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Aggression in dating relationships is a serious problem that can have long-term negative consequences. While research had been increasing in western societies concomitant with an increasing awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, studies in Asian societies are still few and far between. This paper examines dating violence perpetration among college students in South Korea. Overall violence, emotional, and physical violence are examined respectively. Witnessed parental conflict is used as the main explanatory variable consistent with much of the literature on intimate partner violence perpetration, and also examines the effect of the self-conscious emotion of guilt on dating violence perpetration. Guilt had been shown in the psychological literature to be prosocial and adaptive, but its role has been largely ignored in the IPV and aggression literature. Both its direct and moderating effects on dating violence are examined. Anonymous surveys were administered to college students in four universities across four cities and four regions in South Korea. Three hundred and thirty students who have had a dating experience are included in the analyses. Results show that both witnessed parental conflict and guilt are independently related to dating violence overall, and also to emotional and physical violence. Guilt moderates the effect of witnessed parental conflict on emotional but not physical violence. A closer examination of the role of self-conscious emotions on dating aggression is important. The results extend the generally western theories of dating violence to South Korea and provide evidence of the relevance of these theories cross-culturally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on Matza's (1964/1990) theory of deviance to propose that the father's current abuse of the child moderates the relationship between father's patriarchal beliefs and current perpetration of husband violence in South Korea. Drawing on Matza's concept of neutralizing beliefs, the paper argues that child abuse potentiates patriarchal beliefs, allowing husbands to extend rationalizations for child abuse to rationalizations for wife abuse, resulting in an interaction effect. The paper tests this hypothesized interaction effect using data from a nationally representative sample of 585 South Korean men. The paper then tests a competing alternative hypothesis that any type of violence (including violence outside the family) by the father acts as a moderator. Support is found for the child abuse as moderator hypothesis but not for the competing hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Elder abuse continues to be a serious problem that greatly affects the overall health and quality of life of elderly victims. Although abused elders have a substantial risk of re-abuse, very limited knowledge is available about elder re-abuse. This study examines whether differences exist between substantiated initial elder abuse and re-abuse cases in terms of victims', perpetrators', abuse-related, and contextual characteristics. Method: Data were collected from 12 Elder Protective Service (EPS) agencies in South Korea, and EPS caseworkers completed multi-section questionnaires based on case records. Elderly victims' and perpetrators' characteristics, and abuse-related and contextual data were obtained. Data were analyzed using chi-square, t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 276 substantiated elder abuse cases (90.9% initial abuse, and 9.1% re-abuse cases) were included in this analysis. There are some differences between the initial abuse and re-abuse in the characteristics of victims (income, education), perpetrators (living with the victim, alcohol/substance abuse), and contextual factors (social isolation, relationship with neighbors). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that elderly victims' low-income (OR = 6.42, 95% CI = 1.67–24.74, p <.01) and perpetrators' alcohol/substance abuse problems (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.07- 6.75, p <.05) were associated with a higher likelihood of re-abuse. Conclusions: Victims' low income and perpetrators' alcohol/substance abuse problems should be considered as factors associated with elder re-abuse. This study provides additional knowledge on elder re-abuse and offers implications for practice and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents of dating violence. The paper hypothesizes that the relationship between family of origin violence and dating violence will be mediated by neutralizing beliefs. To test this hypothesis, a survey was conducted of 510 college students in Seoul and Kyung-gi provinces in South Korea. Partner violence and child abuse in the family of origin were associated with college students' perpetration of dating violence. That relationship was mediated by neutralizing beliefs. The same results were found for both male and female students. Based on the findings, this study presents practical suggestions for intervening in dating violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We estimated the short-term impact of fragility fractures on community-dwelling women in five countries. Women with fragility fractures reported significantly more difficulties performing activities of daily living and significantly higher levels of lost productivity and caregiver support than those without fractures; results highlight the multi-country indirect burden of fragility fractures. Introduction: To estimate the impact of fragility fractures on activities of daily living (ADL), productivity loss and caregiver support in women with a recent fragility fracture. Methods: This multi-centre cross-sectional study enrolled community-dwelling women aged ≥ 50 years in South Korea, Spain, Germany, Australia and the United States. The fragility fracture cohort consisted of women with an index fragility fracture in the past 12 months; the fracture free cohort consisted of women with no fracture in the 18 months prior to study enrolment. Study participants completed three validated questionnaires: Lawton Instrumental ADL (IADL), Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (PSMS) and iMTA Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ). Results: In total, 1,253 participants from 41 sites across the five countries were included. Compared with the fracture free cohorts, fragility fracture cohorts had significantly lower function and were more dependent on support (p < 0.05 in all countries for Lawton IADL, and in South Korea, Spain, Australia and the United States for PSMS), significantly higher hours of paid absenteeism (p < 0.05, Spain, Germany, Australia), significantly higher unpaid lost productivity (p < 0.05, South Korea, Spain, Germany), significantly more days of paid help received in the home (p < 0.05 South Korea, Spain and the United States), and significantly more days of unpaid help from family members or friends (p < 0.05, all countries). Conclusion: In this multi-national study, fragility fractures in community-dwelling ≥ 50 years women were associated with several outcomes indicating higher indirect burden and lower quality of life, including more difficulties performing ADL and higher levels of lost productivity and caregiver support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Migrant workers experience physical, mental, and social stress. Physical leisure activities are important for decreasing such stress and increasing quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing migrant workers' motivation to participate in physical leisure activities in Korea based on the Gelberg-Andersen behavioral model. Subjects and methods: This is a descriptive correlational study, in which a structured self-report questionnaire was distributed to 124 migrant workers. Data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: In this study, the average age of the participants was 35.39 ± 9.37 years. Most were separated from their families. Religious discrimination and the level of anxiety influenced motivation to participate in physical leisure activities. Furthermore, the explanatory power of the regression model was 17.5%. