• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.451-484
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• 2013

This study investigated the factors that influence subjective well-being of immigrant wives in Korea. We initially grouped the factors into 3 categories: personal, domestic, and social. For personal factors, we included couple's age difference, reason for entry, religion, marital duration, employment status, economical status, acculturation to Korean culture, acquisition of Korean language, and ego-resiliency. For domestic factors we included marriage process, reason for marriage, husbands' understanding of wife's native language, husbands' understanding of wife's culture, marital satisfaction, existence of children, head of the household, and parenting efficacy. Finally for social factors, awareness of welfare services and systems, use of public institutions and civil organizations, and participation in social groups were included. We recruited 256 immigrant wives who live in Asan City, Chungnam Province and the data were analyzed by multiple linear regression. The factors that statistically significant were: ego-resiliency, marital duration, acculturation to Korean culture and economic status among personal factors; parenting efficacy, marital satisfaction and marriage process (married without a matchmaker) among domestic factors; participation in self-help group of women from the same mother country, awareness of welfare services and systems, participation in hobby club, and participation in fraternal/religious society among social factors. It is hoped that this paper will yield general insights into subjective well-being of immigrant wives and may help them to develop inner talent and strength.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.99-111
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors related to sexual function of women with coronary artery disease, and to determine the predictors of sexual function. The study design, a descriptive correlational study, was done through structural questionnaire and interview. A total of 50 subjects from C University Hospital at Kwang-ju city who have undergone coronary angiography at department of cardiology were observed and interviewed from Feb. 22, 1999 to March. 23, 1999. The number of affected vessels, the level of total serum cholesterol, and the ejection fraction of 2-D echo cardiography were analyzed to evaluate the severity of coronary artery disease. And also type A behavior pattern, health behavior, Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women (BISF-W) were measured. The data obtained were analyzed using percentage, mean and standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analysis via SPSS PC+. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The mean age of the subjects were 58.1 and 72.0% of those have been married over 30 years. Seventy two percentage were unemployed and monthly family income of 56.6% was less than 1,000,000 won (approximately $ 840). Eighty percent were in their postmenopausal state, and the frequency of sexual intercourse of 84.0% were two to three times per month. 2. The scores of type A behavior pattern were from 16 to 38(mean 24.94) and health behavior ranged from 21 to 43(mean 31.2). Abstinence from smoking, alcohol, and caffeine were best compliant factors and weight control and exercise were least abided ones. The result of 2D-ECHO EF showed that the half of the subjects were abnormal, and 24% had more than 240mg/dl of total serum cholesterol. The coronary angiography showed that 64% of the subjects had more than one affected vessels. 3. The predictors to explain the factor score of 'orgasm' were number of health examination, the pre- or post-menopausal state, protestant, number of coronary vessel affected, level of serum total cholesterol, and comorbid group of hypertension and diabetes, and it's total variance accounted for 52.4%. The predictors to explain the factor score of 'sexual activity' were comorbid group of hypertension and diabetes and type A behavior pattern, which accounted for 22.4% of total variance. The predictors to explain the factor score of 'sexual satisfaction' were type A behavior pattern, no religion, exercise, level of serum total cholesterol, and pre or post menopausal state, which accounted for 52.1%. The predictors to explain the factor score of 'sexual desire' were the period of marriage, type A behavior, employment or unemployment, and weight control, which accounted for 43.2%. The predictors to explain the factor score of 'external force of sexual functioning' were physical overload and exercise, which accounted for 41.1%. The predictors to explain the factor score of 'sexual activity' were family monthly income, catholics, and exercise, and which accounted for 35.4%. Above results lead us to some consensus that sexual function of women with coronary artery disease is related to various factors including vasogenic factors such as total serum cholesterol level, number of coronary vessel affected, an endocrinal factor such as menopausal state, and type A behavior pattern as a sociopshychological factor. And also health behaviors such as fitness care, overwork, weight control, and emotional tension are contributed to sexual function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8607-8612
