• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.119-130
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to serve as a basis for more effective sex education, by examining the influence of obscene media on elementary school student's sex consciousness. For attaining the purpose, the research questions were posed as follows: 1) What's general characteristics of elementary school students? 2) How much are elementary school students exposed to obscene media? 3) Is their sex consciousness different according to the degree of being exposed to obscene media and the appearance of secondary sex characteristic? The subject of study were the 400 male and female students who were in the sixth grade at elementary school in the city of Paju. The questionnaire survey was conducted to find out their general characteristics, sex consciousness and degree of being exposed to obscene media. The conclusions were as follows; 1) Basic Information 94% of the students investigated were living with their parents. The greatest number of their parents were in their fourties. Concerning the religion of their families, 47.5% belonged to Christianity or Catholicism. 47.3% got in touch with obscene media, which indicated that the harmful influence of that media was great. Their basic knowledge of pregnancy was very poor, as 27.2% weren't sure whether being pregnant could be caused only by shaking hands, hugging or kissing. 34.7% considered it a natural behavior to contact the other sex. Regarding their practice of sexual behavior, they'd have an experience of hugging or kissing. 2) Group Comparison The female students underwent the appearance of secondary sex characteristic faster than the male students. As a result of examining if their degree of being exposed to obscene media was affected by the presence or absence of secondary sex characteristic, no statistically significant difference existed in all the groups: the entire group, male student group and female student group. There appeared, however, statistically significant differences between male and female students, as the number of male student who hadn't yet been exposed to obscene media was less than that of female student who hadn't. And the number of male student who had been much exposed to obscene media was more than that of female student who had. 3) Sex Knowledge, Sex Attitude and Sex Practice The extent of making contact with obscene media didn't make statistically significant difference to the sex knowledge of all the groups. But more extent of getting in touch with obscene media led to more sex attitude and sex practice in the entire group. However, as a result of analyzing these things by the presence or absence of secondary sex characteristic, it's found in general that the group that had secondary sex characteristic possessed statistically better sex knowledge than the other group that hadn't. For the male students, there appeared little disparities in three subareas of sex knowledge, sex attitude and sex practice. For the female students, however, the group that had secondary sex characteristic owned better sex knowledge than the other group that hadn't, and the former group looked upon sex attitude as more natural.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.76-89
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• 2014

The functions of urban park including health related benefit and climate adaptation and mitigation are expanding. However, in-depth research and discourse on the equitable distribution of expanded park function has been limited so far. Following research suggests Green Welfare concept to reflect distributive equity and multifunctionality in the process of urban park policy development and execution. This study developed park welfare indices to analyze disparities of neighborhood urban park(NUP) distribution viewed from green welfare by literature review. The findings analyzed through the Correlation Analysis and Cluster Analysis by SPSS 18.0. The results of the study are as follows. First, green welfare is defined as "to receive equitable benefits and participate in the delivery process of green services which are promoting health and securing safety from climate change risks for every citizen by life cycle regardless of socioeconomic status". Second, NUP per person in Seoul indicate meaningful differences by socioeconomic and environmental status of Seoul administrative districts. Park welfare indices correlated to NUP per person were shown population density(negative), percentage of individuals $aged{\geq}65$(positive), percentage of self-reliance of local finance(positive), flood and air pollution vulnerability by climate change(negative). Third, the cluster analysis identifies three significant clusters that indicate differences of park welfare level. Thus, it was found that NUP in Seoul from a green welfare perspective was provided disproportionately. Future urban park policy in Seoul was required equitable distribution of multifunctionality of park beyond quantitative expansion, and priority consideration should be given to park service consumer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Chewing difficulty is a factor contributing to a poor nutritional status in the elderly. The aim of this study was to examine disparities in food and nutrition intakes among Korean elderly people with and without chewing difficulty. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study utilized data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2013. The study subjects included males and females over 65 years of age who were not required to adhere to a special diet due to disease or sickness. They were divided into groups according to their chewing ability. Those who found chewing "very difficult" or "difficult", were combined to form the chewing difficulty group. Similarly, those who found chewing "moderately difficult", "easy", and "very easy" were combined to form the normal chewing group. RESULTS: Of the 999 subjects, 47.7% had chewing difficulties and the prevalence of chewing difficulty was higher in females than in males (P = 0.03) and higher in those 75 years of age and over than in younger individuals (P < 0.001). The chewing difficulty group had a significantly lower intake of fruits and vegetables (P < 0.05) and lower vitamin C and potassium intake than those in the normal group. Comparison of the percentages of Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) in the two groups indicated that the intake of most nutrients (energy, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and iron) were significantly lower in the chewing difficulty group than in the normal group. In particular, calcium intake was inadequate (51% of KDRIs) in the chewing difficulty group. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that chewing difficulty is closely related to food and nutrient intake in the elderly and can result in vitamin and mineral intake deficiencies. It is evident that the care of elderly subjects with chewing difficulty is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.343-352
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the liberal arts curricula of domestic 3 year and 4 year dental hygiene departments and to obtain the basic data for the development of a standardized dental hygiene curriculum. Methods: The liberal arts curricula of fifteen 3 year and 4 year dental hygiene departments in Korea and other countries were analyzed. A survey was conducted on 801 selected dental hygiene majors from December 8 to 12, 2014. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 750 dental hygiene students and 150 dental hygiene professors. The questionnaire consisted of 5 questions of general characteristics and 13 questions including curricula change, usability of curricula, awareness of the suitability of dental hygiene curricula, and validity of curricula. Cronbach'a alpha was 0.71 in this study. Results: The grade point average in the liberal arts courses in Korean 4 year dental hygiene departments were 29, which was higher than that in 3 year dental hygiene departments of 13.2. There were large disparities among the colleges in the credits of these courses. The most common liberal arts courses in 4 year dental hygiene departments were foreign languages, man, society and communication, and natural science. In 3 year dental hygiene departments, English and foreign languages were the most common courses, followed by computer, man and society, philosophy and ethics. Foreign languages were considered to be the liberal arts course that should be most strengthened according to the job environment change of dental hygienist in globalizing society, followed by social psychology and pedagogy. Conclusions: Liberal arts courses were offered in the 4 year dental hygiene departments than in the 3 year dental hygiene departments in Korea, but there were a great deal of differences between colleges. The preparation of standardized guidelines on liberal arts courses are necessary. Liberal arts courses should support the performance skill and knowledge of the dental hygienists.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.144-154
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• 2024

