• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.163-169
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• 2022

Background: It is estimated that about 13 million artisanal and small-scale miners carry out their activities under harsh, precarious, unfriendly, and risky conditions. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which these workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and navigate through the various risks and hazards they face is still limited. This article has two main objectives. First, it explores the extent of usage of PPE among artisanal and small-scale miners for the prevention of hazards and risks. Second, it examines the coping strategies used by these miners as a response to experiences of occupational injuries and risks Methods: A cross-sectional survey of small-scale miners was conducted in six communities across three districts in Ghana, West Africa. The mixed methods approach was adopted. A total of 148 small-scale miners participated in the study. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were held across the six communities. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationship between some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, and educational background) and the usage of PPE. Open-ended questions and responses from FGDs were analysed based on the content and verbatim quotations from miners. Results: Findings suggest that 78% of the miners interviewed do not use the appropriate PPE citing reasons such as cost, and their personal discomfort associated with use of PPE. There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, education and major mining activity) and the usage of PPE. The study further revealed four main coping strategies used by miners to handle the risks. These are rest, taking unprescribed medication and hard drugs, registration with health insurance scheme and savings and investments. Conclusion: This study shows that very few artisanal miners use PPE despite the significant hazards and risks to which they are exposed. The study recommends to the government to put in place measures to ensure that miners adhere to health and safety regulations before undertaking mining activities. This means that health and safety plans and use of PPE should be linked to the license acquisition process for miners.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.341-348
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to develop voluntary learning (talent donation) program as a liberal art lecture for students in G university to cultivate consideration towards others and community life. The title of the liberal education course that was developed was decided as "Beauty Talent Donation". The course objectives were to develop consideration for others and sociality required for community life as well as foster awareness of sharing and develop creative leaders equipped with outstanding characters through cosmetology voluntary service associated education. The final development of education contents were completed over 3 stages including preparation, development, and supplemented development and the major components consist of understanding talent donation, beauty theories, and beauty skills. For the assessment of the learners, absolute evaluation was applied so that personal goals can be achieved through the course instead of evaluating learners' learning capabilities with relative evaluation. Accordingly, a pass or fail system was designed. The beneficiary institution of talent donation was selected based on the following conditions. It is located within a short distance from the educational institution, walking distance for the learners, easy to recruit subjects to receive the support, and accurately understands the purpose of the lecture and willing to cooperate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.319-326
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• 2023

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the workload of healthcare workers (HCWs), impacting their health. This study aimed to assess sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and identify factors associated with poor sleep among HCWs in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1000 frontline HCWs were recruited from various healthcare facilities in Vietnam between October 2021 and November 2021. Data were collected using a 3-part self-administered questionnaire, which covered demographics, sleep quality, and factors related to poor sleep. Poor sleep quality was defined as a total PSQI score of 5 or higher. Results: Participants' mean age was 33.20±6.81 years (range, 20.0-61.0), and 63.0% were women. The median work experience was 8.54±6.30 years. Approximately 6.3% had chronic comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. About 59.5% were directly responsible for patient care and treatment, while 7.1% worked in tracing and sampling. A total of 73.8% reported poor sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression revealed significant associations between poor sleep quality and the presence of chronic comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17 to 5.24), being a frontline HCW directly involved in patient care and treatment (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.16), increased working hours (OR, 1.84; 95% CI,1.37 to 2.48), and a higher frequency of encountering critically ill and dying patients (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.95). Conclusions: The high prevalence of poor sleep among HCWs in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to that in other countries. Working conditions should be adjusted to improve sleep quality among this population.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.231-248
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• 2024

