• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.149-164
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The economic recession caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic disproportionately affected poor and vulnerable populations globally. Better uunderstanding of vulnerability to shocks in food supply and demand in the Asia Pacific region is needed. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Using secondary data from rapid assessment surveys during the pandemic response (n = 10,420 in mid-2020; n = 6,004 in mid-2021) in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, this study examined the risk factors for reported income reduction or job loss in mid-2021 and the temporal trend in food security status (household food availability, and market availability and affordability of essential items) from mid-2020 to mid-2021. RESULTS: The proportion of job loss/reduced household income was highest in India (60.4%) and lowest in Indonesia (39.0%). Urban residence (odds ratio [OR] range, 2.20-4.11; countries with significant results only), female respondents (OR range, 1.40-1.69), engagement in daily waged labor (OR range, 1.54-1.68), and running a small trade/business (OR range, 1.66-2.71) were significantly associated with income reduction or job loss in three out of 4 countries (all P < 0.05). Food stock availability increased significantly in 2021 compared to 2020 in all four countries (OR range, 1.91-4.45) (all P < 0.05). Availability of all essential items at markets increased in India (OR range, 1.45-3.99) but decreased for basic foods, hygiene items, and medicine in Vietnam (OR range, 0.81-0.86) in 2021 compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). In 2021, the affordability of all essential items significantly improved in India (OR range, 1.18-3.49) while the affordability of rent, health care, and loans deteriorated in Indonesia (OR range, 0.23-0.71) when compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term social protection programs need to be carefully designed and implemented to address food insecurity among vulnerable groups, considering each country's market conditions, consumer food purchasing behaviors, and financial support capacity.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2189-2198
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• 2012

This study was designed to measure the difference in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among social classes and explore the factors that may explain it. Study subjects were 7,992 Korean adults aged 20-69 from the 4th (2007-2009) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys data. We described mean value of EQ-5D index as a HRQOL by class and performed hierarchical multiple regression analysis to find the factors. The result was as follows. In the distribution of EQ-5D index level among social classes, new middle class (class II) had the highest score (0.966 in men and 0.955 in women); upper and middle-upper class (class I) 0.965 in men and 0.936 in women; working class (class IV) 0.958 in men and 0.936 in women; old middle class (class III) 0.955 in men and 0.932 in women; low class (class VI) 0.941 in men and 0.908 in women; and rural self-management class (class V) the lowest score (0.918 in men and 0.866 in women). In men, chronic disease, job stress, education and income level were found to make the difference in the health-related quality of life among social classes; in women, those factors and health behavior explained the difference. In conclusion, the lower social class has lower HRQOL. Except for education and income level, chronic disease may be the major factor to explain the difference in the health-related quality of life among social classes.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.179-198
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• 2021

Purpose: This study examined general characteristics, health status, accessibility to medical services, health-related quality of life, dietary behavior, and energy and nutrient intakes of the elderly at different levels of food security utilizing data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). Methods: The elderly subjects (1,721 males and 2,271 females) were divided into 3 groups (secure, mildly insecure, moderately/severely insecure) according to their food security levels. Health and nutrient status was determined using energy intake, nutrient density, the prevalence of insufficient nutrient intake, dietary behavior, and health status. Results: The elderly with food insecurities had a lower self-evaluated health status and a higher prevalence of physician-diagnosed chronic diseases such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis for males, and hypertension, stroke, arthritis, and osteoarthritis for females. The associated financial burden was the major reason for not accessing medical services in the food insecure group. Furthermore, the food insecure group had a higher risk of impaired health-related quality of life compared to the secure group. The proportion of subjects with an energy intake below the estimated energy requirement was higher in the food insecure group and a significantly higher prevalence of insufficient intake was observed for all the nutrients (proteins, vitamin A, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, niacin, vitamin C, calcium, and iron) assessed in this study compared to the food secure group. Conclusion: This study suggests that food insecurity poses a challenge to the health and nutritional status of the elderly population in Korea and needs proper management. It would be helpful to develop food and nutrition assistance programs to ensure the food stability of the elderly population and assure quality to address gaps in their nutrient intake.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.11-23
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• 1978

