• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.242-257
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the life experiences of the wives of men who were born with normal vision but gradually developed a visual impairment, with particular focus on their way of facing and coping with their life crisis. Method: A narrative approach was used to not only understand women's experiences within sociocultural contexts, but also reveal the subjective meaning of their personal life stories through their own voices. A purposive sample of three participants having husbands unexpectedly diagnosed with visual impairment during their marriage was recruited. The data were analyzed using the narrative analysis methods suggested by Clandinin and Connelly. Results: The wives took the crisis of their husbands' visual impairment as an economic crisis of the family. They faced a variety of difficulties, including extreme despair, role changes, and economic burdens. On the other hand, they tried to keep the family secure through a range of coping strategies that were motivated by compassion toward the husbands, maternal affection for the children, and a sense of responsibility for their families. Conclusion: This study revealed the need for financial support for temporarily disadvantaged families. In addition, various nursing and counseling programs for the family members will also be needed to help recover the family functions.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.350-356
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• 2022

Background: Although sick leave is a complex phenomenon, it is believed that there is potential for prevention at the workplace. However, little is known about this potential and what specific measures should be implemented. The purpose of the study was to identify perceived reasons to take work-related sick leave and to suggest preventive measures. The study was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, and the risk factors identified may have been amplified during the pandemic. Methods: An in-depth cross-sectional survey was conducted across a randomly selected sample of hospital nurses in Norway. The national sample comprised 1,297 nurses who participated in a survey about their sick leave during the previous 6 months. An open-ended question about perceived reasons for work-related sick leave was included to gather qualitative information. Results: Among hospital nurses, 27% of the last occurring sick leave incidents were perceived to be work-related. The most common reasons were high physical workload, high work pace, sleep problems, catching a viral or bacterial infection from patients or colleagues, and low staffing. Conclusions: Over a quarter of the last occurring sick leave incidents among Norwegian hospital nurses are potentially preventable. To retain and optimize scarce hospital nursing resources, strategies to reduce work-related sick leave may provide human and financial benefits. Preventive measures may include careful monitoring of nurses' workload and pace, optimizing work schedules to reduce the risk of sleep problems, and increasing staffing to prevent stress and work overload.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.92-103
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to prepare basic data for education and policy proposals related to enhancement of happiness by identifying factors affecting the subjective happiness among Korean adolescents by family type. Methods: The study was a secondary analysis using the raw data of the 16th Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2020). A complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors affecting adolescent happiness by family type. Results: As a result, the factors that commonly affect the subjective happiness of adolescents for all family types were identified as economic status, academic performance, perceived stress, and loneliness. Additional factors that affect the subjective happiness of adolescents of both Korean two-parent and single parent families were sleep and subjective health status. Financial assistance, number of toilets, breakfast, exercise, depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt were also reported for Korean two-parent families. Conclusion: This study provided empirical basic data for enhancing adolescent happiness in consideration of priority targets and family composition characteristics by identifying factors affecting subjective happiness by family type. Adolescent happiness is a factor that should be actively pursued at home, school, and society, and it should be the goal of education for holistic growth of students.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.221-240
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• 2023

Purpose - This paper investigates how business cycle impacts on corporate credit spreads since global financial crisis. Furthermore, it tests how the impact changes by the phase of the cycle. Design/methodology/approach - This study collected dataset from Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index through the Bloomberg. It conducted multi-regression analysis by projecting business cycle using Hodrick-Prescott filtering and various cyclical variables, while ran dynamic analysis of 5-variable Vector Error Correction Model to confirm the robustness of the test. Findings - First, it proves to be statistically significant that corporate credit spreads have moved countercyclicaly since the crisis. Second, It indicates that the corporate credit spread's countercyclicality to the macroeconomic changes works symmetrically by the phase of the cycle. Third, the VECM supports that business cycle's impact on the spreads maintains more sustainably than other explanatory variable does in the model. Research implications or Originality - It becomes more appealing to accurately measure the real economic impact on corporate credit spreads as the interaction between credit and business cycle deepens. The economic impact on the spreads works symmetrically by boom and bust, which implies that the market stress could impact as another negative driver during the bust. Finally, the business cycle's sustainable impact on the spreads supports the fact that the economic recovery is the key driver for the resilience of credit cycle.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.328-334
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• 2023

An aging population and changes in dietary habits have increased the incidence of diabetes, resulting in complications such as diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). DFUs can lead to serious disabilities, substantial reductions in patient quality of life, and high financial costs for society. By understanding the etiology and pathophysiology of DFUs, their occurrence can be prevented and managed more effectively. The pathophysiology of DFUs involves metabolic dysfunction, diabetic immunopathy, diabetic neuropathy, and angiopathy. The processes by which hyperglycemia causes peripheral nerve damage are related to adenosine triphosphate deficiency, the polyol pathway, oxidative stress, protein kinase C activity, and proinflammatory processes. In the context of hyperglycemia, the suppression of endothelial nitric oxide production leads to microcirculation atherosclerosis, heightened inflammation, and abnormal intimal growth. Diabetic neuropathy involves sensory, motor, and autonomic neuropathies. The interaction between these neuropathies forms a callus that leads to subcutaneous hemorrhage and skin ulcers. Hyperglycemia causes peripheral vascular changes that result in endothelial cell dysfunction and decreased vasodilator secretion, leading to ischemia. The interplay among these four preceding pathophysiological factors fosters the development and progression of infections in individuals with diabetes. Charcot neuroarthropathy is a chronic and progressive degenerative arthropathy characterized by heightened blood flow, increased calcium dissolution, and repeated minor trauma to insensate joints. Directly and comprehensively addressing the pathogenesis of DFUs could pave the way for the development of innovative treatment approaches with the potential to avoid the most serious complications, including major amputations.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.36
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• pp.199-228
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• 1998