Backgrounds/Aims: Socioeconomic determinants of health are incompletely characterized in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We assessed how socioeconomic status influences initial treatment decisions and survival outcomes in patients with CCA, additionally performing multiple sub-analyses based on anatomic location of the primary tumor. Methods: Observational study using the 2018 submission of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-18 Database. In total, 5,476 patients from 2004-2015 with a CCA were separated based on median household income (MHI) into low income (< 25th percentile of MHI) and high income (> 25th percentile of MHI) groups. Seventy-three percent of patients had complete follow up data, and were included in survival analyses. Survival and treatment outcomes were calculated using R-studio. Results: When all cases of CCA were included, the high-income group was more likely than the low-income to receive surgery, chemotherapy, and local tumor destruction modalities. Initial treatment modality based on income differed significantly between tumor locations. Patients of lower income had higher overall and cancer-specific mortality at 2 and 5 years. Non-cancer mortality was similar between the groups. Survival differences identified in the overall cohort were maintained in the intrahepatic CCA subgroup. No differences between income groups were noted in cancer-specific or overall mortality for perihilar tumors, with variable differences in the distal cohort. Conclusions: Lower income was associated with higher rates of cancer-specific mortality and lower rates of surgical resection in CCA. There were significant differences in treatment selection and outcomes between intrahepatic, perihilar, and distal tumors. Population-based strategies aimed at identifying possible etiologies for these disparities are paramount to improving patient outcomes.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between oral health habits and oral diseases in an attempt to raise awareness of the need for prolonged dental checkup projects and lay the foundation for oral health education and sustained oral health care projects. The subjects in this study were 2,643 workers from 76 workplaces in Siwha Industrial Complex in the city of Ansan, Gyeonggi province, who were at the age of 20 and up. The findings of the study were as follows: 1. Concerning the experience of visiting a dental clinic over the past year, 760 male workers (37.4%) and 237 females (38.9%) visited dental clinics in the past year. By age group, those who were in their 50s (54.0%) visited dental clinics the most, and the workers in their 30s (67.9%) paid a visit the least. The gap between the age groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). 2. In regard to the time for toothbrushing by age group, the workers in their 20s (64.6%) made up the largest group that brushed their teeth before breakfast, and those who were in their 60s and up constituted the greatest group that did toothbrushing after breakfast. The workers in their 20s brushed their teeth the least, as the rates of the workers of this age group who did toothbrushing after breakfast and dinner respectively stood at 64.0 percent and 54.5 percent. The disparities between the age groups were statistically significant (p < 0.001). 3. As for scaling experience for the past year, 302(46.0%) out of the workers who got their teeth scaled in the past year had periodontal diseases, and 1,600(80.6%) out of those who didn't suffered from periodontal diseases. The gap between them was statistically significant (p < 0.001). 4. Regarding the relationship of subjective oral health state to dental caries among the workers without dental caries, the largest group that numbered 327(54.1%) considered themselves to be in good oral health. In the event of the workers with dental caries, the greatest group that numbered 708(75.5%) found themselves to have one or more carious tooth(teeth). The disparity between them was statistically significant (p < 0.001). 5. As for connections between dietary habits and dental caries, those who had dental caries (2.29) showed a greater preference for snack than the others who hadn't (2.21). The preference for snack made a bigger statistically significant difference to dental caries than the other dietary habits (p < 0.05).

