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Purpose: This study aimed to develop and examine the effects of an internet-based intervention program on environmental perception and behavior among Korean pregnant women based on revised protection motivation theory. Method: This study was a non-equivalent control group pre-post-test design. The experimental program consisted of prenatal education, reduction of fine dust, birth education, environmental health promotion, and postnatal management education using zoom video conferences. The face-to-face interventions were provided through regular prenatal classes at public health services for the control group. The total participant was 49 pregnant women: 25 in the experimental group and 24 in the control group. The program adaptation was conducted between April 2021 and November 2021 in Korea. The data were analyzed by ANCOVA and t-test to examine the effects using SPSS 26.0 program. Results: After intervention of the program, environmental severity (F = 17.96, p <.001), response efficacy (F = 15.69, p <.001), and total environmental perception (F = 7.80, p =.008) were higher in the experimental group than in the control group. There were no significant differences in feasibility, accessibility, satisfaction, susceptibility, self-efficacy, barrier, personal environmental behavior, and community environmental behavior between the two groups. Conclusion: The internet-based educational program can be the alternative for the face-to-face prenatal class to promote environmental health perceptions during pregnancy in the pandemic situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate pro‐environmental health perceptions, behaviour and educational needs among pregnant women in Korea. Background: Based on concerns about the effects of environmental hazards and pollution on their babies and themselves, pregnant women behave in ways that protect their health. The framework of this study was based on Rogers' protection motivation theory. Design: Cross‐sectional survey using questionnaires. Method: The sample comprised 358 pregnant women recruited from July – August 2018 in South Korea. Participants were recruited from prenatal classes at two healthcare centres and patients receiving prenatal check‐ups at two women's hospitals. Results: Perceived educational needs were ranked in the following order: particulate matter (23.7%), electromagnetic waves (11.7%), instant food (food additives) (9.0%) and environmental hormones (8.3%). Age (β = 0.17, p =.001), perceived severity (β = 0.19, p =.001) and response efficacy (β = 0.28, p <.001) affected pro‐environmental behaviour, which explained 23.0% of the variance. Conclusion: Educational programs are necessary for mitigating environmental risks during pregnancy. Pregnant women engage in pro‐environmental behaviour influenced by pro‐environmental perceptions, especially perceptions of severity regarding environmental diseases and the efficacy of health behavioural responses. Nursing professionals can use these results to promote pro‐environmental health in pregnant women. Impact: This study demonstrated that pregnant women need environmental health programs in prenatal education. Pro‐environmental perceptions regarding the severity of the environmental diseases and behavioural efficacy preceded the formation of environmental health behaviours. Nurses should support pregnant women's environmental health through educational interventions including air, electromagnetic, food pollution and endocrine disruptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to identify factors influencing beliefs about intimate partner violence among Korean adults. Design and Sample This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that analyzed data from 466 adults. Measures Beliefs about intimate partner violence were measured using a self-report questionnaire with a total of 28 items consisting of four subscales: perpetrator's justification for beating women, blaming women for violence against them, perpetrator's responsibility for violence, and giving help to victims. Results Men and women had significantly different beliefs about intimate partner violence ( t = −7.19, p < .001). Some characteristics were identified that led to unhealthy beliefs about intimate partner violence. Four variables-gender, age, educational level, and witnessing parental violence-had an explanatory power of 20% with regard to beliefs about IPV ( F = 10.50, p = .000). Conclusions In South Korea, men, older individuals, and those with less formal education or who have witnessed parental violence need education to foster healthier beliefs about intimate partner violence. Nurses can play a vital role in efforts to decrease intimate partner violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies has provided funds to support scientific journals published in Korea. In 2012, it adopted an evaluation tool to assist journals in improving their style and format to meet international standards. This study analysed reliability and fitness of this tool. The 34 evaluation items were tested for goodness of fit, and item analysis was performed for 540 journals based on classical test theory, the Rasch model, and a two-parameter logistic model. The tool was found to be reliable, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.94. Based on the goodness of fit test, the outfit mean square was over 2.0 (i.e. outlier) for the following four items: participation in editor training courses, turnover in editors in the most recent 10 years, publishing at least 40 articles annually, and online accessibility. Three items were found to be the most difficult to be fulfilled: participation in editor training courses, description of the length of time the journal has been publishing, and full-text XML. Above results indicated that this tool was acceptable for measuring the parameters assessed by the items. We concluded that this accreditation system was valid for evaluating a journal's adherence to international publishing standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]