• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.502-516
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate occupational exposure to chemical and health status of foreign workers in Korea. Methods: The data were collected from survey of general characteristics, job-related characteristics, work environment-related characteristics of 180 foreign workers who have been working at manufacturing industries in Korea in 2022. The data were analyzed using Rex. Results: Among the 180 participants, men accounted for more than women by 71.7% (129 people). Most of them are Vietnamese or Filipino and most of them graduated from high school. 116 of all participants are exposed to chemicals at work. The most prevalence rate of subject's health problems were backache (61.0%), headache (53.9%), fatigue (68.0%). Controlling for age, the number of physical health problems experienced in the last year was associated with BMI (r=0.184, p=0.049), and the number of mental health problems experienced in the past year (r=0.056, p<0.001) and all showed significant positive (+) correlations. The number of chemical products handled under age control showed a significant negative (-) correlation with working hours (r=0.207, p=0.027) and BMI (r=0.214, p=0.022) and showed a significant positive (+) correlation. Conclusions: The results of this study provided the latest update on the health status of foreign workers in Korea. It is also the first survey to attempt to assess the exposure of foreign workers to chemicals.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

1. Objectives : This research aimed to understand the effects of food consumption that fits to the constitution of subjects on health status by recognizing the constitutional food preference according to Sasang constitution. 2. Methods : The participants who are college students in D city were invited from Mar. 17, 2009 to Sep. 5 2010 for the research. More than two medical doctors who are specialized in Sasang constitution diagnosed the constitution of participants, and the participants were selected as subjects only if the diagnosis of the two doctors were agreed. Total 422 subjects (Taeumin: 175, Soeumin: 101, Soyangin: 144) were selected from the diagnosis, and the collected data was analyzed with computer software of SPSS 17.0. The frequency analysis was executed for the general characteristics of subjects, and the relationship of constitutional food preference and health status (SF-36) were analyzed with Pearson Correlation Coefficient. 3. Results : From the results about the distribution of constitutional food preference according to the constitutions, Soeumin showed the highest frequency for both of lower than 10 points (35.0 %), which stands for high preference of constitutional food, and higher than 40 points (1.9 %), which stands for low preference of constitutional food. And, they showed no correlation for the results about the relationship between health status and constitutional food preference based on 9 sub-categories of SF-36 including Physical Component Score (PCS), Mental Component Score (MCS). 4. Conclusions : In conclusion, the effects of food consumption that fits to the constitution of the twenties on their health status were understood by recognizing the constitutional food preference according to Sasang constitution. Comparing with the previous research results that constitutional food consumption can enhance their health status, there were no correlation between health status and constitutional food preference. The discrepancy of results can be addressed to difficulties of group selection, constitutional food categorization and lack of constitutional food-related questionnaires. Thus, it is required to conduct a follow-up studies that were made up for the mentioned shortcomings.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.115-128
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• 2015

This study aims to examine the general tendency of suicidal ideation in single person households and to analyse the differences and effects of related variables(sociodemographic variables, characteristics of single person households, happiness and depression) on suicidal ideation. For achieving these purposes, a survey was conducted using questionnaires, based on quota sampling that considers the distribution of population in each dong of one Gu in Gwangju. Finally, data of 686 single person households were used for analysis. The study findings were as follows. The average score of suicidal ideation in single person households was 6.47 points, it was somewhat higher as compared to prior research that was targeting general households. And the average score of happiness index was 4.17 points, depression was 33.11 points. The level of suicidal ideation in single person households was significantly different according to age, occupation, economic status, health status, period of single life, life satisfaction, and contact with family. In addition, the level of depression(${\beta}=.24$, p<.01) had the biggest effect on suicidal ideation in single person households and it was followed by happiness index(${\beta}=-.19$, p<.05) and family visit(${\beta}=-.15$, p<.05). The total explanatory power was 37%. These findings imply that it is important to find a high mental health risk group and treat it early, because there is a high possibility that single person households might have mental health problems by being isolated or alienated from society. In addition, diverse program and services designed to maintain familial bonds despite family members living separately are needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.147-154
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• 2013

