• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.106-115
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• 2009

Purpose: Occupational stress is a determinant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and work disability. This study aims to describe occupational stress and identify its related factors among aged security guards. Methods: A random sample of 76 aged security guards were interviewed by three research assistants. The criteria of the subjects were as follows : 50 or older male with 40 or more working hours a week working with colleagues ranged from 3 to 50. The data were collected in September, 2007 and analyzed by multiple regression using SAS Version 9.1. Results: The mean score of occupational stress among aged security guards was 47.2. The mean scores of its sub-scales were 31.3(physical environment), 33.8(occupational demand), 80.8occupational control), 44.6(interpersonal conflict), 51.3 (occupational insecurity), 53.6(occupational system), 57.5(lack of reward), and 30.3(work environment). The scores of occupational control, interpersonal conflict, and occupational insecurity were higher than the scores of Korean average occupational stress sub-scales. Significant variables affecting occupational stress and its sub-scales were work place, work type, and employment type. Conclusion: In order to reduce occupational stress among security guards, sufficient occupational control and interpersonal conflict control, appropriate reward, and employment stability should be considered. Also long working hours and work shift should be improved.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.415-425
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to identify and compare factors associated with intention to receive Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine between male and female undergraduate students. Methods: In the fall of 2010, 479 students responded to self-administered questionnaires about their intention to receive HPV vaccine, HPV knowledges, HPV related involvements and optimistic bias, subject's characteristics including opinion about HPV vaccine. Mann-Whitney U test, uni-variate and multi-variate logistic regression were used for data analysis with SPSS/WIN. Results: Intention to receive vaccine were 22.0% of men and 25.0% of women. There were significantly different in HPV knowledge (Z=-2.74, p=.006), optimistic bias (Z=-4.60, p<.001), vaccine is necessary for women (Z=-4,30, p<.001), vaccine is necessary for men (Z=-4.37, p<.001), vaccine is necessary if only symptom exist (Z=-4.52, p<.001), but there were not different in intention to receive vaccine, involvement between men and women. Concern about vaccine safety (OR=3.19, 95% CI 1.63~6.23) was determinant of intention to receive HPV vaccine for men. Conclusion: This study showed gender differences in HPV knowledge, HPV related optimistic bias and opinion about HPV vaccine, which would be assessed and well managed in tailored HPV education for enhancing HPV vaccine acceptance.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Purpose: Height-specific blood pressure (BP) is the standard parameter used to diagnose childhood hypertension. However, there has been some argument that weight may be a better variable than height in the reference BP standards. Therefore, before assessing the BP status using the reference BP standards, a basic understanding of the fundamental association of weight and height with BP is required. Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the correlation of BP with height and weight in Korean adolescents (age, 10-19 years), using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2009-2011). Results: Systolic BP (SBP) was more closely correlated with weight than with height in the normal weight (body mass index [BMI], ${\leq}85th$ percentile) and overweight (BMI, >85th percentile) groups and in the normal waist circumference (WC, ${\leq}90th$ percentile) and high WC (>90th percentile) groups in both sexes. Diastolic BP (DBP) had a higher correlation with height than with weight in the normal weight and normal WC groups, whereas weight was more closely associated with DBP than height in the overweight and high WC groups in both boys and girls. Conclusion: In Korean adolescents, weight had a greater effect on SBP than height in both the normal weight and overweight groups. DBP was mainly affected by height in the normal weight group, whereas weight was the major determinant of DBP in the overweight group. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider weight in the establishment of reference BP standards.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.754-762
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• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the effect of sodium intake on blood pressure and blood parameters. 20 young adult women were fed the diets containing 290.5 mEq (high-Na diet) and 51.3 mEq (low-Na diet) Na for 6 days, respectively. BMI, DBP, and MBP were significantly lower in low-Na diet than those in high-Na diet. 20 subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the salt-sensitivity. In salt-sensitive group, decreases in SBP, DBP, and MBP by low-Na diet were shown. And there were not significant difference in blood pressure of salt-resistant group between high- and low-Na diet. In count-reactive group, MBP in low-Na diet was significantly higher than that in high-Na diet. Hemoglobin, creatinine, uric acid, and haptoglobin levels in serum were significantly higher in low-Na diet than those in high-Na diet. Among groups with different salt-sensitivity, increments of haptoglobin by low-Na diet were shown in salt-sensitive and counter-reactive groups. Actually, low sodium diet affects not only the blood pressure, but other biochemical parameters which in turn affect an individual overall health. Also salt-sensitivity should be considered as an important determinant. Therefore, for the patients who need restricted Na diet, it would be suggested that various biochemical changes and individual salt-sensitivity should be carefully considered along with dietary Na manipulation.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.120-130
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• 2000

