• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.773-781
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional and health status of women industrial workers by working fields. One hundred forty eight (105 lead and 43 office) workers were recruited from March 2005 to October 2005. Information on age, education, smoking and drinking status were collected using questionnaire and nutrient intake and diet quality of workers were assessed by average of two-day 24 hr recall method. Biochemical indexes including blood lead level (PbB), indexes for iron status, serum calcium (Ca) and serum lipid profiles were analyzed from fasting venous blood or serum. Results showed that education level of lead workers was lower than that of office workers (p<0.05), but nutrient intake levels were not significantly different by working fields. Overall nutritional status of the subject were good except for calcium, vitamin $B_2$, C and folic acid intakes. PbB of lead workers were significantly higher than that of office workers while mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and serum Ca levels were significantly lower in lead workers. MCHC was positively correlated with zinc intake (r=0.166) and serum Ca was positively correlated with vitamin C intake (r=0.179). This study confirms that lead workers need extra care to keep their health and nutritional management especially for the nutrients known to interact with lead. Tailored nutrition education for workers at specific working fields needs to be more focused for the improvement of health status of industrial workers.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.861-870
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• 2008

This study was conducted to evaluate the health status, life style, dietary habits and nutritional status of 44 industry workers that were routinely exposed to unclean environments while consuming 3 major pork dishes 2 times a week for 6 weeks. The health status, life style and dietary habits of the workers were investigated by a survey questionnaire, and the nutritional status was evaluated using the 24-hour recall method. Overall, the subjects reported that their health status was fairly good throughout the year, but that they felt dizziness and fatigue often. In general, the subjects did not exercise regularly and drank alcohol very often. The average daily energy intake increased from 1,708.3 kcal to 1,859.5 kcal without a change in the BMI or WHR when the respondents were fed pork dishes. However, the mineral intake did not differ significantly in response to the consumption of pork, although the Zn intake tended to increase. Moreover, the vitamin $B_1$, niacin, and E intakes increased after consuming pork(p<0.05), while the cholesterol intake decreased from 425.2 mg to 356.7 mg after eating pork(p<0.05). Additionally, both the fat intake and the PUFA intake increased after the consumption of pork with the intake of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids increasing significantly(p<0.001). Finally, the intake of essential amino acids also increased significantly in response to the consumption of pork(p<0.01). Based on the results, regular consumption of pork dishes improved the nutritional status of industry workers without any adverse effect in terms of the intake of relative fat and cholesterol.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims to identify general, workplace, and health-related characteristics of outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures, and to compare the risk of disease according to outdoor high temperature exposure. Methods: This secondary analysis study used the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017) to identify 4,915 outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures. Results: Outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures were mostly male, elderly, less educated, and daily contract workers. Most of them were engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing, and construction industries. About 40~50% of them complained of musculoskeletal pain and overall fatigue. The results showed that high temperature exposure increased the risk of illness (hearing problem, skin problem, backache, muscular pains in upper and lower limbs, headache/eyestrain, injuries, depression, and overall fatigue) among workers. Conclusion: High temperature exposure might increase the risk of illness among workers. The results of this study demonstrated that the outdoor workers should be protected from high temperatures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2013

