• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.191-199
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of the effect of regular exercise on obesity indices, the psychosocial wellbeing index, dietary factors and exercise regularity among 146 healthy mothers and 146 their daughters. "Mother" subjects were divided into two groups classified as regular exercise group(REG) and none exercise group(NEG). The exercise regularity of REG's daughters(30.8%) and of NEG's daughters (2.0%) was significantly different(p<0.001). The Obesity Indices(Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Hip Ratio(WHR) and Percentage of Ideal Body Weight(PIBW)) of NEG's daughters were significantly higher than those of REG's daughters(p<0.001). But the psychosocial wellbeing index was not significantly different between REG's daughters and NEG's daughters. Intake of total energy, protein, fat, Ca, niacin and Fe were significantly different(p<0.001) between REG's daughters and NEG's daughters. Especially, vitamin C intake of REG's daughters was significantly higher than that of NEG's daughters(p<0.001). The exercise regularity of mothers was mainly related with Obesity Indices and nutrient intake in their daughters. Therefore, it might be necessary to maintain exercise regularity to prevent obesity and diet related problems in mothers and their daughters.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.374-380
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• 2012

Objectives: Stress is considered a causal factor in many diseases, allergic disease being one of them. The prevalence of allergic disease is increasing in Korea, but the relationship between allergic symptoms and stress is not empirically well known. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between allergy-related symptoms and stress in children and adolescents. Methods: We investigated 698 children and adolescents living in Gwangyang Bay, Korea, using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and the Psychosocial Well-being Index, these subjects were surveyed on allergy-related symptoms and psychosocial stressors in their lives, respectively. We used a multivariate logistic analysis for odds ratios for the complaint rate of allergic symptoms, after adjusting for age, gender, household income, body mass index, and residence. Results: After adjustments, lifetime rhinitis (odds ratio [OR], 1.024), rhinoconjunctivitis (OR, 1.090), diagnosis of itchy eczema (OR, 1.040), treatment of itchy eczema (OR, 1.049), 12-month allergic conjunctivitis (OR, 1.026), diagnosis of allergic conjunctivitis (OR, 1.031), and treatment of allergic conjunctivitis (OR, 1.034) were found to be significantly associated with stress. Conclusions: Our results support the notion that there is a relationship between stress and allergic symptoms in children and adolescents. Further research into any causal relationship between stress and allergies, as well as preventative public health plans for decreasing stress in children and adolescents are needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.129-143
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• 1997

This study was carried out to assess the relationship between job characteristics(job strain) and psychosocial distress, and to find out the effect of social support on psychosocial distress. The study design was cross-sectional, and included 1,211 industrial workers in middle-sized city. A self-administered questionnaire measured job characteristics(jod demand, job control), and social support(coworker support, supervisor support) at work. Psychosocial distress was measured using PWI(Psychosocial Well-being Index), a 45-item self-administered instrument. Among the 1,211 respondents, the prevalence of psychosocial distress was 24.8% High job stram (high job demand + low job control) was present in 8% of the subjects. The crude odds ratio of high job strain was 4.76 (95% CI : 2.60-8.74), and those of active group and passive group were 3.81(95% CI : 1.82-3.95) and 2.64(95% CI : 1.77-3.94), respectively. The odds ratios of each group adjusted for sex, age, support, and religion were still significant. Our results supported the association between job strain and psychosocial distress. Social support at work, although significantly associated with psychosocial distress, did not modify the association between job strain and psychosocial distress.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.287-300
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• 2015

Objectives: Self-rated health is a measure of perceived health widely used in epidemiological studies. Our study investigated the determinants of poor self-rated health in middle-aged Korean adults with diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the Health Examinees Study. A total of 9759 adults aged 40 to 69 years who reported having physician-diagnosed diabetes were analyzed with regard to a range of health determinants, including sociodemographic, lifestyle, psychosocial, and physical variables, in association with self-rated health status using multivariate logistic regression models. A p-value <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: We found that negative psychosocial conditions, including frequent stress events and severe distress according to the psychosocial well-being index, were most strongly associated with poor self-rated health (odds ratio $[OR]_{\text{Frequent stress events}}$, 5.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.63 to 6.29; $OR_{\text{Severe distress}}$, 11.08; 95% CI, 8.77 to 14.00). Moreover, younger age and being underweight or obese were shown to be associated with poor self-rated health. Physical factors relating to participants' medical history of diabetes, such as a younger age at diagnosis, a longer duration of diabetes, insulin therapy, hemoglobin A1c levels of 6.5% or more, and comorbidities, were other correlates of poor reported health. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, in addition to medical variables, unfavorable socioeconomic factors, and adverse lifestyle behaviors, younger age, being underweight or obese, and psychosocial stress could be distinc factors in predicting negative perceived health status in Korean adults with diabetes.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.225-231
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influential factors of stress and fatigue on peridontal indicators in patients with periodontal disease. Methods: A self-administrated questionnaire study was conducted during November 2012 to January 2013 with 140 periodontal patients. The Fatigue and Stress were evaluated with Multidimensional Fatigue Scale(MFS) and Psychosocial Well-bing Index(PWI). Periodontal health indicators were consisted with gingival index and pocket depth. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Overall stress and fatigue level of subjects were $22.61{\pm}5.62$ and $64.67{\pm}9.45$. Gingival index and periodontal pocket depth as periodontal health indicators were $1.26{\pm}0.3$ and $4.29{\pm}0.52$. The influential factors of gingival index and periodontal pocket depth were social function(subcategory of pwi) and depression(subcategory of pwi), respectively. Conclusions: Some subcategories of PWI were related with periodontal health indicators. So, consideration of stress related with depression and social function are needed to manage and prevent periodontal disease.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.89-97
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship among psychosocial stress, memory, and successful aging of the community-residing elderly. Methods: 152 people over 65 years old living in D area were interviewed, from August 1st, 2020 to October 30th, 2020. The outcomes were measured by Psychosocial Well-being Index (PWI), Mini-Memory Test (MiMeT) and successful aging. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. Results: There was a positive correlation between successful aging and memory. There was a negative correlation between psychosocial stress and successful aging, and between psychosocial stress and memory. Psychosocial stress was identified as a predictor of successful aging, which explained 26.4% of total variance of successful aging. Conclusions: When we prepare intervention programs which improve successful aging for community-residing older adults, we need to consider psychosocial stress. In addition, stress management programs for successful aging should be developed to improve current successful aging.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.spc
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• pp.107-122
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• 2003

