• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.207-213
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• 2014

How to eliminate health disparity to ensure health equity is one of major issues that are handled across the world. The purpose of this study was to examine any possible differences in self-rated oral health state according to socioeconomic status and the relationship between the two based on the data of the 5th National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey of 2010~2012. As for differences in self-rated oral health state according to sociodemographic characteristics, the women considered themselves to be in poorer oral health than the men. The older respondents found themselves to be in poorer oral health, and there was a tendency that the respondents who were less educated and whose household income was smaller rated their own health as worse. When a logistic regression analysis was made to determine influential factors for self-rated oral health status, the women perceived they were in better oral health than the men did, and the better-educated respondents were more likely to consider themselves healthier. Concerning disparities in self-rated health state according to income level, there were broader differences in that regard according to an increase of income. The findings of the study illustrated that there was oral health inequity according to social stratum. It's required to make a nationwide effort to promote national oral health, and appropriate support should especially be provided for disadvantaged people at the same time in order to get rid of the gap in oral health among different social classes, as there is a yawning gap between them and the other classes.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.327-340
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the barriers to promoting physical activity among obese children from low-income families using community child care (CCC) centers. Methods: This study employed an exploratory-descriptive qualitative research using focus group interviews. The participants were recruited from CCC centers, and 4 focus group interviews were conducted with 10 overweight and obese children and 14 primary caregivers. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: The barriers to promoting physical activity were classified into three areas: 1) individual, a lack of will for physical activity; 2) interpersonal, a change in communicative mean with the peer group, absence of parental monitoring due to work-family balance, and an absence of consistent rules; and 3) organizational, lack of physical activity programs and human resources, and confined space for physical activity. Conclusion: The physical activity of children in low-income families is influenced by a range of ecological barriers. These findings can be used to develop tailored intervention to prevent and manage childhood obesity in low-income children.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.599-603
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• 2015

The objective of the current pilot study was to evaluate the reproductive performance and health indicators in Dorper, White Dorper, and Tsigai breed ewes managed semi-intensively under European temperate conditions. A total of 544 ewe-year units were observed, with ewes (ranging from 1.5 to 8 years of age) managed under identical rearing conditions for a period of two consecutive production cycles (2012 through 2013 and 2013 through 2014). In general, significant ($p{\leq}0.001$) genotype-related disparities were found in occurrence rates for all health parameters taken into study. Clinical mastitis incidence was significantly lower ($p{\leq}0.05$) in Dorper (9.4%) and White Dorper (10.8%) breeds compared to that of Tsigai ewes (17.4%). Significant differences ($p{\leq}0.05$) for lameness were found between Dorper and Tsigai breeds, with occurrence rates of 8.0% and 2.9%, respectively. Incidence for pneumonia and abortion was not influenced (p>0.05) by the ewes' genotype. Litter size was significantly lower ($p{\leq}0.05$) in White Dorper breed than for Dorper and Tsigai ewes, of 1.21, 1.40, and 1.45, respectively. Conception rates and lambs survival were not affected (p>0.05) by genotype. Results suggest that South African Dorper and White Dorper sheep breeds have adapted well to the specific rearing conditions.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.347-358
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to verify if metropolitan area and non-metropolitan area have an influence on health of the elderly and estimate and compare the difference between the two areas. To achieve this purpose, the study was conducted on 4,714 elderly people aged 65 or more among source materials of "The 3rd Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing in 2010" using OLS regression analysis and Oaxaca's decomposition method. Major results of the study are as follows. First, the elderly living in metropolitan area were found to have better health than the ones in non-metropolitan area(${\beta}=-.044$, p<.01). Second, in the result of looking into 'area' effect alone, which was decomposed to investigate actual effect of the difference between metropolitan area and non-metropolitan area, the elderly living in non-metropolitan area were found to have lower health status than the ones living in metropolitan area, confirming that the health gap among the elderly also originates from the characteristics of residential area(non metropolitan area-metropolitan area: 223.92, 109.50%; metropolitan area-non metropolitan area: -267.18, 130.66%). Through the results of the study, practical and policy implications and future study direction were suggested.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.458-464
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• 2023

