• Korea journal of population studies
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.1-20
• /
• 2008

This research examines individual attitudes toward immigration and the determinants of these attitudes in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Using 2003 National Identity module from ISSP data, descriptive statistics showed that Taiwan seems to be the most opposed to immigration, Japan in the middle, and Korea the least opposed. Despite being the least opposed to immigration, Koreans agreed most strongly with having a homogeneous sense of ethnic identity. In addition, Korean respondents saw immigrants are being good for the national economy, but not for cultural diversity. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age is negatively associated with the individual's attitude toward immigrants in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Effects of educational attainment is only significant in Taiwan. Manual worker and others, and those who work in farming, mining, and fishing tend to have negative attitudes toward increases in number of immigrants. Also, individual's values toward immigrants/immigration are related to the individual's attitude toward increases in number of immigrants in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.63-74
• /
• 2016

Objectives: We surveyed the awareness and current status of using fumigant carbon disulfide for exterminate Curculio sikkimensis among chestnut farmers in Chungnam Province to suggest directions for health education and public relations. Methods: We designed questionnaires to evaluate recognition of fumigant carbon disulfide. We conducted a questionnaire survey to assess recognition and recognition level of fumigant carbon disulfide by the study variables. Results: The recognition status for fumigant carbon disulfide was 74.5%, but the recognition level was low (know well 27.5%). The path of recognition was 45.1% and 15.7% for neighbor and rural technology center, respectively. The recognition status for warning label of fumigant carbon disulfide was 52.9%. Recognition for warning label of fumigant carbon disulfide was tended to increase with high educational attainment, bigger owning land area. Recognition on the content of warning label were 29.4%, 27.5%, 21.6%, and 21.6% for inflammability, toxicity, hazard, and explosiveness, respectively. Using personal protection equipment was tended to increase with the high status of awareness on fumigant carbon disulfide. Conclusions: Health education programs for using fumigant carbon disulfide are needed for chestnut farmers. In addition, publicity information activities about prevention and protection of carbon disulfide poisoning are needed for high risk farmers.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.610-619
• /
• 2008

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Factors affecting patients' decision-making for dental prosthetic treatment should be examined in terms of understanding improving patients' oral health. PURPOSE: The main purpose of this dissertation was to investigate patients' dental prosthetic treatment and factors affecting patients' decision-making for dental prosthesis treatment in Deagu and Gyungbook areas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was based on the preliminary survey of dental patients conducted from July 1 to August 31 in 2006. A total of 700 questionnaires had been distributed and 640 were collected. 629 questionnaires were used for the statistical analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics, such as frequencies, cross tabulation analysis, correlation analysis, logistic regression analysis, and multiple regression analysis were introduced. In the multiple regression analysis and logistic regression analysis, twenty-two independent variables were employed to explore the factors which have impacts on decision-making and satisfaction. RESULTS: The results of this dissertation are as follows: Logistic regression analysis turned out that monthly income, age, degree of expectation, marital status, and employer-insured policy of national insurance statistically increased the odds of decision-making of dental prosthesis treatment. But educational attainment decreased the odds ratio of the decision-making of dental prosthesis treatment. However, the rest independent variables do not have statistically significant impacts on the decision-making of dental prosthesis treatment CONCLUSION: Among independent variables, marital status had the most significant influence on the decision making of dental prosthesis treatment. Finally, suggestions for the future study and policy implications to improve satisfaction of the patients' dental prosthetic treatment were discussed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.113-123
• /
• 2014

