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Introduction: China has the world's greatest number of smokers but theory-based smoking interventions are rare. To develop an effective intervention, understanding the determinants of Chinese adolescent smoking is crucial. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) is empirically supported to predict and assist in informing intervention strategies to change health-related behaviors. Based on the TPB, the elicitation of shared smoking beliefs among adolescents can inform future intervention designs among this at-risk population.Methods: We investigated the beliefs from six focus groups (N = 30) of one senior secondary school in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. We used semi-structured questions based on the TPB framework, including prompts about behavioral (advantages and disadvantages), normative (important referents), and control (barriers and facilitators) beliefs. Following the Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) methodology, data were discussed until consensus was reached. Auditing was undertaken by an external researcher.Results: Seven domains (advantages, disadvantages, approvers, disapprovers, facilitators, barriers, and smoker images) were examined. Smoking as a gendered behavior, smoking as influenced by cultural and environmental contexts, smoking as a strategy to cope with stress, and awareness of the harm of smoking, are highlighted themes across domains. Data suggested an extended-TPB framework as an appropriate approach to adopt when addressing smoking beliefs among the target population.Conclusions: These beliefs can be utilized to inform future school-based interventions and public health campaigns targeting smoking among Chinese adolescents.Implications: A modified TPB approach has potential for future smoking interventions among Chinese adolescents. Beliefs elicited in this study form a strong basis for designing a location- and population-specific antismoking programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Changing trends demonstrate that women, in several economically developed countries, are drinking at higher levels than ever before. Objective: This study applied an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), including self-identity, to examine women's intentions to consume alcohol. Methods: Women (N = 1069) aged 18–87 years, completed a questionnaire measuring their intentions to engage in binge drinking and frequent drinking. As research indicates that drinking trends are a function of age, hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted separately for four age groups (18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45, and above). Results: Results supported the predictive utility of the TPB, (particularly Attitudes and Perceived Behavioral Control). Across the age groups, the final models explained between 48% and 62% of the variance in intentions to binge drink and between 33% and 51% of the variance in intentions to drink frequently. Subjective norms were significant associated with the youngest group (18–24 years) and the oldest group (45+ years). Self-identity was significantly associated with intentions to binge drink in younger women. Conclusions: Implications are discussed with regard to the predictive utility of an extended TPB to include self-identity in determining women's intentions to consume alcohol. Key factors that influence women's decisions to engage in risky drinking behaviors have been underlined to inform future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Changing trends demonstrate that women, in a number of economically-developed countries, are drinking at higher levels than ever before. Exploring key targets for intervention, this study examined the extent to which underlying beliefs in relation to alcohol consumption predicted intentions to drink in three different ways (i.e. low risk drinking, frequent drinking and binge drinking).Methods: Utilizing a prospective design survey, women (N = 1069), aged 18-87 years, completed a questionnaire measuring their beliefs and intentions regarding alcohol consumption. Then, two weeks later, 845 of the original sample, completed a follow-up questionnaire reporting their engagement in the drinking behaviors. A mixed design ANOVA was conducted to examine potential differences between women of different age groups (18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55 years and above) and their intentions to engage in the three different drinking behaviors. Based upon The Theory of Planned Behavior, critical beliefs analyses were carried out to identify key determinants underlying intentions to engage in the three different drinking behaviors.Results: Significant effects of age were found in relation to frequent and binge drinking. The critical beliefs analyses revealed that a number of behavioral, control and normative beliefs were significant predictors of intentions. These beliefs varied according to age group and drinking behavior.Conclusions: Previously unidentified key factors that influence women's decisions to drink in certain ways have been established. Overall, future interventions and public policy may be better tailored so as to address specific age groups and drinking behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microvolunteering is bite-size volunteering with no commitment to repeat and minimum formality, involving short and specific actions. Online microvolunteering occurs through an internet-connected device. University students' online microvolunteering decisions were investigated using an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) comprising attitudes and normative and control perceptions, with the additional variables of moral norm and group norm. Participants ( N = 303) completed the main TPB questionnaire and 1-month follow-up survey ( N = 171) assessing engagement in online microvolunteering. Results generally supported standard and additional TPB constructs predicting intention. Intention predicted behavior. The findings suggest an important role for attitudes and moral considerations in understanding what influences this increasingly popular form of online activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The research investigated whether a stronger predictive model of volunteering behaviour prevails when the functions of the volunteer functions inventory are combined with the constructs of the theory of planned behaviour. The study advances on prior research which either examined the predictive capacity of each model or compared their explanatory values. Method The survey was completed by 186 individuals (Male = 56.10%; Mean Age = 63.7 years) who were retired or approaching retirement and within the context of episodic, skilled volunteering. Results Multiple regression analyses found that the functions of the volunteer functions inventory explained a further 7% of variability in individuals' willingness to volunteer, over and above that accounted for by the theory of planned behaviour. Within the final model, which explained 62% of variability in willingness to volunteer, significant predictors included attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (from the theory of planned behaviour) and the understanding function from the volunteer functions inventory. Items representing the understanding function are proposed to represent a deeper psychological construct (e.g., self-actualisation) not accounted for by the theory of planned behaviour. Conclusions The findings highlight the potential benefit to be gained from the amalgamation of these two prominent models in terms of improving understanding of volunteerism and providing a single parsimonious model for use in research and practice. Extending the research to include a broader range of volunteering contexts and populations will validate the benefit of combining the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving hand hygiene among health care workers (HCWs) is the single most effective intervention to reduce health care associated infections in hospitals. Understanding the cognitive determinants of hand hygiene decisions for HCWs with the greatest patient contact (nurses) is essential to improve compliance. The aim of this study was to explore hospital-based nurses' beliefs associated with performing hand hygiene guided by the World Health Organization's (WHO) 5 critical moments. Using the belief-base framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we examined attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs underpinning nurses' decisions to perform hand hygiene according to the recently implemented national guidelines. Methods: Thematic content analysis of qualitative data from focus group discussions with hospital-based registered nurses from 5 wards across 3 hospitals in Queensland, Australia. Results: Important advantages (protection of patient and self), disadvantages (time, hand damage), referents (supportive: patients, colleagues; unsupportive: some doctors), barriers (being too busy, emergency situations), and facilitators (accessibility of sinks/products, training, reminders) were identified. There was some equivocation regarding the relative importance of hand washing following contact with patient surroundings. Conclusions: The belief base of the theory of planned behaviour provided a useful framework to explore systematically the underlying beliefs of nurses' hand hygiene decisions according to the 5 critical moments, allowing comparisons with previous belief studies. A commitment to improve nurses' hand hygiene practice across the 5 moments should focus on individual strategies to combat distraction from other duties, peer-based initiatives to foster a sense of shared responsibility, and management-driven solutions to tackle staffing and resource issues. Hand hygiene following touching a patient's surroundings continues to be reported as the most neglected opportunity for compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]