• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.79-88
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• 2022

The objective of this study was to assess the association of changes in behaviors and depressed mood during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. A cross-sectional internet-based survey was conducted, using proportional samples of Korean adults and a logistic regression model was used to assess the association. As a result, negative changes of daily sitting or lying down time, daily walking time, smoking, and alcohol consumption were associated with being more depressed during the COVID-19 pandemic [odds ratios (ORs): 2.23 (95% CI=1.77-2.81), 2.04 (95% CI=1.63-2.56), 2.84 (95% CI=1.51-5.36), and 1.82 (95% CI=1.26-2.63), respectively]. This indicates that strategies to promote positive health behaviors change (increased activities and decreased consumption of smoking and alcohol) could help address psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.103-110
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze the convergence relationship between depression and oral health behaviors in postmenopausal women using data from the 2016~2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES). The subjects of this study were 1,201 women aged 40 to 59 years who answered 'menopause' in the question of menstruation of KNHANES. The data were analyzed by complex samples chi-square test and logistics regression. The group with a PHQ-9 score of '≥10' was 3.12 times more likely to smoke than the group with '<10'. Depression in postmenopausal women was strongly related to smoking. This study is expected to be used as a basic data to improve the health and oral health of middle-aged women by identifying oral health behaviors related to depression in postmenopausal women.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.316-326
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• 2024

Purpose: This study was performed to assess the lifestyle-related behaviors of patients with gastric cancer (GC) and to investigate the associations between the time since GC diagnosis and these behaviors. Materials and Methods: This study included 29,478 adults (including 338 patients with GC) aged ≥ 40 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2021. Multiple logistic regression analysis explored the associations between the time since GC diagnosis (patients diagnosed with GC less than 5 years ago [<5 years group] and those diagnosed with GC 5 or more than years ago [≥5 years group]) and lifestyle factors. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age and sex. Results: The current smoking rate was not lower in the GC group than in the healthy group, regardless of time since diagnosis. Compared to the healthy controls, monthly alcohol intake was lower in the <5 years group (odds ratio [OR], 0.450; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.275-0.736). The ≥5 years group showed a lower rate of strength training (OR, 0.548; CI, 0.359-0.838), compared with the healthy control group. Subgroup analysis focusing on the ≥5 years group revealed a significantly lower rate of strength training, particularly in patients aged ≥65 years and male patients (OR, 0.519 and 0.553; CI, 0.302-0.890 and 0.340-0.901, respectively). Conclusions: Clinicians should continue educating patients on lifestyle behavior modifications, particularly alcohol abstinence, even beyond 5 years after GC diagnosis. Education on strength training is especially important for patients ≥65 years or male patients.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.695-702
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of socio-demographic, health, and internet addiction factors on smoking behavior among the Korean youth. The 2009 Korean Youth Health Risk Behavior On-line Survey data was used for this purpose. Frequency analysis and chi-square test were employed for this study. Gender, living with parents, economic status, school level, academic record, subjective health status, subjective well-being, level of stress, level of depression and internet addiction were significantly associated with their smoking behavior. Findings may be used for developing promising strategies to cope with smoking behavior of adolescents in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.592-605
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• 2007

Undernutrition could be a significant deterrent to healthy aging and could negatively affect health outcomes in elderly. This study aimed to assess health-related factors which are associated with nutritional risks in middle-aged and elderly individuals by a cross-sectional study. Interviews were conducted with 2660 subjects (847 males, 1813 females), aged 50 years and over, in 15 cities in Korea. Data on food intake were obtained through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Nutritional status were analyzed according to health-related factors including cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, exercise, stress and depression level. Less regular exercise was associated with a higher likelihood of a poor nutrition [odds ratio (OR) 1.94; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.43-2.65] of middle-aged and elderly male subjects. Cigarette smoking (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.24-2.71), less exercise (OR 2.58; 95% CI 2.07-3.21), stress (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.36-2.22), and depression (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.08-1.67) of middle-aged and elderly female subjects was associated with a higher likelihood of a poor nutrition. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that less exercise proved to be the strongest predictors for the poor nutrition, followed by stress, smoking, and depression (model $R^2= 9.0%$). It suggests that guidance to promote regular exercise, to quit smoking, to minimize stress and depression level might help to improve nutritional status of middle-aged and elderly in Korea. These findings also suggest that having recommendable health behaviors are beneficial to the good nutrition of subjects aged 50 years and over.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.140-147
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• 2021

Background: For generations, cigarette smoking has presented an important public health concern. This study aimed to compare the health-promoting behavior, exercise capacity, physical activity level, health literacy, and knowledge level of smoking-related diseases between smokers and non-smokers. Methods: The study included 71 smokers (mean age, 32.69±8.55 years) and 72 non-smokers (mean age, 31.88±9.94 years) between the ages of 20 and 60 years. Assessments included a 6-minute walking test (6MWT), Godin Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II), Cardiovascular Risk Factors Knowledge Level Scale (CARRF-KL), Asthma/COPD Awareness Questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref questionnaire (WHOQoL-Bref [TR]), and Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Results: The results from the study show that the number of coronary artery disease risk factors measured significantly higher among the smoker group members when compared to that of the non-smoker group members (p=0.001). Smokers had significantly lower %6MWT distance than non-smokers (84.83±4.72 and 93.45±7.16, respectively; p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the smokers and non-smokers in terms of physical activity, CARRF-KL, HLQ, WHOQoL-Bref, and HPLP-II subscales or total scores (p>0.05). Additionally, while only forty-one smokers (57.7%) were active, 48 of the non-smoker group was active (66.7%). Conclusion: Smokers suffer greater negative effects to their exercise capacity in comparison to non-smokers. Although smokers and non-smokers have similar levels of health literacy and similar levels of knowledge about cardiovascular disease risk factors and obstructive lung diseases, health professionals could continue to further increase individuals' awareness of smoking-related risk factors and continue to emphasize the importance of physical activity and exercise for protecting cardiopulmonary health.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.118-128
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• 2023

