• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Objectives: This review is to suggest strategies to reduce risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in South Korea. Methods: Prior research findings on the burden of NCD and associated risk factors and the effectiveness of intervention programs were reviewed. Strategies regarding the control of NCD risk factors were conceived. Results: The author presented research findings from the Global Burden of Disease study on the burden of non-communicable disease (NCD) and associated risk factors in South Korea. Strengths and limitations of population and high-risk strategies for preventing NCDs were introduced. The author also reviewed the evidence on the effectiveness of multiple cardiovascular risk factor interventions and community-based intervention programs on cardiovascular diseases conducted in industrialized countries. Finally, strategies to reduce NCD risk factors in South Korea were suggested. Conclusions: The evidence-based interventions and the importance of population strategies in NCD prevention were highlighted. The author indicated that strategies employed by unhealthy commodity industries to undermine effective public health policies and programs should be actively monitored. It has been suggested that effective high-risk strategies with ecological models to address social risks rather than medical risks among disadvantaged population should be further developed in South Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.128-139
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting health promotion behavior among workers with high risk of metabolic syndrome. This study was based on the planned behavior theory. Methods: The participants were 167 workers at high risk of metabolic syndrome. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Surveyed variables were attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, and health promotion behavior. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS/WIN 22.0. Results: Perceived behavioral control affected the intention of health promotion behavior among the workers with high risk of metabolic syndrome. It explained 62% of variance in the intention of health promotion behavior (F=40.09, p<.001). Perceived behavioral control and occupation affected health promotion behavior among the risk workers with high risk of metabolic syndrome. The two factors explained 16% of variance in health promotion behavior (F=4.95, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that perceived behavioral control is the only factor affecting health promotion behavior when the theory of planned behavior was applied. Therefore, intervention programs for improving health promotion behavior should be focused on strengthening perceived behavioral control.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2009

Child is a being and provides the genetic continuity of parents and society, and therefore the fitness of these children for survival, growth and development towards reproduction, is of significance to parents and society. The aim of health care for high-risk children is not only to minimize or eliminate health problems, but also to optimize their fitness. Considering that the health care of children is influenced by available resources of parents and society, and sociocultural values and paradigms in a given environment of evolutionary adaptedness (EEA), child health care professionals need to understand factors affecting the optimal fitness of children with risks. This paper introduces a new integrated theory for health care in high-risk children, entitled, Health for Optimal Fitness of High-Risk Children. Five main components were identified with associate concepts or midrange theories affecting heath for optimal fitness of high-risk children; EEA, optimal fitness, health problems, investment resources, and anthropological values. It may provide an integrated perspective on health of high-risk children in both the proximately biomedical approach and ultimately evolutionary approach as optimizing their fitness. Further study is needed to develop substantial statements between components with existential examples.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.233-243
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• 2002

Purpose: This study is aimed at testing the effect of health promotion program on health promoting behavior and cardiovascular risk factors of middle-aged women. Method: The research design was the nonequivalent control group pre-post test. Twelve middle-aged women were the experimental group and ten were the control group. The 8-week health promotion program was given to the experimental group. There were health promotion theories, flexibility and muscle strength exercise, cardiopulmonary endurance exercise, nutrition, stress management, cancer prevention and early detection, management of menopause and wrap-up in health promotion program for middle-aged women. The measurement tool was Health Promoting Behavior developed by researcher using serum cholesterol, obesity rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure as cardiovascular risk factors. Result: The experimental group showed a higher score of health promoting behavior than the control group. There were no differences on cardiovascular risk factors(cholesterol, obesity rate, diastolic blood pressure) between the experimental and control groups except systolic blood pressure. Conclusion: Conclusively, this health promotion program for middle-aged women was effective in increasing health promotion behaviors, but wasn't effective in decreasing cardiovascular risk factors except the systolic blood pressure. It seems it's necessary to re-study this using more samples and a longer duration of the program, and smaller mortality rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.13-23
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• 2009

