• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.249-258
• /
• 2007

Objectives : The aims of this study were to estimate the antihypertensive medication adherence in people with a disability and a history of taking antihypertensive medication, and to identify the factors affecting medication adherence. Methods : The National Health Insurance claims data were linked with the National Disability Registry. People with a disability, who received a prescription of antihypertensives, were identified from a total of 85,098 cases. Cumulative medication adherence (CMA) was used as an indicator of medication adherence. A CMA > 80% was defined as appropriate medication adherence. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors affecting medication adherence. Results : The average CMA in a total of 85,098 patients was 79.5%. The appropriate adherence $(CMA{\geq}80%)$ rate was 54.5% and 20.5% of patients had a CMA < 50%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the probability of appropriate adherence decreased with decreasing number of prescription days per visit, increasing number of providers, the patients' residential area moving from urban to rural areas, and when patients have an internal organ disability, auditory impairment, mobility impairment. Conclusions : The adherence to antihypertensive medication in people with a disability is influenced by various socio-economic, clinical and regional factors. In particular, the disabled who have locomotive and communication disabilities and internal organ impairments have a higher probability of under-adherence to antihypertensive medication adherence in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.38-47
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Controlling blood pressure is a key step in reducing cardiovascular mortality in older adults. Gender differences in patients' attitudes after disease diagnosis and their management of the disease have been identified. However, it is unclear whether gender differences exist in hypertension management among older adults. We hypothesized that gender differences would exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control among community-dwelling, older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 653 Koreans aged ${\geq}60years$ who participated in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare several variables between undiagnosed and diagnosed hypertension, and between uncontrolled and controlled hypertension. Results: Diabetes was more prevalent in men and women who had uncontrolled hypertension than those with controlled hypertension or undiagnosed hypertension. High body mass index was significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension only in men. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that in women, awareness of one's blood pressure level (odds ratio [OR], 2.86; p=0.003) and the number of blood pressure checkups over the previous year (OR, 1.06; p=0.011) might influence the likelihood of being diagnosed with hypertension. More highly educated women were more likely to have controlled hypertension than non-educated women (OR, 5.23; p=0.013). Conclusions: This study suggests that gender differences exist among factors associated with hypertension diagnosis and control in the study population of community-dwelling, older adults. Education-based health promotion strategies for hypertension control might be more effective in elderly women than in elderly men. Gender-specific approaches may be required to effectively control hypertension among older adults.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.312-320
• /
• 2004

Objectives : An outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) caused by coxsackie A24 (CA24) virus occurred in South Korea in 2002. CA24 was isolated for the first time from patients with AHC. Therefore, this study was conducted to understand the transmission routes and prevent another AHC outbreaks. Methods : The authors conducted a questionnaire survey among 1,730 students from 2 middle schools and 1 technical high school in Gyeongju city. For statistical analysis the chi-square test was used, and chi-square for trend method showing a level of significance less than p<0.05 was proven to be significant. Variables which were proven to be significant in univariate analysis were analysed by multiple logistic regression. Results : The attack rate was 57.1%. The student groups with rubbing one s own eyes, computer usage, and sharing cellular phone had a significantly higher AHC attack rate (p<0.05). According to the multiple logistic regression, the odds ratios for male, high school, computer use, sharing cellular phone, and rubbing one s own eyes were significant (p<0.05). Conclusion : The most significant feature of this outbreak was that many students rubbed their own eyes following contact with AHC patients in a deliberate attempt to avoid going to school. Other transmission methods were computer usage and sharing cellular phone. In the future, health and school authorities must plan new strategies for the prevention of AHC.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.25-36
• /
• 2002

