• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.203-212
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• 2001

The subjects were 349 high school boys and girls who were 10th and 11th graders in Seoul, Korea. Statistical analysis included percentages, means, Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA, t-test, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. As a result, there were positive correlations between social support, stress reduction and increases in health behavior. Stepwise multiple regression analysis of social support, stress, and adolescents health behavior showed that social support explained 26.3％ of the variance in health behavior, The more social support subjects experienced more health behavior level and the less the correlated stress level. In the area of demographic attributes, gender, height, weight, grade level, socioeconomic level of the parents, and stress were significantly correlated, grade levels, religion, socioeconomic level of parents and social support. sibling order, religion, socioeconomic level of the parents, parents education, occupation of father. and health behavior were statistically significant The findings indicated stress was a negative factor in health behavior, and social support was a positive factor in reducing stress and promoting health behavior. To reduce adolescents stress and to promote health behavior, we should endeavor to develop realistic social support programs.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.83-86
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• 1998

Though Fragile X syndrome is one of the most common inherited causes of mental retardation, it is not much detected yet in Korean population. One of the reason may be that the syndrome is not well known to the special education teachers as well as to the clinicians in this country. Thus, molecular test was undertaken to screen out fragile X syndrome in 122 children of two Korean schools for emotionally severely handicapped children. The subjects were all boys, previously known as having pervasive developmental disorder with or without mental retardation. Southern blot analysis of peripheral blood showed the abnormally enlarged (CGG)n repeat sequence associated with fragile X syndrome in two children. This finding suggests that the DNA testing for fragile X syndrome is warranted for Korean high risk population and that more concern about this syndrome is needed for the professionals who work for mentally handicapped children. The issues involved in genetic counseling for fragile X syndrome are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.89-104
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• 2001

The current study was designed to expand oar understanding of children's entertainer idolization phenomenon by investigating the relationship between Korean teens'entertainer idolization and their self-esteem. Four hundred and fifty five children (244 11 year-olds, 211 14 year-olds) were randomly selected from 4 elementary schools and middle schools located in Inchon and Seoul, Korea. A set of reliable and valid self-reporting questionnaire was used: Adolescent Idolization of Pop Singer (Raviv, 1996 translated into Korean), which include questions about how children express their entertainer idolization, the reason for the idolization and the influence of the idols on children's lives, was selected to measure children's entertainer idolization and Self-Esteem Questionnaire for Korean Children and Adolescence (Kyung-Yeun, 1999 Korean) was used to measure children's self-esteem in academic achievement, peer-related, physical-appearance, family-related. and personality dimensions. The major results of the study were: (1) The singers and male entertainers were the most popular among Korean teens. (2) The results of two sample comparisons showed that 14-year olds and girls expressed their entertainer idolization more actively than their counter paras (11-year olds and boys, respectively). (3) Entertainers'personal characteristics were found to be the most important factor that influence idolization. (4) The relationship between entertainer idolization and self-esteem was stronger in the case of 11-year olds than in the case of 14-year olds.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1439-1445
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• 2012

Objective: This paper aimed to determine the relationship between cancer information scanning and seeking experience of adolescents and cancer preventive behavior, perceived cancer risk, and levels of cancer-related knowledge. Methods: The study sample comprised 1,000 second-year students from 6 high schools: the general and vocational school systems were each represented by 1 boys', 1 girls', and 1 coeducational high school. In July 2011, trained researchers visited each classroom, explained the purpose of the study, distributed questionnaires to the students who agreed to participate, instructed them to complete the survey by self-reporting, and collected the completed questionnaires. Results: The students who attended general high schools (as compared with vocational high schools), earned higher grades, consumed more vegetables, had a higher perceived cancer risk, and answered the cancer-related questions more correctly had more cancer information scanning and seeking experience. Conclusion: These results reinforce the importance of cancer prevention health education. Furthermore, the results may help in preparing a strategy that enables people to acquire accurate cancer-related information easily and quickly.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.15-34
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• 2011

The main purpose of this study was to examine pathways from interparental conflict to adolescents' problem behavior through maternal support and control and/or quality of peer relationship. A sample of 340 high school students (166 boys and 174 girls) in Incheon completed questionnaires on interparental conflict, maternal support and control, quality of peer relationship, and problem behavior. Data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. The results demonstrated that interparental conflict had a direct influence in both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors, indicating that adolescents who perceived higher levels of interparental conflict had more problem behaviors. Regarding pathways from interparental conflict to problem behavior through maternal support and control and/or quality of peer relationships, adolescents perceiving higher levels of interparental conflict reported higher maternal psychological control and lower support and behavioral control. This was followed by a lower level of quality in terms of their peer relationships; the lower quality of peer relationships resulted in more adolescent problem behaviors. These results indicate that interparental conflict and maternal support and control play crucial roles in the development of internalizing and externalizing problem behavior, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.115-123
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• 2012

