• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.319-329
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• 2015

Objectives: Parental socioeconomic status (SES) exerts a substantial influence on children's health. The purpose of this study was to examine factors determining children's private health insurance (PHI) enrolment and children's healthcare utilization according to PHI coverage. Methods: Korea Health Panel data from 2011 (n=3085) was used to explore the factors determining PHI enrolment in children younger than 15 years of age. A logit model contained health status and SES variables for both children and parents. A fixed effects model identified factors influencing healthcare utilization in children aged 10 years or younger, using 2008 to 2011 panel data (n=9084). Results: The factors determining children's PHI enrolment included children's age and sex and parents' educational status, employment status, and household income quintile. PHI exerted a significant effect on outpatient cost, inpatient cost, and number of admissions. Number of outpatient visits and total length of stay were not affected by PHI status. The interaction between PHI and age group increased outpatient cost significantly. Conclusions: Children's PHI enrolment was influenced by parents' SES, while healthcare utilization was affected by health and disability status. Therefore, the results of this study suggest disparities in healthcare utilization according to PHI enrollment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6839-6844
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• 2013

This study was conducted to analyze the prevalence of non-performance of mammography, and associated factors, among postmenopausal women. This analytical, exploratory, cross-sectional study, of a domicile population inquiry type, was performed in the municipality of Maringa, Parana, Brazil. A total of 456 women were interviewed, aged 45 to 69 years, who presented with natural menopause and cessation of menstruation for at least twelve months. Statistical associations were found between the non-performance of mammography and schooling of less than seven years, paid employment, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, the non-use of hormone replacement therapy, not having consulted a doctor in the previous year, not having consulted a gynecologist, lacking a family history of breast cancer, not having performed the Papanicolaou test, not having performed clinical breast examination, and not having difficult access to health services. After logistic regression analysis, not performing mammography was associated with reports of a fair or bad health status. The study data revealed factors "responsible" for the non-performance of mammography, and the results should contributing to improvement/enhancement of healthy behaviour of Brazilian women in the post-menopausal phase.

• 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.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2011

Studies on the risk factors of voice disorders in Korean adults are rare. I evaluated the association between the duration of self-reported voice problem and voice disorders in Korean adults. Data were from the 2008 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Subjects were 3,135 people (1,310 men and 1,825 women) aged 19 years and older. Multi-nominal logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between the duration of self-reported voice problem and voice disorders. The prevalence of self-reported voice problems was 5.9% among Korean adults. Adjusting for covariates (age, sex, education level, length of employment, tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption, thyroid disorders, pain and discomfort during the last two weeks), self-reported voice problems lasting longer than three weeks were independently associated with functional voice disorders (OR=5.30, 95% CI: 3.30-8.50) and organic voice disorders (OR=4.84, 95% CI: 1.82-12.89). Self-reported voice problems in the past three weeks were significantly associated with functional voice disorders (OR=3.64, 95% CI: 1.84-7.19), but not significantly associated with organic voice disorders. Self-reported voice problems are prevalent among adults. This study highlights that self-perception of a voice problem for more than three weeks is related to functional voice disorders and organic voice disorders.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of family caregivers who care for the elderly under Long-term Care Insurance. Methods: Data were collected using focus group interviews and analyzed using a phenomenological approach. The four focus groups consisted of eight caregivers, two social workers and three nurses in B city, Korea. Results: Five themes were identified: 'Obtaining a care-helper certification for employment', 'Taking care of the elderly in their homes', 'Difficulties due to life changes', 'Difficulties due to reduced wages' and 'Dissatisfaction with the Long-term Care Insurance operating system'. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the long-term care system for family caregivers faces many systematic challenges in providing care for the elderly harmoniously in their home. To help them succeed in their tasks, Long-term Care Insurance system must offer respite and support programs to family caregivers.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.13-29
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to identify role types as they pertain to paternal and maternal grandmothers based on four role dimensions. To this end, a sample of 416 mothers of preschoolers was used. This study also examined correlates of and differences in the type of grandparents in terms of paternal and maternal types of grandmothers. Data were analyzed by K-means clustering, Chi-square, and multi-nominal logistic regression analysis. Grandmothers were classified into five distinct groups : influential, supportive, authority-oriented, passive, and detached types. Maternal grandmothers seemed to be relatively more involved with their grandchildren than paternal ones. The type of grandmothers varied as a function of socioeconomic status, the number of grandchildren, and geographical proximity for paternal grandmothers, and mothers' employment status and the closeness between grandmothers and mothers for maternal grandmothers. The results imply that grandmothers are currently becoming more active in their grandchildren's lives and that kinship in Korean society tends to lean to the maternal side.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.371-377
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• 2017

