• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.70-77
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• 2012

Objectives: Identify the characteristics related to the suicide rates in rural and urban areas of Korea and discover the factors that influence the suicide rate of the rural and urban areas. Methods: Using the data on causes of death from 2006 to 2008, the suicide rates were calculated and compared after age-standardization based on gender, age group and urbanicity. And, in order to understand the factors that influence suicide rate, total 10 local characteristics in four domains - public service, social integration, residential environment, and economic status - were selected for multiple regression analysis. Results: The suicide rates were higher in men than women, in rural areas than urban, and in older people than the younger. Generally, although there were variations according to age group and urbanicity, suicide rates were significantly related to residential environment and regional economic status but not related to regional welfare spending and social integration. In addition, the population over the age of 65 years, only regional economic status has significantly influence on their suicide rates. Conclusions: The influence of characteristics of regions on suicide rate is various by age-group, gender, and urbanicity. Therefore, in order to lower suicide rate and reduce the gap between regions, various approaches must be adopted by taking into account the socioeconomic characteristics of the regions.

• 한국농촌건축학회논문집
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.27-36
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• 2018

At present, the elderly population in Korea is 14% of the total population and then We has entered an the society of advanced age. Along with this, elderly people with dementia and palsy are also increasing. The demand for elderly nursing homes for elderly people with severe diseases such as dementia and stroke is also increasing, and the existing buildings are being secured by Conversion of existing buildings. However, it is difficult to evacuate and fire due to the out of date of buildings by Conversion of existing buildings. For example, there is a fire in the Indukukwon, Pohang City and Hyosung Geriatric Hospital, Jangseong in Korea, which have changed the use of existing buildings. Many elderly people died in a night fire. It was because of the sandwich panel walls and PVC flooring material produced toxic gas instantly. In this study, we investigated the nursing home that changing the use and established fire prevention of human injury and countermeasure of evacuation. First, the sandwich panels which leading to deaths due to the toxic gas were installed in most nursing home. We recommend the RC, the masonry wall, and the glass fiber panel instead of the sandwich panels, In addition, the PVC flooring is most used in nursing home, the flooring material is considered such as the building stones, the tile, and the yellow soil closing instead of the PVC flooring. Second, we investigated the installation status of fire fighting equipment. As a result, the automatic-emergency open&shut equipment, the smoke ventilator and the evacuation slide were rarely installed. In order to secure the golden time in case of fire and to prevent the asphyxia caused by the toxic gas, the law should be amended to install the equipment.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.2099-2106
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• 2010

본 연구는 요가 프로그램이 농촌지역 여성노인의 체력, 우울, 삶의 질에 미치는 효과를 검정하기 위한 비동 등성 대조군 전후설계 유사실험연구이다. 연구대상자는 경상남도 H군 농촌지역 여성노인 총 40명으로 실험군, 대조군 각각 20명이며, 실험군에게는 주 3회 12주간의 요가프로그램을 적용하였다. 요가를 실시한 실험군은 체력에서 평형력과 유연성이 대조군에 비해 유의하게 향상하였으며, 근력과 지구력에서는 대조군과 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 우울수준은 실험군이 대조군보다 통계적으로 유의하게 감소함을 알 수 있었다. 삶의 질에서는 신체적 영역 점수가 실험군에서 통계적으로 유의하게 증가하였으나 정신적 삶의 질 영역에서는 두 군간 유의한 차이가 없었다. 이에 요가프로그램은 농촌지역 여성노인의 평형력과 유연성을 증가시키고 우울을 감소시키며 신체적 삶의 질 수준을 향상시키는데 있어 효과적인 간호중재임을 확인하였다.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.115-126
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• 2005

Purpose: The aims of this study were to describe general characteristics and needs of home health care, and to find the differences between home health care needers and non-needers. Method: In this study, 642 subjects participated who lived in Muan, Jollanam-do. Data were collected in August 2001 using a self-reported questionnaire. The questionnaire was a revised and simplified form of the Organization of Community Health System Program at the Seoul National University. Collected data were analyzed through Kruskal-Wallis test. t-test. and Chi-squire for cross-sectional analysis. Result: The average age of the subjects was 52.6 years and 33.3% of them aged over 65 years. Twenty six percent of them had chronic degenerative diseases. The percentages of hypertension patients and D.M. patients were 6.4% and 2.5%, respectively. The number of family members was 2.95 on the average, 2.19 in cases of families with the elderly and 3.33 in cases of families without the elderly. The rate of disability of the elderly was 10.5%. Marital status (p=.000), the number of family members (p=.000), education (p=.000), job (p=.000) and health insurance (p=.027) were significantly different between home care needers and non-needers. Home care needers had less living expenses (p=.001), more frequent hospital admissions (p=.004), higher chronic disease rate (p=.000) and more frequent visits to public health center (p=.027) than non-needers. Home care needers who wanted free service were twice as many as non-needers. Conclusion: Home care need was very high in rural areas and the needers had worse characteristics (low educational level. low income, no job and no family). Therefore, it is necessary to develop cheaper and more accessible services for home care needers in rural areas.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.328-338
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• 1991