The object of this study is to evaluate the prevailing physical and psychosocial conditions regarding occupational low back injury. This study consists of two parts. In the first part of the study, analytic biomechanical model and NIOSH guidelines are applied to evaluate risk levels of low back injury for automobile assembly jobs. Total of 246 workers are analysed. There are 20 jobs having greater back compressive forces than 300kg at L5/S1. Also, there are 44 jobs over Action Limit with respect to 1981 NIOSH guidelines. The relationship between psychosocial factors and low back injury was examined in the second part of the study. A battery of questionnaires concerning the psychosocial stress based on PWI (Psychosocial Well-being Index) and musculoskeletal pain symptoms at low back was completed by 246 workers at the same plant. Results showed that 207 out 246 workers experienced the symptoms and 27 workers were diagnosed as patients. Two groups(low stressed, high stressed) based on PWI score had no significant relationships with both symptoms and results of diagnosis. The relationships between physical work load and psychosocial stress were also analysed. Specifically, some postural factors(vertical deviation angle of forearm, horizontal deviation angle of upperarm, vertical deviation angle of thigh, etc) were highly correlated with psychosocial stress. The results illustrated that PWI scores were associated with some physical workloads. However, psychosocial stress levels couldn't be well related with the pain symptom as well as the actual incidence of low back injury since pain or discomfort regarding low back injury were more complex than that of other musculoskeletal disorders.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

Objective : This study investigates the impact of the musculoskeletal disorder prevention exercise program designed on the basis of agricultural work posture on the balance ability, Oswestry Disability level, and Psychosocial stress of participants from one rural village in Chungnam area. Method : The exercise program was provided to 21 farmers with musculoskeletal symptoms living in one village in Chungnam area. Such program was performed once a week, 90 minutes per session, for a total of twelve weeks from July 10 to October 11, 2008, and was constructed in a way to increase flexibility and muscular strength, taking agricultural work posture into account. The balance ability, Oswestry Disability Index, and Psychosocial Well-being Index scores were analyzed based on the data of 13 of the farmers who participated in the program for more than eight times and in all of the pre- and post-assessments. Result : Thirteen participants were all women who were 70.55(${\pm}6.78$) years old on average. Most of them were engaged in general dry-filed farming. The parts where they mainly felt the pain were low back(69.2%) and knees(61.5%), and 46.2% responded 'not healthy' to the question on the overall health status. The static balance ability when standing on the right foot significantly increased from the average 9.27(${\pm}5.53$) seconds before intervention to 14.22(${\pm}5.47$) seconds after intervention(p<.05). The Oswestry Disability Index showed a significant change, decreasing from the average 19.84(${\pm}6.89$) seconds to 14.38(${\pm}7.58$) seconds(p<.05). However, there was no change in the Psychosocial Well-being Index. Conclusion : This exercise program that has been conducted for the female farmers who are mainly engaged in the dry-filed farming has contributed to the improvement of their static ability and reduction of their Oswestry Disability Index scores. It is expected that the studies on the effects of the differentiated exercise programs depending on work characteristics will make progress in the future.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to analyze the responses of breath-counting meditations with the psychological test and the physical index. Methods: Breath-counting meditation was applied to 10 normal adults. Then, clinical research State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), State-Trait Anger eXpression Inventory (STAXI), Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form (PWI-SF), Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean version (BEPSI-K), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Vital Signs (V/S) were carried out to analyze the responses of breath-counting meditations. Results: 1) Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) decreased on the fifteenth day of breath-counting meditation, and Body Temperature (BT) increased on the fifteenth day. In addition, respiration decreased throughout the period of breath-counting meditation. 2) Standard deviations of N-N interval and Total Power (TP) of HRV all significantly increased on the fifteenth day of breath-counting meditation. 3) Scores of STAI1, STAXI1, STAXI2, and PWI-SF decreased after the breath-counting meditation. Conclusions: The results suggested that breath-counting meditations have positive responses to anger, anxiety and stress.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.253-263
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the association between spirituality and stress of mental health social workers, which could be used in development of a program to help them manage stress and offer spiritual support. Methods: Participants were 154 mental health social workers in Korea. Data were collected from November 1 through November 30, 2011. The study employed the Korean version of the Spirituality Scale and Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form (PWI-SF). Data were analyzed using SPSS/Windows 17.0. Results: The mean score for the Spirituality Scale was 3.63 and for PWI-SF 18.78. Spirituality scores showed a significant difference among participants by age, education, religion and marital status. Psychosocial stress scores also significantly differed by marital status. Spirituality scores were negatively correlated with psychosocial stress scores (r=-0.548, P<0.001). Conclusion: In this study, a significant negative association was found between spirituality and stress in mental health social workers in Korea. A follow-up study with a larger sample of participants is needed to confirm these findings.