Objectives: Several previous studies have found that healthy behaviors substantially reduce non-communicable disease incidence and mortality. The present study was performed to estimate the prevalence of four modifiable healthy behaviors and a healthy lifestyle among Korean adults according to socio-demographic and regional factors. Methods: We analyzed data from 199 400 Korean adults aged 19 years and older who participated in the 2010 Korean Community Health Survey. We defined a healthy lifestyle as a combination of four modifiable healthy behaviors: non-smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, regular walking, and a healthy weight. We calculated the prevalence rates and odds ratios of each healthy behavior and healthy lifestyle according to socio-demographic and regional characteristics. Results: The prevalence rates were as follows: non-smoking, 75.0% (53.7% in men, 96.6% in women); moderate alcohol consumption, 88.2% (79.7% in men, 96.9% in women); regular walking, 45.0% (46.2% in men, 43.8% in women); healthy weight, 77.4% (71.3% in men, 73.6% in women); and a healthy lifestyle, 25.5% (16.4% in men, 34.6% in women). The characteristics associated with a low prevalence of healthy lifestyle were male gender, younger age (19 to 44 years of age), low educational attainment, married, living in a rural area, living in the Chungcheong, Youngnam, or Gwangwon-Jeju region, and poorer self-rated health. Conclusions: Further research should be implemented to explore the explainable factors of disparities for socio-demographic and regional characteristics to engage in the healthy lifestyle among adults.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.17
• /
• pp.7713-7720
• /
• 2015

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers. This study aimed to compare the uptake of CRC testing in the general public and in ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey covered 2,327 South Asian and Chinese adults aged over 50, recruited from two separate studies. A structured questionnaires were administered by research staff over the telephone or in faceto-face interviews. Results: The uptake rate of CRC testing among South Asians was significantly lower than that of the general population in Hong Kong. Factors associated with the uptake rate were health professional's recommendation, perception of regular visits to doctor, use of complementary therapy, ethnicity, perceived susceptibility to cancer, presence of chronic illness, and education level. In addition, a significant interaction (p<0.05) between ethnicity and health professionals' recommendations was found, after adjustment for the main independent factors identified. Conclusions: Older people with lower educational attainment, without chronic illness and those have lower perceived susceptibility to cancer may be targeted for CRC testing promotion in the society. In addition, health professionals can play a highly influential role in promoting such testing, particularly among ethnic minorities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.135-138
• /
• 2016

This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of underlying significant lesions among women referred for colposcopy after atypical glandular cell (AGC) smears and the associated risks. The present study reviewed data from women with AGC smears undergoing colposcopy at the Colposcopy Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand between January 2001 to December 2014. Significant lesions included cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2-3, adenocarcinoma in situ, endometrial hyperplasia, and cancer. During the study period, 170 women with AGC cytology were reviewed. The mean age was 45.7 years. Thirty-eight women (22.4%) were postmenopausal. Eighteen smears (10.6%) were further subclassified as AGC-favor neoplasia (AGC-FN). In total, significant lesions were noted in 27 women (15.9%; 95%CI, 7.8%-18.3%). Thirteen women (7.6%, 95%CI, 4.1%-12.7%) were found to have cervical cancer or endometrial cancer. Two variables were independently associated with an increased risk of significant histopathology results: level of educational attainment (secondary level or lower versus bachelor degree or higher) and types of AGC (AGC versus AGC-FN). Women who had low level of education and those with AGC-FN were at the higher risk of significant lesions (OR, 3.16; 95%CI 1.10-9.11 and OR, 4.62; 95%CI, 1.54-13.85, respectively). In conclusion, the rate of significant lesions among women referred for colposcopy after AGC smears is considerably high. Low education and smear subtypes appear independently associated with a higher risk of significant lesions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.1627-1631
• /
• 2015

Background: Stage at diagnosis is one of the most important prognostic factors of breast cancer survival. Because in the breast cancer case this may vary with socioeconomic characteristics, this study was performed to recognize the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic factors with stage at diagnosis in Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted on 526 patients suffering from breast cancer and registered in Cancer Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences from 2008 to 2013. A reliable and valid questionnaire about family levels of socioeconomic status filled in by interviewing the patients via phone. For analyzing the data, Multinomial logistic regression, Kendal tau-b correlation coefficient and Contingency Coefficient tests were executed by SPSS22. Economic status, educational attainment of patient and household head and/or a combination of these were considered as parameters for socioeconomic status. First, the relationship between stage at diagnosis and demographic and socioeconomic status was assessed in univariate analysis then these relationships assessed in two different models of multinomial logistic regression. Results: The mean age of the patients was 48.3 (SD=11.4). According to the results of this study, there were significant relationships between stage at diagnosis of breast cancer with patient education (p=0.011), living place (p=0.044) and combined socioeconomic status (p=0.024). These relationships persisted in multiple multinomial logistic regressions. Other variables, however, had no significant correlation. Conclusions: Patient education, combined socioeconomic status and living place are important variables in stage at diagnosis of breast cancer in Iranian women. Interventions have to be applied with the aim of raising women's accessibility to diagnostic and medical facilities and also awareness in order to reducing delay in referring. In addition, covering breast cancer screening services by insurance is recommended.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2010