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop health-promoting, physical-leisure-based programs to increase migrant workers' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among social support, parenting stress, and depression in single mothers with young children in South Korea. This study also explores whether parenting stress plays a mediating role in the relationship between social support and depression. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 202 South Korean mothers who were raising young children on their own because of divorce, separation, death, or having never married, and three research variables were measured: social support, parenting stress, and depression. Data were analyzed using PROCESS macro version 3.4 to examine whether parenting stress mediated the relationship between social support and depression in these single mothers. The results of this study showed close correlations among social support, parenting stress, and depression in single mothers, and that parental distress and parent-child dysfunctional interaction among the subfactors of parenting stress played a mediating role in the relationship between social support and depression. Because the results of this study indicate that providing social support for single mothers can reduce their depression, significant attention must be paid to implementing policies to reduce single mothers' parenting stress for their psychological well-being and their children's development. Highlights: Social support, parenting stress, and depression were significantly correlated. Parenting stress played a mediating role. The importance of social support for single mothers should be highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor sleep is common among older adults, affecting a wide range of health outcomes. However, little is known about sleep issues among older Korean immigrants, the fastest growing Asian American subgroup in the United States. We aimed to explore multiple factors associated with sleep among this group. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from 43 older immigrants living in two large Korean communities in Southern California. Perceived sleep quality was significantly associated with gender, living arrangement, employment status, mental health, and sleep-related beliefs (all p-values < 0.05). Living with someone and being employed for wages were significantly uniquely associated with better sleep quality, accounting for demographic and health-related factors (R2 = 51.8%, adjusted R2 = 38.7%, p = 0.002). These findings suggest a potential role of sociocultural factors on sleep. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to inform a sleep intervention program tailored to the characteristics of older Korean immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated suicidal behavior prevalence and its association with physical and sexual health, and behavior-related factors among female sex workers in South Korea. Using time location sampling, we recruited 1,083 sex workers for an interviewer-administered questionnaire regarding sexual behavior, sociodemographics, and self-rated health (SRH) status. Participants were also tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). We used binary logistic regression analysis to define suicide attempt factors. Around 28 % of sex workers in the sample reported that they had attempted suicide in the past year. Suicide attempts were independently associated with drinking alcohol almost every day, not using condom regularly, STD infection experience, and unfavorable SRH status. Higher suicide attempt likelihood was associated with poor sexual and physical health, but there was no significant association with the number of customers per week. We thus need to revive STD screening programs provided by the government and to support mental health programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the labor market goes global, immigrant workers are becoming important around the world. However, little research has focused on the characteristics of their sex behaviors. This study examines foreign employees in Korea in order to investigate their understanding of HIV and sexual risk behaviors. The sample ( N = 547) was formed from migrant workers in the industrial complex in Ansan district, which depends highly on foreigners as its labor source. Logistic regression, analysis revealed that 36.0% of the respondents were engaged in more than one sexual risk behavior. Those who knew someone infected with HIV (OR = 2.583) and Thai respondents (OR = 3.007) showed high sexual risk behaviors, while married (OR = 0.182) and Korean Chinese (OR = 0.280) workers showed low sexual risk behaviors. Those who had a wealth of knowledge about HIV took a less discriminatory position against the person who had infected them, but this had no statistical effects over the sexual risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blastocystis sp. is a common zoonotic intestinal parasite of humans and animals, and has been classified into at least 17 distinct subtypes. Despite its potential impact on public health, the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. have seldom been the study subject in South Korea. To determine the prevalence and subtype distribution of Blastocystis sp. and to obtain information on risk factors, we performed a cross-sectional study targeting elderly health checkup people, who visited Seoul Western Branch of the Korea Association of Health Promotion (KAHP) in October 2019. Stool samples were collected from 293 participants consisting of 128 males and 165 females with a mean age of 64.7 years (from 50 to 88 years) with a questionnaire on potential risk factors. All the samples were tested by PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene of Blastocystis sp., and nucleotide sequences of positive samples were used to identify the subtypes. The overall prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was 9.2% (27/293). Among the positive samples, subtype 3 was predominant (59%; 16/27), followed by subtype 1 (41%; 11/27). No other subtypes were detected. In the univariable analysis, the age, sex, presence of digestive symptoms, source of drinking water, and history of drug intake were not significantly associated with Blastocystis sp. infection. Two parameters, including the Enterococcus hirae bacterial infection and the frequency of intake of cooked or boiled vegetables less than twice a week, showed statistical significance. However, the multivariable regression analysis revealed that only the latter parameter was statistically significant. The results suggested that subtypes 3 and 1 are the 2 major genotypes of Blastocystis sp. among elderly people in South Korea, and low frequency of consuming cooked or boiled vegetables is a potential risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with depressive symptoms in the Korean adult population.Methods: 10,710 participants in the 2014 and 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were analyzed in this study. Assessment of depressive symptoms was performed using the self-administered nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).Results: The weighted prevalence of clinically relevant depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) in the Korean adult population was 6.1% [5.5-6.8%]. Female sex, adults aged 19-29 years, elementary school graduation, living alone were significantly associated with clinically relevant depression. Having a household income ≤ 24th percentile was associated with a 2.26 (CI 1.49-3.45, p < 0.001)-fold higher prevalence of clinically relevant depression compared to having a household income ≥ 75th percentile. Regarding occupation, treating managers and professionals as controls, we found that unemployed individuals (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.52-3.65, p < 0.001) had an increased risk of clinically relevant depression. Alcohol consumption < 30 g/day was reversely associated with clinically relevant depression (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62-0.93, p = 0.007), when abstain from alcohol was treated as control. Current smokers (OR 3.42, 95% CI 2.54-4.60, p < 0.001) and ex-smokers (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.24-2.42, p = 0.001) had a higher risk of clinically relevant depression than never-smokers.Conclusions: The estimated prevalence of depressive symptoms in a representative sample of the Korean adult population was 6.1%. This study suggests that younger age, female sex, elementary school graduation, living alone, low household income, current smoking, and being unemployed are associated with depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether chewing difficulty is associated with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and related functional difficulties by body mass index. Design: A population-based cross-sectional study. Setting and Participants: A nationwide sample of 54,004 individuals aged ≥65 years from the 2018 Korea Community Health Survey. Measurements: SCD and SCD-related functional difficulties were measured using the cognitive decline module of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Chewing difficulty was assessed based on a self-report questionnaire from an oral health-related behaviors interview survey. BMI was calculated from objective values by measuring height and weight through a physical meter. Results: Among the 54,004 individuals, the prevalence of SCD in underweight, overweight, and obesity group was 33.6% (n = 806), 30.3% (n = 9,691), and 28.7% (n=5,632) respectively. Chewing difficulty was associated with SCD and SCD-related functional difficulties. This association was more pronounced in underweight (BMI: <18.5 kg/m2) people [underweight: (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48–1.92); normal weight: OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.04–1.22; obese: OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.05–1.27]. Similar trends were demonstrated for SCD-related functional difficulties (underweight: OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.17–2.01; normal weight: OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.15–1.63; obese: OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.22–1.86). Conclusions: Chewing difficulty was associated with SCD and SCD-related functional difficulties in older people. Our results suggest that underweight status may play roles in the associations between chewing difficulty and SCD and SCD-related functional difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worker health centers and health zones provide occupational healthcare services to workers in underserved areas of industrial health. Health zones cannot counsel workers on occupational disease prevention; worker health center personnel have to provide such services through in-person visits. Video teleconsultation can increase the accessibility of high-quality services to workers who visit health zones and improve professional personnel's efficiency. This study aimed to develop a system and an infrastructure that could facilitate video teleconsultation services between worker health centers and health zones, and analyze the services' operation status. A video teleconsultation process based on the role of local and remote institutions was designed. Based on the designed services, a web system supporting teleconsultation and an integrated gateway guaranteeing the interface with medical equipment in the web environment was developed. After analyzing the working environment, an infrastructure consisting of networks, video equipment, medical equipment, and servers necessary for teleconsultation was designed. Statistical results from the developed system and a satisfaction survey conducted by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency were used to analyze the video teleconsultation services' operation status. A system, gateway, and hardware infrastructure within 21 worker health centers and 21 health zones has been operating this service since January 1, 2018. Over two years, the total number of teleconsultation service users was 4979, and the total number of questionnaire respondents was 1270. The total number of service activities was 6388 and total satisfaction was rated as 4.58 (± 0.59) out of 5. In this study, video teleconsultation services were evaluated as being very satisfactory. In particular, service accessibility and local medical personnel service were rated highly, demonstrating that the developed system and infrastructure were well designed according to the goals of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Although dietary calcium intake is associated with a risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), it has not been studied extensively in Asian populations. We therefore investigated the association between dietary calcium intake and CVD among Korean adults and the effect of obesity on this association.Subjects/methods: In total, 9186 participants were included in the analysis after excluding 844 with prevalent CVD/cancer or implausible energy intake. Nutrient intake, including dietary calcium, was estimated using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. CVD included myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and stroke per the World Health Organization criteria. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results: In the fully adjusted model, HRs of CVD across increasing quintiles of dietary calcium intake were 1.0 (reference), 0.85 (95% CI: 0.66-1.10), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.58-1.02), 0.59 (95% CI: 0.42-0.83), and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.48-1.08); a significant linear trend was detected (p for trend = 0.04). However, this association varied according to the obesity status. High dietary calcium intake was associated with a reduced CVD risk among nonobese participants (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m2; p for trend = 0.02), whereas this was not significant among obese participants (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2; p for trend = 0.88).Conclusions: The association between dietary calcium intake and incident CVD may be influenced by obesity status. We provide evidence for developing dietary calcium intake guidelines for Koreans, allowing for the effects of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Maternal attachment to promote role development in mothers of preterm infants is critical for babies' optimal growth and development. However, few models specify how neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and their environments work to foster postpartum attachment (PPA) after preterm birth. We investigated relationships of quality of family-centered care and NICU environmental stressors with maternal PPA, to determine whether these are mediated by mothers' psycho-emotional response and whether pathways to PPA are moderated by developmental immaturity (gestation, birthweight). Methods: A cross-sectional study using structural equation modeling was conducted on 294 mothers of premature infants with experience in NICUs in over 49 tertiary hospitals in 12 cities or provinces of South Korea. Data were collected using Korean versions of instruments including the Quality of Family-centered Care, Parental Stressor Scale: NICU, and Maternal Postpartum Attachment Scale. Results: Maternal self-representation was a key predictor of PPA (β =.68), accounting for 42.2% of variance. Multi-group analysis indicated that NICU environmental stressor sensitivity (β =.26) and maternal self-representation (β =.67) were predictive of PPA in mothers of moderately preterm and low birthweight (32–36 weeks' gestation, 1500–2499 g birthweight) infants. Quality of family-centered developmental care (β =.11) and NICU environmental stressor sensitivity (β = −.16) had significant indirect effects on PPA through psycho-emotional responses. Conclusions for Practice: Healthcare professionals should be aware of the importance of family-centered interventions focusing on psychosocial support and family participation in baby care, based on their environmental role in promoting PPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study sought to examine the relations between helicopter parenting and autonomy support on the wellbeing of emerging adult children across different countries from Eastern and Western cultures, using the mother-child relationship