• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.3 s.39
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• pp.312-329
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• 1992

The purpose of this study is to estimate cesarean section rate in Korea and analyze the socioeconomic variables and health resources which affect regional variation in the rate. Samples were drawn from the record of vaginal and cesarean section deliveries based upon insurance claim bills which have been submitted to the National Federation of Medical Insurance for the first three months, January through March, 1991. The results are obtained as follows : It was found that. cesarean section rate was increasing rapidly up to 23.1% in 1991. Cesarean section per 10 thousand insured people was 4.8 and the number of cesarean section per 10 thousand insured eligible($15{\sim}49$ years old) female was 7.6. The fee for normal delivery was 109,489 won and that for cesarean section was 390,024 won. The average days of hospitalization in normal delivery was 2.3 days, and those in cesarean section was 7.6 days. On the average cesarean section has a longer of stay as much as by 4.3 days and cost 3.6 times more than normal deliveries. Cesarean section rates vary among medical facilities 19.8% at clinics 37.6% in small-scale hospitals, and 29.1% in general hospitals. The regional variation of cesarean section rates was also fairly prominent. The South Cheju Gun has the highest rate of cesarean section, 56.2%. Meanwhile no cesarean section cases has been reported in Sunchang Gun during the period of this study. The variation is noted among provinces. The rate for Cheju province has been 3.4 times higher than that for Chunnam. The number of cesarean section per 10 thousand insured people vary greatly among regions, too. This study has found that there exists significant regional variations among various geographic units in terms of average length of stay, average cost, number of obsretricians and number of beds. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify factors explaining the regional variance of various cesarean section rates : In the urban areas, no significant explaining variables were noted except the number of beds for the dependent variable of cesarean section cases per 10 thousand insured eligible females. The smaller the number of bed, the more cases of cesarean section was noted for an urban area. The is mostly because the rate of cesarean section is higher in medium-size hospitals than in large general hospitals. In the rural areas, the factor of education has been found significant for all three deplendent variables. The higher the educational level, the rate of cesarean section is most likely to rise. An income variable measured by the amount of monthly insurance contribution has been identified a powerful predictor in explaining the valiance of cesarean section rates. The same has been noted for the number of obstetricians. Similar findings are observed for the country as a whole. The income level has veen found as the most powerful explaining factor in the regional variance of cesarean section rates. In general the rate is higher in the urban areas, and lower in the area with more small hospitals. As this is the initial attempt to identify the factors relevant to the regional difference in the rates of cesarean section, more elaborated study is urgently required.

• Journal of Korean Medical Ki-Gong Academy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.96-114
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• 2005

