Health literacy has become an important public health concern. Multistage cluster random sampling was used to select 12 450 individuals. Using the 2009 Chinese Health Literacy questionnaire, participants were divided into groups with poor or not poor health literacy status. The knowledge rates for 6 areas of health literacy were determined with the following results: science concept of health (60.0%), literacy for preventing acute infectious disease (66.8%), literacy for preventing noncommunicable chronic disease (51.9%), safety and first aid (66.8%), obtaining and making use of basic medical care (55.3%), and comprehensive health literacy (52.5%). Multiple logistic regression showed that living in a rural area, fewer individuals in a household, younger age, low education, agricultural or rural migrant occupation workers, and low family income were associated with a poor health literacy status. Our results support the use of health education and promotion interventions to improve health literacy in this high-risk population in China.

BackgroundDue to the increase incidents of premarital sex and the lack of reproductive health services, college students are at high risk of HIV/AIDS infections in China. This study was designed to examine the predictors of consistency of condom use among college students based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model and to describe the relationships between the model constructs.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted to assess HIV/AIDS related information, motivation, behavioral skills and preventive behavior among college students in five colleges and universities in Nanjing, China. An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted for data collection, and the structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the IMB model.ResultsA total of 3183 participants completed this study. The average age was 19.90 years (SD = 1.43, range 16 to 25). 342 (10.7%) participants of them reported having had premarital sex, among whom 30.7% reported having had a consistent condom use, 13.7% with the experience of abortion (including the participants whose sex partner has the same experience), 32.7% of participants had experience of multiple sex partners. The final IMB model provided acceptable fit to the data (CFI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.028). Preventive behavior was significantly predicted by behavioral skills (β = 0.754, P<0.001). Information (β = 0.138, P<0.001) and motivation (β = 0.363, P<0.001) were indirectly affected preventive behavior, and was mediated through behavioral skills.ConclusionsThe results of the study demonstrate the utility of the IMB model for consistent condom use among college students in China. The main influencing factor of preventive behavior among college students is behavioral skills. Both information and motivation could affect preventive behavior through behavioral skills. Further research could develop preventive interventions based on the IMB model to promote consistent condom use among college students in China.

In this paper, the agricultural innovation systems of two Northeast Asian countries-Korea and China-are investigated and compared from the perspective of triple helix innovation. Specifically, the current study examines the nature of agricultural innovation of the two countries and considers agricultural R&D investments and activities as well as the roles of university, industry, and government (UIG), which are the three units comprising the triple helix. As an empirical extension of the qualitative analysis, we collected bibliometric information of agricultural scientific publications from 1990 to 2010 and patent information from 1980 to 2010. By calculating transmission of uncertainty, which indicates collaboration among UIG, this paper tracks the relationship dynamics of the units comprising the triple helix. In addition, we analyze topics in scientific publications and patents in order to observe and compare the subareas that are the focus in the two countries. The findings reveal both commonalities and differences between the two countries, thus providing knowledge of and insights into the agricultural sector.

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This case study investigates the KIKO currency option that has been a social issue in recent years among developing countries, especially Korea, where the financial derivatives market is in a state of rapid growth. The forward transaction which becomes a basis of derivatives is intended to hedge risks that may be caused by a future change in asset prices. Although it originates from a simple form of agricultural transactions, there currently exists a variety of derivatives in more sophisticated forms. In the Korean agricultural industry, the need to use such derivatives is great, as there is a huge risk of price fluctuation in agricultural products due to frequent adverse weather. In addition, many developing countries with export-led industrial structures similar to Korea's, of necessity must resort to currency hedging as a method of reducing relevant risk. However, in most cases, the lack of understanding about financial derivatives results in an inappropriate application of these derivatives. The KIKO in this study represents such cases. Since 2007, KIKO has been sold in Korea to many small-and medium-sized export companies for the purpose of currency hedging when the exchange rate between the Korean won and the U.S. dollar was in a downward spiral. The main focus of this study is a case which is most representative of KIKO.