• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6491-6496
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• 2012

Background: The influence of parental socio-economic status on childhood cancer treatment outcome in low-income countries has not been sufficiently investigated. Our study examined this influence and explored parental experiences during cancer treatment of their children in an Indonesian academic hospital. Materials and Methods: Medical charts of 145 children diagnosed with cancer between 1999 and 2009 were reviewed retrospectively. From October 2011 until January 2012, 40 caretakers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Results: Of all patients, 48% abandoned treatment, 34% experienced death, 9% had progressive/relapsed disease, and 9% overall event-free survival. Prosperous patients had better treatment outcome than poor patients (P<0.0001). Odds-ratio for treatment abandonment was 3.3 (95%CI: 1.4-8.1, p=0.006) for poor versus prosperous patients. Parents often believed that their child's health was beyond doctor control and determined by luck, fate or God (55%). Causes of cancer were thought to be destiny (35%) or God's punishment (23%). Alternative treatment could (18%) or might (50%) cure cancer. Most parents (95%) would like more information about cancer and treatment. More contact with doctors was desired (98%). Income decreased during treatment (55%). Parents lost employment (48% fathers, 10% mothers), most of whom stated this loss was caused by their child's cancer (84% fathers, 100% mothers). Loss of income led to financial difficulties (63%) and debts (55%). Conclusions: Treatment abandonment was most important reason for treatment failure. Treatment outcome was determined by parental socio-economic status. Childhood cancer survival could improve if financial constraints and provision of information and guidance are better addressed.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.406-414
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine dysphagia risk among community-dwelling elderly people living at home. We also examined the impact of socio-demographic variables on dysphagia risk as well as the relationship between dysphagia risk and dietary characteristics. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study sample included 568 community-dwelling individuals, aged 65 years and above, who were living independently in their own home in Seoul, Gyeonggi, or Gwangju in South Korea. We used a dysphagia risk assessment scale to screen for dysphagia risk and the Mini nutritional assessment to evaluate the nutritional status. Associations between dysphagia risk and other variables were assessed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 568 subjects, 350 (61.6%) were classified into the dysphagia risk group (DR) and 218 (38.4%) were classified into the normal group (non-DR). Being female (odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28-2.59), being 75 years and older (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.69-3.42), having a lower education level (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.33-3.97), and having a lower perceived economic status (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.32-3.60) were more frequently observed with dysphagia risk compared to those who did not have such characteristics. Lowered mastication ability (OR = 14.40, 95% CI = 4.43-46.95), being at risk of malnutrition or malnourished (OR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.75-4.23), lowered appetite (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 2.16-4.93), and decreased food intake (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.83-4.78) were observed more frequently in the DR group than in the non-DR group when adjusting for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to develop and apply integrated programs to improve the dietary habits and nutritional status of elderly individuals at risk for dysphagia, especially for women aged 75 years or older with lower educational and economic levels.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2010

The purpose of the present study was to examine the desire of married women to be re-employed and the factors related to this desire. The study gathered information from 240 women who gave up their jobs and careers after marriage. Information included their career history, current psycho-social condition, and family situation. Multiple regression and covariation structure analyses indicated that the desire of married women to go back to paid work was influenced by family economic condition, psycho-social condition, and child care situation. Specifically, the study found that family's monthly income and the age of the last child were negatively related to the women's desire for re-employment. On the other hand, economic pressure and achievement motivation were positively related to the women's desire. Finally, the study found that socio-economic background and external social support were not significantly related to the women’s wish to go back to the workforce.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.57-72
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• 2008

