• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.116-122
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• 2009

The principal objective of this study was to assess the weight control behavior, body shape satisfaction, and obesity stress depending on the degree of obesity in college students who applied for a weight control program. The average BMI of the participants was $21.4\;kg/m^2$ which was in the normal range, and 76.3% of the participants were of normal body weight. Ideal BMI in this participant was $18.1\;kg/m^2$, which is in the underweight range. In terms of body perception, participants generally overestimated their body weight. The overweight and normal weight groups were less satisfied with their body shape than was the underweight group. The overweight group also expressed fears of showing their bodies to others. Additionally, the overweight and normal groups exhibited higher obesity stress than the underweight group. 97.0% of participants were interested in weight control as a way to improve their appearance. They usually obtained their weight control information from the internet and mass media. More than 80% of participants had weight control experience, having undergone weight control attempts for duration of less than a month. However, after the discontinuation of weight control efforts, these participants regained the weight. As a consequence, they were generally unsatisfied with the outcomes of weight control programs. This study demonstrated that the college women who had applied for the weight control program were unsatisfied with their body shape owing to distorted notions of the ideal body shape, and these women had generally undertaken frequent efforts to control their body weights. These results underline the importance of educating college-aged women on proper body perception and the maintenance of healthy body weight and shape.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.83-93
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• 2001

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a health-promoting program centered on the university-health center and to provide a developed program for students and faculties. Methods: A survey was conducted of 719 female students and 238 faculties concerning their health-promoting programs. Based on the results of the survey, we developed programs that could be applied to students and faculties. After operating the programs, we developed further models by evaluating the effectiveness and satisfaction. Conclusions: We selected a comprehensive health-promoting program that included weight control, preventive inoculation, sex education and control of disease based on repsective needs. We also applied programs developed through collaboration with other departments from September 1998 to August, 1999. Users of the preventive inoculation-program increased by one point five during the year. Also, participants were generally satisfied with the weight control program and succeeded in reducing weight. We hope that we can set up this program and expand it by developing various other projects in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.364-372
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• 2000

Objectives : Cancer is the second most frequent cause of death in Korea. Cancer screening tests can save lives through early detection. Enhancing the cancer screening rate is an important strategy for reducing cancer mortality. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the screening rate and related factors in a rural area. The study investigated relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, several preventive behaviors, and the experience of several cancer screening behaviors. Materials and Methods : The study population was recruited voluntarily from the three rural areas(Myen) in Chungju city. The participants completed structured questionnaire from July 21, 1990 to July 26, 1998. Results : The proportions of the study population who had previously received stomach, liver, breast, or cervix cancer screening tests were 24.5%, 18.5%, 27.0%, 59.2% respectively. The 1-year screening rates of stomach, liver, breast, and cervix cancer were 7.4%, 6.8%, 8.6%, 15.6% respectively. In multivariate logistic analysis, some sociodemographic variables, preventive behaviors, or psychological variables were significantly associated with several cancer screening tests. Those who had previously received a stomach cancer screening test were significantly associated with the presence of chronic disease, physician's recommendation, use of alcohol family history of cancer, or previous liver cancer screening test. Those who had previously received a liver cancer screening test were associated with education level, physician's recommendation and previous stomach cancer screening test. Those who had received a cervix cancer screening test were significantly associated with education level, presence of a transportation vehicle, physician's recommendation use of alcohol and previous breast cancer screening test. And those who had received a previous breast cancer screening test were significantly associated with age, marital status, and earlier cervix cancer screening test. Conclusion : Based on the results of this study a strategy to promote cancer screening and health objectives at the district level can be made.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제46권sup1호
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• pp.43-49
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• 2013

