• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.151-165
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• 2005

Objectives: This study was to examine those life style factors which could affect the changes of health status indices such as ADL and IADL of the Elderly living in rural community. Methods: The subjects of the study were 1,295 elderly people of age over 65 years living in Gyungbook Sung-Ju area selected by random sampling for one month at October 1996. After 4 years, the follow-up study in those subjects were performed, ADL, IADL and general characteristics were measured. Those subjects who had shown high functional health status in first investigation were measured as how their health were changed in relation with their general characteristics and life styles in second investigation. Results: The factor analysis were performed in life style questions, and 6 factors composed of 15 questions of all were selected as the indices of life style. For ADL level, logistic regression analysis, age and educational level in men, and age and economic status in women had significant relation with health status change. Among life style factors, diet factor in men and diet factor, social activity factor in women were found to be significantly related. For IADL level, simple analysis showed that age in men and age, education level in women among general characteristics had related with health status change. Among life style factors, diet factor, stress relieving factor were related in women when general characteristics were also controlled diet factor, stress relieving factor were related in women. Conclusions: In order to prevent functional health status altering in the elderly, it is recommended that the intervention which could promote healthy life styles such as good diet habit, active social participation, and pertinent stress relieving should be considered.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.85-97
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• 2008

Objectives: This study was designed to understand the oral health knowledge & conduct of middle-school students, search for the learning objective and the educational method in line with the subjects and of utilizing as the basic data for an effective oral health-care program. Methods: The samples to achieve the purpose of this research are composed of 139 students in middle-school, OO county. Chungcheongbuk-do, the number of male students 64, and female students 75. Data were statistically analyzed by frequency analysis, $x^2$-test or Fisher's exact test by using SPSS WIN Ver. 12.0. Results: Among items on oral-health knowledge in middle-school students. the awareness ratio on a cause and preventive method for oral disease was surveyed to be lower than the awareness ratio on symptoms of oral disease. As a result of examining by comparing knowledge and behavior on the time of tooth brush. both awareness and behavior were the level of 50% or less than it. In particular, 46.2% perceived after lunch. but practice just accounted for 33.0%. The frequency of tooth brush a day was the largest in a case(47.5%) of doing twice a day. However. there was also the response (5.8%) with saying of brushing once or not brushing even once. Thus, the practice of tooth brush was surveyed to be very low even if being a minority of students. The frequency of taking a light meal was 68.8% in less than twice a day. However, even students of taking more than five times were surveyed to be 9.8%. Out of the whole-body health in over 50%-59.9%. the oral health was surveyed to be perceived to be very important. Compared to the awareness level on importance of a tooth, the ratio of visiting a dentistry was analyzed to be very low. Conclusions: The study results suggest that the school oral-health project was examined to have the necessity of being expanded and carried out even in middle-and-high schools, by which the specific oral-health promotion program including oral-health education in this period is developed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.161-175
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• 2014

Objectives: This study investigates the prevalence of suicide ideation and its the related factors by gender among Korean adults. Methods: National cross-sectional data from the database of the first and second year of $5^{th}$ Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1, V-2) were used for this study. 13,165 adults (${\geq}20$ years) were included in this analysis. Results: The prevalence of suicide ideation was 9.8% for men, 18.9% for women. Renal failure, depression, melancholy, stress, perceived health status, and smoking were significant risk factors among both men and women for suicide ideation. Divorced, separated or widowed of marital status and severe physical activity were related factors of suicide ideation for men. Low educational attainment, and alcohol dependency were associated factors of suicide ideation for women. Conclusions: There was gender difference of prevalence and risk factors of suicide ideation. These gender differences should be considered for planning and implementing suicide prevention program.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.176-186
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• 2014

Objectives: As a sequel to the former analysis of the quality of life (QoL) among young-old and old-old in Korea, this research was aimed to identify factors related to the quality of life and the gender difference after controlling for the related factors among Korean elderly. Methods: Selected elderly data of 1,339 subjects from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2010 was analyzed. In this survey, QoL was measured using Euro Quality of Life (EQ-5D) instrument. Data were analyzed using complex survey data analysis on IBM-SPSS 20.0. The related factors were identified using general linear models with backward elimination. The gender difference was tested also using general linear models. Results: The distributions of educational level, family income level, and presence of cohabitant were different between male and female elderly in both young-old and old-old age group. So were the health behaviors and perceived health, and experience of stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. QoL and its subscales- mobility, self care, daily living, pain and discomfort, and anxiety and depression- were consistently better among male elderly regardless of age group. Among the variables considered, education, family income level, presence of cohabitant, perceived health, age group and BMI were found to be related to the QoL at p=.05, and presence of chronic diseases at p=.10. The difference in QoL between male and female elderly after controlling for the variables was statistically significant. Conclusion: Improving QoL is particularly important for the elderly. In order to improve QoL of the elderly, age- and gender- differences need to be considered when developing services and programs for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.832-859
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• 2011

