• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.154-162
• /
• 2005

Objectives: To analyze the relationships of socioeconomic status(SES) to health status and health behaviors in the elderly. Methods: Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaire of 4,587 persons, older than 65 years, living in a community. We measured the sociodemographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, health status (subjective health status, acute disease, admission experience, dental state, chronic disease etc.), activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and mini-mental state examination-Korean (MMSEK). Binary and multinominal logistic regression analyses were employed to analyze factors affecting on the socioeconomic status of the elderly. Results: With regard to the SES and health status, those with a low SES had poorer subjective health states and lower satisfaction about their physical health. Also, acute disease experiences, admission rates and tooth deciduation rates were higher in those of low SES. In the view of physical and cognitive functions, the ADL, IADL and MMSE-K scores were also lower in those of low SES. However, with regard to health behaviors, lower smoking and alcohol drinking rates were found in the low SES group, and a similar trend was shown with regular physical exercise, eating breakfast, and regular physical health check-up. From these findings, we surmise that those with low SES have a poorer health condition and less money to spend on health, therefore, they can not smoke or drink alcohol, exercise and or have a physical health check-up. Conclusion: This study suggests that socioeconomic status plays an important role in health behaviors and status of the elderly. Low socioeconomic status bring about unhealthy behavior and poor health status in the elderly. Therefore, more specific target oriented(esp. low SES persons) health promotion activities for the elderly are very important to improve not only their health status, but their health inequity also.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2006

Background: A number of studies have reported associations between the ambient air pollution concentrations and various health outcomes. Especially, ozone is well known for primary risk factor of asthma attacks. The results of a recent study indicate that the size of the effect on health outcomes due to air pollution varied according to several conditions, including age, gender, race and the socioeconomic status. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the associations of ozone with the childhood asthma hospitalizations as stratified by the socioeconomic status (SES) at the community level in Seoul, Korea, 2002. Methods: SES at aggregated levels was measured on the basis of average regional health-insurance rate per citizen in the area. We applied the generalized additive model to analyze the effect of ozone on asthma after controlling for the potential confounding variables that were capable of influencing the results. Results: Our analysis showed that the number of children who were hospitalized for asthma increased as the SES of the residence area decreased. The estimated relative risks of hospitalization for asthma, as stratified by the SES of the community level, were 1.12 (95% confidence interval 1.00-1.25) in districts with the highest SES levels, 1.24 (95% CI=1.08-1.43) within the moderate SES levels, and 1.32 (95% CI=1.11-1.58) in the districts with the lowest SES levels. Conclusions: Our analysis showed that exposure to air pollution did not equally affect the health status of individuals. This suggests that not only the biological-sensitivity markers, but also the SES of the subjects should be considered as potentially confounding factors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 1999

Objectives. Few studies have attempted to explain the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity in Korea Especially the studies on same race with different SES at same time are good for SES influence estimation. The present study highlights the influence of SES of parents on adolescent obesity. The subjects are the same race, but live in different areas, with different SES, Seoul and Yangpung in Korea, and Yanbian in China. Methods. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Mar-Jun 1996. We carried out anthropometry, 24 hour-recall diet survey, self-reported questionnaire about sociodemographic characteristics and physical activity. For SES indicators, we used income and education of parents. Results. The relationship between SES of parents, defined as educational status, and obesity in boys in Korea and China is direct, but not significant. The relationship is inverse and nonsignificant among Korean girls, However, for the Korean girls in severe obesity, the relationship is significant. For the Korean-Chinese girls, there is an inverse relationship between the education level and obesity but a direct relationship between the income level of parents and obesity. For the Korean adolescent, there are a direct association between the SES of parents and the nutrients factors such as energy, protein, and fat intake. The energy expenditure of adolescent has no relationship with SES of parents. Conclusion. Among boys, the higher the SES, the greater the risk of obese. Among girls in Korea and Korean-Chinese, on the other hand, the lower the educational status of parents, the greater the risk of obese.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.1-22
• /
• 2008

Burden of disease analysis provides a unique perspective on health by integrating fatal and non-fatal outcomes, yet allows the outcome of two classes to be examined separately. Although many studies have shown the inequality in health outcomes across socioeconomic status (SES), an analysis and comparison of Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) between different socioeconomic groups has been rare. This paper calculates the DALY and analyzes the distribution of DALYs for different SES. This study draws from 3,278 cases from the survey on "The Livelihood and Welfare Needs of the Elderly (2004)". It first provides a comprehensive assessment of the burden of 10 chronic diseases of the elderly based on DALY. Then this paper analyzes inequalities in the burden of disease by the levels of SES such as education, income, family size, occupation, and subjective economic conditions. For the elderly, the burden of disease is the highest for hypertension, arthritis and cancer. DALY rate per 1,000 people for the most socio-economically disadvantaged group is expressed as a multiple of the standardized rate for the least disadvantaged group (Rate Ratios). Family size is strongly related to. the difference in the burden of disease between SES groups, and the elderly Who live alone have higher DALY rate than those who live with their family. Other significant variables related to SES groups include subjective economic conditions, occupation, elderly income, and household income.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.53-62
• /
• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations among self-rated health and socioeconomic status. Methods: Analyses were conducted based on cross-sectional data obtained from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. A total of 79,202 students aged 12 to 18 years participated in the study and there was a response rate of 95.5%. Separate logistic regression analyses were performed on each gender group based on a set of independent variables. Those being: the level of parental education level; family affluence scale; subjective household economic status; and subjective school achievement with SRH as the dependent variable. Results: Multivariate analyses revealed significant associations between each SES and adolescent SRH after controlling for other covariates. However, in the models that included all SES indicators, subjective household economic status and subjective school achievement remained significant in boys and girls. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that subjective SES indicators are more closely related to adolescent SRH when compared with objective indicators.