Studies on the relation between socio-economic factors and metermal and child health have found that poverty, lack of edcation, inappropriate health serives are affecting to maternal and child health. The Gender Related Development Index (GDI) focuses on equality between men and women as well as on the average achiement of all people taken together, using same cariables as the Human Development Index (HDI) which are life expectancy, literacy rate, and per capita GDP. This research is to inverstigate whether HDI and GDI are useful determinants for maternal infant mortality. Using 146 UN member countries date, we condented multiple regression analysis for maternal and infant mortality with three models which are Model(individual variables-literacy rate, per capita GDP), Model(HDI) and Model(GDI). The results showed that HDI and GDI are powerful determinants of both maternal and infant mortality, respectively HDI($\beta$=-1.18, t=3.3; $\beta$=1.04, t=5.1) GDI($\beta$=-1.44, t=3.9; $\beta$=1.28, t=6.5) The higher power in model with GDI for both maternal and infant mortalities represented that GDI was more powerful determinant of maternal and infant mortality, than HDI respectively HDI($R^2$=0.824, $R^2$=0.842), GDI($R^2$=0.834, $R^2$=0.865). In conclusion, the maternal and infant mortalities are explained by GDI than HDI and may be lower in the societies where there are less discimination between men and women.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Objectives: By the end of the 2000s, the economic situation in many European countries started to deteriorate, generating financial uncertainty, social insecurity and worse health status. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the recent financial crisis has affected the lifestyle health determinants and behaviours of older adults living in the Mediterranean islands. Methods: From 2005 to 2015, a population-based, multi-stage convenience sampling method was used to voluntarily enrol 2749 older adults (50% men) from 20 Mediterranean islands and the rural area of the Mani peninsula. Lifestyle status was evaluated as the cumulative score of four components (range, 0 to 6), that is, smoking habits, diet quality (MedDietScore), depression status (Geriatric Depression Scale) and physical activity. Results: Older Mediterranean people enrolled in the study from 2009 onwards showed social isolation and increased smoking, were more prone to depressive symptoms, and adopted less healthy dietary habits, as compared to their counterparts participating earlier in the study (p<0.05), irrespective of age, gender, several clinical characteristics, or socioeconomic status of the participants (an almost 50% adjusted increase in the lifestyle score from before 2009 to after 2009, p<0.001). Conclusions: A shift towards less healthy behaviours was noticeable after the economic crisis had commenced. Public health interventions should focus on older adults, particularly of lower socioeconomic levels, in order to effectively reduce the burden of cardiometabolic disease at the population level.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.379-388
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• 2006

Objectives: This study assessed the influences of various factors that are related to youth smoking such as gender, age and type of school, and we wanted to provide supporting data for tailored and effective policy initiatives to reduce adolescent smoking. Methods: A self-report survey was conducted on 14,910 teen-age students who were selected based on the nationwide distribution of students in large and small cities and counties, the gender ratio of the students and the ratio of students attending various type of school at 38 middle and high schools in six representative areas of each province. The survey was handled and managed by a health education teacher at each school. Binary and multinomial logistic regression was used in the analyses. Results: Smoking by adolescents was associated with gender, age and even height. Male high school students tended to smoke more than female high school students, but this differences was not significant for middle school students. The older the adolescents were, the more likely that they smoked, except for the female high school students. Height was meaningful for all adolescents, except for the boys at the vocational high schools. Monthly allowance was significant for all adolescents. School factors such as type of school and the students' school performance were also crucial factors. Attending a vocational high school was strongly related to smoking, especially for girls. Students' school performance and the perceived level of stress were strongly associated with smoking, especially for boys. Home factors such as the relationship with parents and conversation time with family members were closely related to smoking behavior. Knowledge about the health hazard of smoking was also found to be strongly related to adolescent smoking. Conclusions: In conclusion, demographic factors, school factors, home surroundings and the perception on the harmfulness of smoking are strongly related to adolescent smoking behavior, but these differ from gender and type of school.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.49
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• pp.314.1-314.15
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• 2018

