• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.993-996
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• 2013

To evaluate the relation between smoking, alcohol drinking and risk of breast cancer in Chinese women, we conducted a case-control study with 669 cases and 682 population-based controls in Jiangsu Province of China. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit detailed information. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results revealed that smoking, whether active or passive through the husband, was related to increased risk of breast cancer. The ORs (adjusted for age, menopausal status, educational levels, occupation, body mass index and income) were 3.55 (95%CI: 1.27-9.91) for active smoking and 1.47 (95%CI: 1.18-1.84) for passive smoking from husbands, respectively. A significant positive relationship was observed between breast cancer risk and the degree of husbands' smoking. There were significant increase trend in ORs with the daily smoked number of cigarettes of husbands, the passive smoking years from husbands and the pack-years of husbands' smoking (trend test: p=0.00003, 0.00013 and 0.0001, respectively). Alcohol consumption was also found to be a risk factor. The findings of this study in particular suggest that husbands' smoking increases risk of breast cancer in Chinese women.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the levels of ego-identity and related factors in middle-aged women who lived in G city. Methods: The participants in this descriptive study were 437 middle-aged (40-60 year old) women. Data were collected from January to February, 2006. Personal interviews with a structured questionnaire (9 items of general characteristics, 30 items of subjects' characteristics related to health and 56 items of ego-identity) were conducted used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: Ego-identity was significantly associated with the variables of age, educational level, monthly income, living with the parents of the subject's husband, number of children, smoking. exercise, depression, perceived health status, and satisfaction of marital status (p<0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis of the subjects' characteristics which were significantly associated with ego-identity, monthly income, living with the parents of the subject's husband, and depression were significant variables (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is necessary to study the depression of middle-aged women in Geoje city and develop programs with consideration for the significant factors which can improve their ego-identity.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.634-641
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• 2009

This study conducted to find concordance of hypertension in older couples. For these purposes, the researcher conducted surveys of 297 couples residents in a rural area, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do during January and February 2006. Risk factors differed from between couples were smoking, alcohol drinking, triglyceride that were higher in men; stress and LDL higher in women. Wife's risk factors of hypertension related to husband's risk of hypertension were metabolic syndrome (OR=2.879) and current alcohol drinking (OR=1.892). Husband's risk factors of hypertension related to wife's risk of hypertension were age (OR=1.037), Obesity (OR=1.922), metabolic syndrome (OR=4.100), and triglyceride (OR=1.793). Conclusively, important risk factors affecting hypertension of couples living in a rural area were age, metabolic syndrome, and body mass index. It needs to care these factors closely.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.121-129
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• 2006

This study investigates the impact of the shared environment of pregnant women and their unborn child on the later emotional and behavioral characteristics of a child, extending into his or her adulthood. Using a sample of some 16,000 children from the National Child Development Study, the study demonstrated a positive relationship between the quality of the maternal environment and later emotional and behavioral performances during childhood and adulthood. These findings support the study hypothesis, suggesting that parenting environment such as mother‘s employment, husband’s social class and the mother‘s smoking habits during pregnancy has an affection on the later emotional and behavioral development of the child. The dimensions of the child’s emotional and behavioral well-being may be enhanced by therapeutic interventions and/or by helping pregnant women to develop a positive social network.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.25-36
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• 2005

Recent trends in agricultural globalization have brought on a crisis to our already impoverished Korean farmers. This study was proposed to assist in comparing the health and dietary characteristics of farmer families that have chronic disease patients to farmer families that do not have chronic disease patients. For the study, 1870 families were selected from 9 rural Korean provinces. Trained evaluators interviewed farmer housewives to collect demographic, health behavior, and dietary relative information about family members. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (ver 8.2). Chi-square tests and General Linear Models were also used. In general, patient family members were older than non-patient family members. For patient families, the mean age was 70.4 for husbands and 64.3 for wives. For non-patient families, the mean age was 64.2 for husbands and 57.3 for wives. Therefore we analyzed the data after we stratified the subjects based on the wife's age of 65. Patient families snacked less and 'dined out' less than non-patient families. However, they consumed cookies more frequently, and milk and fruits less frequently, when compared to non-patient families. There were no significant differences in nutrient supplementation, and/or instant food intake frequencies between patient families and non-patient families. Sixty-two percent of patient family members complained about health problems such arthritis, lumbago, numbness, shoulder pain, dizziness, and others, whereas 52olo of non-patient family members complained about Farmers' syndrome. Husband cigarette smoking was not significantly different among groups. However, the smoking patterns of the wives was significantly higher in patient families. Alcohol consumption was also higher in patient families. In summary, it was determined that rural patient families had poorer dietary behavior and poorer health in general, when compared to non-patient families, and accordingly, diverse community-level health and nutritional support are suggested to solve the farmers' health problems and to improve their quality of life.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2004