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the current educational environment of Oriental medicine and to develop a future-oriented curriculum for traditional Korean medicine in Uzbekistan. The questionnaire used in this research was based on the current curriculum. Methods: This study was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 120 students (5th year in Tashkent medical academy in Uzbekistan) in order to examine the coursed's efficacy for the attainment of oriental medical knowledge. Results: 1. Among the respondents, 69.6% of them have already studied oriental medicine. 2. The respondents felt that the class in Oriental medicine was effective (88.3%). Moreover, they felt that understanding traditional Korean medicine was also beneficial (81.6%). However, 52.5% of them have responded that the class seemed difficult. 3. Among Uzbeki medical students, 64.9% of them have shown interest in acupuncture and moxibustion, 38.4% in traditional Korean herbology and pharmacognosy. 4. We also found that 63.8% of them have desired to have more specific studies in traditional Korean medicine. Conclusion: According to our results, developing adequate textbooks, teaching methods, and qualities of instructors should be considered as alternatives for the successful generalization of traditional Korean medicine in Uzbekistan.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.199-207
• /
• 2009

Objectives : Research on the gender differences of health among older Korean people has been limited compared with the research for other stages of life. This study first examined the patterns and magnitude of the gender differences of health in later life. Second, we examined the gender differences in the health of older men and women that were attributable to differing socioeconomic conditions. Methods : Using the nationally representative 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the gender differences in disability and subjective poor health were assessed by calculating the age adjusted and gender-specific prevalence. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess if the differences between the men and women for health could be explained by differential exposure to socioeconomic factors and/or the differential vulnerability of men and women to these socioeconomic factors. Results : Our results indicated that older women were more likely than the men to report disability and poor subjective health. The health disadvantage of older women was diminished by differential experiences with socioeconomic factors, and especially education. The differences shrink as much as 43.7% in the case of disability and 35.4% in the case of poor subjective health by the differential exposure to educational attainment. Any differential vulnerability to socioeconomic factors was not found between the men and women, which means that socioeconomic factors may have similar effect on health in both genders. Conclusions : Differential socioeconomic experience and exposure between the men and women might cause gender difference in health in old age Koreans.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.165-172
• /
• 2008

Objectives : Despite various government initiatives, including the expansion of national health insurance coverage, health inequality has been a key health policy issue in South Korea during the past decade. This study describes and compares the extent of the total health inequality and the income-related health inequality over time among Korean adults. Methods : This study employs the 1998, 2001 and 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANESs). The self-assessed health (SAH) ordinal responses, measured on a five-point scale, resealed to cardinal values to measure the health inequalities with using interval regression. The boundaries of each threshold for the interval regression analysis were obtained from the empirical distribution of the EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) valuation weights estimated from the 2005 KNHANES. The final model predicting the individuals' health status included age, gender, educational attainment, occupation, income, and the regional prosperity index. The concentration index was used to measure and analyze the health inequality. Results : The KNHANES data showed an unequal distribution of the total health inequality in favor of the higher income groups, and this is getting worse over time (0.0327 in 1998, 0.0393 in 2001 and 0.0924 in 2005). The income-related health inequality in 2005 was 0.0278, indicating that 30.1% of the total health inequality can be attributed to income. Conclusions : The findings indicate there are health inequalities across the sociodemographic and income groups despite the recent government's efforts. Further research is warranted to investigate what potential policy actions are necessary to decrease the health inequality in Korea.