• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.161-175
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• 2014

Objectives: This study investigates the prevalence of suicide ideation and its the related factors by gender among Korean adults. Methods: National cross-sectional data from the database of the first and second year of $5^{th}$ Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1, V-2) were used for this study. 13,165 adults (${\geq}20$ years) were included in this analysis. Results: The prevalence of suicide ideation was 9.8% for men, 18.9% for women. Renal failure, depression, melancholy, stress, perceived health status, and smoking were significant risk factors among both men and women for suicide ideation. Divorced, separated or widowed of marital status and severe physical activity were related factors of suicide ideation for men. Low educational attainment, and alcohol dependency were associated factors of suicide ideation for women. Conclusions: There was gender difference of prevalence and risk factors of suicide ideation. These gender differences should be considered for planning and implementing suicide prevention program.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.71-96
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• 2011

Within the traditional medical delivery system, patients residing in medically vulnerable areas, those with body movement difficulties, and nursing facility residents have had limited access to good healthcare services. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides us with a convenient and useful means of overcoming distance and time constraints. ICT is integrated with biomedical science and technology in a way that offers a new high-quality medical service. As a result, rapid technological advancement is expected to play a pivotal role bringing about innovation in a wide range of medical service areas, such as medical management, testing, diagnosis, and treatment; offering new and improved healthcare services; and effecting dramatic changes in current medical services. The increase in aging population and chronic diseases has caused an increase in medical expenses. In response to the increasing demand for efficient healthcare services, a telehealth service based on ICT is being emphasized on a global level. Telehealth services have been implemented especially in pilot projects and system development and technological research. With the service about to be implemented in earnest, it is necessary to study its overall acceptance by consumers, which is expected to contribute to the development and activation of a variety of services. In this sense, the study aims at positively examining the structural relationship among the acceptance factors for telehealth services based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected by showing audiovisual material on telehealth services to online panels and requesting them to respond to a structured questionnaire sheet, which is known as the information acceleration method. Among the 1,165 adult respondents, 608 valid samples were finally chosen, while the remaining were excluded because of incomplete answers or allotted time overrun. In order to test the reliability and validity of the assessment scale items, we carried out reliability and factor analyses, and in order to explore the causal relation among potential variables, we conducted a structural equation modeling analysis using AMOS 7.0 and SPSS 17.0. The research outcomes are as follows. First, service quality, innovativeness of medical technology, and social influence were shown to affect perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the telehealth service, which was statistically significant, and the two factors had a positive impact on willingness to accept the telehealth service. In addition, social influence had a direct, significant effect on intention to use, which is paralleled by the TAM used in previous research on technology acceptance. This shows that the research model proposed in the study effectively explains the acceptance of the telehealth service. Second, the research model reveals that information privacy concerns had a insignificant impact on perceived ease of use of the telehealth service. From this, it can be gathered that the concerns over information protection and security are reduced further due to advancements in information technology compared to the initial period in the information technology industry, and thus the improvement in quality of medical services appeared to ensure that information privacy concerns did not act as a prohibiting factor in the acceptance of the telehealth service. Thus, if other factors have an enormous impact on ease of use and usefulness, concerns over these results in the initial period of technology acceptance may become irrelevant. However, it is clear that users' information privacy concerns, as other studies have revealed, is a major factor affecting technology acceptance. Thus, caution must be exercised while interpreting the result, and further study is required on the issue. Numerous information technologies with outstanding performance and innovativeness often attract few consumers. A revised bill for those urgently in need of telehealth services is about to be approved in the national assembly. As telemedicine is implemented between doctors and patients, a wide range of systems that will improve the quality of healthcare services will be designed. In this sense, the study on the consumer acceptance of telehealth services is meaningful and offers strong academic evidence. Based on the implications, it can be expected to contribute to the activation of telehealth services. Further study is needed to assess the acceptance factors for telehealth services, such as motivation to remain healthy, health care involvement, knowledge on health, and control of health-related behavior, in order to develop unique services according to the categorization of customers based on health factors. In addition, further study may focus on various theoretical cognitive behavior models other than the TAM, such as the health belief model.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

