• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.153-161
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• 2009

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate 1) blood lead levels of workers at auto repair shops as Biological Exposure Indices (BEI) of toxic substances such as lead and toluene that are produced during automotive painting process, 2) the differences depending on personal characteristics of workers who have been exposed to toluene by using urine hippuric acid concentration as a marker and 3) the correlation between the concentration of hazardous chemicals in each workplace and the BEL. All subjects were male with a mean age of 36.2 years. In terms of age, most were in the 30 to 40 age group (13 persons, 48.1%). In relation to the length of work experience, the highest proportion had experience of 10 years of less (18 persons, 66.7%). Twenty three workers were cigarette smokers (85.2%) while 4 (14.8%) were non-smokers. In addition, more than 80% of the workers drank alcohol. Dust concentration and toluene exposure during automotive painting showed no significant difference with age, length of work experience, smoking and drinking while a significant difference (p<0.05) has been detected between lead concentration and smoking. The geometric mean of dust concentration, lead concentration and toluene concentration were $0.38mg/m^3,\;0.0021mg/m^3$ and 1.08ppm respectively. In addition, the geometric mean of blood lead levels and urine hippuric acid concentration were $1.70{\mu}g/dl$ and 0.25g/g respectively, which were lower than the standard levels suggested by the Ministry of Labor. To determine the influential factors on blood lead and urine hippuric acid concentrations, a correlation analysis has been conducted with variables of air, lead and toluene concentrations, age, length of work experience and amount of cigarette smoking. According to the analysis, a relatively high correlation (p<0.01) has been observed between air lead concentration and biological sample concentration.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.375-385
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• 2015

This study aims to identify geographical variations and factors that affect smoking rates. The data are collected from the Community Health Survey conducted between 2009 and 2011 by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government organizations. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the factors influencing smoking rates. For the purpose of investigating regional variations, we employed a decision tree model. The study has found that the significant factors associated with geographical variations in the smoking rates were the rate of hazardous drinking, the completion rate of hypertension education, the experience rate of anti-smoking campaigns, stress awareness rate, hypertension prevalence, health insurance cost, diabetes prevalence, obesity rate, and strength training rate. Convergence-based analysis on geographical variations of the smoking rates is highly important when the regionally customized healthcare programs is implemented. In the future, it is necessary to develop effective program and customized approach for the regions of high smoking rates. Our study is expected to be used as meaningful data for the design of effective health care programs and assessments to lead effective non-smoking program.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.467-474
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• 2023

Objectives: To investigate factors related to scaling between Korean and multicultural families using data from the 18th Youth Health Behavior Survey (KYRBS), 38,320 Korean adolescents were selected as subjects. Methods: A complex sample cross-analysis was conducted on general characteristics and oral health characteristics using the IBM SPSS program. Factors related to adolescent scaling were analyzed using complex sample logistic regression analysis. Results: Compared to Korean families, adolescents from multicultural families had 0.50 times less scaling experience within 12 months. Learning achievement was 1.30 times higher in high compared to low, indicating that scaling experience was high. In terms of economic status, scaling experience was found to be high at 1.50 times in high compared to low. Non-smoking adolescents had 1.26 times higher scaling experience. It was found that adolescents who do not use dental floss and interdental brushes have 0.71 and 0.55 times less scaling experience, respectively. Conclusions: Based on the above results, there is a need to increase adolescents awareness of oral health and motivate them to manage their own oral care. There is a need to provide opportunities to participate in various oral health education programs and to deepen continuous oral health education on oral disease prevention.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2687-2693
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• 2012

Objective: Passive smoking has been considered as a risk factor of many cancers. To examine whether it might also pose a risk for cervical cancer, we performed a meta-analysis based on published case-control studies. Methods: We searched the PubMed database and references of included studies up to February 10th, 2012 for relevant studies. After two authors independently assessed the methodological quality and extracted data, a meta-analysis was conducted using CMA v2 software. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot, using Egger's and Begg's tests. Results: Finally 11 eligible studies yielded, involving 3,230 cases and 2,982 controls. The results showed that women who never smoke but exposed to smoking experience a 73% increase in risk of cervical cancer compared with non-exposed women (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.35 - 2.21, p<0.001). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses indicated this result to be robust. Moderate publication bias was detected by visualing funnel plot, Egger's and Begg's tests. Conclusion: Based on currently available evidence, the findings of this meta-analysis suggests that passive smoking significantly and independently increases the risk of cervical cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the health behaviors and health status of adolescents in multicultural families according to gender. Methods: The study used raw data of the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey performed in 2016. The 12th survey was conducted on 67,983 adolescents in 400 middle schools and 400 high schools. Among them, 759 adolescents were included in this study. Their data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and Pearson's correlation. Results: There were significant differences in economic status, smoking experience, age of drinking onset, vigorous physical activity, soft drink consumption, toothbrushing after lunch, handwashing with soap before eating at school and eating at home and after coming home, BMI, subjective health status, stress, depression, and allergic rhinitis according to gender in multicultural adolescents. For boys, significant positive correlations were found between age and the age of drinking onset, between academic achievement and economic status, and between the age of smoking initiation and the age of drinking onset. However, there were significant negative correlations between economic status and stress and between subjective health status and stress. For girls, age had positive correlations with academic achievement, the age of drinking onset, BMI, and stress and economic status had positive correlations with academic achievement, the age of smoking initiation, and subjective health status. Also, the age of smoking initiation had positive correlations with the age of drinking onset and BMI. Lastly, there were negative correlations between age and economic status, between age and subjective health status, academic achievement and the age of smoking initiation, economic status and stress, and subjective health status and stress. Conclusion: The results of this study are expected to be useful as basic data for planning health interventions for boys and girls in multicultural families.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.25-30
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that affects the participating in a smoking cessation program. Data were from the A Study on the Seoul Welfare Panel Study 2010. Subjects were 1,326 smokers aged 19 and older living in the community. Dependent variable was defined as experience of smoking cessation. Explanatory variables were included as age, gender, level of education, employment status, household income, marital status, drinking, self-reported health status, depression, disease, and physical activity. A prediction model was developed by the use of a Decision Tree and Neural Network Algorithm. In the Prediction model, self reported health status, disease, income, household income were significantly associated with participating in a smoking cessation program. Based this study, systematic education and development of programs are required.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.455-465
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• 2021

