• Title/Summary/Keyword: Social health

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Development and Evaluation of a Stage Matched Exercise Intervention Program for Elders - Application of the Tran Theoretical Model - (노인 운동행위 변화단계별 중재프로그램의 개발 및 평가 - 범이론적 모형의 적용 -)

  • Kwon, Yeun-Jung
    • Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.205-215
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    • 2002
  • Objectives: This study was designed to develop and evaluate a stage matched exercise intervention program to effectively increase exercise behaviors in urban elders. Methods: The study included three phases: preliminary descriptive data collection, program development, and program evaluation. The data for the preliminary descriptive phase were collected between May and June 2001. The study participants were 89 urban elders who responded a questionnaire that included general characteristics, exercise related experiences, stage, and process of change in exercise behaviors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and content analysis. Development of the program was based on the preliminary data. and a literature review, and was guided by the tran theoretical model. It consisted of strategies to facilitate the process of changes used in each stage. Evaluation of the program was achieved from October to December 2001, using a case study method, in which eight urban female elders participated. Interviews were conducted on a weekly basis in the form of either an individual interview, or group discussion. Each elder subject received education in accordance with the program strategies and education materials. In the case that a subject's stage of change moved into another one, the scores for the process of change were re-measured. The data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: The results were as follows: 1. Elders who participated in the preliminary data collection phase were over 75 years of age, and the majority of them were women. They had a higher educational level, and fewer number of illnesses than the subjects in other studies. Their stage of change was divided into pre-contemplation and maintenance. The social liberation scores were the highest across all stages of change. There was no difference between men and women on scores for processes of change in each stage. 2. The stage matched exercise intervention program that was developed in this study consisted of one counseling type program and three distinguished educational booklet materials. 3. The results of the case studies are as follows: 1) The study participants were 8 women between 75 and 87 years of age. At the first interviews, all of them were in the pre-contemplation stage. All of them reached the action stage before the 7th week. The scores for processes of change that were the focus in each stage increased more than the scores for other processes of change. During the early stages of change, experimental processes increased more than behavioral processes. However. this pattern was reversed during later stages of change. 2) Characteristics of the subjects in each stage were identical as presented at the tran theoretical model. The intervention strategies were effective in the transition occurred in any stage. 3) Barriers for exercise included unwillingness to exercise, fatigue, shortness of breath, and pain. Ways to overcome these barriers were 'learning an alternative exercise method that can be done at home', 'self-promising/ exercise-promising', and 'use of cues to exercise'. 4) The factors that affected the application of the program were consideration of age and personal preference in selecting an exercise pattern, individualized intervention, and use of education materials appropriate to elders. Women over 80 years of age preferred muscle strengthening and stretching exercise, because they can be easily done at home. They also preferred individualized interventions, materials that were easy to read, and education contents appropriate for elders. Conclusion: In conclusion, the stage matched exercise intervention program that considered the characteristics of the elders was effective to facilitate exercise behaviors of the elders.

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A Study on Woman's Experience of Being Bereaved of Her Husband by an Accident (사고로 남편을 잃은 여성의 경험)

