• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.47-65
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• 2017

Objectives: This paper aims to identify depressive or stress related symptoms and its associated risk and protective factors among marriage immigrant women in Korea. Methods: The study participants were 490 immigrant wives from '2012 Survey of Foreign Residents in Korea'. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires on socio-demographics, health status, family members' related factors, and other environmental factors. Results: Difficulties on child nursing, finance, family conflict, and experience of physical or verbal violence were significant risk variables to the depressive stress related symptoms. Family life satisfaction, discussion about troubles with Koreans, healthy status, social trust, and discussion about troubles with people from home country were the significant protective variables to mental health. However economic activities were not protective factors but risk factors. Conclusions: Mental Health promotion programs for marriage immigrant women and their family members need to consider the family and community related protective mental health factors and develop supportive system with pre-existing programs and policy modification.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2018

Background: Lower-limb varicose veins (VVs) are common and known to have a higher prevalence among people who work in occupations requiring prolonged standing. In the Republic of Korea, however, VV-related occupational factors have seldom been examined. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of VVs among nurses, an occupational group considered to be at high risk of VVs, and determine the occupational risk factors of prolonged standing. Methods: Between March and August 2014, a questionnaire survey coupled with Doppler ultrasonography was conducted on the nurses working at a university hospital. Results: A total of 414 nurses participated in the survey and diagnostic testing. From the survey analysis and test results, the prevalence of VVs in nurses was estimated to be 16.18%. Significant factors for venous reflux were age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-1.10], pregnancy (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.17-3.94), and delivery (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.08-3.78). The statistical significance of these factors was verified after risk adjustment for sociodemographic factors (OR = 3.40, 95% CI = 1.27-9.09). Conclusion: Factors significantly associated with venous reflux were increasing age and prolonged working hours (${\geq}4hours$) in a standing position (OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.08-7.25), even after risk adjustment for sociodemographic factors. This study is significant in that an objective diagnosis of VVs preceded the analysis of the risk factors for VV incidence, thus verifying objectively that VVs are associated with occupations requiring prolonged hours of working in a standing position.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the factors associated with high-caffeine drink consumption among Korean adolescents. Methods: Secondary data analysis was conducted utilizing the 18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, with a total enrollment of 51,850 students. Descriptive statistics, x² tests, and multivariate logistic regression were performed using SPSS 23.0. Results: The study identified several factors associated with high-caffeine drink consumption, including school levels, tobacco or alcohol consumption, walking, perceived stress levels, feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety, and the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. Conclusion: The findings suggest there is an association between unhealthy health behaviors or mental health issues, and consumption of high-caffeine drinks among adolescents. It emphasizes the need for increased attention and targeted educational interventions for adolescents at high risk.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.412-418
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• 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) persistence in pathological stage T3aN0 prostate cancer (PCa) after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP). Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 326 patients with pT3aN0 PCa who underwent RALP between March 2020 and February 2022. PSA persistence was defined as nadir PSA of >0.1 ng/mL after RALP, and the risk factors for PSA persistence were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 326 patients, 61 (18.71%) had PSA persistence and 265 (81.29%) had PSA of <0.1 ng/mL after RALP (successful radical prostatectomy [RP] group). In the PSA persistence group, 51 patients (83.61%) received adjuvant treatment. Biochemical recurrence occurred in 27 patients (10.19%) in the successful RP group during the mean follow-up period of 15.22 months. Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors for PSA persistence were large prostate volume (hazard ratio [HR], 1.017; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.002-1.036; p=0.046), lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (HR, 2.605; 95% CI, 1.022-6.643; p=0.045), and surgical margin involvement (HR, 2.220; 95% CI, 1.110-4.438; p=0.024). Conclusion: Adjuvant treatment may be needed for improved prognosis in patients with pT3aN0 PCa after RALP with a large prostate size, LVI, or surgical margin involvement.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.135-145
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• 2018

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the factors associated with long hours of smartphone usage and to identify the characteristics of the high-risk group among female middle school students in South Korea. Methods: The study analyzed the data of 13,648 female middle school students using their own smartphone extracted from the 13th Youth Health Behavior Online Survey (2017). The factors related to using smartphones for a long time was analyzed by binomial logistic regression. The characteristics of the high-risk group was defined by a decision tree analysis. Results: The average hours spent on smartphone usage was 269.54 minutes per day. The significant factors associated with the long hours of smartphone usage were grade, living with parents, perceived household economic status, perceived academic achievement, stress, sadness and hopelessness, the main purpose of smartphone usage, drinking, body mass index, breakfast, and satisfaction with sleep quality. The subjects showing low academic performance and having breakfast four times a week or less were more likely to use their smartphone for a long time. Conclusion: Based on the results of the research, we need to establish intervention strategies focusing on the factors influencing long-time usage of smartphone. Particularly, the subjects who show poor academic performance and skip breakfast frequently should be considered as the high-risk group for spending long hours on smartphone usage.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.17-30
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• 2023