Objectives : Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women in Busan. The Pap smear test could have a significant effect on detecting cervical cancer, and enhancing their rate of use is an important strategy for reducing the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the past use of the Pap smear test in Korean women. Methods : A population-based survey was carried out in Busan between November 1999 and March 2000. 1,673 participants were randomly selected from 2,684 women in Busan, using a 2-stage cluster sampling method, and interviewed in their homes. Their socio-demographic characteristics, smoking, drinking, familial cancer history, Pap smear screening history, reproductive and menstrual factors, sexual habits and use of contraceptive methods data were collected by a trained interviewer using a questionnaire. The use of the screening test was defined by a self-report from the participants on how many times they had had a Pap smear test in their lifetime, and when they had received their latest examination. Results : Of the 1,673 respondents (62.3% response rate), 57.6% had had a Pap smear test during her life (mean number, 2.3). Among the health examination participants(1,064), 961(90.3%) reported having sexual experience and 70.9% of these had had a Pap smear test. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, statistically significant relationships were observed for age groups and the Pap smear test rate (odds ratio, OR for 35-44 years=2.45; OR for 45-54 years=3.41; OR for 55 years=2.60; reference, under 34 years). The married or cohabiting women were more likely to have used the Pap smear test than those separated or widowed (OR=1.73). Among the reproductive behavioral measures, the number of births (OR for 3 births=4.22; OR for 2 births=3.95; OR for 1 births=3.38; reference, 0 births) and husband's extra-marital affairs (OR=1.50) were associated with the rates of use of Pap smear tests. Conclusion : It appears that the most important contributing factors to cervical cancer screening were age, marital status and number of births. A positive association was also observed for the husband's extra-marital affairs. This study enabled us to systematically assess the relationship between Pap smear rates and risk factors for cervical cancer. It is hoped that this study will make a significant contribution to the accumulating scientific evidence on the identification of factors associated with cervical cancer screening in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-27
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• 1996

Recently diseases related to personal health habit and lifestyle have become common in modern industrial society. These kinds of diseases can be prevented simply by changing one's lifestyle to be more healthy. As a result of realization our interest in general health has become stronger. The most basic environment for human-being in society is the home. Humans secure their livelihood, physically. mentally, and socially at home. Therefore health care at home is very important. In modern society the responsibility for this task is traditionally given to housewives. The purpose of this study was to measure the degree of the health knowledge, health concern, health behavior and family health care of the married women and to analyze its related factors. The subjects for this study. 1,100 married women who studied at social education institutes and who had children attending an elementary school or a kindergarten, were surveyed with questionnaires. The preliminary survey was carried out from Aug. 7, to Aug. 19, 1995. With complement of questions, the main survey was carried out from Sep. 11, to Sep. 30, 1995. The data was analysed by using the SAS program. The results were as follows. 1. General Characteristics (1) In the individual characteristics of the respondents, the married women aged 30-39 were 54.8%, the average age was 39.8 years old. 33.8% of respondents had 6-10 years of marriage period, and the average marriage period was 14.9 years. Most of them(96.5%) lived with their husband. Those who graduated from college and graduate school were 53.4%. And 68.3% of respondents had no job. (2) In the family characteristics, 69.3% of the married women had 3 or 4 family members and the average family size was 4.1 person. 60.0% of the respondents had 2 children. Most of the respondents(90.9%) had no married children. 84.8% of the respondents lived with their parents. Those who reported that the total family income was more than 2,500,000 won a month were 32.3%. When making the decisions, 68.5% of the married women discussed the family matter with their husband. (3) In the individual characteristics of the respondents, 51.5% answered they were in good health. 61.7% of the married women answered they obtained the health knowledge through mass media. 24.3% of the women answered they had patients in their family in these days. 67.5% of the respondents answered they could generally control their health by themselves. 2. The Health Knowledge, Concern and Behavior. (1) For the health knowledge, the average score was 11.8. The lowest percent of correct answer(27.8%) was in the item about the skin tests for tuberculosis. And the highest percent(97.%) was in the item about taking a rest. (2) For the health concern, the married women had the highest concern about washing hands. But they were indifferent to smoking. (3) For the health behavior, the highest score was in "changing socks and underwear everyday", and the lowest one was in "taking a regular dental examination". 3. The Family Health Care (1) For the family health care, the item of "using a drug with the order of doctor or pharmacist" had the highest grade(4.78), and "consulting with the family physician about the health problem" had the lowest grade(2.03). (2) Older women and the women with a longer period of marriage had the highest level of the family health care(p<0.001). The married women who had 3 children had the highest level of the family health care(p<0.001). Those who had 5 or 6 family member and higher income had the highest level had the high level of the family health care(p<0.01). Women in good health and those who had the health knowledge from health experts had a high level of the family health care. (3) For the correlation of the family health care and other variables, the health behavior showed the highest correlation with family heath care practice(r=0.74) and the second was health concern(r=0.43). The variables which could explain the family health care were health behavior, the health concern and married women's health status(r²=55.87). The most closely associated with family health care was health behavior(r²=54.93)

