• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2007

Objectives: Studies investigating problematic internet use have increased rapidly and have been focused on its causes, psychopathology, prevalence, characteristics and so on. However, there are few studies concerning the correlation between problematic internet use and youth health risk behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between problematic internet use and youth health risk behavior. Methods: A community sample of 632 high school students in grades 10 and 11 was collected for the survey. The sample was assessed using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System(YRBSS) and Young's Diagnostic Questionnaire of Internet Addiction(YDQ). The subjects were classified into two groups: normal and problematic internet use, and the problematic internet use group was further divided into at-risk use and addiction groups. Results: There were 56 subjects(8.9%) in the internet addiction group and 56 subjects(8.9%) in the at-risk internet use group. The other 507 subjects were classified as normal. The subjects in the internet addiction group kissed more frequently and ate less fruit than those in the normal group. They also showed a relatively higher tendency to watch TV, ride in a car driven by a drunk driver and to carry a weapon than those in the normal group. There were no differences in health risk behaviors between the subjects in the internet addiction group and those in the at-risk internet use group, except for the possibility of riding in a car driven by a drunk driver. Conclusion: Unlike the normal group, there was very little difference in health risk behavior between the internet addiction group and the at-risk internet use group, which indicates that the addiction group and the at-risk internet use groups are homogenous. It is important to focus on the behavior of individuals in the at-risk group, and preventive measures should be taken in order to reduce the possibility of at-risk adolescents becoming addicted.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.327-335
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• 2014

Objectives: Several epidemiological studies on medical care utilization prior to suicide have considered the motivation of suicide, but focused on the influence of physical illnesses. Medical care expenditure in suicide completers with non-illness-related causes has not been investigated. Methods: Suicides motivated by non-illness-related factors were identified using the investigator's note from the National Police Agency, which was then linked to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment data. We investigated the medical care expenditures of cases one year prior to committing suicide and conducted a case-control study using conditional logistic regression analysis after adjusting for age, gender, area of residence, and socioeconomic status. Results: Among the 4515 suicides motivated by non-illness-related causes, medical care expenditures increased in only the last 3 months prior to suicide in the adolescent group. In the younger group, the proportion of total medical expenditure for external injuries was higher than that in the older groups. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed significant associations with being a suicide completer and having a rural residence, low socioeconomic status, and high medical care expenditure. After stratification into the four age groups, a significant positive association with medical care expenditures and being a suicide completer was found in the adolescent and young adult groups, but no significant results were found in the elderly groups for both men and women. Conclusions: Younger adults who committed suicide motivated by non-illness-related causes had a higher proportion of external injuries and more medical care expenditures than their controls did. This reinforces the notion that suicide prevention strategies for young people with suicidal risk factors are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.99-110
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the association between suicidal thoughts and the co-occurrence of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among adolescents. Methods: This study used the data of the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey from 2008 through 2014. The subjects of this study were 517,866 students, in total (Male 266,500, Female 251,366). Frequency analysis was conducted on the data about the subjects' general characteristics and their experience of smoking, drinking, and drug use. The relationship between suicidal thoughts and the co-occurrence of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use was analyzed through ${\chi}^2-test$ and logistic regression. The analyses were done using SAS 9.4. Results: According to the study, adolescents who used alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs at the same time engaged in suicidal ideation 3.69 times more than their peers who didn't use such substances (95% CI: 3.40~4.00, p<.001). Also, adolescents who used only tobacco, only alcohol, and only drugs engaged in suicidal ideation 1.49 times (95% CI: 1.43~1.56, p<.001), 1.28 times (95% CI: 1.26~1.31, p<.001) and 2.34 times (95% CI: 2.04~2.69, p<.001) more than the students who didn't use any substances, respectively. Conclusion: Adolescents' suicidal ideation and the co-occurrence of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use had a statistically significant relationship.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of school-based alcohol prevention programs on drinking statuses of adolescents. Methods: The findings of this study was based on the data obtained from the '2015 11th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The number of study subjects were 68,043. Results: It was figured that 35.6% of the study subjects had experienced school-based alcohol prevention programs within the last 12 months. As the students got older, the chances to participate in the programs decreased (p<.01). For both middle and high school students, current drinking rates for the educated was lower than those of the uneducated students(6.6% vs 8.0%; 22.2% vs 25.9%) and it was statistically significant. A similar pattern was found for high-risk drinking rates. Those educated showed lower rates than the uneducated with statistical significance of p<.001. In addition, the educated had lower problem drinking rate than the uneducated for both middle (p<.05) and high school students (p<.001). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that school-based alcohol prevention programs had statistically significant effect on current drinking status of adolescents (p<.05). However, it had significant effect only on high-risk drinking status of high school students (p<.05) and had no effect on problem drinking. Conclusion: This study addressed effectiveness of school-based adolescent alcohol prevention programs and that it is important to develop means to implement school health education.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.271-279
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• 2023