Objectives: Many epidemiological studies have suggested that a variety of medical illnesses are associated with suicide. Investigating the time-varying pattern of medical care utilization prior to death in suicides motivated by physical illnesses would be helpful for developing suicide prevention programs for patients with physical illnesses. Methods: Suicides motivated by physical illnesses were identified by the investigator's note from the National Police Agency, which was linked to the data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment. We investigated the time-varying patterns of medical care utilization during 1 year prior to suicide using repeated-measures data analysis after adjustment for age, gender, area of residence, and socioeconomic status. Results: Among 1994 suicides for physical illness, 1893 (94.9%) suicides contacted any medical care services and 445 (22.3%) suicides contacted mental health care during 1 year prior to suicide. The number of medical care visits and individual medical expenditures increased as the date of suicide approached (p<0.001). The number of medical care visits for psychiatric disorders prior to suicide significantly increased only in 40- to 64-year-old men (p=0.002), women <40 years old (p=0.011) and women 40 to 64 years old (p= 0.021) after adjustment for residence, socioeconomic status, and morbidity. Conclusions: Most of the suicides motivated by physical illnesses contacted medical care during 1 year prior to suicide, but many of them did not undergo psychiatric evaluation. This underscores the need for programs to provide psychosocial support to patients with physical illnesses.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.409-420
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to examine the level of stress and depressive symptom and to assess the utilization of professional consultation. Data extracted from Community Health Survey (CHS), conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The subjects were 174,975 (19-65 years). In result, 'Managers', 'Professionals and related workers', 'Clerks', 'Service workers', and 'Sales workers', 'Equipment, machine operating assembling workers', and 'Armed forces' were more in risk of stress. However, theses groups were less in probability of utilization for stress consultation. Based on these findings, mental health screening program for detecting risk group among occupation classification and employment status will be essential. It may be necessary to have sustainable strategies for utilizing mental health service to reduce the level of stress and depressive symptom of workers.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2017

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate of Quality of life and Mibyeong index of abnormal symptoms by Sasang constitution. Methods A total of 1,100 people were recruited into this study and were collected by Gallup Korea. Sasang constitutions were diagnosed based on KS-15 (Korean sasang constitutional diagnostic questionnaire) Questionnaire which comprised body type, personality and symptom. In addition, SF-12 (Shot form-12) questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of life status. Mibyeong status was categorized through Mibyeong tool. Data were analyzed through one-way ANOVA to investigate the difference between quality of life and Mibyeong index on Sasang constitution. Results The PCS (physical component scale) which represents the physical health index and MCS (mental component scale) which represents mental health index showed significant differences among Sasang constitution (p<.001). In addition, The Mibyeong Index (p<.001) which represents abnormal symptom type showed significant difference for Sasang constitution. As for the Mibyeong, only pain (p=0.047) and fatigue (p=0.021) had changes for the Sasang constitution. Conclusions Quality of life and Mibyeong index vary significantly according to Sasang constitution. This results suggest the analysis of Mibyeong index by Sasang constitution could provide the setting of direction to promote public health depending on Sasang constitution.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.107-120
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• 2009

Background : To estimate fall incidence rate and associated factors in inpatients from a general hospital. Method : The data were collected from 104 fall incident reports developed by the patient safety committee in a general hospital in Seoul from 01 January 2007 to 31 December 2008. Information included general characteristics of patients, factors related to fall, types, places, circumstances and outcomes of fall. Result : The incidence rate of fall, which was 4.4 per 1,000 total discharged patients and 0.5 per 1,000 patient-days, was much lower than that of several hospitals in the United States. The difference may reflect the different incidence reporting system of each hospital. Fall-prone patients were, in general, $$\geq_-$$65 years of age, had an alert mental status, were ambulatory with some assistance, and were dependent on and ambulatory device. High incidence of falls was associated with patients with circulatory disease. The majority of fall events usually occurred in bed or at the bedside in the patient's room, and occurred more often during the night than during the day or evening. Risk factors of fall were use of drugs (antihypertensive or neuropsychiatric drugs) and environmental factors (e.g., overly high bed height, surrounding objects, inadequate fitness shoes and slippery floor). Physical injury occurred in 43.3% of fall events, which typically required diagnosis of injury and treatment such as suturing. Risk factors for repeated falls were use of a neuropsychiatric drug (odds ratio=13.9) and gait disturbance (odds ratio=91.2). Risk factors for fall-related injury were alert mental status (odds ratio=3.3 times more likely to fall than those who were drowsy or in a stupor) and general weakness(odds ratio=3.3 times more likely to fall than those who were not generally weak). Conclusion : Medical and nursing staff should be aware of the fall risk factors of hospitalized patients and should intensively pursue preventative strategies. Development of fall prevention education based on these results is recommended.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 1985

This study was carried out to compare the nutritional status with food preference of subjects in eight constitutional groups on the view point of constitutional medicine. The constitutions of 124 college women was classified by Kwon's theory. Food preference of the subjects was surveyed in accordance with the suggested foods for each constitution and the health status was investigated by Cornell Medical Index. The following determinations were also made to compare food preference score with the nutritional status : Hb, Hct, WBC, serum levels of albumin, protein, IgG, IgA, IsM, $C_3$, Triglyceride, cholesterol, and total lipids, and lipoprotein fraction ratio. The distribution of the constitution revealed that Jupito individuals accounts 51.6%, the most followed by ; Saturno, 21.8%: Hespero, 10.5%: Jupita, 8.1%: Hespera, 3.2%: Mercurio, 3.2%, no subject belonged to satura. There were no difference among constitutional groups in food preference score, health status and the values of most blood components. Only significant difference was that the percentage of mental complaints in Mercurio was lowest and serum IgG level in Jupito was the highest among groups. Correlation between values of blood component and food preference score shows variety of different trends. However, the results suggested that the better food consumption of the subjects was in accordance with the suggested foods for the constitution, the better the nutritional status of the subjects was.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 1985

