• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2023

Objectives: Socioeconomic inequality in metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains poorly understood in Iran. The present study examined the extent of the socioeconomic inequalities in MetS and quantified the contribution of its determinants to explain the observed inequality, with a focus on middle-aged adults in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease cohort study. A sample of 9975 middleaged adults aged 35-65 years was analyzed. MetS was assessed based on the International Diabetes Federation definition. Principal component analysis was used to construct socioeconomic status (SES). The Wagstaff normalized concentration index (CI_n) was employed to measure the magnitude of socioeconomic inequalities in MetS. Decomposition analysis was performed to identify and calculate the contribution of the MetS inequality determinants. Results: The proportion of MetS in the sample was 41.1%. The CI_n of having MetS was 0.043 (95% confidence interval, 0.020 to 0.066), indicating that MetS was more concentrated among individuals with high SES. The main contributors to the observed inequality in MetS were SES (72.0%), residence (rural or urban, 46.9%), and physical activity (31.5%). Conclusions: Our findings indicated a pro-poor inequality in MetS among Iranian middle-aged adults. These results highlight the importance of persuading middle-aged adults to be physically active, particularly those in an urban setting. In addition to targeting physically inactive individuals and those with low levels of education, policy interventions aimed at mitigating socioeconomic inequality in MetS should increase the focus on high-SES individuals and the urban population.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.5-17
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• 2008

Purpose: To understand the dietary habits and factors influencing the dietary habits in adults of an urban community. Method: The data were collected via questionnaires that investigated dietary habits, health behaviors, health-related factors, and general characteristics. A total of 302 subjects were selected from those who had visited an urban public center over a 2-week period. The data of 294 subjects were analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression, after 8 questionnaire were excluded due to incomplete data. Results: The degree of dietary habits was in the middle range. The most positive dietary habit was 'intake fibers from vegetables, fruits, and cereals', followed by 'not enjoy salty food and salt' and 'eating breakfast everyday'. The significant predictors influencing dietary habits were age, present smoking behavior, perceived health status, and drinking frequency, and these variables accounted for 27.3% of the variance in the dietary habits score. Conclusion: Health care providers should focus on health promotion planning regarding dietary habits and other health-related behaviors in combination and use integrated strategies regarding the factors that influence dietary habits and other health-related behaviors.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2015

Purpose: Forests have positive effects on health due to phytoncide, thus increasing physical activity and stress relief. However, research has not been conducted on the daily health benefits of existing forests. Therefore, this study attempts to compare the health status and behaviors of residents in urban and forested areas. Methods: This cross-sectional study used anthropometric measures, blood tests, heart rate variability, depression, stress, and health behavior self-reports for adults between 35 and 79 years from two regions. Results: Adults living in a forested region had better health consequences-including lower prevalence of osteoarthritis (6.4%) and mean bone mineral density (-0.84) -than those in an urban region (osteoarthritis: 13.7%; bone mineral density: -1.55). The percentage of 'physically active' participants (measured in MET-minutes) differed significantly different between the forested (49.1%) and urban (7.3%) areas. However, health behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and regular heath check-up rates were worse among residents from the forested, than the urban area. Conclusion: We concluded that more proactive forest therapy programs are needed to prove the health differences.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.148-157
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of allergic rhinitis between urban areas in the adjacent areas to a steel industrial complex and rural areas and the impact of pollutants in the industrialized city on allergic rhinitis. Methods: From July 28 to August 9 of 2008, 1,043 residents of urban and rural areas in a local community had enrolled in health screening and questionnaire survey. One thousand thirty-three patients also underwent a skin prick test. Prevalence rates of allergic rhinitis were calculated according to residential areas, and the used statistical analysis were Fisher's exact test and chi-square test. Results: In a survey, the fraction of adults, who complained of sneezing, nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea, during a recent 1 year period, showed the significant difference between urban (30.5%) and rural areas (22.4%). The fractions of positive skin prick tests were not different between two areas in each age group. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was 8.4% in urban areas and 6.9% in rural areas. Considering the age groups, the adults group only showed the significantly higher prevalence of allergic rhinitis in urban areas (8.2% vs. 3.7%). Conclusions: Unlike the children and adolescents groups, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in adults group was higher in the industrialized urban areas.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify physical and psychological effects of life-oriented forest healing program (LOFH) using urban forests in adults over 40 years of age. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pre-posttest design was used. There were 50 participants in the experimental group and 52 in the control group (a total of 102 individuals). The LOFH was conducted twice a week (3 hours per week) for a total of four weeks. Body composition, psychological states (such as depression and anxiety), and quality of life (QOL) were measured before and after the program. Results: Depression was significantly reduced in the group to which the forest healing program was applied. There was no significant difference in body composition (body mass index, body fat percentage, muscle mass, lean mass), other psychological states (anxiety, mood), or QOL. Conclusion: The LOFH was useful for improving depression in adults over 40 years of age. It is necessary to develop other LOFHs to improve body composition and quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.142-148
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• 2003