The propose of this study is to examine the economic stresses and coping strategies for elderly households depending on the variables of background, and to analyze the relations between these factors. Elderly households which satisfied the following criteria were recruited for participation: (a) reside in Seoul, or in the metropolitan area (b) live apart from their adult children after retirement and (c) ages over sixty. From September 20th, 2006 to November 30th, 2006, 296 were used for this research. First, the mean score of the economic stress level of elderly households was 2.87 out of 5, and the stress levels of income expenditure and asset debt were intermediate. The mean score of the economic coping strategy was 3.17 out of 5. In order to overcome economic stress, elderly households utilized reducing their expenditure, financial management, and re-employment. The level of elderly households' life satisfaction was 3.29 of 5 and the depression was 3.17 of 5. Second, there was a difference in accordance with the objective economic variables and the degree of the economic stress after the review of the variables of the elderly households and the coping strategy due to economic stress. The result shows that the households which had a low economic status and high economic stress from the objective viewpoint participated in more economic activities. Their reactions were to decrease the overall expenditure through reducing the expenditure rather than to manage the asset effectively through re-employment or to inaugurating a business. Third, I analyzed situational factors, economic stress, and economic coping strategy in order to compare relative contributors to psychological well-being through using regression. At the third phase in the process of analysis, the socio-psychological factors appeared to be significant factors contributing to psychological well-being. Regarding the stress caused by income expenditure increased, when elderly households were more concerned about reducing expenditure and re-employment, their feelings of depression increased.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.43-54
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• 2010

This study examines the factors related to university students' positive beliefs about the consequences of maternal employment. A total of 338 university students in Seoul, Gyeong-gi, and Kyungnam area provided information about their socio-economic background, parents' employment history, achievement motivation, and gender egalitarian attitude. A two-way analysis of variance showed significant interaction effects of gender and grade on positive beliefs about the consequences of maternal employment. Multiple regression analyses by gender indicated that factors related with university students' positive beliefs about the consequences of maternal employment may differ by gender. For male students, grade, and socio-cultural gender egalitarian attitude were significantly related to positive beliefs about the consequences of maternal employment. For female students, grade, family monthly income, mother's employment during elementary school, and achievement motivation were related with positive beliefs about the consequences of maternal employment.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.171-183
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• 1990

The purpose of this study is to search a tendency of marital stability, and to identify the variables influencing on marital stability of urban couples. The sample was selected from the married couples living is Seoul. Total sample consisted of 476 spouses(238 couples) finally selected datum sources. The data were analyzed by the statistical method such as the fator analysis, frequency distribution, percentile, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and χ2 test analysis. The main results were as follows ; 1) In general the score of marital stability of urban couples was somewhat high. 2) Among the related variables, socio-demographic variables such as Socio-Economic Status(SES), religion, social background have turned out to be significant on the marital stability, Also, marital satisfaction and attitude toward divorce influenced marital stability. 3) The important influential variables on the marital stability were in the order of marital satisfaction, attitude toward divorce, ears of marriage. 4) Four types of marital stability are identified based on marital satisfaction and attitude toward divorce. Among the surveyed couples, 39.7% showed the most ideal pattern in the sense that they show high scores on marital satisfaction and negative attitude toward divorce. On the other hand, 25.2% showed high psychological instability that they show low scores on marital satisfaction and positive attitude toward divorce. After all the most signigicant variable relating to marital stability was marital satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.916-927
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• 2012

In the $21^{st}$ century, woman leaders are able to influence society through improved social status and economic power. From 1980-1990 there was a rapid global social development of feminism and improved media perceptions. The progression of this process is reflected by female characters in feminism films that included a new dress style. The power suit emerged in the U.S.A of the 1980s, as a dress code that showed the workplace uniform of a professional woman and spread to Korea as an influential style. This study defines the different and similar aspects in the development of women's position and the role involved in a structural background through a comparison of the socio-cultural meaning of the power suit expressed in American and Korean feminism films. For analysis, this study chose American films in the 1980s and Korean films in 1990s that fulfilled elements about feminism films. Subsequently in American feminism films, the power suit expressed an equal authority with men, strategic use of femininity according to task type, and a dissipation of symbolic effects like a rich look. In Korean feminism films, the power suit expressed an end of femininity like female transvestite, independent female images with the masculinization of appearance, and a mix of new and traditional styles.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.19-27
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• 2015