This study was carried out to provide essential data for the future health promotion projects to be aimed at improving quality of life for the elderly people in the increasingly aging society of Korea by investigating factors related to the yangseng of old people in urban areas. The results of this study are to be used as basis for efficient approach toward health promotion projects for the elderly in urban communities. For the purpose, a survey by questionnaires was conducted to urbanites from May th June 2004. The collected replies were analyzed from the viewpoints of Oriental Medicine for yangseng. 1. The average points of health care were 3.24. In details by sub-areas, 3.78 was rated for morality yangseng, 3.29 for mind, 3.30 for diet, 3.79 for activity and rest, 2.32 for exercise, 3.72 for sleeping, 2.95 for season and 1.81 for sexual life, which showed that the area of activity and rest yangseng was scored highest while the area of sexual life yangseng was rated lowest. 2. As for the extent of health care depending on the characters of subjects, higher scores were rated by men than women, younger ones than aged and spoused ones than singles. Married couples living without other family members were found to yangseng most, while more yangseng was taken by the educated, job holders and those who utilize leisure and have religion in order. 3. Men exercised more yangseng than women in the diet, exercise and sleeping. By age, the group aged 65 to 69, the more yangseng in the exercise and sexual life. The group with spouse featured higher concern for yangseng in all categories except for season. Married couples who are living with no other family members recorded the highest point in all areas except for exercise. 4. The more one is educated, the more he/she is tended to take yangseng in the sub-areas of exercise and sexual life. The group with occupation is also inclined to take more yangseng in the same sub-areas as those of the highly educated. When they pay living cost together with offspring, they appeared to be the most yangseng in season and sexual life. People who enjoy leisure showed higher yangseng in all areas except for season. Religion had a significant influence in all areas except for activity and rest yangseng. 5. Those who reply that they are confident with health and have no disease proved to have higher yangseng. Depending on whether one has disease or not, higher yangseng was confirmed in such sub-categories as mind and sleeping. Those who replied they are confident with health had higher yangseng in all areas except for season. As seen above, yangseng of the old people in the urban area is found to have different extent depending on the individual and socioeconomic characters, factors which should be seriously considered in the local health promotion projects and projects for the health of the elderly. It seems therefore necessary to launch health promotion programs and to analyze their effects to promote health care particularly in the areas of sexual life, exercise and season yangseng that featured lowest grade of yangseng in each sub-area.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to develop a reliable dietary questionnaire to assess human exposure to food-borne hazards. Eleven food-borne hazards were chosen as a priority control list through a literature review and advisory committees. The 11 food-borne hazards were phthalate, aflatoxin, bisphenol A, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and acrylamide. The characteristics, exposure level, and paths of these hazards were reviewed, and questionnaire items were identified to assess human exposure from the literature. A questionnaire was developed for each selected food based on its characteristics. Based on the items in the individual questionnaires, a comprehensive questionnaire, which contained demographic characteristics, job information, socioeconomic factors, health related lifestyles, and dietary behaviors, was developed. A 99-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess food-borne hazard exposure was also developed. The FFQ included frequency of food intake during the previous year, container type for purchasing and storing food, and cooking method. The questionnaire developed in this study could be applied to assess dietary factors during an exposure assessment of food-borne hazards in a large population. A validation study for the questionnaire is needed before applying it to surveys.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.496-509
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the general characteristics, chronic diseases, health behavior, mental health, and nutritional status of young-old women based on their vitality. Methods: This study used data from the 2019 and 2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The subjects were 1,113 young-old women aged 65 to 74 years old. The health-related quality of life concept with an 8-item questionnaire was used to measure the quality of life. Subjects were categorized into 4 groups (always, often, sometimes, never) based on their vitality. General characteristics, chronic diseases, health behavior, dietary behavior, food intake, and nutrient intake were compared among the groups. Results: Age, education level, household income, employment, fruit intake, dietary supplements, abundance of food, and nutrition labeling recognition were associated with the vitality of the subjects. Young-old women with arthritis, diabetes, and osteoporosis displayed lower vitality. Moreover, subjective health status, exercise, activity restrictions, and average daily sitting hours were related to vitality, while no significant difference was found in vitality between smoking and drinking. In terms of mental health factors, higher vitality was associated with 6-8 hours of sleep, lower stress levels, and reduced depression. The high-vitality group exhibited a higher intake of potatoes, starch, mushrooms, fruits, meat, milk, animal oils, and beverages than the low-vitality group. Additionally, the group with higher levels of vitality showed a higher intake of protein, fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-6 fatty acids, dietary fiber, sugars, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and riboflavin. Conclusion: This study suggests that the vitality of young-old women is related to socioeconomic factors, health behavior, mental health, and food intake. To maintain a vibrant lifestyle in elderly women, it is necessary to have social and economic stability, prevent arthritis, diabetes, and osteoporosis, exercise regularly, get sufficient sleep, maintain mental health, and have a balanced diet.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2005