as a mediating mechanism. Methods: The participants consisted of 215 American and 171 Korean college students who completed a self-report questionnaire on their mother's parenting style, the mother-child relationship, and their mental and physical wellbeing. Multiple group analyses were conducted using the maximum likelihood method, and a bias-corrected bootstrap procedure was utilized to test indirect effects. Results: The findings showed an indirect association of autonomy support with student wellbeing through the mother-child relationship in both countries. The associations of autonomy support with the mother-child relationship and children's wellbeing are positive in both the United States and South Korea, and the effects were similar for students from both countries. However, our results further suggest that, controlling for autonomy support, helicopter parenting did not uniquely predict the quality of the mother-child relationship or students' wellbeing in the United States or South Korea. Conclusions: Providing greater autonomy support than helicopter parenting to children appears to enhance the mother-child relationship within the family and children's positive wellbeing in both countries with different cultural backgrounds. This study adds to the extant literature by using the mother-child relationship as a mediating variable, expanding the investigation of helicopter parenting and autonomy support with young adults, and providing a comparative examination of these prevalent yet under-examined parenting practices between countries with Eastern and Western cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study primarily uses Berry's theoretical model to examine national identity, acculturation (to South Korea), ethnic identity, and enculturation (to country-of-origin), and how they are linked to immigrant adolescents' aggression and depression in South Korea. Data were collected from 120 immigrant youths (i.e., those born in South Korea and those born in their country-of-origin) in eight middle schools. Analyses include multivariate regression and cluster analyses. Findings indicate that South Korean identity (m = 48, F = 77.0, p <.001), acculturation to South Korean culture (m = 44.9, F = 52.3, p <.01), and mother's Korean proficiency (m = 3.6, F = 10.9, p <.001) were higher among Korea-born adolescents. Enculturation (m = 35.5, F = 13.7, p <.001) and depression (m = 36.4, F = 15.3, p <.001) were higher among foreign-born adolescents. Aggression (r = −.26, p <.01) and depression (r = −.46, p <.01) were lower among native-born Korean adolescents. South Korean identity (B = −.27, p =.02) and acculturation (B = −.28, p =.01) were negatively associated with aggression. South Korean identity (B = −.22, p =.04), acculturation (B = −.21, p =.03), and ethnic identity (B = −.17, p =.02) were negatively associated with depression. Integration youth (M = 12.7) and assimilation youth (M = 11.5) reported lower aggression than marginalization youth (M = 15.8, F = 5.48, p <.01). Assimilation type had better outcomes than separation and marginalization types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Preschool competency in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making has been shown to affect short- and long-term social, emotional, and academic development. Known collectively as social emotional learning (SEL), these skills have begun to be paired with mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) in school settings. OpenMind (OM) is a newly developed mindfulness-based SEL program for preschool children. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the OM program translated, culturally contextualized, and implemented as the OpenMind-Korea (OM-K) program in Korean preschools. Method: Eleven teachers in three preschools in Korea were taught the basic philosophy, principles, and nine activities in the OM-K program. The teachers implemented the OM-K program, together with the Nuri Curriculum that is mandated in all Korean preschools, with 170 3- to 5-year-old children. Following implementation for a school year, 10 of the 11 teachers completed 34-item feasibility and 8-item acceptability questionnaires. In addition, they were individually interviewed on their views regarding the OM-K program. Results: By the end of the year, each teacher was able to implement three or four activities of the OM-K program on a daily basis and the remaining activities as much as possible. The teachers were able to modify the activities to suit the children's needs and as afforded by the space available in each classroom. Overall the teachers reported that it was feasible to implement the OM-K program and that the program was acceptable to them. In addition, all teachers reported that they would recommend the program to other teachers. Conclusions: The OM-K program teachers in three Korean preschools rated the program as feasible and acceptable. However, there was some variation in the degree of feasibility and acceptability ratings across teachers within and between the three preschools. All teachers uniformly reported that they would recommend the program to other teachers because of its positive effects on both the teacher and their children. Program strengths and limitations are discussed and directions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was conducted to find an optimal questionnaire to evaluate the slow gait speed seen in community dwelling elderly. Design: Four questions asking about difficulty in walking were compared against the measured usual gait speed. The questions were: 1) Is it difficult to walk 100 m without help? 2) Is it difficult to walk 300 m without help? 3) Is it difficult to walk around one lap of a 400-meter track without help? 4) Can you cross a crosswalk before the green on the crosswalk light turns red? Participants: The subjects were 1479 older adults aged 70 to 84 years who had responded to the four questions and completed gait speed measuring in the first baseline year (2016) of the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. Results: Of the four questions, "Is it difficult to walk around one lap of track (400 m) without help?" showed the highest kappa coefficient (0.357), sensitivity (0.61), and negative predictive value (0.82). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the authors suggest that "Difficulty in walking around one lap of a 400-m track without help" may be the best question to use when evaluating slow gait speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of young North Korean refugees (NKRs) entering South Korea to escape famine and poverty and improve their quality of life is drastically increasing. The aims of this study were to identify and compare health promoting lifestyle behaviors (HPLBs) of young NKRs, compared to South Koreans, and to investigate influencing factors related to HPLBs in young NKRs. Data were obtained from 150 NKRs residing in South Korea and 161 South Koreans. Respondents provided their psychological status (depression, stress, and life satisfaction) and HPLBs. The NKRs reported lower interpersonal relations scores and higher spiritual growth scores compared to the control group. Attendance in religious services, stress, and life satisfaction were significantly associated with HPLBs in young NKRs. Health education and/or promotion programs focusing interpersonal relations and spiritual growth may be beneficial. In addition, regular psychological health screening is proposed as part of health-checkup programs, potentially improving adjustment to South Korean society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Doping in sports compromises fair play and endangers health. To deter doping among elite athletes, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) oversees testing of several hundred thousand athletic blood and urine samples annually, of which 1-2% test positive. Measures using the Athlete Biological Passport suggest a higher mean prevalence of about 14% positive tests. Biological testing, however, likely fails to detect many cutting-edge doping techniques, and thus the true prevalence of doping remains unknown. Methods: We surveyed 2167 athletes at two sporting events: the 13th International