To find out the state of illness, patterns of medical care utilization, and factors which determine medical care utilization for aged we surveyed 679 rural old persons who live in the Chungnam province from Jan. 10 1991 to Jan. 19. The major findings of this study were as follows : 1. The morbidity rate of chronic illness during last 3 months was 56.4% for all surveyed old persons ; 58.7% for female and 52.8% for male. 2. As expected, 80 years old or above group showed the highest morbidity rate, 60.2% and the 65-69 years age group was the lowest, 50.5%. 3. Old persons who are householder, whose family income is less than 290,000 won per month, and who receive benifits from the public medical assistance program had relative higher morbidity rate than other groups and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). 4. The most frequent chronic illness was musculoskeletal disease, 49.6% ; the disease from which the aged had suffered for the longest period was gastrointestinal, 11.6yrs : the cerebrovascular was the disease which inflicts the lowest level of physical ability. 5. 67.1% of 383 persons who were suffering from chronic illness were in need of medical care but unmet ; among the remaining 32.9% who utilized medical care, 19.2% utilized it in local clinics or hospital OPD and 15% in th health centers or subcenters. 6. Old person who are married, whose sons are householder and whose family income is 500,000 won or above per month showed relative higher utilization rate than other groups and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). 7. The most common reason why the aged did not utilize, in spite of, need medical care was economic problem, 35.4%. For the aged whose family income per month is 500,000 won or above, however the most common reason was tolerable symptom, 46.9% while persons who answered economic problem were 6.1% of them, the lowest frequency.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.35-43
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• 1983

Health institutions in Korea include a wide range of traditions, most notable of which are hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and health centers as foci for the dispension of western medicine care ; and herb clinics and shamans acting as centers for traditional medicine. Health consumers have pluralistic conceptions of illness(or disease) and act accordingly, using what they consider as appropriate medical practices. The research conducted surveyed residents of Jeomdong-Myon(a rural farming district), Guro 6-Dong(an urban district) and the Banwol(a semiurban district) area on attitudes about health institutions and their utilization of them. The results indicate that the hospital is considered the most reliable health institution, however, the most widely known and commonly used institution was the pharmacy. Hospitals and clinics were found to be utilized more frequently by those residents who were familiar with them than by others less familiar with them. In addition respondents with higher education, those with medical insurance, and those living in urban areas tended to utilize hospitals and clinics more frequently than their less educated, uninsured, or rural counterparts. Converse to the ranking of western medical institutions, traditional health institutions were rated low with regards to reliability, familiarity and utilization. This indicates that western medical care has pervaded the Korean medical system.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권12호
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• pp.5053-5058
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• 2015

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the commonest cancers among women all over the world. The association of cervical cancer with human papilloma virus (HPV) is well established. Knowledge about the causal relationship between HPV and cervical cancer is important to make appropriate, evidence-based health care choices. In this context we conducted a community based study among women about the knowledge, attitude and practice about HPV infections and their health effects. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional interview based house to house survey was conducted with a validated data collection tool covering sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitude and practice about HPV and its health effects, among 1020 women from a rural village, Perdoor, in Udupi district, Karnataka, India in 2013-14. Results: The mean age of participants was 38.9 years (SD=12.6). Study participants showed a high literacy rate (85.7%). Only 2.4% of sexually exposed women had undergone Pap smear testing. Partners of 4.4%women had undergone circumcision and they belonged to the Muslim community. Male condom usage was reported by 26 women (2.6%). However, none of the participants had heard of HPV and its health effects. Conclusions: This community based study found complete ignorance about HPV among rural South Indian women in spite of a high literacy level.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.412-429
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• 1993