Background: Despite its growing significance, studies on the burden of disease associated with natural disasters from the perspective of public health were few. This study aimed at estimating the national burden of disease associated with typhoons and torrential rains in Korea. Methods: During the period of 2002-2012, 11 typhoons and five torrential rains were selected. Mortality and morbidities were defined as accentual death, injury and injury-related infection, and mental health. Their incidences were estimated from National Health Insurance Service. Case-crossover design was used to define the disaster-related excess mortality and morbidity. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were directly assessed from excess mortality and morbidity. Results: The burden of disease from typhoons increased with the intensity, with 107.7, 30.6, and 36.6 DALYs per 100,000 per event for strong, moderate, and weak typhoons, respectively. Burden of disease from torrential rains were 56.9, 52.8, and 26.4 DALYs per 100,000 per event for strong, moderate, and weak episodes, respectively. Mental disorders contributed more years lived with disability (YLDs) than did injuries in most cases, but the injury-induced YLDs associated with strong typhoon and torrential rain were higher than those of lower-intensity. The elderly was the most vulnerable to most types of disaster and storm intensities, and males younger than 65 years were more vulnerable to a strong torrential rain event. Conclusion: The intensity of torrential rain or typhoon was the strongest determinant of the burden of disease from natural disasters in Korea. Population vulnerable may vary depending on the nature and strength of the disasters.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-20
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to find the determinant variables to make profitability in regional public hospitals. The data come from financial statements and annual reports of 34 regional public hospitals for five years (from year 2003 to year 2007). The T or F-test and hierarchical multiple regression analysis are used. The dependant variables are the profitability indicators, ordinary income to total asset and operating margin to gross revenue, and the independent variables are general characteristics, diagnosis and treatment patterns, financial and public benefits. The findings of this study are summarized as follows. First, Variables affecting the profitability indexes revealed from DEA results is the bed occupancy rate, number of hospitalized patients to outpatients, ratio of first medical examination for outpatients, number of daily patients per medical specialist, labor cost per patient and managerial expenses per patient. Second, the ordinary income to total asset representing the asset usage performance is affected by the average hospitalized days, bed occupancy rate, labor cost per patient and ratio of patients with medical insurance coverage. Third, the operating martin to gross revenue obtained from the actual operations of hospitals has its significance with the bed occupancy rate, number of hospitalized patients to outpatients, managerial expenses per patient and public benefit indicator. This study has some restriction not to use pannel data analysis, although it used data for five years. Accordingly, various additional studies should be done to supplement such problems.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-18
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• 2006

The organizational effectiveness of hospital in various environmental fluctuations is a large and complex problem. Hospital CEO leadership characteristics may be a critical determinant of employees' job satisfaction and turnover intention. Several empirical studies on transformational leadership found that transformational leadership behaviors were positively related to workers' job satisfaction and turnover intention. Very little research related to this subject has been done in health care settings in Korea. The author explores the relationship between hospital CEO leadership style and its effect on job satisfaction and turnover intention among the all staffs of general hospital. The relationship of hospital CEO leadership style to employees' job satisfaction was investigated using the Bass's leadership paradigm of transformational and transactional leadership. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire(MLQ) and the index of job satisfaction and turnover intention were completed by 493 hospital employees(doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, technicians, and assistants). The findings show a similar trend to the previous studies. Hospital CEO leadership behaviors and employee outcomes were significantly correlated. Correlations showed a significant positive relationship between those hospital CEO exhibiting a transformational leadership style and the job satisfaction of their staffs. The results of multiple regression analysis indicate that the effect of charisma in transformational leadership behaviors is more higher than other variables. Transformational leadership style may be a more effective strategy and have a greater effect on staff outcomes, attitudes and behaviors. The findings of this study reveal implications for efficient hospital management and the importance of understanding relationship between hospital CEO's leadership style and subordinate behaviors in the context of CEO's desirable role and function for hospital strategy planning and future direction.