Purpose: Uterine cervix cancer is one of the most prevalent women cancer in Korea. We analysed published papers in Korea with comparing Patterns of Care Study (PCS) articles of United States and Japan for the purpose of developing and processing Korean PCS. Materials and Methods: We searched PCS related foreign-produced papers in the PCS homepage (212 articles and abstracts) and from the Pub Med to find Structure and Process of the PCS. To compare their study with Korean papers, we used the internet site 'Korean Pub Med' to search 99 articles regarding uterine cervix cancer and radiation therapy. We analysed Korean paper by comparing them with selected PCS papers regarding Structure, Process and Outcome and compared their items between the period of before 1980's and 1990's. Results: Evaluable papers were 28 from United States, 10 from the Japan and 73 from the Korea which treated cervix PCS items. PCS papers for United States and Japan commonly stratified into $3\~4$ categories on the bases of the scales characteristics of the facilities, numbers of the patients, doctors, Researchers restricted eligible patients strictly. For the process of the study, they analysed factors regarding pretreatment staging in chronological order, treatment related factors, factors in addition to FIGO staging and treatment machine. Papers in United States dealt with racial characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics of the patients, tumor size (6), and bilaterality of parametrial or pelvic side wail invasion (5), whereas papers from Japan treated of the tumor markers. The common trend in the process of staging work-up was decreased use of lymphangiogram, barium enema and increased use of CT and MRI over the times. The recent subject from the Korean papers dealt with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (9 papers), treatment duration (4), tumor markers (B) and unconventional fractionation. Conclusion: By comparing papers among 3 nations, we collected items for Korean uterine cervix cancer PCS. By consensus meeting and close communication, survey items for cervix cancer PCS were developed to measure structure, process and outcome of the radiation treatment of the cervix cancer. Subsequent future research will focus on the use of brachytherapy and its impact on outcome including complications. These finding and future PCS studies will direct the development of educational programs aimed at correcting identified deficits in care.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.3 s.62
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• pp.503-515
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• 1998

In order to investigate the factors influencing QOL and life satisfaction of the physically disabled, the author interviewed, by using structuralized questionnaire, 440 individuals among the physically disabled who were participated in Health Examination from April to July, 1997. The questionnaire consisted of the general characteristics(sex, age, marital status, family number, etc), the Reintegration to Normal Living Index(RNLI) to assess QOL, and the single item of five-likert scale to evaluate life satifaction. The means of RNLI were $16.2{\pm}4.8$ in total score, $12.2{\pm}3.4$ in daily functioning and $4.0{\pm}2.1$ in perception of self. The respondents were less reintegrated toward social activities and relationships than impairments or disabilities. While the satisfied group was 47.3%, the dissatisfied group was 52.7%. As the results of multiple regression and logistic regression analysis, the significant predictors of QOL were age, education, job, grade of disability and subjective health status. The life satisfaction were related to economic status, job and subjective health status. To improve QOL and life satisfaction of the physically disabled, it is important that we improve their basic socioeconomic status by getting a job through rehabilitation education and induce them to have positive self-assessment by extending the opportunity of social participation.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.631-658
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• 2011

The impact of the academic achievements of science high school graduates during the science high school period on their creative productivity, higher education, occupation, and income were investigated with 244 science high school graduates who belonged either to top 30% or bottom 30% in terms of their high school GPA. The factors contributed to the choice of current occupations and life were also investigated through retrospective approach. Survey questionnaire was administered to 244 adults who graduated from 18 science high schools before 2001. Thirteen graduates who completed questionnaire were interviewed face-to-face. Their ages ranged from 28.00 to 42.84. The high achievers were belonged to top 30% and the low achievers were belonged to the bottom 30% and the two groups demonstrated significant differences in their higher education and creative productivity. More doctoral degree holders and more number of creative products were found in the high achievers than the low achievers. 58.1% of the high achievers and 42.7% of the low achievers were working as professional scientists. Significantly more high achievers were working on tasks which require creative problem solving abilities and their income was significantly higher than the low achievers. For both groups, parents were the most significant individuals and then teachers were the second most important persons who impacted to their life and the choice of their occupation. Interviews with 13 graduates confirmed the survey results especially in their choice of life style and occupation. They were also influenced the most by parents, then teachers, and their friends who were more interacting with the socioeconomic environment when they selected university, major, and occupation. The results implies that high school achievement has significant influence on their future achievement to some extent and schools need to provide guide on the career choice not only to the students but also to their parents, since students' career choices are much influenced by their parents.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.44-58
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• 2018