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.174-181
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• 2013

Objectives: Socioeconomic status plays an important role in health care and disease prevention. This study aimed to examine the association between socioeconomic status, measured by education levels and household income, and gastric cancer screening. Methods: A total of 21,220 community-dwelling adults aged 40 to 69 years within a defined geographic area participated in a community health survey in 2009 and 2010. The survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire by trained investigators who visited the subjects' households directly. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between self-reported participation in gastric cancer screening and socioeconomic variables (education and household income). Results: The gastric cancer screening rate was 52.1% for subjects in their forties, 63.7% for those in their fifties, and 67.3% for those in their sixties. In multivariate analysis, higher education and income levels were associated with higher rates of gastric cancer screening (high school vs. elementary school: odds ratio [OR] 1.41, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.26-1.58; highest income quartile vs. lowest income quartile: OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.44-1.84). The gradient between income and screening rate was more pronounced in the population aged 40 to 49 years than in the other age groups. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that lower socioeconomic status is associated with decreased participation in gastric cancer screening. Our findings suggest that the screening program should be focused on low-income and less-educated populations, especially among younger adults, to reduce health disparities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.10021-10025
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• 2014

Background: The study aimed to describe the age distribution of breast cancer diagnosis among Chinese females for comparison with the United States and the European Union, and provide evidence for the screening target population in China. Materials and Methods: Median age was estimated from hospital databases from 7 tertiary hospitals in China. Population-based data in China, United States and European Union was extracted from the National Central Cancer Registry, SEER program and GLOBOCAN 2008, respectively. Age-standardized distribution of breast cancer at diagnosis in the 3 areas was estimated based on the World Standard Population 2000. Results: The median age of breast cancer at diagnosis was around 50 in China, nearly 10 years earlier than United States and European Union. The diagnosis age in China did not vary between subgroups of calendar year, region and pathological characteristics. With adjustment for population structure, median age of breast cancer at diagnosis was 50~54 in China, but 55~59 in United States and European Union. Conclusions: The median diagnosis age of female breast cancer is much earlier in China than in the United States and the European Union pointing to racial differences in genetics and lifestyle. Screening programs should start at an earlier age for Chinese women and age disparities between Chinese and Western women warrant further studies.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2023

The Nakdong river is both a natural resource crucial to underwater ecosystems and a water source for its basin's residents. Industrial wastewater and domestic sewage must meet the relevant standards for discharged water before they can flow into the river. The correlation between old and new measures of organic matter was examined using water quality data from 50 monitoring locations in the main stream of the Nakdong river. The coefficient of determination (R²) for total organic carbon (TOC), the new measure of organic matter, and chemical oxygen demand (COD), the old measure of organic matter, in the main stream of the Nakdong river was 0.6134, indicating high correlation. Water quality at each location assessed using TOC and COD showed disparities that cannot be ignored: quality appeared higher when evaluating the main stream of the Nakdong river using TOC instead of COD. Therefore, there remains a need to review water quality ratings based on TOC; continuous monitoring of COD is also required. In addition, the cause of the difference should be clearly identified to help assess artificial sources of pollution and natural factors affecting organic matter. Water management of the Nakdong river will then be possible using the water quality rating.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.132-138
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• 2009

Proper education of hospice professionals is essential for ensuring quality of end-of-life care. In 2005, 'End-of-life Care Task Force Team' by Ministry of Health and Welfare established '60 hours of hospice education' as basic requirement for hospice professionals. This study is aimed to determine how many of the hospice professionals meet with the criteria and whether there are significant regional variations. Methods: We analyzed the data from 46 hospice organizations, which submitted the application to the 2008 designation program of Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs. Data included details of the educational records of each hospice professionals. Results: Total 673 hospice professionals were included in the analysis. Overall, only 41.5% (279/673) met the requirement. Nurses (46.8%; 177/378) were more likely to meet the requirement than doctors (35.8%; 38/106), social workers (32.0%; 24/75) and clergies (35.1%; 40/114). Hospice professionals of the organizations in metropolitan area received more education than those in small cities or rural area (52.4% vs. 25.0% for doctors, 50.6% vs. 43.9% for nurses, 42.9% vs. 25.5% for social workers). By geographic areas, hospice professionals in southeast regions received less education than other part of Korea (28.1% vs. 43.0${\sim}$48.8%, respectively). Conclusion: Less than half of the Korean hospice professionals has received proper amount of hospice education, and significant regional variations existed. National programs to promote the education of hospice professionals and eliminate its disparities are greatly warranted. Implementation of the 60-hour currirulum for hospice professionals, based on the train-the-trainer model, would be regarded as one potential solution.