  • Park, Sung-Hark;Choi, Mi-Hye;Chung, Yeon-Kang
    • Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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    • v.7 no.2
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    • pp.294-312
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    • 1996
  • Relatively young widows, who are left with young children by a sudden death of their husbands, will be faced with not only psychological troubles such as individual anxiety and frustration but also the dual burden of playing both father and mother roles in a family, Also, family members have difficulty in adapting themselves to new circumstances of the family system, the training and raising of family members, and management of the family economy. In this study, the realistic resources on the experience of middle-aged women who are bereaved of their husbands by accidents were explored. The purpose of this study is to help widows adapt to life in society and live a more positive life by setting a new goals and recovering from a lost and twisted life. 11 women, who have experienced the loss their husbands and live in the Seoul metropolitan area were studied. The research took 116 days from December 15, 1995 to April 8, 1996. The method of research was direct interviews. While having interviews with them, the contents were recorded with their consent. The ground theory was that used by Strauss & Corbin(1990) in the analysis of the data. 81 concepts were analyzed and they were subdirided into 22 subordinate categories through the course of the analysis. These were then classified into 9 general categories. In the course of being categorized, 'absurdity' was showed as a core category. The subordinate categories 'surprise', 'gloom', 'grudge', 'helplessness', 'emptiness', and 'loss' were united in the core category 'absurdity'. Ominous presentiment, belated notice, death, surprise, gloom, grudge, helplessness, emptiness, loss, the situation of the children, lack of support from neighbors, support from neighbors, mulling over ways to live, choosing a job, strengthening, reinforcement, burden, sadness, smoldering, yearning, overcoming these 22 subordinate categories were re-composed into 9 general ones the husband's death, absurdity, presence of children, existence of support, self-support ability, preparation of countermeasures, self-reinforcement, toilsomeness, and overcoming. 'Absurdity' widows experience was shown in the results of 'toilsomeness' and 'overcoming' through reaction, confrontation, and adaptation. According to the analysis the central phenomenon was absurdity, the causal condition of the death of a husband, the presence of children and the existence of support, and the meditated situation of self-support. To solve absurdity, the preparation of countermeasures and self-reinforcements were shown resulting in toilsomeness and overcoming. Through the contrast in the data, the following statements were deduced: (1) If the death of the husband is expected, the more a widow will feel absurdity. (2) The more children she has and the younger she is, the more a widow will feel absurdity. (3) The lower support she is given, the more a widow will feel absurdity. (4) The larger self-ability she has, the more actively she will prepare countermeasures. (5) The smaller self-ability she has, the more passively she will prepare countermeasures. (6) The larger self-ability she has, the weaker self-reinforcement she will preform. (7) The smaller self-ability she has, the stronger self-reinforcement she will perform. (8) The more actively she prepares countermeasures for absurdity, the better she will overcome. (9) The more passively she prepares counter measure for absurdity, the worse she will overcome. (10) The stronger self-reinforcement for absurdity she performs, the better she will overcome. (11) The weaker self-reinforcement for absurdity she performs, the worse she will overcome. Through the results in this study, the following suggested: 1) A study whose object is all family members, and a comparative study on the case of a husband who has lost his wife should be done. These studies can be expected to develop a more refined theory. 2) Because of the collapse of the extended family system and the changes of family culture in Korea, a widow's status and position are apt to be ambiguous between her husband's home and her parent's. Therefore a new study on family culture should be made. 3) A continuous study on growing social Self Help Groups should be requested for the widows of this study to re-establish and recover from their twisted and scattered lives.

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Development of Certification Mark of Food Quality for Children's Favorite Foods Safety Management (어린이 기호식품 품질인증을 위한 인증마크 개발 연구)

  • Cho, Sun-Duk;Lee, Sung-Jin;Yun, Jee-Hye;Kim, Seo-Young;Lee, Eun-Ju;Park, Hye-Kyung;Kim, Myung-Chul;Chung, Kee-Hey;Kim, Gun-Hee
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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    • v.23 no.1
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    • pp.31-39
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    • 2008
  • This study was performed to develop children's food quality certification system as part of the children's favorite foods safety management projects. As a component of the research, we developed a quality certification logo to build up brand image which is familiar with children, as well as to offer the right standard and opportunity for food selection. The age level contains elementary graders from 8 to 13. The logo concept was focused on 'Safety', 'Certification, Guidance' and 'Health' in accordance with the vision of the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA), "Safe food, good nutrition and healthy children". The logo name was proposed as "Best Food for Children", "Safety Food for Children" and "Children Good Food", which was decided by public subscription in the KFDA. The 36 tentative plans for a seal were proposed depending on names. We conducted a survey for the 12 logo samples, designed by the name of "Children Good Food", to use as the basic material for the development of logo to convey the meaning of children's food quality certification system effectively. This survey was conducted among 321 elementary graders and 331 parents of elementary graders. We selected the most favorite design through the survey and applied it for products practicality. It is expected that a steady policy may be possible to implement by applying the basis of the children's food project.

Korean parents' perceptions of the challenges and needs on school re-entry during or after childhood and adolescent cancer: a multi-institutional survey by Korean Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology

  • Lee, Jun Ah;Lee, Jae Min;Park, Hyeon Jin;Park, Meerim;Park, Byung Kiu;Ju, Hee Young;Kim, Ji Yoon;Park, Sang Kyu;Lee, Young Ho;Shim, Ye Jee;Kim, Heung Sik;Park, Kyung Duk;Lim, Yeon-Jung;Chueh, Hee Won;Park, Ji Kyoung;Kim, Soon Ki;Choi, Hyoung Soo;Ahn, Hyo Seop;Hah, Jeong Ok;Kang, Hyoung Jin;Shin, Hee Young;Lee, Mee Jeong
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.63 no.4
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    • pp.141-145
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    • 2020
  • Background: For children and adolescents with cancer, going back to school is a key milestone in returning to "normal life." Purpose: To identify the support vital for a successful transition, we evaluated the parents' needs and the challenges they face when their children return to school. Methods: This multi-institutional study was conducted by the Korean Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. The written survey comprised 24 questions and was completed by 210 parents without an interviewer. Results: Most parents (165 of 206) reported that their children experienced difficulties with physical status (n=60), peer relationships (n=30), academic performance (n=27), emotional/behavioral issues (n=11), and relationships with teachers (n=4) on reentering school. Parents wanted to be kept informed about and remain involved in their children's school lives and reported good parent-teacher communication (88 of 209, 42.1%). Parents reported that 83.1% and 44.9% of teachers and peers, respectively, displayed an adequate understanding of their children's condition. Most parents (197 of 208) answered that a special program is necessary to facilitate return to school after cancer therapy that offers emotional support (n=85), facilitates social adaptation (n=61), and provides tutoring to accelerate catch up (n=56), and continued health care by hospital outreach and school personnel (n=50). Conclusion: In addition to scholastic aptitude-oriented programs, emotional and psychosocial support is necessary for a successful return to school. Pediatric oncologists should actively improve oncology practices to better integrate individualized school plans and educate peers and teachers to improve health literacy to aid them in understanding the needs of children with cancer.

A Survey on Communication Status between Parents and their Adult Children (부모와 분거자녀간의 상호연락실태)

  • 박광모;강복수;이성관
    • Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.93-106
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    • 1984
  • Today, elderly people has desperately felt isolation and desolation due to the loss of activity at home and society by the change of social structure and the tendancy of nuclear family. The mutual-relationship between parants and their children is important to solve the problem of eldery people's isolation and desolation. The present study was conducted to investigate the status of mutual-communication by visiting, telephone and letter on 678 parents over 55 years of age and 1,316 their adult children from September 1st to 30th, 1982. It was investigated with questionaire by students. The frequency of communication from children to parents was highest in 25.4% by telephone and 21.6% by visiting, 4 times a month. Correspondence of letter showed only 18.1% in a year. The frequency of communication from parents to children was highest 16.1% by telephone and 15.6% by visiting, 4 times a month. Correspondence of letter showed only 11.3% in a year. Urban parents showed higher frequency than rural parents by visiting and telephone, but lower by letter. The older age group of children showed higher frequency than the younger by visiting and telephone but 3rd decade was highest by letter. The younger age group of parents showed higher frequency than older age group. Mother was showed higher frequency than father by visiting and telephone, but father by letter. Higher education level group showed higher frequency than lower education level group. Merchants and factory workers showed the highest frequency by visiting and telephone, but officials by letter. Upper class group in socio-economic status showed higher frequency than lower class group generally, but lower class group dy letter from parents to children. The group within samedistrict between parents and children showed the highest frequency by visiting and telephone, but the group within long distance by letter.

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Study on Folk Caring in Korea for Cultural Nursing (문화간호를 위한 한국인의 민간 돌봄에 대한 연구 : 출생을 중심으로)