Cities face new challenges not only in natural disasters by climate change but also in social and economic fluctuations. With the existing simple reconstruction method, it is difficult to solve the overall problems that a city or region may face. As a new approach to cope with various changes, the concept of resilience is emerging. Resilience is also one of the themes of recent major urban design projects. Design with the concept of resilience is a new strategy that can deal with various changes of urban space, rather than a temporary trend. The purpose of this paper is to explore the design method by analyzing cases where the concept of resilience is employed. We aim to examine what kind of design strategies are needed for the resilience design and how this design process differ in character, as compared to general design projects. Cases for this study include the "Rebuild by Design" competition held in 2013 and the "Resilient by Design/Bay Area Challenge" competition held in 2017. This paper consists of literature reviews and case studies. The latter is divided into two aspects: content analysis based on the theory of resilience and characteristics of the design process. Cases are analyzed through literature reviews and process characteristics of resilience design in response to the general design process. The main categories for urban resilience used as the framework for analysis include: Urban Infrastructure, Social Dynamics, Economic Dynamics, Health and Wellbeing, Governance Networks, and Planning and Institutions. As a result, the aspects of resilience concepts considered and design strategies undertaken by each team were identified. Each team tried to connect all 6 categories to their design strategies, placing special value on the role of governance, a system that enables collaborative design and project persistency. In terms of the design process, the following characteristics were found: planning the whole project process in the pre-project phase, analyzing predictable socioeconomic risk factors in addition to physical vulnerabilities, aiming for landscape-oriented integrated design, and sustainable implementation strategies with specific operations and budget plans. This paper is meaningful to connect the concept of resilience, which has been discussed in various articles, to design strategy, and to explore the possibility of constructing a practical methodology by deriving the characteristics of the resilience design process. It remains a future task to research design strategies that apply the concept of resilience to various types of urban spaces, in addition to areas that are vulnerable to disasters.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.86-101
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• 2000

Various kinds of living circumstances are making population structure of Korean changed. That is, number of the children is decreased and that of the aged is increased. It is predicted that population of the children and the aged will be almost same until 2020. With above, as the expectation of the aged on healthy living might be increased, some special programs for the aged will be needed strongly. At this point, Korean aged population might be economically poor, comparing with other generation. In general, economic factor affects the subjective living-satisfaction and health status of them. Moreover, educational status, household shape and family tieing also affect their health status. According to the foreign articles, health status of the aged might be related to income, educational status, job, employed or/not, marital status, family structure, sex, and childhood condition. decrease of the income or unemployment could make the death rate of the aged higher. During childhood, discordance among the family might affect their health status after. IGUR is also important factor to affect the adulthood health. Positive life style of the aged would lessen their unequality of the health among them. Nutritional status of the Korean aged population might be indicated under the nutritional recommendation. It is affected by their income, education level, social class, and residing place. (Korean J Nutrition 33(1) : 86-101, 2000)

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the number of existing permanent teeth is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a representative sample of Korean adults. Data from 3,107 subjects who participated in the 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined. The dependent variable was COPD and the independent variable was the number of existing permanent teeth. Spirometry results were classified into three groups (normal pattern, restrictive pattern, and obstructive pattern) by trained technicians. We used dichotomized COPD variables (no vs. yes). The number of existing permanent teeth was evaluated by oral examination and divided into 3 groups (0~19, 20~27, and 28). Demographic factors (age group and sex group), socioeconomic status (education and income), health behaviors (smoking and drinking), oral health and behavior (frequency of toothbrushing; periodontitis; decayed, missing, filled, permanent teeth index; and denture status), and general health status (body mass index, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension) were included as confounders in the analysis. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses including confounders were applied, and all analyses considered a complex sampling design. Stratified analysis was performed by smoking status. After controlling for various confounders, there was a significant association between the number of existing permanent teeth and COPD (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20~3.00 for the 20~27 group; OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.75~8.84 for the 0~19 group). The association was more significant in current smokers (OR, 8.90; 95% CI, 2.53~31.33). Our data indicate that the number of existing permanent teeth was independently associated with COPD, especially in current smokers. Further longitudinal research is needed to determine whether oral health promotion plays a role in the improvement of lung function and prevention of COPD.