This study is based on data from the nutritional and clinical survey in Chung Nam area, namely Myl-Yang-Ri, Yoon-Gok-Myon, Chyung Yang Koon. Under the direction of two Nutrition professors and two clinical pathology professors it was carried by 35 Dae Jeun medical Junior College students majoring in nutrition and clinical pathology from 18 July to 25 July 1978. The nutrition surveys were carried out with subjects in village from a total 67 households, 36 of them were randomly selected. The clinical surveys were carried out with subjects in village from a total 382 inhabitant, 154 inhabitant were randomly selected and 109 peoples were subjected to stool examination. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows. 1) Nutritional survey a) Food Intake The average food intake per person per day in survey area was 929.9 grams (95.5% in vegetables and 4.5% in animal foods). The average consumption of the basicfood groups per person per day was 965g for meats and legumes (10.4% of the total food in take). 268.9g for fruits and vegetables (29% of the total food intake), 559.1g for cereals and potatoes(60.1% of the total food intake), 5.2g for milk and small fishes and 0.2g for fats and oils. b) Nutrient Intake The average daily consumption of calories and nutrients was 2054.1 kcal and 61.2g for total proteins, 223.2mg for calcium, 9.5mg for iron, 4914.4 IU for vitamin A, 1.5mg for thiamin, 1.2mg for riboflavin, 19.9mg for niacin and 54.7mg for ascorbic acid. When these figures are compared with the recommended allowances for Korean, the calories and nutrients intakes were insufficient. Especially the intakes of the calcium were lower than the recommended allowance which are 500 milligrams per day. c) Kinds of food stuffs consumed The kinds of food stuffs consumed by the subjects were 47 figures total. Generally these kinds of food were vegetables food. 2) Clinical Survey a) The mean value of hemoglobin from 72 males was 13.2g/dl, that of 82 females was 12.3g/dl. b) The proportion of low hemoglobin (<12.2g/dl for male and <11.3g/dl fo female) for male was 20.8%, females was 11.0% and from 24 male & female (both sexes) were 15.6% c) The mean value of Hematocrit of males was 39.6%, that of females was 37.4%. d) The mean value of MCHC of males was 33.9%, that of females was 33.6%. e) The ABO blood group was distributed as following; 30.5%, for group O, 29.2% for group A, 24.0% for group B, and 16.3% for AB group. Biochemical race index was 1.13. f) The over all prevalence rate of heminthic infectious by rate of each helminth was as following; Ascaris lumbricoides 33.9%, Thrichocephalus trichiurus 11.9%, Hookworm 0.9%, Hymenolepis diminuta 0.9%, Trichostromgylus orientalis 0.9% and the prevalence rate of two more helminthic infection was 7.2%.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.153-202
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• 2014

Aside from political leaders' popularity rates and the stock exchange index of business firms, ordinary people are highly interested in aspects of daily life, such as housing, income, health, family, food, human relations and work. Cross-national opinion polls on daily-life satisfaction were carried out in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macao, the Philippines, India, Myanmar, Taiwan, China, Malaysia and Pakistan in the fall of 2013 and winter 2014. The percent difference index (PDI) is formulated as the sum of two positive responses (satisfied and somewhat satisfied) minus the sum of two negative responses (dissatisfied and somewhat dissatisfied). Percent difference indices are given according to society and daily-life aspects. For our analysis to go beneath national average and to go beyond national borders, two lines of analysis are carried out. First, the distance between the level of satisfaction of the top and bottom quartiles is given for each society and according to each of the daily-life aspects. Second, the regional sum of satisfaction of the top quartiles and bottom quartiles are shown crossed by daily-life aspects. In this article we confine ourselves to preliminary comparative description and analysis. More solid and deep comparisons will be carried out by local polling leaders of 12 Asian societies in the succeeding issue of the Asian Journal of Public Opinion Research. Nevertheless, two key threads stand out from this preliminary comparisons. First, social relations (family and human relations) stand out as most satisfied aspects of life in most of twelve societies. Second, the need to go beneath national averages and beyond national borders in analyzing cross-national surveys is confirmed. The comparability and validity of cross-national surveys with varying sampling method and survey mode are briefly discussed toward the end of the article.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.92-102
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• 2016

In this study, the systems and standards for temporary equipment and materials established in domestic and foreign countries are examined to provide improvement schemes and to insure their safety. Statistical analyses of the data obtained from the internet and/or field visit surveys of employees working in manufacturing, leasing, and construction companies related to temporary equipment and materials and improvement schemes were conducted to evaluate the implementation of a safety certification system for currently used temporary equipment and materials. This safety certification system has been enforced since 2009, but the number of accidents at construction sites, which are reported by the 'serious accident cases and measures in construction sites' group of the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA), has increased. The respondents' answers regarding the suitability of the items, which are required for the safety certification of the equipment and materials, were 'yes (36%)', 'no (30%)', and 'unknown (35%)'. Less than half of the answers regarding the current system were positive and most of the respondents answered that the current system does not reflect the evolution of the construction environment. A system is needed to approve items certified in foreign countries and newly developed materials and items, in addition to the (automatic) registration for the reuse of temporary equipment and materials, and improvements are needed in their safety. In this study, after examining the size and practicability of the items requiring approval from the current system, the certification methods are reevaluated and improvement schemes are provided for the system.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.87-92
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• 1986

