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This study aimed to investigate the effects of a violence-prevention education program using empathy (VPEP-E) on elementary school students. This quasi-experimental design examined fifth-grade students' (a) empathy level, (b) perception of violence, and (c) permissive and negligent attitudes toward violence, using a pre- and post-test design. A total of 101 students participated: the experimental group (n = 48) received eight sessions of VPEP-E, whereas the control group (n = 53) received violence prevention education through classroom lectures. Significant differences were observed between the groups' empathy level (t = 6.81, p <.001), perception of violence (t = 2.79, p =.006), and permissive and negligent attitudes toward violence (t = -2.21, p =.030; t = -2.02, p =.046). Thus, a school-based VPEP-E may help elementary school students. Long-term studies evaluating behavioral changes from VPEP-E implementation are needed for establishing the effects on violent behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are growing concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of older adults. We examined the effect of the pandemic on the risk of depression in older adults. Methods: We analyzed data from the prospective cohort study of Korean older adults, which has been followed every 2 years. Among the 2308 participants who completed both the third and the fourth follow-up assessments, 58.4% completed their fourth follow-up before the outbreak of COVID-19 and the rest completed it during the pandemic. We conducted face-to-face diagnostic interviews using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and used Geriatric Depression Scale. We performed generalized estimating equations and logistic regression analyses. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increased depressive symptoms in older adults [ b (standard error) = 0.42 (0.20), p = 0.040] and a doubling of the risk for incident depressive disorder even in euthymic older adults without a history of depression (odds ratio = 2.44, 95% confidence interval 1.18–5.02, p = 0.016). Less social activities, which was associated with the risk of depressive disorder before the pandemic, was not associated with the risk of depressive disorder during the pandemic. However, less family gatherings, which was not associated with the risk of depressive disorder before the pandemic, was associated with the doubled risk of depressive disorder during the pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influences the risk of late-life depression in the community. Older adults with a lack of family gatherings may be particularly vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking is a risk factor for gastric cancer (GC) and causes oxidative stress. Antioxidant vitamins may protect against oxidative stress. This study aimed to determine the association between dietary antioxidant vitamin intake and GC risk according to smoking status and the histological subtype. This case-control study included 286 pairs of patients with GC and controls aged 20–79 years enrolled at two hospitals from 2002 to 2006, matched by age (± 2 years), sex, hospital, and participation period (± 1 years). Dietary information was collected using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). When stratified by smoking status, increased intake of vitamin C (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.17–0.84 for highest vs. lowest; P for trend = 0.033) and folate (OR = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.12–0.64 for highest vs. lowest; P for trend = 0.003) decreased GC risk in nonsmokers. Vitamin C (P for interaction = 0.043) and folate (P for interaction =0.015) levels were significantly associated with smoking status. Similar results were observed in nonsmokers with diffuse and mixed types of GC, but not in those with intestinal type of GC. Therefore, we found an inverse association between higher intake of dietary vitamin C and folate with the risk of GC among nonsmokers. These protective associations were strong in nonsmokers with diffuse and mixed types of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to identify students' awareness of the use of a chatbot (A-uC), a type of artificial intelligence technology, for violence prevention among elementary school students. Methods: The participants comprised 215 students in the fourth to sixth grades in Chuncheon, South Korea, and data were collected via a self-reported questionnaire. Results: The mean A-uC score was 3.43±0.83 out of 5 points. The mean scores for the 4 sub-dimensions of the A-uC tool were 3.48±0.80 for perceived value, 3.44±0.98 for perceived usefulness, 3.63±0.92 for perceived ease of use, and 3.15±1.07 for intention to use. Significant differences were observed in A-uC scores (F=59.26, p<.001) according to the need for the use of chatbots in violence prevention education. The relationships between intention to use and the other A-uC sub-dimensions showed significant correlations with perceived value (r=.85, p<.001), perceived usefulness (r=.76, p<.001), and perceived ease of use (r=.64, p<.001). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that chatbots can be used in violence prevention education for elementary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a child sexual abuse prevention education program using a hybrid application (CSAPE-H) by examining fifth-grade students' (a) knowledge for sexual abuse prevention and (b) self-protective behaviors against sexual abuse. A quasi-experimental, pretest /posttest design was used. Sixty-eight students from two schools participated. The intervention group (n = 48) received six sessions in CSA prevention education using the hybrid app, whereas the control group (n = 35) was taught using a lecture in a classroom environment. Between the two groups, there were significant differences in self-protective behaviors against CSA (t = 2.26, p =.027). In addition, educational satisfaction was significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group (t = 2.41, p =.019). A CSAPE-H may be effective for elementary school students, especially for self-protective behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]