• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 2017

Purpose: This cross-sectional study was carried out to identify factors influencing the health-related quality of life according to socioeconomic level during early adolescence. Methods: Participants were 617 middle school students in $1^{st}$ and $2^{nd}$ grade. All measures were self-administered. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 program and factors affecting the health-related quality of life were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: According to the level of Family Affluence Scale (FAS), 19.1% of the participants were in the high class, 66.5% in the middle class, and 14.4% in the low class. We have found statistically significant differences among the high, middle, and low classes regarding the health-related quality of life, health perception, resourcefulness, family function, and social capital. The most influential factors of the health-related quality of life were found to be resourcefulness, family function, and social capital in the high and the middle class. Conclusion: The implication of this study is that it is important for the Education Ministry and middle school teachers to help adolescents develop internal coping resources as well as to develop school-curriculums considering social values and norms related to social capital in order to improving their health-related quality of life.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2024

Background: Korea's recent suicide problem has been the most serious in the world. This study was conducted to identify factors related to suicidal ideation of Korean adults and to identify the association with socioeconomic deprivation. Methods: The 17th Korea Welfare Panel Study (2022) raw data was used, and 10,065 adults aged 20 years or older who responded to all major questions were selected as subjects for the study. SAS ver. 9.4 program (SAS Institute Inc., USA) was used for data analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between socioeconomic deprivation and suicidal ideation. Stratified analysis was performed to confirm the difference by subjective health status and gender. Results: For every 1 unit increased in socioeconomic deprivation, suicidal ideation increased 1.5 times (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-1.61). People with good subjective health status showed 1.3 times higher suicidal ideation (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.12-1.52) for each unit increased in socioeconomic deprivation, and those with poor subjective health status showed 1.6 times higher (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.43-1.75). Conclusion: As socioeconomic deprivation increased, suicidal ideation increased. Therefore, policy measures should be prepared to improve the level of more multidimensional deprivation and subjective health status in order to lower the suicide rate of Korean adults.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.315-323
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• 2022

Background: Socioeconomical disadvantaged communities are more vulnerable to environmental chemical exposure and associated health effects. However, there is limited information on chemical exposure among vulnerable populations in Korea. Objectives: This study investigated chemical exposure among underprivileged populations. We measured urinary metabolites of phthalates in urban disadvantaged communities and investigated their correlations with residential environment factors and relative socioeconomic vulnerability. Methods: Urine samples were collected from 64 residents in a disadvantaged community in Seoul. A total of eight phthalate metabolites were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Analytical method used by the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) was employed. Covariate variance analysis and general linear regression adjusted with age, sex and smoking were performed. Results: Several phthalate metabolites, namely monomethyl phthalate (MMP), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) had higher levels than those reported in the adults of 4th KoNEHS. Notably, the MnBP level was higher in the lower socioeconomic group (geometric mean [GM]=47.3 ㎍/g creatinine) compared to non-recipients (GM=31.9 ㎍/g creatinine) and the national reference level (GM=22.0, 28.2 and 32.2 ㎍/g creatinine for adults, 60's and 70's, respectively.). When age, sex and smoking were adjusted, MEP and MnBP were significantly increased the lower socioeconomic group than non-recipients (p=0.014, p=0.023). The lower socioeconomic group's age of flooring were higher than non-recipients, not statistically significant. Conclusions: These results suggest that a relatively low income and aged flooring could be considered as risk factors for increased levels of phthalate metabolites in socioeconomic vulnerable populations.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.762-768
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• 2007

This study examined household food insecurity and the associations of food insecurity with socioeconomic conditions, food behaviors, and nutrient intakes among 458 older adults(mean age=$73.2{\pm}4.5$) from 5 clusters of low-income areas in Seoul, Korea. Using an adapted version of the USDA short form household food insecurity scale, 63.4% of the households were food insecure(40.7% for food insecure without hunger and 22.7% for food insecure with hunger). The proportion of household was lower on the items measured more severe level of food insecurity. Food insecurity was linearly and negatively associated with food expenditure, food secured period and the degree of nutrition management skills, health status and depression. Food secure older adults had mere of energy and other nutrients from animal resources(riboflavin and animal protein, fat and calcium), but less of carbohydrates than those from the food insecure households. These results suggest household food insecurity measures used in this study was valid as well as food insecurity was prevalent and an important indicator of nutrition well-being among low income elderly persons.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.1-21
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• 2015

This study was aimed at examining the paths through which family socioeconomic status as indicated by family income and parental education influenced preschool-aged children's socioemotional and cognitive development through the mediating role of parental warmth and the home learning environment. The study made use of data from 1,080 families who participated in the 5th wave of the Panel Study on Korean Children, when their children were approximately 4 years of age. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that the models, including both parental warmth and the home learning environment did not fit the data well. The effects of warmth on social competence and cognitive development were not statistically significant. The modified models, using the home learning environment as a mediator between family SES and child's developmental outcomes showed that higher level of family income and parental education predicted a more cognitively stimulating home environment, which in turn, predicted a child's greater levels of social competence and positive cognitive development. The social competence of preschool-aged children again significantly predicted their cognitive development. The mediating effects of the home learning environment were statistically supported.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.275-288
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive differences among the aged who have different living conditions. 91 free-meal receivers and 86 people with stable lives were asked about their living conditions and cognitive function by using K-MMSE. All data were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 package. Free meal receivers had poorer socioeconomic status than the subjects who had stable lives. Cognitive function of free meal receivers was lower than the people with stable lives in the most cognitive factors. Especially age of 50 to 64, pre-aged group, who had been receiving free meals, showed lowest cognitive level than the other age groups. Among 7 cognitive factors, there was the greatest difference in attention and calculation between 2 groups. Percentage of 'conclusive dementia' among the free meal receivers was statistically higher than the people with stable lives and that of 'conclusively normal' was statistically lower in free meal receivers comparing with the people with stable lives. Moreover, socioeconomic factors like income, former job, marital status, housing and education, blood pressure and physical activity were significantly related to the subject's cognitive function.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-116
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• 1988