The aim of the study was to determine Pb and Cd accumulation and to assess its trends in relation to age categories in feral pigeons from urban (Seoul) and industrial complex (Ansan) areas. This study shows that Pb and Cd concentrations in bone, kidney, liver, and lung increase with different developmental stages in feral pigeons. Particularly, Pb in the bones and Cd in the kidneys of birds were highly increased from chicks to adults. Mean Pb concentrations in pigeons from Seoul were three times higher in chicks than in eggs and six times greater in adults than in chicks. For Cd concentrations, pigeons in Seoul contained two times higher in chicks than in eggs and seventeen times higher in adults than in chicks. It indicates that Pb and Cd concentrations increase with age, and these are apparent to the results in Seoul than in the Ansan colony.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.15-27
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• 2006

The objective of this study were to explore rural adults' awareness of marriage. The data were collected from 369 adults 20 aged and over living in the rural and analysed by marital status and sex, using SPSS/win program. The major finding of this study were as follows; 1) In the mate selection, rural adults valued personality(41.9%) above everything else without difference in sex or marital status. However, while most of unmarried women preferred white collar worker, educated in the college and over, and $1{\sim}4$ older than them, most of married and unmarried men preferred housewives, educated in the high school, and $3{\sim}4$ younger than them. Also, women wanted to live in the urban after the marriage. 2) In connection with wedding ceremony, most of rural adults preferred modern wedding ceremony, appropriately within their circumstance, and general ceremony hall except the unmarried women. 3) Only 45.9% of unmarried women agreed to marriage compared to 74.5% of unmarried men. The unmarried, especially unmarried women, liked more than the married to love marriage. 4) Rural women have more modern attitude toward the marriage than rural men.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2012

As the rural economy is worsening day by day due to rapidly declined population and increase of aging generation, the emptiness in the rural areas are becoming increasingly intensifying. In particular, urban runoff of young adults and middle-aged people and the decrease in birth rate have shrunk the rural population reaching to raise concerns on the stage of emptiness. On the other hand, people in the urban areas with rapid industrialization and overcrowding call for the variety of housing needs moving away from monolithic housing types. In order to solve problems of rural communities such as emptied out rural society as well as the problems of urban communities in overcrowdings, environment, and housing, it is required to develop an urban-countryside village complex pursuing advantages of the rural environment and convenience of urban living. Of this time, there needs a change in rural development policies which can make the urban residents migrate and settle in the rural areas as they are naturally embracing the rural life according to the social background and demand.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.617-647
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of suicidal ideation of rural residents. This study was based on predictors of suicidal ideation of urban residents. The participants were adolescents, adults, and seniors sampled from 10 provinces all over the country, from May to Aug, 2010. The data for the study were analysed as decision tree analysis. The major results of the study were as follows. First, a main predictor of suicidal ideation for rural residents was high depression. Unlike rural residents, urban residents reporting high depression and influence of mass media showed high suicidal ideation. Second, interaction of depression and family solidarity was important predictor of suicide ideation both rural and urban residents, but a condition that effects the situation differed between rural and urban residents. Rural residents reporting high depression and high family solidarity showed high suicidal ideation, urban residents reporting low depression and high family solidarity showed low suicidal ideation. Stress was also operate differently. Rural residents reporting moderate depression, low family solidarity and high stress showed high suicidal ideation, but stress of urban resident was not a important predictors of suicidal ideation. And rural residents reporting low depression and low stress showed the lowest level of suicidal ideation, urban residents reporting low family solidarity and low depression showed the lowest level of suicidal ideation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2011

Since walking and physical activity are critical for older adults to maintain their health, it is important to provide neighborhood environments which encourage their walking in daily life. The purposes of the present study were to investigate walking activity patterns of older people in an urban setting and to identify environmental correlates with walking of older adults. This study examined spatial and temporal patterns of physical activities, environmental barriers and motivations, satisfaction levels and demands on the physical environment. In-depth interviews with older adults over age sixty residing in Seoul metropolitan areas revealed that most respondents have a positive perception on walking in daily life, and many of them walk regularly for their health. A primary purpose of walking for older adults was exercise for health rather than transportation. The study result demonstrated that parks and trails were the most preferred places for walking by older adults, and there is an association between frequency of walking participation and access or convenience to parks, traffic safety, and street lights. Most respondents were concerned about traffic safety when they walk in their neighborhoods due to traffic speeds and unsafe streets. Lack of separate sidewalks or benches, stairs and slopes were barriers to older adults' walking habits. This data suggests that the promotion of walking behavior among older adults, some level of public health action, and community support are needed to ensure safe physical environments within communities.