The importance of scientific education on accurate oceanic currents and circulation has been increasingly addressed because the currents have played a significant role in climate change and global energy balance. The objectives of this study are to analyze errors of the oceanic current maps in the textbooks, to discuss a variety of error sources, to suggest how to produce a unified oceanic current map of the East Sea for the students. Twenty-seven textbooks based on the 7th National Curriculum were analyzed and quantitatively investigated on the characteristics of the current maps by comparing with both the previous literature and up-to-date scientific knowledge. All the maps in the textbooks with different mappings were converted to digitalized image data with Mercator mapping using geolocation information. Detailed analysis were performed to investigate the patterns of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) in the Korea Strait, to examine how closely the nearshore branch of the TWC flows along the Japanese coast, to scrutinize the features of the offshore branch of the TWC south of the subpolar front in the East Sea, to quantitatively investigate the northern range of the northward-propagating East Korea Warm Current and its latitude turning to the east, and lastly to examine the outflow of the TWC near the Tsugaru Strait and the Soya Strait. In addition, the origins, southern limits, and distances from the coast of the Liman Current and the North Korea Cold Current were analyzed. Other erroneous expressions of the currents in the textbooks were presented. These analyses revealed the problems in the present current maps of the textbooks, which might lead the students to misconception. This study also addressed a necessity in a bridge between scientists with up-to-date scientific results and educators who needed educational materials.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2012

Objectives: To survey the awareness of patient to scrub typhus to provide data for education and communication concerning scrub typhus. Methods: Patients with scrub typhus (case group, n=299) and people without scrub typhus within the previous 2 years (control group, n=598) were matched for age (within 5 years), gender, and occupation (farmer or non-farmer). The participants were recruited from 15 study areas between October and December 2006. Results: The awareness rate of scrub typhus was 75.1%, and was significantly higher than in the case group (79.4% vs. 66.6%, respectively; p<0.01). The major routes of awareness were from 'past history of scrub typhus in family members or neighbors' (54.9%), 'television' (28.3%), and their past history of scrub typhus (5.5%). The average correct rate of scrub typhus was 48.4%, and the correct response rate of cases was significantly higher than controls (p<0.01). Especially, the correct rate of etiology, incubation period, route of transmission, and acquired immunity was <40%. Through conditional logistic regression test, the factor significantly associated with awareness in case group was age (odds ratio [OR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.98). And the factors associated with awareness in control group were female (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.03-2.36) age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99), family history of scrub typhus (OR, 10.18; 95% CI, 1.37-75.99), history of receiving prevention education (OR, 8.47; 95% CI, 1.14-63.00). Conclusions: The rate of awareness was relatively low in study population. Thus, effective working guidelines and educational program to prevent scrub typhus must be developed, and publicity activities about the prevention of scrub typhus are needed for high-risk groups.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 1999

Objectives: An outbreak of dermatosis occurred at a city gas manufacturing factory in Pohang in Aug, 1998. The authors conducted a study to find the cause and prevent the dermatosis, Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of 73 workers in the factory twice, once or Aug. 14th and then Sept. 11th, 1998. Also, a dermatologist examined their skin lesions. We suspected ants as the cause, so we collected them for identification. Results: Twelve cases of dermatosis were identified with an attack rate of 16.4%. The attack rates were not different by age, educational level or tenures. The attack rates were 66.6% among production workers, 2.0% among clerical workers, 16.7% among tank trailer drivers and 0% among guards. The attack rate among production workers was significantly higher than that of the others (<0.01). There were no histories of the same dermatosis for the past one year. Histories of other skin diseases and allergies were very rare in both cases with skin diseases and control. Multiple, pruritic, rice-grained to bean sized erythemafous macules or papules with a central biting point could be found after initial severe itching occurred, Three cases showed signs of dermatosis with an allergic nature. The onset of dermatosis was between July 30 and Aug 12 and the durations varied from 5 days to over a month. The most frequent sites of stir lesions were the chest and abdomen (60.6%), and they were also observed on the neck (33.3%), arms (33.3%), shoulders (16.7%) and back (16.7%). Over 10 ants with their wings were collected in the work place and identified as Pachycondyla chinensis, subfamily Ponerinae. Conclusions : We thought that the outbreak of dermatosis was brought about by the ants flying into the work place through the open windows. Further studies on the factors contributing to the prosperity of the ants in this area are needed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.137-153
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• 2000