This study examines the socioeconomic determinants of fertility behavior in Korea by developing a model which simultaneously takes into account both individual and community-level differences. It especially focuses on the micro-macro nexus of fertility behavior depending on social contexts. This study utilizes micro data obtained from the 1974 Korean National Fertility Survey(KNFS), and macro data obtained from Korean government statistics. The framework of the model is formalized as a set of structural equations modelling the fertility process. The model is formed on a cohort-specific processual basis and is restricted to five-year birth cohorts. Three cohorts of women are studied : those aged 30-34, 35-39, and 40-44. The model includes three fertility-process components : age at first birth, early fertility, and later fertility, which are defined by reference to the age of the mother. The results of this study indicate that socioeconomic development in Korea results in increased age at first birth and reduced numbers of children per couple. In addition to the developmental change, Korea's fertility decline is found to be facilitated by family planning programs. As expected, the effect of family planning on fertility is greater among better-educated women than among poorly educated women. The inconsistent but suggestive result, however, is that the effect of socioeconomic development on fertility is greater among less-privileged women than among more-previleged women.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.416-428
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• 2020

Purpose: This study identified socioeconomic factors affecting the health status of Korean adults. Methods: Secondary data from 12,921 adults aged 19 to 64 old in the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The participants' health status was measured using the indicators that included health behaviors (smoking, high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity) and health outcomes (metabolic syndrome, and subjective health status). Results: For all health behaviors and health outcomes, gender, age, educational level, and income were common affecting factors. Regarding health behaviors, the employment status was related to smoking, high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity. The marital status was related to high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity. The household type was related to smoking. The residential area was related to smoking, high-risk drinking, and aerobic physical activity. For health outcomes, the household type was related to obesity, and subjective health status; residential area was related to obesity. Conclusion: This study presented basic data for assessing the differences in health status. The characteristics of the affecting factors to health status should be considered, depending on the health behaviors and health outcomes.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-32
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• 2003

An analysis on cause-specific mortality at the provincial level provides essential information for policy formulation and makes it possible to draw hypotheses regarding various diseases and causes of death. Although the mortality level and causes of death at the provincial level are determined by the multiple effects of socioeconomic, cultural, medical and ecological factors, this study primarily intends to examine similarities and differences of cause-specific mortality at the provincial level. Utilizing the registered death and the registered population as of 1998, the delayed death registration and unreported infant deaths were supplemented at the provincial level and age-standardized death rates and life tables were calculated. Regarding the mortality level due to all causes, major findings were as follow: (1) For both sexes as a whole, Seoul showed the lowest mortality level, and Jeonnam showed the highest mortality level; and (2) The differences of the mortality level among provinces were greater for males than females and for those less than 65 years than those 65 years and over. Regarding the cause-specific mortality level revealed in all indicators (cause-specific age-standardized mortality rates and the probability of dying at birth due to a specific cause for males, females, and both sexes combined respectively), the major findings were as follow: (1) The mortality level due to heart diseases was the highest in Busan and the lowest in Gangweon; (2) The mortality level due to liver diseases was the highest in Chonnam; and (3) The mortality level due to traffic accidents was the highest in Chungnam and the lowest in Inchon. As the mortality differentials at the provincial level are related to various factors, exploratory statistical analysis is attempted for the 25 explanatory variables including socioeconomic variables and 90 mortality variables. Mortality due to all causes are related to socioeconomic variables. Among cause-specific mortality, mortality due to liver diseases and traffic accidents is related to socioeconomic variables. Finally, the need to improve the quality of death certificate is discussed.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.391-401
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the dietary flavonoid intakes of Korean adults according to socioeconomic status. Methods: Using data from the 2007~2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a total of 31,112 subjects aged over 19 years were included in this study. We estimated individuals' daily intakes of total flavonoids and seven flavonoid subclasses, including flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidin, and isoflavones,by linking food consumption data with the flavonoids database for commonly consumed Korean foods. We compared intakes of flavonoids according to the levels of household income and education. Results: Average dietary flavonoid intakes of the study subjects were 321.8 mg/d in men and 308.3 mg/d in women. Daily flavonoid intakes were positively associated with household income level (p < 0.0001) and education level (p < 0.0001). The subjects in the highest household income and highest education level group (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.30~0.45, p < 0.0001 in men, OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.41~0.60, p < 0.0001 in women) had a lower likelihood of having low total flavonoid intake (less than 25 percentile) compared to the lowest household income and lowest education level group. The food group that contributed to total flavonoid intake with the biggest difference between the lowest and highest groups for both household income level and education level was beverages. Conclusion: This study shows that socioeconomic status was positively associated with flavonoid intake in a representative Korean population. Further research is needed to analyze the association of flavonoid intake with health outcomes according to socioeconomic status such as household income and education level.