Objectives: This study was conducted to find out risk factors related to elderly hip fracture, so that the result could provide basic data to establish prevention programs for hip fracture among the elderly. Methods: The data were collected from 199 cases hospitalized in 4 university hospitals in Pusan from January, 1996 to December, 1998, 193 healthy controls who visited elderly facilities in Pusan. The data were obtained from medical records and by using questionnaires through telephone contact or direct personal interview with the subjects or their family, and were analyzed for 2-test and multiple logistic regression. The risk factors were shown with odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Results: In univariate analysis, the odds ratio of hip fracture risk was estimated to be 1.9 for the elderly aged 75 years as compare with those aging less than 65 years; 42 for those with job as compared with those without job; 3.3 for those with more than 6 children as compared with those with one or two children. For the variables related to physical characteristics, small height (p=0.015), light weight (p=0.000), and low BMI (p=0.014) were risk factors for elderly hip fracture. Sane variables related to health, such as previous history of illness (OR=3.3.), abnormal blood pressure (OR=1.6), previous fracture history (OR=22), lower limbs weakness (OR=12.1) and gait disturbance (OR=42.6), were significantly associated with the risk of hip fracture. In multiple logistic regression, risk factors for hip fracture were age, having job, lower limb weakness and previous history of illness. The adjusted odds ratios of hip fracture risk among the elderly were age (OR=1.1), having jobs (OR=11.7), weak lower limb (OR=10.8) and previous history of illnesses (OR=3.3), respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that the plan for improving the daily living environment for the elderly systematically should be implemented to avoid the chances of fall, and that programs encouraging to practice regular exercise for physical activity and to promote health of the elderly should be developed.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.89-104
• /
• 2006

Objectives: This study was done to find factors related with performance of hepatitis B Vaccination among some aged persons through health belief model. Methods: A questionnaire survey was made during September 2004 toward 230 elderly persons using institutions for the elderly of Gwangju City. The relations between subjects characteristics including health belief, mass media contact, hepatitis B experience and performance of hepatitis B vaccination were tested by t test or X2 test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to find final significantly related variables. Results: 24.8% of the subjects were vaccinated against hepatitis B. By simple analysis of relation between performance of hepatitis B vaccination and subjects characteristics including health belief, significant variables were chosen as 6 variables including perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perception of benefits, knowledge on hepatitis B, age, experience of hepatitis through family or friend. After adjusting for confounding variables by multiple logistic regression analysis, hepatitis B vaccine performance showed significantly higher rate as the perception of disease seriousness increased(OR: 1.08, 95% CI: $1.03{\sim}1.14$) and in the group contacted with TV or radio information about hepatitis compared with non-contact. The group who experienced hepatitis among family or friends showed significantly higher hepatitis B vaccination performance rate compared with non-experienced. Conclusion: These results suggested that hepatitis B vaccine performance was related with health belief including hepatitis susceptibility, disease seriousness perception, acquisition of information through TV or radio and indirect hepatitis experience from family or friends.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.29-41
• /
• 2005

