• Health Policy and Management
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.149-165
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the health status on the quality of life of the rural elderly, and to examine the conditional effect of socialsupport for that influence. 'Quality of life' used in this study was defined by unidimensional approach. The data were collected by conducting individual interviews with 296 rural elderly people aged 60 and the above who were living in one township of Kangwondo, between the time period of October and November 1995. The main findings are as follows: 1. Hierarchical regression analyses were carried out to examine the relative contribution of three set of variables on the quality of life. The first step, which included sociodemographic factors showed that the coefficient of determination (R$^{2}$) was 8% and income was a statisically significant variable. The second step, by adding health related factors, revealed that the R$^{2}$ was increased to 34% by 26% point and the degree of health recognition was the statistically significant variable. The third step, by projecting additionall social support related variables revealed that the R$^{2}$ was 42% 2. The conditional effect of social support was analyzed to examine the influence the health status has on the quality of life. The results are as follows: 1) The IADL and the degree of social contact interacted, resulting in that the higher degree of social contact boosted the stronger effect of IADL. 2) The effect of subjective health recognition on the quality of life is depended upon degree of family ontact. 3) The effect of eyesight on the quality of life is depended upon degree of satisfaction in social relation. The lower the degree of social support was, the bigger the influence of health related variables affecting quality of life became. This study explains that health status is a major factor in predicting the quality of life of the aged. Particularly the subjective health recognition was an important factor as the perception of quality of life.

• 한국노년학
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.73-93
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• 2005

This study explores the determinants of economic status and well-being among elderly Koreans. Particular emphasis is paid to the role of intergenerational support in these processes because institutional responses to an aging population in Korea are currently inadequate. Path model results indicate that status maintenance variables have significant effects on economic status and well-being as measured by comprehensive income. Further, inequality in comprehensive income - as measured by the Gini and Theil's indices - is substantial and increases in successive age groups. However, market-based and family-based income, two components of comprehensive income, show different patterns. Inequality in market-based income is apparently increasing, while inequality in family-based income is decreasing gradually in successive age groups. With respect to the role of intergenerational support, results indicate that family-income-focused persons possess highly vulnerable sociodemographic characteristics, and that for the socially disadvantaged elderly Koreans, intergenerational support plays a crucial role in the later stages of life. This study also discusses the implications of these findings for the transition from latency to manifestation of intergenerational support in Korea.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.115-128
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• 2015

This study aims to examine the general tendency of suicidal ideation in single person households and to analyse the differences and effects of related variables(sociodemographic variables, characteristics of single person households, happiness and depression) on suicidal ideation. For achieving these purposes, a survey was conducted using questionnaires, based on quota sampling that considers the distribution of population in each dong of one Gu in Gwangju. Finally, data of 686 single person households were used for analysis. The study findings were as follows. The average score of suicidal ideation in single person households was 6.47 points, it was somewhat higher as compared to prior research that was targeting general households. And the average score of happiness index was 4.17 points, depression was 33.11 points. The level of suicidal ideation in single person households was significantly different according to age, occupation, economic status, health status, period of single life, life satisfaction, and contact with family. In addition, the level of depression(${\beta}=.24$, p<.01) had the biggest effect on suicidal ideation in single person households and it was followed by happiness index(${\beta}=-.19$, p<.05) and family visit(${\beta}=-.15$, p<.05). The total explanatory power was 37%. These findings imply that it is important to find a high mental health risk group and treat it early, because there is a high possibility that single person households might have mental health problems by being isolated or alienated from society. In addition, diverse program and services designed to maintain familial bonds despite family members living separately are needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2003

Objectives : To identify the factors related to awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in a Gwacheen population. Methods : This study surveyed 1,176 Gwacheon residents older than 40 years, and measured blood pressure using a standardized guideline in 1999. The study subjects were 473 adults (175 males, 295 females) with hypertension defined as a systolic blood pressure $\geq$140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure $\geq$90 mmHg or reported treatment with antihypertensive medication. Information on awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, and sociodemographic and health-related factors .was collected through person-to-person interviews with a structured questionnaire. Results : Overall, 252 (53.3%) of hypertensive subjects were aware of their condition, of whom as many as 193 (76.6%) were being treated, and 81 (42.0%) had their blood pressure controlled at the recommended level (<140/90 mmHg). However, of the 473 subjects found to have hypertension, only 40.8% were being treated, and 17.1% were under control. There were no significant differences in the proportions of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension. In multiple logistic regression models, awareness of hypertension was positively associated with age and family history of hypertension in females. Control of hypertension was also positively associated with haying a partner and marital status in females.. Conclusion : These findings demonstrate that much greater efforts on improving awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension are needed, even in urban community settings, considering related factors such as a9e, family history, and marital status. However, these factors should be further investigated for their causal relationship.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2002

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the smoking behaviors and their related factors of the 6th graders from 25 primary schools in Gwangju City and Chonnam province. The total number of subject were 882 children(2% of total 44,088 persons). The instrument consisted of 14 for sociodemographic and smoking-related characteristics and 12 for smoking behaviors-related factors. The survey was conducted with the help of school nurses from August 20th to September 30th, 2000, and the data were analyzed with SAS program. The results were as follows: 12.8% of the 6th graders had once and more smoking experiences and 0.9% of them are current smoking. The number of children who have smoking experience were significantly more in the male group, unsatisfying group in school life, lower in school performance(p< .001); and of lower level of father's education(p< .05), of children of working mothers, and of relatively unhappy family atmosphere(p< .01). There were number of children who have smoking experience were significant in the group of having smoking friends, of frequent buying cigarette, and of having smoking siblings(p< .001) and relatives(p< .05). It is concluded that smoking experience of primary school children in Gwangju and Chonnam area were relatively lower than that of other provinces and foreign countries but starting age of smoking was tended to be lower gradually.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2006