Permissible soil concentrations for explosives (i.e., TNT and RDX) and heavy metals (i.e., Cu, Zn, Pb, and As) heve been derived from human risk and ecotoxicity, respectively. For TNT and RDX, human risk based-permissible soil concentrations were determined as 460 mg-TNT/kg-soil and 260 mg-RDX/kg-soil. Ecotoxicity based-permissible soil concentrations for Cu and Zn were determined from species sensitivity distribution (SSD) and uncertainty factor of 1 to 5, yielding 18.0-40.0 mg-Cu/kg-soil and 46.0-100 mg-Zn/kg-soil. For Pb and As, ecotoxicity data were not enough to establish SSD so that a deterministic method was used, generating 13.8-30.8 mg-Pb/kg-soil and 2.10-4.60 mg-As/kg-soil. It is worth noting that the methodology used to derive permissible concentrations in soil can differ depending on ecotoxicity data availability and socio-economic situations, which results in different permissible concentrations. The permissible concentrations presented in this study have been derived from conservative assumptions for exposure parameters, and thus should be considered as soil standards. In the light of remediation and pollution management of a site of interest, the site-specific and receptor-specific permissible soil concentrations should be derived considering potential receptors, current and future land use, background concentrations, and socio-economic consultation.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-36
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the regional characteristics and the age-adjusted cardio-cerebrovascular disease mortality rates (SCDMR) in 229 si·gun·gu administrative regions. Methods: SCDMR of man and woman was used as a dependent variable using the statistical data of death cause in 2017. As a representative index of regional characteristics, health behavior factors, socio-demographic and economic factors, physical environment factors, and health care factors were selected as independent variables. Ordinary least square (OLS) regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) were performed to identify their relationship. Results: OLS analysis showed significant factors affecting the mortality rates of cardio-cerebrovascular disease as follows: high-risk drinking rates, the ratio of elderly living alone, financial independence, and walking practice rates. GWR analysis showed that the regression coefficients were varied by regions and the influence directions of the independent variables on the dependent variable were mixed. GWR showed higher adjusted R² and Akaike information criterion values than those of OLS. Conclusion: If there is a spatial heterogeneity problem as Korea, it is appropriate to use the GWR model to estimate the influence of regional characteristics. Therefore, results using the GWR model suggest that it needs to establish customized health policies and projects for each region considering the socio-economic characteristics of each region.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2965-2972
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• 2016

Background: China carries a heavy burden of cervical cancer (CC) and substantial disparities exist across regions within the country. In order to reduce regional disparities in CC, the government of China launched the National Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Rural Areas (NCCSPRA) in 2009. Critical to the success of the program are the health care workers who play a pivotal role in preventing and managing CC by encouraging and motivating women to use screening services and by providing identification and treatment services. This study aimed to assess cervical cancer knowledge among these health care workers at the county level in maternal and child health (MCH) hospitals across different socio-economic regions of China. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted and self-administered questionnaires were sent to all health care workers (a total of 66) providing cervical cancer screening services in 6 county level MCH hospitals in Liaoning, Hubei and Shaanxi provinces, representing eastern, central and western regions of China; 64 (97.0%, 64/66) of the workers responded. ANOVA and Chi-square test were used to compare the knowledge rate and scores in subgroups. Results: The knowledge level of the respondents was generally low. The overall combined knowledge rate was 46.9%. The knowledge rates for risk factors, prevention, clinical symptoms, screening and diagnostic tests and understanding of positive results were 31.3%, 37.5%, 18.1%, 56.3% and 84.4%, respectively. Statistically significant differences in scores or rates of CC knowledge were seen across the different regions. The total and sectional scores in the less developed regions were statistically significantly lower than in the other regions. Conclusions: The majority of the health care workers who provide CC screening service in NCCSPRA at county level MCH hospitals do not have adequately equipped with knowledge about CC. Given the importance of knowledge to the program's success in reducing CC burden in rural women in China, efforts are needed to improve the knowledge of health care workers, especially in less developed regions.