This study developed a chatbot for first-year high school students, employing open-source software and the Korean Sentence-BERT model for AI-powered document classification. The chatbot utilizes the Sentence-BERT model to find the six most similar Q&A pairs to a student's query and presents them in a carousel format. The initial dataset, built from online resources, was refined and expanded based on student feedback and usability throughout over the operational period. By the end of the 2023 academic year, the chatbot integrated a total of 30,819 datasets and recorded 3,457 student interactions. Analysis revealed students' inclination to use the chatbot when prompted by teachers during classes and primarily during self-study sessions after school, with an average of 2.1 to 2.2 inquiries per session, mostly via mobile phones. Text mining identified student input terms encompassing not only science-related queries but also aspects of school life such as assessment scope. Topic modeling using BERTopic, based on Sentence-BERT, categorized 88% of student questions into 35 topics, shedding light on common student interests. A year-end survey confirmed the efficacy of the carousel format and the chatbot's role in addressing curiosities beyond integrated science learning objectives. This study underscores the importance of developing chatbots tailored for student use in public education and highlights their educational potential through long-term usage analysis.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• 제28권8호
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• pp.860-869
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to suggest an instructional direction for improving scientific inquiry problem-finding ability of the scientifically-gifted. For this purpose, this study has made an in-depth analysis of the scientific inquiry problems generated by the scientifically-gifted in Problem-Finding Activity in Ill-structured Inquiry Situation (PFAIIS) and Problem-Finding Activity in Well-structured Inquiry Situation (PFAWIS). The results of this study turned out to be as follows: First, most of the problems generated in PFAIIS and PFAWIS could be categorized into seven types (measurement, method, cause, possibility, what, comparison, relationship) according to the inquiry objectives, while the frequency of each type shown in each inquiry objective was a little different. Second, the frequency of scientific concepts stated in inquiry problem was more in PFAWIS than in PFAIIS. But the scientific concepts were shown more diversely in PFAIIS than in PFAWIS. Therefore, results of this study have the following educational implications. First, it is necessary to offer various opportunities of problem-finding activity under ill-structured scientific Inquiry situation. Second, it is needed to emphasize that a new inquiry problem can be found out even during general scientific experiment and frequently to discuss inquiry problems generated during an experiment. Third, it is needed to encourage the scientifically-gifted to generate a scientific inquiry problem based on at least more than seven types.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.29.1-29.11
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• 2024

Background: Preservation of biological tissues has been used since ancient times. Regardless of the method employed, tissue preservation is thought to be a vital step in veterinary surgery teaching and learning. Objectives: This study was designed to determine the usability of chemically preserved cadaveric equine heads for surgical teaching in veterinary medicine. Methods: Six cadaveric equine heads were collected immediately after death or euthanasia and frozen until fixation. Fixation was achieved by using a hypertonic solution consisting of sodium chloride, sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, and an alcoholic solution containing ethanol and glycerin. Chemically preserved specimens were stored at low temperatures (2℃ to 6℃) in a conventional refrigerator. The specimens were submitted to gross and organoleptic assessment right after fixative solution injection (D0) and within 10, 20, and 30 days of fixation (D10, D20, and D30, respectively). Samples of tissue from skin, tongue, oral vestibule, and masseter muscle were collected for histological evaluation at the same time points. Results: Physical and organoleptic assessments revealed excellent specimen quality (mean scores higher than 4 on a 5-point scale) in most cases. In some specimens, lower scores (3) were assigned to the range of mouth opening, particularly on D0 and D10. A reduced the range of mouth opening may be a limiting factor in teaching activities involving structures located in the oral cavity. Conclusions: The excellent physical, histologic, and organoleptic characteristics of the specimens in this sample support their usability in teaching within the time frame considered. Appropriate physical and organoleptic characteristics (color, texture, odor, and flexibility) of the specimens in this study support the use of the method described for preparation of reusable anatomical specimens.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• 제75권
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• pp.7-31
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• 2023

Purpose of study: The purpose of this essay is to seek an alternative direction for confirmation education within the context of Korean Protestant Church, addressing the following issues: 1) Confusion in the use of terminology on confirmation, 2) Superficial understanding of confirmation, and the absence or privatization of confirmation theology, 3) Formalized confirmation education based on the concept of rites of passage, and 4) The absence of denominationally structured confirmation education. Research content and method: To achieve this purpose, this essay attempts to foster an intradisciplinary and interactive dialogue on confirmation through a biblical, historical, and theological approach. Biblically, confirmation is to be understood as the unity of the baptism of water and the baptism of Holy Spirit, associated with the consecration of the baptized as royal priests through the baptism of Holy Spirit. Historically, as a part of the rite of Christian initiation, confirmation was a unified rite that has undergone a process of separation and reunification. Theologically, the rite of confirmation affirms the covenant of the Triune God given in baptism and is positioned between baptism and the Lord's Supper. Conclusions and Suggestions: In conclusion, this essay suggests an alternative form of Confirmation education that is oriented towards the following objectives: 1) Education that forms the identity given in the baptismal covenant, 2) Education that reflects characteristics of both baptism and the Lord's Supper, 3) Education that integrates the Bible, doctrine, and life of confirmand and, 4) Education based on an organic educational system.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.36-49
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• 1973

