• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6491-6496
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• 2012

Background: The influence of parental socio-economic status on childhood cancer treatment outcome in low-income countries has not been sufficiently investigated. Our study examined this influence and explored parental experiences during cancer treatment of their children in an Indonesian academic hospital. Materials and Methods: Medical charts of 145 children diagnosed with cancer between 1999 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. From October 2011 until January 2012, 40 caretakers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Results: Of all patients, 48% abandoned treatment, 34% experienced death, 9% had progressive/relapsed disease, and 9% overall event-free survival. Prosperous patients had better treatment outcome than poor patients (P<0.0001). Odds-ratio for treatment abandonment was 3.3 (95%CI: 1.4-8.1, p=0.006) for poor versus prosperous patients. Parents often believed that their child's health was beyond doctor control and determined by luck, fate or God (55%). Causes of cancer were thought to be destiny (35%) or God's punishment (23%). Alternative treatment could (18%) or might (50%) cure cancer. Most parents (95%) would like more information about cancer and treatment. More contact with doctors was desired (98%). Income decreased during treatment (55%). Parents lost employment (48% fathers, 10% mothers), most of whom stated this loss was caused by their child's cancer (84% fathers, 100% mothers). Loss of income led to financial difficulties (63%) and debts (55%). Conclusions: Treatment abandonment was most important reason for treatment failure. Treatment outcome was determined by parental socio-economic status. Childhood cancer survival could improve if financial constraints and provision of information and guidance are better addressed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.518-529
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• 2012

Integration of Europe was started when European Union Treaty was concluded at Maastricht for the first time on December, 1991. Europe which may be called as a cradle of modern national state has realized a single Europe not only in the socio-economic integration field but also in the political field. Under this background, it is considered that life-long education policy for developing a new integrated growth engine of EU requires educational response that may get ready for socio-economic environmental transformation more than anything else. In particular, this policy is faced with an important task of having to achieve harmony of efficiency through diversity and mutual coordination in pursuing cooperation and integrated development of life-long education field. However, notwithstanding their efforts, since 2008, some countries of EU were faced with economic crisis due to economic recession and this situation starts to drive the whole Europe even to the point of their financial crisis at last. This crisis is currently shaking socio-economic integration of EU. This study intends to observe a status of establishing life-long education system and promoting a policy for socio-economic integration of EU and to analyze as to what kind of relevance adult participation rate of life-long learning among the countries belonged to EU has with per capita income and to explore as whether socio-economic integration among member countries could be sustained based on problems of integrative life-long education system under the economic crisis of EU. In addition, through this study, an implication required for presenting a new paradigm conversion, policy establishment and development direction for the life-long education of our country is intended to be deduced.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 1984

