• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.253-269
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• 1996

This descriptive study was done to investigate the proportion of mothers breast feeding and identify factors which influence breast feeding. The subjects were 320 mother who child under five years of age, living in WonJu and their children who numbered 530. Data collection was conducted at various places in the WonJu area using survey questionnaire. The results were as follows : 1. The proportion of children receiving breast feeding was 23.3%, mixed feeding 31.7%, milk feeding 45.1%. The most frequent duration for breast feeding was one month, the mean duration was six months. 2. The major reasons for breast feeding were for the health of the child 52.5%, for emotional attachment with the child 34.2%, and as the expected way of feeding 29.5%. 3. The major reasons for interrupting breast feeding were jobs 26.1%, illness of the child or mother 16.1% abnormality of the breast of nipple 12.7% others 31%. 4. The major reasons for quitting breast feeding were insufficient breast milk 34.5%, job 19.6%, diarrhea in the child 9.9%. 5. The factors influencing breast feeding were educational status and the presence of a job. 6. The husband's attitude to breast feeding was very positive 82.3% and the subjects were supported by their mothers and husbands. But the major information sources about breast feeding were the mass media 30.4% and relatives 22.0%. 7. The breast feeding mother reported experiencing positive and satisfactory feelings, but the milk feeding mother reported experiencing negative and guilt feelings. Also the breast feeding mothers perceived their children as very healthy with a stable emotional status. The results showed the breast feeding ratio in WonJu to be very low and problematic and the subject mothers strongly need information about breast feeding and support while breast feeding. Therefore it is recommended that an education program for community women and other people, like husbands, and grandmothers, be developed along with an education program for university students and other young people to provide them with preparatory information as they begin to think about marriage and families.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1162-1165
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• 2005

Purpose : The objective of this survey was to develop an operational plan for breast feeding education. In order to comprehend current breast feeding patterns, we aimed to examine the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding breast feeding of mothers and to compare the data with a similar study done 6 years ago. Methods : A total of 127 mothers who delivered healthy babies at Ewha Womans University Dongdaemun Hospital were interviewed and asked to complete a survey on their perception of breast feeding during their postpartum stay in the hospital. A follow up phone interview was carried out at 1, 2 and 3 months after delivery and similar questions were asked. Results : At the time of delivery, 96.1 percent of mothers planned to breast feed, including 73.2 percent of exclusive breast feeding and 22.8 percent of mixed feeding. The duration of breast feeding planned was mostly 7-12 months. Breast feeding had been recommended by family members. Between 1-3 months, exclusive breast feeding was maintained at least 50 percent but a large number of mothers who had practiced mixed feeding changed to formula feeding. This trend demonstrates an increase in the rate of breast feeding at 3 months compared to a similar study done in 1999. The main reasons for discontinuing breast feeding were insufficient amount of milk(35.0 percent) and return to work(27.5 percent). Conclusion : Breast feeding rate has increased in Korea since 1999 but failure to continue exclusive breast feeding still occurs mainly within the first month after delivery. Breast feeding education should focus on supportive care to mothers practicing mixed feeding.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.379-388
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• 1999

Breastfeeding is an excellent way of feeding infants and continues to be an important source of nutrition and antibodies for infants. Although breast-feeding is believed to be important, the rate of breastfeeding among Korean women is very low. One reason for the low breastfeeding rate is that the health professionals in the past have given little practical help couples to overcome difficulties encountered during breastfeeding. The promotion of breastfeeding has recently become a high priority among health professionals because of the undisputed physiological, psychological, social, economic, and nutritional benefits. Fathers have been found to influence the course of breastfeeding, but no one has conducted a systematic investigation into in and included fathers perspectives of breastfeeding in Korea. It is important to find strategies to solve the problems by assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice of breastfeeding with fathers as well as mothers. The purpose of this research is to find ways to promote primiparous(first child) couples's breastfeeding by assessing their general knowledge, attitude and practice of it. More specifically its purposes is to identify the relationship between knowledge, attitude, practice and the background factors of breastfeeding of primiparous couples in order to promote and support breastfeeding. The data will help health professionals to guide first-pregnancy couples to prepare and overcome any difficulties encountered during breastfeeding. Data were collected through a questionnaire which included both structured and open-ended questions. The questionnaire was composed referencing earlier literature, studies and surveys. This survey was made postpartum 2-3days after childbirth on 96 couples. The numbers of subjects for data analysis were selected 51 couples through pilot screening test. Data were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences : Cronbach's alpha coefficient, T-test, ANOVA, Stepwise pearson's correlation coefficient. The relations between the variables of breastfeeding were examined using a Pearson's correlation coefficient. This study showed that, the internal validity of the instrument was tested by Cronbach's alpha. The result was : mother knowledge 0.72, mother attitude 0.88, and father knowledge 0.70, father attitude 0.92, practice 0.76 and planning of breast feeding 0.95. The average age of mothers in the sample was 28.9 years old, and the average age of fathers in the sample was 31.3 years old. The other descriptive informations available included. the study also found that fathers were more important than doctors or nurses. However results of the study indicate that there were no differences between father and mother knowledge of breastfeeding(t=-0.39, p=0.698), and father attitude was statistically significant higher than mother attitude of breastfeeding (t=2.24, p=0.030). In analysis, the variable 'practice' with breastfeeding was the relationship with mother knowledge (p=0.031) and mother attitude(p=0.015). In this study, the correlation between one couple' knowledge and attitude was not significant. Primiparous couples surveyed in the postpartum period regarding knowledge, attitude and practice about breastfeeding might be affected by recall bias, the effects of the euphoria of the first 24-48 hours postpartum, but these variables were not examined. This study results add to the body of knowledge about nursing care for breastfeeding mothers and fathers. This indicates that a need for education about breastfeeding and, that fathers be included in it as well as mothers.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.3-11
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• 1998

