• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.708-716
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of low-income urban elders by diversified ways, and to analyze the risk factors for malnutrition. Methods: The participants in this study were 183 low-income elders registered at a visiting healthcare facility in a public health center. Data were collected using anthropometric measurements, and a questionnaire survey. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$-test, t-test, Fisher's exact test, multiple logistic regression analysis were performed using SPSS 20.0. Results: Regarding the nutritional status of low-income elders as measured by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), 10.4% of the elders were classified as malnourished; 57.4% as at high risk for malnutrition; and 32.2% as having normal nutrition levels. The main factors affecting malnutrition for low-income elders were loss of appetite (OR=3.34, 95% CI: 1.16~9.56) and difficulties in meal preparation (OR=2.35, 95% CI: 1.13~4.88). Conclusion: In order to effectively improve nutrition in low-income urban elders, it is necessary to develop individual intervention strategies to manage factors that increase the risk of malnutrition and to use systematic approach strategies in local communities in terms of a nutrition support system.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2022

Background: This study was aimed at investigating the type of work of dental hygienists and identifying factors affecting the subjective health status according to hazardous risk factors in the working environment. Methods: From May 15 to 31, 2019, we surveyed 411 dental hygienists working at dental hospitals in the metropolitan area. SPSS 25.0 was used to perform the frequency analysis, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Regarding factors related to the degree of exposure to hazardous risk factors in the work environment and subjective health status, the more exposed the ergonomic (p<0.05) and psychological (p< 0.001)factors, the worse is the subjective health status. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the working environment should be improved for dental hygienists such that they can perform their duties in a safe environment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.286-294
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• 2017

The events at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011 point out, among other matters, that concurrent accidents at multiple units of a site can occur in reality. Although site risk has been deterministically considered to some extent in nuclear power plant siting and design, potential occurrence of multi-unit accident sequences at a site was not investigated in sufficient detail thus far in the nuclear power community. Therefore, there is considerable worldwide interest and research effort directed toward multi-unit site risk assessment, especially in the countries with high-density nuclear-power-plant sites such as Korea. As the technique of probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) has been successfully applied to evaluate the risk associated with operation of nuclear power plants in the past several decades, the PSA having primarily focused on single-unit risks is now being extended to the multi-unit PSA. In this paper we first characterize the site risk with explicit consideration of the risk associated with spent fuel pools as well as the reactor risks. The status of multi-unit risk assessment is discussed next, followed by a description of the emerging issues relevant to the multi-unit risk evaluation from a practical standpoint.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2012

Introduction: Breast cancer is the second leading cancer in Korean women. To assess potential genetic associations between the prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA) gene in the chromosome 8q24 locus and breast cancer risk in Korean women, 13 SNPs were selected and associations with breast cancer risk were analyzed with reference to hormone receptor (HR) and menopausal status. Methods:We analyzed DNA extracted from buffy coat from 456 patients and 461 control samples, using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) based upon region-specific PCR followed by allelespecific single base primer extension reactions. Risks associated with PSCA genotypes and haplotypes were estimated with chi-square test (${\chi}^2$-test), and polytomous logistic regression models using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), by HR and menopausal status. Results: In case-control analysis, odds ratios (OR) of rs2294009, rs2294008, rs2978981, rs2920298, rs2976395, and rs2976396 were statistically significant only among women with estrogen receptor (ER) negative cancers, and those of rs2294008, rs2978981, rs2294010, rs2920298, rs2976394, rs10216533, and rs2976396 were statistically significant only in pre-menopausal women, and not in postmenopausal women. Risk with the TTGGCAA haplotype was significantly elevated in ER (-) status (OR= 1.48, 95% CI= 1.03~2.12, p<0.05). Especially risk of allele T of rs2294008 is significantly low in pre-menopausal breast cancer patients and AA genotype of rs2976395 in ER (-) status represents the increase of OR value. Conclusion: This report indicated for the first time that associations exist between PSCA SNPs and breast cancer susceptibility in Korean women, particularly those who are pre-menopausal with an estrogen receptor negative tumor status.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.249-258
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial status of candidates for deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) in South Korea and identify factors associated with high-risk psychosocial status. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional design included application of a standardized transplantation-specific assessment tool, the Psychosocial Assessment Candidacy Transplantation (PACT) instrument, and review of candidates' medical records. A total of 157 patients awaiting DDKT were recruited from a Korean organ transplantation center. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Candidates were divided into high- and low-psychosocial risk groups using 3 as the cutoff point of PACT. Results: The mean score for the PACT final rating was 2.10, and the lowest average subscale score was 2.30 for understanding the processes of transplantation and follow up. Poor physical candidacy, especially due to comorbidities, and older age were associated with high psychosocial risk. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the psychosocial status of Korean DDKT candidates was problematic. Development of systematic management programs for effective clinical strategies in the care of candidates is crucial to maintain their desirable psychosocial status in case of an emergency DDKT operation and improve post-transplantation outcomes. Continuous education is absolutely necessary to enhance understanding of the transplantation process for high-risk psychosocial candidates. Additionally, nurses and transplantation professionals should screen candidates with high-risk psychosocial status early in the process using transplantation-specific assessment tools and provide intensive interventions, particularly for poor physical candidacy patients and older candidates.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.403-412
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) status of breastfed infants less than six months old and their mothers, and factors affecting the status. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on breastfed, term, Filipino infants less than six months old who were seen at local health centers and clinics in an urban area. The serum 25(OH)D levels of these infants and their mothers were determined, and their demographic data, nutritional status, sun exposure behavior, and maternal vitamin D intake were analyzed for correlation using regression models. Results: Among the 131 infants, 101 (77%) had vitamin D deficiency (VDD), which was defined as having 25(OH)D levels <37.5 nmol/L, and 13 (10%) had vitamin D insufficiency (VDI), with levels >37.5-50 nmol/L. Conversely, maternal VDD with levels <50 nmol/L was seen in 31 (24%) mothers and maternal VDI with levels 50-75 nmol/L, in 63 (48%) mothers. Infant age and maternal 25(OH)D status were independent predictors of infant VDD. Infants less than three months old were found to have a six-time increased risk of infant VDD (p=0.004). Infants who had mothers with VDD had a six-time increased risk, whereas those with maternal VDI had a four-time increased risk of infant VDD (p=0.049 and p=0.020, respectively). Conclusion: Both infant and maternal VDD and VDI were seen to be highly prevalent in this tropical, urban community. Young infants and maternal VDD/VDI independently increased the risk of infant VDD, whereas lack of sun exposure of the mothers increased the risk for maternal VDI.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.165-172
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• 2013

