• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.207-215
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between the prevalence of overweight and obesity and the degree of adherence to the Korean Dietary Action Guides for Children (KDAGC). In a cross-sectional study based on a child care center-based survey in Seoul, Korea, we collected parental-reported questionnaires (n = 2,038) on children's weight and height, frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption, and the quality of dietary and activity behaviors based on the 2009 KDAGC Adherence Index (KDAGCAI) which was developed as a composite measure of adherence to the KDAGC. Overweight and obesity were determined according to age- and sex-specific BMI percentile from the 2007 Korean national growth chart. Associations were assessed with generalized linear models and polytomous logistic regression models. Approximately 17.6% of Korean preschool children were classified as overweight or obese. Obese preschoolers had lower adherence to the KDAGCAI compared to those with lean/normal weight. Preschoolers with a high quality of dietary and activity behaviors had a 51% decreased odds ratio (OR) of being obese (highest vs. lowest tertile of KDAGCAI-score, 95% CI 0.31, 0.78; P = 0.001); the associations were more pronounced among those who were older (P = 0.048) and lived in lower income households (P = 0.014). A greater frequency of vegetable consumption, but not fruit, was associated with a borderline significant reduction in the prevalence of obesity. Our findings support the association between obesity prevention and high compliance with the Korean national dietary and activity guideline among preschool children.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.91-104
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is primarily intended to examine the stress and physical, emotional and behavioral stress symptoms of elementary school students supply the basic data of intervention for children's health promotion. The subjects of this study were 616 students who were currently enrolled in 5th and 6th grade elementary school in Jeollabukdo ; 3 schools in J city and other 6 in 3 rural area. The data were collected by self-reported questionnaire from 3rd to 13th April 2002 and collected data were analyzed by SPSS WIN 8.0. The results of this study were as followings. 1. The mean score of stress that children experience was 2.73 and the most stressful factor was a friendship stress. The most frequently experienced stress were feel that a friends would leave them alone. 2. The mean score of stress symptom that children experience was 1.92 and the most stressful symptom was the emotion symptom. The most frequently experienced stressful symptom were feel fatigue of everyday. 3. General characteristics related to stress were showed significantly different according to sex(t=-3.243, p=.001) 4. General characteristics related to stress symptoms were showed significantly different according to sex(t=-2.268, p=.024), family circumstances(F=8.697, p=.000), academic scores(F=11.216, p=.000) and parental concerns on a child(t=-2.561, p=.011). 5. The relation between stress and stress symptoms showed a positive correlation, which was significant statistically(r=.453, p=.000). In conclusion, elementary school students experience various stresses and the stress symptoms have positive close connection with health problems. Therefore, to study the students stress and consequent symptoms further, it is recommended that we should subdivide and analyze the stressor and stress symptoms by proper areas. In the meantime, in order to promote children's health using the data in this study, we should develop the correlated program among individual, family, school and community while we are deeply concerned about and support children continuously.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2020

Background: Determining patterns of habitat use is key to understanding of animal ecology. Approximately 1% of bird species use brood parasitism for their breeding strategy, in which they exploit other species' (hosts) parental care by laying eggs in their nests. Brood parasitism may complicate the habitat requirement of brood parasites because they need habitats that support both their host and their own conditions for breeding. Brood parasitism, through changes in reproductive roles of sex or individual, may further diversify habitat use patterns among individuals. However, patterns of habitat use in avian brood parasites have rarely been characterized. In this study, we categorized the habitat preference of a population of brood parasitic lesser cuckoos (Cuculus poliocephalus) breeding on Jeju Island, Korea. By using compositional analyses together with radio-tracking and land cover data, we determined patterns of habitat use and their sexual and diurnal differences. Results: We found that the lesser cuckoo had a relatively large home range and its overall habitat composition (the second-order selection) was similar to those of the study area; open areas such as the field and grassland habitats accounted for 80% of the home range. Nonetheless, their habitat, comprised of 2.54 different habitats per hectare, could be characterized as a mosaic. We also found sexual differences in habitat composition and selection in the core-use area of home ranges (third-order selection). In particular, the forest habitat was preferentially utilized by females, while underutilized by males. However, there was no diurnal change in the pattern of habitat use. Both sexes preferred field habitats at the second-order selection. At the third-order selection, males preferred field habitats followed by grasslands and females preferred grasslands followed by forest habitats. Conclusions: We suggest that the field and grassland habitats represent the two most important areas for the lesser cuckoo on Jeju Island. Nevertheless, this study shows that habitat preference may differ between sexes, likely due to differences in sex roles, sex-based energy demands, and potential sexual conflict.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.385-395
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• 2016

