• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.623-635
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• 2011

Over the past few decades, the proportion of elderly people with depression in Korea has been rapidly increasing. The purpose of this study is to explore relative effects of health and family factors on geriatric depression. The data sources are from Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging(2008). The Analysis sample consists of 4,040 cases. Analysis results show that there is a significant variability in geriatric depression according to sociodemographic characteristics, health characteristics, and family characteristics. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses are employed to assess the causal relationship between health characteristics and geriatric depression. Model II showed that ADL(exp(B)=1.732), having difficulties due to sight deterioration(exp(B)=1.398), having difficulties due to masticatory force deterioration(exp(B)=1.414), having difficulties due to pain(exp(B)=2.435), and subjective health status(exp(B)=2.010) are reported as predictors of geriatric depression. Namely, the probability of having geriatric depression of the above predictors has been 1.7 times, 1.4 times, 1.4 times, 2.4 times. 2.0 times higher than normal figures. Among health characteristics, pain is the most prevalent factor. Model III showed that as for family characteristics, coresiding with children(exp(B)=1.312) and frequency of contacting with children by phones, letters, or emails(exp(B)=1.477) are reported as predictors of geriatric depression. Key findings are that health factors have larger effects than family factors on geriatric depression.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2015

Objectives: This study aims to compare the physicochemical characteristics, toxicological data with Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) of chemicals under the Occupational Safety and Health Act(OSHA) regulated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea. Methods: Information on chemicals which have OELs on physicochemical characteristics and toxicological data was collected using Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) from Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) and the Korea Information System for Chemical Safety Management(KISChem) in 2014. Statistical analyses including correlation and simple regression were performed to compare the OELs with chemical characteristics including molecular weight, boiling point, odor threshold, vapor pressure, vapor density, solubility and octanol-water partition coefficient(OWPC) and toxicological data such as median lethal dose($LD_{50}$) and median lethal concentration($LC_{50}$). Results: A total of 656 chemicals have OELs under OSHA in Korea. The numbers of chemicals which have eight-hour time weighted average(TWA) and short term exposure limits(STEL) are 618 and 190, respectively. TWA was significantly correlated with boiling point and STEL was only correlated with vapor pressure among physicochemical characteristics. Solubility and OWPC between "skin" and "no skin" substances which indicate skin penetration were not significantly different. Both $LD_{50}$ and $LC_{50}$ were correlated with TWA, while the $LC_{50}$ was not with STEL. As health indicators, health rating and Emergency Response Planning Guidelines(ERPG) rating as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) and American Industrial Hygiene Association(AIHA) were associated with OELs and reflect the chemical hazards. Conclusions: We found relationships between OEL and chemical information including physicochemical characteristics and toxicological data. The study has an important meaning for understanding present regulatory OELs.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.91-103
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was designed to understand the association between sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors and channels retrieved for health information. Methods: Questionnaire survey was performed from April 2007 to May 2007 through household visiting. Sample was selected according to gender, household income, and residence district. We got 1,009 respondents and subgroups were as follows; 508 people had health insurance, 250 people were medical indigent group, and 251 people were medicaid beneficiaries. Results: People seemed to be separated into subgroups by channels used for health information. One was active and the other was passive group. Characteristics of passive group were older age, worker or inoccupation, less income, subjective poverty, lower education, loss of spouse, medical indigent or medicaid group. They usually got health information through mass media like TV and radio or medical professionals. Characteristics of active group were younger age, professional, more income, subjective affluence, higher education, single or married, and member of health insurance. They mainly got health information through printed media like newspaper or the Internet. Conclusion: We suggest to provide health information through various channels customed to individual needs and literacy. Public health stakeholders seems better to focus on people with low education, insufficient health literacy, poor health status, and short information technology.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.123-133
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• 2016

Objectives : This study analyzed the effect of health-related characteristics of middle-aged and elderly people on the number of existing permanent teeth by considering each age group through the improvement of health-related characteristics. This study contributes by offering fundamental information on the prevention of dental diseases and on developing an education program that can be used by dental health businesses to improve dental health. Methods : This study used primitive data of the sixth term of the first year and the second year and selected a total of 4,393 people as the final research subject. In order to determine the factors that influence the number of existing natural teeth, confounding factors were considered, and regression analysis using general linear models was done. Results : According to the results of this research, the middle-aged and elderly groups have more existing permanent teeth in the following three cases: 1. Talking is comfortable when daily brushing frequency is 3 times or more. 2. Self-recognition of dental health condition is good. 3. Number of dental caries present in permanent teeth is low. Conclusions : For a and medical system, a dental health care system that takes into consideration the lifespans of people must be legislated and implemented.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.483-492
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare health-related characteristics and self-care behavior between a controlled group and a non-controlled group of hypertension patients in a customized home visiting health service. Methods: This study was conducted as cross-sectional research. The subjects were 1,317 hypertension-controlled patients and 555 non-controlled ones. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and t-test using the SPSS WIN 15.0 program. Results: Sociodemographic characteristics and self-care behavior were not significantly correlated between the groups. According to health-related characteristics, the health status was significantly higher in the hypertensioncontrolled group than in the non-controlled group. The cholesterol level was significantly lower in the hypertension-controlled group than in the non-controlled group. Conclusion: Attention should be paid to patients who are not in good health status in order to control their hypertension. Also, it is necessary to educate the patients in order for them to manage their hypertension and cholesterol.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2014