This study was aimed to evaluate any influence of environmental factors associated with feeding on infants' growth. One hundred infants(62 males and 38 females) aged 4-9 months were measured for length and were weighed. Their mothers were interviewed using questionnaires including general and environmental characteristics and maternal feeding attitude, ideal body habitus, infant's food behavior, and infant's food behavior, and infant's temperament. A further study was conducted on 29 infants at the time their ages reached 12 months. Their dietary intakes were assessed, and blood hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were measured. Z-scores of weight-for-age(WAZ) and Z-scores of height-for-age(HAZ) of 4-9 month- old infants were not correlated with age, education level, income, weight, and height of their parents. Formula-fed infants had significantly lower WAZ and body mass index (BMI) than those of breast fed infants. WAZ was significantly correlated with maternal feeding attitude, but not with ideal body habitus, infant's food behavior or infant's temperament. WAZ of 12-months after birth because of supplementary foods introduced from 6 months of age. WAZ and BMI were positively correlated with blood hemoglobin concentration. Therefore, to ensure proper growth of infants, efforts should be given to postental factors such as breast-feeding, maternal feeding attitude, adequate iron status as well as prenatal factors. (Korean J Community Nutrition 3(1) : 3∼11, 1998)

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 1977

Breast cancer is one of the most feared health problems in women ; Recent studies revealed that it had come up to be the second most in this country and high prevalent disease in the western countries among breast disease in women. However, early detection of the cancer mass is known to be easier than in many other malignancies. This study was performed to investigate the various characteristics of patients of breast cancer ; by the structural variables, menstrual, marital, and child bearing, and also their understandings and attitude towards the disease. A hundred any in- and out- patients of 51. Mary's Hospital and National Atomic Institute, Seoul were sampled. Data were gathered through direct interview by the researcher from February 1976 to January 1977 and the clinical records were used as references. Results are as follows ; 1. Breast cancer revealed to be most prevalent in the forties ; average age of 45.2 years. 2. The average age of menarche revealed to be 15.4 years ; the largest group were the 16-20 years (N=75, 68.2%). In 55 cases (50%) menstruation were normal, 38 (34.5%) postmenopausal and only in 17 (15.5%), menstruation revealed irregularity. 3. The average marital age revealed to be 22.3 years ; the largest group were 21-25 group (N=43, 39.1%). The average duration of marital life revealed to be 24.7 years ; 11-20 years group were the largest (M=34, 30.9%). 4. Most of the patients revealed to have pregnancy experiences(N=100, 90.9%) ; the average rate of experience were 5, 3 times the largest group were 3.4 times group(N= 32, 29.1%). 54 patients (49.1%) revealed to have had abortion experience ; the average were 3.4 times. 5. The largest group(N=77, 70%) had been breast feeding : followed by mixed feeding (N=12, 10.9%) and artificial feeding(N=10, 9.1%). 6. Personal health history revealed that in 20 patients (18.2%) revealed to have the past history of Purulent mastitis, 5 patients(4.5%) of breast cancer and 3 patients(2.7%) of uttering cancer family history. 7. In the one half (N=56, 50.9%, they had some information about breast cancer :27 (24.5%) by mass media, 12 (10.9%) through personal contacts and 17 (15.5%) were not able to classify the source of information. 8. In 55 cases (50%) the canoe, mass were discovered incidentally, in 39 cases (35.5%) by manual detection by self, in 10 cases (9%) by others and in 6 cases(5.5%) by observing subjective symptoms. 9. The average duration lapsed between the discovery of cancer mass and the visit to the hospital revealed to be 9.4 month. Chief reason for the delay revealed to be the non-chaplaincy due to the absence of pain(N=50, 45.5 %) followed by the administration of herb and commercial medication (N=19, 17.3%). 10. The left side breast was more affected than the right side breast, represent by 60 cases in the left and 39 cases in the right. The most frequent site of the breast cancer was the upper- outer quadrant in 53 cases (47.7%), and followed by the center in 20 cases(18 %), and the upper inner quadrant, in 19 cases (17.1%). There was / cases of bilateral carcinoma. The most prominent symptom was painless mass.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.767-776
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• 2009