This study examines the effects of consumer socialization on Korean adolescent impulsive buying behavior. The current study used the third and sixth waves from the Korean Education and Employment Panel (KEEP) survey that has been administered by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training since 2004. The subjects were high school juniors and university sophomores in 2006 and 2009, respectively. The final sample for panel regression analysis included 1,718 individuals. Two major agents of socialization (school and parents) were utilized in our model. Parent financial behavior (if the parents had savings) and the effectiveness/helpfulness of economics education in middle or high school were included in our estimation model. Two categories were included as individual factors: (1) psychological aspects and personal traits covering variables such as stress from self-image, academic stress, self-regulation, and a tendency of risky behavior and (2) financial behavior and attitudes, which include work experience, amount of money in hand, shopping habits, and if parental financial support is expected after high school graduation. The results from a random effects model revealed that the effects of consumer socialization through school was marginally significant, while through parents was not. Stress from self-image and the level of self-regulation were found to be significant. Neither risky behavior nor academic stress were a significant factor for impulsive buying behavior. The amount of money available in hand and shopping habits showed a significant influence. Implications for educators, parents and policy makers are identified.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 2011

Purpose: To describe psychosocial adjustment of low-income Koreans who have cancer. Methods: Data were collected during 2008 using individual in-depth interviews with 18 Korean people with cancer. The income status of the participants was low, 11 were recipients of the National Basic Livelihood Protection program. Mean age was 58.3 yr and 11 were female. Five participants had stomach cancer, five, colorectal cancer, and four, breast cancer. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Results: The core category emerged as 'bearing up alone with double suffering'. 'Poverty and cancer: A double suffering' emerged as a causal condition. The adjustment process consisted of three stages: 'forming a treatment will to live', 'practicing for the cure', and 'restructuring self and repaying favors'. Each stage indicated action-interaction strategies which were employed to bear up alone with double suffering during the illness process. Self-reflection, parental responsibility, and support from the public sector played important roles in overcoming the double suffering. Two types of consequences were identified: Transcended life and strained life suppressed by poverty and cancer. Conclusion: The results provide insights into the psychosocial adjustment process for low income Korean with cancer and can be used in developing and implementing efficient home-care services for these people.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to provide information necessary for development of the applications that could facilitate the prevention and management of obesity in children with intellectual disabilities and to present improvement measure for development of practical applications. Mobile applications for prevention and management of obesity for children with intellectual disabilities need to be configured to enable effective flow of information and services delivered between parents and children with disabilities through applications. This configuration is expected to allow effective obesity control to be derived through parental involvement in the process of motivation.. The composition of contents consists of three parts: nutrition, exercise(physical activity), and lifestyle. It is desirable for each content to be applied in a simple but easy-to-understand method, reflecting the characteristics of an intellectually disabled child. In addition, this study presented the user expansion and their continuous involvement through interface simplification, alert function, reward, voice recognition and subtitle support strategies in consideration of the characteristics of the children with intellectual disabilities.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.332-341
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• 2015

Purpose: Advanced aged pregnancy may be related with health problems so that more aggressive health care is necessary for these women. This study aimed to provide the basic data for developing nursing intervention programs to enhance the health of pregnant women and their new-born babies and by identifying the advanced aged women's need for pregnancy and childbirth. Methods: It is the cross-sectional descriptive study to identify the advanced aged women's need on pregnancy and childbirth. Subjects were pregnant women 35 years or older and postpartum women. Total number of subjects was 95. Measurement tool is self-reporting survey that consisted of 67 items with four-point Likert scale, which was completed during October to November 2014. Results: Average score was 3.44 out of maximum 4 on the care need on pregnancy and childbirth. Average scores according to category were as follows: baby rearing and parental role, 3.55; preconception care, 3.49; delivery care, 3.47; postpartum care 3.42; and prenatal pregnancy, 3.39. The degree of needs on pregnancy and childbirth was different according to delivery experience (t=-2.49, p=.014). Conclusion: Prenatal and postpartum nursing interventions were completed regardless of pregnant women's age until now; however, new nursing intervention programs are necessary to prevent the risk of advanced aged pregnancy, to provide the preconception care, and to increase the infant care and family support.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.123-139
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• 2011

