• 한국노년학
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.315-331
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• 2014

The goal of this study was to examine the association between employment and depressive symptoms among older adults in Korea, including analysis of potential gender differences. Using a sample of Korean adults aged 60 years or older from the 2008(Time 2) and 2010(Time 3) national longitudinal survey data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing, we regressed measures of depressive symptoms at Time 3 on employment at Time 2 (and employment both at Time 2 and Time 3), controlling for Time 2 depressive symptoms, subjective physical health, and sociodemographic variables as well. First, there was no evidence that older adults with a job at Time 2 had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms at Time 3 compared to their counterparts. However, multi-group analyses showed that the effect of employment at Time 2 on depression at Time 3 differed by gender. For older men, employment predicted better mental health over time. However, this was not the case for older women. As such work role provided benefits only for older men. Second, older adults with a job at both Time 2 and Time 3 reported significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms at Time 3 than older adults who did not have a job either at Time 2 or Time 3. However, only older men who were employed at both Time 2 and Time 3 reported significantly less depression than their counterparts. These findings suggest that the mental health effects of employment are contingent on gender.

• 한국노년학
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.865-885
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• 2008

This study addresses a number of issues related to suicide among older persons in Korea. The study investigates various aspects of elderly's suicide ideation, and how this quality of life and self-esteem impacts on their suicide ideation through depression. For the purpose of the study, the survey was conducted and 8,135 elderly 65 years old and over who reside in Gyeonggi-do participated. The result of the study indicated that quality of life, self-esteem and depression of the elderly showed statistically significant suicide ideation of the elderly. Participants were divided into two groups according to their physical health status. That is, to find out how quality of life and self-esteem of the elderly impact on the suicide ideation directly and indirectly through depression among elderly people with physical disease and no disease. The results showed that depression of the elderly people with physical disease was the most highly significant factors in explaining the elderly's suicidal ideation directly a comparison of elderly people with no physical disease. Therefore, depression is a major mental health problem associated with suicide. Finally, these findings of the study can improve the elderly people's quality of life and reduce suicide ideation.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.628-637
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing quality of life among cancer survivors in order to identify strategies for cancer survivors to go back to normal life and carry on stable and high quality life. This study used Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(2010-2014), conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC). The sample of this study was 610 cancer survivors and their average time since diagnosis was about 11 years. The most powerful influencing factors for quality of life among cancer survivors were activity limitation(${\beta}$=.30, p<.001), followed by age(${\beta}$=-.20, p<.001), subjective health status(${\beta}$ =-.19, p<.001), and economic status(${\beta}$=.12, p=.004). According to the result, limitation on daily activities or social activities due to physical or mental debilitation was a strong factor that lowers quality of life among cancer survivors. Hence, there is a need for manpower and infrastructure that facilitates, supports, and manage daily activities of cancer survivors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1225-1233
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• 2015

This study aims to clarify the psychosocial reactions of female patients with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy and in the process of suffering from alopecia and to examine their nursing support. The target group comprised female patients who had received two or more cycles of chemotherapy, were suffering from alopecia, and were aged 30-65. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, conducted from the time the patients were informed by their doctors that they might experience alopecia due to chemotherapy to the time they actually experienced alopecia and until they were able to accept the change. Inductive qualitative analysis was employed to close in on the subjective experiences of the cancer patients. The results showed the existence of six phases in the psychosocial reactions in the process of alopecia: phase one was the reaction after the doctor's explanation; phase two was the reaction when the hair starts to fall out; phase three was the reaction when the hair starts to intensely fall out; phase four was the reaction when the hair has completely fallen out; phase five was the reaction to behavior for coping with alopecia; and phase six was the reaction to change in interpersonal human relationships. The results also made it clear that there are five types of reaction patterns as follows: 1) treatment priority interpersonal relationship maintenance type; 2) alopecia agitated interpersonal relationship maintenance type; 3) alopecia agitated interpersonal relationship reduction type; 4) alopecia denial interpersonal relationship reduction type; and 5) alopecia denial treatment interruption type. It is important to find out which of the five types the patients belong to early during treatment and provide support so that nursing intervention that suits each individual can be practiced. The purpose of this study is to make clear the process in which patients receiving chemotherapy come to accept alopecia and to examine evidence-based nursing care on patients with strong mental distress from alopecia.

• Korean Journal of Rural Living Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1997

In this study we tried to give a decision on propriety of working conditions, to present ideas on reducing work loads. and to grope for efficiency of agricultural works. For this we examined the actual conditions of working environment, farmer's clothes, working posture, working methods, working time, resting state, fatigue recovery methods during cultivating lettuce in the winter greenhouse. And Ive improved harmful factors that affect farmer's health by considering results of previous study and farmer's subjective sensation. And we measured, compared, and analyzed the farmer's work loads before and after improvement. The results of this study are as follows ; 1. According to examine the actual conditions of cultivating lettuce in the winter greenhouse, farmers have experienced physical and mental chronic fatigue on the basis of the hot and humid crops-centered working environment, the rough ground condition, inconsistent arrangement of working stand and sorter, heavy-weared habits. and unsuitable working posture. 2. When we improved harmful factors that affect farmer's health, conformed the positive effects on important work efficiency index such as heart rate, electromyovolume, body temperature, and microclimate inside clothing and work loads were decreased by improving the hot and humid working environment, eliminating the hillock and obstacles of working path. deliver way, arranging the working stand and sorter consistantly, decreasing the clothing weight, improving the working postures and methods as using assistant appliances, alloting the working time and sequence effectively and presenting the light gymnastic exercises and rest for fatigue restoration.