Background: The use of heated tobacco products (HTP) causes many adverse health effects. Although the use of HTP by adolescents is prevalent worldwide, research related to it is very limited. There is a considerable lack of research related to the current HTP use rather than ever-HTP use. In particular, research related to predictive factors for current HTP use in adolescents is scarce. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze related characteristics according to the current use of HTP among South Korean adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that used data from the Seventeenth Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS). A total of 54,848 students in 2021 were included in this study. Chi-square-test, multiple logistic regression analysis, and chi-square test for trend were used for analyzing related characteristics according to use of HTP. Results: Overall, 715 (1.3%) students responded as having used HTP during the last 30 days among the 54,848 students. It was found that residence type, subjective body type recognition, subjective health recognition, alcohol use, habitual drug experience, close friend current smoking, and conventional cigarette smoking were significantly associated characteristics with the current use of heated tobacco products. Comparing 'very thin recognition' with 'very fat recognition', the adjusted odds ratio (OR) was 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29~2.87) for current use of HTP. Additionally, comparing 'very unhealthy recognition' with 'very healthy recognition', the aOR was 3.82 (95% CI: 2.40~6.07) for current use of HTP. Conclusions: Based on these results, residence type, subjective body type recognition, subjective health recognition, alcohol use, habitual drug experience, close friend current smoking, and conventional cigarette smoking were associated with significantly increased odds of current HTP use. Therefore, the results of this study can provide useful evidence about adolescent behaviors in predicting current HTP use.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.129-140
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• 2009

Objectives: This study aimed to examined the socioeconomic disparities in oral health related behaviors and to assess if those behaviors eliminate socioeconomic disparities in oral health in a nationally representative sample of adults aged 30-64. Methods: Data are from the Korea Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005). Behaviors were indicated by smoking, over intake of daily calories from carbohydrate, perceived stress, frequency of daily tooth brushing, use of oral hygiene goods, insufficient oral treatment. Oral health outcomes were self-reported dental caries and periodontitis during the last 12 months and perceived oral health. Education, household income, and employed status indicated socioeconomic position. Sex, age, residential area, marital status were adjusted for in the logistic regression analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess socioeconomic disparities in behaviors. Logistic regression model adjusting and not adjusting for behaviors were compared to assess the change in socioeconomic disparities in oral health. Results: Clear socioeconomic disparities in all behaviors were showed. After adjusting for behaviors, the association between oral health and socioeconomic indicators attenuated but did not disappear. For example, the odd ratios of reporting poorer oral health for persons in no education or elementary school education and middle school education groups, compared with college or higher education group, were 1.77 (95% CI: 1.36-2.29) and 1.56 (1.19-1.97), respectively. After adjusting for all indicators of behaviors, these odds ratios attenuated to 1.54 (1.17-2.03) and 1.48 (1.15-1.91) for those groups, respectively. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the presence of more complex determinants of socioeconomic disparities in oral health should be considered with developing preventive policies for those disparities.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2005

Controlling dietary behaviors and health-related lifestyle habits is important to manage non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). If NIDDM is not treated properly, the prevalence of macro-vascular complications (MC) may increase. The goal of NIDDM therapy is to maintain normal concentrations of blood glucose and lipid profiles by having regular meals, controlling alcohol drinking, quitting smoking, and performing physical exercise regularly. This study was performed to investigate the dietary and health-related lifestyle habits and blood parameters of NIDDM patients of both genders and compared these characteristics between the patients with and without MC. Our results show that the subjects with MC compared to without MC and the female patients than the males controlled their diets more regularly, tended to regulate the number of meals better, and smoke less than those without MC. Although plasma lipid profiles were not significantly different between the genders and between the subjects with and without MC, the men had higher blood glucose and plasma tHcy concentrations than the women and plasma tHcy concentration was higher in the female subjects without MC. These results imply that the male patients of NIDDM without MC might have more problems in maintaining their blood glucose. In addition, smoking may be the most important life-style factor influencing some blood parameters like blood glucose, HbAlc, and total cholesterol in the NIDDM patients.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.502-511
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors of influenza vaccination in the elderly participating in lifetime transitional health examination. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data collected from lifetime transitional health examination (for 66-year-old people) conducted by the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) from January 1 to December 31, 2008. Questionnaires were received from NHIC to obtain information regarding gender, chronic diseases, health-related behaviors, and ADL. A total of 255,333 participants who responded all the questions in the questionnaire were included in the analysis. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test, and multiple logistic regression. Results: The influenza vaccine coverage rate in 66-year-old people was 66.1%. The influenza vaccine coverage rate was higher in female elders and those with hypertension, diabetes, heart disease or past smoking, and lower in those with stroke, current smoking, drinking, no-exercise or ADL-dependency. Conclusion: Strategies for improving the influenza vaccination coverage rate in the elderly are needed. The strategies should give priority to the elderly with current smoking, drinking, and no-exercise, and home visiting programs are needed for the elderly with stroke and ADL-dependency.