findings

Highlights of the findings include: among the 677 physicians surveyed, 31.6 percent of the men and 0.9 percent of the women were current smokers; 79.2 percent of the cigarette users reported smoking on duty; 15 percent of the cigarette users smoked in front of patients. Sixty‐one percent of the physicians often advised patients to quit smoking. Two factors significantly influenced a physician's anti‐smoking frequencies: whether they were smokers themselves and whether they had received training on helping patients to quit smoking. About half of the 269 patients surveyed reported seeing someone smoking inside the hospital, and 22.3 percent had seen physicians and/or nurses smoking. Among the 758 medical students surveyed, 26.5 percent of males and 1.6 percent of females had smoked in the previous 30 days.

Practical implications

The exclusive coverage of a western journal on cigarette smoking in China can draw the attention of Chinese and western scholars in the field, as well as the attention of the Chinese Ministry of Health, to this major national problem. This attention should help to advance anti‐smoking educational campaigns in China.

Originality/value

This is the first special issue by a western academic journal on cigarette smoking in China, where rates are far higher than in most other parts of the world, and are a major health concern. Two studies have large sample sizes and all five studies have high response rates.

Details

Health Education, vol. 112 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 January 2021

Ruojin Zhang, Dan Fan, Gene Lai, Junqian Wu and Jungong Li

Agricultural insurance has become increasingly important to farmers' livelihood and production in rural China. Yet despite the enormous governmental subsidizing efforts, the…

Abstract

Purpose

Agricultural insurance has become increasingly important to farmers' livelihood and production in rural China. Yet despite the enormous governmental subsidizing efforts, the insurance participation rate remains below expectations. This study revisits the linkage between farmers' risk attitudes and crop insurance utilization by providing a cross-cutting perspective such that the role of risk aversion is re-scrutinized in Chinese “kindred” village economies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors administrated a lottery-based multiple price list (MPL) experiment by recruiting rice farmers from 12 villages in Sichuan province in southwestern China. Using the experimental data, farmers' risk attitudes are assessed and coefficients of risk aversion are estimated within the rank-dependent expected utility (RDEU) framework by maximizing a structured likelihood function.

Findings

This study provides substantiating evidence that rice farmers in southwestern China exhibit relatively high risk aversion. The authors also provide suggestive evidence of the positive relationship between farmers' risk aversion and crop insurance utilization. In addition, findings reveal that kinship network has a negative effect on crop insurance utilization, such that farmers who are connected in higher degree of kinship network have lower likelihood of crop insurance utilization, which suggests that kinship network may be substitute for formal crop insurance. Result also demonstrates that the incentive effect of risk aversion on farmers' crop insurance participation manifests differently depending on the degree of kinship network in rural China.

Originality/value

This study provides a cross-cutting perspective by scrutinizing the effects of farmers' risk attitudes and kinship network on crop insurance participation in rural China, which has received relatively little attention in the literature. Conclusions on the effects of risk aversion on crop insurance participation have been mixed in previous studies. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, little has been done to explicitly examine the influence of social proximity and networks on farmers' insurance uptake. This study attempts to fill both gaps. This study provides new insights which might shed lights on the understanding of farmers' crop insurance participation in rural China.

Details

Agricultural Finance Review, vol. 81 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-1466

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 February 2012

Xiaomi An, Shaotong Xu, Yong Mu, Wei Wang, Xian Yang Bai, Andy Dawson and Hongqi Han

The purpose of this paper is to propose meta‐synthetic ideas and knowledge asset management approaches to build a comprehensive strategic framework for Beijing City in China.

1297

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose meta‐synthetic ideas and knowledge asset management approaches to build a comprehensive strategic framework for Beijing City in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Methods include a review of relevant literature in both English and Chinese, case studies of different types of support frameworks in the UK, the USA, Singapore and Hong Kong, formulation of a meta‐synthetic support framework for Beijing City, and justification of its application to policy development by various studies. Three stages of meta‐synthetic support frameworks are proposed.

Findings

The suggested meta‐synthetic support frameworks are highly appropriate for the optimisation of, and innovation in, management and services systems of government information resources. The proposed knowledge asset management approaches offer significant practical value in improving the competence and capabilities of service‐oriented government, providing a set of solutions to identified, urgent problems, including a joint administration system for creating value, a release and distribution management system for sharing and protecting value, and a licensing and authorisation management system for adding value.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focuses on the formulation of a theoretical support framework for the reuse of government information resources and the justification of its effectiveness to guide policy development at strategic level. Case studies of its application at operational level are ongoing and will be discussed in future papers.

Practical implications

The suggested meta‐synthetic support frameworks support the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of intelligent traffic administration, good governance of value‐added services based on government information resources, and intellectual activity around city travel and traffic. The study has wide implications for the improvement of service‐oriented government performance, public satisfaction and the image of government.

Originality/value

The paper presents the adaptation of meta‐synthetic ideas and knowledge asset management approaches to collaboration, optimisation, innovation and compliance management issues in the reuse of government information resources. The advantages of different types of support systems and frameworks are integrated as a coherent whole for a strategic framework of legal, regulatory and standards support to China and Beijing.

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