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate dental hygienists' knowledge of smoking, attitudes toward tobacco cessation, and tobacco cessation education activities, which will serve as fundamental data for developing an effective tobacco cessation education program for dental hygienists. Methods: From 2020-08-17 to 2020-09-05, 184 dental hygienists working at dental clinics and hospitals in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do were surveyed. We performed t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses. Results: Dental hygienists' smoking-related knowledge, expert attitudes toward tobacco cessation, and tobacco cessation education activities were all high in tobacco cessation education (p<0.05). According to the analysis of the dental hygienists' knowledge of smoking, attitude toward smoking, and correlation of tobacco cessation education activities, there was a significant amount of correlation (p<0.01). According to the analysis of factors affecting dental hygienists' tobacco cessation education activities, expert attitudes towards tobacco cessation (𝛽=0.434, p<0.001), tobacco cessation materials (𝛽=0.160, p=0.009), experience in tobacco cessation education while attending school (𝛽=0.152, p=0.010), and attitudes toward tobacco cessation (p<0.05) were statistically significant. Conclusions: The results of this study are utilized as fundamental data to develop an effective tobacco cessation education program, factoring in dental hygienists' attitudes toward tobacco cessation.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of a community-based health promotion program for elders. Method: The research design was a nonequivalent control group experimental design. The participants were 415 elders who were above 65 years of age (mean age: 80.7, experimental group: 126, control group: 289). For 4 months, the health promotion project which consisted of health education and activity related to smoking, drinking, nutrition and exercise was given to the experimental group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$-test, and t-test with the SAS V8e program. Result: After the intervention, the experimental group showed a higher level of health promotion behavior compared to the control group in health education experience, exercise, smoking, and drinking. There were no differences between the experimental and control groups for nutrition, or high risk drinking and smoking. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the health promoting program for elders provides useful information in developing effective community-based programs and can be recommended as effective interventions to improve the health promoting behavior of elders.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence problematic drinking among adolescents in South Korea. The first aim of this study was to examined the problematic drinking status according to ocio-demographics characteristics, mental-health, and health behavior factors. The second aim was to identify factors affecting problematic drinking. Methods: Using statistics from the $11^{th}$(2015) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, any variations among the subjects were presented by percentages and analyzed by $x^2$-tests, and then logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: In the final model, gender, economic status, weekly allowance, father's education level, experience of sadness, smoking, and consumption of high-caffeine drinks were all significantly associated with problematic drinking. Conclusions: Awareness of teenagers regarding the potential health effects of problematic drinking, in particular in regards to mixing smoking and high-caffeine drinks with consumption of alcoholic beverages, should be increased through health education. Teenagers need to be taught the physical and mental dangers of drinking. A program that can teach proper drinking habits and prevent excessive drinking is needed. It should be a national matter just like the smoking policy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2007

Purpose : Health Risk behaviors are a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Adolescents is a critical transitional period for establishing health behavior for healthy life. The purpose of this study was to describe the types and frequency of the health risk behaviors being performed by middle school students, examine the gender and grade differences of health risk behaviors, and identify the relationship among health risk behaviors. Methods : A total of 1952 early adolescents recruited from 7 middle schools in a district of urban setting completed questionnaires. Youth Risk Behavior Survey-Middle school questionnaires was used to identify the types of health risk behaviors among early adolescents. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test using SAS program . Results : The results showed the frequency for most health risk behaviors and increased with advancing grade level. Males were more likely than females to behaviors related to smoking and violence, whereas females were more likely than males to have suicidal thoughts, be physical inactive and attempt to lose weight. Among health risk behaviors, the relationship of alcohol experience, smoking, and suicide was high. Conclusion : The findings identify a high risk target group among middle school adolescents and suggest that preventive intervention strategies should take into consideration the types with gender and grade, and provided the evidence that one of health risk behaviors may induce the other health risk behaviors.