Background: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex disorder characterized by widespread chronic pain and tenderness in the muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues. It is a chronic pain condition often accompanied by other symptoms and comorbidities. To effectively manage FM, it is crucial to obtain fundamental epidemiological data pertaining to the target population. Therefore, this study was conducted to elucidate the epidemiological characteristics of FM in the Korean population. Methods: Population-based medical data of 51,276,314 subscribers to the National Health Insurance Service of Korea from 2014 to 2018 were used in this study. Results: The overall incidence of FM ranged from 441 (2014) to 541 (2018) cases per 100,000 person-years, with a higher prevalence observed among female patients compared to male patients. The incidence gradually increased until middle age, followed by a decrease. The highest incidence rates were observed in the fifth decade of life for females and the sixth decade of life for males. When categorizing the affected parts of the body, the shoulder region was observed to be the most frequently affected. A comparison of the drug prescriptions based on medical specialty showed that antidepressants were the most commonly prescribed medications. The management of FM leads to consistent increases in medical expenses, regional disparities, and variations in prescription patterns across different medical specialties. Conclusions: The findings of this study will not only contribute to the understanding of FM characteristics but also provide a vital foundation for efficient management of FM in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.110-113
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• 2024

Numerous studies have indicated that organic fertilizers (OFer) might contain heavy metals (HMs) that present health risks to organic farmers (OFar). This study compared the concentrations of six HMs (Zn, Ni, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr) in the blood of two distinct groups of farmers: 30 OFar from a designated organic area in eastern Taiwan, and 74 conventional farmers (CFar) from neighboring non-organic designated regions. The findings revealed that the OFar exhibited higher levels of Zn (1202.70 ± 188.74 ㎍/L), Cr (0.20 ± 0.09 ㎍/L), and Ni (2.14 ± 1.48 ㎍/L) in their blood compared to the CFar (988.40 ± 163.16 ㎍/L, 0.18 ± 0.15 ㎍/L, and 0.77 ± 1.23 ㎍/L), respectively. The disparities in Zn, Cr, and Ni levels were measured at 214.3 ㎍/L, 0.02 ㎍/L, and 1.37 ㎍/L, respectively. Furthermore, among the OFar, those who utilized green manures (GM) displayed significantly elevated blood levels of Zn (1279.93 ± 156.30 ㎍/L), Cr (0.24 ± 0.11 ㎍/L), and Ni (1.94 ± 1.38 ㎍/L) compared to individuals who exclusively employed chemical fertilizers (CFer) (975.42 ± 165.35 ㎍/L, 0.19 ± 0.16 ㎍/L, and 0.74 ± 1.20 ㎍/L), respectively. The differences in Zn, Cr, and Ni levels were measured at 304.51 ㎍/L, 0.05 ㎍/L, and 1.20 ㎍/L, respectively. As a result, OFar should be careful in choosing OFer and avoid those that may have heavy metal contamination.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.151-161
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to identify citizens' needs and what they perceive the health-related problems are so public opinion can be reflected in the Daegu Community Health Plan. A citizen participation group was organized, and two roundtable discussions were held in June and July 2018. The number of participants in the first and second round was 40 and 44, respectively. Customer itinerary guidance, DVDM (Definition, Value, Difficulty, and Method) Map, and Persona-based scenario method were used for the roundtable discussions. The measures to improve the health status proposed by the citizens included expanding access to health services, establishing health services centered on small-living areas, expanding mental health services, creating health-friendly environments, resolving environmental problems, and improving social health. In addition, enhancing communication and creating harmonized environments, improving access to healthcare, generating pleasant physical environments, and assigning socials roles for vulnerable individuals were brought up as the means to resolve health disparities. The strength of the present study lies in the fact that, unlike survey methods, the citizens' exact needs were identified by sharing their thoughts. Moreover, it was proven that practical measures would be needed to implement citizen participation in planning health-related projects.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.368-381
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• 2021