This study sought to examine the impact of reading ability and vocabulary at age 5, as well as analyzing the impact which children's gender, parental education level and family income level has on reading comprehension ability and vocabulary at the first grade level in primary school. The study also sought to compare the characteristics of the results obtained in Korea and Japan on this particular research topic. For the Korean part of the study, 328 first grade Korean children, who had participated in the initial testing as five-year olds and agreed to participate in the longitudinal study were tested; whereas in Japan, 215 students were tested. The study results indicated that, in the case of Korea, reading comprehension ability in the first grade was affected by vocabulary and reading abilities at age 5, gender, as well as the mother's education level, in that order. In Japan, it was affected in the order of vocabulary, gender, and father's education level. In terms of first grade vocabulary, in the case of Korea, it was affected in the order of vocabulary and reading ability at age 5 and father's education level; whereas in Japan, it was affected in the order of vocabulary, gender, and reading ability. In both Korea and Japan, at age 5, vocabulary was shown to have a more significant impact than reading ability on both of language ability and vocabulary in the subsequent primary school period. As such, it can be seen that more interest should be shown not only in the ability to read at age 5 but also in expanding the vocabulary of children at this age through appropriate interaction and support.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8595-8601
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• 2014

Background: miR-200a expression is frequently altered in numerous cancers. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of microRNA-200a in advanced ovarian carcinomas. Materials and Methods: We measured miR-200a expression in 72 matched normal ovarian tissues and advanced ovarian carcinomas, and also two ovarian carcinoma cell lines (SKOV3 and SKOV3.ip1 - the latter being more invasive and metastatic than the parental SKOV3) by stem-loop real-time RT-PCR based on TaqMan microRNA assay using U6 as a reference. Levels of miR-200a expression were compared by disease stage, tumor grade, histology, and lymph node involvement. To evaluate the role of microRNA-200a, cell proliferation and invasion of SKOV-3 and SKOV-3.ip1 were analyzed with miR-200a inhibitor/mimic transfected cells. Results: Of 72 paired samples, 65 cancer tissues overexpressed microRNA-200a greater than two fold in comparison with matched normal epithelium. Specifically, patients with lymph node metastasis showed significant elevation. The level correlated with clinicopathological features, including high tumor grade, late disease stage, most notably with lymph node metastasis, but not with tumor histology. In addition, SKOV-3.ip1 cells also overexpressed miR-200a compared with SKOV-3, and miR-200a inhibitor transfected SKOV-3.ip1 cells showed significant reduction in cellular proliferation and invasion, while a miR-200a mimic stimulated the opposite behavior. Conclusions: We provide definitive evidence that miR-200a is up-regulated in a significant proportion of advanced ovarian carcinomas, and that elevated miR-200a expression facilitates tumor progression. Our findings support the notion that miR-200a is an onco-microRNA for ovarian cancer, and elevation is a useful potential diagnostic indicator. This study also provides a solid basis for further functional analysis of miR-200a in advanced ovarian cancer.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.323-331
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of sexual intercourse among junior secondary and high school students in Indonesia from the 2015 Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS). Methods: The survey was conducted among 11 110 students from 75 schools in Indonesia using a self-administered questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to explore associations between sexual intercourse and socio-demographic variables, substance use, mental distress, and protective factors. Results: Overall, 5.3% of students reported having ever had sex (6.9% of boys and 3.8% of girls). Of students who engaged in sexual intercourse, 72.7% of boys and 90.3% of girls had an early sexual debut (before reaching the age of 15) and around 60% had multiple sex partners. Sexual intercourse was associated with gender, school grade, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, suicidal ideation, truancy, peer support, and parental supervision. Conclusions: These findings indicate a pressing need to develop more comprehensive sexual health education in the national curriculum. An effective strategy should also address other risky behaviours.