• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.97-114
• /
• 2000

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.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.39-48
• /
• 2008

Purpose: To identify the experience of violence and physical and psychiatric health in women residing in shelters. Method: A descriptive correlation research design was employed. The participants were 116 women living in shelters who consented to participate in this study. The women lived in one of 23 of the 48 shelters registered with the Ministry of Gender and Equality(2004). Their experience of violence was measured using the Conflict Tactics Scale II revised by the Ministry of Gender and Equality and their health status using the Cornell Medical Index revised by Nam(1965). Analysis included descriptive statistics, and Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: The results confirmed the women in shelters to have been exposed to severe physical, psychological and sexual violence from their spouses, which had led to serious problems in their musculoskeletal system and also depression. There was a significant relationship between the experience of violence and health status. Conclusion: Future research is needed to develop programs to improve the situations of these women.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.381-389
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The study was to explore the level of low back pain and characteristic factors influencing low back pain (LBP) and mental health during pregnancy. Methods: The subjects were a total of 383 healthy pregnant women in S City and K-Do. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation. Results: 82.5% of the pregnant women answered the existence of LBP and 19.7% of them had high LBP. The preferred method of controlling LBP was 'Just endure'(42.3%). There were significant differences in pregnancy level (p<.05) and discomfort condition related to pregnancy (p<.01) according to low back pain. There were significant differences in pain intensity according to mental health. The correlation between pain level and pregnancy weeks (p<.001) and BMI in previous pregnancy (p<.001) was significant. The correlation between mental health and age was significant (p<.001). Conclusion: The majority of the pregnant women experienced LBP during pregnancy. However, they were not offered the best method of controlling the pain. Thus, for preventing LBP during pregnancy, we recommend regular exercises and BMI control.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.309-316
• /
• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively explore the associations of socioeconomic status, parenting style, and grit with children's health behaviors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 1,040 parents and their children using data from the 2018 Korean Children's Panel Survey. Socioeconomic status was measured in terms of household income and subjective socioeconomic status. Parenting style and grit and were measured using 62 and 8 items, respectively. Health behaviors were measured by assessing healthy eating habits, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Results: Higher household income (β=.07, p=.018) and high maternal levels of an authoritative parenting style (β=.20, p<.001) were associated with higher compliance with healthy eating habits among children. Higher grit was associated with a higher number of weekly physical activity days (β=.08, p=.028) and sedentary behavior for <2 hours (odds ratio [OR]=1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.01-1.07) in children. A maternal permissive parenting style was associated with sedentary behavior for >2 hours on weekdays (OR=0.43, 95% CI=0.27-0.69). Conclusion: We suggest that when planning interventions to improve children's health behavior, it is essential to adopt a multifaceted approach that avoids practicing a maternal permissive parenting style, promotes an authoritative parenting style, and incorporates strategies to increase children's grit.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.265-281
• /
• 2022

Purpose: Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by the rapid growth of the musculoskeletal system, which is important for maintaining correct posture. Incorrect posture, lack of exercise, and reduced physical activity can cause spine deformities and affect lifelong health. This study was designed to evaluate the application and effect of a program for improving adolescents' musculoskeletal health. Methods: A quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted with 13 male and 20 female middle and high school students, with an average age of 15.39 years. Their general characteristics and physical measurements were obtained. The program consisted of group exercises (60 minutes, once per week), gait pattern monitoring, and online communication. A paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to examine the program's effect. Results: Overall posture habits improved, and the total musculoskeletal index decreased; however, these results were not statistically significant. Conclusions: The devised program was effective in improving musculoskeletal imbalance. Therefore, effective programs and health devices should be developed to help adolescents maintain correct posture and encourage and support continuous participation in such programs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.208-217
• /
• 2021

Objectives: In spite of the importance of green space for reducing obesity-related problems, there has been little exploration of whether access to green space (e.g., parks and recreational facilities) influences the obesity rate of adults in the United States. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships among accessibility of green space, obesity rates, and socioeconomic and demographic variables among adults living in the State of Indiana, United States. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis to investigate the relationships among accessibility to green space, obesity rates, and socio-demographic variables with employing Geographic Information System in order to measure the accessibility of green space. Results: This study found that accessibility of green space served as a strong predictor of reduced obesity rates among adults (β=-2.478; p<0.10). In addition, adults with higher education levels, as well as better access to green space, were found to have even lower obesity rates (β=-0.188; p<0.05). Other control variables such as unemployment rates, food security, and physical inactivity are additional factors that influence obesity rates among adults. Conclusions: Accessibility of green space may play an important role in facilitating physical activity participation and reducing obesity rates.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.49-57
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the meaning of job experiences of fixed night shift nurses participating in a pilot project by a tertiary hospital, and to provide basic information for improving their night shift working environment. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using individual interviews in September 2022. Three female nurses who worked fixed night shifts were recruited from a tertiary hospital. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: By analyzing the meaning of job experience as a fixed night shift nurse, four categories and nine subcategories were identified. The four categories of job experience of fixed night shift nurses were: expecting an improvement physical health due to predictable working hours, enjoying leisure time due to long off-duty hours, regretting for loosened relationships, and considering a successful settlement of fixed night shift nursing. Conclusion: As night shift work is essential for nurses to provide continuous nursing to patients, it is necessary to develop various strategies to improve the physical health of night shift nurses through fatigue management and good sleep quality, mental health through work-life harmony, and social health through intimate relationships between patients and coworkers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2024

