• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.13.1-13.11
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• 2014

Objectives This study examined variations in the perceptions of dioxin risk among social groups defined by geographical living location, environmental education, and occupation. Dioxin risk perceptions were analyzed according to values, risk awareness, knowledge, and behavioral preferences. Methods A quasi-experimental survey was designed and conducted on individuals from seven experimental groups in Jeonju city, South Korea, including: people living near incineration facilities; people living far from incineration facilities; governmental experts; non-governmental organization members; office workers in developmental institutes or banks; students who were enrolled in environmental-related classes; and students who were enrolled in business-related classes. Results The results show variations among groups in values, awareness and behavioral preferences. Particular attention should be given to the result that groups with higher connectedness-to-nature values show higher willingness-to-act (WTA) for risk reduction. Result s can be summarized as follows. First, awareness is associated with one's geographical setting. Second, values and WTA behaviors are related to one's environmental-related education and occupation. Third, values are significantly related to WTA behaviors. Conclusions Different cultures, in terms of values or worldview, among groups influence their perceptions of dioxin risk and choices of risk reduction behaviors. It is important to consider values in communicating complicated long-term risk management involving public participation. Further research should be continuously conducted on the effects of multiple dimensions of values on one's WTA for risk reduction behaviors.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1625-1634
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• 2011

The aim of this study is to clarify what influence has on elementary school children's environmental awareness in time of teaching environmental problems from an animistic viewpoint and from non-animistic viewpoint. For this purpose, this study carried out its research targeting 126 students in fourth grade at M elementary school located in U Metropolitan City. This study suggested the environmental problems by re-edifying the already suggested environmental problems from an animistic viewpoint to 62 students for two classes which were classified as an experimental group after sampling 10 cases of the representative environmental problems that might derive from the earth system, and conducted the class on 10 main topics relevant to the problematic situation of environment with an animistic viewpoint excluded targeting the remaining 64 students forming a comparison group. The results of this study were as follows: First, there appeared an ex-ante ex-post statistically significant difference in the awareness of environmental problems from the experimental group which received an environmental class from an animistic viewpoint. However, there didn't appear a statistically significant difference from the comparison group. This study interprets this result to mean that elementary students' awareness of environmental problems increase because they think about the environmental problems by associating them with a problem of life when the students receive the environmental class from an animistic viewpoint. Second, there appeared an ex-ante ex-post statistically significant difference in the awareness of environmental problems from the experimental group which received an environmental class from an animistic viewpoint. However, there didn't appear a statistically significant difference from the comparison group. Regarding this aspect, this study believes that the experimental group shows much higher willingness to environmental act in comparison with the comparison group because elementary school students think of inanimate objects as living things.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of our new video-assisted asthma education program on patients' knowledge regarding asthma and asthma control. Methods: Adult asthmatics who were diagnosed by primary care physicians and followed for at least 1 year were educated via smart devices and pamphlets. The education sessions were carried out three times at 2-week intervals. Each education period lasted at most 5 minutes. The effectiveness was then evaluated using questionnaires and an asthma control test (ACT). Results: The study enrolled 144 patients (mean age, $56.7{\pm}16.7years$). Half of the patients had not been taught how to use their inhalers. After participating in the education program, the participants' understanding of asthma improved significantly across all six items of a questionnaire assessing their general knowledge of asthma. The proportion of patients who made errors while manipulating their inhalers was reduced to less than 10%. The ACT score increased from $16.6{\pm}4.6$ to $20.0{\pm}3.9$ (p<0.001). The number of asthmatics whose ACT score was at least 20 increased from 45 (33.3%) to 93 (65.3%) (p<0.001). The magnitude of improvement in the ACT score did not differ between patients who received an education session at least three times within 1 year and those who had not. The majority of patients agreed to the need for an education program (95.8%) and showed a willingness to pay an additional cost for the education (81.9%). Conclusion: This study indicated that our newly developed education program would become an effective component of asthma management in primary care clinics.