• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.4
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• pp.43-59
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the gender, grade and school type of middle school students made any differences to their sexual awareness and sexual behaviors in an effort to lay the groundwork for providing more efficient sex education. The research questions were posed as follows: First, what is the sexual awareness of middle school students? Second, what are the sexual behaviors of middle school students? Third, are their gender, school year and school type related to their sexual awareness and behaviors? The subjects in this study were 976 middle school students from Gyeonggi province. After a survey was conducted with questionnaires prepared by this researcher based on earlier studies to suit the purpose of the study, the collected data were analyzed with SPSS 10.0 program. The frequency analysis, x2 test and correlational analysis were implemented, and basic statistical data were obtained. The conclusions were as follows: First, regarding their sexual awareness, the largest group of them agreed that one must report in case of being raped(4.36), and the smallest number of them thought that one might have a sexual relationship with a person other than his or her spouse after marriage(1.56). Second, as for experience of indecent materials, part of sexual behaviors, 67.4 percent had ever contacted such materials. The most common medium through which they contacted them was the Internet(56.5%). The above-mentioned findings suggested that the sexual awareness of the middle school students wasn't influenced by gender or school type. But that varied with grade, as the third graders had the best sexual consciousness. Their sexual behaviors were different according to gender. The boy students contacted more indecent materials, and their experience of such materials varied with grade, since the third graders contacted the most obscene materials. And that also varied with school type, and the non-engineering students contacted more obscene materials. As for sexual drives, their masturbation experience was different according to gender, grade and school type. The number of the boys who practiced masturbation was four-fold larger than that of the girls, and the second graders had more such experience. By school type, the non-engineering students practiced more masturbation, but there was no significant gap between their kissing, caressing and dating experiences.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-20
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• 2003

In Korea association of health promotion(KHAP) there are fourteen laboratories in branch offices and one laboratory in headquarter office. To standardize the reference ranges of all laboratories of KAHP, they have been newly calculated from the laboratory data perfomed during the previous yearsby statistical metod annually for the period of 2000 through2003 so far. The referance ranges of total 56 test items were assigned. Among these there were eight test items that needed referance ranges by age groups and nine test items that needed reference rages by gender. The age grouping was into six groups : baby (0-3y), children(4-12y), adolescent(13-18y), adult(19-64y), younger elderly(19-64y), older elderly(over 80y) with references of statics in Medical Informatics and WHO classification. All the data collected were statistically analyzed with SAS 6.04 for Gaussian distribution that had been repeated two or three times after trimming out the the tests showed Gaussian distribution. Subsequently, Thereference ranges were defined in the rage from the point of lower 2.5% to the point of higher 97.5%. And in case the lower range could be "0", the reference ranges were defined in the range of 0 to 95%. Fifteen laboratoried troughout Korea of KAHP currently have standarzed reference rages of the tests that they perform. This means the patient data and reference values an be exchangeable among laboratories of KHAP.Annual revise of such reference rages can eventually lead to the level of those representing a standard of the national reference ranges.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.256-263
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• 2015

