• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.58-73
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• 2003

It is well known that urban environment affects climate, as we can see in the quality of bio-climate. However, climate has not been recognised properly in the urban planning process. The role it flays needs to be examined for better urban environment. The main objective of this study is to investigate the climate-ecological priority area which produces cold fresh air and thermal induced wind circulation between rural and urban areas. The objective is also to improve the quality of bio-climate and wind circulation at blocked urban areas. This paper uses the measurement and analysis method of wind direction and wind speed in order to investigate the climate-ecological priority area and cold fresh air corridor. In this study, local climate conditions i.e. wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity etc., were measured at nine fields and analyzed. On the basis of the climate measurement, the climate ecological priority areas were delineated; These will be assigned as climate-ecological conservation areas.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.62-74
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• 2015

Urban areas are variously under threat including deterioration of ecological functions. Many pond wetland types have been created as part of an effort to improve and restore this urban environment. This study was arranged to examine improvement plans of wetlands in urban areas by analyzing semi-natural wetlands in farm areas. As for environment for water quality, it suggested the inflow of natural water neighboring rivers or the direct inflow of rain as the improvement plans. The result which analyzed soil pH, OM, and T-N content of the soil environment mentioned that urban areas supplied artificial sluices, removed apoptotic bodies, and used artificial soil and waterproofing materials and use of natural materials in design and construction, the sluice state of the natural form, and negligence of autumn plants were suggested as the improvement plans. Florae appeared in the subject sites of the study have found that there are 35 families 69 species in urban areas and 53 families 142 species in rural areas. As the average has found that there are 18.5 families 29.3 species in 4 urban areas and 26.3 families 53.5 species in 4 rural areas, the big difference between them was analyzed. As the cause has found that there are differences in yearly plants in farming areas when compared to urban areas, creation of various basic environments including soil and water quality was suggested to make yearly plants settle down widely. Naturalized plants have found that there are no big differences between urban areas and rural areas. However, the average of the naturalized ratio in urban areas is 17.4% as the naturalized plants are about 1/4 of the appeared plants. As it was analyzed to be higher than 7.7%, the average of the naturalized ratio in farming areas as the big difference, creation of various inhabiting environments was suggested to make more yearly plants appear like the analyzed result of the life type. Consideration of placement, materials, and inhabiting environments was suggested to make creation of wetlands well appreciated to improve functions of wetlands in urban areas. It is expected that the above results of the study will be utilized in creation and improvement of the pond wetlands which can play a huge role in increase and improvement of biological diversity in urban areas.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2019

This study was designed to examine agro-healing services and programs provided and operated by farms in Korea. The results of the analysis of the agro-healing programs and operation of farms were as follows. The purpose of the operation of farms was to raise productivity by managing farms in a cooperative way through agricultural production, education and healing, and to raise income by processing and selling agricultural products. It was difficult to access farms by public transport and thus visitors had to use their own cars. The size of farms varied. The main resources utilized in the surveyed programs were plants, rural environments and landscapes, and agricultural products. The programs were conducted using resources that were commonly found in rural areas. Facilities on each farm were equipped with facilities (indoor and outdoor learning place, gardens, vegetable gardens, orchards, etc.) and convenience facilities (parking lots, drinking fountains, kiosks, etc.) to support program operation. However, facilities for the handicapped and accommodation facilities were insufficient. The programs operated on each farm utilized agricultural resources, farm produce, and rural resources and were classified into activities such as making, feeling, and growing. The average number of people who operated the family-centered program was 2-3, having qualifications such as welfare horticultural therapists, forest interpreters, experience instructors, and social workers. In addition, they had expertise in medicinal food, dietary life, and social welfare, and they also had essential expertise required to operate programs.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.1 s.94
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• pp.30-35
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• 2007

Waste policies with waste metering system and recycling in 1995 have contributed to the reduction of solid waste generation. Now rural areas as well as urban areas produce less amount of solid wastes in terms of per capita. However most policies in relation to waste issue have been concentrated in urban areas. Large portion of agricultural waste in rural region are being illegally treated such as open incineration or burned out on the road. In this study, we assessed the atmospheric air quality and health risk by illegal open incineration in rural region. In case of benzene level, worst concentration during illegal open incineration was 0.23 ppm and cancer risk by exposure was estimated to $2.29{\times}10^{-3}$.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.62-71
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to find the differences in physical activity according to general characteristics and factors related to physical activity between the elderly over 65 with hypertension living rural and urban areas. Methods: This study included 681 participants (221 rural, 460 urban) with hypertension from The Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V). The collected data were analyzed through an $x^2$-test to examine the differences in physical activity and multiple logistic regression to assess factors related to physical activity between the elderly over 65 with hypertension living rural and urban areas. Results: The significant statistical factors related with physical activities for the urban hypertension group were education level, activities of daily living, and quality of life. However, the related factors for rural residents were activities of daily living and limitation of activity. Conclusions: The study results indicated that the factors that affected the level of physical activity revealed difference in case hypertension between the urban and rural groups. An awareness of the importance of physical activity will have a positive influence on improving the physical function and quality of life for elderly people with hypertension.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.374-384
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• 1998