Multicultural scholarship in sport and exercise psychology should help us understand and apply cultural competencies for all to be physically active. In the present study, two Asian countries, Japan and Singapore, were chosen. The participation rate for physical activities among adolescent girls tends to be lower than that of boys in both countries. Thus, the purpose of the project was to gain knowledge and understanding about sociocultural factors that may explain adolescent girls' perceptions and behaviors toward sport, physical activity, and physical education (PE). A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with focus groups was used to understand meanings of physical activity among Buddhist Japanese, and Hindu Indians and Christian Chinese from Singapore. Each focus group consisted of four or five girls and female researchers. Based on the analysis, we created four themes which were "cultural identities", "Asian girls and sport/physical activities", "PE experiences", "motivation for future involvement". The Buddhist Japanese, Hindu Indian, and Christian Chinese participants each reported unique physical activity experiences, and all the participants were aware of how Asian culture may affect being physically active. Experiences of PE classes were similar but perceptions of their PE attire were different for Christian Chinese and Hindu Indian adolescent girls. Based on the results, the importance of nurturing cultural competencies and ways to encourage girls to be physically active throughout life were discussed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제50권6호
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• pp.386-392
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• 2017

Objectives: Refugees resettled in the US may be at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about CVD-related issues among Karen refugees who have migrated to the US from the Thai-Myanmar border. The purpose of this study was to examine CVD-related health beliefs and lifestyle issues among Karen refugees resettled in the US. Methods: Karen refugees resettled in the US from the Thai-Myanmar border (n=195) participated in a survey study on health beliefs related to CVD, salt intake, physical activity (PA), and smoking in the fall of 2016. Results: A high-salt diet, physical inactivity, and smoking were major lifestyle problems. Participants who adhered to a low-salt diet considered themselves to be susceptible to CVD. Most participants did not engage in regular PA. Regular PA was associated with less perceived susceptibility to CVD and greater perceived benefits of a healthy lifestyle for decreasing the likelihood of CVD. Conclusions: Each refugee population may require individualized strategies to promote PA and a healthy diet. Future studies should develop health education programs that are specifically designed for Karen refugees and evaluate such programs. In addition to health education programs on healthy lifestyle choices, tobacco cessation programs seem to be necessary for Karen refugees. At the same time, it is important to foster strategies to increase the utilization of preventive care among this population by promoting free or reduced-fee resources in the community to further promote their health.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.365-371
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• 2011

In Nigeria, malaria causes up to 11% of maternal mortality. Our main aim was to find out the most common mosquito control measures employed by the pregnant women in Lagos and their effects on malaria infection. The study was carried out over a period of 6 months during which trained interviewers administered questionnaires to 400 pregnant women. The prevalence of malaria was 8.4%. There was no significant association between the prevalence of malaria and age, level of education, or occupation of the participants. Pregnant women in the age range 26-30 had the mean parasite density ($409.9{\pm}196.80$). Insecticide spray (32.8%), mosquito coil (27.5%), and insecticide-treated nets (ITN) (15.5%) were the major mosquito control measures employed by the participants while the prevalence of infection among them were 2.3%, 6.2%, and 3.2%, respectively (P<0.05). Only 18.3% of the women had taken more than one dose of intermittent preventive treatment (IPT), while another 11.8% had taken a single dose. The infection rate among them was 4.1% and 6.4%, respectively. Malaria prevalence was highest among those who had not received any dose of IPT (10%). This study showed that the use of ITN and IPT among the pregnant women were still unacceptably low. It also showed that the use of insecticide spray which was the most common malaria control measure adopted by the participants was effective despite the fact that it is not a National Malaria Control Policy. We recommend that a sustained integrated mosquito man-agement and public education should be strengthened in Nigeria.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제57권4호
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• pp.379-387
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• 2024