For the purpose of promotion of mental health in the rural elderly, the author surveyed 558 elderlies aged 60 years or more, and assessed the prevalence rates of depression and cognitive impairment by using self-rating depression scale of Zung (SDS) and the Korean version of mini-mental state examination (MMSEK). Also the association between depression or cognitive function and socio-environmental factors were investigated. The major findings were as follows ; 1. The prevalence rates of severe depression and cognitive impairment were 20.9% and 14.9% in all the elderly of both sexes, respectively. 2. The rates of depression and cognitive impairment increased with increasing age in both sex groups. The mean scores of SDS increased and the mean scores of MMSEK decreased significantly among them (p<0.01). 3. Those being female, widows or widowers, and those having low levels of physical activity, showed significantly high the mean scores of depression and had significantly low the mean scores of cognitive impairment (p<0.01). 4. The depression scores relating to decreased libido, confusion, psychomotor retardation, hopelessness and indecisiveness were relatively high in both sexes. 5. All the items of mini-mental state examination were significantly correlated with depression. 6. In stepwise multiple regression analysis on depression, MMSEK, level of physical activity, chronic disease, marital status and family income were selected as highly correlated variables, and the $R^2$-value for these variables was 33.7%. 7. In stepwise multiple regression analysis on cognitive function, level of physical activity, age, depression, sex and marital status were selected as highly correlated variables, and the $R^2$-value for these variables was 62.6%. The depression and cognitive impairment of the elderly were positively correlated with nearly all sociodemographic variables.

• 대한지역사회영양학회지
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• 제6권5호
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• pp.773-788
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in nutrient intake according to the level of self-perception of health status, aging status and life satisfaction of the rural elderly. The factors for the study were surveyed by interview method. The subjects were 270 people(71 male, 129 female) aged over 65 years(73.5 $\pm$ 5.6ys) in the Ham-an area. The obtained results as follows : By evaluation of self-perception of health status, 57.5% of subjects answered they are in a bad health condition. The 91.5% of subjects had diseases(rheumatitis & arthritis 31.4%, cardiovascular disease 20.2%, gastric disease 10.2%). The women had more diseases than the men(p < 0.01). The subjects took medical treatment in private hospital(40.5%) and public health centers(35.0%). The men showed better level of aging status(p < 0.001) and life satisfaction index(p < 0.01) than the worsen. Living with spouse influenced the aging status(p < 0.05) and the more pocket money influenced life satisfaction(p < 0.05) and aging status(p < 0.05). The elderly who eat regularly 3 times a day(p < 0.05) and have a good appetite(p < 0.001) appeared to have positive effect on the self perception of health status and aging status. An increasing level of the self-perception of health status and regular exercise worked to improve aging status(p < 0.001). The habits of smoking and alcohol drinking, however had no effect on any index. The self-perception of health status affected the nutrient intake, but only in female elderly. The aging status and the life satisfaction index related overall positively to the intake of nutrients. In conclusion, the study shows that gender did influence nutrient intake in the elderly. The women who live alone rated lowest in social resources and health condition therefore their nutrient intake was also extremely in deficit. For successful aging, a program for rural elderly is needed, i.e. actions to provide minimum economic life, food delivery and psychological/physical health care through regional public health centers.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.39-49
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• 1998

This paper is conducted to find out the current status of farmers's syndrome and injuries due to agricultural machines and pesticides by questionnaire during 4 days from July 31 to August 2, 1996. The subjects were 706 people, 332 of men and 384 of women those who live in a rural area in Yungduk-gun, Kyungsangbuk-do, Korea. The results obtained are as follow. 1. The rate of farmer's syndrome like that shoulder pain, lumbago, numbness, nocturia, dyspnea, insomnia dizziness and abdominal pain were generally higher in women than men except shoulder pain. Of them, lumbago was highest, 61.2% in men, and 78.1% in women respectively. It was higher in rate and older in age. 2. In the score of farmer's syndrome classified by Kumagai(1943) in Japan, the suspected cases with three points over 60.6% in men and 81.8% in women. 3. The prevalence of injuries by agricultural machine was 31.2% for a year from August 1995 to July 1996. The cumulative rate was 6.66%(11.8% in men and 2.34% in women) with previous cases from the before years. The major sites of injuries were arm, leg and chest in order. Among the injuries cases, 55.32% had been physical impediment. 4. The experience rate of intoxication by pesticides was 24.9% to total subjects. And dermatologic sign was 7.0%. Experience of treatment with only one time was 60.0%, and that with five times over, 20.0% Of them 18 cases had been administered in hospital.