• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.440-448
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in elderly Asian American and non-Hispanic White cancer survivors. Methods: We conducted cross-sectional secondary data analyses using the combined datasets from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program and the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey. Results: Elderly Asian American cancer survivors reported a lower mental HRQoL but a comparable physical HRQoL relative to elderly non-Hispanic White cancer survivors. Stress factors, such as comorbidities, difficulties with activities of daily living, and a history of depressive symptoms, along with coping resources like self-rated health and the ability to take the survey in English, were significantly associated with mental and physical HRQoL. Among elderly Asian American cancer survivors, a significantly lower mental HRQoL was observed among those taking the survey in the Chinese language. Conclusions: The findings suggest that race exerts a differential impact on HRQoL. Interventions should be designed to address the distinct cultural, linguistic, and systemic needs of elderly Asian American cancer survivors. Such an approach could assist in reducing cancer-related health disparities.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.71-80
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• 2016

Background: Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) are designed to systematically assess the capacity to perform work-related tasks and to determine worker's ability to return to the previous job following work-related injuries. These evaluations may be rated either by clinician or worker. There has been a lack of consensus between the two scoring methods. Objects: This study aimed: 1) to confirm if the data are fit to the Rasch rating scale model and 2) to investigate the item-level concordance rate between the ratings of clinician and injured worker of the FCE. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample (n=124) of a rehabilitation program with the Occupational Rehabilitation Data Base for workers with low back pain. The functional capacity evaluation at admission and discharge was administered to clinicians and workers. The data were analyzed using both classical test theory-based Pearson's r and intra-class coefficient followed by item-level analysis with Rasch rating scale model. Results: All items of the FCE, except sitting items rated by clinician at admission and handling items rated by both clinician and worker throughout admission and discharge, were acceptable fit statistics with minor out of ranges for a misfit criterion. This may indicate that the items of the FCE overall fit to the Rasch rating scale model. Few problematic items responding differently to clinician and worker both at admission and discharge were detected with the differential item functioning analysis despite the excellent concordance rate using the two conventional statistics-sitting and handling items at admission and handling item at discharge. Conclusion: The item-level speculations using Rasch analysis of the FCE demonstrate that the ratings of clinician and self ratings of worker were psychometrically acceptable though there was an apparent discrepancy between the raters both at admission and discharge.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.63-80
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• 2009

Objectives: This study identified how personal characteristics, healthy behavior and social capital might influence on physical activity of adults. Methods: This study used data from the health survey of a city of Korea. We surveyed 1,000 adults sampled by stratified sampling methods from 67,889 households. Outcome variable was the stage of physical activity which was broken into 5 categories. Sociodemographic factors, healthy behavior, self-rated health status and social capital were used as control variables. Sociodemographic factors included age, sex, educational status, economic status measured by deprivation score, residential period within survey city. Social capital was measured by Integrated Questionnaire for the Measurement of Social Capital (SC-IQ). This study used chi-square test and ordered logistic regression models to examine the associations between independent variables and physical activity. Variables were added to the regression model in three groups using a hierarchical approach. Results: Physical activity was significantly more likely to become active if they have higher educational status, healthier behavior. Among the six dimensions of SC-IQ, only "groups and networks" that is structural dimensions of social capital and "trust and solidarity" that is cognitive dimensions of social capital were significantly related to physical activity of adults. We found that a person having higher density of membership and having larger size of networks showed the high possibility of active physical activity. A person having high solidarity was significantly associated with physical activity, but general trust was inversely related to physical activity. Output dimensions of social capital did not show significant relationship to physical activity. Conclusion: We found that social capital is useful concept to explain health behaviors like physical activity. However we must consider social, cultural and political context of the study to evaluate the effect of social capital to health status and health determinants and to capture the exact meaning of relationship between them. We suggest further researches to refine the concept of social capital and to explain the relationship of social capital to diverse health determinants.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.84-97
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• 1995