The aim of the present study was to investigate the dental caries experience in disabled people according to the handicapped types in Korea. This study subjects based on the national disabled survey 2004 were collected by designed cluster sampling and interviewed with structured questionnaire in order to examine dental caries and sociodemographic status. The subjects were attending the special schools and private or public welfare institutions for crippled disorder, encephalopathy disorder, mental retardation, visual disturbance, and hearing defect. Oral examination was conducted by 13 trained dentists. 1,307 of handicapped people were finally analysed. ANOVA and Cochran-Mantel-Hanzel analysis were adapted for statistical analysis. The results were as follows; Dental caries prevalence, DMFT(Decayed, missing, filled teeth), and DMFS(Decayed, missing, filled surfaces) of disabled people were higher in crippled disorder and mental retardation than the others. There were significant differences in dental caries prevalence, DMFT, and DMFS according to the disabled. DMFT was significantly higher than national population in every age group except in 12-14 year-old and more than 35 group. It was likely that the experience level of dental caries was significantly different according to the handicapped types in Korea and higher than the people without handicap.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.297-304
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between antioxidant food intake pattern and asthma control status in Korean adolescents. This study was conducted using data from 1,578 patients diagnosed with asthma among the participants in the 11th online health behavior survey. Statistical analyses were performed for sociodemographic variables, known risk factors for asthma worsening, and all variables which were related to food intake pattern. For final decision, logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the associations between antioxidant food intake and asthma worsening. Male gender and smoking experiences were associated with asthma exacerbation. Low intake of antioxidant foods status also significantly increased asthma exacerbations. Antioxidant food intake and smoking prevention education is important for adolescent asthma patients. It is highly needed to recommend taking fruits and vegetables properly.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.92-102
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• 2018

Purpose: This study investigated the validity of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) as a predictor of periodontal disease (PD) over a 12-year period. Methods: Nationwide representative samples of 149,785 adults aged ${\geq}60$ years with PD (International Classification of Disease, 10th revision [ICD-10], K052-K056) were derived from the National Health Insurance Service-Elderly Cohort during 2002-2013. The degree of comorbidity was measured using the CCI (grade 0-6), including 17 diseases weighted on the basis of their association with mortality, and data were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression in order to investigate the associations of comorbid diseases (CDs) with PD. Results: The multivariate Cox regression analysis with adjustment for sociodemographic factors (sex, age, household income, insurance status, residence area, and health status) and CDs (acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, cerebral vascular accident, dementia, pulmonary disease, connective tissue disorders, peptic ulcer, liver disease, diabetes, diabetes complications, paraplegia, renal disease, cancer, metastatic cancer, severe liver disease, and human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) showed that the CCI in elderly comorbid participants was significantly and positively correlated with the presence of PD (grade 1: hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; P<0.001; grade ${\geq}2$: HR, 1.12, P<0.001). Conclusions: We demonstrated that a higher CCI was a significant predictor of greater risk for PD in the South Korean elderly population.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.287-300
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• 2015

Objectives: Self-rated health is a measure of perceived health widely used in epidemiological studies. Our study investigated the determinants of poor self-rated health in middle-aged Korean adults with diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on the Health Examinees Study. A total of 9759 adults aged 40 to 69 years who reported having physician-diagnosed diabetes were analyzed with regard to a range of health determinants, including sociodemographic, lifestyle, psychosocial, and physical variables, in association with self-rated health status using multivariate logistic regression models. A p-value <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: We found that negative psychosocial conditions, including frequent stress events and severe distress according to the psychosocial well-being index, were most strongly associated with poor self-rated health (odds ratio $[OR]_{\text{Frequent stress events}}$, 5.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.63 to 6.29; $OR_{\text{Severe distress}}$, 11.08; 95% CI, 8.77 to 14.00). Moreover, younger age and being underweight or obese were shown to be associated with poor self-rated health. Physical factors relating to participants' medical history of diabetes, such as a younger age at diagnosis, a longer duration of diabetes, insulin therapy, hemoglobin A1c levels of 6.5% or more, and comorbidities, were other correlates of poor reported health. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, in addition to medical variables, unfavorable socioeconomic factors, and adverse lifestyle behaviors, younger age, being underweight or obese, and psychosocial stress could be distinc factors in predicting negative perceived health status in Korean adults with diabetes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.323-330
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• 2009

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate whether working married women in different occupational classes affected diverse health outcomes. Methods : We used data for married women aged 25-59 (N=2,273) from the 2005 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Outcome measures included physical/mental and subjective/objective indicators (selfrated poor health, chronic diseases, depression, and suicidal ideation from reported results; metabolic syndrome dyslipidemia from health examination results). Agestandardized prevalence and logistic regression were employed to assess health status according to three types working groups (housewives, married women in manual jobs, married women in non-manual jobs). Sociodemographic factors (age, numbers of children under 7, education, household income) and health behaviors (health examination, sleep, rest, exercise, smoking, drinking) and a psychological factor (stress) were considered as covariates. Results : Non-manual married female workers in Korea showed better health status in all five health outcomes than housewives. The positive health effect for the non-manual group persisted in absolute (age-adjusted prevalence) and relative (odds ratio) measures, but multivariate analyses showed an insignificant association of the non-manual group with dyslipidemia. Manual female workers showed significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence of almost all health outcomes than housewives except chronic disease, but the associations disappeared after further adjustment for covariates regarding sleep, rest, and stress. Conclusions : Our results suggest that examining the health impact of work on married women requires the consideration of occupational class.