What is the meaning of home to older people? How much is home significant for older people? How do they express self-identity through decorating their own homes? These are the new subjects that scholars in the West are involved in lately in terms of micro-perspective (George, 1998; Kellett, Gilroy & Jason, 2005; Gilroy & Kellett, 2006). It is evident that home has more significant meaning to older people than other age groups, since the older are more likely to spend greater time within the home through lower income, lessening mobility or loss of companions (Gilroy, 2005). Also the older tend to cling to their homes and attach to possessions than the younger. Older people's possessions are the things that memories of their lives were absorbed. Therefore, possession display can role as a mean of showing their past lives and memories. Gilroy and her colleagues (2005, 2006) found that there was a certain pattern of possession display in English older people's households, and that older people would like to express self-identity through decorating their own homes with their precious possessions. Then, isn't it interesting to find out if there is any pattern of possession display or decoration items in Korean older people's households as well? Thus, the aim of this study is to describe pattern of possession display as a mean of expressing self-identity in Korean older people's households. Interview with older people was used to find out the way and reason of display possessions. Observation method including taking photos and hand-drawings was also added in order to demonstrate detail condition of display items in the house. Possessions display and furniture arrangement in the living room and bedroom were investigated to find out a certain pattern of display and meaning. Research objects were healthy older people aged over 60, who are living independently from their adult children, and who can manage housekeeping by themselves. 32 households were investigated in the area of Seoul, Kyunggi, Chungchungnam, and Kangwon provinces. The findings demonstrate that most precious possession for Korean older people is photo of themselves; especially one taken in their younger age. The reason of it is because the photo reminds them of their heydays when they were vital. Photo of the most beloved one is displayed more frequently in the bedroom than in the living room indicating consistence with English case. As symmetrical display pattern was dominant in case of English older people's households, no dominant display pattern is found in Korean case. Korean older people also cling to their homes and possessions and want to keep their dwelling space as large as what they use now. It is notable that even after they become older and frail, they want sufficient space to display possessions as a mean of self-identity expression. Attachment to possessions and decoration can give older people significant meaning of identity, and it is the reason why architects or interior designers have to meet older people's needs. It needs consideration that residents are allowed to bring their old furniture and precious possessions when they move in elderly housing unit in order to minimize environmental shock, as well as feeling at home. This subject could suggest a clue to designers or architects who have to meet residents' needs in space design of elderly housing or facilities in the future. Psychological well-being of older people can be met by making them feel at home wherever they live. They need space where they can express their own identity and personality even in case when they have to live in a limited small space like elderly housing unit or nursing home.

• Korean Public Health Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.87-97
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• 2018