This study is designed to find out the determinants of dual-earner wives' needs for family-supportive services. For this purpose, a hypothetical model which explains the relationships among 6 stressors, role overload, stress and needs for 4 family-supportive services is developed. Using the data collected by purposive sampling from 234 professional women and 208 blue-collar women living in Chinju and Sacheon, the hypothetical model developed in this study was tested. In order to examine occupational class differences, a model for professionals and another model for blue-collars were developed separately and compared. For data analysis, a covariance structure analysis was used. The best-fitting model for professional women (df=141, GFI=0.928, CFI=0.965) and the model for blue collar women (df=141, GFI=0.902, CFI=0.912) were found. As a result of comparing two models, 9 common relationships were found:l)Greater dissatisfaction with child care service increases role overload; 2)Longer work hours increases role overload; 3) Higher level of role overload increases stress; 4)Higher level of stress increase needs for leaves; 5)Older child increases needs for flexible work pattern; 6)Younger child increases needs for finalcial assistance for child care fee; 7)needs for financial assistance for child care increases needs for on-site child care services; 8)needs for on-site child care services increases needs for leaves; 9)needs for leaves increases needs for flexible work pattern. With the exception of these 9 common relationships, the analyses revealed substantial differences between professional and blue-collar dual-earner wives. Based on the common and differential needs between 2 groups of wives, the effective ways to provide family-supportive services according to the needs of individual dual-earner wives who are in different familial, financial, and work conditions were suggested.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.4
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• pp.21-41
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• 2003

The purposes of this study were to ; first, investigate High School Teachers health promotion behavior types; second, explore the effects High School Teachers perceived benefits and perceived barriers have on their health promotion behavior ; third, suggest a desirable course that will increase teachers health. To this end, this researcher conducted a survey on health promotion behavior, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers to 329 High School teachers working in Goyang-si, Gyonggi-do. The results of the survey are as follows: Health Promotion Behavior A closer look at high school teachers health promotion behavior shows that male teachers, compared with female teachers, more actively promote their health. However, female teachers are more aware of their personal hygiene and disease risks. Older teachers, rather than younger teachers, are more willing to promote their health through better eating habits and more frequent exercise. A comparison between married and single teachers revealed that married teachers promote their health through better eating habits, and single teachers receive less stress and are better at managing their stress. Teachers working in technical high schools are better at managing their stress and personal hygiene than academic high schools teachers. Teachers working after 8 o'clock show better health promotion behavior through proper eating habits, stress management, regular exercise, disease prevention: however, teachers working before 7:30 are poor at managing their stress. Teachers not teaching supplementary lessons and not supervising night self-study are better at managing their stress, exercise schedule, and disease prevention than teachers who are. Perceived Benefits, Perceived Barriers, and Health Promotion Behavior A Comparison between male and female teachers shows that female teachers firmly believe improved eating habits and regular exercises would greatly enhance their health. However, female teachers felt more discomfort in their working environment and in utilizing medical institutes. Teachers in the 20s and 40s perceived health benefits through regular lifestyle and exercise. Teachers with less experience feel more pressure from their work environment. Teachers below their 30s feel more dissatisfaction towards using medical facilities. Teachers working in Technical High Schools are more aware of promoting their health through regular health checkups, exercise, and lifestyle ; however, teachers from Academic High Schools feel more pressure from their work environment. Teachers not performing supplementary lessons and supervising night self-study sessions are more willing to go through regular health checkups than those performing them. Also, teachers with supplementary lessons and night self-study supervisions claimed lack of leisure time, pressure from work environment, and inconvenience in using medical facilities a deterrent to promoting their health behavior. The Relationship between Health Promotion Behavior, Perceived Benefits, and Perceived Barriers The correlation ratio between Health Promotion Behavior and Perceived Benefits shows a positive relationship. The results show that High School teachers believed regular health checkups are necessary in maintaining their health. This research shows that teachers consider the following factors important in the order shown ; regular lifestyle and exercise, prevention of geriatric diseases, improving ones eating habits. In short, teachers who are more aware of the importance of regular health checkups are also more aware of the importance of promoting their health. The correlation ratio between Health Promotion Behavior and Perceived Barriers shows negative relationship. High School Teachers believe that lack of leisure activity, pressure from work environment, familys financial burden, fear of diseases, inconvenience in using medical facilities are a deterrent in promoting their health behavior. In other words, teachers with less leisure time and negative pressures from their work environment were less active in promoting their health behavior. This study shows that High School teachers will be able to promote their health behavior by maintaining regular health checkups, lifestyle, exercise, and preventing geriatric diseases. However, teachers believed that insufficient leisure time and negative pressure from their work environment acted as a deterrent to maintaining their health behavior. Most High School teachers believe they are at present healthy, and they were actively engaged in Preventative Health Promotion. The result of this study demonstrates that External factors have a large impact on teachers, which in turn acts negatively on their Health Promotion Behavior. In order to guarantee teachers health promotion behavior, systematic health checkups and increased leisure time, improvement in their work environment are necessary. Teachers also need to take a more active interest in their health.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.209-215
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• 2013