The recent problems of adolescents are leading us to amphasize school mental health program. Therefore, for the first step of that program, this study was attempted to find out the students' daily life stress, their adaptation beharior to resolve that stress, and their self-concept which has an effect on that beharior, to analyze the relationship among those three variables, and to provide basic data which help maintain and promote students' adaptability and mental health. The subjects were 4 classes each grade, 743 students who were chosen as a sample subject among the total of 3,250 students of a junior girls' school in Seoul by stratified sampling method. The Oquestionnair surrey was done from April 1, 1985 to April 6, 1985. The instruments were (1) a part of Junghoon chois' perceptual Orientation Scale for measuring self-perception of students, (2) Rosenberg's Questionnair for measuring students' evaluation of self-esteem, (3) modified Bell's Adoptive Behavior Questionnair, and (4) the Measuring scale for stress developed by the investigator. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, x²-test, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearsons' Correlation. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The range of mean score of self-concept, stress, and adaptation beharior is 1-5 respectively. The mean score of self concept was 3.45. The mean score of stress was 2.53, and the degree of stress was in order of the problem of study and grade marks, girl friend, appearance, and relaxation. The subjects preferred effective long-term adaptation method (Mean=2.81) to ineffective short-term adaptation method. (Mean=2.47) 2. The self-concept had the highest degree when students were 1st grade, in good health condition, taking high grade marks, both parents existing, fathers' educational level being above college, and being in high economic status. The degree of stress was significantly high when students were 3rd grade, in poor health condition, having low grade marks, being in poor economic status, and fathers' educational level being under elimentary school. In relation with adaptation method, 1st grade students used more sbort-term and long-term method, and when students had high grade marks, being in high economic status. they used more long-term adaptation behavior. 3. Two Hypotheses of this research were tested: Hypothesis 1. "The higher the students' self-concept is, the more they use long-term adaptation method." was accepted. (r=.2482, p<.01) (t=-4.99, p<.001) Hypothesis 2. "The higher the students' stress is, the more they use short-term adaptation method." was accepted. (r=.2897, p<.01) (t= -7.51, p<.001) In conclusion, a person in charge of school health can help students to adapt effectively by planning and implementing methods which highten their self-concept and lower their stress. But because the correlation among self-concept, stress and adaptation behavior was at a low level, I think that the study, which confirm the relationship of those three variables, is needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.400-414
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• 1999

Objectives: This is a descriptive study which was carried out to identify characteristics of the chronic mentally ill and their families in a rural area and the influencing factors on family burden. Methods : Data was collected for seven months beginning April 1, 1998 by questionnaire from chronic mentally ill patients and their families in two towns and seven townships of the rural areas of Kyonggi Province. In additional to the mental diagnosis of the mentally ill patients, family burden was measured by interviewing the other family members using the questionnaire developed by Pai & Kapur (1981). Of those interviewed, 103 patients were selected for final analysis. Results : Of 103 mentally ill patients, 36.1% of the subjects were not under treatment. In particular, of 29 patients with schizophrenia, 48.3% of the subjects had stopped taking medication and 6.9% of the subjects had never been treated. According to the results of a specialized examination by a psychologist, 81% of patients were in need of Hospitalization. Most primary caregivers were parents. Of the 101 primary caregivers in the study, 39.6% were over 65 years old. In case of death of the primary caregiver, 50.5% of these 101 mentally ill patients would not have anyone to care for them. Of the various kinds of family burden, primary caregivers most often reported psychological stress. Overall, the families of dementia and schizophrenia patients complained of the most family burden. Through univariative analysis, the variables of sex, education and current treatment type of the patients, the relationship with the patient and marital status of the primary caregiver and the number of people living together in the household showed significant correlation with the family burden of schizophrenia patients. Univariative analysis also showed that there were a number of variables which were correlated to the family burden in mentally retarded patients. Concerning the need for mental health services, the most common requests were for entitlement to disability benefits and housing programs. Conclusions: Community mental health services in rural areas must be developed, planned and executed in consideration of the local situation. In particular, the development of various family support programs is needed in order to mitigate emotional, mental and economic burdens and carry out a positive role to care for and rehabilitate patients.