Purpose: The obesity prevention and management program led by public health centers are important in the community. This study aims to identify the current status of obesity prevention and management programs at public health centers and perceptions regarding facilitators and barriers when implementing programs. Methods: This study used a concurrent mixed methods design. A survey was conducted to investigate the current status and infrastructure of the obesity prevention and management program at eighty-three public health centers nationwide. Nine program managers and six local residents with experience in the program were interviewed by using a semi-structured questionnaires. Results: Most of the infrastructure facilities for the program were inadequate, and insufficient budgets and lack of professional staff were identified as barriers. Facilitators included diversification of program delivery methods, operator competence, and visible outcomes and rewards. For the effectiveness of the program, it is vital to have adequate assistants, a sufficient budget, various promotional methods, and connections with various institutions in the community. On this basis, it is acknowledged that the public health center serves as a platform for preventing and managing obesity in the community. Conclusion: It is expected that infrastructure improvements in public health centers and the link with community resources are needed. In addition, there is an urgent need to set standards for obesity prevention and management programs implemented in public health centers to 'resolve regional disparities'.

• 한국노년학
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.611-632
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• 2016

Solutions for elderly health issues need to be found that take into account not only a medical perspective, but also interactions with social conditions such as socioeconomic status. With this in mind, this study aims to understand how socioeconomic status leads to health inequalities for the elderly. Specifically, this study investigates the mediating effects of socioeconomic status(income and education levels), health activities as an intermediary of the three dimensions of physical health(medical health, functional health, subjective health), accessibility of medical facilities, social participation, and social network. To test the research model, a secondary data analysis was conducted on the 2014 National Survey of Senior Citizens. The participants of the study were 10,451 elderly men and women aged 65 and above. To test the mediated model, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted following the procedures suggested by Baron and Kenny(1986). In addition, a Sobel test was conducted to test the mediated model's significance. According to the analysis, the effects of income and educational levels on the health of the elderly were not the same. Additionally, different results were found depending on health dimensions. However, the overall direction of the results showed that the socioeconomic status of the elderly creates health disparities, and health behaviors, accessibility of medical facilities, social participation, and social network had significant mediation effects between socioeconomic status and physical health. Study findings especially worth noting are as follows: education was shown to have a stronger effect on health than income; effects of social integration factors such as social participation were highlighted; and significant mediating effects on the accessibility of medical facilities remained even after taking residential area into account. Results of this study shed light on health inequality mechanisms due to socioeconomic conditions and the need to find alternatives to alleviate these problems.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.277-311
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• 2010

The powerful association between poverty and mental health has been recognized for many decades in the Western Countries. Despite growing poverty studies, there has been little attention to the association between poverty and mental health in Korea. In this article we examine the effects of the mental health on the poverty status transition. In this study we draw on nationally representative data from the The Korean Welfare Panel Study, to estimate the effects of depression and self-respects on the poverty status transition. Major findings are as follows. First, we find that there are mental health disparities between poor and non-poor classes. The mental health conditions of the poor are worse than the non-poor. Second, we find the strong correlations between the mental health and poverty status transition. Whether poor family exits poverty or not depends on the household head's mental health. Third, poverty experiences are different depending on the mental health conditions. To the mental ill-health family, the probabilities of poverty-exit are much lower and poverty duration is more long. Fourth, we find that family poverty status transitions are very significantly related with household head's mental health from the logistic model analysis. These findings suggest that there is a strong relationship between poor mental health and the experience of poverty in Korea. They also suggest that intervention programs to enhance the mental health of the poor are needed in order to reduce the poverty problem in Korea.