This study evaluated the effect of nutritional improvement of 0~5 year children of financially poor families after nutrition supplement of children and nutrition education in parents/guardians. The subject selected among applicants for low-income family financing of the government included 198 children (0~12 months:92, 1~5 years:106), and the average ages were 5.3 months and 2.4 years respectively. Food that includes each nutrient factor was provided to the subject for six months. Nutrition education was performed in two ways, through class and private education, once a month for both. Nutritional improvement was evaluated by body measurement and anemia prevalence rate. As to the survey on breast-feeding, complete breast-feeding accounted for 58.7%, weaning food 27.3%, and combined feeding 14.1% respectively, which shows that breast-feeding accounted for the largest percentage. The education program improved knowledge and attitude of the parents/guardians, which brings in positive effects on growth of children as well. The nutrition knowledge score was improved after nutrition education in 0~12 month children $(8.5\pm1.75\;to\;8.9\pm1.69)$ and 1~5 year children $(7.3\pm1.39\;to\;7.8\pm1.30)$. The nutrition attitude score was significantly improved in 0~12month children $(52.0\pm6.99$ to $53.5\pm5.21$, p < 0.001) and 1~5year children ($45.1\pm7.30$ to $49.0\pm5.96$, p < 0.001). In evaluation on nutritional improvement based on body measurements, it turned out that the wasting was reduced as for children in consideration of the height and weight according to the subject's age. The concentration of hemoglobin after the nutrient treatment for six months was significantly improved, and the anemia prevalence rate as well was reduced from 40.6% to 13.5%, which indicates the significant improvement. Based on the findings above, it turned out that providing quality food to children and nutrition education to the parents/guardians poorly fed in low-income families improved knowledge and attitude of the guardians and prevents anemia and improves growth, which brings in positive effects on growth of children. In the results regarding attitude and knowledge on nutrient/dietary life; however, the improvement level was relatively low when the extent before the education was too small, which indicates the need to revise and complement the contents and methods. In addition, as shown in the result of body measurement, long-term and consistent investigation is necessary since it is difficult to judge the effect on growth only based on short-term nutrient supplement.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.179-188
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was examine levels of breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and number of breastfeeding problems in early postpartum period and rate of breastfeeding practice at 3 months. Method: The total numbers of the study subjects were 139 mothers at postpartum unit and followed by postpartum 1 week and 3 months. Result: 1. The mean score of knowledge and attitude and problems toward breast feeding scale were 22.83(SD=5.19), 20.99(SD=3.40), and 9.04(SD=3.59) respectively, indicating low to moderate level according to subjects characteristics, breastfeeding knowledge scores were significantly different by age (F=8.00, p<.001), breastfeeding experience (t=3.26, p<.001) and parity(t=2.39, p<.05), but no difference were found in rate of breastfeeding attitude and number of problems. 2. Rate of breastfeeding practice was 46.5% at three months of postpartum and the breastfeeding practice was significantly different by breastfeeding plan period($x^2$=13.33, p<.001) and monthly income ($x^2$= 3.80, p<.05). 3. Further, breastfeeding practice at 3 months was continuously influenced by number of problems of the breast-feeding(OR=.85) and breastfeeding plan period(OR=2.11) at early postpartum period. Conclusion: The findings suggest the necessity of maternal support during postpartum period to provide correct information about rate of breastfeeding knowledge and attitude to teach problem solving skills for any breastfeeding problems in order to increase rate of breastfeeding practice.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.217-224
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• 2004