Background: Initial treatment of acute upper respiratory infection (AURI) should not include antibiotics because most AURIs are caused by virus. However, the prescription rate of antibiotics in Korea is higher than in any other countries. Inappropriate use of antibiotics in Korea accelerated the emergence of antibiotics resistance and increased the social and economic burden. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors related to antibiotics use for the AURI among children-adolescents and adults. Methods: This study analyzed the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Patient Sample data which was nationally representative sampling stratified by sex and age. Results: The influencing factors of antibiotics use for AURI are gender, age, types of medical security, primary disease, existence of concomitant disease, treatment seasons, first visit or revisit, indicated specialty, types of medical institution, and location of medical institution. Conclusion: The results showed health policy makers are required to place more efforts to resolve inappropriate antibiotics use. Especially they need to establish a health policy to reduce the gap between areas and specialties and recommend standardized clinical guidelines according to the subgroup code of AURI and the age group of patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to identify a gap between consumer characteristics and utilization of health information on the Internet. Methods: A telephone survey of nationally representative samples was conducted using structured questionnaires, and 1,000 of the 1,189 responses obtained were included in our analysis. The following variables were included in the analysis as potential predictors of health information use on the Internet: predisposing factors such as gender, age, and education status; enabling factors such as region and monthly household income; consumer need for health information; and attitude to health. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between utilization rate and the potential predictors. Results: Thirty-nine percent of consumers had obtained health information on the Internet over a one-year period. The utilization rates were higher for consumers who were young, educated, worked in the office setting, had higher incomes, wanted health information, and were able to use the Internet. The utilization rate was 5.35 times higher in the younger group (20-30 years) than in the elderly group (95% CI=2.21-12.97); 2.21 times higher for office workers than for manual workers (95% CI=1.16-4.20); 3.61 times higher for college graduates than for middle school graduates and below (95% CI=1.07-11.59); 1.99 times higher for people with monthly household incomes over 3,000,000 won than for those with monthly household incomes below 1,500,000 won (95% CI=1.01-3.92). Conclusions: There needs to be a paradigm shift, with consideration of not only Internet accessibility in the digital age, but also consumer ability and attitudes toward utilization of health information.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.1059-1069
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge of orthodontic patients about oral health knowledge and their actual oral hygiene care, which affected the oral hygiene of orthodontic patients. It's specifically meant to provide information on the prevention of the possible side effects of orthodontic treatment and the promotion of the oral health of orthodontic patients. Methods : This study were 227 orthodontic patients of dental clinics specialized in orthodontics. The collected data were analyzed by the statistical package SPSS WIN 18.0. Results : 1.As for Oral health knowledge, they had the best knowledge about smoking and dental checkup among the subfactors of oral health knowledge. 2. As to actual oral hygiene care, what they did best was doing toothbrushing before sleeping and what they did worst was avoiding eating food injurious to teeth. 3. They scored highest in the right toothbrushing(3.85), the use of oral hygiene supplies(3.62), the prevention of periodontal diseases(3.13) in the subfactors of actual oral hygiene care. They scored lowest in dental checkup and diet(2.99). 4. There were significant differences among the patients in oral health knowledge according to age(F=2.95, p<.05). Those who received another treatment during orthodontic treatment had a better oral health knowledge than the others who didn't, and the gap between the two was statistically significant(t=2.26, p<.05). 5. There were differences among the patients in actual health hygiene care according to gender(t=2.71, p<.01), age(F=4.40, p<.01), educational experiences about oral hygiene care(t=3.06, p<.01) and experience of receiving another treatment during orthodontic treatment(t=2.56, p<.05). 6. There was a positive correlation between oral health knowledge and oral hygiene care(r=.261, p<.001). Conclusions :The above-mentioned findings suggest that more education of diet and toothbrushing should be provided for orthodontic patients to improve their oral health care.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2016

Background: This study aims to analyze the effects of insurance types on the medical service uses for heart failure inpatients using propensity score matching (PSM). Methods: 2014 National inpatient sample based on health insurance claims data was used in the analysis. PSM was applied to control factors influencing the service uses except insurance types. Negative binomial regression was used after PSM to analyze factors that had influences on the service uses among inpatients. Subjects were divided by health insurance type, national health insurance (NHI) and medical aid (MA). Total charges and length of stay were used to represent the medical service uses. Covariance variables in PSM consist of sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, Elixhauser comorbidity index) and hospital characteristics (hospital types, number of beds, location, number of doctors per 50 beds). These variables were also used as independent variables in negative binomial regression. Results: After the PSM, length of stay showed statistically significant difference on medical uses between insurance types. Negative binomial regression provided that insurance types, Elixhauser comorbidity index, and number of doctors per 50 beds were significant on the length of stay. Conclusion: This study provided that the service uses, especially length of stay, were differed by insurance types. Health policy makers will be required to prepare interventions to narrow the gap of the service uses between NHI and MA.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.240-250
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• 2017

Objectives: Subjective life expectancy (SLE) has been found to show a significant association with mortality. In this study, we aimed to investigate the major factors affecting SLE. We also examined whether any differences existed between SLE and actuarial life expectancy (LE) in Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1000 individuals in Korea aged 20-59 was conducted. Participants were asked about SLE via a self-reported questionnaire. LE from the National Health Insurance database in Korea was used to evaluate differences between SLE and actuarial LE. Age-adjusted least-squares means, correlations, and regression analyses were used to test the relationship of SLE with four categories of predictors: demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, and psychosocial factors. Results: Among the 1000 participants, women (mean SLE, 83.43 years; 95% confidence interval, 82.41 to 84.46 years; 48% of the total sample) had an expected LE 1.59 years longer than that of men. The socioeconomic factors of household income and housing arrangements were related to SLE. Among the health behaviors, smoking status, alcohol status, and physical activity were associated with SLE. Among the psychosocial factors, stress, self-rated health, and social connectedness were related to SLE. SLE had a positive correlation with actuarial estimates (r=0.61, p<0.001). Gender, household income, history of smoking, and distress were related to the presence of a gap between SLE and actuarial LE. Conclusions: Demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, and psychosocial factors showed significant associations with SLE, in the expected directions. Further studies are needed to determine the reasons for these results.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2019

