• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.455-463
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• 2022

Objectives: Economic hardship has a serious impact on adolescents' mental health. The financial impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was more severe for low-income families, and this also impacted adolescents. This study aimed to examine the associations of economic deterioration (ED) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and low socioeconomic status (SES) with adolescents' suicidal behaviors. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which included 54 948 middle and high school students. Odds ratios (ORs) of suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts related to ED and SES were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. We calculated relative excess risks due to interaction to assess additive interactions. Results: The ORs for suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts related to combined severe ED and low SES were 3.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.13 to 4.23), 3.88 (95% CI, 3.09 to 4.88), and 4.27 (95% CI, 3.21 to 5.69), respectively. Conclusions: ED and low SES were significantly associated with suicidal behaviors in adolescents. Although no significant additive interaction was found, the ORs related to suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts were highest among adolescents from low-income families with severe ED. Special attention is needed for this group, considering the increased impact of economic inequality due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.517-526
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The increased consumers' interests in health and food safety have increased the demand for organic foods. Many studies have been performed on consumers' purchase intentions for organic foods and their influencing factors, and various studies have shown that the prices of organic foods and the consumers' willingness to pay are important influencing factors. This study examined the payment value of organic foods and agrifood consumer competency index according to the food-related lifestyles in South Korean consumers. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using the 2019 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food. A total of 6,176 participants aged 19 to 74 years (male: 2,783, female: 3,393) were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Three factors were extracted by factor analysis (rational consumption-seeking type, convenience-seeking type, and health, and safety-seeking type) to explain the consumers' food-related lifestyles. The results of cluster analysis suggested that consumers were classified into 3 food-related lifestyles as the 'exploratory consumers' (n = 2,485), 'safety-seeking consumers' (n = 1,544), and 'passive consumers' (n = 2,147). Exploratory consumers showed a significantly higher willingness to pay for imported organic foods (P < 0.05). Safety-seeking consumers had a significantly higher willingness to pay for domestic organic foods (P < 0.05). For the agrifood consumer competency index, exploratory consumers had the highest score, followed in order by safety-seeking consumers and passive consumers. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide basic data in understanding consumption tendency for organic foods and agrifoods based on food-related lifestyles of South Korean consumers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.517-521
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• 2021

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether working long hours was related to infertility among female Korean workers, while taking age into consideration. Methods: We used data from the 2018 National Survey on Fertility and Family Health and Welfare in Korea that is a cross-sectional, nationally representative, and population-based survey. Infertility was defined as women who were not pregnant after regular unprotected intercourse for a year. Working long hours was classified as ≥52 hours, and subgroups as per age were classified on the basis of being younger or older than 40 years of age. Differences in infertility risk between the long working hour group and none were estimated in crude and fully adjusted logistic regression models with age-group stratification. Results: Of 5,909 Korean female workers, the crude and adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of infertility for working long hours were 1.295 (0.948-1.737) and 1.303 (0.921-1.809), respectively. In the subgroup of patients below 40 years of age, the crude and adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.957 (1.216-3.039) and 1.921 (1.144-3.120), whereas those aged 40 years or older had 0.994 (0.647-1.471) and 0.939 (0.560-1.501), respectively. The weighted prevalence of infertility increased as weekly working hours increased only for the younger than 40-year subgroup. Conclusions: Infertility is associated with working long hours, especially in young-aged workers. Thus, the working schedule must be structured to better suit young female workers.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.341-348
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• 2022

The study was aimed to identify the educational needs for gerontological nursing using the nursing diagnosis classification of hospital nurses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 245 nurses who had experience caring for older patients within 1-year at two nurse web cafes. As a result of the study, 43 nursing diagnoses were classified into 6 areas: acute care, daily life care, education and counseling, environment and resource management, health promotion, and geriatric disease management. Nursing educational needs differed according to the age, sex, marital status, education level, size of the hospital, and working experience of the nurse. In order to effectively perform nursing care for the elderly and geriatric patients, it may be necessary to investigate the needs of continuous education and develop a detailed education program.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.67-84
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• 2022

This study aimed to explore the status of food service outsourcing behavior of long-term care institutions (LTCIs) through a cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire administered between July 16th and August 7th, 2020. The survey respondents were either dietitians or facility managers, who worked at 731 nursing homes, 477 group homes, and 673 day-care centers. Approximately 25.9% of nursing homes, 11.7% of group homes, and 33.1% of day-care centers used a managed-services company to operate their food service units. The main reason for outsourcing food service by nursing homes was related to the staffing of dietitians and cooks, whereas group homes and day-care centers outsourced food services due to factors relating to meal costs and the cooking process. Almost all the LTCIs entered into private contracts for outsourced food services. Only a few food service contracts included the types of meals, nutrition standards such as protein and calories per meal, and the parameter or ratio of food cost. Of the respondents, 84.5% from nursing homes, 87.5% from group homes, and 87.1% from day-care centers agreed that the quality of outsourced food services of the LTCIs should be regulated. Meals are essential for maintaining the health and functional status of LTCI users. As more LTCIs outsource their food services, we suggest the following: (1) Increasing the minimum dietitian staffing standards for LTCIs as per the Welfare of Senior Citizens Act and requiring at least one dietitian for every nursing home, (2) Making it mandatory to use a standard food service contract template when drafting food service contract, and (3) Developing realistic standards for food service operations considering the size and operation type of the LTCIs.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.134-144
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• 2022