Purpose: Suicide was considered as a big public health concern in recent years because suicide mortality has been increased rapidly. This study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of suicidal ideation among adolescents in South Korea. Methods: The data of 2007 Youth Health Risk Behavior Web-based Survey collected by Korean Center for Disease Control were analyzed using logistic regression for this study. Results: The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 23.7% in South Korea. The risk factors of suicide ideation were depression (odds 8.43), perceived stress(odds 4.30), drug use (odds 2.47), sexual intercourse(odds 2.36), present smoking (odds 1.76), present alcohol drink (odds 2.39), feeling unhappiness (odds 2.89), living with none of parents (odds 1.71), gender(odds 1.72), health status (odds 1.66), and socioeconomic status (odds 2.0). Conclusion : Health risk behaviors and mental health status were related to suicide ideation. Health risk behavior such as smoking and drinking prevention programs and mental health promotion programs should be implemented to decrease suicide ideation among adolescents. Suicide, mental health and health risk behaviors should be prevented through comprehensive health promotion programs.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.333-344
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed to examine risk-accepting personality traits and associated factors among farmers. Methods: Data were collected from farmers aged over 40 living in Goryeong, North Gyeongsang-do Province, Korea. Study participants were enrolled in the Korean Rural Cohort study from 2011 to 2014. Surveys for the risk perception of farming were made through face-to-face interviews. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were conducted adjusting for gender, age, marital status, and education. Results: Several factors such as gender, age, marital status, age first worked as a farmer, duration of farming, and history of pesticide poisoning were associated with risk-accepting personality traits among farmers. Farmers with risk-accepting personalities tend to be older, less educated, and have self-employed health insurance. Farmers who started farming after the age of 50 are likely to be risk averse compared to farmers who started farming before the age of 20 (OR=0.41, 95% CI; 0.21, 0.82). Frequent spraying of pesticides was marginally associated with higher risk acceptance among female farmers (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.64). Male farmers who had experienced pesticide poisoning in their lifetime showed higher odds of risk-accepting personality traits (OR=2.20, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.72) Conclusion: Risk-acceptors were more likely to spray pesticides frequently and to experience more pesticide poisoning compared to risk-averse individuals. This result suggests that farming hazards are to some degree driven by risk-accepting personality traits. Further investigation of how risk-accepting behaviors influence farming practices and pesticide poisoning is needed.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the association between exposure to occupational hazards and the metabolic syndrome. A secondary objective was to analyze the additive and multiplicative effects of exposure to risk factors. Methods: This retrospective cohort was based on 31,615 health examinees at the Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital in Republic of Korea from 2012-2021. Demographic and behavior-related risk factors were treated as confounding factors, whereas three physical factors, 19 organic solvents and aerosols, and 13 metals and dust were considered occupational risk factors. Time-dependent Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios. Results: The risk of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in night shift workers (hazard ratio = 1.45: 95% confidence interval = 1.36-1.54) and workers who were exposed to noise (1.15:1.07-1.24). Exposure to some other risk factors was also significantly associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome. They were dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, trichloroethylene, xylene, styrene, toluene, dichloromethane, copper, antimony, lead, copper, iron, welding fume, and manganese. Among the 28 significant pairs, 19 exhibited both positive additive and multiplicative effects. Conclusions: Exposure to single or combined occupational risk factors may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Working conditions should be monitored and improved to reduce exposure to occupational hazards and prevent the development of the metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.426-432
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• 2009

Asbestos is a commercial term of natural occurring silicated minerals and forms long, thin fibers. Chrysotile, the serpentine asbestos, accounts for most use in commercial use. Asbestos is well known health hazard material and it is proved that inhalation of asbestos fibers leads to increased risk of developing several diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis. In these days, people most at risk for exposure are maintenance and construction workers and general citizens who are working on and close to the work area at which asbestos containing material is disturbing. Non asbestiform, though its chemical composition is same with regulated asbestos, is known to be less hazardous than asbestiform. Exposure guideline, 0.01 f/ml, is not safe level in terms of health risk. It is reasonable to take preventable action when asbestos is suspicious. In Korea, it is necessary to clarify the concept between hazard and risk, to differentiate asbestiform from non asbestiform, to make regulations for compensation for asbestos related patients, to manage future exposure for general citizens.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.61-73
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• 2008

Purpose: Several health behavior factors affect the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Especially, obesity, which causes insulin resistance, is the most important determinant of diabetes. Therefore, we expect the risk factors associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are affected by obesity and, additionally, the related factors with diabetes caused by obesity can be controlled. Methods: This study used data collected from the 2001 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). A stratified multistage probability sampling method was applied and the final sample included 5,500 subjects over 30 years old who had completed necessary health examinations and health behaviors survey. Results: The risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes are affected by obesity. According to logistic regression model stratified by body mass index (BMI) and sex, abdominal obesity and age were the significant risk factors of diabetes regardless of sex and BMI. However, drinking, smoking, total energy consumption, and protein consumption were risk factors for women with normal BMI, while carbohydrate consumption was a risk factor for man with normal BMI. Sleeping hours affected diabetes for women with obesity and fiber consumption was a risk factor for both women and men with obesity. In addition, statistically the family history of diabetes was a significant risk factor only in the group with normal weight, not in the group with obesity. Conclusion: The study results will provide information for implementing a regional initiative of type 2 diabetes prevention by BMI.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.17-31
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• 2015

Objectives: This paper aims to identify the health related behaviors patterns and its associated factors among marriage immigrant women in Korea, and discusses their application to health promotion strategies. Methods: The study participants were 7,591 immigrant wives in Gyeonggi province who participated in health examinations conducted by the Korea Association of Health Promotion in 2011-2013. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires on sociodemographics, psychological characteristics, health status and health care factors, and health related behaviors. Results: A 3-latent-class model of health behaviors was identified related to 'lack of physical activity', 'abnormal diet', and 'not experienced medical check-up': 'high risk class', 'middle risk class', and 'low risk class'. Most of the participants belong to 'middle risk class'. Country of origin, age, length of stay, number of children, work status, health insurance status, and unmet health care needs were associated with problematic health behaviors in middle risk health behavior class. Conclusions: Health promotion and intervention programs for marriage immigrant women and their family members need to consider the health behavior patterns of physical inactivity, abnormal diet and no medical check-up and develop multiple behavior intervention with pre-existing program modification.