This study was carried out for the objectives to collect the basic informations on the health behaviors of the elementary school children in an urban area in Korea. Seven hundred students were drawn to fill in the designed questionnaire which carries variety of Questions on health re-lated behaviors in general, eating habits, disease history, mental health, and sex education. Questionnaire were filled in by their parents. Major findings are as follows: ① 55.7% had habits of washing the hands before eating whereas 59.8% trashing their hands after toilet. The others had no idea of washing hands before eating and after toilet. ② 26,5% had habits of brushing the teeth twice a day 54.7% only once in the morning, and 2.6% once only in the evening. Thus, the idea of prevention from decayed teeth seems to be lacking among the school children. ③ Bathing habits were also inquired to get 40.3% of bathing more than once a week, 43.1% once every two weeks, and the rest of 16.6% once every one to three months. ④ 41.7% keep the regular bedding time whereas 58.3% irregular. Physical exercises were con-ducted by 76.6% on the ground while 23.5% did not practice any physical exercises at all. Of those physical exercises, rope skipping occupied 37.5%, and the other 66.9% consisted of 14 different kinds of individual type physical exercises such as gymnastic exercise. The main reasons for not enjoying exercises were different by sex; boys largely complained the inadequacy and lack of gymnastic facilities and girls felt in short of friends who could join the exercises. ⑤ 31.9% of the school children had been taking not much of food while 28.3% had unbalanced diets. Of these unbalanced diets, meat occupied 33.2% to be the priority to have an order of the following items such as vegetables, bread or noodle, and fishes as next to each. For eating habits, 88.5% take simple snack such as bread (38.4%, cookies, fruits, and candies in order. 25.8% of the children were provided such snacks or their parents regularly. Breakfast was sufficiently taken by 45.0% whereas 8.4% had never sufficiently. As to the lunch, 63.6% had sufficiently while 16.8% insufficiently. 70.6% take breakfast with all family members together and 30.4% separately. Correlation of sufficient taking of breakfast and eating together of tile family member's seems to be significant when we compare 72.5% of sufficient takers who enjoy breakfast together with the family members with 55.6% of insufficient takers who enjoy it with the family. This finding allows the investigator to point out the importance of table circumstances for children's eating. ⑥ The most common disease was catching a cold (38.8%), and the second was stomach trouble to be followed by the frequency of car sickness, headache, and skin infection. Doctors are consulted only by 23.9% when they are sick whereas 59.7% resorted to the drug stores. The lower the educational attainment of the parents, the lower the rate of visiting clinics. ⑦ 36.7% of their parents pointed out the problems of personality guidance as the most difficult thing at home 71.3% of their parents worried about and unsatisfied with their children's personality traits. Of these complains of the parents, impatience stood at the top to be tabulated at 24.1%, and 21.1% indicated narrow-mindedness. In line with this primary socialization at home, the most crucial problem seems to be related with the lack or recognition of the parents'own role when we find only 43.1% of the parents understood the importance of their own role for the home education of children; the latter group attributed tile responsibility of personality formation to the children themselves. ⑧ As to the sex educational aspects, 30.9% of children have ever asked about the physiology of reproduction or sexual matters to their parents, of those parents only 17.0% could give the constructive responses to the inquiries of the children. In companies on with these data, 25.6% recognized their own role in sex education for their own children while the large segments of the parents (51.1%) attributed the responsibility of sex education to tile low level of 38.3% who recognized the importance of sex education in the school curriculum and 25.1% of the parents insisted to wait until they get to know naturally about sex. 38.1% of the parents said they had some knowledge on sex from books while 16.9% through mass media. The next groups had common senses of sex from their own parents, school friends and other sources.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.205-215
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• 2002