Purpose: This comparative descriptive study was conducted to determine the effects of maternal employment on the maternal child-rearing attitude, child-rearing burden, and temperament and health related variables of their preschool children. Method: Samples were recruited in child care centers in Seoul, Daejeon, and Suwon. 209 mothers with children age of three to six participated. Result: Employed mothers showed more positive child-rearing attitude, but there was no significant difference in child-rearing burden, Also, maternal attitude and child-rearing burden were influenced by satisfaction on the employment state. Children's temperament subscales were not different in two groups. Breast feeding and compliance on vaccination were done better by unemployed mothers. However, home safety, experience of accident and hospitalization of children were not affected by maternal employment. Conclusion: Maternal employment has positive influence in some aspects. This study provides basic data for parent counseling and anticipatory guidance for employed mothers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.81-95
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of breast self-examination teaching methods which are printed material, videotape, demonstration used BSE model on women. The subjects for this study were non-medical professional 88 women in Kwangju. The data was collected from October 16 to November 24, 1995 by means of a structured questionnaire. For measuring BSE knowledge, Kim's(1994) instrument was used ard modified by researcher. For measuring BSE attitude based on health belief, Lee's(1982) & Kim's(1994) instrument was used and modified by researcher. Printed material from literature were reviewed by researcher, 'A woman's guide to breast self-examination' videotape by Nurse Practitioner Creation and BSE simulator by Narco were used 21 attitude scale and 13 knowledge scale were checked before and after teaching methods. The data was analyzed by frequency, paired t-test, ANOVA using the SAS program. The results were as follows : 1. The BSE total knowledge score after having teaching was higher than before, different significantly(t=-14.05, p=0.000). The most effective teaching method on BSE knowledge change was demonstration used BSE model in three teaching methods and was different significantly(F=8.44, p=0.000). 2. The BSE total attitude score after having teaching was changed to more positively, different significantly(t=4.59, p=0.000). The most effective teaching method on positive BSE attitude change was demonstration used BSE model in three teaching methods and was different significantly(F=3.21, p=0.045). 3. The HB score after having teaching was higher than before, and benefits, barriers and health concerns were different significantly(t=-2.51, p=0.014 ; t=-4.53, p=0.000 ; t=-3.71, p=0.000). Susceptibility and seriousness were not different significantly. 4. There were different significantly among knowledge, religion(F=3.92, p=0.013) and child (F=3.08, p=0.08). There were different significantly among attitude, age(F=4.65, p=0.05), mansturation state(F=4.39, p=0.016), and artificial abortion experience(F=5.18, p=0.026). There were different significantly among health concern, age(F=2.50, p=0.068), delivary experience(F=3.22, p=0.076), artificial abortion experience(F=5.46, p=0.023), and feeding(F=6.24, p=0.003). Printed material, videotape, and demonstration used BSE model may be valuable for changing positively knowledge and attitude related to BSE. Demonstration used BSE model was most effective teaching method in this study. Therefore, this study revealed that BSE teaching methods were a useful nursing intervention for promoting practice regularily and exactly on women.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.270-279
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to investigate the level of breastfeeding satisfaction, the relationship among knowledge about breastfeeding, attitude toward breastfeeding, self-efficacy of breastfeeding, intention of breastfeeding, and perceived social encouragement of breastfeeding and the factors influencing breastfeeding satisfaction in mothers 3~6 months after birth. Methods: For this descriptive research, 209 mothers who had been breastfeeding their babies agreed to participate in this study. Data on mother's satisfaction' knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, intention, and perceived social encouragement regarding breastfeeding were collected by closed-ended questionnaires on September 14, 2007 at a contest for healthy breast-fed babies. Results: The major findings of this study were as follows: First, there were significant differences in the breastfeeding satisfaction level according to planned length of breastfeeding (F=10.43, p<.001). Second, there was a significant relationship between breastfeeding satisfaction and knowledge about breastfeeding (r=.37, p<.001), attitude toward breastfeeding (r=.62, p<.001), self-efficacy of breastfeeding (r=.66, p<.001), intention of breast feeding (r=.40, p<.001), and perceived social encouragement of breastfeeding (r=.32, p<.001). Finally, the strongest factor affecting mothers' breastfeeding satisfaction was attitude toward breastfeeding ($\beta=.38$). Other factors included self-efficacy of breastfeeding ($\beta=.36$), knowledge about breastfeeding ($\beta=.14$), perceived social encouragement of breastfeeding ($\beta=.10$), and planned length of breastfeeding ($\beta=.10$). Conclusion: This study suggests that nurses should help mothers improve breastfeeding satisfaction through promotion of knowledge about, attitudes toward, and self-efficacy of breastfeeding.