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer patients experience a variety of altered appearance - such as loss or disfigurement of breasts, discolored skin, and hair loss - which result in psychological distress that affect their quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on the altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life among Korean breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at advocacy events held at 16 different hospitals in Korea. Subjects were eligible to participate if they were 18 years of age or older, had a histologically confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer, had no evidence of recurrence or metastasis, and had no psychological problems at the time of the survey. Employment status, marital status, education, and income were assessed for patient socioeconomic status. Altered appearance distress was measured using the NCI's cancer treatment side effects scale; body image and quality of life were measured by the EORTC QLC-C30 and BR23. Means and standard deviations of each outcome were compared by socioeconomic status and multivariate linear regression models for evaluating the association between socioeconomic status and altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life. Results: A total of 126 breast cancer patients participated in the study; the mean age of participants was 47.7 (SD=8.4). Of the total, 83.2% were married, 85.6% received more than high school education, 35.2% were employed, and 41% had more than $3000 in monthly household income. About 46% had mastectomy, and over 30% were receiving either chemotherapy or radiation therapy at the time of the survey. With fully adjusted models, the employed patients had significantly higher altered appearance distress (1.80 vs 1.48; p<0.05) and poorer body image (36.63 vs 51.69; p<0.05) compared to the patients who were unemployed. Higher education (10.58, standard error (SE)=7.63) and family income (12.88, SE=5.08) was positively associated with better body image after adjusting for age, disease stage at diagnosis, current treatment status, and breast surgery type. Similarly, patients who were married and who had higher education had better quality of life were statistically significant in the multivariate models. Conclusions: Socioeconomic status is significantly associated with altered appearance distress, body image, and quality of life in Korean women with breast cancer. Patients who suffer from altered appearance distress or lower body image are much more likely to experience psychosocial, physical, and functional problems than women who do not, therefore health care providers should be aware of the changes and distresses that these breast cancer patients go through and provide specific information and psychosocial support to socioeconomically more vulnerable patients.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.606-619
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to examine the state of customized visiting oral health programs in a bid to help facilitate the unified operation of the programs and the development of required guidelines. Methods : The subjects in this study were 49 dental hygienists who were professionals responsible for customized visiting health care programs across the nation. Results : 1. Regarding the form of employment of the dental hygienists were investigated many contract and daily workers. 2. As to the possession of equipment necessary for visiting oral health programs, denture cleaners(12.2%) were most widely possessed in some regions, followed by mobile scalers(10.2%) and mobile suctions(8.2%). In terms of expendable devices and materials, dental mirrors, pincettes and explorers were the most widely possessed dental checkup devices, and the most widely possessed oral hygiene supplies were toothbrushes, interdental brushes and denture cleaners. Those devices and materials were in more possession than the other types of devices and materials. The most widely possessed equipment for educational purpose was laptop computers, followed by beam projectors and screens. The most widely possessed teaching materials were dentiform, followed by CD-ROMs. 3. Those whom they visited the most for oral health care service were elderly people, followed by the disabled and patients with chronic diseases. The dental hygienists who went out to visit those people outnumbered the others who stayed at public health centers. Concerning the types of visiting oral health care service, the most prevalent service provided to the elderly included denture cleaning/management, oral massage and preventive treatment against dental caries. The most dominant service provided to the disabled involved education of the oral health care act, preventive treatment against dental caries and toothbrushing by professionals. The most common service offered to patients with chronic diseases was education of the oral health care act and oral health education. The dental hygienists paid a visit to a mean of 5.8 households a day. The average weekly number of households cared by the dental hygienists was 27.3. It took a mean of 37.1 minutes for them to take care of each household. 4. As for satisfaction level with the implementation of the visiting oral health programs, they expressed the greatest satisfaction at teamwork with professionals($3.56{\pm}0.94$), followed by the professionalism of their work($3.21{\pm}0.94$) and workload($3.08{\pm}0.94$). Their satisfaction level with the work conditions required for creative job performance($2.75{\pm}0.98$) and partnership with other institutions($2.64{\pm}1.03$) was below 3.0. In regard to the impact of their characteristics, marital status made a statistically significant difference to satisfaction level with workload. The unmarried dental hygienists were more pleased with their workload than the married ones(p<0.05). 5. As to needs for education for professionalism improvement, they asked for education about visiting oral health care skills the most, followed by education about oral health care for patients with chronic diseases, education of planning/evaluation and education of oral health care for the disabled. Conclusions : The top priority for the vitalization of the programs was the procurement of budget, followed by the procurement of equipment and educational media and the procurement of human resources.