  • 고성희;조명옥;최영희;강신표
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.430-458
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    • 1990
  • Care is a central concept of nursing. Nursing would not exist without caring. Care and quality of life are closely related. Human behavior is a manifestation of culture. We can say that caring and nursing care are expression of culture. The nurse must understand the relationship of culture with care for ensure quality nursing care. But knowledge of cultural factors in nursing is not well developed. Time and in - depth study are needed to find meaningful relationships between culture and care. Nurses recognized the importance of culturally appropriate nursing There are two care systems in culturally based nursing. The folk care system and the professional nursing care system. The folk care system existed long before the professional nursing care system was introduced into this culture. If the discrepancy between these two care systems is great, the client may receive inappropriate nursing care. Culture and subcaltures are diverse and dynamic in nature. Nurses need to know the caring behaviors, patterns, and their meaning in their own culture. In Korea we have taken some first step to study cultural nursing phenomena. It is not our intent necessarily to return to the past and develop a nationalistic of nursing, but to identify the core of traditional caring and relate that to professional nursing care. Our Assumptions are as follows : 1) Care is essential for human growth, well being and survial. 2) 7here are diverse and universal forma, expressions, patterns, and processes of human care that exist transcul - turally. 3) The behaviors and functions of caring differ according to the social structure of each culture. 4) Cultures have folk and professional care values, beliefs, and practices. To promote the quality of nursing care we must understand the folk care value, beliefs, and practices. We undertook this study to understand caring in our traditional culture. The Goals of this study were as follows : 1) To identify patterns in caring behavior, 2) To identify the structural components of caring, and 3) To understand the meaning and some principles of caring. We faised several questions in this study. Who is the care-giver? Who is the care-receipient? Was the woman the major care -giver at any time? What are the patterns in caring behavior? What art the priciples underlying the caring process? We used an interdisciplinary team approach, composed of representatives from nursing and anthropology, to contribute in -depth understanding of caring through a socicaltural perspeetive. A Field study was conducted in Ro-Bong, a small agricultural kinship village. The subjects were nine women and one man aged be or more years of age. Data were collected from january 15 to 21, 1990 through opem-ended in-depth interviews and observations. The interview focused on caring behaviors sorrounding birth, aging, death and child rearing. We analysed these data for meaning, pattern and priciples of caring. In this report we describe caring behaviors surrounding childbirth. The care-givers were primarily mothers- in -low, other women in the family older than the mother - to- be, older neighbor woman, husbands, and mothers of the mother-to- be. The care receivers were the mother-to-be the baby, and the immediate family as a component of kinship. Emerging caring behavior included praying, helping proscribing, giving moral advice(Deug - Dam), showing concern, instructing, protecting, making preparations, showing consideration, touching, trusting, encouraging, giving emotional comfort, being with, worrying about, being patient, preventing problems, showing by an example, looking after bringing up, taking care of postnatal health, streng thening the health condition, entering into another's feelings(empathizing), and sharing food, joy and sorrow The emerging caring component were affection, touching, nurtuing, teaching, praying, comforting, encouraging, sharing. empathizing, self - discipline, protecting, preparing, helping and compassion. Emerging principles of. caring were solidarity, heir- archzeal relationships, sex - role distinction. Caring during birth expresses the valve of life and reflects the valued traditional beliefs that human birth is given by god and a unique unifying family event reaching back to include the ancestors and foreward to later generations. In addition, We found positive and rational foundations for traditionl caring behaviors surrounding birth, these should not be stigmatized as inational or superstitious. The nurse appropriately adopts the rational and positive nature of traditional caring behaviors to promote the quality of nursing care.

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The study examined characteristics of 20 patients who visitied Kongju (비만환자(肥滿患者) 20명(名)에 대(對)한 임상적(臨床的) 연구(硏究))

  • Park, Tae Gyun;Lee, Byung Ryul
    • Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.137-149
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    • 2002
  • Dong-Eui-Bo-Gham Oriental medicine clinic on the purpose of losing their weight, from March 1, 2001 to March 1, 2002. The characteristics studied were gender, average weight, average height, distribution of body fat rate, base body metabolism rate, distribution of bmi, purpose of losing weight, treatment history, cause of gaining weight, clinical symptoms, distribution of Sahsang constitution, and change of body constituent. The conclusions drawn from this study were: 1. Among patients who came to the clinic for weight loss, there were 16 females (80%), and 4 males (20%). The ratio of gener was 1 to 4 (male to female) The distribution of their ages were 1 in one's teens (5%), 6 in their 20s (30%), 7 in their 30s (35%), and 6 in their 40s (30%). 2. The average weight of the patients was 72.155kg, and their average height was 163.2 cm. 3. The body fat rates of patients were distributed as: 2 were below 25 (10%), 3 were 25 to 30 (15%), 8 were 30 to 35 (40%), 5 were 35 to 40 (25%), and 2 were 40 to 45 (10%). 4. The base body metabolism rates of the patients were distributed as: 1 was below 1000Kcal (5%), 6 were 1100 to 1200Kcal (30%), 5 were 1200 to 1300Kcal (25%), 6 were 1300 to 1400Kcal (30%), and 2 were 1400 to 1500Kcal (10%). 5. The distribution of the patients bmi was: 4 were below 20 (20%), 5 were 20 to 25 (5%), 11 were 25 to 30 (55%), and 4 were 30 to 35 (20%). 6. The patients visited the clinic to lose their weight for the follwoing purposes: 5 were related to health concerns (25%), and 15 were to imprve their physical apprearnce (75%). Among patients who wanted to lose their weight becase of health concerns, 4 were married (20%) and 1 was single (5%). Among patiens who wanted to lose their weight to improve their physical appearance, 6 were married (30%) and 9 were single (45%). 7. As for the past treatment methods, physical exercises were most frequently used (19 patiens, 43%). 14 tried diet (32%), 8 used food substitues (19%), 1 was treated through Western medicine, and 1 was not related to any of these (2%). 8. Main reasons for weight gains were: 12 were related to overeating (40%), 10 were stress (33%), and 8 were lack of physical exercise (27%). 9. Physical symptoms included: 15 were fatigue (29%), 14 were constipation (26%), 13 were body swelling (25%), 3 were headache (5%), menstruation pain (4%), one was stomach upset (2%), 2 were related to physical structure, and 2 were related to other (4%). 10. As for the distribution of Sahsang constitution, 10 were Taeum (50%), 9 were Sohyang (45%), and 1 was Sohum (5%). 11. The average muscle weight was 44.87kg, average abdomen fat rate was 0.8999, and average base body metabolism rate was1369.2Kcal. 12. For the 5-week period, The body fat rate changes were 35.93 1.56% to 30.40 1.98% for A group, and 34.27 1.19% to 31.73 1.38% for B group. The abomen fat rate changes were 0.90 0.02% to 0.86 0.03 for A group, and 0.89 0.02% to 0.83 0.02% for B group. The body fat weight changes were 26.92 2.04kg to 20.74 1.98kg for A group, and 27.86 3.37kg to 24.58 3.02kg for B group. The body weight chages were 72.36 3.18kg to 64.54 2.55kg for A group, and 72.48 3.14kg to 67.74 3.11kg for B group. The muscle rate changes were 43.86 1.63kg to 43.10 1.76kg for A group, and 42.72 1.22kg to 41.60 1.86kg for B group. Overall, A group was superior to B group. 13. After being treated for obesity, 13 patients used exercise treatment (65%), 5 continued to receive obesity treatment (25%), and 2 used diet (10%). Based on these results, we could conclude that the importande of setting a criterion of obesity and weight control have changed according to changes in social and cultural values, and that treatment of obesity through Oriental medicine and research should keep up with changes in esthetic and psychological values.