The study was carried out to investigate the relationship of certain socio-economic factors to the private owner's knowledge of forestry practices. The dependent variable was knowledge level in forestry, and the six independent variables were owner's age, educational level, forestland area, socio-economic status, communication and socio-psychological factors. For the study the data were collected by interviewing 258 private forest owners, and analized primarily by multiple correlation statistical technique. The sampled private owners were grouped into two categories: the common owners and model owners. 1) The average score of forestry knowledge of common owners was lower than that of model owners, and the difference was about 15 scores. The scores of other independent variables such as age, educational level, forestland area, socio-economic status, communication and socio-psychological factors of common owners were also significantly lower than those of model owners. 2) The common owner's knowledge of forestry practice were positively correlated with educational level, socio-psychological and communication variables. On the other hand, the model owner's were negatively correlated with the educational level, but positively with the socio-economic status and the socio-psychological variables. 3) The multiple correlation coefficient between the common owner's knowledge scores and six independent variables was 0.5667. About 31.46 percent of the variance of this knowledge could be explained by the communication variable, and other 1.42 percent by the socio-psychological factor. In the case of model owners, the multiple correlation was 0.5332, and about 16.62 percent of the variance of the knowledge could be explained by the communication variable, and ls.y percent by the socio-psychological factor. 4) The opportunity of communication contact through the mass media, personal communication and owner's social participation should be augmented for the effective forestry extension works, because it is one of the results of the study that the private forest owner's knowledge in forestry was greatly affected by communication variable.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.406-414
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine dysphagia risk among community-dwelling elderly people living at home. We also examined the impact of socio-demographic variables on dysphagia risk as well as the relationship between dysphagia risk and dietary characteristics. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study sample included 568 community-dwelling individuals, aged 65 years and above, who were living independently in their own home in Seoul, Gyeonggi, or Gwangju in South Korea. We used a dysphagia risk assessment scale to screen for dysphagia risk and the Mini nutritional assessment to evaluate the nutritional status. Associations between dysphagia risk and other variables were assessed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 568 subjects, 350 (61.6%) were classified into the dysphagia risk group (DR) and 218 (38.4%) were classified into the normal group (non-DR). Being female (odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28-2.59), being 75 years and older (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.69-3.42), having a lower education level (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.33-3.97), and having a lower perceived economic status (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.32-3.60) were more frequently observed with dysphagia risk compared to those who did not have such characteristics. Lowered mastication ability (OR = 14.40, 95% CI = 4.43-46.95), being at risk of malnutrition or malnourished (OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.75-4.23), lowered appetite (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 2.16-4.93), and decreased food intake (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.83-4.78) were observed more frequently in the DR group than in the non-DR group when adjusting for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to develop and apply integrated programs to improve the dietary habits and nutritional status of elderly individuals at risk for dysphagia, especially for women aged 75 years or older with lower educational and economic levels.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.4031-4035
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most feared diseases among women and it could induce the development of psychological disorders like anxiety and depression. An assessment was here performed of the status and to determine contributory factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among breast cancer patients at University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur. A total of 205 patients who were diagnosed between 2007 until 2010 were interviewed using the questionnaires of Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS). The associated factors investigated concerned socio-demographics, socio economic background and the cancer status. Descriptive analysis, chi-squared tests and logistic regression were used for the statistical test analysis. Results: The prevalence of anxiety was 31.7% (n=65) and of depression was 22.0% (n=45) among the breast cancer patients. Age group (p= 0.032), monthly income (p=0.015) and number of visits per month (p=0.007) were significantly associated with anxiety. For depression, marital status (p=0.012), accompanying person (p=0.041), financial support (p-0.007) and felt burden (p=0.038) were significantly associated. In binary logistic regression, those in the younger age group were low monthly income were 2 times more likely to be associated with anxiety. Having less financial support and being single were 3 and 4 times more likely to be associated with depression. Conclusions: In management of breast cancer patients, more care or support should be given to the young and low socio economic status as they are at high risk of anxiety and depression.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.110-143
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to assess the extent of inequality in health outcomes and the distribution of health services according to health need under National Health Insurance System in Korea. For the empirical analysis, data were collected through an interview survey during one month of October, 1994. Interview were conducted with a total of 10, 875 of the employees and the self-employed selected through cluster, systematic sampling. The major findings of this research are as follows: 1. The analysis of the differentials in morbidity rates by socio-economic group showed that health inequality in the pro-higher groups existed in all self-reported morbidity indicators. 2. The findings of the conventional use measures showed that the lower socio-economic groups had more ambulatory and inpatient services than the higher groups. In contrast to the level of the medical care utilization, however, the higher socio-economic groups were more likely to use the high-quality source of care in terms of their treatment place compared to the lower groups. 3. By using the need-based use measures, the results were different from each use-disability ration indicator. Using the use-disability ration measured by physician visits per 100 restricted-activity days in the population, it was found that there was no evidence favoring the higher socio-economic groups. In contrast, the use-disability ration based on physician visits per a chronic patient in one year displayed that there was remarkable relative difference by income group as well as the evidence of the pro-higher income groups. 4. The results of logistic regression analysis and two-stage estimation method indicated that although the utilization is significantly affected by type and duration of insurance coverage, the use or nonuse of service and the volume of physician care consumed is determined by health need and demographic characteristics rater than economic status. In sum, these findings suggest that physician service is equitably distributed according to health need under national health insurance system in Korea. As there were some evidences of inequality including the differential in physician visits of chronic patients by income group, however, the government should strengthen the activities to guarantee the equity of health services utilization.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.81-92
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• 1987

