• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and factors associated with it among elders in a rural community. Methods: Data were collected from 683 subjects with a questionnaire, physical measurement, and blood test. The prevalence of the MS was determined by AHA/NHLBI and waist circumference cutoff points for Koreans. Results: The prevalence of the MS was 50.5% in total (41.6% in men, 56.3% in women) while the prevalence of 5 metabolic risk factors was 67.7% for elevated blood pressure, 51.0% for low HDL-cholesterol, and 50.2% for abdominal obesity. Risk factors associated with the prevalence of the MS included family history, BMI, and physical activity; significant factors associated with that of metabolic components included family history, BMI, smoking, drinking, and physical activity. Especially, a higher BMI was a strong risk factor of the prevalence of abdominal obesity as well as the MS and its components. Conclusion: The findings indicate that nurses should care for elders based on each metabolic component regarding its prevalence level and concentrate primarily on reducing elevated blood pressure, low HDL-cholesterol by controlling the main risk factor, abdominal obesity through lifestyle modification.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.4031-4035
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most feared diseases among women and it could induce the development of psychological disorders like anxiety and depression. An assessment was here performed of the status and to determine contributory factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among breast cancer patients at University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur. A total of 205 patients who were diagnosed between 2007 until 2010 were interviewed using the questionnaires of Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS). The associated factors investigated concerned socio-demographics, socio economic background and the cancer status. Descriptive analysis, chi-squared tests and logistic regression were used for the statistical test analysis. Results: The prevalence of anxiety was 31.7% (n=65) and of depression was 22.0% (n=45) among the breast cancer patients. Age group (p= 0.032), monthly income (p=0.015) and number of visits per month (p=0.007) were significantly associated with anxiety. For depression, marital status (p=0.012), accompanying person (p=0.041), financial support (p-0.007) and felt burden (p=0.038) were significantly associated. In binary logistic regression, those in the younger age group were low monthly income were 2 times more likely to be associated with anxiety. Having less financial support and being single were 3 and 4 times more likely to be associated with depression. Conclusions: In management of breast cancer patients, more care or support should be given to the young and low socio economic status as they are at high risk of anxiety and depression.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.314-320
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of falls in community-dwelling older adults and to identify associated factors using the 2019 Community Health Survey. Methods: The original data was from the 2019 Community Health Survey, and the study sample comprised 1,642 older adults aged 65 years and older in Jeju province. Data collection was conducted from August 16 to November 20, 2019, through an interview done by a trained investigator. Respondents were queried about demographic characteristics, riding bicycles, hospital treatment due to an accident or poisoning in the previous year, fall experiences in the past year, fear of falling, self-management status, and pain and discomfort. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate for associations between potential risk factors and falls. Results: The prevalence of falls in this community-dwelling older adults was 13.1%. Falls were associated with riding bicycles (odds ratio = 4.7; 95% confidence interval: 2.26-9.81), fear of falling (odds ratio = 0.3; 95% confidence interval: 0.24-0.49), hospital treatment due to an accident or poisoning in the previous year (odds ratio = 7.8; 95% confidence interval: 5.02-12.19), self-management status (odds ratio = 0.6; 95% confidence interval: 0.34-0.89), and pain and discomfort (odds ratio = 0.6; 95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.87). Conclusions: We found that the prevalence of approximately about 13% of older adults living in a community has experienced falls. Based on the results of the study, we provided primary data to develop the care management intervention program to prevent falls and avoid risk factors that cause falls in community-dwelling older adults.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.302-312
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify associated factors of chewing discomfort among community-dwelling elderly. Methods: The study was cross-sectional design and secondary data analysis using the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Among the total of 7,550 participants, data was analyzed with 1,126 adults aged 65 years and over. Chewing discomfort was assessed by the perceived chewing discomfort. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find the associated factors of chewing discomfort. Results: Along with 61.7% of the participants reported having chewing discomfort, 85.2% reported to perceive poor oral health and 35.0% had oral pain. In multivariate logistic regression, perceived oral health (OR 3.22, 95% CI 2.24~4.63), oral pain (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.76~3.43), activity limitation (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.05~2.80), teeth requiring treatment (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.14~2.26), number of remaining teeth (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.22~2.10) and educational level (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.15~2.12) were the significant predictors of chewing discomfort. Conclusion: The prevalence in chewing discomfort was high in elderly Koreans and various factors were associated with chewing discomfort. To improve chewing ability, it is suggested that the national level of policies offer strategical oral health programs in this population.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.303-311
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey patient activation for self-management and to identify factors associated with patient activation for self-management among community residents with osteoarthritis in Korea. Methods: Cross-sectional study design was used. Survey data were collected from 270 community residents with osteoarthritis through direct interviews. Studied factors included patient activation, joint pain, physical function, depression, and general characteristics. Data were analyzed using chi-squared test, t-test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The participants' mean score of patient activation was $56.0{\pm}16.61$. The mean score of each factor was $10.6{\pm}5.89$ for joint pain, $5.5{\pm}3.56$ for physical function, and $19.3{\pm}10.01$ for depression. The patient activation level was significantly associated with depression and general characteristics such as education, religion, comorbid hypertension, and use of medical clinics (p<.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that depression, education, religion, comorbid hypertension, and use of medical clinics may be important factors to be considered when developing programs of patient activation for self-management. This is the first study that measured patient activation, and further studies are suggested to find factors associated with patient activation for self-management among community residents with other chronic diseases.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.140-149
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors (biological, psychological, interpersonal, and contextual factors) associated with the weight bias internalization of the Korean girls in early adolescence. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design. Data was collected from 233 girls aged 12~14 years with a self-reported questionnaire. With multiple regression analysis, the factors associated with the weight bias internalization of the girls in early adolescence were analyzed. Results: Of psychosocial factors, fear to fat (anti-fat attitude) (β=.43, p<.001) was associated with the weight bias internalization of the girls in early adolescence. In addition, attachment with teachers (β=-.11, p=.029) of an interpersonal factor and perceived socio-cultural pressure regarding weight control (β=.34, p<.001) of a contextual factor were associated with the weight bias internalization of the girls in early adolescence. Conclusion: For releasing the weight bias internalization of the girls in early adolescence, decreasing anti-fat attitude and socio-cultural pressure regarding weight control should be primarily required through social efforts including community and school based interventions.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.spc
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• pp.549-562
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to identify individual- and regional-level factors associated with perceived good health and multimorbidity among older adults. Methods: Secondary analysis of the 2017 Korea Community Health Survey was conducted on a sample of 67,532 older adults. The individual level data set was combined with regional-level factors from the administrative data released on the Korea National Statistical Office website. Distribution of perceived good health and multimorbidity in 254 public health centers were calculated using sampling weights and presented as percentages. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to identify individual- and regional-level factors associated with perceived good health and multimorbidity. Results: Overall, 21.1% of subjects perceived their health to be good, ranging from 9.3% to 39.4% by region. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 15.9%, and varied between 6.6% and 22.6% by region. At the individual level, perceived good health was associated with men, younger age, higher educational levels, higher income levels, and those married and living with a partner and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. At the regional level, higher rates of health center personnel among public officials and higher levels of financial independence were associated with perceived good health. Multimorbidity was associated with marital status and healthy lifestyle, and higher rates of health center personnel among public officials. Conclusion: Regional factors such as health care personnel and local economy could affect population health. Our findings suggest the need to consider individual- and regional-level factors to promote good health among older adults and reduce the health gap by region.

