• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2012

The Korean GDP per capita doubled during the last 10 years. As the GDP increases, Korean health behaviors such as, eating, drinking, smoking, and exercise habits changed as well. Compared to the remarkably advanced diagnostic technologies and therapeutics during the last decade, the leading causes of death in Korea scarcely changed. Among the leading causes of death, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and hypertension are closely related to health behaviors. Using the database of medical check-up between 2001 and 2010, the authors performed a longitudinal study for the prevalence rates and the trends of major chronic adult diseases among the 2,721 workers along with their health behavior. Among the diagnostic test items, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol and BMI levels showed steady increase and these three test items all showed linear trends (p<0.001). The average blood sugar and cholesterol levels were near worrying levels. Moreover, the average BMI of males was found to be at the overweight level, intimating the possibility reaching thee Obese Class I level soon if there are no aggressive counter measures. Fasting blood sugar and cholesterol levels were higher in a drinking group as compared to a non-drinking group, and the BMI levels were also higher in the drinking group and the smoking group as compared to the non-drinking and the non-smoking group (p<0.001). Finally, the authors believe that the fasting blood sugar, cholesterol and BMI levels should be designated as target monitoring test items in the medical check-up for Korean employees.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the health behaviors and health status of adolescents in multicultural families according to gender. Methods: The study used raw data of the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey performed in 2016. The 12th survey was conducted on 67,983 adolescents in 400 middle schools and 400 high schools. Among them, 759 adolescents were included in this study. Their data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and Pearson's correlation. Results: There were significant differences in economic status, smoking experience, age of drinking onset, vigorous physical activity, soft drink consumption, toothbrushing after lunch, handwashing with soap before eating at school and eating at home and after coming home, BMI, subjective health status, stress, depression, and allergic rhinitis according to gender in multicultural adolescents. For boys, significant positive correlations were found between age and the age of drinking onset, between academic achievement and economic status, and between the age of smoking initiation and the age of drinking onset. However, there were significant negative correlations between economic status and stress and between subjective health status and stress. For girls, age had positive correlations with academic achievement, the age of drinking onset, BMI, and stress and economic status had positive correlations with academic achievement, the age of smoking initiation, and subjective health status. Also, the age of smoking initiation had positive correlations with the age of drinking onset and BMI. Lastly, there were negative correlations between age and economic status, between age and subjective health status, academic achievement and the age of smoking initiation, economic status and stress, and subjective health status and stress. Conclusion: The results of this study are expected to be useful as basic data for planning health interventions for boys and girls in multicultural families.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.51-58
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between drinking, smoking, meat intake, and exercise. The participants were 1,060 males and females who voluntarily responded to the survey by visiting the health promotion booth at the H Festival held in C city in 2014. Research data were collected in interview form using questionnaires on alcohol use, smoking, exercise, and meat intake. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, cross tabulation analysis, multinominal logistic regression after stratification of gender using the SPSS 24 program. The results of the study are as follows: Smokers had a significantly higher frequency of drinking ($x^2=163.33$, p<.001) than non-smokers. Meat intake was high when alcohol use was high ($x^2=35.13$, p<.001). The risk rates for smoking, meat consumption, and exercise related to alcohol use are as follows. The smoking was higher as the frequency of drinking increased. For men, smoking OR(odd ratio) was 6.26 (p=.001) and for women, smoking risk OR was 16.82 (p=.002). Meats intake showed a higher OR as the alcohol use increased. The OR of almost daily ingestion of meat at frequent drinking days was 4.40 (p=.002) for males and 4.52(p=.009) for females. As the frequency of drinking increased, the OR of days of exercise tended to decrease. In men, the OR was 0.36 (p=.003), the lowest in the probability of exercising more than 5 days when drinking high. In the case of women drinking less than once a week, the OR was 0.43 (p=.027), which was the lowest for exercise for 5 days or more. In conclusion, the higher the frequency of drinking, the higher the smoking and meat intake, and the less exercise. If drinking, smoking, and meat intake are high but there is a lack of exercise, a chronic disease can occur and cause premature death unless there is a change in the new health behavior. The results of this study suggest researches to understand the motives related to alcohol abstinence, smoking cessation, dietary control and exercise, and to develop programs.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2013