Background: The health of the economically active population contributes to increased corporate productivity by reducing the productivity loss caused by disease and increasing job efficiency, which in turn is a national benefit. Since the economically active population is a concept encompassing workers and a source of economic development for a country, that population's health should be treated with importance not only from a personal standpoint but also at a national level. Methods: In this study, data of 11,007 adults aged 20 years and older who participate in economic activities were analyzed in the five-year Korea Health Panel Study from 2010 to 2014 including the number of dental visits and dental medical expenses. Results: Factors related to "gender," "education level," "age," "duty category," "income level," "employment type," "national health insurance," and "chronic disease status" of the economically active population are affected in relation to the number of visits and dental medical expenses. The number of dental visits increased with higher education levels (p<0.001), and the number of visits to the dentist increased with older age (p <0.001). Dental medical expenses were 91,806 Korean won (KRW) more for "white-collar workers" than for "blue-collar workers" (p<0.03), and 127,674 KRW more for "regular workers" than for "atypical workers" (p<0.02). Conclusion: When it is necessary to improve policies to enhance the efficiency of the distribution of health and medical resources in the overall balance of the dental health sector, we should try to identify various factors of oral health disorder due to income inequality among the classes according to the country's employment type in order to find ways to reduce the health gap among the social classes.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.70-77
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• 2012

Objectives: Identify the characteristics related to the suicide rates in rural and urban areas of Korea and discover the factors that influence the suicide rate of the rural and urban areas. Methods: Using the data on causes of death from 2006 to 2008, the suicide rates were calculated and compared after age-standardization based on gender, age group and urbanicity. And, in order to understand the factors that influence suicide rate, total 10 local characteristics in four domains - public service, social integration, residential environment, and economic status - were selected for multiple regression analysis. Results: The suicide rates were higher in men than women, in rural areas than urban, and in older people than the younger. Generally, although there were variations according to age group and urbanicity, suicide rates were significantly related to residential environment and regional economic status but not related to regional welfare spending and social integration. In addition, the population over the age of 65 years, only regional economic status has significantly influence on their suicide rates. Conclusions: The influence of characteristics of regions on suicide rate is various by age-group, gender, and urbanicity. Therefore, in order to lower suicide rate and reduce the gap between regions, various approaches must be adopted by taking into account the socioeconomic characteristics of the regions.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.6
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• pp.17-34
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the sex-consciousness and sexual values of school children by geographic region. It's specifically attempted to make a comparative analysis of sex-consciousness and sexual values between urban and rural elementary schoolers to help provide efficient sex education for them to build the right sexual values. The subjects in this study were 400 elementary schoolers in their sixth year of elementary schools located in Danyang-gun and Chungju city, north Chungcheong province. After a survey was conducted, answer sheets from 387 students that were analyzable were analyzed. For data handling, SPSS program was employed, and t-test was utilized to see if there's any differences between the urban and rural elementary school youngsters in sex consciousness and sexual values. And $x^2$ test was used to make a comparative analysis of their view of sex education. The findings of the study were as follows : First, regarding sex-consciousness, they had general knowledge on sex. Especially, they were highly aware of sexual violence and the generation of baby, but many of them didn't know about where and how egg cells were produced. This indicated that systematic education should be offered in various ways. Concerning geographic gap, there was a significant difference in sexual knowledge between the urban and rural students. As to sexual attitude, they took a relatively positive attitude toward display of affection or sex-related talk on TV or in movies, as they viewed it as natural. This finding implied that the elementary schoolers were recipient toward sex and took an active attitude toward sexual expressions. Concerning geographic gap, there was no difference between the rural and urban students. As for sexual practices, the largest group of the students had a liking for the opposite sex, which showed that their needs for sex were unveiled in the course of having some trouble due to the other sex rather than through firsthand experiences or activities. As to geographic gap, there was a significant difference between the urban and rural students in that regard. Besides, the urban students put their sex-consciousness in practice more often than the rural students did. After they are educated to build the right sexual values, systematic sex-education programs should also be offered for them to be exposed to sustained sex education and to team how to apply their sex-consciousness to real life. Second, as for sexual values, the school children had relatively positive and equalitarian sexual values. Regarding geographic gap, there were significant gaps between the two groups' view of the opposite sex, sexual roles and chastity. Concerning view of the opposite sex, they attached more importance to the inner aspects of the opposite sex than his or her look, and they wanted to date in a natural manner. Regarding sexual roles, they were relatively well cognizant of gender equity and the importance of male and female roles. As to view of chastity, they looked upon sex as natural, not as what's ugly or ashamed of. Third, concerning their outlook on sex education, approximately more than half the students felt the needs for sex education, and there was a significant difference between the urban and rural students. They wanted to receive education about the prevention of sexual violence and physical changes during puberty the most, and there was a significant gap between the urban and rural students in this aspect. As to the time for sex education, they thought that students should start to be exposed to sex education in their fifth or sixth year. This finding signified that fifth or sixth graders who were in the beginning of puberty started to have a lot of interest in their own physical changes. Therefore, sex education would produce better effects when it's provided to fifth or sixth graders. Nearly half them preferred single-gender class when they received sex education, and there's no gap between the urban and rural students in that regard.