• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• 제18권7호
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• pp.9-19
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the difference in suicide rates between regions and to determine the effect of social workers on the regional suicide rate. The main analysis results are as follows. First, the suicide rates in metropolitan cities were lower than was lower than in other regions, and cities and districts were lower than those in the county area. Second, suicide rates were high in areas with many cultural and social welfare facilities per population. Suicide rates were high in low mental health facilities and low social welfare budgets. The suicide rate in rural areas was high. Third, suicide rates were high in areas with low economic requirements, areas with a high proportion of the elderly, divorce rates, and areas with a small number of social security recipients and living alone. In other words, the suicide rate in rural areas was high. Finally, social workers did not affect the difference in local suicide rates. Local social services and budgets have no real impact on suicide rates. In the future, it is necessary to improve the quality and quantity of community welfare practices that can lower community suicide rates.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.441-455
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to describe beverage patterns among healthy Korean adults and investigate their association with prevalence and components of metabolic syndrome. Methods: Subjects consisted of 6,927 Korean adults, aged 19-64 years in the $6^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2013-2015). Beverages were regrouped into twelve groups based on food codes and beverage intake (g/day) was assessed by 24-hour recall. Factor analysis was used to obtain beverage patterns. Waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) were used as anthropometric data; fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL), and blood pressure were used as biochemical indicators. The odds ratio (OR) for prevalence of metabolic syndrome and components of metabolic syndrome was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Results: Three beverage patterns were identified using factor analysis: 1) carbonated soft drinks 2) coffee (without added sugar or powdered creamer), and 3) alcoholic beverages. Subjects with high scores for the carbonated soft drink and coffee without added sugar or powdered creamer patterns were younger and subjects with high scores for the alcoholic beverage pattern were older. There were significant differences in gender distribution in all three beverage patterns, with men more likely to have high scores for carbonated soft drink and alcoholic beverage patterns. On the other hand, women were more likely to have higher scores for coffee without added sugar or powdered creamer pattern. Within each pattern, there were significant differences in sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics such as education, household income, frequency of eating out, and smoking status according to the quartile of pattern scores. Alcoholic beverages and carbonated soft drinks patterns were associated with an increased levels of metabolic syndrome components, but coffee without added sugar or powdered creamer was not associated with any of metabolic syndrome components in healthy Korean adults after adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, weight management, household income, smoking status, frequency of eating out, and energy intake. Conclusions: Alcoholic beverages and carbonated soft drinks patterns are associated with increased levels of metabolic syndrome components while coffee without added sugar or powdered creamer pattern is not associated with any of metabolic syndrome components in healthy Korean adults.

• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
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• 제55호
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• pp.265-297
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• 2017