PURPOSE: This pre-post intervention study aimed to examine the effects of a 12-week supervised modified Taekwondo exercise program on the functional fitness of community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: 10 participants (mean age: 72.3 ± 4.6 years) completed the program over a 12-week period. The intervention consisted of Taekwondo-based exercises modified for older persons. Changes to functional fitness were measured using the finger-to-nose test, functional reach test, timed up and go test, 30-second sit-to-stand test, 30-second arm curl test, Chester step test, chair sit-and-reach test, and back scratch test. Participants were assessed prior to the training and after the final training session, changes were measured using descriptive statistics and paired sample 't' tests. RESULTS: Effect sizes ranged from small to large (Cohen's d = .22 to 1.23). The exercise program was well- tolerated by participants, with a high level of engagement and no attrition for the duration of the program. Results showed significant improvements in most measures of functional fitness (p < .05) except for the back scratch test (p = .051). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a well-designed, supervised, modified Taekwondo exercise program can significantly improve functional fitness in older adults.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.22-37
• /
• 2005

This study was performed to investigate LBP(low-back pain) prevalence rate and its related factors inphysical therapists. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted to 522 physical therapists in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk. The LBP prevalence rate for recent 6 months was $61.7\%$. According to age, the prevalence rate was highest in the group aged 24 or less for both male and female physical therapistis. For male physical therapists , it was higher in smokers and drivers, but for female ones, it was not in a significant relationship with smoking and driving. According to work experience, the prevalence rates of those who had been working for less than one year were the highest, and those who had been working at hospitals and clinics were $69.1\%$, significantly high. According to therapy techinque, the prevalence rate related ti PNF was $71.6\%$, the highest and to occupational therapy was $34.3\%$, the lowest. According to working environment for six months, in both male and female physical therapists. LBP prevalence rate was in a statistically significant relationship with work hours during the day, night and weekend duties, repetitive works, motions that bend or twist the waist, the number of patients per day, the number of time to help patients per day, the number of time to carry medical equipment per day and the length of time to work standing. The rate was also higher when physical therapists fekt nire stress from their work. According to the result of multiple logistic regression analysis, male was in a significant relationship with work experience and motions that bend or twist the waist and female was in a significant relationship with work hours during the night and weekend duties, the number of time to help patients per day, motions that bena or twist the waist, actions taken to protect the waist. As for the developmental pattem of LBP in the group of physical therapists with LBP for six moths, $15.7\%$ of them had LBP for first time, $42.3\%$ had recurred LBP, and $42.0\%$ had chronic LBP. As for the causes of LBP, $51.7\%$ said that it was because they worked in the same posture for a long time, and as for how to treat LBP, 48.8% said that they treated themselvs or got help from their co-wokers. The results presented above suggest that physical therapists are exposed to high risk of LBP caused form occupational activities. Therefire, it is necessary to improve working environment to reduce the occurrence of LBP and to develop education programs for preventing the occurrence and recurrence of LBP.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.51-60
• /
• 2008

Background: The purpose of this study show the degree of physical therapy service and physical therapist according to medical institution by measuring and determining the factor affecting patient satisfaction in the Gimcheon city. Methods: For this study 100 questionnaires were distributed to medical institution, Gimcheon city from Jul 20 to Aug 5, 2008. The consisted of total 28 items. The contents item divided the general characteristics into nine heads, the satisfaction of physical therapy service into nine heads, and the physical therapy into ten heads. Survey data were collected by a written questionnaire. The collected date were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA. Results: There was difference with statistic value in physical therapy according to medical security and handicapped or non-handicapped(p<.05). There was difference with statistic value in physical therapy service and physical therapist according to medical institution. The score of patient satisfaction at welfare facilities was significantly lesser than other medical institution(p<.05). Conclusion: There was difference with statistic value in physical therapy service and physical therapist according to a number of patients of physical therapy a day.