This study investigated the effect of a health-related lifestyle on knowledge, attitude, control belief and behavior intention toward breast-feeding of male and female university students in order to develop a breast-feeding education program for students of childbearing age. The subjects were 445 university students (125 male and 325 female) residing in eight provinces in Korea. The overall percentage of subjects intending to breast-feed their baby was 80.7% (73.6% of males and 84.2% of females). Overall, 84.2% of the subjects had high concerns about their health status. Scores reflecting a positive attitude, knowledge, and control beliefs toward breast-feeding were significantly higher (p<0.05~p<0.001) in female students, students majoring in medicine, and higher grades. The students who scored high at attitude, knowledge, and control beliefs also had a significantly higher (p<0.001) intention to breast-feed. When we investigated the sub factors of attitudes toward breast-feeding, significantly more students taking nutrient supplements scored high for physiological factors (p<0.05) and health-related factors (p<0.01). Significantly more non-smoking and non-drinking students scored high for health-related factors (p<0.001) and physiological factors (p<0.001), respectively. The intention to breast-feed was found to be significantly higher (p<0.01) in students who did not smoke, but not with other health-related lifestyles. In summary, these results indicate that the majority of university students intend to breast-feed, with students having a positive attitude, higher knowledge, and stronger control beliefs having a higher intention to breast-feed. Although a student's health-related lifestyle affects their attitudes on the physiological and health-related aspects of breast-feeding, only smoking status had an observable connection on the intention to breast-feed. Thus, when developing breast-feeding education programs for students, we recommend efforts to enhance a favorable attitude, knowledge, and control beliefs toward breast-feeding.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing patient satisfaction and to evaluate the utility of patient satisfaction as an outcome indicator. The study was conducted by mailed questionnaire. The subjects were 900 patients discharged from adult nursing units in a tertiary teaching hospital. On the discharge date, questionnaires were distributed by two trained research assistants. The questionnaire developed by the researchers was based on Larson(1996)'s study, and consisted of 71 items with the following components: overall satisfaction, domain-specific satisfaction(administration process, hospital facility and environment, nurses, and doctors), patients' loyalty(intention to use the health care service of the hospital in the future), recommendation to others, health benefits, and demographic characteristics. Each item was rated using a five point Likert scale ranging from '1=strongly disagree' to '5= strongly agree'. The response rate was 43%(387/900). The satisfaction level with the health care service was generally high. Perceived health status was the only significant factor influencing satisfaction level. Satisfaction with doctors contributed the most to explaining overall satisfaction. Overall satisfaction was significantly correlated with patient loyalty, recommendation, to other and perceived health benefit. It was found that the score of satisfaction was positively correlated with the score of loyalty, recommendation, and health benefit. Therefore, patient satisfaction seems to be a good outcome indicator.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1811-1815
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• 2016

Wetland geographical areas have a higher incidence of Opisthorchis viverrini-associated cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), confirmed by data from geographic information systems, than other areas. Behavioral data also indicate that people in these areas traditionally eat uncooked freshwater fish dishes, a vehicle for O. viverrini infection. The best approach to reducing CCA incidence is decreasing risk factors together with behavior alteration. Evaluation of CCA risk and its related factors are first needed for planning the prevention and control programs in the future. We therefore aimed to evaluate the CCA risk and explore its related factors among people in wetland communities of Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2014. In total 906 participants, with informed consent, completed questionnaires. Overall risk of CCA was determined by multiplying odds ratios (ORs) of the risk factors for CCA from literature reviews. A mean score of 5.95 was applied as the cut-off point. Assessment of factors related to overall risk of CCA was accomplished using conditional logistic regression. Of all participants, 60.15% had a high level of the overall risk of CCA. Factors related to the overall risk of CCA were gender (p<0.001), marital status (p<0.001), perceived susceptibility (p=0.043) and prevention behavior for CCA (p<0.001). In conclusion, most participants in this community had a high level of overall risk of CCA. Therefore, integrated prevention and control programs continue to be urgently required.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.81-93
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• 2018

