• Anxiety and mood
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2010

Objective : This study aimed to investigate and compare the prevalence of depression and suicidality among the elderly in a rural city according to their residence type. Methods : Participants were 311 elderly people (109 male and 202 female) in Icheon City, whom trained researchers interviewed and examined Geriatric Depression Scale, Social Support Scale, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Activities of Daily Living, Quality of Life Scale, and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), module C. Using these data, we analyzed participants' risk factors associated with depression and suicidality. Results : The prevalence of depression was 28.0%. The prevalence in the elderly living alone and those admitted to residential facilities was significantly higher than that among the elderly living with family. Suicidality frequency was 19.6%. The suicidality frequency among the elderly living alone and those admitted to facilities was significantly higher than that among the elderly living with family. The risk factors for depression were age, admission to a facility, and low economic status. The suicidality risk factors were living alone, admission to a facility, poor social support, and a history of headache. Conclusion : These results showed the prevalence of depression and frequency of suicidality among the elderly in such a city was quite high. The results of this study remind psychiatrists of the importance of early detection and therapeutic intervention for the elderly with a high risk of depression and suicidality.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.361-388
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• 2016

The purpose of the study was to conduct an empirical study on the scope and level of social exclusion experienced by persons with psychosocial disabilities. The Wave 6 data of the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled were used to investigate the current status of social exclusion in life areas including income, education, work, housing, health, social network, social participation, and discrimination (N=4,161). A series of logistic regressions were executed, with the psychosocial disability(PD) group being the reference; the reverse odds rations of different disability groups were compared against the PD reference group (OR=1). The results showed that compared with all others, the PD group was about 2 to 11 times more likely to have risks in income, work, and housing; and that compared to other groups except for the autism/developmental disability group, they were about 6 to 10 times more likely to have risks in social network, social participation and discrimination. In conclusion, the authors urged the need for legal mandates to have community based mental health services and welfare services for the disabled more available to the PD groups and the necessity to eliminate various discriminatory legislations that are violating human and social rights of the persons with PDs.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.11-22
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• 1998

Social support may be a crucial aspect in single mothers' adjustment from the loss of spouse. Using a survey data collected from 285 widowed or divorced mothers, this study investigated whether social support buffers the deleterious effects of stress on psychological adjustment among poor single mothers. Results revealed that social support is not provided for at a desirable level. After controlling the single mothers' characteristics, stress in daily life, emotional support, job status and child relationship were associated with depression of them. It was also founded that emotional support buffer the negative effect of stress on depression of single mothers. Therefore, the support programs focused on emotional support are necessary for single mothers to enhance their mental health.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.269-277
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• 2018

As multicultural population has been drastically increasing over the decade in Korea, their quality of life needs to be studied. This study focuses on multicultural youths' suicidal issue in Korea. Suicide is one of the most obvious indicators to show the current status of mental health. Unfortunately, suicide attempt rate of multicultural youths was two-times more than that of non-multicultural youths in Korea during the past two years(2014-15). Through the literature review in Korea as well as the United States, this study explores the related variables to their suicide attempt. Research result says that multicultural youth's suicide is related to a variety of variables, including physical, psychological, educational, socio-economical, and cultural variables. Research implications are as follows: First, these variables can be utilized as predictive or protective factors to prevent their suicide. Second, theoretical framework for comprehensively understanding their suicidal issues needs to be developed. Third, both emergent and normal suicidal interventions need to be provided for multicultural youth in Korea.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6547-6552
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• 2014

Background: Cancer is a major life event that imposes huge economic and mental burdens on patients and families. In addition, the diagnosis of cancer also causes significant family discordance that can lead to marital problems such as divorce or separation. The aim of this study was to investigate the association and any related gender differences between cancer diagnosis and marital disruption among cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: We used the recent cross-sectional Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey ($4^{th}$ and $5^{th}$; Years 2008-2012). The study participants were 623 married cancer survivors over the age of 19. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate odds ratios. Results: After adjusting for socioeconomic status and health-related behaviors, the odds ratio of marital disruption among female cancer survivors compared with male cancer survivors was 3.94 (95%CI 1.30-11.94; p=0.02). The odds ratio of marital disruption for the below-average economic level compared with the above-average economic level was 5.64 (95%CI: 1.03-31.02; p=0.05). When compared with the non-smoking cancer survivors, the smoking cancer survivors had an OR of marital disruption equal to 2.94 (95%CI: 1.08-8.00; p=0.03). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the odds of marital disruption among female cancer survivors are higher than those among their male couterparts. Medical practitioners should be sensitive to early signs of marital discord in couples affected by a cancer diagnosis. Early identification and psychosocial intervention might reduce the frequency of divorce and separation and thus improve quality of life and quality of care for cancer survivors.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.560-570
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of diabetic foot care education for the older adults with low health literacy. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest was used. The participants who were diagnosed with diabetes, were adults over 65 years old at the welfare center of Y and B city. They were divided into the experimental group (n=32) and the control group (n=31). Inclusion criteria were a score of 5 or under on the Short form of Korean Functional Health Literacy Test and 24 or more on the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination. Foot care education was conducted in a small group for 40 minutes, once a week, for three weeks. The education materials are composed of an easy term, picture and photographs to understand easily. Results: The scores of diabetic foot care knowledge (t=4.57, p<.001), foot care self-efficacy (t=6.07, p<.001), and foot self-care behavior (t=4.18, p<.001) were significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the control group. Foot health status was not significantly improved. Conclusion: The findings indicate that this education program can be used as a nursing intervention improving foot care knowledge, foot care self-efficacy, and foot self-care behavior in order to prevent the diabetic foot problems of elderly diabetic persons with low health literacy.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.197-208
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• 2014