This treatise deals with chronic state of famine and exploitation of famine relief food in the later half of Chosun Period and especially in relation with socio-economic changes. There with the impact of socio-economic factors on the chronic state of famine and exploitation of famine relief food is studied mainly with a literary approach. The influential factors which lead to the chronic state of famine were not only climatic restrictions such as flood and drought but socio-economic factors such as foreign invasion (Japanease invasion and Ching's invasion), frequent breaking out of revolt and technological development of agriculture (rice transplantation). And disorder of land system and cultivation of cash crops by the richer peasantry, lowering the economic status of the poorer peasantry who were a major constituents of the population, aggravated the famine state. Because the poorer peasantry were under the shortage of food, they had to seek something edible in the fields and mountains. In this process various kinds of famine relief foods were exploited by the poorer peasantry. The majority of famine relief foods were wild vegetables. Consequently the Chronic state of famine was a cause to introduce various edible wild vegetables into Korean food, which influenced modern vegetarian food habits and firmed the Korean's favorite taste to be hot and salty. These wild vegetables couldn't have a marvelous effect on the relief of starved people. Potatoes and sweet potatoes, which were newly introduced foreign crops, were encouraged to be cultivated for famine relief. But these tubers, unable to be staple food, didn't contribute to an increase in population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing inadequate energy intake among Korean elderly. Methods: Our study included 1,869 elderly people (over 60 years old) who completed a dietary survey from the fifth Korean NHANES (2010). Factors that could affect the nutritional status of the elderly included age, family status, socio-economic factors (education, family income, livelihood security, employment), and health related factors (having chronic disease, functional status, diet therapy, depression, and suicidal thoughts). Energy and protein intake were assessed using the dietary intake data from 24hr recall method. Results: The percentage of people who consumed energy less than 75% of EEA for Koreans was 23.7% in men, 31.1% in women. The carbohydrate contribution to the total energy intake in the inadequate energy intake group was significantly higher than that in the adequate intake group (p < 0.05). Factors significantly related to inadequate energy intake after adjusting for age, family status, education, family income, employment, functional status, and suicidal thoughts were education (OR: 1.480 in men, 1.614 in women) and employment (OR: 1.751 in men, 1.464 in women), age 70 years or older in men (OR: 1.475), and living with family but without spouse in women (OR: 1.496). Conclusion: In summary, the results imply that energy intake of elderly would be affected by the status of social environment with aging and nutrition-related policy for Korean elderly should be based on the social status as well as health related conditions.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1135-1153
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• 2011

The study aims to examine the interaction of socio-economic status in education and income in the difference of the level of subjective health, physical health, and mental health of middle-age and the elderly of Korea. While there have been various discussions in precedent study with respect to the serious increase in the number of dependent life alongside with increasing elderly population, research on the health level according to socio-economic status is highly limited, and also how the health level of middle-age and the elderly - whom will arrive at senescence in just a few years - is different. The study aims at analyzing the health level by hierarchy and age based on data targeting the whole nation. As for analysis data, the study utilized 1st Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) implemented by Korea Labor Institute, and carried out a path analysis to verify whether income and academic background serve as a parameter to the level of subjective health, physical health, and mental health. As a result, while the subjective health level decreases, the study confirmed an increase in chronic diseases, and extremely low level of mental health when people in middle-age enter the elderly. In addition, the higher the education and income, the more the health levels both on middle-age and the elderly; the result suggests that education background and income have mediated effects in all health level of middle-age and the elderly.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.127-134
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• 2016

This study aims to investigate the factors affecting tooth loss and the association between smoking and tooth loss, by using the forth Korea National Health and National Examination Survey(2007-2009) of 1,565 elderly people over 65 years old. In terms of the characteristics, as age increases, tooth loss increases. In particular, according to the results of the analysis that identify the correlation between smoking to gender, socio-economic status and dental visiting patterns after correcting socio-economic factors and behavior, it is clear that male's tooth loss is higher than female's in current smoking and tooth loss is caused highly in the lower socio-economic status. In the dental visiting patterns, tooth loss is high when visiting more than twice a year. Therefore, it seems to need a preventive non-smoking policy at the level of dental services through further studies.