Objectives : This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the differences in general health status (GHS) and physical care burdens (PCB) of inpatient groups in long-term care hospitals (LTCH). Methods : The data of 228 patients were analyzed by integrating the electronic medical record (EMR) data of 2016, recorded by the nurses of hospitalized patients in the hospital. Results : There was a statistically significant difference in the GHS between the high-medical demand group and the other groups, but there was no difference in the GHS among other groups. The overall PCB was higher in the high-medical demand group than in the middle-medical demand, and cognitive impairment groups, but not in the problem behavioral group. Conclusions : The current classification of patient groups has shown limitations in terms of the basis of differential benefits of the groups. In particular, the PCB of the problem behavior group was not different from that of any group; hence, it should be adjusted through further study. To control the surge of medical care costs, it is necessary to improve the irrationality of the LTCH pay system in terms of the integration and continuity for elderly care.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.145-155
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was performed to compare rural residents' perceived health status and life satisfaction according to their general and health related characteristics and to identify factors related to perceived health status and life satisfaction in this population. Methods: Subjects were 1,091 adults aged 20 years or older living in Geochang Gun, South Korea. A survey was conducted from June 28 to August 25, 2009. We used the health self rating scale by Lawton et al. (1982) and the overall life satisfaction scale by Wrosch et al. (2000). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 18.0. Result: Sex, age, education, spouse, medical diagnosis, currently taking medication, main health maintenance behavior, alcohol consumption, frequency of alcohol consumption, exercise, family harmony, and friend relationships were significantly related to perceived health status. Age, education, spouse, main health maintenance behavior, smoking, exercise, family harmony, and friend relationships were significantly related to life satisfaction. Further, 29.3% of the variance in perceived health status could be explained by medical diagnosis, exercise, family harmony, education, currently taking medication, and friend relationships, while 11.1% of the variance in life satisfaction could be explained by family harmony, perceived health status, main health maintenance behavior, and friend relationships. Conclusion: Health management programs must be designed so as to incorporate the general and health related characteristics of rural residents if they aim to improve the perceived health status and life satisfaction in that population.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the associations of food security with socio-demographic characteristics, nutrient intakes and mental health status among older Korean adults. Methods: This study was conducted using data from the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Subjects were 4,451 adults aged 65~98 years. Food security was measured using a self-reported question on food sufficiency of subjects' household. Based on the answers, study subjects were classified into secure, mildly insecure, moderately insecure, and severely insecure groups. Dietary intake was estimated by 24-hour dietary recall. Nutrient intake was assessed by dietary reference intakes (DRI). As for mental health status, the data on mental stress, depression, and suicide ideation were used. Results: Rate of food insecurity in older adults was 14.3%. Old age, being female, low education, low income level, living alone, and discomfort in daily living were more related to food insecurity. Means of nutrient intakes were significantly different according to food security status. Intakes of calcium, potassium, and vitamin $B_2$ were lower than recommended intakes in all groups. Consumption amounts of soy and soybean products, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, vegetable oils, meats, eggs, seafood, and dairy products were lower in food insecure groups. Mental stress, depression, and suicide ideation were higher in food insecure groups independent of the gender and income level. Conclusions: These present findings suggested that food security is related to mental health as well as nutrition status in older Korean adults. A national system that include food and psychosocial support programs for the elderly should be considered in order to improve the overall health of older Korean adults.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.237-243
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• 2022

Unmet healthcare is an important indicator to measure accessibility of healthcare services. To examine the latest status of unmet healthcare needs in South Korea, four different data which is composed of nationally representative sample of South Korean population were used; the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2007-2020), the Community Health Survey (CHS, 2008-2020), the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, 2011-2018), and the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2006-2020). The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs were 6.4% (KNHANES), 5.4% (CHS), and 12.2% (KHP). Annual percentage change (APC) which identifies trend for the follow-up period was -9.9%, -9.1%, and -5.5%, respectively. The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost were 1.0% (KNHANES), 0.4% (CHS), 2.2% (KHP), and 0.4% (KOWEPS). The APC was -11.3%, -17.0%, -12.2%, and -21.2%, respectively. Overall, the low-income and the elderly population reported a higher rate of unmet health care needs. Although the overall experience rate of unmet medical care due to cost decreased over the past decade, the disparity between the lowest and highest income groups still remained in 2020. Disparity between income levels and age groups is a challenge to address in healthcare system, and these results suggest the need for adequate health coverage for the low-income and the elderly populations.