This study was designed to investigate and compare levels of Instrumental Activities in Daily Living(IADL), Self-efficacy and Social support, and their relationships among the aged who lived in urban and rural areas. The subjects consisted of 239 persons (urban = 120, rural = 119), aged 65 over. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires from July 20 to August 30, 1998, and analyzed by frequency, percentage, means, Pearson Correlation, t -test $X^2$-test and ANOVA, using an SAS program. The Results of this study were as follows. 1) The mean score of IADL was 2.06/5, the mean score of Self-efficacy was 49.61/100 and the mean score of Social support was 2.37/5. 2) Concerning house ownership, the group of urban elderly were significantly higher than rural elderly while in the handling of pocket money, the rural elderly were significantly higher than the urban elderly. 3) Concerning Self-efficacy, the group of urban elderly were significantly higher than rural elderly. 4) The IADL was significantly related to Self-efficacy and to Social support. 5) Concerning the demographic characteristics of the subjects, age, educational level, religion, living with a spouse, money and participation in social activities were significantly resated to the IADL scores, to Self-efficacy and to Social support.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the predictors of physical activity between urban and rural dwelling Korean older adults. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. A self-report questionnaire or face to face interviews were used to collect data from 336 older adults (urban: 129, rural: 207) who visited public health centers or welfare centers in 2008. Results: About half of the participants (urban: 50.4%, rural: 47.3%) were classified as the minimally active group. Cognitive function (odds ratio [OR]=1.106, p=.004) and loneliness (OR=0.965, p=.044) were predicting factors for physical activity in rural elderly. Age (OR=0.326, p=.037), gender (OR=2.841, p=.021) and depression (OR= 0.799, p<.001) were significant factors predicting physical activity in urban elders. Conclusion: These findings provide information that is relevant in designing interventions to enhance physical activity in older adults. There is a need to develop effective mutifaceted physical activity interventions that include reducing psychological barriers such as depression, loneliness.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.37-44
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to compare urban and rural seniors' perceptions on the eight aspects of the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) initiative on Jeju Island, South Korea. Face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires were administered to 497 persons aged 65+ living on Jeju Island. Findings suggested that urban and rural held significantly different perceptions on five aspects of AFC (outdoor space and buildings, housing, civic participation and employment, community support and health services, and respect and social inclusion). Predictors of overall AFC score for all participants included age and living in a single-family home. Among urban dwellers, monthly household income and length of residence predicted AFC score while among rural seniors, predictors of AFC included educational attainment. To make communities more age-friendly, perspectives of older residents should be sought, shared, and reflected in policy and different strategies and priorities should be developed specific to urban and rural areas.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.1174-1182
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to compare the nutritional status and the immunocompetence of elderly women residing in urban and rural areas. Dietary food records and anthropometric measurements were used to evaluate the nutritional status of subjects. The immune function of subjects was assessed by total and differential white blood cell(WBC) counts. Total B and T Lymphocytes, and T cell subsets were quantified by flow-cytometer. Immunoglobulin G, A, and M concentrations were also measured as an index of humoral immunity. Elderly women in rural area showed a relatively lower dietary intake of total energy, protein, and iron than did urban elderly women. Total WBC, neutrophil counts, eosinophil counts, and the percentage of neutrophils among total leukocytes were significantly higher in urban elderly women than in rural women. Although the numbers of lymphocytes were not significantly different, the percentage of Lymphocytes among total leukocytes as greater in rural elderly women than in urban. Both groups did not show any significant differences in numbers of T cell subsets and NK cells. Immunoglobulin G, A, and M levels were not significantly different between the two groups, but the numbers of subjects placed under the deficient range of immunoglobulins were greater in rural than in urban elderly women. from the present study, it could be suggested that poor nutritional intake may selectively affect the number of immune cells, thereby influencing the immunocompetence of elderly women. (Korean J Nutrition 31(7) 1174-1182, 1998)

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.137-150
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• 2004

The aged population in Korea, especially in rural areas, has been growing rapidly. The welfare for the rural elderly has become a major concern, however we don't have enough information about that population; we don't even have detailed demographics of it. The present research is aimed at; 1) investigating the tendency and changing geographical distributions of the rural elderly, and 2) introducing GIS(Geographic Information Systems) as a useful tool in analyzing geographical distributions of the aged. The General Census Data from 1960 to 2000 was used to carry out this study. The major findings are; 1) There has been a gradual decrease in the rural population over the past 40 years, but this tendency has slowed down more recently; 2) It was observed that the 'oldest-old' group aged 85 years old and over has actuality increased in rural areas faster than any other age group; 3) The changing patterns of the elderly population were different in metropolitan areas and rural areas. In brief, there are far more aged people, especially of the 'oldest-old' group and females in rural areas than those in urban areas. These population, the 'oldest-old' or females, are the most vulnerable and have the greatest need for social welfare and social services of different kinds.