With rapid economic development, the emphasis of the public health movement in Korea has shifted towards addressing the burden of chronic disease. With this shift in direction comes a greater focus on health behaviour and the need for planning models to assist in lifestyle modification programs. The Health Belief Model (HBM), which originated in the US, has generated more research than any other theoretical approach to describe and predict the health behaviour of individuals. In recent years it has been applied in many different cultures and modifications have been suggested to accommodate different cultures. Given the centrality of language and culture, any attempts to use models of health behaviour developed in a different culture, must be studied and tested for local applicability. The paper reviews the applicability and suitability of the HBM in Korea, in the context of the Korean language and culture. The HBM has been used in Korea for almost three decades. The predictability of the HBM has varied in Korean studies as in other cultures. Overall, this literature review indicates that the HBM has been found applicable in predicting health and illness behaviours by Korean people. However if the HBM is used in a Korean context, the acquisition of health knowledge is an important consideration. Most new knowledge in the health sciences is originally published in English and less frequently in another foreign language. Most health knowledge in Korea is acquired through the media or from health professionals and its acquisition often involves translation from the original. The selection of articles for translation and the accuracy of translation into language acceptable in the Korean culture become important determinants of health knowledge. As such translation becomes an important part of the context of the HBM. In this paper modifications to the HBM are suggested to accommodate the issues of language and knowledge in Korea.

The growing population of the elderly who have diverse health needs is receiving more attention from the health promotion field. This paper describes some of the findings of quantitative study into the health function of Korean immigrant elderly living in Washington State of Northwest America. One hundred-two community-dwelling Korean immigrant elderly, aged from 65 to 93 with a mean 77.97 years, were interviewed with a structured questionnaire to report their health function defined in three domains; perceived health status, physical functioning, and psychosocial functioning. The main results of the study were identified: (a) Overall, Korean immigrant elderly's perceived health status and physical functioning were good, but psychosocial functioning was poor; (b) Elderly with higher health functioning scores perceived better health status. Data indicates that health functioning measures are good indicators of the degree of perceived need for immigrant elderly. The paper argues that the understanding of physical and psychosocial functioning of elderly is vitally important in the provision of health care.

Introduction. Despite the fact that half of premature deaths are caused by unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking tobacco, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and drug abuse and poor nutrition, there are no theoretical models which accurately explain these health promotion related behaviors. This study tests a new model of health behavior called the Model of Health Promotion Behavior. This model draws on elements and frameworks suggested by the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, the Theory of Planned Action and the Health Promotion Model. This model is intended as a general model of behavior but this first test of the model uses amount of exercise as the outcome behavior. Design. This study utilized a cross sectional mail-out, mail-back survey design to determine the elements within the model that best explained intentions to exercise and those that best explained amount of exercise. A follow-up questionnaire was mailed to all respondents to the first questionnaire about 10 months after the initial survey. A pretest was conducted to refine the questionnaire and a pilot study to test the protocols and assumptions used to calculate the required sample size. Sample. The sample was drawn from 2000 eligible participants at two blue collar (utility company and part of a hospital) and two white collar (bank and pharmaceutical) companies located in Southeastern Michigan. Both white collar site had employee fitness centers and all four sites offered health promotion programs. In the first survey, 982 responses were received (49.1％) after two mailings to non-respondents and one additional mailing to secure answers to missing data, with 845 usable cases for the analyzing current intentions and 918 usable cases for the explaining of amount of current exercise analysis. In the follow-up survey, questionnaires were mailed to the 982 employees who responded to the initial survey. After one follow-up mailing to non-respondents, and one mailing to secure answers to missing data, 697 (71.0％) responses were received, with 627 (63.8％) usable cases to predict intentions and 673 (68.5％) usable cases to predict amount of exercise. Measures. The questionnaire in the initial survey had 15 scales and 134 items; these scales measured each of the variables in the model. Thirteen of the scales were drawn from the literature, all had Cronbach's alpha scores above .74 and all but three had scores above .80. The questionnaire in the second mailing had only 10 items, and measured only outcome variables. Analysis. The analysis included calculation of scale scores, Cronbach's alpha, zero order correlations, and factor analysis, ordinary least square analysis, hierarchical tests of interaction terms and path analysis, and comparisons of results based on a random split of the data and splits based on gender and employer site. The power of the regression analysis was .99 at the .01 significance level for the model as a whole. Results. Self efficacy and Non-Health Benefits emerged as the most powerful predictors of Intentions to exercise, together explaining approximately 19％ of the variance in future Intentions. Intentions, and the interaction of Intentions with Barriers, with Support of Friends, and with Self Efficacy were the most consistent predictors of amount of future exercise, together explaining 38％ of the variance. With the inclusion of Prior Exercise History the model explained 52％ of the variance in amount of exercise 10 months later. There were very few differences in the variables that emerged as important predictors of intentions or exercise in the different employer sites or between males and females. Discussion. This new model is viable in predicting intentions to exercise and amount of exercise, both in absolute terms and when compared to existing models.

