• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.610-616
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the timing of sexual maturation and secular trends of menarchial age in Korean adolescents. Methods : Nine hundred eighty two school students and 119 university female students were included. Tanner's pubertal assessment method was applied using a self-assessment sheet with pictures for their developmental stages. A medical checkup database from 1,156,022 women was also used to analyze the age of menarche from the year 1900 to 1980. Results : Onset of puberty was at $11.3{\pm}1.3$ years(y) in girls and $12.1{\pm}1.5$ y in boys and total pubertal duration was 3.6 y in girls and 3.3 y in boys. Height at the onset of puberty was $146.1{\pm}7.9cm$ in girls and $152.7{\pm}9.8cm$ in boys. Weight at the onset of puberty was $39.3{\pm}6.9kg$ in girls and $47.7{\pm}14.4kg$ in boys. The mean age of menarche was $12.0{\pm}1.0y$ and mean age at nocturnal emission was $12.3{\pm}1.8y$. By age ten, 3.0 percent of girls experienced menarche, which increased to 41.1 percent by age 12, and 98.0 percent by age over 15. By SMR 2 breast stage, 18.2 percent of girls experienced menarche, which increased to 66.1 percent and 91.7 percent by SMR stages 3 and 4, respectively. By SMR 2 pubic hair stage, 52.0 percent and by SMR 3, 93.8 percent of girls experienced menarche. While the menarchial age of women born around 1980 was $12.4{\pm}1.1y$, the menarchial age of women born around 1990 was $12.0{\pm}1.1y$. Age at menarche has been advanced approximately by 2 years between 1900 and 1980 birth cohorts. Conclusion : There was a downward secular trend in pubertal timing. Age at menarche has been advanced by 2 years during the last 80 years. Further large scale, prospective studies, including inspection by specialists, are needed to provide reference data for pubertal timing in Korean adolescents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.563-568
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women worldwide and its frequency is increasing gradually in many countries. Over the last three decades an increase in the breast cancer has been witnessed in the earlier low-risk Asian countries including Pakistan. Purpose: The objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of known risk factors like early menarche, late menopause, socio economic, reproductive and demographic factors, among women diagnosed with breast cancer at INMOL hospital, Lahore, Punjab, as little information exists in this regard. Materials and Methods: A survey study was conducted on 200 women diagnosed with breast cancer who were seen at Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (INMOL) hospital, Lahore. A structured questionnaire was administered to these patients regarding the known risk factors through face to face interviews after obtaining appropriate consent. Results: Regarding non-modifiable risk factors, our study showed that majority of the breast cancer patients were diagnosed at 35-45 years (32.5%) or at older age (${\leq}46$) and experienced menarche at 12 years or older (66 %). Likewise, a large number of patients reached menopause at the age of 45 years (60%), had no family and personal history of breast cancer (80%) and hence fell in a low risk category. Regarding modifiable risk factors in women diagnosed with breast cancer, most of the patients fell in low risk strata as the majority were married (98%) at young age, breastfed their children for 12 months or more (88%) and bore two to three children (80%). Considering income criteria, the majority of the patients had a low risk profile as they belonged to middle class (70%), urban area (60%) and were house wives (80%). However, it was noted that a considerable number of women (34%) diagnosed with breast cancer experienced menarche at an early age (<12) and reached menopause after the age of 45 years. This situation is further augmented by environmental changes and dietary habits and places them in a high risk category.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.121-129
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to compare general characteristic of high school girls according to menarcheal age and to investigate the factors associated with the menarcheal age of high school girls. Methods: This study utilized the data of the 2013 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS). The sample included 18,077 high school girls who experienced menarche. The questionnaires used for this study assessed menacheal age, grade, place of residence, family affluence, height, weight, diet pattern, physical activity, sleep duration, and stress level. Data was analyzed using the complex sample analysis (${\chi}^2$-test, ANOVA and multiple regression analysis). Results: Higher BMI, frequent vegetable consumption, short sleep duration, and higher stress level were associated with an earlier menarcheal age among high school girls. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate intervention strategies to control the timing of menarche.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.159-167
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• 2009