Objectives: Mental health issues have become a growing concern worldwide. Research has shown that regular physical activity (PA) can positively affect mental health. This study investigated the associations between PA and mental health problems (MHPs) in middle-aged Indonesians. Methods: The study utilized data from the 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Research Survey and used a cross-sectional approach. The participants included individuals aged 40-60 years who completed the 20-question Self-Reporting Questionnaire. A logistic regression was performed to analyze a sample of 263 930 data points. Results: Nearly 10.4% of the participants suffered from mental health issues. Notably, among those who did not engage in moderate and vigorous PA, a sign of MHPs was found in 12.5% of participants. Those who met World Health Organization standards for PA were less likely to experience MHPs (10.1%). This study found a significant association between PA and mental health. After adjusting for smoking, alcohol consumption, non-communicable diseases, and socio-demographic variables like age, sex, education, occupation, marital status, and residence, the connection between PA and mental health became even stronger (adjusted odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.78 to 0.85; p<0.001). Conclusions: Regular PA has been shown to affect mental health positively. Therefore, it is important to improve health education and efforts to raise awareness among middle-aged Indonesians about the importance of PA in maintaining good mental health.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.154-163
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• 2023

Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus patients usually experience various physical and psychological challenges. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, these challenges have become even harsher. Using the participatory action research approach, this study evaluated how an e-wellness program (eWP) impacted SLE-related knowledge and health behaviors, mental health, and quality of life among lupus patients in Thailand. Methods: A 1-group, pretest-posttest design study was conducted among a purposive sample of lupus patients who were members of Thai SLE Foundation. The 2 main intervention components were: (1) online social support, and (2) lifestyle and stress management workshops. Sixty-eight participants completed all the study requirements, including the Physical and Psychosocial Health Assessment questionnaire. Results: After being in the eWP for 3 months, participants' mean score for SLE-related knowledge increased significantly (t=5.3, p<0.001). The increase in sleep hours was statistically significant (Z=-3.1, p<0.01), with the percentage of participants who slept less than 7 hours decreasing from 52.9% to 29.0%. The percentage of participants reporting sun exposure decreased from 17.7% to 8.8%. The participants also reported significantly lower stress (t(66)=-4.4, p<0.001) and anxiety (t(67)=-2.9, p=0.005). The post-eWP quality of life scores for the pain, planning, intimate relationship, burden to others, emotional health, and fatigue domains also improved significantly (p<0.05). Conclusions: The overall outcomes showed promising results of improved self-care knowledge, health behaviors, mental health status, and quality of life. It is recommended that the SLE Foundation continues to use the eWP model to help the lupus patient community.

• 보건교육건강증진학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.55-71
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to find out what are the major motivations of middle and high school students to quit attempts and stay as non-smokers. Method: Data was collected through focus group interviews with 3 groups(15 students), and was analyzed according to Morgan and Kruger(1998)'s analytic method. Results: We identified 6 categories of motivations for Smoking Cessation. They include perceptions of negative consequences of smoking on health, influences in significant others, being ashamed of oneself, drop of academic achievements, narrowness in interpersonal relationships, determining priorities for a student. Although 'perceptions about negative health consequences' was one of the most significant motivation of smoking cessation for adolescents, participants did not know the seriousness of nicotine addiction. Moreover, their contents of motivations were different from those of adults such as responsibility for their family, decreasing curiosity about smoking and test of self willingness. Also most of them were extrinsic motivations and related to their highly competitive school life. Conclusion: To conclude, considering the results of our analysis, smoking cessation programs should be carefully developed to more effectively help adolescents quit and stay away from smoking.

• 보건교육건강증진학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.67-82
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing the stages of exercise behavior change after adjusting for related covariates. Methods: Participants included 362 of fourth to sixth graders in 3 elementary schools in a metropolitan city in Korea. The data were collected using structured questionnaire included Korean Stages of Change Scale for Exercise. Results: Logistic regression results showed that the motivational factors associated with transition from precontemplation to contemplation were cognitive process of change, self-reevaluation, conscious raising; regarding that from contemplation to preparation, cons of the decisional balance; regarding those from preparation to action, behavioral process, counter-conditioning, stimulus control, which were very similar to the results of previous researches subjected other age groups. But, there was no motivational factors associated with from action to maintenance, and self-efficacy had no influence on forwarding stages of change. Conclusions: TTM would be applicable to explain the exercise behavior of some children in Korea, which suggested that it be useful in developing the programs to improve physical activities of Korean school children.