The present surveys were conducted in attempts to investigate the health situation of horses in Korea through mass-screening the samples serologically, bacteriologically and clinically. A total of 575 horses were sampled randomly, comprising 126 from the Korean Horse Affairs Association, 288 from the Korean Equestrian Federation and 161 from the Jeju ponies. Each of the samples taken was tested for diagnoses of 18 horse diseases including African horse sickness. Summarised below are the results obtained from this surveys. 1. From results of the serological survey it is evident that Korea is currently free from African horse sickness, dourine, glanders, vesicular stomatits, equine piroplasmosis, equine viral arteritis, Venezuelan encephalomyelitis and contagious equine metritis. Constant vigilence with strengthened quarantine measures is thus vital for maintaining freedom of any those diseases in Korea. 2. No clinical case was observed with any of signs or symptoms of infectious lymphangitis, anthrax and infestations with ringworm, mange or scab. However, continuous follow-up is required for establishing the evidence of no occurrence of the diseases in Korea. 3. One case of seropositive to equine infectious anemia may fully justify systematic and regular testings for the whole population of horse in Korea. 4. It is manifested that equine rhinopneumonitis, Japanese encephalitis and Getah virus infection are well established in Korea, together with the presence of equine infectious abortion(Salmonella abortus equi). This strongly entails preventive precautions before entry into Korea for the horses participating in the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.142-156
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• 2020

This study surveyed Gyeongan Stream, a tributary of the Han River Drainage System, from April to October 2017 to investigate the characteristics of fish communities. The survey collected 40 species of 11 families from 48 survey stations using kick nets and cast nets. The dominant and subdominant species were Zacco platypus (48.0%) and Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (17.7%), respectively. The next most abundant species were Pungtungia herzi (6.8%), Z. koreanus (5.0%), Carassius auratus (4.3%), Squalidus gracilis majimae (2.7%), and Rhodeus notatus (2.5%). Among the fish collected, 14 species (35.0%) were Korean endemic species, and the exotic species were Micropterus salmoides, Lepomis macrochirus, and Cyprinus carpio (Israeli type). The land-locked species were Plecoglossus altivelis, Rhinogobius brunneus, and Cottus koreanus, while the species sensitive to climate change was C. koreanus. The community analysis showed that the dominance was higher at the uppermost stream station, whereas diversity and abundance tended to be lower at the upstream station and higher toward the downstream station. The community structure was largely divided into rivers (uppermost stream, upstream, and middle-lower stream) and lake. The river health was mostly good (23 stations, 47.9%) and fair (15 stations, 31.3%). Comparison with past surveys showed that 12 species identified in the past surveys did not appear in this survey; nine species appeared for the first time in this survey; and the ecosystem disturbance species - M. salmoides and L. macrochirus - tended to spread more widely gradually.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.419-427
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• 2014

Purpose: We propose an effective marketing strategy for eyeglasses stores on the basis of surveys about the relationships between customers' social values, customer satisfaction and selecting glasses store. Methods: All 245 surveys were conducted about customers had visited the eyeglasses store located in Seoul and Northern Gyeonggi-do regions from January 1 to June 30, 2014, and it were analyzed by SPSS v.20.0 statistical package program. Results: The order of customers' social values factors which have an influence on 'Selecting Store' is "Society oriented", "Ability oriented", "Freedom oriented" and "Happiness oriented". Also, the order of customers' social values factors which have an influence on satisfaction is "Society oriented", "Ability oriented". In addition, Customer Satisfaction is affected by Service, one of the factor of 'Selecting Store' factors. Conclusions: Each type of marketing activities should be conducted for customers by their various values. The best plan to elicit good reactions from customers is meeting them through "Society-oriented" factors. Meeting with customers through the "Ability-oriented" factors is second only to the best option. It is shown that the method to increase the satisfaction for customers' return visit is to manage 'Service factors' well.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of study is to validate the clinical utility and usability of the Korean version of the Life Space Assessment(K-LSA) which is an assessment tool of community mobility of older adults. Methods : Surveys on the clinical utility and usability of the K-LSA are carried out with a total of aoaa60 occupational and physical therapists. The surveys included the multiple choice questions on the clinical utility and open questions on the usability. Responses to multiple questions are post processed by frequency analysis and technical statistics, and responses to the open questions are categorized by common factors in each questions. Results : Average value of clinical utility ranges from 3.6 to 4.0 with positive responses of 'fair (3 point)', 'agree (4 point)' and 'strongly agree (5 point)' being 95~100%. Average value for clinical usability ranges from 3.6 to 4 with positive answers of 'fair (3 point)', 'easy (4 point)' and 'very easy (5 point)' being 88.3~100%. Additionally out of open-type questions of clinical usability, it was pointed out that the concept of 'neighborhood' for the life space level 3 and 4 is unclear. Conclusion : The current study and research outcomes showed that the K-LSA is a validated tool in Korean health care system for the clinical utility and usability in measuring community mobility, and that it is straightforward in practical use. It will help clinicians and therapists promote the social participation of older adults, and set an intervention goal for enhancing community mobility. It will further help clinicians and researchers in education and research for medical intervention and goal-setting.