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.80-95
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of low birth-weight infants and their's mothers, and to identify the factors which influenced to delivery of L.B.W infants. The data derived from K. General Hospital and J. obs & gyn clinic in pusan from January, 1998 to August, 1998, which were from mothers of having B. W infants. The factors used for this study were characteristics of general, obstetrical, environmental aspects and physical and psychological life experiences during pregnancy. Analysis of data obtained were computerized statistically by using SPSS 7.5 WIN program. the data were analysed as number, frequency, percentage, t-test and ANOVA. The major results obtained of this study were as follows : 1) Gender that L.B.W infants were male in 47.2% and female in 52.8%, body weight of 2001~2500gm was above 8 in 68.5%, and below 5 in 1.8%. The L.B.W infants with complications were 7, which were 6.5%. The kinds of malformations were the Cleft palate & lip, Hyper-kalemia, Hypoglycemia, Meningocele, CHD, Down syndrome and each of them marked 0.9%. 2) In the general characteristics of pregnant women, the age group of 25~29 years was the most common as 46.3%. Over 35 years of age, elderly gravidas were in 7.5%. the height of 156~160cm was the most common as 52.8%. pregnant women of below 150cm height was in 3.7%. body weight of 51~55kg was the most common as 38%. pregnant women of below 45kg were in 19.4%. The women with smoking and drinking episodes during pregnancy were 1.9% and 25%. In the status of marriage, married women were in 95.4%, unmarried ones were in 1.9%, and unmarried couples were in 2.8%. Iin he obstetrical characteristics of pregnant women, pregnant women with gestational age under 37wks were in 45.4%, and the ones over 38wks were 54.6%. At the methods of delivery, normal spontaneous vaginal deliveries were in 51.9%, which were the most common, cesarian section deliveries were in 47.2%, and breech deliveries were in 0.9%. In the environmental characteristics of pregnant women, 40.8% of pregnant women lived in house or apartments with stairs, 23.1% of them lived in the high altitude. the pregnant women who ran a household without a helper were in 65.7%. In the pregnant women who had underwent life experiences of physical and psychological stress during pregnancy. life experiences of physical stresses were described as persistent fatigue due to lifestyle, traumatic experience, illness, move away with an effort, physical impact caused by discord. life experiments of psychological stresses were describeded as trouble with their husbands, discord with one's husband family, family problems, and conflicts due to environmental factors, etc. The number of the pregnant women who had complications during pregnancy was 32, which was 29.6% totally. Among them, pre-eclampsia was in 12.1% and the premature rupture of membrane in 7.4%. 3) In the analysis of the general, obstetrical, and circumstantial characteristics and L.B.W infants. There were statistical difference significantly between the gestational age of pregnant women(F=12.035, P=.000), and the status of marriage(F=3.207, P=.044), and maternal complication(t=2.344, P=.021) etc.