Background: This study examined what factors affected a complete examination of infant health checkup. Methods: We used Korean national health insurance claim data of 2,936,650 infants, taking examination in 2012. These claim data included enrollment status of householders and records of infant health checkup from 2008 to 2013. Results: Our results shows that for infant characteristics, the likelihood of complete examination of infant health checkup is significantly lower in female, older aged, and handicapped ones. For householder characteristics, the likelihood of complete examination of infant health checkup is also significantly lower in female, older group and self-employed ones. For household characteristics, the likelihood of complete examination is also significantly lower in single-parent families, multi-cultural families, parent with unexperienced health checkup and lower monthly premiums. Conclusion: It is necessary to support an additional use-guide and follow-up management services to improve incomplete examination of infant health checkup.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.29-42
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to examine the relations of 'self-body evaluation', self-esteem, and health behavior among junior high school girls, analysing influencing factors for their health behavior, and building a base for its improvement. Methods: Data collection was conducted by self-report survey. Survey participants were 330 junior high school girl students in the area of Seoul, 221 from women's junior high schools and 109, coed schools. Survey included general characteristics, self-body evaluation, self-esteem, and health behavior. Results: 1. In their self-body evaluation, the students gave themselves $3.27{\pm}.53$ scores of the total 5, and of general characteristics, BMI, ideal BMI, personality, living standard were statistically significant different. 2. The scores for the girl students' health behavior were $2.77{\pm}0.37$ of total 4, and of general characteristics, school forms, grades, living standard were statistically significant different. characteristics, school forms, personality, school grades, living standard were statistically significant different. 3. The girls' self-body evaluation and self-esteem showed a low level of negative significant difference and their self-body evaluation and health behavior were significantly different, but a low level of negative significant difference. And the relationship between self-esteem and health behavior showed a high level of positive significant difference. 4. Influencing factors for the girls' health behavior showed a significant difference in self-esteem and school forms of general characteristics, self-body evaluation, and self-esteem.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.595-607
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• 2002

The objectives of this study were to identify the phenomena of school health nursing at schools in Korea and to contribute to building a school health domain of International Classification for Nursing Practice. A retrospective method was used in this study to develop ICNP during the period from July to October 200l. The procedure of the study involved choosing nursing phenomena using preliminary terms from the reports on the field of school health nursing practice documented by nursing students in 10 different nursing colleges. The detail procedures of the study were as follows. 1) Choosing nursing phenomena by using preliminary terms 2) Choosing the characteristics of school health nursing practice from the selected nursing phenomena 3) In order to make a consensus regarding the appropriate characteristics of phenomena. 15 study group members re-categorized the nursing phenomena through 5 times of cyber meetings and 3 times of formal meetings. 4) To verify each characteristic, 5 community nursing faculties and 25 school health nurses participated in the procedure to give scores on nursing characteristics. 5) Classification of the definite nursing phenomena and characteristics. Following the 5 step procedures, school health nursing phenomena were categorized into human and environmental domains. Human domains were classified into human behavioral and functional domains. Environmental domains were classified into physical and psychosocial domains. The essential characteristics of each phenomena were selected when it obtains the mean score of 3.0 or over at the related characteristics. The human behavioral domain consisted of 7 phenomena including risk for spinal disorder, inadequate dietary habit, inadequate weight control, smoking and substance abuse, inadequate stress management, inadequate sex related coping strategies and inadequate accident management. The human functional domain consisted of 6 phenomena including inadequate eye care and visual management, risk for respiratory disorder, inadequate dental health care, inappropriate infectious disease control, risk for gastrointestinal disorder, and lack of sexual identity. The physical environmental domain consisted of 6 phenomena including risk for incident at inside classroom, risk for incident at outside classroom, risk for incident around school, risk for exposure to hazardous facilities around school. inadequate garbage and disposal management, and inadequate physical environment for learning. The psychosocial domain included impaired social interaction at school. Each phenomenon was composed of 2 to 8 characteristics and all phenomena will include a total number of 85 characteristics. The phenomena of school health nursing in Korea partially confirmed school health architecture of ICNP. Further study on verification of school health nursing phenomena in Korea needs to be done to support the findings of this study through review of literature on nursing classifications or field studies.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.165-177
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• 2012

This study examined market size of private health insurance premium and individual characteristics associated with the market size change in Korea, using wave 1 (2008) and wave 2 (2009) of Korea Health Panel. The market size was 24.4 trillion Korean won in 2008 and 26.9 trillion in 2009. The increase rate of private health insurance premium among those who were the elderly, single, or the poor was higher than that among their counterpart respectively. Health status and utilization were insignificant in determining the increase rate of private health insurance premium. These findings were more obvious among the uninsured in 2008 than among the insured in 2008. The increase of private health insurance premium in Korea imply the increase of willingness-to-pay for health risk through private sector. The authors suggest policy intervention for accessability to health care for the underprivileged and weak through enlargement of Korean social health insurance benefit.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.98-106
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the relationships between the factors affecting health levels of the elderly in rural areas. Methods: Subjects were 257 elderly people residing in rural areas of six cities and Gangwon Province. Data was collected through questionnaires (demographic and socioeconomic status, social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, psychological tendency and general health levels) and was analyzed by using multiple regression and Sobel test. Results: The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the subjects exerted statistically significant influence on their social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, and psychological tendencies. The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, and psychological tendencies, in turn, exerted a statistically significant influence on the health level. The social resources had mediating effects on the relationship between income, one of the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and health level. The residential environments had mediating effects on the relationship between income and health level. The psychological tendency had mediating effects on the relationship between income and health level. Conclusion: This study suggests that income is an important factor affecting health level among rural elderly people. In addition, social resources, health behaviors, physical environment, and psychological tendencies among them also affect health level, so it is necessary to make strategies to improve these factors.