Association of Athletics Federations Word Championships in Athletics (WCA) in Daegu, South Korea in August 2011 and the 12th Quadrennial Pan-Arab Games (PAG) in Doha, Qatar in December 2011. To estimate the prevalence of doping, we utilized a 'randomized response technique,' which guarantees anonymity for individuals when answering a sensitive question. We also administered a control question at PAG assessing past-year use of supplements. Results: The estimated prevalence of past-year doping was 43.6% (95% confidence interval 39.4-47.9) at WCA and 57.1% (52.4-61.8) at PAG. The estimated prevalence of past-year supplement use at PAG was 70.1% (65.6-74.7%). Sensitivity analyses, assessing the robustness of these estimates under numerous hypothetical scenarios of intentional or unintentional noncompliance by respondents, suggested that we were unlikely to have overestimated the true prevalence of doping. Conclusions: Doping appears remarkably widespread among elite athletes, and remains largely unchecked despite current biological testing. The survey technique presented here will allow future investigators to generate continued reference estimates of the prevalence of doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare mothers' and fathers' ratings of their young children's problems and prosocial behaviors using the Korean version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Furthermore, the present study examined whether parental depressive symptoms were linked to agreement between mothers' and fathers' ratings of their young children's behavior. The sample consisted of 302 parents whose 5-year-old children attended childcare centers in Korea. The parents completed the Korean version of the SDQ and the Center for the Epidemiological Studies of Depression short form. The results revealed that both the mothers' and fathers' reports moderately correlated for both boys and girls, with greater correlations for externalizing problems than for internalizing problems. Whereas there were no significant differences between mothers' and fathers' reports of their children's problems, mothers reported significantly more prosocial behaviors than fathers did, regardless of the child's gender. Polynomial regression showed that mothers' reports were more strongly associated with fathers' report of their children's prosocial behavior when mothers reported lower levels of depressive symptoms. The findings provide empirical evidence that mothers and fathers reported more similarities than differences in assessing child problems. Further analyses suggest considering maternal depressive symptoms when interpreting interparental agreement on their children's prosocial behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body image can predict health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescent girls through self-esteem and psychological well-being. Additionally, depression is a significant predictor of adolescents' HRQoL and is associated with body image. Therefore, we investigated whether the relationship between body image and HRQoL in adolescent girls is moderated by depression. In this cross-sectional study, adolescent girls' body image, depression, and HRQoL ( n = 385, age: 12-15 years) were measured through self-report questionnaires. Multiple regression and simple slope analyses were conducted to examine the moderating effect of depression. Body image was positively correlated with HRQoL, whereas depression was negatively correlated with body image and HRQoL. Body image, depression, and their interaction explained 44.9% of the variance in HRQoL. Simple slope analysis showed that a more positive body image was associated with higher HRQoL among adolescent girls without depressive symptoms, but was not significantly related to HRQoL for adolescents with depressive symptoms. The moderating effect of depression was confirmed. In conclusion, screening for depression is recommended for adolescent girls prior to implementing body image interventions in schools and the community that are aimed at improving HRQoL. Furthermore, health care providers in schools and the community should provide psychological support for depression along with body image interventions to improve the HRQoL of girls in schools and the community. In particular, for girls with depressive symptoms, depression management should be conducted beforehand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Postmenopausal women with osteoporotic fracture (OF) had higher plasma dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4) levels than those without. Furthermore, higher plasma DPP4 levels were significantly associated with higher bone turnover and a higher prevalence of OF. These results indicated that DPP4 may be associated with OF by mediating bone turnover rate. Introduction: Evidence indicates that dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4) plays a distinct role in bone metabolism. However, there has been no report on the association, if any, between circulating DPP4 levels and osteoporosis-related phenotypes, including osteoporotic fracture (OF). Therefore, we performed a case-control study to investigate these associations in postmenopausal women. Methods: This study was conducted in multiple centers in Korea. We enrolled 178 cases with OF and 178 age- and body mass index-matched controls. OF was assessed by an interviewer-assisted questionnaire and lateral thoracolumbar radiographs. Bone turnover markers (BTMs), bone mineral density (BMD), and plasma DPP4 levels were obtained in all subjects. Results: After adjustment for potential confounders, subjects with OF had significantly higher DPP4 levels than those without ( P = 0.021). Higher DPP4 levels were significantly positively associated with higher levels of all BTMs, but not with BMD at all measured sites. The differences in DPP4 levels according to OF status disappeared after an additional adjustment for each BTM, but not after adjustment for any BMD values. BTMs explained approximately half of the relationship between DPP4 and OF. The risk of OF was 3.80-fold (95% confidence interval = 1.53-9.42) higher in subjects in the highest DPP4 quartile than in those in the lowest quartile after adjustment for potential confounders, including femoral neck BMD. Conclusions: DPP4 may be associated with OF by at least partly mediating the bone turnover rate. Circulating DPP4 levels may be a potential biomarker that could increase the predictive power of current fracture risk assessment models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body dissatisfaction is widely acknowledged to exert considerable impact on abnormal eating behavior. Previous studies that reported the mediating role of body dissatisfaction between psychological variables and abnormal eating behavior mostly used western samples. The aim of this study was to investigate the direct and indirect association of psychological factors (i.e., self-esteem and depression) on abnormal eating behavior on a Korean sample. In addition, we examined a possible mediating effect of body dissatisfaction in this relationship. A sample of 502 Korean female college students enrolled in a private university participated in this cross-sectional study. Results indicated that self-esteem and depression did not have direct impacts on abnormal eating behavior. However, they did have indirect effects through the mediating factor, body dissatisfaction. Our findings suggest that students who have low self-esteem and high depression are likely to have higher levels of body dissatisfaction, and this, in turn, tends to be associated with greater abnormal eating behavior. Identification of this path has clinical implications in the development of programs to prevent abnormal eating behaviors among young female college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to estimate Korean preference weights for EQ-5D-5L based on values elicited from Korean population by applying the EuroQol Valuation Technology (EQ-VT) program and the standard protocol by the EuroQol Group.Methods: The multistage quota sampling method was used to recruit 1085 subjects from the general population in Korea. Each respondent valuated 10 health states using the composite time