• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.268-273
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• 2017

Objectives: Influenza is a significant worldwide public health issue. Knowledge and perceptions regarding the flu vaccination are associated with whether individuals obtain the vaccination. The purpose of this study was to examine how such perceptions were related to knowledge and self-efficacy regarding influenza and the flu vaccination in Vietnam and the US. Methods: College students (n=932) in Vietnam (n=495) and the US (n=437) completed a self-administered survey regarding knowledge and perceptions of influenza vaccinations in September and October 2016. Results: Vietnamese participants reported significantly lower levels of awareness about flu risk, higher levels of negative attitudes toward flu vaccination, lower levels of knowledge about the flu and vaccination, and lower levels of self-efficacy than US participants. Higher levels of flu and flu vaccination knowledge and self-efficacy regarding general responsible health practices were associated with lower levels of negative perceptions of flu risk and attitudes toward vaccination. At the same time, self-efficacy regarding responsible health practices was associated with higher levels of awareness of flu risk and lower levels of negative attitudes toward vaccination. Self-efficacy regarding exercise was associated with lower levels of perceptions of flu risk and higher levels of negative attitudes toward vaccination. Conclusions: Vietnam could benefit from influenza education based on this comparison with the US. In both countries, knowledge and self-efficacy were found to be important factors influencing perceptions of influenza risk and vaccination.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.65-81
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was conducted to describe child perceived health knowledge, health education needs, and health behaviors by sex as a representative general characteristic and examined their associations for students' better health behavior changes. Methods: The survey participants were 410 fourth to sixth grade students in two elementary schools in Seoul, Korea. A total of 12 classes in two elementary schools were randomly selected and all students of the selected classes participated in the self-administered survey. The questionnaire contained the items of perceived health knowledge, health education needs (health topics which they want to know more), health behavior, and general characteristics. Results: Perceived health knowledge, health education needs, and health behaviors were, generally, better among girls than boys. Sexual differences were not large in perceived health knowledge, health education needs, health behaviors. Perceived health knowledge had significant positive correlation with health behaviors both in boys and girls(p <.01). The correlation between perceived health knowledge and health behaviors(r =.36) was two fold greater than correlation between health education needs and health behaviors(r =.18) among boys; where as the two correlations were similar to each other among girls. The significant factors were perceived health knowledge, sex, grade, and health education needs in order, and the four factors described health behaviors in 21.0%. The higher perceived health knowledge, girls, lower grade, and more health education needs was associated with the better health behaviors. Conclusions: There was significant sexual difference of the relationship between health knowledge, health education needs, and health behaviors among children. Perceived health knowledge was more important factor to improve health behaviors among boys while perceived health knowledge and health education needs had equal importance on health behaviors among girls. Therefore, knowledge building should be an essential part of health education class goals for building better health behaviors.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.635-640
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of a sodium reduction program at local restaurants through nutrition education and examination of the health of restaurant owners and cooks.SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study was a single-arm pilot intervention using a pre-post design in one business district with densely populated restaurants in Seoul, South Korea. The intervention focused on improving nutrition behaviors and psychosocial factors through education, health examination, and counseling of restaurant personnel. Forty-eight restaurant owners and cooks completed the baseline survey and participated in the intervention. Forty participants completed the post-intervention survey. RESULTS: The overweight and obesity prevalences were 25.6% and 39.5%, respectively, and 74.4% of participants had elevated blood pressure. After health examination, counseling, and nutrition education, several nutrition behaviors related to sodium intake showed improvement. In addition, those who consumed less salt in their baseline diet (measured with urine dipsticks) were more likely to agree that providing healthy foods to their customers is necessary. This study demonstrated the potential to reduce the sodium contents of restaurant foods by improving restaurant owners' and cooks' psychological factors and their own health behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This small pilot study demonstrated that working with restaurant owners and cooks to improve their own health and sodium intake may have an effect on participation in restaurant-based sodium reduction initiatives. Future intervention studies with a larger sample size and comparison group can focus on improving the health and perceptions of restaurant personnel in order to increase the feasibility and efficacy of restaurant-based sodium reduction programs and policies.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.41-48
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• 2022