This study aims to provide basic information about the policy and system improvements relevant to single elderly men, through an investigation concerning the use and needs of activity spaces near their housing environments. Eighteen single elderly men over 60-years-old living in Gunsan city of Jeonbuk province in Korea participated in in-depth interview, and the data were qualitatively analyzed. The results of the study are as follows: The social networks of the participants were focused on friends or colleagues, while mutual exchanges with their children were intermittently undertaken. Natural networks of the elderly were formed mainly in third places, such as parks, restaurants, or community facilities, and about a half of the elderly participants had no spatial needs, and the rest required spaces for meal services, the elderly living community, jobs, leisure/hobby activities, or facility improvements. The elements influencing use of activity spaces were access from the residence, health, social networks, and economic conditions. The results suggest the following: Exercise or leisure facilities supporting elderly mobility should be set up close to their residential environments. Senior facilities centered on systematic supports and shuttle buses circulating around the places that the elderly visit frequently should be considered. On the other hand, regular maintenance and education on residents' proper use of the facilities, and sufficient information and fee discounts for the general programs are needed so that the elderly could interact with the younger generation. From a public perspective, a rational system and policy based on understanding single elderly men's needs should be prepared for provision and management of the activity space.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.141-149
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to identify the intention to use of information and communication technology(ICT) for the elderly residing in community based on the theory of planned behavior. The subjects were 99 elderly aged 60 or older living in G and S cities from January 1 to 31 in 2020 using questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 program for descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, multiple regression. As a result, the mean of the attitude to use of ICT for the elderly was 3.79±0.74, subjective norm was 3.43±0.66, perceived behavioral control was 3.12±0.71, behavior intention was 3.23±0.77. The intent to use of ICT for the elderly are subjective norm(β=.35, p<.001), perceived behavior control(β=.35, p<.001), had an explanatory power of 48.7%. Therefore, it is necessary that systematic program considering the above factors for elderly residing in community to promote the intent to use of ICT.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.177-187
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated the different perceptions of customers toward traditional and non-traditional fast-food restaurants regarding restaurant healthfulness, corporate reputation, and the impact of corporate reputation on loyalty intentions through corporate social responsibility (CSR) motive. Methods: An online survey was conducted on U.S. residents who were aware of fast food restaurants' CSR activities. Participants selected one fast food restaurant participating in CSR activities, coded as either traditional (n = 117) or non-traditional (n = 48), and answered questions about the selected restaurant's healthfulness, reputation, CSR motives, and loyalty intentions. The participants' perceptions of healthfulness and corporate reputation of the two types of fast-food restaurants were compared. A mediation path of corporate reputation - CSR motive - loyalty intention was analyzed. Results: Non-traditional fast-food restaurants (5.02 ± 1.26) were perceived to be more healthful than traditional ones (3.93 ± 1.72). The participants perceived that compared to traditional fast-food restaurants, non-traditional ones had a better overall corporate reputation (P = 0.037), were more concerned about their customers (P = 0.029), better workplaces (P = 0.007), more environmentally and socially responsible (P < 0.001), and offered higher quality products and services (P = 0.042). Significant positive correlations were shown between restaurant healthfulness and corporate reputation (P < 0.001 for all reputation items). The suggested mediation path was supported with 95% CIs excluding zero, implying that when fast-food restaurants had a better reputation overall, were customer oriented, good employers, strong companies with a good product and service quality, social and environmental responsibility, the participants were more likely to perceive their CSR activities to be sincere and were hence loyal to that restaurant. Conclusions: Overall, participants were more favorable towards non-traditional fast-food restaurants which had a healthier image and better reputation than traditional ones. Therefore, fast food restaurants need to consider offering healthy food and enhance their image, which would maximize the return on their investment in CSR.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• 제18권12호
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• pp.389-399
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• 2020

Diverse official policies in community are available for caregivers to take care of the elderly in the US and the UK. This study aims to examine the recent changes in government supports based on The Recognize, Assist, Include Support and Engage (RAISE) in the US, and those by Carer Act 2014 in the UK, to take any good lessons for Korean policy. Caregivers will play a new role to develop innovative treatment for patient-centered care. The UK strengthens to provide various efforts for working carers while assuring economic efficiency in labor market with empirical evidence. The major four ways to support carers were developed agreed with the acknowledge of caregiving value and their human right; financial support, direct services for carers, flexible work time, and advocacy. Korean supports policies for carers in long-term care and social welfare will be more effective in community care system if more evidence based policies are prepared.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.303-311
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• 2022

Recently the telemedicine platform firms which have been temporarily permitted since COVID-19 outbreak have increasingly provided online prescription drugs delivery, causing concerns among incumbent providers of medicine, some of whom began to take aggressive actions again them. In this study, using game theoretic market entry - deterrence model, we show that although the incumbent medicine provider can effectively deter entry by the telemedicine platform firms by its preemptive action, accommodation could be a optimal action when telemedicine platform firms already have penetrated the market with their being permitted to do business due to the COVID-19. However, for the incumbent to cooperate for the successful change in the retail market for medicines, policies like placing a ceiling on the maximum number of taking prescriptions by the pharmacists a day in the telemedince platform network, providing favorable exposure of community pharmacists on the telemedicine platform user interface, and allowing community pharmacies to participate as shareholders of the telemedicine platform firms in its initial public opening of capital, are suggested.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제53권3호
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• pp.241-254
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• 2020