Objectives : Although previous anatomic, physiological and biophysics studies have examined the acupuncture meridian system, much remains unclear and controversial. This study was undertaken to examine electrical potential aspects of the meridian system. Electric potential was measured at the well and sea acupoints on the twelve acupuncture meridians (AM), on forty patients half with loin lesions, and pain of loin and lower extremities(LL) and half with shoulder lesions, and aching of shoulder and arm(SA). The object was to determine to what extent electric potential is an important risk factor between LL and SA. Methods : At the left and the right side with each of twenty LL and twenty SA patients, physiograph was used to measure electric potentials of AM ten sessions. T-test was used to compare the mean of electric potential between the two different pain groups and multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the risk of the 24 electric potentials measured. Results and Conclusions : In the LL, the only electric potential that was statistically significantly greater than SA was the bladder meridian on the left side. On the contrary, electric potentials in SA, which includes the large intestine, pericardium, triple burner, spleen, stomach, kidney and gallbladder meridians, were statistically larger than those of LL at the same side. On the right side, the five kinds of electric potentials(lung, large intestine, small intestine, pericardium and gallbladder meridian) of LL were statistically larger than those of SA. On the triple burner, stomach and kidney meridians electric potentials of SA were larger than those in LL. After adjusting for 24 electric potentials, pain risk factors, and different illness categories, multiple stepwise selection logistic regression modeling, resulted in the final selection of a total of 13 statistically significant electric potentials. These were 7 electric potentials at left side - small intestine, triple burner, spleen, stomach, bladder, liver and gallbladder meridian, and 6 at rght side - lung, large intestine, heart, pericardium, kidney and bladder meridian.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.613-621
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to examine the relationship between health behaviors, living environment, and asthma in adolescents in Korea. Methods: Information on adolescents' characteristics, including demographic factors, health behaviors, and doctor's diagnosis of asthma was obtained from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2015). In total, 68,043 middle and high school students participated. Environmental characteristics, including city park area and outdoor PM₁₀ concentrations in 2015 were obtained from the Korean Statistical Information Service. The adolescents' and environmental characteristics were merged by local information. Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate the risk factors affecting asthma in adolescents. Results: The prevalence of asthma in adolescents in 2015 was 8.8%. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, adolescents who were male, attended middle school, suffered obesity, experienced tobacco smoking, had physical activity levels of 2 to 4 days, had higher stress levels, and lived in areas with outdoor PM₁₀ concentrations more than 47 ㎍/㎥ were more likely to have asthma, while adolescents who had middle levels of family economic status were less likely to do so. Conclusions: The fact that PM₁₀ concentration can affect asthma is an important point in this study. Risk factors identified in this study could be used as basic data for the prevention and management of asthma in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.73-98
• /
• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between social support, social network and health behaviors as surveyed by cross-sectional study in 744 rural people aged above 30 of a community dwelling sample of one county for 6 days of July in 2000. Objectives of this study was in order to establish an effective health promotion. The sample was accrued by face to face interview of direct visiting from clustered sampling method. Interview was conducted by trained medical students with the questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic data, health behavior, social support and social network based on previous literature. The summarized results were as follows: 1. There were significant difference in the level of social support and social network by general characteristic variables except occupation and residency type(p〈0.05). 2. There were significant difference in knowledge about hypertension, smoking status, status of physical exercise, diet patterns by social support and social network in spite of variation of social support and social network subconcept(p〈0.05). And there were significant difference in alcohol drinking status, body weight control and diet pattern according to level of social network(p〈0.05). But smoking status by social support and network results opposite direction(p〈0.05). 3. There were no regular or consistent result in the relationship between social support, social network and health behavior. 4. Major predictors for health behavior on the multiple logistic regression that included general characteristic, social support and social network were age, instrumental social support and worry about health. Significant variables of multiple logistic regression for health behavior that included social support(instrumental and emotional) and social network were instrumental social support and social network. These results suggest that only a instrumental element and social network may be associated with health behavior. Inconsistent with prior research in these some item, a positive consistent relationship was not found between social support, social network and health behavior. So the study should be replicated to determined the reliability of our findings.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.25-38
• /
• 2008

Objectives: This study identified the factors associated with successful smoking cessation for 6 months at a smoking-cessation clinic of a public health center in an urban area. Methods: The subjects of this study were 670 visitors to the smoking cessation clinic of Dongjak-Gu public health center in Seoul, from September 6, 2005 to March 24, 2006. The 274 visitors of them responded to the questionnaire with registration, which contained the information related to the study except that of registered card for the clinic. A dependent variable was success or failure in smoking cessation during the 6 month-smoking cessation program, measured the status of smoking cessation in each week by self-report. Independent variable included demographic information, the characteristics in using the clinic, health status and smoking related behaviour, exposure to other smokers in daily life and motivation. Multiple logistic regression model was used to find the factors associated with success of smoking cessation. Results: The success rate in smoking cessation for 6 months was 33.6%. Five pretreatment characteristics were identified as univariate predictors of continuous abstinence. Finally, age, job, and practice oriented motivation were associated significantly with the success of smoking cessation for 6 months from a multiple logistic regression analysis. The lower socio-economic smokers such as people having lower literacy level, lower income people, unskilled workers, and recipients by Medical Assistant Program were more likely to fail in continuous abstinence for 6 months. Conclusions: In order to increase the success rate in smoking cessation clinics of public centers, counselors should activate self confidence and practice oriented motivation of participants for smoking cessation.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
• /
• v.8 no.9
• /
• pp.1373-1381
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of job stress and depression, and to find the associated domains of job stress with depression among local public officials. The study subjects consist of 734 local public officials in Seogu, Gwang Ju. A structure self-reported questionnaire was composed of general and job-related characteristics, job stress(KOSS), and depression(CES-D). The use statistical methods were t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis. The total score of job stress was $44.38{\pm}7.96$ and the score of depression was $14.46{\pm}10.19$. The result of multiple logistic regression analysis was shown that the three domains of job stress including job demand, job insecurity and lack of reward were associated with the depression.