Objectives: This study was designed to develop and evaluate a stage matched exercise intervention program to effectively increase exercise behaviors in urban elders. Methods: The study included three phases: preliminary descriptive data collection, program development, and program evaluation. The data for the preliminary descriptive phase were collected between May and June 2001. The study participants were 89 urban elders who responded a questionnaire that included general characteristics, exercise related experiences, stage, and process of change in exercise behaviors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, and content analysis. Development of the program was based on the preliminary data. and a literature review, and was guided by the tran theoretical model. It consisted of strategies to facilitate the process of changes used in each stage. Evaluation of the program was achieved from October to December 2001, using a case study method, in which eight urban female elders participated. Interviews were conducted on a weekly basis in the form of either an individual interview, or group discussion. Each elder subject received education in accordance with the program strategies and education materials. In the case that a subject's stage of change moved into another one, the scores for the process of change were re-measured. The data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. Results: The results were as follows: 1. Elders who participated in the preliminary data collection phase were over 75 years of age, and the majority of them were women. They had a higher educational level, and fewer number of illnesses than the subjects in other studies. Their stage of change was divided into pre-contemplation and maintenance. The social liberation scores were the highest across all stages of change. There was no difference between men and women on scores for processes of change in each stage. 2. The stage matched exercise intervention program that was developed in this study consisted of one counseling type program and three distinguished educational booklet materials. 3. The results of the case studies are as follows: 1) The study participants were 8 women between 75 and 87 years of age. At the first interviews, all of them were in the pre-contemplation stage. All of them reached the action stage before the 7th week. The scores for processes of change that were the focus in each stage increased more than the scores for other processes of change. During the early stages of change, experimental processes increased more than behavioral processes. However. this pattern was reversed during later stages of change. 2) Characteristics of the subjects in each stage were identical as presented at the tran theoretical model. The intervention strategies were effective in the transition occurred in any stage. 3) Barriers for exercise included unwillingness to exercise, fatigue, shortness of breath, and pain. Ways to overcome these barriers were 'learning an alternative exercise method that can be done at home', 'self-promising/ exercise-promising', and 'use of cues to exercise'. 4) The factors that affected the application of the program were consideration of age and personal preference in selecting an exercise pattern, individualized intervention, and use of education materials appropriate to elders. Women over 80 years of age preferred muscle strengthening and stretching exercise, because they can be easily done at home. They also preferred individualized interventions, materials that were easy to read, and education contents appropriate for elders. Conclusion: In conclusion, the stage matched exercise intervention program that considered the characteristics of the elders was effective to facilitate exercise behaviors of the elders.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.213-225
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• 1999

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate how the play habits, temperament, and environmental factors might affect childhood obesity. Methods : Two hundred sixty children, aged 4 through 6 years living in Seoul & Cheonan were surveyed by a questionnaire about the children's play habit and the parent's related factors such as weight, height, education, income. In addition the Korean version of the Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children and the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale were also administered to parents of those children. The height and weight of those children were measured and the percentage of body fat was measured by Bioelectrical Impedance Fatness Analyzer. Result : 1) Among 260 children, 25 children were considered to be obese on the basis of both obesity index and percentage of body fat. 2) Parents of obese children showed a significantly higher educational level(p<0.05) and mothers of obese children had significantly more jobs(p<0.05) and showed higher body mass index(p<0.05) than those of nonobese children. 3) By observing play habits of children, obese children spent significantly longer time in watching TV and video(p<0.05), while nonobese children showed a trend to play outside(p<0.1). 4) On the Korean version of the Parent Temperament Questionnaire for Children, obese children showed significantly less activity than nonobese ones(p <0.05). 5) Family of obese children had significantly higher point on subscale of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation and Moral-religious emphasis of the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale(p<0.05). 6) Percentage of body fat of obese children was correlated with children's watching TV time, activity level, scores of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation of the Korean version of the Family Environment Scale and the both parent's education levels(p<0.05). Conclusion : Obese children showed hypoactivity and more watching TV time. And obese children's both parent had higher educational level and their mother had higher Body Mass Index and more jobs. Family of obese children had higher point on items of Achievement orientation, Intellectual-cultural orientation and Moral-religious emphasis. Family environmental factors influence on children's obesity through interaction of genetic and behavioral-psychological factors concomittently.