• ALGAE
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2003

The short-term dynamics of the summer phytoplankton community structure were investigated in coastal waters around Namhae Island, the Southern Sea of Korea. The study was based on a comprehensive survey constituting 39 collections from 13 stations on July 18-22, August 1-2, 14-16 and 27-30, respectively. The community structure was analysed using cluster analysis and important environmental correlates of the assemblage structure were identified with canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Water temperature, salinity, NO₂, NO₃, NH₄, PO₄, chlorophyll a and transparency were measured as physico-chemical environmental factors which may be associated with the phytoplankton community structure. Variations of salinity and concentrations of NO₃ and chlorophyll a were not significant. In addition to warmer water temperature, concentrations of NO₂, NO₄and PO₄ decreased at the beginning of August. And transparency was deeper and water column became very unstable after the middle of August. A wide taxonomic diversity was encountered during the survey, including a total of 121 taxa which was composed of 72 diatoms, 48 dinoflagellates and 1 euglenoid species. Cluster analysis showed that the Phytoplankton community could be divided into 4 distinct groups, indicating rapid changes of the community in the short course of this survey. These phytoplankton groups also showed distinctive dispersion patterns in 2-dimensional canonical space, indicating distinct groupings for stations at each survey. Dominant taxa of diatoms (Chaetoceros curvisetus, Chaetoceros spp., Leptocylindrus danicus, Leptocylindrus mediteraneus, Skeletonema costanum, and Pseudo-nitzschia pungen) clustered in region of CCA space corresponding to stations surveyed at the middle of July. Dominant taxa of dinoflagellates were tightly associated with stations surveyed at the middle (Karenia breve) and end (Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Polykrikos schwartzii) of August. The CCA also showed that the phytoplankton community compositions were highly associated with water temperature, transparency, NO₂, NH₄ and PO₄, suggesting that gradients in physical and nutrient conditions affect short-term changes in phytoplankton composition.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.276-285
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to identify the impact of community factors on the community-level Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in Korea. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2012 using secondary data(n=209) of the Korean Statistical Information Service. The framework was based on community factors provided by the International Council of Science (ICSU) and community factors were categorized based on six aspects. Multiple regression was applied to community factors depending on the community EQ-5D index. Smoking rate, "Good" self-rated health rate, water and wastewater coverage rate, and financial independency rate were significantly and positively associated with the EQ-5D score. Net migration rate(more move out than move in), obesity rate, unmet needed health care rate, and community type(rural than urban) were significantly and negatively associated with the EQ-5D score. This study identifies association for the impact of community factors on the community-level HRQOL and can provide useful evidence for development of community health promotion policies.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.24-33
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• 2024

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate individual- and community-level factors on suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among Korean adults. Methods : This study was conducted on 225,965 adults collected through data from the 2021 Community Health Survey and the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). The general characteristics, suicidal behavior (e.g., suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts), and community-level characteristics of the study subjects were analyzed using frequency (%) and mean (standard deviation). The effects on individual- and community-level factors on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. Results : The community-level factor associated with suicidal ideation was unmet health care (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.053, 95% CI=1.035-1.071), and the community-level factor associated with suicide attempt was the aging rate (OR=1.015, 95% CI=1.001-1.030). Regarding health-related variables, the individual-level factors associated with suicidal ideation were stress status (OR=9.388, 95% CI=8.629-10.213), depressive experience in the past year (OR=6.737, 95% CI=6.454-7.032), and the predominantly individual-level factors associated with suicide attempt were also stress status (OR=5.213, 95% CI=3.699-7.347), and depressive experience in the last one year (OR=13.433, 95% CI: 11.247-16.044). Conclusions : We confirmed individual-level and community-level factors influencing suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Through these findings, we need to establish suicide prevention policies, considering managing individual-level factors such as stress and depression as well as community-level factors such as unmet health care.