Background: Social status might be a determinant of occupational health inequalities. This study analyzed the effects of social status on both work environments and health outcomes. Methods: The study sample consisted of 27,598 wage employees aged 15 years and older from among the Korean Working Condition Survey participants in 2011. Work environments included atypical work, physical risks, ergonomic risks, work demands, work autonomy, social supports, and job rewards. Health outcomes comprised general health, health and safety at risk because of work, the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index, work-related musculoskeletal disease, and work-related injury. Multivariable logistic-regression models were used to identify the associations between social status and work environments and health outcomes. Results: Employees in the demographically vulnerable group had lower occupational status compared with their counterparts. Low social status was largely related to adverse work environments. Especially, precarious employment and manual labor occupation were associated with both adverse work environments and poor health outcomes. Conclusion: Precarious and manual workers should take precedence in occupational health equity policies and interventions. Their cumulative vulnerability, which is connected to demographics, occupational status, adverse work environments, or poor health outcomes, can be improved through a multilevel approach such as labor market, organizations, and individual goals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.234-241
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• 2019

Objectives: To identify simultaneous behavioral changes in alcohol consumption, smoking, and weight using a fixed-effect model and to characterize their associations with disease status. Methods: This study included 7 000 529 individuals who participated in the national biennial health-screening program every 2 years from 2009 to 2016 and were aged 40 or more. We reconstructed the data into an individual-level panel dataset with 4 waves. We used a fixed-effect model for smoking, heavy alcohol drinking, and overweight. The independent variables were sex, age, lifestyle factors, insurance contribution, employment status, and disease status. Results: Becoming a high-risk drinker and losing weight were associated with initiation or resumption of smoking. Initiation or resumption of smoking and weight gain were associated with non-high-risk drinkers becoming high-risk drinkers. Smoking cessation and becoming a high-risk drinker were associated with normal-weight participants becoming overweight. Participants with newly acquired diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and cancer tended to stop smoking, discontinue high-risk drinking, and return to a normal weight. Conclusions: These results obtained using a large-scale population-based database documented interactions among lifestyle factors over time.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.416-428
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• 2020

Purpose: This study identified socioeconomic factors affecting the health status of Korean adults. Methods: Secondary data from 12,921 adults aged 19 to 64 old in the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The participants' health status was measured using the indicators that included health behaviors (smoking, high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity) and health outcomes (metabolic syndrome, and subjective health status). Results: For all health behaviors and health outcomes, gender, age, educational level, and income were common affecting factors. Regarding health behaviors, the employment status was related to smoking, high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity. The marital status was related to high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity. The household type was related to smoking. The residential area was related to smoking, high-risk drinking, and aerobic physical activity. For health outcomes, the household type was related to obesity, and subjective health status; residential area was related to obesity. Conclusion: This study presented basic data for assessing the differences in health status. The characteristics of the affecting factors to health status should be considered, depending on the health behaviors and health outcomes.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors influencing fear of falling in community-dwelling elderly women with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using data of 65 years or older elderly women with MCI participating in the 7th Korea Longitudinal Study of Ageing of the Korea Employment Information Service. The study subjects included 368 elderly women with MCI. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and logistic regression with complex samples were performed using IBM SPSS ver. 23.0. Results: 89.9% of the elderly women with MCI had fear of falling. There were significant factors such as religion (OR=8.85, 95% CI: 3.39~23.15), restriction of activity (OR=6.84, 95% CI: 2.14~21.90), depression (OR=0.75, 95% CI: 0.62~0.90), and MMSE (OR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.03~1.63), predicting fear of falling in community-dwelling elderly women with MCI. Conclusion: Differentiated strategies should be developed for elderly women with MCI to decrease fear of falling and prevent falls with understanding of contributing factors. This study will provide fundamental information on programming and a policy proposal related to fear of falling for elderly women with MCI.