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Survey on the Hospice Care Needs of Hospice Volunteers (호스피스 자원봉사자의 호스피스 케어 요구도 분석)

  • Cho, Hyun;Kang, Hee-Sook;Kim, Jeoung-Hee
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.155-162
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    • 2002
  • Purpose : The purpose of this study is to provide preliminary information on the hospice care needs of hospice volunteers. Methods : The sample of this study was obtained from those who completed the hospice volunteer education program in three different areas in Korea. This study was conducted by a self-administered questionnaire. The sample analyzed for this study contained 88 hospice volunteers. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and logistic regression analysis were performed to produce the findings of this study. Results : The characteristics of the study sample were $40{\sim}49$ aged, middle class, christianity, married women with high school diplomas. They attended at the hospice center with less than 1 year experience. Majority of them had no family members who received a hospice care. The hospice care was strongly required in the field of information, particularly regarding their diseases and treatments. The identified hospice care needs were the prevention and treatment of gangrene in the field of physical needs, the maintenance of closer relationship with their doctors in the field of emotional needs, and the support of supporting medical insurance in the field of socioeconomic needs. The significant predictors were 'having hospice care taker among family members' in the field of the total hospice care needs and physical needs. Two predictable variables were found in the field of emotional needs. However, none were found to be a predictable variable in the field of information and socioeconomic needs. Conclusion : The findings or this study have a weekness of generalizability due to the sampling methodology used in this study. Thus, further research should be designed in relation to this topic with a probability sampling method.

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Art Therapy and Hospice & Palliative Care in Korea (한국의 예술치료와 호스피스 완화의료)

  • Kim, Chang Gon
    • Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.85-96
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    • 2015
  • In Korea, modern art therapy was developed in the 1960s and 1970s in the form of supplementary activities for patients in psychiatry. Along with the foundation of the Korean Association for Clinical Art in 1982 by psychiatric doctors, the therapy involved more various arts forms such as music, art, dance, poetry therapy, and psychodrama. More organizations with specific expertise opened such as the Korean Art Therapy Association, Korean Art Therapy Association, etc. in the 1990s and the Korea Arts Therapy Institute in 2001. As of April 2015, the members of the Korean Art Therapy Association total 15,000, including 6,200 regular members. The arts in integrative arts therapy (IAT) is an individual's creative activity which is related to his inner world, and the forms of IAT include music, drawing, dance and poetry therapy. From the aspect of phenomenology, IAT is psychophysical therapy involving the arts that helps patients recognize and perceive their experiences with an aim of at a recovery of the body and creativity from the phenomenological aspect. It is also a therapeutic activity that targets growth and development of the body and mind. Meta-analysis of the effects of art therapy with a focus on that involving music, drawing, dance movement and IAT in recent years in Korea, significant effects were observed in all factors but physical function. The biggest effect was mentality adaptation followed by activity adaptation and physiology. In the run up to the implementation of the daily flat-rate system for the health insurance reimbursement for palliative care in July 2015, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is reviewing the coverage of music therapy, drawing therapy and flower therapy, which are currently practiced by 56 hospice institutes in Korea. This is a meaningful step because the coverage of hospice and palliative care came after that of art therapy for psychiatric patients was approved in 1977. Still, there is a need clarify the therapeutic mechanism by exploring causality among the treatment media, mediation type and treatment effects. To address the issue of indiscriminately issued licenses, more efforts are needed to ensure expertise and identity of the licensed therapists through education, training and supervision.

