• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.535-546
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• 2013

This study was carried out to analyze the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and general characteristics, psychological factors, eating habits, dietary behaviors, and health related quality of life using survey of 335 women aged 20 to 29 years in the Seoul and Kyungin areas. The 335 study subjects were divided into 4 groups by BMI ($kg/m^2$) levels; normal group($18.5{\leq}BMI{\leq}22.9$), overweight group($23.0{\leq}BMI{\leq}24.9$), mild obesity group($25.0{\leq}BMI{\leq}29.9$), and heavy obesity group ($BMI{\geq}30$) by Asian-Pacific obesity index criteria. The family income of the heavy obesity group was significantly (p<0.05) less than that of the normal weight group. Psychological factors, such as stress and depression of the normal weight group tended to be higher than those of overweight and obesity groups. The higher BMI level had the lower self-efficacy(p<0.05) among all subjects. As the BMI level increased, the preference for sweet, salty, and hot taste was significantly high. We found that normal weight women had healthier eating habits and dietary behaviors and a higher level of health-related quality of life than did those who were overweight, mildly obese, and heavily obese women. Overweight and mildly and heavily obese women were strongly associated with decreased physical and mental health related quality of life. Therefore, weight loss is desirable, and is likely to be beneficial for health-related quality of life in obese adult women. In conclusion, this study contains evidence to suggest that obesity management programs including different strategies according to obesity are required to determine the types of programs that are suitable for adult women, prior to their initiation of a program. The findings are helpful to inform researchers and practitioners who are seeking to implement appropriate strategies to create positive changes in the health behaviors of obese adult women.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2012

Purpose: This study examines and compares the differences between self-esteem and health promotion behavior of health department and non-health department college students. Method: The research instruments were as follows : The first one is RSES developed by Rosenberg and translated into Korean by Jeon. The second one is HPLP developed by Walker et al, and including six subareas by Lee and modified to be suitable to Korean culture by Suh. Data were statistically analyzed with SPSS PC/12.0. Results : 1. Comparison of self-esteem had no significant difference(p=.190) and health promotion behaviors had significant differences(p=.000) between the two groups. 2. According to general characteristics and health-related characteristics, the differences of self-esteem in health department showed significant differences in grade(p=.020), sex(p=.000), age(p=.000), parents' economic conditions(p=.048), and smoking(p=.030) while non-health departments revealed significant differences in grade(p=.003), sex(p=.000), age(p=.000) and smoking(p=.001). 3. According to general characteristics and health-related characteristics, the differences of health promotion behaviors in health department showed significant differences in grade(p=.008), sex(p=.021), age(p=.000) and parents' economic conditions(p=.017) while non-health department revealed significant differences in sex(p=.000) and age(p=.000). 4. There were positive correlations between self-esteem, health promotion behaviors and subareas in health department (r=.422) and non-health department (r=.383). Conclusion: There were significant positive correlations between self-esteem and health promotion behaviors in health and non-health department college students. Therefore, health related programs should be developed to enhance self-esteem and health management by college students can influence themselves on self-esteem and health promotion behaviors.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the performance level of breastfeeding health behaviors and general characteristics of breastfeeding mothers related to breastfeeding health behaviors. Method: 123 breastfeeding mothers whose infants are between 5-7 months of age participated in this study. Data was collected during a Breastfeeding Infant Contest held in September 2007 in Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do. Health behaviors related to breastfeeding were measured in Likert scale 5 including 20 questions developed by Park et al., and the collected data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, T-test and ANOVA using SPSS program. Result: The performance level on breastfeeding health behaviors scored $3.73{\pm}.35$ on average (5.0 in full score). The score showed that there were significant statistical differences only in the knowledge of breastfeeding between groups. The score of 'enough' knowledge group was higher than that of 'a little short' knowledge group (t=2.071, p=0.045). Conclusion: The performance level on breastfeeding health behaviors was related to the knowledge of breastfeeding in breastfeeding mothers. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance education on breastfeeding health behaviors for mothers of newborns in the hospital and to have a reevaluation process on their performance at the time of revisiting.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.150-157