• Korean Journal of Rural Living Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 1997

In this study we tried to give a decision on propriety of working conditions, to present ideas on reducing work loads, and to grope for efficiency of agricultural works. For this we examined the actual working conditions of cultivating welsh onion in the summer ground. And we improved harmful factors that affect farmer's health by considering results of previous study and farmer's subjective sensation. And we measured. compared, and analyzed the farmer's work loads before and after improvement. The results of this study are as follows ; 1. According to examine the actual working conditions of cultivating welsh onion in the summer ground, farmers have experienced physical and mental chronic fatigue on the basis of farmer's appel to eye - fatigue and sun - burned skin on hot working environment including excessive ultraviolet rays, the rough ground condition, inconsistent arrangement of working stand and sorter, heavy - weared habits, and unsuitable working posture. 2. When we improved harmful factors that affect farmer's health, conformed the effects on important work efficiency index such as heart rate, electromyovolume, body temperature, and microclimate inside clothing and work loads were decreased by eliminating the hillock and obstacles of ground, decreasing the clothing weight, using proper clothing appliances such as hat and sunglasses, controlling height of working stand and sorter suitably, improving the working postures and methods as using assistant appliances, alloting the working time and sequence effectively and presenting the light gymnastic exercises and rest for fatigue restoration.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.562-570
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• 2019

This study examined the factors affecting the underweight of Korean adolescents using data from Korea youth risk behavior web-based survey, which are national health statistics. This is a second data analysis study using the 13th Korea youth risk behavior web-based survey. The subjects were 48,242 adolescents who range from the first-year middle school students to the third-year high school students. The measurement variables were classified into demographic, physical activity, dietary, and mental health characteristics. The collected data were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The factors affecting the underweight of Korean adolescents were sex, school type, academic performance, economic level, physical activities, weight control efforts, ramen intake, confectionary intake, stress, and subjective sleep fulfillment rate. Based on the results of this study, we need to search for the measures to help underweight adolescents recover their proper weight.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2024

Objectives : This study aims to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly residents in the relatively stable rural areas of Jeju and to examine the relationships between levels of depression, sociodemographic factors, and health habits. Methods : The study site was within rural Jeju, where elderly individuals aged 65 and older were randomly selected from the 'Agricultural Cohort' registered at the Centers for Farmers' Safety and Health Center. Trained interviewers conducted surveys using the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (sGDS-K), defining those with scores of 6 or above as experiencing depressive symptoms for the analysis. Other variables such as sex, age, educational level, marital status, annual income, subjective health status, underlying disease, perceived stress levels, smoking, and drinking status were also recorded Results : Out of 533 subjects, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 35.3%, with 28.5% in male and 45.6% in female (p<0.001). Factors significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms included marital status (p=0.014), educational level (p<0.001), annual income (p=0.034), subjective health status (p<0.001), perceived stress level (p<0.001), feeling of despair (p<0.001) and suicidal ideas (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that subjective health status, perceived stress level, and feelings of despair were associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions : The high prevalence of depressive symptoms among the rural elderly in Jeju highlights the need for targeted mental health interventions. Addressing sociocultural factors and improving early detection and intervention strategies can help reduce the socioeconomic impact of depression in this population.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.127-152
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• 2015

This study aimed to implement the enhancement program for the social work practice competency for children of community child center workers and to evaluate the program's effects. For this purpose, the program was implemented for ten community child center workers five times for five weeks(once a week, 120 minutes per session). For the quantitative evaluation, a non-equivalent control group design among quasi-experimental designs was used, and for the qualitative evaluation, the written materials related with the program were collected and analyzed. The results of the quantitative evaluation revealed that the social work practice skills and worker-client relationship empowerment of the community child center workers who participated in the competency enhancement program were significantly improved. In the qualitative evaluation, the subjective experiences were presented, including the improvement of the worker's practice competency and the worker's awareness of the changes in the child, the recognition of the strong points and the points to be improved in the program. This study is expected to raise the expertise and effectiveness of community child center workers, and ultimately, to contribute to the healthy development and the improvement of the mental health of children by improving the social work practice competency of the workers in community child centers, which comprise the representative service delivery system for children in South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2010

Objectives：Body image is closely related to self-esteem and weight-control related behaviors. In particular, relationship between two factors would be stronger in female adolescents. False recognition on body image and weight can be a risk factor of eating disorder, depression, and suicidal ideation. This study aimed to examine the effects of body image and eating disorders on developing depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in female adolescents. Methods：Two hundred thirty nine students of a Girls' Commercial High School in Seoul were recruited. Eating Attitude Test for Korean Adolescents, Self-Esteem Scales, Impulsiveness Scale, Beck's Depression Inventory and Beck's Suicidal Ideation Scale were used to measure eating attitude and severity of psychiatric symptoms. Results：Among 239 subjects, the estimated risk group of eating disorders was 10%(n=24). They experienced more depressive symptoms than the control group. The bigger discrepancy in current and ideal body mass index was significantly related with higher depressive mood, suicidal idea, abnormal eating habits and lower self-esteem. Discrepancy between current and idea BMI was the most meaningful predictive factor about depression and suicidal thoughts by linear regression analysis. Conclusion：In spite of normal weight range of enrolled subjects, they experienced significant depressive mood, suicide thoughts and lower self-esteem associated with the discrepancy of their own subjective body image and current body mass index. Hence educational approach regarding normal body image and healthy weight control is needed for their mental health and preventing eating disorder.