This study examined the relationship between social support and depressive symptom among the middle and old-aged people, using dataset of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA 3rd). The subjects were 7,874 persons aged 45 and over. Using this data, social support variables and its relation to depressions was observed based on social network model. A multiple regression model was used to study an association between social support and depressive symptom, controlling for socio-economic characteristics, health status and behavior. Also, this paper run two subgroup regression models based on gender of subjects (male, female), controlling for confounding variables. Authors found that there was lower the number of meetings with friends (1~3 times in a week: b=0.597, p<0.0001; 1~2 times in a month: b=0.609, p<0.0001; 1~6 times in a year or under: b=1.598, p<0.0001) and negative relationship between spouse satisfaction (b=-0.007, p=0.0237), children satisfaction (b=-0.019, p<0.0001) and depressive symptom. Also quantitative effect differences were compared according to gender and its effect on depression. Compared to the male group, female group showed significant difference in quantitative effect with number of meetings with friends and spouse satisfaction, but children satisfaction didn't show clear differences according to gender. This study suggested the importance of social support for promoting mental health among the middle and old-aged people.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.268-277
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• 2009

This study seeks to promote the mental and physical efficiencies of the foreign workers working in our country through the promotion of their health, and provide help in their effective use of medical treatments and granting appropriate medical benefits, and provide the basic information helpful in managing the health of the foreign workers who are playing a role in the advancement of the industry in Korea for the companies and employers that are employing them by researching the health condition and management status centering on the foreign workers from a part of Asia and South America who are working in our country. I made a regression analysis toward 231 foreign workers who have employed in industrial workplace from Mar. 1 to Jun. 30, 2008. The result said the factors that affect significant impact on common health disorder of foreign workers in their daily circumstances were staying period in Korea($\beta$=.270),difficulty to access hospital($\beta$=.268), inferior sanitation of work place($\beta$=.218), smoking or not($\beta$=.170), actual condition of health maintenance($\beta$=-.251).($R^2$=0.501)

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.351-360
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• 2021

The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of young adults obesity, morbid obesity and severe obesity and to identify associated factors. Data for 50,095 participants aged 20-39 from Community Health Survey 2019. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used for the analysis. Prevalence for young adults obesity, morbid obesity and severe obesity were 23.60%, 5.86% and 1.31%. Aged of 20's, male, low income, low educational level and marital status were found to be associated with all stages of obesity. Current smoking, high risk drinking, physical activity, health promotion practices, subjective health, EQ-5D, stress, depressive symptoms and comorbidities increased the prevalence of obesity in young adults. Health check-up, subjective health, EQ-5D, stress, depressive symptoms and comorbidities increased the prevalence of severe obesity in young adults. Based on the results, it is necessary to develop and provide focused intervention consisting of characteristics of young adults and stages of obesity.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-28
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to derive implication on the adoption of PROMs (Patient-Reported Outcome Measures) to improve quality of care in South Korea. With this purpose, the paper examines the status of PROMs in South Korea and other countries including OECD's PaRIS (Patient Reported Indicators Survey) initiative, and reviews policy cases that have adopted PROMs to improve performance of healthcare system. Methods: We conducted literature review on OECD reports on PaRIS, peer-reviewed journals, and information from the websites of relevant institutions such as ICHOM, NQF and OECD. Results: To identify healthcare services of best values and support patient-centered health system, OECD has initiated PaRIS which develops, collects and analyzes patient-reported indicators for cross-countries comparison. PaRIS is implemented on two work streams: 1) collect, validate and standardize PROMs in the areas where patient-reported indicators already exist such as breast cancers, hip and knee replacement, and mental conditions, 2) develop a new international survey on multiple chronic conditions. Countries like England, U.S., Sweden and Netherlands use PROMs for measuring performance of hospitals and performance evaluation at the national level, and provide the financial incentives for reporting PROMs. Conclusions: The use of PROMs can support the current policy agenda that is the patient-centered healthcare system which has been emphasized to reinforce the primary and the community-based care. For the use of PROMs, it is recommended to actively participate in PaRIS initiative by OECD, select appropriate instruments for PROMs, and continue on standardization of them. This will assure patients' involvement in improving health system performance, systemize information generated in the process of adopting PROMs, and develop a system to evaluate performance.