Objectives : This study aimed to investigate the adequacy and satisfaction of the school doctor program of Korean medicine (especially sex education) for elementary school students, to examine differences in parents' perception or satisfaction according to the use of Korean Medicine. Methods : The participants were parents of one elementary school that provided sex education as the Seoul school doctor program of Korean medicine. A self-reported online survey was conducted. The questionnaire consisted of parents and children's experience in using Korean medicine, perception of the school doctor program of Korean Medicine, evaluation and satisfaction of school sex education. Results : The survey was conducted on May 14^th, 2022 during the school doctor program of Korean Medicine briefing session. A total of 92 parents participated in the survey, and the 88 respondents analyzed who voluntarily gave consent. Of the experience of Korean Medicine, 71 parents (80.68%) had lifetime, 16 (18.18%) respondents had within the last three months, and 40 (45.45%) said their children had. Parents' experience of using Korean medicine was related to that of their children's, but there was no difference in the satisfaction the school doctor program of Korean Medicine. Conclusions : The survey showed that parents of an elementary school where Korean Medicine doctors carried out school doctor program evaluated that the school doctor program of Korean Medicine had a positive effect on students' health. There was no difference between parents' satisfaction on school doctor program by the use of Korean medicine.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2013

Objectives: Unprotected leisure time exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or artificial tanning beds is the most important environmental risk factor for melanoma, a malignant skin cancer with increasing incidences over the past decades. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of skin health information provided by several sources and different publishing issues on knowledge, risk perception, and sun protective behavior of sunbathers. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among Austrian residents (n=563) spending leisure time outdoors in August 2010. Results: Print media, television, and family were perceived as the most relevant sources of information on skin health, whereas the source physician was only ranked as fourth important source. Compared to other sources, information provided by doctors positively influenced participants' knowledge on skin risk and sun protective behavior resulting in higher scores in the knowledge test (p=0.009), higher risk perception (p<0.001), and more sun protection (p<0.001). Regarding gender differences, internet was more often used by males as health information source, whereas females were more familiar with printed information material in general. Conclusions: The results of this survey put emphasis on the demand for information provided by medical professionals in order to attain effective, long-lasting promotion of photoprotective habits.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.148-153
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• 2018

Objectives: Malaria remains a public health concern worldwide, including Indonesia. Purworejo is a district in which endemic of malaria, they have re-setup to entering malaria elimination in 2021. Accordingly, actions must be taken to accelerate and guaranty that the goal will reach based on an understanding of the risk factors for malaria. Thus, we analysed malaria risk factors based on human and housing conditions in Kaligesing, Purworejo, Indonesia. Methods: A case-control study was carried out in Kaligesing subdistrict, Purworejo, Indonesia in July to August 2017. A structured questionnaire and checklist were used to collect data from 96 participants, who consisted of 48 controls and 48 cases. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Bivariate analysis found that education level, the presence of a cattle cage within 100 m of the house, not sleeping under a bednet the previous night, and not closing the doors and windows from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. were significantly ($p{\leq}0.25$) associated with malaria. Of these factors, only not sleeping under a bednet the previous night and not closing the doors and windows from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. were significantly associated with malaria. Conclusions: The findings of this study demonstrate that potential risk factor for Malaria should be paid of attention all the time, particularly for an area which is targeting Malaria elimination.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2022

Purpose: This research aimed to assess nursing students' knowledge, attitudes and infection prevention behaviors toward the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 11 through October 1, 2020, involving a total of 235 third and fourth year of nursing students enrolled in two universities in U and K city. Self-report questionnaires consisting of demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and infection prevention behaviors toward the COVID-19 were administered to the participants. Results: Influencing factors for infection prevention behaviors were gender (β=0.21, p<.001), attitudes toward infection control (β=0.38, p<.001), education experience regarding COVID-19 (β=0.21, p=.004), and a visit to the hospitals or the areas where the COVID-19 case has occurred or been admitted (β=-0.18, p=.003) which explained 23.6% of the total variance. Conclusion: The results of this study provides basic information regarding nursing students' knowledge about COVID-19, attitudes toward infection control, and infection prevention behaviors during the initial outbreak of COVID-19.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.399-406
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• 2024