Objective: This study investigated the onset, peak height velocity (PHV) and end of adolescent growth spurt as well as menarcheal timing deduced from surveying accumulative height growth over many years. Methods: Ninety six students of Samgoe high school between 1st and 3rd grade that were in good health participated in the research. A survey questionnaire was distributed to examine the students' health status and menarche timing. Results: Adolescent growth spurt typically began at the age of 9.9 and reached a PHV at the age of 11.6. The growth spurt ended at the age of 14.1 on average. The average age of menarche was 12.6 years, which was about one year after the PHV of adolescent growth spurt. In most cases, menarche came after PHV. But in 24% of the students, menarche and PHV was nearly coincident or menarche preceded PHV. The growth curves were classified into four types. A typical adolescent growth spurt showed one PHV on graph that drastically drops after the PHV. However, there were cases with two PHVs. Conclusions: The results indicate that individual growth patterns show large individual differences, however the categorization into the various growth curves may aid in predicting individual growth patterns.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.125-133
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was performed to identify the relationship between PMS and sex role. Method: Data were collected from 417 female college students in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do area during the period from the 6th of September to the 15th of October in 2004. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 11.0. Result: The results of this study were as follows: 1) Perceived subjective symptoms were clustered endogenous depressive feature ($2.76{\pm}.97$), anxiety ($2.76{\pm}1.09$), and impulsivity ($2.72{\pm}1.02$). 2) PMS was significantly different according to the general characteristics of menarche age (F=5.910, p=.003), pain (F=7.886. p=.000) and family history (F=5.366, p=.005), masculinity was significantly different according to menarche age (F=3.174, p=.043), and femininity was significantly different according to menarche age (F=3.742, p=.025) and pain (F=3.256. p=.040). 3) Femininity and PMS were in a positive correlation with each other (r=.623. p=.000). Conclusion: This results showed that there is a significant correlation between PMS and sex role. For future research, it is recommended to identify major factors affecting PMS and the relationships between them and various subjects.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.101-114
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• 2006

Objective : In order to educate juveniles with proper sex education and to present advisable sexual culture among them, we researched the revelation age and duration period of secondary sex characteristics of 5th and 6th elementary student in Cheon-an, and compared them with their mother's case. Method : We did a survey among 5th and 6th grade elementary student in Cheon-an, which includes pictures presenting, different stages of breasts and pubic hair development. Results : Results show that in girls, average menarche age was 11.47 while the average of their mother's was 14.25. 3 years of decline was observed. On boys, average pubic hair development age was 11.42, similar to the average age of voice change, 11.43. Girls showed relatively earlier distribution of pubic hair manifestation age of 11.39, than in boys, which was 11.42. Concerning the sexual maturity, 99% of girls were over B2, while 43% of boys were over PH2. Almost all of the female participants manifested secondary sex characteristics, and half of them were in the stage of pubic hair development. Conclusion : We observed that the average age of manifesting secondary sex characteristic among elementary students is getting younger and especially, menarche age of young girls is significantly showing downward tendency compared to their mothers'. Sex education in elementary schools should be carried out considering the development stage of secondary sex characteristics among students.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.5737-5744
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• 2013

This study was performed to identify the association between the menarche experience and mental health in middle school girls aged 14. The subjects were selected using data from the 8th Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS-V), which included 5,991 girls in 1st grade of middle school. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 program for frequency analysis, t-test, chi square and logistic regression analysis. As to results, we found 4,473 girls who had experienced menarche (mean age, 12.8 0.9 years) and 1,518 girls hadn't experienced menarche. In the logistic regression analysis between the menarche experience and mental health behaviors, the odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for perceived stress (OR=1.39, 1.20-1.62, p<0.001), perceived depression (OR=1.25, 1.10-1.42, p<0.05), suicide thinking (6OR=1.60, 1.38-1.87, <0.001), suicide planning (OR=1.66, 1.33-2.81, p<0.001) and suicide trial (OR=1.42, 1.09-1.86, p<0.05) were higher in the menarche experience group than in the menarche non-experience group. Our results indicate, a viable association between the menarche experience and mental health in the 1st grade of middle school girls, and suggests that the menarche experience is an important factor influencing adolescent girls' mental health.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.196-204
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• 2005