Purpose: A descriptive correlational survey was conducted to examine nurses' attitudes and stress related to perinatal bereavement care (PBC) and their relationships, with the ultimate goal of improving nurses' capabilities related to PBC. Methods: Korean nurses (N=136) who had experienced perinatal death at least once were recruited from seven hospitals. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Korean version of Nurses' Attitudes towards Perinatal Bereavement Support was assessed in terms of three subdomains (attitudes to PBC, importance of policies related to PBC, and importance of training related to PBC), and nurses' stress was measured. Results: The participants gave high scores for the attitude-related items of "giving sufficient time to bereaved parents to mourn for their dead baby" (4.54 points) and "nurses should treat bereaved parents with respect and dignity" (4.51 points), and they perceived a high level of importance for the policy-related items of "every staff member in the hospital should understand the policies relevant for PBC" and "when nurses feel emotional exhaustion, they should seek support" (4.58 points). Nurses' attitude toward PBC was associated with the perceived importance of policies (r=.40, p<.001), the perceived importance of PBC-related training (r=.61, p<.001), and stress related to PBC (r=.29, p<.001). Nurses' perceived importance of PBC-related training was associated with stress related to PBC (r=.38, p<.001). Conclusion: Establishing hospital policies related to PBC and providing PBC training for nurses could positively affect nurses' attitudes toward PBC. A stress management program for nurses could reduce the stress caused by PBC.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to analyze risk factors for positional vertigo (PV) and the influence thereof on daily life and subjective quality-of-life (QoL). Subject and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using data of the 2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The study population consisted of 1,274 individuals aged >40 years for whom complete dizziness-related data were available. Blood and urine tests were performed, and nutritional intake, QoL, and subjective health status were measured using a questionnaire. The associations between PV and blood/urine test data and nutritional intake were evaluated via multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: A history of PV within the previous year was reported by 98 individuals (7.7%). Advanced age and female gender were both significantly associated with such a history. Serum hemoglobin, creatinine, and triglyceride levels correlated significantly with a history of PV. Carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin B2 intakes were significantly lower in individuals with PV. Multivariate analysis revealed that only age was significantly associated with a history of PV (p=0.003). Although subjective health status score was not significantly lower in subjects with PV, subjective impairments in mobility, self-care, the performance of usual activities, and anxiety/depression were more prominent in individuals with PV. A fall history and limitations of activity were also significantly higher in individuals with PV (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively). Conclusions: Age was a risk factor for PV, which affected most QoL parameters, fall frequency, and the performance of normal activities.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.329-337
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of eHealth literacy, reproductive health knowledge, and self-esteem on early adult women's health-promoting behaviors (HPB). This study was based on Pender's health promotion model as a theoretical underpinning. Methods: Early adult women aged 18 to 35 years (n=165) were recruited by posting advertisements on social network sites for a student club and a faith-based community in Ansan, Korea. Willing individuals were invited to participate in the online survey from June 1 to June 30, 2022. Standardized instruments were used to measure HPB, eHealth literacy, reproductive health knowledge, and self-esteem. General characteristics included income level, perceived subjective health, and internet usage time. The collected data were analyzed using the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 21.97±3.87 years. The total HPB score was 120.69, corresponding to a moderate level; and the total scores for eHealth literacy (30.24), knowledge of reproductive health (23.04), and self-esteem (35.62) were higher than the midpoint. The model explained 53.3% of variance in HPB, and self-esteem (β=.48, p<.001) was the most influential factor. Other influential factors were, in descending order, higher economic level, higher subjective health status, greater eHealth literacy, and less internet use time (<2 hours/day). Conclusion: In order to promote the health of early adult women, counseling or programs that positively improve self-esteem appear promising, and eHealth literacy should be considered as a way to promote HPB using information technology.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.57-67
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• 2010

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to compare the level of perception and to identify factors associated with perception on patient safety culture among health care providers working in an operating room(OR). Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Data were collected conveniently from 154 RNs and 116 physicians working in a tertiary hospital in Seoul. Patient safety culture was measured using "The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture" developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used for statistical analysis with the SPSS version 17.0. Results: The perception level of nurses and physicians on patient safety culture was "moderate" (3.14). Compared to physicians, nurses showed a significantly lower perception on the items of "teamwork within units" (t=-6.904, p<.001) and "overall perception of patient safety" (t=-4.327, p<.001), but had a higher perception about "frequency of events reported" (t=2.769, p=.006). The physicians' professional positions, years of working experience, age, and working hour per week were identified as factors associated with patient safety culture. Conclusion: Level of perception on patient safety culture may vary among health care providers working in the OR. The study finding suggests that a tailored education and training strategies should be considered to develop an effective safety culture for healthcare professionals working in OR.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2022

Purpose: Various individual and social factors influence depression in pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and health status on depression of pregnant women in Korea. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey conducted from August to October 2019. A structural questionnaire with Patient Health Quetsionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), health behavior, health status, and psychological characteristics was used. The data of 1,096 pregnant women between the ages of 19 and 55 years were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-test and chi-square tests, and multiple regression. Results: The mean score of prenatal depression as measured by the PHQ-9 during pregnancy was 2.35 points out of 0 to 27 points. Low income (B=0.69, p<.001), low-education level (B=0.70, p<.001), skipping breakfast (B=0.34, p=.001), less than 8 hours of sleeping (B=0.26, p=.009), binge drinking during pregnancy (B=0.46, p=.001), and stress (B=1.89, p<.001) were significantly associated with increased depression scores. In contrast, depression scores significantly decreased as subjective health status (B=-0.59, p<.001) and subjective oral health status (B=-.17, p=.003) increased. Conclusion: Findings support the need for healthcare policies and clinical screening to alleviate prenatal depression, especially for pregnant women with low socioeconomic status, poor health behavior, poor health status, and high stress.