Objectives: This study developed a causal relationship model of herb use from observational data and analyzed the direct and indirect effects of herb use on health according to the model. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 participants aged 26-59 years, selected through multistage random sampling. The instruments used for data collection included demographic information, herb use, health literacy (HL), perceived social support, societal values, and attitudes toward herb use. The conceptual model, hypothesized based on prior evidence, was tested using confirmatory factor analysis through structural equation modeling. Path coefficients were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. Results: The final model utilized empirical data, which showed that perceived social support had the most significant impact on herb use. This was followed by HL, positive attitudes toward herbal remedies, and societal values, with coefficients of 0.31, 0.18, and 0.16, respectively. When analyzing variables that indirectly affected herb use, it was clear that positive attitudes, perceived social support, and societal values significantly influenced herb use through HL, with influence coefficients of 0.08, 0.16, and 0.04, respectively. Together, these variables accounted for 68% of the variance in herb use. Conclusions: The findings from this study can be utilized to develop and implement strategies that guide the use of herbal products, ultimately aiming to improve human health.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.301-308
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• 2012

Objectives: To examine the association between alcohol consumption habit, types of beverages, alcohol consumption quantity, and overall and cancer-specific mortality among Korean adults. Methods: The alcohol consumption information of a total of 16 320 participants who were 20 years or older from the Korean Multicenter Cancer Cohort were analyzed to examine the association between alcohol consumption habit and mortality (median follow-up of 9.3 years). The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of alcohol consumption to mortality adjusting for age, sex, geographic areas, education, smoking status, and body mass index. Results: Alcohol drinkers showed an increased risk for total mortality compared with never drinkers (HR, 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38 to 2.14 for past drinkers; HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.39 for current drinkers), while past drinkers only were associated with higher risk for cancer deaths (HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.34 to 2.53). The quantity of alcohol consumed per week showed a J-shaped association with risk of mortality. Relative to light drinkers (0.01 to 90 g/wk), never drinkers and heavy drinkers (>504 g/wk) had an increased risk for all-cause and cancer deaths: (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.45) and (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.83) for all-cause mortality; and (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.11) and (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.39 to 3.09) for all cancer mortality, respectively. Heavy drinkers (>504 g/wk) showed an elevated risk for death from stomach and liver cancers. Conclusions: The present study supports the existence of a J-shaped association between alcohol consumption quantity and the risk of all-cause and cancer deaths. Heavy drinkers had an increased risk of death from cancer overall and liver and stomach cancer.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.76-83
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the awareness of sexual harassment and the coping behavior of recipients of sexual harassment. This study also assesses the factors that influence the coping behavior of nursing students during clinical practice. Methods: For this descriptive study, data were collected from November 15 to December 15, 2017. Participants included 221 nursing students recruited from nursing colleges located in three different areas. Results: 22% of the participants answered that they had experienced sexual harassment. Regarding the type of attacker, the majority of attacker was patient (83.7%). The sexual harassment awareness level was $4.22{\pm}0.40$, the degree of coping for those who experienced sexual harassment was $2.99{\pm}0.38$. Among the coping behaviors, mitigation ($3.48{\pm}0.39$) was the highest. The factors influencing the coping behavior of recipients of sexual harassment were sexual harassment awareness (${\beta}=0.24$, p=.016) and satisfaction with preventive education (${\beta}=0.45$, p<.001). Conclusion: In order to make a safe clinical practice environment, it is necessary to develop a practical sexual harassment prevention program, as well as a reporting and support system for the nursing students. Such a program will help students clearly recognize the sexual harassment situation and increase their abilities to cope with sexual harassment appropriately.