Background: Recently, the prevalence of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ${\geq}25kg/m^2$) has been increasing rapidly worldwide over a short period. In Korea, the prevalence of obesity has also increased rapidly due to the rapid socio-economic development and lifestyle changes, with differing patterns according to gender. This study aimed to compare the change in obesity prevalence according to gender among the adult population in Korea using representative data, the National Health Check-up Database (NHCD), to follow-up individuals who had undergone checkups during both years in Korea (2011~2013). Methods: To analyze the changes in obesity prevalence in the recent two years, data regarding men and women who had undergone health check-ups in both two years (2011, 2013) were extracted. The final study population comprised 144,934 persons: 83,604 (58%) males and 61,330 (42%) females. Chi-square test within a univariate analysis, and the level of factor difference was verified with t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple comparison. Results: In 2011, one out of three participants was obese (BMI ${\geq}25kg/m^2$; male, 37.7%; female, 27.3%) and more than half of the subjects were overweight (BMI ${\geq}23kg/m^2$; male, 65.6%; female, 50.4%) requiring obesity management. For the two years, the BMI of the participants significantly increased (p < .0001) and the prevalence of obesity increased among both males and females. The prevalence of obesity was higher among both genders with a longer duration of smoking, more smoking, family history of hypertension, and family history of diabetes. However, residence, income level, drinking status, psychiatric disorder, disability status and severity of disability were the opposite gender. Conclusion: In the analysis of data, the prevalence of obesity among both men and women was increasing. The degree of change in the prevalence of obesity among men and women was different in each variable. Thus, it will need to consider gender in developing health policies for obesity mediation and to provide integrated healthcare and management for those people.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.556-566
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the relationship between health behaviors and high levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) according to cardiovascular risk factors among Korean adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on the sixth Korea national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES VI). Participants were 13,841 adults aged 19 years and older. Cardiovascular risk factors were stroke, myocardial infarction or angina, diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypertension, aging, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) under 40 mg/dL and HDL-cholesterol over 60 mg/dL. Cardiovascular risk groups were classified as very high risk (stroke, myocardial infarction or angina), high risk (diabetes mellitus), moderate risk (over 2 risk factors), and low risk (below 1 risk factor). The prevalence of high LDL-cholesterol was calculated using the LDL-cholesterol target level according to cardiovascular risk group. Results: The prevalence of high LDL-cholesterol was 25.5% in males and 21.7% in females. Complex sample cross tabulation demonstrated that the high LDL-cholesterol and normal groups differed significantly according to age, education, body mass index, percentage of energy from carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat and n-6 in males and females. These two groups were also significantly different according to smoking in males and the percentage of energy from n-3 in females. Complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for multiple confounding factors demonstrated that the probability of high LDL-cholesterol was significantly associated with current smoking (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.40-1.99), obesity (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.64-2.31) in males, and current smoking (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.19-2.52), obesity (OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.39-1.90), percentage of energy from n-3 (quartile 1 vs. quartile 2; OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62-0.96; quartile 1 vs. quartile 3; OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.94; quartile 1 vs. quartile 4: OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.51-0.87) in females. Conclusion: This study reveals the impact of smoking, obesity, energy percentage of nutrient intake on LDL-cholesterol.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the current status of pediatric palliative care provision and how it is perceived by the palliative care experts. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted with 61 hospice institutions. From September through October 2017, a questionnaire was completed by experts from the participating institutions. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Results: Among 61 institutions, palliative care is currently provided for pediatric cancer patients by 11 institutions (18.0%), all of which are concentrated in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi and Gyengsang provinces; 85.2% of all do not plan to provide specialized pediatric palliative care in the future. According to the experts, the main barriers in providing pediatric palliative care were the insufficient number of trained specialists regardless of the delivery type. Experts said that it was appropriate to intervene when children were diagnosed with cancer that was less likely to be cured (33.7%) and to move to palliative care institutions when their conditions worsened (38.2%); and it was necessary to establish a specialized pediatric palliative care system, independent from the existing institutions for adult patients (73.8%). Conclusion: It is necessary to develop an education program to establish a nationwide pediatric palliative care centers. Pediatric palliative care intervention should be provided upon diagnosis rather than at the point of death. Patients should be transferred to palliative care institutions after intervention by their existing pediatric palliative care team at the hospital is started.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.72-85
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• 2010

Seasonal variation in species composition of estuarine fauna in the Han River estuary was determined using monthly samples collected near Ganghwa Island by a bag net from February to December 2009. Total number of species was 86: 54 species of fishes, 16 species of shrimps of crustacean, 12 species of other crustacean such as craps and so on, 3 species of cephalopods and 1 species of jellyfish. Of a total of 86 species, Palaeman carinicauda (32.6%), Acetes japonicus (15.9%), Palaemon gravieri (9.9%), Portunus trituberculatus (7.7%) and Acetes chinensis (6.9%) were predominated in abundance. These 5 crustacean accounted for 73% of total. Abundance, biomass and diversity of Han River estuarine fauna were high in spring and autumn, indicating typical pattern of temperate area. Out of dominant species, the brackish residence species such as Coilia nasus, Chelon haematocheilus, Mugil cephalus, Synechogobius hasta, Lophiogobius ocellicauda, Tridentiger barbatus, Palaeman carinicauda, Palaemon gravieri were collected almost year-round and predominated in abundance. Coastal migratory fauna species such as Coilia mystus, Thryssa hamiltonii, Thryssa adelae, Sardinella zunasi, Engraulis japonicus, Portunus trituberculatus, Acetes japonicus, Collichthys lucidus, Pampus argenteus were most plentiful from spring through autumn. Their adult coastal migratory entered the estuary in spring and large numbers of their juveniles were grew in summer and autumn until moving out to deeper waters for over-wintering, indicating they use estuary as nursing ground. Diadromous fish such as Anguila japonica adults were collected in autumn during their downstream migration. Brackish fauna and crustacean, especially shrimps were predominant, and few contaminant indicator species collected in the Han River estuary, indicating this area maintains the characteristics of natural estuary ecosystem.