• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.528-535
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• 2013

Air pollution in large cities is reduced through the environmental health policies, but due to increased population and automobile, some pollutants are still a problem. These air pollutants are known to cause asthma and respiratory diseases. According to an OECD report, the number of premature deaths will increase. Hazardous air pollutants should be managed through a systematic monitoring, risk assessment, and many studies are in progress. In order to manage hazardous air pollutants, transformation of policy for the protection of human health is required. management policy through the calculation of the excess number of deaths that occur from hazardous air pollutants for the public health is necessary. Korea has put a lot of efforts for air quality, but health risk assessment should be more considered.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.29-43
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• 2008

This study explores a model that examines how multidimensional risk factors explain mental health problems of young offenders. One hundred and ninety six students aged 13 to 15 in correctional facilities were assessed for mental health symptoms that examined the effects of multifaceted risk factors on mental health conditions. Consistent with the hypothesis of this study, secure unit students appear to have experienced various forms of risk factors and those factors have influenced mental health conditions. Results show that correctional facilities should reframe therapeutic and preventive approaches to disadvantaged students and develop integrated services and programs for rehabilitation and reintegration into society. It is recommended that those involved in treatment plans in correctional facilities consider that different treatment plans are necessary for each young offender.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.32-40
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors for addiction-related behaviors among Korean adolescents. Methods: The study's subjects were 60,040 middle and high school students who participated in the 14th (2018) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Frequency analysis, $x^2$ test, and multivariate logistic regression were conducted using SPSS 21.0. Results: The risk factors for addiction-related behaviors were sex, school type, living area, academic performance, economic status, residence type, health status, depression, perceived stress and sleep satisfaction. Conclusion: Addiction-related behaviors are associated with mental health. Therefore, in order to prevent addictive-behaviors of adolescents, it is necessary to develop strategies to prevent addictive-behaviors by improving their mental health.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.139-142
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• 2015

Background: Healthcare workers' practices regarding hepatitis B have an important effect on the control of this problem in workplaces. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was used to investigate the role of knowledge, cues to action, and risk perceptions as predictors of preventive behavioral intentions for hepatitis B among healthcare works in Broujen, Iran (n = 150). History of hepatitis B vaccination, hepatitis B surface antigen test, and demographic characteristics were investigated. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were established. Results: Those who had a history of hepatitis B surface antigen test had a statistically significant higher level of risk perceptions ($30.89{\pm}4.08$ vs. $28.41{\pm}3.93$, p < 0.01) and preventive behavioral intentions ($5.05{\pm}1.43$ vs. $4.45{\pm}1.29$, p < 0.01). The mean score of cues to action was significantly correlated with age and work history (r = 0.20, p = 0.02 and r = 0.19, p = 0.02). Preventive behavioral intentions were significantly correlated with cues to action and risk perceptions but not with knowledge level. Cognitional factors were responsible for a 17% change in observed variance of preventive behavioral intentions, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: Risk perceptions were the most important determinant of preventive behavioral intentions for hepatitis B among health personnel; thus, emphasizing risk perceptions is recommended in educational programs aimed at increasing health personnel's practices regarding hepatitis B.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.416-428
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• 2020

Purpose: This study identified socioeconomic factors affecting the health status of Korean adults. Methods: Secondary data from 12,921 adults aged 19 to 64 old in the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The participants' health status was measured using the indicators that included health behaviors (smoking, high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity) and health outcomes (metabolic syndrome, and subjective health status). Results: For all health behaviors and health outcomes, gender, age, educational level, and income were common affecting factors. Regarding health behaviors, the employment status was related to smoking, high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity. The marital status was related to high-risk drinking, strength exercise, and aerobic physical activity. The household type was related to smoking. The residential area was related to smoking, high-risk drinking, and aerobic physical activity. For health outcomes, the household type was related to obesity, and subjective health status; residential area was related to obesity. Conclusion: This study presented basic data for assessing the differences in health status. The characteristics of the affecting factors to health status should be considered, depending on the health behaviors and health outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.83-98
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• 2001

Although periodic health examination has been one of the most common practices of preventive medicine, its effect on modification of risk behavior has been seldom assessed. Thus, this study attempted to demonstrate the influence of a health examination on modification of cardiovascular disease related health risk behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. Data of 893 adults were derived from two types of a popular and highly acclaimed health examination program. With a conceptual model constructed using Persuasive Communication variables, McNemar tests examined Source-Outcome association, hypothesizing that different health examination programs would yield different levels of behavior change in smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. No significant behavior change was found in any of the two health examination programs. Instead, previously established Receiver-Outcome relationship was reconfirmed by logistic regression modeling where gender was the most prominent predictor of all three behaviors. Men were more likely to be current smokers (OR=0.029), exercisers (OR=2.629), and obese (OR=0.237). The importance of followups after health examination is highly stressed as well as that of gender-specific health education strategies. This study recommends applying the social-ecological approaches in health examination, which emphasizes the support and collaboration at individual, family, organizations, community, and policy level to improve health. Long term and qualitative evaluation of health examination may provide more foundation for increasing the effectiveness of health education and communication in health examinations.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.210-217
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• 2011