trade-off (cTTO) and 7 health states using discrete choice experiment. The EQ-VT program was developed by the EuroQol Group and translated into Korean with the Korean research team. Computer-assisted, face-to-face interviews were conducted. A range of predictive models were explored using cTTO. The most appropriate model was determined after assessing goodness of fit, logical consistency, and parsimony.Results: Of 3206 contacted, 1085 subjects completed interviews (33.8 %) and 1080 were used for modeling. A model with dummy variables for each level of severity and dimension and a term that picked up whether any dimension in the state was at level 4 or 5 was selected as the best predictive model. All coefficients of the final model were statistically significant and logically consistent. In addition, it was parsimonious. This model had mean absolute error of 0.027, and the absolute error for all 86 health states was below 0.1.Conclusions: The final model built in this study appears to predict the utilities of the states which were valuated directly. This model could be used to interpolate quality weights for all EQ-5D-5L health states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study sought to compare the association between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and four body health types by gender.Methods: The study included 6217 men and 8243 women over 30 years of age chosen from a population-based survey. Participants were grouped by body mass index and metabolic abnormality into four types: metabolically healthy normal weight, metabolically abnormal but normal weight (MANW), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), and metabolically abnormal obesity (MAO). HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D health questionnaire. The outcomes encompassed five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), and the impaired HRQoL dichotomized by the EQ-5D preference score. Complex sample multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to adjust for sociodemographic variables, lifestyle factors, and disease comorbidity.Results: Among men, those in the MANW group presented worse conditions on all dimensions and the impaired HRQoL compared to other men. However, no significant effect remained after adjusting for relevant covariates. For women, those in the MAO group had the most adversely affected HRQoL followed by those females in the MHO group. The domain of mobility and impaired HRQoL variable of the MAO and MHO groups remained significant when controlling for all covariates in the model.Conclusions: The MANW is the least favorable condition of HRQoL for men, suggesting that metabolic health may associate with HRQoL more than obesity for males. In women, the MAO and MHO groups had the most adversely affected HRQoL, implying that MHO is not a favorable health condition and that obesity, in general, may be strongly associated with HRQoL in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is limited evidence whether environmental exposure to perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) affects insulin resistance (IR) and whether vitamin C intake protects against the adverse effect of PFCs. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of PFCs on IR through oxidative stress, and the effects of a 4-week consumption of vitamin C supplement compared placebo on development of IR by PFCs. Methods: For a double-blind, community-based, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover intervention of vitamin C, we assigned 141 elderly subjects to both vitamin C and placebo treatments for 4 weeks. We measured serum levels of PFCs to estimate PFC exposures and urinary levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) for oxidative stress. We also measured levels of fasting glucose and insulin and derived the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index to assess IR. Results: Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) levels were found to be positively associated with HOMA index at the baseline and after placebo treatment. Risks of IR for the top decile of PFOS and PFDoDA exposures were significantly elevated compared with those with lower PFOS and PFDoDA exposures (both, P < 0.0001). However, the effects of PFOS and PFDoDA on HOMA disappeared after vitamin C supplementation (both, P > 0.30). Furthermore, PFOS and PFDoDA levels were also significantly associated with MDA and 8-OHdG levels, and MDA levels were positively associated with HOMA index. Conclusion: PFOS and PFDoDA exposures were positively associated with IR and oxidative stress, and vitamin C supplementation protected against the adverse effects of PFOS and PFDoDA on IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a model to explain the factors influencing parenting stress in mothers of premature infants, and to verify the appropriateness of the model. The exogenous variables consisted of infant temperament and maternal positive psychological capital (PsyCap). Endogenous variables consisted of parenting efficacy and parenting stress. The participants included 233 mothers of premature infants, with a corrected age under 24 months. Data were collected from March to September 2013, using self-reported questionnaires. The model fit indices suggested that the original hypothesized model adequately fit the data. The final model accounted for 39 % of the variance in parenting stress. Furthermore, we found that parenting stress was directly and indirectly affected by infant temperament, and their mother's positive PsyCap via parenting efficacy. Premature infant's negative emotionality was moderately related to higher parenting efficacy and lower parenting stress. Mother's positive PsyCap directly affected parenting efficacy and parenting, and indirectly affected parenting stress through parenting efficacy. Furthermore, parenting efficacy directly affected parenting stress. These results suggest that nursing strategies based on the parent-child interaction model are needed for promoting positive maternal mental health and parenting efficacy, to reduce parenting stress in mothers of premature infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), known to be related to insulin resistance, has been the focus of intensive research efforts due to its increasing prevalence and clinical significance. Rapid eating behavior is another emerging health issue associated with insulin resistance. We aimed to clarify the correlation between self-reported eating speed and NAFLD, both known to be related to insulin resistance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during routine medical checkups on 7,917 consecutively enrolled participants. Anthropometric, biochemical, nutritional, and social parameters were checked. The self-reported eating speed per their usual meal (<5, 5-10, 10-15, and more than 15 min) was recorded by a registered dietitian. Results: The faster eating groups had a higher proportion of NAFLD, and the grade of NAFLD was advanced. After controlling for anthropometric, cardiometabolic, social, and nutritional parameters, the fastest eating group (<5 min) showed an increased risk of NAFLD compared with the lowest eating speed group (≥15 min) both in total [odds ratio (OR) 1.81, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.24-2.63] and the participants with BMI < 25 kg/m (OR 1.79, 95 % CI 1.22-2.61). As the self-reported eating speed increased, the risk of NAFLD also increased in total and those with BMI < 25 kg/m ( P for trend <0.001). Conclusions: Fast eating is associated with an increased risk of the presence and grade of NAFLD in Korean adults, especially those with BMI < 25 kg/m, since presence of overweight or obesity may be overwhelming the effect on NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological view of human development calls for an investigation of multiple contexts surrounding children. In South Korea, traditional Confucianism and recent technological advancements serve as influential social and cultural contexts that affect parent-child relations and child development. High levels of parental control and strong emphasis on academic achievement have long been distinctive features of Korean parenting practices, which are