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the gender differences in the relationship between alcohol use behaviors and the risk of metabolic syndrome among Korean adult population. Methods: Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (5th, 2010) was analyzed. Using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, subjects were classified into 4 groups including non-drinking, low-risk drinking, medium-level alcohol problem, and high-level alcohol problem group. Metabolic syndrome and its components were compared among the alcohol behavior groups by gender. Results: The odds ratio vs. non-drinking group for metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in male medium and high-level alcohol problem group. In female, high-level alcohol problem group showed significantly higher odds ratio for metabolic syndrome. Blood pressure and HDL-cholesterol were likely to be higher with the excessive drinking behaviors in both men and woman. Triglyceride level in men was significantly higher in the medium and high-level alcohol problem group than non-drinking group. Although fasting glucose level did not show differences among drinking groups, the odd ratios vs. non-drinking group for the hyperglycemia (${\geq}$ 100mg/dl) were significantly higher in female drinking groups. Conclusions: Problematic alcohol drinking is likely to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors on health behavior among patients with coronary artery disease. Method: The subjects were 95 patients who visited the out-patient department of a university hospital for follow-up. The four health belief concepts (motivation, benefit, barrier, seriousness), general self-efficacy, health behaviors on medication, diet, exercise, stress management, smoking, and drinking were measured. Result: There were significant differences in the health behavior scores of subjects according to family support and the experience of surgical procedure. Subjects were found to have a high degree of compliance in taking medication. However subjects reported the lowest degree of compliance in regular exercise. In the multiple regression analysis, surgical procedure and motivation were significant predictors to explain diet. Motivation and barrier were significant predictors to explain exercise. Self-efficacy, motivation and family support were significant predictors to explain stress management. Family support and seriousness explained 16% of variance in drinking. Also, family support explained 30% of variance in smoking. Conclusion: Since predicting factors on each health behavior indicator were different, then nurses should consider these differences to construct strategy enhancing patient's recovery.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.489-501
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of health behavior-related characteristics, self-esteem, activities of daily living, and family support on depression in the community-dwelling elderly. Methods: The participants were 229 elders sampled from Seoul and other five provinces. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, and data were analyzed by applying t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression with SAS 8.12. Results: There was a negative correlation between depression, MMSE-K, self-esteem, ADL, IADL, and family support. Depression and health behavior-related characteristics showed a significant difference according to stress level and the reason of stress. Major factors that affected the elders depression were self-esteem, the amount of alcohol drinking, sleeping hours, ADL and the cognition of health status, which explained 59.4%. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, self-esteem and health behavior-related characteristics including alcohol drinking, sleeping hours and ADL were the influencing factors of depression in the community-dwelling elderly. Therefore, effective psychological and physical health promotion methods need to be developed and applied in nursing interventions to prevent depression in the community-dwelling elderly.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.105-116
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• 2009

Objectives: In recent years, pregnancy rate among female adolescents has increased and caused a variety of physical and social problems. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate sexual behavior, delinquent behavior, and pregnancy rate among Korean female adolescents. Methods: In light of the growing interest in adolescent pregnancy, this study conducted a web-based survey, titled "The 2006 Youth Health Risk Behavior Survey." The Korean Center for Disease Control (KCDC) collected questionnaire responses from 34,200 young women. The collected data were analyzed through chi-square test and logistic regression using SPSS Win 14.0 version. Results: This study analyzed main factors, which can predict pregnant experience. The statistic results showed two types of the predicting factors: (1) personal factors: sexual relations after drinking (odds 25.1), Narcotic drug taking (odds 13.0), sexual violence act (odds 7.0), part-time job(odds 2.5), drinking, smoking ; and (2) environmental factors: stepfather(odds 4.2) and natural mother. Conclusion: The influential factor identification for predicting pregnancy rate is important to develop an effective education program for preventing the adolescent pregnancy. The education programs with referring to the identified factors can contribute to reducing the unwilling pregnancy rate of young woman.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.387-396
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• 2006