Three introduced fish species, Japanese white crucian carp (Carassius cuvieri Temminck and Schlegel, 1846), bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepède, 1802) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819), are dominant fishes in Korean freshwater ecosystem. In this study, we analyzed habitat environment conditions of these three species and their impacts to fish communities in streams across South Korea. Fish community data were obtained from the database of the Stream/River Ecosystem Survey and Health Assessment program maintained by the Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Environmental Research, Korea. Our results showed that species richness and Shannon diversity of fish were higher at the presence sites of introduced fish than at the absence sites. However, when the abundance of these introduced fish species was increased, the species richness and abundance of fish were decreased. An association analysis showed that the introduced fish species had a low similarity in their appearance with some indigenous fishes such as Siniperca scherzeri and Channa argus and some endemic fishes of Korea such as Zacco koreanus, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae, and Acheilognathus yamatsutae. In addition, the introduced fish species had a low appearance similarity with a large number of fishes in their association networks. Finally, our results presented that these introduced fish species influenced the negative impacts to the stream fish communities, and they were potential risk factors for fish community in Korean freshwater ecosystem. Therefore, it is necessary that continuous monitoring and establishment of management strategy for introduced fish species to preserve fish resource and biodiversity in the Korean streams.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.167-180
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• 2012

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate an education program for cardiocerebrovascular high-risk patients. Methods: This program was developed according to Tyler's model for curriculum development. To evaluate the effects of this program, we measured clinical outcome change (weight, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure) and behavior change stages (checking blood pressure, blood sugar levels, doing physical activity, consistent maintenance of food intake, eating low amounts of salt, abstention from tobacco and alcohol) before and 4 weeks after participation in the education program. The group of subjects consisted of High-risk group patients who attended basic program(32 patients), and staged program(37 patients) during KHyDDI meetings from Oct. 2009 to May 2010. Results: The staged educational program was developed three aspects(disease, nutrition and exercise)and three stages(basic, in-depth and individual education). In the staged education program, the evaluations were made by measuring clinical outcome and stage of behavior before and after education. Significant differences were found in waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, consistent maintenance of food intake(p<0.05), and eating low salt(p<0.001)and their self efficacy. Conclusion: In the practice-oriented staged education program, significant differences were found in the clinical outcomes and stage of behavior before and after education. Possible limitations of the study include the small number of participating subjects and the short follow-up management period, but the results indicate that continued application of this program could contribute to the prevention of cardiocerebrovascular diseases for the elderly patients with long periods of chronic diseases.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.84-98
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• 2022

Estuary is important in terms of biodiversity because it has the characteristics of transition waters, created by the mixing of fresh- and seawater. The estuarine water circulation provides a variety of habitats with different environments by inducing gradients in the chemical and physical environment, such as water quality and river bed structure, which are ultimately the main factors influencing biological community composition. If the water circulation is interrupted, the loss of brackish areas and the interception of migration of biological communities will lead to changes in the spatial distribution of biodiversity. In this study, among the sites covered by the Estuary Aquatic Ecosystem Health Assessment, we selected study sites where changes in biodiversity can be assessed by spatial gradient from the upper reaches of the river to the lower estuarine area. The α-, γ- and β-diversity of diatom, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish communities were calculated, and they were divided into open and closed estuary data and compared to determine the trends in biodiversity variation due to estuarine circulation. As results, all communities showed higher γ-diversity at open estuary sites. The benthic macroinvertebrate community showed a clear difference between open and closed estuaries in β-diversity, consequently the estuarine transects were considered as a factor that decreases spatial heterogeneity of their diversity among sites. The biodiversity trends analyzed in this study will be used to identify estuaries with low γ- and β-diversity by community, providing a useful resource for further mornitoring and management to maintain estuarine health.