This survey provides, at a participation rate of 70％, 4,790 examinees. The purpose of this study is to study the association of the failed rest after work with 34 diseases including cardiovascular diseases. The index of the failed rest after work was composed of 4 questions about "thinking of work for several hours", "feeling exhausted", feeling unsatisfied or depressed", and "needing to go to bed early for next day′s work". Estimation of correlation among 4 variables, factor analysis, and ANCOVA adjusted for sex, age and job were carried out. A self-rating questionnaire of one′s own disease history and the "London School of Hygiene Cardiovascular Questionnaire" were used in order to discriminate each morbid group from the opposite group. Brief explanations of the result are as follows: 1) Every variable of failed rest after work shows significant difference between the morbid group and the no morbid group for possible infarction; for angina pectoris in the total, and men. 2) Among 4 variables ′exhaustion′ best discriminates the infarction group from the no infarction group, and the angina group from the no angina group. 3) The factor of failed rest after work is a significant factor that distinguishes the infarction group from the no infarction group, and the angina pectoris group from the no angina group. Therefore, stress management through health education and promotion such as behavioral modification can be used to reduce cardiovascular diseases and stress as perceived by an individual.

The objective of this study is to stress the importance of sexuality education at school, to define its goals and to discuss ways on how to reinvigorate sexuality education. The negative conditions for adolescent sexual issues are now being expanded into all areas of Korean society. In particular, they should be regarded as one of serious social issues because of their adverse influences on adolescent groups. Various reports on juvenile sexual delinquencies have expressed serious concern over reckless and impulsive juvenile sexual deviations because they are closely related to the confusion of the youth in their sexual values and their common sexual deviations. Thus, for the youth who have attracted serious public concern, it is most important to have sound sexual awareness and attitude for the development of their healthy personality. In general, sexuality education should be conducted under individual responsibility of various levels of schools, families and communities. However, the role of schools where sexuality education should be conducted with concrete goals, that is, to interpret physical and psychological developments of youth in terms of education and teach them on the systematic goals of sexuality education, this role of schools is the most important than anything else in conducting sexuality education for youth.

Minority populations in the United States have a higher prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and more persons die of the disease than white persons. This study was to review and compare risk factors and prevalence rates of NIDDM in African Americans, Hispanic s, Korean Americans and Native Americans in the United States. The risk factors of NIDDM, including family history of diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, diet and age, were reviewed in the minority populations. Risk factors such as obesity, physical inactivity and family history of diabetes occurred to a greater extent in some minority populations than in the white population. Diabetes should be treated as a public health problem for minority populations. Due to the increase of older populations and the increased prevalence of obesity and sedentariness, NIDDM in minorities is nearing epidemic proportions. Good diet and regular exercise can reduce the incidence of NIDDM but an understanding of the cultural aspects of diabetes is imperative in order to provide adequate community health education programs because those programs involve diet and behavior changes, characteristics that are often culturally determined. In summary, it is important to plan a community health education program targeted on NIDDM in a culturally adapted manner that will be received with both comprehension and acceptability. In particular, the program for high-risk populations should be stressed so to prevent diabetes. Preventive approaches to diabetes should be considered because they can be both therapeutic and cost effective.

The purpose of this study is to provide baseline information on the risk-taking health behavior of alcohol consumption in four ethnic groups, Caucasian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, residing in the State of Hawaii. Secondary data from the State-based Health Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, designed by the Center for Disease Control, were used. The total sample analyzed for this study contained 6,068 persons. Univariate and logistic regression analysis were performed in order to determine sociodemographic profiles and the predictor variables to produce the findings of this study. The percentage distribution of six sociodemographic factors by race was very similar in all alcohol consumption factors, acute drinking, chronic drinking, and drinking and driving. In this study there were significant ethnic differences in alcohol consumption factors except drinking and driving.

This study aims to develop some guidelines on visiting nursing services for the management of hypertension patients at home in the rural areas of Korea. Firstly, in-depth interviews were given to the eight staff in charge of visiting nursing services in the rural health centers from June 1, 1999 to August 30, 1999. And then, their five patients with hypertension were under participatory observation. At the same time, literature review was conducted. Through those methods, some preliminary items were derived and the initial guidelines were drawn up. They were referred to ten experts, so that their validity was tested with Delphi Technique. Through the verification of their validity, they were complemented into the final ones. The total number of the items in the final guidelines was 22. By areas, they could be categorized as follows; eight items as skilled nursing care, five as general nursing care, three as guidance for diet, two as guidance for exercise, one as hospice care, and one as connection with social welfare services. By methods of activities, 13 items were classified as assessment, two as intervention, two as demonstration, and 17 as explanation. On the basis of the guidelines, nursing services are recommended to be divided and performed; general nursing activities by nurse aids and skilled nursing activities by public health nurses.