There is a widespread concern that women's increasing involvement in dual role (job plus family role) may harm their physical health. Longevity of women is longer than that of men. By contrast, prevalence rate is higher in women than men, and No. of prevalence days, No. of days in bed and No. of days with treatment are more in women. Generally, women live longer, but women are worse in health status than men. Rate of labor participation in women is increasing gradually in Korea. This study presents an analysis of the relationships between employment. marital status and health for both Korean women and men to examine how women's increasing involvements in dual role affect their physical health. The data used in this analysis were collected by The National Statistical Office in the spring of 1992. Households, which were sampled by using a three-stage stratified cluster sampling method, were interviewed. Response rate was 99.43%. Of these, student or widowed or divorced people were excluded. 47,552 women and men aged 21-50 were available for the analysis. Health status was measured by self-assessed health status (1=excellent, 5=poor), No. of prevalent days, No. of days with treatment, and No. of days in bed in two previous weeks. And control variables are age, and education. Research findings are as follows : 1. Men have better self-rated health, fewer prevalent days, fewer days in bed, and fewer days with treatment than women. 2. The employed are more healthier than the non-employed. 3. Unmarried people are more healthier than married people. 4. Interaction effects of sex, marital status, employment are significant. This finding shows that effects of empolyment, marital status on health status is not same for women and men. 5. For male, employed people are more healthier than non-employed people. Unmarried people are more healthier than married people. This differences are significant. For female, The employed are more healthier than the non-employed. However, no differences are noticed between the married and the unmarried in health status. In conclusion, there is no evidence that women's involvements in dual role affect their physical health negatively.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.893-904
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• 2000

The sample of this study consisted of 140 informal caregivers who provided care to the older adults(over 60 years of age) in Great Cleveland, USA. Self-rated questionnaires were utilized to collect information. The purpose of the study was to identify coping strategies most frequently utilized by informal caregivers of older adults and to examine predictors of the caregivers' health responses to the caregiving situation applying Lazarus and Folkman stress model(1984). Stepwise multiple regression was used to identify significant predictors among caregivers' demographic-socio-economic factors, older adult's dependency of activities of daily living(ADLs), caregiver's appraisal to the caregiving situation, and coping strategies. Informal caregivers (N=140) included in the study utilized help-seeking and problem-solving coping strategies more than self-blame and minimization of threat coping strategies. Caregivers' responses to the caregiving situation were observed by caregivers' perceived physical health, depression and life satisfaction. For perceived physical health, threat appraisal, older adult's dependency on ADLs, existential growth coping strategy, and monthly income accounted for 25% of the variance. Caregivers who appraised the caregiving situation as more threatening, reported higher dependency on ADLs, used more existential growth coping strategy, and had higher monthly income reported better physical health. For depression, threat appraisal, stress appraisal, existential growth coping strategy, self-blame coping strategy, and monthly income accounted for 48% of the variance. Caregivers who used more existential growth coping and less self-blame coping, appraised the situation as less threatening, less stressful, and had higher monthly income reported less depression. For life satisfaction, self-blame coping, existential growth coping, monthly income, stress appraisal accounted for 49% of the variance. Caregivers who used more existential growth coping, less self-blame coping, less stress appraisal, lower monthly income reported better life satisfaction. In conclusion, informal caregivers in this study utilized positive coping strategies such as problem-focused, existential growth, help-seeking, rather than negative coping strategies including self-blame. When they utilized positive coping strategies more often, caregivers experienced higher perceived physical health, higher life satisfaction and lower depression. Therefore, nursing intervention which utilized positive coping strategies is needed to enhance informal caregivers to have positive health responses to the caregiving demands.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.594-602
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of oral health status and oral health care to life. The subjects in this study were the patients who visited dental hospitals and clinics in several regions for seven months from March 2013. They got dental checkups, and a survey was conducted. The patients who received general treatment scored highest in Oral Health Impact Profile-14. Among the subfactors, the patients who received general treatment scored higher in functional limitation (8.27), physical pain (7.24), physical restrictions (7.90), social restrictions (7.79), physical limitations (8.14) and social difficulties (8.24). The patients who received orthodontic treatment scored higher in handicap (8.78). All the differences were statistically significant. As for gender gaps, the men scored higher in every factor. By age group, the older patients led a worse quality of life. By occupation, the homemakers mostly led a worse quality of life, and the patients who had no systemic diseases lived a better quality of life. All the differences were significant. Concerning self-rated health status and self-rated oral health state, the patients who found themselves to be in better health and in better oral health led a better quality of life. The differences were significant. Regarding oral health care, the patients who didn't get regular dental checkups and who could visit a dental clinic whenever they had a pain lived a better quality of life. The differences were significant. In terms of oral health status, a higher quality of life was found among the patients who had sound teeth, whose teeth received no sealant treatment, whose teeth received no filling therapy, who had no missing tooth, whose teeth received no prosthetic treatment and who had no dental implants teeth.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.773-788
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in nutrient intake according to the level of self-perception of health status, aging status and life satisfaction of the rural elderly. The factors for the study were surveyed by interview method. The subjects were 270 people(71 male, 129 female) aged over 65 years(73.5 $\pm$ 5.6ys) in the Ham-an area. The obtained results as follows : By evaluation of self-perception of health status, 57.5% of subjects answered they are in a bad health condition. The 91.5% of subjects had diseases(rheumatitis & arthritis 31.4%, cardiovascular disease 20.2%, gastric disease 10.2%). The women had more diseases than the men(p < 0.01). The subjects took medical treatment in private hospital(40.5%) and public health centers(35.0%). The men showed better level of aging status(p < 0.001) and life satisfaction index(p < 0.01) than the worsen. Living with spouse influenced the aging status(p < 0.05) and the more pocket money influenced life satisfaction(p < 0.05) and aging status(p < 0.05). The elderly who eat regularly 3 times a day(p < 0.05) and have a good appetite(p < 0.001) appeared to have positive effect on the self perception of health status and aging status. An increasing level of the self-perception of health status and regular exercise worked to improve aging status(p < 0.001). The habits of smoking and alcohol drinking, however had no effect on any index. The self-perception of health status affected the nutrient intake, but only in female elderly. The aging status and the life satisfaction index related overall positively to the intake of nutrients. In conclusion, the study shows that gender did influence nutrient intake in the elderly. The women who live alone rated lowest in social resources and health condition therefore their nutrient intake was also extremely in deficit. For successful aging, a program for rural elderly is needed, i.e. actions to provide minimum economic life, food delivery and psychological/physical health care through regional public health centers.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.49-62
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• 2009