A noncommunicable disease (NCD) is a medical condition or disease that is by definition non-infectious and non-transmissible among people. Currently, NCDs are the leading causes of death and disease burden worldwide. The four main types of NCDs, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, and diabetes, result in more than 30 million deaths annually. To reduce the burden of NCDs on global health, current public health actions stress the importance of preventing, detecting, and correcting modifiable risk factors; controlling major modifiable risk factors has been shown to effectively reduce NCD mortality. The World Health Organization's World Health Report 2002 identified tobacco use, alcohol consumption, overweight, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol as the most important risk factors for NCDs. Accordingly, the present report set out to review the prevalence and trends of these modifiable risk factors in the Korean population. Over the past few decades, we observed significant risk factor modifications of improved blood pressure control and decreased smoking rate. However, hypertension and cigarette smoking remained the most contributable factors of NCDs in the Korean population. Moreover, other major modifiable risk factors show no improvement or even worsened. The current status and trends in major modifiable risk factors reinforce the importance of prevention, detection, and treatment of risk factors in reducing the burden of NCDs on individuals and society.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to identify factors that predict suicidal ideation and depression according to gender among Korean adults. Method: From the data base of the fifth Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey(KNHANESV-1, 2010), data on 4,894 adults aged 19~64 were used. Data were analyzed by application of the Rao-Scott Chi-Square test and logistic analysis with SAS 9.2. Results: Overall, 8.5% of men and 18.1% of women had suicidal ideation during the last year; 7.5% of men and 17.0% of women had depression during the last two weeks. Risk factors for suicidal ideation include perceived high stress(OR male 3.649, female 2.941), depression(OR male 10.109, female 6.033), poor cognition of health status(OR male 8.115, female 6.664), low economic status(OR male 1.898), and low educational status(OR female 1.631). Risk factors for depression include perceived high stress(OR male 2.678, female 3.686), suicidal ideation(OR male 9.925, female 6.022), non-employed(OR female 1.525), married(OR female 2.392), and physical discomfort(OR female 1.545). Conclusions: Based on the above mentioned results, risk factors of suicidal ideation and depression differed according to gender. Development of various policies and appropriate intervention programs according to gender, that lessen the risk of suicidal ideation and depression for adults is needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5423-5425
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• 2014

Purpose: To evaluate the risk factors for endometrial hyperplasia concomitant endometrial polyps in pre- and post-menopausal women. Materials and Methods: A total of 203 patients undergoing endometrial sampling before hysterectomy were evaluated in this retrospective study. Data recorded were age, gravidity, parity, body mass index (BMI: weight(kg)/$height(m)^2$), endometrial thickness (ET), menopausal status, presence of adenomyosis and diabetes mellitus. Results: Endometrial hyperplasia and polyps were detected in 13 patients. There were statistically significant differences in terms of age, menopausal status, morbid obesity and diabetes mellitus (p<0.005). Logistic regression demonstrated that menopausal status and presence of diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors. Conclusions: According to the current study; menopause and diabetes mellitus are strong risk factors for the presence of concomitant endometrial polyps and endometrial hyperplasia.

• 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.