• Acute and Critical Care
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.230-237
• /
• 2018

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is closely associated with health outcomes, including mortality in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). However, research regarding this issue is lacking, especially in countries where the National Health Insurance System is mainly responsible for health care. This study aimed to investigate how the SES of ICU patients in South Korea is associated with mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of adult patients aged ${\geq}20$ years admitted to ICU. Associations between SES-related factors recorded at the time of ICU admission and 30-day and 1-year mortalities were analyzed using univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Results: A total of 6,008 patients were included. Of these, 394 (6.6%) died within 30 days of ICU admission, and 1,125 (18.7%) died within 1 year. Multivariable Cox regression analysis found no significant associations between 30-day mortality after ICU admission and SES factors (P>0.05). However, occupation was significantly associated with 1-year mortality after ICU admission. Conclusions: Our study shows that 30-day mortality after ICU admission is not associated with SES in the National Health Insurance coverage setting. However, occupation was associated with 1-year mortality after ICU admission.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.153-165
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of socioeconomic status and the children's sex on mothers'teaching strategies and their children's responses during a cooperative problem-solving task. The subjects were 15 higher SES mothers and their 5-years-old children dyads. The mothers' teaching strategies and their children's responses were videotaped during a cooperative problem solving task and analyze using a scheme developed by Kermani and Brenner. The results of this study were as follows. First, the mothers with higher SES were more likely to promote 'independence' and less likely to 'verbal prompt'direct performance' than the mothers with lower SES. Second, the children from higher SES families were more likely to refuse their mothers' assistance. Third, the mothers of boys were more likely to use the 'direct teaching'and 'modify'strategies and less likely to use 'independence promoting'strategy than the mothers of girls. Finally, girls were more likely than boys to ask questions for assistance or assurance.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.94-103
• /
• 2014

Objectives: The present study examined relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity and body mass index (BMI) as well as the effects of health-related behavioral and psychological factors on the relationships. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted on Korean adults aged 20 to 79 years using data from the 2001, 2005, and 2007 to 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used to estimate odds ratios of obesity and mean differences in BMI, respectively, across SES levels after controlling for health-related behavioral and psychological factors. Results: We observed significant gender-specific relationships of SES with obesity and BMI after adjusting for all covariates. In men, income, but not education, showed a slightly positive association with BMI (p<0.05 in 2001 and 2005). In women, education, but not income, was inversely associated with both obesity and BMI (p<0.0001 in all datasets). These relationships were attenuated with adjusting for health-related behavioral factors, not for psychological factors. Conclusions: Results confirmed gender-specific disparities in the associations of SES with obesity and BMI among adult Korean population. Focusing on intervention for health-related behaviors may be effective to reduce social inequalities in obesity.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.249-259
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Based on the Reserve Capacity Model, this study investigated the effects of pre- and postmenopausal women's socioeconomic status (SES) on depression, focusing on the mediating effects of self-esteem, happiness, and family relationship satisfaction with social network relationships. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved secondary analysis of national data on 771 perimenopause women gathered from the 16th Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) 2021. A path analysis model was constructed to evaluate the relationship between SES, social network satisfaction, self-esteem, perceived health status, and depression. Data were analyzed using ADANCO 2.3.1 and Mplus 8.4. Results: Although SES had no direct effect on depression, it did affect depression through self-esteem, happiness, and satisfaction with family relationships. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that perimenopausal women's personal resources—psychosocial variables such as self-esteem and happiness—had a higher effect on depression than tangible reserves like SES. Therefore, interventions for enhancing self-esteem and happiness may prevent depression in perimenopausal women effectively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.15
• /
• pp.6303-6309
• /
• 2015

Differences in socioeconomic status (SES) such as income levels may partly explain why breast cancer screening (BCS) disparities exist in countries where health care services are free or heavily subsidized. However, factors that contribute to such differences in SES among women living in well resourced Middle East countries are not fully understood. This quantitative study investigated factors that influence SES and BCS of Arab women. Understanding of such factors can be useful for the development of effective intervention strategies that aim to increase BCS uptake among Arab women. Using data from a cross-sectional survey among 1,063 Arabic-speaking women in Qatar, age 35+, additional data analysis was performed to determine the relationship between socioeconomic indicators such as income and other factors in relation to BCS activities. This study found that income is determined and influenced by education level, occupation, nationality, years of residence in the country, level of social activity, self-perceived health status, and living area. Financial stress, unemployment, and unfavorable social conditions may impede women's participation in BCS activities in well resourced Middle East countries.