Middle School Students' Perception of Body Image and Allowance for Plastic Surgery (중학생의 신체상 지각수준과 성형수술 허용도)

  • Bae, Jin-Ju;Park, Young-Soo
    • The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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    • v.5
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    • pp.25-42
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    • 2004
  • This study set out to investigate the relations between middle school students' perception of body image and their allowance for plastic surgery, to understand their perception of body image and desire for plastic surgery, and provide some data needed to warn against reckless plastic surgery and guide the students effectively. For those purposes, an examination was conducted of the relationships between the individual characteristics and perception levels of body image, the individual characteristics and allowance for plastic surgery, and perception levels of body image and allowance for plastic surgery. The subjects were drawn from sour middle schools located in two regions of Gyeonggi Province. Total 922 boys and girls were surveyed on a questionnaire, which was developed based on the pretest of previous literature, reviewed for appropriateness, and tested for reliability and reasonableness. The body image on the five scale was greater as the perception level was higher. The allowance for plastic surgery was also greater as the scores were more. The findings were as follows: First, the relationships between individual characteristics and perception levels of body image were examined. The third graders showed the highest perception level, being followed by the first and second graders. The girls were more perceptive than the boys, and those who were extrovert were more perceptive than those who were introvert. Those students whose parents earned 2 million won or more a month and who adapted themselves to the environmental changes had a higher perception level. In a word, the girls from the middle class that were well adapted, felt happy, and were extrovert had a higher perception level of body image. Second, the connections between individual characteristics and allowance for plastic surgery were investigated. The third graders were the most admissive of plastic surgery, followed by the second and first graders. That is, the upper graders were more admissive of plastic surgery. In addition, the girls were more admissive than the boys, and those who were extrovert were more than those who were introvert. There were no significant differences according to the monthly income of the parents, grades, adaptability to surroundings, and happiness, which results almost resembled the findings of a study conducted on adults. Third, there were negative correlations found between the perception levels of body image and the allowance for plastic surgery. To elaborate, the higher the perception levels were, the lower the allowance was, and vice versa. As for the items, the subjects showed more allowance for plastic surgery when they scored less in the item of caring about appearance, importance of looking pretty to others, and efforts to improve appearance. When they had a low value of body and easily felt tired, they were highly acceptive of plastic surgery. The allowance for plastic surgery was also great when their perception was much of how healthy they felt, how important they felt about their bodies, how they were satisfied with their current appearances, how they evaluated the appearance of others, how much they were satisfied physically, and how much demanding they were for physical changes. Meanwhile, there were no correlations between the allowance and physical attraction, the degree for one's activities to be hindered, and sickness. In short, the demand for plastic surgery was 41% for the girls and 20.2% for the boys. Just as the study on adults reported, those who had a low or negative perception of body image were more acceptive of plastic surgery. The middle school students were generally positive about their bodies with the lowest perception level at 2.91 and the highest at 3.21. Their individual allowance for plastic surgery was related to their individual body images, which were in turn affected by the mass communication, surrounding environments, and social values. Thus it's necessary for the entire society to try to improve or change the overall perception. Helping measures should be taken so that the students can form right sense of values about their bodies, avoid the obsession with appearance and appearance-based evaluation, and exercise righteous criteria against humans beings and things. In conclusions, the following suggestions were made: they need to develop such questionnaires or tools as can measure the body image of teens and fit the reality. Moreover, body image improvement programs should be more diverse and more applicable to teens. Despite the consistent reports that prove the correlations between body image and plastic surgery, there has been little effort to apply such factors as experience of the life of the disabled, volunteer activities for the disabled and at the hospitals, and others that can induce changes to body image to the body image improvement programs. In the future, comparative research should be carried out on body image and plastic surgery.

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