In this study. 'extended science investigation' was conceptualized as a comprehensive science investigation contrasted with exercise of process and skill component and cookbook style experiment. The extended investigations should be pursued for giving opportunity of more authentic science activities in school science. And one of important educational objectives in students' science investigations is to achieve motivation for investigation which drives and triggers further investigations. It can be discerned as positive and negative by its direction and also as internal and external by its cause. The purpose of this study was to describe change of students' motivation for investigation while they were performing the extended science investigations. The subject was 128 7th grader attending coeducational school in Seoul. Questionnaires and students' reports were analysed complementarily to describe students' motivation for investigation. The number of students who showed positive motivation for investigation did not increase in the developed extended investigations than in the directive investigations in textbook, but the cause of positive motivation for investigation has changed largely from task-exclusive factors to task-inclusive factors. In case of negative motivation for investigation, regardless of the kind of investigation task, task-inclusive factors were recognized as the main causes. Among those whose motivation changed during successive extended investigations, the students who showed change from negative to positive were more than the reverse. And the number of positive intrinsic motivation for investigation was increased at the second half of the extended science investigations. So it can be said that there was a desirable change of motivation for investigation at the second half the extended science investigations.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.89-99
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• 2016

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the prevalence and factors relating to handwashing with soap among Korean adults. Methods: Study subjects consist of 755 adults who have been contacted in September 2013 via telephone surveys. The data collected has been analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-square test and a logistic regression analysis. A primary purpose is to understand the prevalence of handwashing with soap more than 8 times daily and for 30 seconds per wash among adults. Independent variables include socioeconomic levels, the participants' perception and knowledge of handwashing and their educational experiences relating to handwashing. Results: The overall percentile of people who wash their hands with soap 8 time per day for 30 seconds or more per wash was 16.0%, which is 121 people out of 755 study subjects. In univariate analysis, age, education levels, monthly average income, handwashing habits, perceptions relate to the importance of handwashing, self-assessment of handwashing, environment of public toilet, and the completion of handwashing education shows significant result. Significant differences also appear (p<0.05) in logistic regression analysis on binary variables. There is a strong correlation between daily frequency of handwashing and willingness to wash hands while outside. For example, people who wash their hands very often while outside are 2.24 times (95% C.I. 1.29-3.87) more likely to practice handwashing with soap 8 times per day for 30 seconds or more per wash than those people who only intermittently wash their hands while outside. Furthermore, people with general unwillingness to wash their hands while outside are 4.61 times (95% C.I. 1.22-3.28) less likely to practice handwashing with soap 8 times per day for 30 seconds or more per wash than those with general willingness. Conclusions: This study has been carried out to identify the decision factors in practicing handwashing with soap for Korean adults. In univariate analysis, age, education level, monthly average income, handwashing habits, handwashing self-assessment, public toilet environment, completion of handwashing education and so forth have been identified to be the decision factors. This study result shows that the overall level of cleanliness of public toilet perceives to be poor and it suggests that the environment of public toilet needs to be enhanced. As the handwashing habits and handwashing-self assessment have been identified to be the significant decision factors for handwashing, there search and approach in these factors need to be developed further.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.287-300
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• 2010

Objectives: We identified factors associated with any participation and with "good participation" (as assessed by frequency of attendance) in health promotion programs at a public health center in Korea. Methods: The subjects included 199 women who attended a baseline examination of health promotion programs during the first half of 2009. We collected data by structured interviews and physical examinations. Participation status was quantified by the frequency of attendance to the program. We classified the subjects as non-participants (0) and participants (1+ times), and as poor participants (0-29 times) and good participants (30+ times). Results: Of the 199 subjects, there were 57 (28.6%) non-participants, while 56 (28.1%) were classified as good participants. The factors that significantly affected participation status, as identified by univariate analysis, were personal factors (age, educational level, marital status, religion, living with someone, monthly income), environmental factors (method of access, accessibility of other facilities), body mass index, hypertension, perceived barriers to health, emotional salience, affectionate domain of social support, and depression. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that method of access was the most significant factor affecting participation in the health promotion program, and that the factors most highly associated with good participation were emotional salience, hypertension and body mass index. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that specific factors determine and enhance participation in health promotion programs offered by public health centers. These factors should be considered during the design and evaluation of health promotion programs that are offered by public health centers.