Menarche is a main indicator of sexual maturity which relates to a reproductive function. The onset of the menstrual cycle differs individually and is influenced by many variables such as socio-economic situation, race, genetics, climate, altitude, nutritional status, and physical growth. Among them physical growth has been known to be the most influencing factor, particularly when expressed as body fat designated by weight. This study intended to investigate the body composition of girls around the menarche period and to evaluate the minimal levels of weight and fat percentage needed for the onset of menarche. A total of 101 female subjects, aged 11 to 13 years, were recruited from the 5th and 6th grades of an elementary school, in Mokpo, Korea. The subjects were placed into one of two groups Pre-menarche and Post-menarche groups according to their experience with menarche. Thereafter, the subjects in the Post-group were placed into 4 subgroups based on the number of menstruations they experienced: Post-I (1-3 times), Post-II (4-6 times), Post-III (7-9 times), and Post-IV (> 10 times). The average age at the onset of menarche of the subjects in Post groups was $11.2 \pm 0.6$ years. There were significant differences in the data of anthropometry and body composition between the Pre and Post groups, although the mean ages of both Pre and Post groups were the same. Weight, waist, hip and thigh girths, fat percentage, and lean body mass of the Post groups were significantly higher than those of the Pre group. Height was not significantly different between the groups. Weight was highly correlated with body fat mass (r = 0.92. p < 0.001), fat percentage (r = 0.85, p < 0.001), and body mass index (r = 0.91, p < 0.001) These results indicate that weight, compared with height, reflects body composition well and influences the onset of the menstrual cycle. It could also be suggested that the minimal weight and fat percentage needed for the onset of menarche in Korean females are 41 kg and $17\%\;to\;19\%$, respectively.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.22 no.3 s.38
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• pp.603-615
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• 1992

This study was undertaken to investigate the interrelationship between the growth change of mandible and the developmental age of growing girls in the longitudinal data from 7 years to 15 years. The data were obtained from maturation stage of cervical vertebrae through the serial lateral cephalogram, height increment records which was taken at one year interval, menarche date through interview. On the basis of findings of this study, the following conclusions were obtained. 1. In general the growth of mandible (Ar-Pog, Ar-Go, Go-Pog) showed two peaks of growth velocity. 2. The maximum growth of mandible (Ar-Pog, Ar-Go, Go-Pog) almost appeared between stage 3 and stage 4 in maturation of cervical vertebrae. 3. It showed the tendency that the maximum increment of height appeared faster than that of mandible (Ar-Pog, Ar-Go, Pog-Go). 4. The maximum growth of height almost appeared between stage 2 and stage 3 in maturation of cervical vertebrae. 5. It showed the tendency that the menarche appeared later than the maximum growth of mandible (Ar-Pog, Ar-Go, Pog-Go). 6. The menarche almost appeared at stage 4, stage 5 in maturation of cervical vertebrae.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.211-223
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the reconstruction experience of mothers who had recently experienced a late-school age daughter's menarche by utilizing a hermeneutic phenomenological research methodology based on Parse's human becoming theory. Data were collected using purposive and snowball sampling methods to recruit the mothers of elementary fifth- and sixth-grade girls recently experiencing menarche. The data were analyzed using Parse's research methodology. As a result, the mothers' experiences appeared as "the process of reconstructing the menarche-related values created by themselves by facing the child's menarche experiences and related responses along with the change of era." The key concepts of there construction experiences of the mothers were "experiencing an ambivalent feeling of pity and pride," "celebrating her instead of expressing concerns," "giving a traditional lesson of protecting oneself to a new generation," and "feeling empathy as a woman and also alienation due to the generational gap." These findings reveal the important roles and competencies of community and school nurses in terms of achieving a healthy and positive reconstruction experience for mothers and their daughters. Also, it is necessary to develop educational programs for mothers who are about to encounter their daughters' menarche.