attributable to Confucian values. Additionally, Korean children's mobile phone dependency (MPD) has become a growing concern, as South Korea developed as an IT powerhouse. Combined, these contexts resulted in high parental control of children's mobile phone use, so that such electronic devices would not hinder learning and achievement. Effects of high parental control on children's MPD and their school life, however, have yet to be discovered. We hypothesized, that, unlike parents' intentions, psychological control is more likely to increase MPD and disrupt school life. To examine this research model, we made use of the first and third wave data from Korea Children and Youth Panel Survey. Participants were 2378 children (52.2 % boys) of the same age of 10 in the first wave. After multiple imputation for missing values, hierarchical logistic regression followed to examine the mediational model. The results verified the hypothesized model, showing significant adverse influence of psychological control on MPD, self-regulated learning and school adjustment. MPD fully mediated the effect of psychological control on self-regulations, while partially mediating the effects on school adjustment. Implications for Korean parents with regard to supporting children's psychological autonomy was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults with functional limitations may be at higher risk for depression and suicidal ideation compared to their counterparts without such limits. This study examined the structural relationships between functional limitation, depression, suicidal ideation, and coping strategies in older Korean immigrants. Using data from 220 community dwelling Korean immigrants (age ≧ 65) in Los Angeles County, path analysis was conducted to test the study hypotheses. The resulting model accounted for 56 % of the variance in suicidal ideation, with functional limitation making significant contribution to suicidal ideation. Meanwhile, depression, which had the strongest direct effects on suicidal ideation, also played a significant role in mediating between functional limitation and suicidal ideation. Furthermore, adaptive coping was significantly associated with both functional limitation and suicidal ideation. Findings provide implications for implementing suicide-prevention programs for older Korean immigrants, especially those living with functional disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the clinical utility and psychometric properties of the Korean Modified Checklist of Autism in Toddlers (K-M-CHAT)-2. A sample of 2300 parents of 16- to 36-month-old children was recruited across South Korea. A phone interview was utilized to follow up with participants who initially screened positive for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Item response theory was applied to assess the psychometric properties of the K-M-CHAT-2. Parents' responses were substantially changed after the follow-up, and the final screen-positive rate was 2.3 %. Results indicated that the psychometric properties of items 1, 3, 11, 18 and 22 were not as strong as the other items. The K-M-CHAT-2 is a useful ASD screening test when implemented with a follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the trends and characteristics of individuals visiting four wetlands in South Korea. A total of 21,647,242 people visited the four wetlands from 2007 to 2012. The number of visitors increased significantly after the tenth Conference of Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands held in South Korea in 2008. Visitor data showed statistical evidence of seasonality in visits, with visitor numbers peaking in autumn of each year in all wetlands, probably because of the seasonality of natural resource availability in wetlands. Our findings are based on a self-administrated questionnaire survey completed by 600 respondents (150 from each wetland). Most respondents visited wetlands for sightseeing (50.94 %) or educational purposes (36.42 %) and remained for less than 2 h. Visits were primarily spent participating in educational and sightseeing programs. Thus, wetland visitor centers have an important role in wetland ecotourism and education. Guided educational and sightseeing programs for visitors, including independent, group, and family tourists, are helpful for effectively raising awareness of wetlands and distributing ecotourism concepts. Our study demonstrates that visiting wetlands is becoming an increasingly popular form of ecotourism in South Korea, supporting the importance of preserving this fragile ecosystem service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe the study design, methods, and baseline results of a prospective cohort of radiologic technologists which we have initiated in South Korea. Methods: The cohort participants were enrolled through a self-administered questionnaire survey administered from April 2012 to May 2013. Survey data were linked with radiation dosimetry, a cancer registry, and health insurance data by personal identification numbers. A nationwide representative survey was also conducted using a stratified random sampling design with face-to-face interviews. Results: A total of 12,387 radiologic technologists were enrolled, which accounted for approximately 63 % of all diagnostic radiologic technologists working in South Korea. For nationwide survey, 585 workers were interviewed using the detailed questionnaire, and buccal cells were also collected by scraping the inside of the cheek. The majority of study subjects were under 50-year-old and male workers. The average annual effective dose of radiation declined both men (from 2.75 to 1.43 mSv) and women (from 1.34 to 0.95 mSv) over the period of 1996-2011. A total of 99 cancers (66 cancers in men and 33 in women) were reported from 1992 to 2010. The standardized incidence ratio of all cancer combined was significantly lower in men (SIR = 0.75, 95 % CI 0.58-0.96) than general population, but the ratios for thyroid cancer were significantly higher than expected among both men and women. Conclusions: This cohort provides comprehensive information on work activities and health status of diagnostic radiologic technologists. In addition, the nationwide representative sample provides unique opportunities compared with previous radiologic technologist studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By focusing on North Korean defectors' medical experiences in South Korea and their medical providers' experiences treating the defectors, this article considers the differences between the views of these two groups in regard to the causes of prescription non-adherence. The results suggest that (a) whereas the defectors tended to see their symptoms as being physical in nature, the medical providers often ascribed symptoms to psychological/socio-cultural influence; (b) whereas the defectors tended to trust in their ability to self-diagnose and in their belief systems established in North Korea, the medical providers tended not to place trust in these aspects; (c) whereas the defectors tended to view the available medical treatment as inappropriate for them, the medical providers often noted the presence of tolerant bacterial strains as causes of treatment failure; and (d) whereas the defectors felt that the treatment they received was slow and ineffective and attributed this to capitalism, the medical providers felt that the defectors failed to understand the concept of staged treatments. Based on the findings, some solutions are suggested to address the complex issue of North Korean defectors' prescription non-adherence in terms of subjective/objective health assessments and patient-centered care. North Korean defectors' established health beliefs/lack of medical knowledge based on their previous medical and cultural experiences gave rise to beliefs and practices associated with medicine that differ significantly from those of the health providers and that have the potential to severely compromise the defectors' health. Therefore, therapy negotiation and appropriate education are suggested as possible solutions, and as an agenda, the notion of civic friendship is addressed. Implications for medical practice, prevention, and intervention