Objectives: The rising burden of preventable risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among adolescents is a major public health challenge worldwide. We identified the preventable risk factors for NCDs in adolescents. Methods: In a school-based study, pre-tested structured questionnaires were completed by 414 adolescents (14 to 17 years) at six schools in three cities in Pakistan. The chi-squared test and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated in a multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: Over 80% of the adolescents had unhealthy diets, and 54% were physically inactive. Most adolescents were exposed to passive smoking, and 14% were also current smokers. More than one-third of participants chewed betel nut, and one-quarter used oral tobacco. More girls were physically inactive (OR, 4.07; 95% CI, 2.69 to 6.17), whereas a greater proportion of boys were current smokers (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.19 to 3.91), exposed to passive smoking (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.72 to 3.83), and using betel nut (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.34 to 3.06). Only 3.1% of the participants were without any preventable lifestyle risk factor for NCDs, and over 80% had ${\geq}$2 factors. Co-existence of risk factors was independently associated with fathers being blue-collar workers (aOR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.07 to 11.92) and parents not treating their child fairly (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 1.29 to 19.78). Conclusions: Most of the adolescents studied had preventable risk factors for NCDs. These results warrant comprehensive and integrated interventions to prevent lifestyle risk factors, and parents are front-line stakeholders.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.345-356
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• 2015

This study analyzed the health risk behavior of Korean college students by comparing them based on the college location (Seoul vs. non-Seoul). Converging analyses of health risk behaviors (drinking behavior, sex, suicidality) and health risk factors (mental health, stress) were attempted. The results showed the 23% of students were at risk of serious drinking problem, and the 52.6% of students consumed alcohol once in every other week or more often. In case of the sexual behavior, 40.6% had sexual experience. Importantly, the 25.4% and the 20.3% of college students in Seoul and non-Seoul area, respectively, had two or more sexual partners. Also, students in non-Seoul area had a tendency of the higher level of suicidality, and the lower level of mental health. Overall, the self-respect score was the only statistically significant factor showing the Seoul/non-Seoul difference. These results may be able to intervene the health risk behaviors of college students.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.212-221
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• 2007

Background: Adolescent risk behaviors are of concern because they are dangerous in themselves and have negative influences on adult health. Objectives: This study explored six health risk behaviors of a sample representing the adolescent population in Jeju. Methods: Frequency and percentage of risk behaviors were calculated. Additionally, the chi-square test was used to explore whether differences in experimentation with risk behaviors exist relative to gender and schooling levels. Results: There were six major findings in this study: (a) a lower rate of lifetime and current cigarette use among female students compared to male students, (b) a substantial portion of heavy drinkers, (c) a higher rate of lifetime drug use among female students than among male students, (d) a higher prevalence of suicide ideation among female students than among male students, (e) substantial percentages of students who did not usually wear seatbelts, motorcycle helmets, or bicycle helmets, and (f) a substantial portion of students who were not involved in vigorous physical activities. Conclusions: Since a substantial portion of adolescents have been involved with diverse risk behaviors, it is urgent to implement effective intervention strategies to reduce the rates of these behaviors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to identify regional differences in the high-risk drinking rate among yearly alcohol users in Korea and to identify relevant regional factors for each quintile using quantile regression. Methods: Data from 227 counties surveyed by the 2017 Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) were analyzed. The analysis dataset included secondary data extracted from the Korean Statistical Information Service and data from the KCHS. To identify regional factors related to the high-risk drinking rate among yearly alcohol users, quantile regression was conducted by dividing the data into 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 90% quantiles, and multiple linear regression was also performed. Results: The current smoking rate, perceived stress rate, crude divorce rate, and financial independence rate, as well as one's social network, were related to the high-risk drinking rate among yearly alcohol users. The quantile regression revealed that the perceived stress rate was related to all quantiles except for the 90% quantile, and the financial independence rate was related to the 50% to 90% quantiles. The crude divorce rate was related to the high-risk drinking rate among yearly alcohol users in all quantiles. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that local health programs for high-risk drinking are needed in areas with high local stress and high crude divorce rates.