• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.88-99
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• 1991

The purpose of this study was attempted to analyze the relationship between drug abuse and the other problem behavior Patterns among high school students in Cheju. In order to achieve these set-goals, questionaires were finally supplied to the total 379 case of 9 high school from October to December, 1990. The collected data were processed using the SPSS-X computer program and statistically analyzed by the Chi-square method and. percentage. Results of the study were as follows: Among the 370 adolescents, 32.4% of students experienced cigarette smoking in their life, adolescents who experienced alcohol drinking were 46.8%, 0.5% of the students ever used marihuana; cocaine 0.3%, stimulant 3.2%, hallucinogen and inhalants 0.5%, tranquilizer 1.4%, analgesics 31:6%, antitussives 6.5%, antihistamines 1.9%. And all students never experienced the amphetamines and narcotics. The rates of drug use except stimulant and antitussive were higher in the male than in the female students. For the analysis of personal identifying datum, the rates of experienced smokers increased among groups of buddhist and the rates of experienced alconoi drinking increased among groups of no religion. Drug abuser increased among the group lower socio-economic status student, the adolescents whose parents have traditional education point of view. And it was also higher in those who were living only one than in those who were living together. Most students tended to use drugs after 17 or 18 years old. Drug users were more inclined to commit other problem behaviors when compared non-drug users. In the conclusion of the above results, it will be necessary to investigate the drug problem of adolescent. Drug abuse of students must be seen in an environmental context including family, school, peer group and society and not solely as the characteristics of an individual adolescent. And their parents and teachers must be on the alert for the behavior changes of their children such as changes of school performance, neglecting homework, tardiness or truancy from school, runaway from home, and mingled with bad companions, etc. We must recognize that drug abuse is frequently symptomatic of problems in the adolescent's environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare unsafe sex experiences of multicultural and non-multicultural adolescents. Methods: The study analyzed the data of 3,029 respondents who responded that they had sex in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey of 2018. Weighted percentages and simple and multiple logistic regression were conducted using SAS 9.2. Results: As a result of univariate analysis, the odds ratio of unsafe sex was significantly higher in multicultural adolescents, but the difference between the two groups was not significant after controlling for the related variables. Among the covariates, the odds of unsafe sex were significantly higher in boys (AOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.08~1.66), those who did not live with their family (AOR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.17~2.39), those with low academic achievement (AOR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.02~1.73), binge drinkers (AOR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.29~2.02), smokers (AOR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.06~1.78), and those who did not receive sex education (AOR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.20~2.11). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in unsafe sex experience between multicultural and non-multicultural adolescents. This study also shows the positive effect of school sex education on safe sex in teenagers. It is necessary to strengthen sex education for male students, students not living with their family, students with low academic achievement, binge drinkers, and smokers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.269-276
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• 2001

Objectives : To evaluate the internal burden and hazardous effects associated with smoking in middle and high school students. Methods : We analysed urinary cotinine(U-cotinine) concentrations and the frequency of Sister Chromatid Exchanges (SCE). A comparison was done of U-cotinine concentrations and the frequency of SCE in peripheral lymphocytes across school levels (middle vs. high) and smoking types (direct: daily & occasional smoking, indirect; usual indirect & non-smoking), in 122 males. Results : The middle school student group comprised 6.8% daily smokers, 15.9% occasional smokers, 40.9% daily indirect smokers, and 35.4% nonsmokers, while the high school student group comprised 18.0%, 20.5%, 35.7%, and 21.8%, respectively. The U-cotinine concentration and the frequency of SCE among the middle school students were $79.11{\mu}g/l$ and 2.0 per cell, respectively, which were significantly lower than the $146.85{\mu}g/l$ (p=0.078) and 2.6 per cell (p=0.005) of the high school students. Among the 40 direct smokers, these two biomarkers were $236.66{\mu}g/l$ and 2.59 per cell, significantly higher than the $67.33{\mu}g/l$ (p=0.0001) and 2.1 per cell (p=0.003) among indirect smoking groups. The variation in individual U-cotinine concentration ranged widely in both the indirect and direct smoking groups. Conclusion : Urinary cotinine concentrations and the frequency of Sister Chromatid Exchange seem to objectively and effectively evaluate student exposure whether it was direct or indirect smoking. Consequently, these biomarkers may be useful in monitoring the objective efficacy of anti-smoking programs in adolescent populations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4563-4570
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• 2015