Objectives: Terminal cancer patients and their caregivers often experience traumatic stress and need many types of assistance. In the present study we interviewed terminally ill cancer patients and caregivers to determine how much burden they experienced and to find out what factors are most important for satisfaction. Design: We constructed a questionnaire including overall care burden and needs experienced, and administered it to 659 terminal cancer patients and 659 important caregivers at 11 university hospitals and 1 national cancer center in Korea. Results: Finally, 481 terminal cancer patients and 381 caregivers completed the questionnaire. Care burden was not insubstantial in both and the caregiver group felt more burden than the patient group (P<0.001). While the patient group needed financial support most (39.0%), the caregiver group placed greatest emphasis on discussion about further treatment plans (44.8%). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses showed that in the patient group, patient's health status (OR, 2.03; 95%CI, 1.16-3.56) and burden (OR, 2.82; 95%CI, 1.76-4.50) influenced satisfaction about overall care, while in the caregiver group, high education level (OR, 1.84; 95%CI, 1.76-4.50), burden (OR, 2.94; 95%CI, 1.75-4.93) and good family function (OR, 1.94; 95%CI, 1.24-3.04) were important. Conclusions: Our study showed that burden was great in both terminal cancer patients and their caregivers and was perceived to be more severe by caregivers. Our study also showed that burden was the factor most predicting satisfaction about overall care in both groups.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.512-520
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• 2006

Purpose: To investigate the risk factors of arthritis, this study was carried out with 1,829 Korean women aged between 40-64 who responded to a health behavior survey. Methods: Data were extracted from the results of the 2001 National Survey on Health and Nutrition conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Results: 1 Financial difficulty and continuous anxiety about health were directly associated with arthritis. The odd ratios of these two factors of arthritis were 1.43 and 1.82 respectively. 2. With regard to the presence or absence of arthritis according to demographic characteristic, the incidence of arthritis was higher in the age between 50-64, in the group whose education level was middle school or lower, and in those who experienced the death of spouse, divorce or separation. Nevertheless, it was not significantly different according to financial status and employment status. 3. Concerning the presence or absence of arthritis according to psychological characteristic, the incidence of arthritis was found to be higher in those who were not healthy by subjective health assessment, in those who were always anxious about their health, in those who were always depressed and sad, and in those who felt heavy stress. 4. With regard to the presence or absence of arthritis according to the health behavior, the incidence of arthritis was higher in postmenopausal cases and cases who were having hormone therapy, and the incidence of arthritis was higher in those who did not drink alcohol, those with BMI higher than 25, and those who slept shorter than 7 hours a day. Conclusion: Based on the above results, it is required to provide a means applicable to communities by developing preventive education that can prevent the incidence of arthritis in middle-aged women as well as intervention programs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2013

The elements that determine the success of development projects on goats and the prerequisites for ensuring this are discussed in the context of the bewildering diversity of goat genetic resources, production systems, multifunctionality, and opportunities for responding to constraints for productivity enhancement. Key determinants for the success of pro-poor projects are the imperatives of realistic project design, resolution of priorities and positive impacts to increase investments and spur agricultural growth, and appropriate policy. Throughout the developing world, there exist 97% of the total world population of 921 million goats across all agroecological zones (AEZs), including 570 breeds and 64% share of the breeds. They occupy a very important biological and socioeconomic niche in farming systems making significant multifunctional contributions especially to food, nutrition and financial security, stability of farm households, and survival of the poor in the rural areas. Definitions are given of successful and failed projects. The analyses highlighted in successful projects the value of strong participatory efforts with farmers and climate change. Climate change effects on goats are inevitable and are mediated through heat stress, type of AEZ, water availability, quantity and quality of the available feed resources and type of production system. Within the prevailing production systems, improved integrated tree crops - ruminant systems are underestimated and are an important pathway to enhance C sequestration. Key development strategies and opportunities for research and development (R and D) are enormous, and include inter alia defining a policy framework, resolution of priority constraints using systems perspectives and community-based participatory activities, application of yield-enhancing technologies, intensification, scaling up, and impacts. The priority for development concerns the rainfed areas with large concentrations of ruminants in which goats, with a capacity to cope with heat tolerance, can be the entry point for development. Networks and networking are very important for the diffusion of information and can add value to R and D. Well formulated projects with clear priority setting and participatory R and D ensure success and the realisation of food security, improved livelihoods and self-reliance in the future.