Purpose: This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of health risk behaviors by gender and grade and to examine the correlation between health risk behaviors and self-efficacy in early adolescents. Method: The sample of this study consisted of 1.693 early adolescents recruited from 7 middle schools in S-Gu, Seoul, Korea. Health risk behaviors were measured by the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS). Self-Efficacy was assessed by General Self-Efficacy (GSE). Results: About a third of the subjects had experience in drinking behavior about 19.4% in cigarette smoking (including cases of just one or two puffs), 25.9% in physical fight, 29.1% in thought about killing themselves (suicide-related behavior), 1.5% in drug. More than a half (60.5%) experienced at least one health risk behavior. Female students were more likely to report drinking experience and suicide-related experience. Health risk behaviors were not significantly correlated with self-efficacy in early adolescents. Conclusions: Many early adolescents had experience in health risk behaviors in the past. The findings of this research suggest the necessity of intensive prevention programs in middle school to motivate and prepare students to avoid these behaviors. In addition, these results may help health professionals plan appropriate screening and counselling for health problems in early adolescents.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1-15
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• 2011

Objectives: We describe the development of a smoking and drinking prevention program for adolescents, using intervention mapping. Methods: The study sample consisted of 1,000 high school second-grade students from 6 high schools in Seoul. The PRECEDE model was applied for the needs assessment. We carried out a social diagnosis by assessing the factors such as the quality of life, happiness level, and satisfaction with school life; an epidemiological diagnosis on the perceived health status, stress levels, and priority of health issues; a behavioral diagnosis on the smoking and drinking rate and the intention to smoke and drink; and an educational diagnosis on knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, social norms and life skills. Results: The development process included a needs assessment, identifying factors that influence smoking and drinking among adolescents. Intention, knowledge, perceived norms, perceived benefit, perceived cost, perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and life skills were identified as determinants. Three performance objectives were formulated to describe what an individual needs to do in order to avoid smoking and drinking. Subsequently, we constructed an intervention matrix by crossing the performance objectives with the selected determinants. Each cell describes the learning objectives of the smoking and drinking prevention program. The program used methods from the transtheoretical model, such as consciousness raising, outcome expectations, self-reevaluation, self-liberation, counterconditioning, environmental reevaluation, and stimulus control. The program deals with the effects of smoking and drinking, self-improvement, decision making, understanding advertisements, communication skills, social relationships, and assertiveness. Conclusions: By using the process of intervention mapping, the program developer was able to ensure a systematical incorporation of empirical and new data and theories to guide the intervention design. Programs targeting other health-related behavior and other methods or strategies can also be developed using this intervention mapping process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.154-163
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the current situation of Korean adolescents' sexual experience and its characteristics by school level, gender, and related factors to their sexual experience. This could be the basic evidence for the development of various sex education programs for the youth. Methods: This study used the 11th online survey data on youth health behavior (2015) and all 68,043 students who participated in the study were included for the analysis. The binominal logistic regression model was used to identify the characteristics and relevant factors of sexual intercourse experience. Analysis was performed by complex sample design using SPSS/WIN 18.0. The statistical significance was defined as p<.05 with a two-sided test. Results: The factors related to sexual experience of adolescents included grade, sadness and hopelessness, smoking, Internet addiction, and sex education in school, for middle school boys. For middle school girls, grade, residence area, sadness and hopelessness, smoking, drinking, and sex education in school were related. For high school boys, the factors were grade, living with parents, economic situation, sadness and hopelessness, smoking, drinking, and Internet addiction. For high school girls, grade, sadness and hopelessness, smoking, and drinking were found to be related factors. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that a practical program considering adolescents' level and characteristics should be developed and applied.