Objectives: To identify factors affecting the health of male professional soldiers. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire data was collected from a randomly stratified sample population of 763 officers and sergeants who were employed in 34 units in the Korean military. Data were statistically analyzed using Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Work environment and personal health behavior were influential factors, which were differentiated by recent disease history including cardiovascular disease and self-rated health status. Sergeants in special forces/units or engaged in front-line military activities, and soldiers who were current smokers and heavy drinkers were more likely to have been diagnosed with a disease in the preceding three months. Those who were older, obese, and heavy drinkers were more likely to have cardiovascular disease than those who were less obese and more physical active. Soldiers exhibiting signs of extreme stress were more likely to poorly self-rate their health status. Conclusion: Health behaviors and characteristics of work environment significantly influence the health status among Korean professional soldiers. Health promotion strategies are needed to change individual heath behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and work stress. A healthier working environment should also be promoted.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.623-633
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• 2018

This study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of how the presence or absence of a partner affects the life characteristics of persons aged 65 or older. For this, the subjects were divided into the married group and the single group to investigate sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, self-rated health level, disease morbidity, limitations in life due to health conditions and health-related quality of life. An assessment was carried out by analyzing local communities' health survey data of 3 years from 2014 to 2016. The results revealed that the single group had more women, a lower household income, poorer health conditions, and a higher chronic disease morbidity rate than the married group, and thus their self-rated heath level was lower as well. These characteristics were found to contribute to a lower quality of life in the single group than the married group. To this day, we have viewed the elderly as one of the groups based on age and only tried to identify their average characteristics, thus overlooking their various inherent problems. The results of this study suggest that physical, emotional and social problems seen among the elderly need a comprehensive measure. In addition, this study found that public health approaches and social welfare systems should be improved to develop personalized support programs for the elderly.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.300-309
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to understand about the influence of female undergraduates health behavior and health state upon sociality and the influence of sociality upon college life satisfaction. The subjects were 335 female junior-college students with major related to public health in Busan, Daegu, and Gyeongnam and were carried out questionnaire survey on general characteristics, sociality, college life satisfaction, health behavior, health status, and internet addiction. An analytical method was made through chi-square test, t-test, one-way ANOVA, ANOVA for trend, and structural equation modeling(SEM). As a result, the influence of accountability had the greatest influence as sub-factor. Accountability and age had a positive correlation(p<0.001). Accountability was low when self-cognitive body shape was very thin(p=0.005). In sociality, full age(p<0.001), self rated health(p<0.001), and physical education instruction for the 3rd grade of high school(p=0.004) showed direct effect. Also, sociality showed direct influence upon college life satisfaction. The older age, the higher self rated health, and the more instruction for the 3rd grade of high school led to the higher sociality, thereby having been indicated to be higher in college life satisfaction. Accordingly, a multi-dimensional effort is judged to be necessary for reinforcing physical education activity for high school students and for improving their quality of life as a plan for increasing college life satisfaction.