Background: Smoking is a learnt behavior during adolescence and understanding the factor/s associated with smoking will assist in identifying suitable measures in combating the rising prevalence of smoking among adolescents. This research aimed to identify the factor/s associated with smoking among form four students in Kota Tinggi, Johor. Multistage sampling was used to select a representative sample of students in 2008 and data were collected using a self-administered validated questionnaire. This study revealed that the overall smoking prevalence was 19.0% with a significantly higher proportion of male smokers (35.8%) as compared to females (3.15%). Adolescents who were male (aOR 6.6, 95%CI 2.61-16.4), those who had peer/s who smoked (aOR 4.03, 95% CI 1.31-12.4), and those who studied in rural areas and Felda Settlements ( aOR 4.59, 95 CI 1.11-18.0; aOR 9.42, 95%CI 3.91-29.1) were more likely to smoke in the past one week. On the other hand, adolescents with better knowledge on the hazards of smoking and negative attitudes towards smoking were less likely to smoke (aOR 0.51, 95%CI 0.37-0.72; aOR 0.67, 95%CI 0.46-0.99). Future promotional and interventional programmes on smoking should be considered and the above identified risk factors integrated to reduce smoking prevalence among students of school-going ages in Kota Tinggi. Johor.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-89
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• 2016

Purpose: This study is to analyze influencing factors of smoking intention among nonsmoking middle school students with regard to smoking attitude, knowledge and social influence. Methods: Data were collected from non smoking students of 5 middle schools in D metropolitan city. The 1,892 enrolled subjects provided informed voluntary consent prior to completing a structural questionnaire covering smoking attitudes, knowledge, social influences and general characteristics. The data were analysed using SPSS/Win 21.0 program by -test and logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the nonsmoking students, 85.5% never had an intention to smoke. In relation to general characteristics, smoking intention was significantly associated with sex, school records, socioeconomic status, relationship with parents, smoking experience, and smokers around them. In relation to attitude, knowledge, and social influence, smoking intention was significantly associated with a lower attitude score, a lower knowledge score, and a lower social norm. In the logistic regression analysis, smoking intention was associated with a lower attitude score (2.99 times), a lower social norm (2.65 times), being male (2.35 times), low socioeconomic status (2.22 times). and having smoking experience (2.70 times). Conclusion: It is needed to develop promotional strategies that could provide adjusted systematic smoking prevention education for the preferred smoking group and afford smoking prevention programs considering subject characteristics to help young adolescents avoid access to smoking in their early age.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.114-119
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the reference values and factors influencing blood lead levels among Korean adolescents. Methods: The study population consisted of 1,585 adolescents (801 males, 784 females; aged 10-19 years) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2013. We analyzed blood lead concentrations in relation to demographic/lifestyle characteristics for all participants. "Reference values" of blood lead levels were calculated as the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of the 95th percentile. Results: The average "reference value" for blood lead concentrations among Korean adolescents was $2.25{\mu}g/dL$ ($2.49{\mu}g/dL$ for males, $2.07{\mu}g/dL$ for females), and the geometric mean of the blood lead concentrations was $1.34{\mu}g/dL$. Males had higher blood lead concentrations than females (male, $1.48{\mu}g/dL$; female, $1.19{\mu}g/dL$; P<0.001). Elementary school students had higher blood lead concentrations than junior and senior high school students ($1.44{\mu}g/dL$ vs. $1.31{\mu}g/dL$, P<0.001). Participants living in detached houses had higher blood lead concentrations than those living in apartments (P<0.001) and current smokers had higher concentrations than nonsmokers or participants with secondhand smoke exposure (P<0.05). Additionally, participants with excessive alcohol consumption had higher levels than non-drinkers (P<0.001). Conclusion: This study provides national reference data on blood lead concentrations stratified by demographic and lifestyle factors among Korean adolescents. Further studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between increased lead exposure and demographic factors including type of housing.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6273-6278
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• 2015

Objective: This study assessed the association between subjective body image or objective body mass index (BMI) and the risk of daily smoking in Korean adolescents, with a purpose of identifying the most suitable models. Materials and Methods: Using the 2013 9th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey data for 72,435 students, odds ratios were calculated for daily smoking in the past month, according to the subjective body image and calculated BMI using a respective multiple logistic regression model. The combined effect of these two factors was also analyzed by pairing a BMI category with a subjective body image category, using odds ratios for the same event within each sex group. Results: Among the surveyed students, 7.2% of boys and 1.8% of girls were classified as daily smokers. Students who perceived themselves as being very obese tended to be at lower risk of daily smoking (OR=0.61 in boys with 95% CI=0.47 to 0.79; OR=0.66 in women with 95% CI=0.47 to 0.93). In addition, boys within the obese or overweight BMI category showed a lower risk of daily smoking (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.77-0.96). Lean BMI was significantly associated with higher odds ratios for daily smoking only in female students (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.02-1.52). When pairing these two objective and subjective factors, results suggested that subjective body image has a greater effect on daily smoking than BMI in both boys and girls. Conclusions: In both male and female students, subjective body image had a greater effect on daily smoking than body mass index. A model using the combination of BMI and subjective body image was the best fit in girls, in contrast to the model using subjective body image only best suitable in boys, for the prediction of daily smoking. These results including several factors associated with daily smoking in Korean students, provide useful data for the development and implementation of smoking intervention and cessation programs for adolescents.