Objectives: Students' life changes substantially as grade increases. It implies that risk factors that trigger students' smoking may not be consistent across grades. Most previous studies on student smoking have considered grade simply a control variable. This study examines which and to what extent risk factors are differently associated with smoking initiation according to grade level among high school students in Korea. Methods: Data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) in 2007 and 2008 were analyzed in this study. Results: Among boys, school location, school type and pocket money etc. significantly influence smoking initiation in the first grade than in any other grades, but the strength of the association decreased as grade increases except academic performance. Among girls, most independent variables were associated with smoking initiation in the second grade except school location, pocket money per week and academic performance. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the variables related smoking initiation in Korean high school students were notably different by grade and gender. These findings can serve as the basis of policy recommendations with regard to school efforts to prevent student smoking.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.145-160
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to explore family perception of adolescence through the Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD), and to explore its relation with the family system. The Kinetic Family Drawing (KFD) and Family System Diagnosis Scale (FSDS) were administered to 356 adolescent children. Data were analyzed using the regression analysis and the discriminant analysis. The results were as follows: First, there was a significant difference among the KFD family adaptability variables of boys' KFD and the flexibility and rigidity variables of the FSDS in the family relationship. For example, That is; for sons', it means that if there is a greater the satisfaction for their family in their drawings, then the family relationship will be more flexible. Especially with the son's KFD, there was an indication that if there is a greater the activity level of the self, then he has more flexibility in his family relationship. Second, there is a significant difference in the relationship between the KFD family hierarchy variables of girls' KFD and the parent coalition·cross-generational triads variable of the FSDS. For girls 'KFD, the result of this study indicated that when there is a greater the distance between the father figure and the child figure, the cross-generational triads we greater.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2014

Purpose: Height-specific blood pressure (BP) is the standard parameter used to diagnose childhood hypertension. However, there has been some argument that weight may be a better variable than height in the reference BP standards. Therefore, before assessing the BP status using the reference BP standards, a basic understanding of the fundamental association of weight and height with BP is required. Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the correlation of BP with height and weight in Korean adolescents (age, 10-19 years), using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2009-2011). Results: Systolic BP (SBP) was more closely correlated with weight than with height in the normal weight (body mass index [BMI], ${\leq}85th$ percentile) and overweight (BMI, >85th percentile) groups and in the normal waist circumference (WC, ${\leq}90th$ percentile) and high WC (>90th percentile) groups in both sexes. Diastolic BP (DBP) had a higher correlation with height than with weight in the normal weight and normal WC groups, whereas weight was more closely associated with DBP than height in the overweight and high WC groups in both boys and girls. Conclusion: In Korean adolescents, weight had a greater effect on SBP than height in both the normal weight and overweight groups. DBP was mainly affected by height in the normal weight group, whereas weight was the major determinant of DBP in the overweight group. Therefore, it may be necessary to consider weight in the establishment of reference BP standards.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.268-276
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• 1999

This study was performed to investigate the factors related to vitamin & mineral supplement use by the adolescents. Nine hundred and seventy-two adolescent boys and girls attending middle or high schools were chosen from various cities and rural communities in Korea. In this study, the factors affecting vitamin & mineral supplement use were analyzed from a self-administered questionnaire. It was found that vitamin & mineral supplements were taken by 31.3% of subjects. High school students(p<.01), female girl students(p<.001), and rural-dwellers(p<.001) took vitamin & mineral supplements more frequently than their complementing groups. The socioeconomic status of the family (p<.01), and supplement consumption by parents and siblings respectively affected the supplement use by the subjects(p<.001). Vitamin·mineral supplements were consumed more often in subjects who perceived their health as poor(p<.001), skipped breakfast(p<.05), and received nutritional information from books or magazines(p<.05). However, food habits and nutritional knowledge score of subjects did not affect vitamin & mineral supplement use. These findings suggest that adolescents take vitamin & mineral supplements commonly, and they tend to use supplements without prescription. Vitamin·mineral supplement consumption seems to be affected by general characteristics, health related variables, and meal management attitudes of subjects. Therefore, nutritional understanding and education are required in regard to the used of vitamin & mineral supplements, and the relationship between balanced diet and good health for the adolescents.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2014

Purpose: Constipation is a common pediatric problem worldwide. This study aims to describe the clinical characteristics of pediatric constipation in south Jordan according to gender and age group. Methods: All patients with constipation managed at our pediatric gastroenterology service between September 2009 and December 2012 were included. Hospital charts were reviewed. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and final diagnosis were recorded. Data were analyzed according to gender and the following age groups: infants, pre-school, school age, and adolescents. Results: During the study period, 126 patients were enrolled. The number (percentage) of patients according to age were the following infants: 43 (34.1%), pre-school: 55 (43.7%), school age: 25 (19.8%), and adolescents: 3 (2.4%). Males made up 54.8% of the study population. There were no statistical gender differences in any age group. The most common symptom in all age groups was dry, hard stool. Infrequent defecation was found in almost one-half of the patients. Fecal incontinence was more common in school-aged children compared to pre-school-aged children and adolescents. Abdominal pain was seen in almost 40% of the constipated children. Abdominal pain was more prevalent in girls and older children. Fecal mass in the rectum was the most common physical finding, with constipated boys exhibiting higher rates. Functional constipation was the most common etiology. Conclusion: Clinical characteristics of constipation in children vary according to age group and gender. Older children had less frequent bowel motions, a longer duration of symptoms, and a higher prevalence of long-standing constipation compilations (fecal incontinence and abdominal pain).