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to survey male high school students on their MERS(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)-related knowledge, risk perception, and health behaviors and to identify the factors affecting health behaviors during the MERS outbreak in Korea. Methods: The subjects in this study were 144 students in a male high school. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires in July, 2015. The collected data were analyzed by ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 21.0. Results: The proportion of correct answers to questions testing MERS-related knowledge was 71.6% among male high school students; their health behaviors were rated at 48.9%; and their risk perception rate was 1.8 out of 4. There was a positive correlation between knowledge, risk perception, and health behaviors. Knowledge and risk perception explained 15.1% of the variance in health behaviors. Conclusion: To improve students' health behaviors, their risk perception and knowledge over MERS should be strengthened. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and implement efficient and feasible MERS education programs for high school students.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey the health behaviors related to reproductive health, reproductive health history, and sexual behaviors of college students in local areas. Method: With a survey design, 792 college students from C and D areas were recruited to assess health behaviors such as smoking and alcohol drinking, as well as history of reproductive health and sexual behaviors. The data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire from November to December, 2007. Result: Mean age of the students was 20.8(SD=1.96) and gender distribution was 29.2% for male and 70.8% for female. Unhealthy behaviors were alcohol drinking, smoking, excessive weight loss, and irregular exercise; unsafe sex practices were experience of sexual intercourse with multiple sex partners and history of sexually transmitted disease (STD). Male students had more alcohol drinking (p=.04), smoking(p<.001), excessive weight loss(p=.01), experience of sexual intercourse with multiple sex partners(p<.001), history of STD(p=.025) compared to females. On the other hands, female students participated in regular exercise less than males(p<.001). Conclusion: College students seem to perform unhealthy behaviors related to reproductive health and less effective way of safe sex practices. Therefore, a planned education program for reproductive health promotion operated by college level is needed to assess and improve the level of reproductive health in college students.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.338-354
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• 2023

Background: The influence of social capital on the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and related behaviors and perceptions has been recognized during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to analyze the trends in social capital using primary data from the Korean Community Health Survey, which is the only available source in Korea for local-level social capital analysis. It also investigates the relationship between various variables, including social capital, as factors influencing COVID-19-related behaviors and perceptions. Methods: The study analyzed the temporal trends of social capital using raw data from four community health surveys conducted in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2021. A multilevel analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between social capital and COVID-19-related behaviors and perceptions following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Results: Social capital consists of trust, bonding social capital, and bridging social capital. Within the trust sub-factor, trust in neighbors (Trust-1) declined after the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas trust in safety and general environment (Trust-2) and trust in medical services and public transportation (Trust-3) increased. Additionally, the gap between municipalities narrowed. COVID-19-related behaviors and perceptions, such as adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures, return to normal activities, and fear of COVID-19, showed improvement in 2021 compared to the previous year. Individual-level trust in neighbors was associated with reduced fear of COVID-19, while community-level trust in neighbors was associated with increased fear of COVID-19. Conclusion: Social capital plays a role in mitigating public health crises, and it is necessary to implement active policies that address the gap in social capital between metropolitan and rural areas. Strengthening risk communication regarding emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19 is crucial.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2020