Purpose: Adolescent self-harm is a public health problem. Research suggests a link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and self-destructive behaviors. Few studies, however, have examined the effects of ACEs on self-harm among Asian adolescents. This study explored the association between lifetime ACEs and a history of self-harm among Korean children and adolescents in elementary, middle, and high schools. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective medical record review was conducted on a dataset of a national psychiatrist advisory service for school counselors who participated in the Wee Doctor Service from January 1 to December 31, 2020. The data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to predict self-harm. Results: Student cases (n=171) were referred to psychiatrists by school counselors for remote consultation. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the odds of self-harm were higher among high school students (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.97; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.94-12.76), those with two or more ACEs (aOR=3.27; 95% CI=1.43-7.47), and those with depression (aOR=3.06; 95% CI=1.32-7.10). Conclusion: The study's findings provide compelling evidence that exposure to ACEs can increase vulnerability to self-harm among Korean students. Students with a history of ACEs and depression, as well as high school students, require increased attention during counseling. School counselors can benefit from incorporating screening assessment tools that include questions related to ACEs and depression. Establishing a systematic referral system to connect students with experts can enhance the likelihood of identifying self-harm tendencies and offering the essential support to prevent self-harm.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.394-405
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to develop a nutrition policy on food and nutrition labeling and education systems for fast food and carbonated soft drinks in Korea by identifying the fast food and soft drink use and by examining nutrition policies and labeling in Korea and other countries. Fast food is defined as food dispensed quickly at a restaurant generally offering a limited menu of inexpensive items, which may be mostly not nutritious. It is a growing component of the Korean diet, especially on children and adolescent population. Low nutrient dense beverages such as carbonated drinks are also increasing in the children and adolescent's diet in Korea and concern has been raised that these beverages may replace more nutritious beverage and provide empty calories. According to 2001 Korean national health and nutrition survey, fast food and carbonated soft drinks were most popular among 13 - 19 years old adolescents. Thirty six and 72 percent of adolescents consumed hamburger and carbonated beverage equal to or more than once a week, respectively. In United States, all processed food including soft drinks should disclose full nutrition information by nutrition labeling requirement.. Restaurant foods are not required to provide nutrition information currently, but legislation on mandatory nutrition labeling of fast foods with other restaurant foods has been proposed currently in US. The sales of foods of minimal nutritional value, such as soft drinks, in the nation's schools is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture. Nutrition information about fast food in US has been provided by fast food companies, non-profit organizations, hospitals and government through internet, booklet and brochure, etc, but the information is available from only a few resources in Korea. This study suggests a nutrition policy on fast food and soft drink use which includes establishing mandatory nutrition labeling and developing nutrition education materials and programs by web-site, booklet and government and school programs in Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.486-498
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to identify health problems and health behaviors of the middle-aged residing in urban areas and to plan and implement health promotion programs based on their health needs. The subjects' age ranged from 30-64 years in 1.040 middle-aged residing in an area of Kangbook-ku in Seoul. The data were collected from September 1998 to February 1999 with structured questionnaire using face-to-face or telephone interviews. The data were analyzed by SPSS-PC+ and identified by $X^2$ test and ANOVA. The results were as follows: 1. 35.4% of the males and 27.8% of the female responded that they were healthy regarding their perceived health status. In the order of chronic illness prevalence in the case of males was hypertension, diabetes, and digestive disorders and. in the case of females, was digestive disorders, hypertension, arthritis, anemia, and diabetes. 2. Male and female's smoking rates were 7.3% and 3.6% each and marked the highest rate of 30 to 40 years: drinking behavior was 66.9% in males and 32.2% in females. 3. The younger males had the worse dietary habits and had the lowest frequency of regular exercise. The older the females were, the more their weight increased. According to the results, health promotion programs by sex are recommended, especially in the target population of 30 to 40 years. and focused on the strategies for promoting self-care and actual health practice: it is strongly suggested that health promotion programs for adolescent and school-aged children before middle aged health behavior begins.

• Advanced Industrial SCIence
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.37-50
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• 2024

This study explored the link between reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy in young women from Uganda's Luwero district. A survey was conducted on 82 women in the Luwero region from May to July 2016, and the predictive power of knowledge and attitudes toward self-efficacy was evaluated through multiple linear regression analysis. Results showed positive correlations among these factors, with knowledge and attitude predicting self-efficacy. Specifically, understanding healthy puberty habits and valuing women's roles positively influenced self-efficacy for healthy behaviors. These findings emphasize the need to target these aspects in reproductive health education programs, crucial for addressing adolescent pregnancy and related issues in Uganda's rural areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.117-126
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• 2018

Purpose: The leading cause of death among teenagers in Korea is suicide. Also, it is known that mental health of Korean adolescents identified based on the levels of perceived stress or depression is very poor. The purpose of this study was to examine the current status of student mental health programs in Korea and the associated problems and to explore ways to make the programs more effective. Methods: The subjects of the study were a total of 115 school nurses and school counselors in elementary, middle and high schools. The study examined the current status and the associated problems of school mental health programs as well as the needs for teacher training programs related to student mental health. Results: Few mental health programs other than counseling for at-risk students were being carried out. The problems associated with student mental health management were, in terms of management, 'accountability in case of incidents such as student suicide' and 'parents uncooperative in their kid's mental health management (visit to hospital, etc.)' and, in terms of manpower, 'unclear R&R between school nurses and school counselors' and, more fundamentally, 'the lack of human resources.' The needs for teacher training programs related to student mental health were very high and the content required most was 'ways to manage stress of students and teachers themselves,' followed by 'interpersonal conflicts management & conservational skills,' and 'ways to manage student mental illness.' Conclusion: In conclusion, to increase the effectiveness of student mental health programs, we should move on from the current system which focuses only on early discovery and intervention to a more comprehensive system that includes preventive approaches, while having clearer R&R and more workforce dedicated to student mental health programs and attracting more parental cooperation and support.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.49-57
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among health literacy, body shape and health risk perception on health promotion behaviors and identify the factors that influence on health promotion behaviors in the adolescents. The participants for this study were 120 adolescents from two middle school located in J city. Descriptive statistics, t-test or ANOVA with Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression with SPSS 20.0. The result of the multiple regression indicates the health risk perception, middle school grade and gender predict 14.0% (F=6.27, P<.001) of health promotion behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an intervention program to lower health risk perception in order to increase the health promotion behavior of adolescents.