The human reproductive system can be affected by occupational exposure to many physical and chemical risk factors. This study was carried out to review the studies conducted on the issue of the pathophysiological effects of occupational physical and chemical risk factors on the reproductive system of females and males. In this systematic review, the databases such as "Google Scholar," "Pub-Med," "Scopus," and "Web of Science" were used. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020), the studies included in our study were published between 2000 and 2021. In order to extract the required data, all sections of the articles were reviewed. Out of 57 articles we reviewed, 34 articles were related to field studies and 23 articles to clinical studies. Among them, 43 studies dealt with the pathophysiological effects of chemical agents, six studies dealt with the pathophysiological effects of physical factors, and 8 studies dealt with the pathophysiological effects of physicochemical factors on the human reproductive system. Physical (noise, heat, and radiofrequency radiation) and chemical (such as carbamate and organophosphate pesticides, benzene, toluene, xylene, formaldehyde, NO2, CS2, manganese, lead, nickel, and n-hexane) risk factors had pathophysiological effects on the human reproductive system. The presence of these risk factors in the workplace caused damage to the human reproductive system. The rate of these negative pathophysiological effects can be reduced by performing appropriate managerial, technical, and engineering measures in work environments.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.82-91
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to identify gender-based differences in factors related to smartphone overdependence among middle school students. Methods: The subjects of the study were middle school students who participated in the 16th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2020). Frequency analysis, the Rao-Scott χ² test, and multiple logistic regression were performed using SPSS 27.0. Results: Identified risk factors were grade level, self-reported health, self-reported happiness, loneliness, smoking, drinking, poor sleep quality, physical activity, and generalized anxiety disorder, which were commonly found in all participants. Additionally, stress was found related only in boys, while the residential area and depression showed associations only in girls. In particular, the more severe was the level of generalized anxiety disorder, the higher was the risk ratio of the high-risk group, compared to the potential-risk group. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, a customized strategy that considers gender differences should be developed in order to prevent smartphone overdependence in middle school students.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.352-367
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• 2021

Purpose: Minimally invasive gastrectomy is a promising surgical method with well-known benefits, including reduced postoperative complications. However, for total gastrectomy of gastric cancers, this approach does not significantly reduce the risk of complications. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for the severity of complications associated with minimally invasive total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: The study included 392 consecutive patients with gastric cancer who underwent either laparoscopic or robotic total gastrectomy between 2011 and 2019. Clinicopathological and operative characteristics were assessed to determine the features related to postoperative complications after minimally invasive total gastrectomy. Binomial and multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify the risk factors for overall complications and mild and severe complications, respectively. Results: Of 103 (26.3%) patients experiencing complications, 66 (16.8%) and 37 (9.4%) developed mild and severe complications, respectively. On multivariate multinomial regression analysis, independent predictors of severe complications included obesity (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.02-6.43; P=0.046), advanced stage (OR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.13-7.43; P=0.026), and more intraoperative bleeding (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.06; P=0.001). Operation time was the only independent risk factor for mild complications (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.001-1.13; P=0.047). Conclusions: The risk factors for mild and severe complications were associated with surgery, indicating surgical difficulty. Surgeons should be aware of these potential risks that are related to the severity of complications so as to reduce surgery-related complications after minimally invasive total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2018

Background: Psychosocial risk management [Psychosocial Risk Management Approach (PRIMA)] has, through the years, been applied in several organizations in various industries and countries globally. PRIMA principles have also been translated into international frameworks, such as PRIMA-EF (European framework) and the World Health Organization Healthy Workplace Framework. Over the past 10 years, an oil and gas company has put efforts into adopting and implementing international frameworks and standards for psychosocial risk management. More specifically, the company uses a PRIMA. Methods: This study explores available quantitative and qualitative risk data collected through the PRIMA method over the past 8 years in order to explore specific and common psychosocial risks in the petroleum industry. Results: The analyses showed a significant correlation between job resources and symptoms of work-related stress, there was a significant correlation between job demands and symptoms of work-related stress, and there were differences in psychosocial risk factors and symptoms of work-related stress onshore and offshore. The study also offers recommendations on how the results can further be utilized in building a robust system for managing psychosocial risks in the industry. Conclusion: The results from the analyses have provided meaningful and important information about the company-specific psychosocial risk factors and their impact on health and well-being.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.183-191
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• 2013

Objectives: In Korea, the proportion of deaths due to alcohol is estimated at 8.9%, far exceeding the global estimate of 3.8%. Therefore, this study was performed to examine the factors associated with low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk drinking patterns in Korean adults and to identify target populations for prevention and control of alcohol-related diseases and deaths. Methods: We analyzed data from 230 715 Korean adults aged 19 years and older who participated in the 2009 Korean Community Health Survey. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between socio-demographic and health-related factors and patterns of alcohol use. Results: A substantially larger proportion of men than women engaged in high risk (21.2% vs. 3.4%) and moderate-risk alcohol use (15.5% vs. 8.2%). In both sexes, moderate- and high-risk uses were associated with younger age, higher income, being currently employed, smoking, being overweight/obese, and good self-rated health. Conclusions: Given the large proportion of the population that is engaging in moderate- and high-risk drinking and given the social norms that support this behavior, public health policies and campaigns to reduce alcohol consumption targeting the entire population are indicated.