Background: Hong Kong's construction industry currently faces a manpower crisis. Blue-collar workers are a disadvantaged group and suffer higher levels of chronic diseases, for example, cancer, than the wider population. Cancer risk factors are likely to cluster together. We documented prevalence of cancer-associated lifestyle risk behaviors and their correlates among Hong Kong construction workers. Methods: Data were collected from workers at 37 railway-related construction worksites throughout Hong Kong during May 2014. Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unbalanced nutrition intake, and physical inactivity were included in the analysis. Latent class analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to identify the patterns of risk behaviors related to cancer, as well as their impact factors among construction workers in Hong Kong. Results: Overall, 1,443 workers participated. Latent class analysis identified four different behavioral classes in the sample. Fully adjusted multiple logistic regression identified age, gender, years of Hong Kong residency, ethnicity, educational level, and living status differentiated behavioral classes. Conclusion: High levels of lifestyle-related cancer-risk behaviors were found in most of the Hong Kong construction workers studied. The present study contributes to understanding how cancer-related lifestyle risk behaviors cluster among construction workers and relative impact factors of risk behaviors. It is essential to tailor health behavior interventions focused on multiple risk behaviors among different groups for further enlarging the effects on cancer prevention.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.153-165
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to understand health-promotion behaviors and to find factors associated with the behaviors among Korean-Chinese workers who live in Korea. Methods: The number of Korean-Chinese workers participated in this study was 187, and the sample was chosen using a convenient sampling method. To understand general characteristics, frequencies and percentages were utilized. To examine the seven categories of health-promotion behavior, their average scores were calculated. To explore factors related to health-promotion behaviors, a multiple stepwise regression analysis was performed. Independent variables used for the analysis were self-concept, social support, stress, perceived health status, and demographics. Results: The average score of the seven health-promotion behaviors was 2.35. Of the seven subcategories of health-promotion behaviors, the scores of rest/sleep and self-actualization were relatively higher; the scores of exercise and stress management were relatively lower. Of demographics and four factors of main interest (i.e., self-concept, social support, stress, perceived health status), education level, types of residence, social support, and perceived health status remained statistically significant. Among the four factors, social support had the greatest impact on health-promotion behaviors. Conclusions: This study has two suggestions. First, it is needed to develop strategies, which can help Korean-Chinese workers enhance levels of health-promotion behaviors regarding stress management and exercise. Second, considering the greatest effect of social support on health-promotion behavior, it is necessary to strengthen social support among Korean-Chinese workers.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.412-422
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors influencing the health promoting behavior(s) of office worker males in the COVID-19 pandemic by applying Pender's health promotion model. Methods: The participants in this study were 149 male office workers at companies located in S, G and S cities. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and a stepwise multiple regression using the SPSS Window 25.0 program. Results: The subject's health promoting behaviors and prior related behaviors (r=.58, p<.001), perceived benefits of action (r=.41, p<.001), self-efficacy (r=.53, p<.001), social support (r=.39, p<.001), self-esteem (r=.47, p<.001) and commitment to a plan of action (r=.67, p<.001) showed a high positive correlation. The factors affecting the subjects' health promoting behaviors were the commitment to a plan of action (𝛽=.35, p<.001), self-esteem (𝛽=.27, p=.005), prior related behavior (𝛽=.26, p<.001), health status (good) (𝛽=.20, p=.001) and self-efficacy (𝛽=.14, p=.047). These variables explained 63.0% of the subjects' health promoting behaviors. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, subjects are more likely to be exposed to disease due to reduced outdoor activity time and irregular eating habits due to the strengthening of social distancing. Health promoting behaviors are an important concept that can maintain health and prevent diseases. To improve the health promoting behaviors of men engaged in office work, it is necessary to develop and operate a health promotion behaviors program considering those variables.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine whether demographic and socio-economic characteristics, health behaviors and health status are related to academic achievement in Korean adolescents. Methods: Data from the 14th Korea Youth Risk Behaviors web-based Survey(KYRBWS) administered in 2018 were analyzed; 60,040 students in middle and high school participated in the survey. It was conducted frequency analysis, Rao-Scott chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusted for variables such as age, school grade. Results: The significant influencing factors on academic achievement were family economic status, living with parents, subjective health status, smoking experience, alcohol use experience, eating breakfast, sleeping, internet use during weekdays, depressive symptom(p<.001). The odds ratio for achieving higher academic achievement compared with those who never smoked was 1.50(p<.001). Conclusion: I found that students' undesirable health behaviors affect their academic performance. To improve academic achievement, I recommend intervention programmes such as school health promotion that reduce undesirable health related behaviors.