are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life satisfaction is an important indicator of quality of life. We examined the association between living arrangement and life satisfaction among older adults with physical disabilities and the mediating and moderating roles of social connectedness. We used data from the 2011 National Survey on Persons with Disabilities, South Korea, and analyzed a sub-sample of adults aged 65 and older with physical disabilities. We employed multivariate regression analyses to assess life satisfaction by living arrangement, taking into account social connectedness (social participation and quality of social relations) as well as background characteristics including the degree of independence in activities of daily living. Types of living arrangement included living with a spouse, living alone, and living with others. Among older adults with physical disabilities, individuals living alone and living with others reported poorer life satisfaction than those living with a spouse. The relationship between living arrangement and life satisfaction was explained away when quality of family and friend relations were added to the multivariate regression model. The influence of the quality of friend relations on life satisfaction was greater for those living alone, presenting the moderating role of living arrangement. Higher risks of life dissatisfaction among Korean older adults living alone with physical disabilities are of major concern. The results suggest that quality of social relations is an important modifiable factor for life satisfaction in this population. It would be crucial for policy makers and practitioners to recognize the needs for meaningful social connection by living arrangement among older adults with physical disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mongolian immigration into South Korea has increased rapidly over the last decade. It is important to better understand dietary patterns of immigrants because these patterns are associated with health risk. This study aimed to characterize dietary patterns of Mongolian immigrants in South Korea. Dietary intakes of 500 Mongolian adults living in South Korea were assessed using the interviewer-administered 24-h dietary recall method. By cluster analysis, three dietary patterns were identified: 'Mongolian' (26 %), 'Transitional' (43 %) and 'Korean' (31 %). The 'Korean' pattern had a favorable food intake profile, with higher intakes of healthy foods, while the other patterns had features of an unhealthy diet. There were significant differences between the dietary patterns that were related to risk for chronic diseases. Overall, subjects following the 'Korean' dietary pattern showed high adherence to World Health Organization recommendations for preventing diet-related chronic diseases, whereas the 'Mongolian' and 'Transitional' patterns showed low compliance. The results suggest the need for education programs targeting Mongolian immigrants who retain traditional dietary habits, to enhance their healthy food choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a common disorder among women with young children. Compared to non-depressed mothers, depressed mothers tend to display less positive affection, provide less emotional support, and inconsistently respond to their child's every day and emotional needs. We examined the association between maternal depression and child (middle childhood) mental health problems according to the child's gender. This study was conducted between June and August 2006 on 3,911 subjects aged 7-12 years. The data for this study was collected through a questionnaire that included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL). Most of the CBCL scores were higher for children in the depressed mother group. The two way ANOVAs (depressed group by gender) found girls to have significantly higher scores than boys on somatization. Children may experience somatic complaints when they also suffer from emotional disorders, and therefore must be observed closely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the current school-parent support policy in South Korea is to revive the parental role as agent and partner in child education by strengthening parental efficacy through increasing parental knowledge about the child's school life. In this study, we tested this mediational model by comparing 743 employed mothers versus 540 stay-at-home mothers within each school level. School involvement among stay-at-home mothers of all children significantly predicted their parental efficacy and their knowledge about the child's school mediated this link completely for mothers of elementary and high school children and partially for mothers of middle school children. School involvement had no impact on parental efficacy among employed mothers. Policy implications of the findings were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a sexual autonomy enhancement program for college students in South Korea. Subjects and methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Data were collected in 2008 through a self-administered questionnaire from 79 students recruited from liberal arts classes in the experimental group and 77 in the control group. The experimental group received four sessions of education over 4 weeks. The contents of the program were composed by analyzing the main concepts of the health belief model to improve the will to use contraception in a situation where sexual relationships are anticipated. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and t-tests using the IBM SPSS statistics 19.0 program. Results: Scores for the experimental group after the sexual autonomy enhancement program were significantly higher than those of the control group for the following: contraception knowledge ( p < 0.001), contraception attitudes ( p < 0.001), and sexual autonomy regarding the use of contraception ( p = 0.019). Conclusion: These results indicate that the sexual autonomy enhancement program is effective in improving contraception knowledge attitudes, and sexual autonomy among university students in South Korea. Therefore, the sexual autonomy enhancement program should be used with university students to improve their sexual health. In addition, studies on the relationships between contraception education and changes in sexual behavior are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is the leading cause of death for Korean-Americans (KAs), while cancer screening rates among KAs have been consistently low. Seven semi-structured focus group interviews with 34 KA women aged 40 or older in the Washington, DC metropolitan area were conducted to explore the perceptions of KA women about seeking physical examinations and cancer screening services in Korea. Data were analyzed using a framework approach. Informants positively perceived the use of health screening services in Korea in comparison to seeking such services in the US. Decision-making factors included cost benefits, high quality services, and more convenient screening procedures in Korea. These benefits outweighed the risks of delaying health care and travelling a vast distance with incurring additional travel costs. Motivations to seek these services in Korea included opportunities to visit their homeland and to enjoy comfortable communication with their native language. The increase of available information about Korean medical services due to the industry's aggressive marketing/PR was identified as a facilitator. Most informants did not recognize possible negative health outcomes of obtaining services in Korea such as inappropriate follow up care if having abnormal findings. Educational programs are needed to educate KAs about the benefits and risks of getting the services in Korea and proper follow up care in the US. Health care providers need to know the different cancer risks and screening needs for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among juvenile status offenses, truancy represents the largest share of juvenile court caseloads. As a marker of risk, truancy is important because of its associations with school disengagement, drop-out, and developmental trajectories that include various forms of delinquency and anti-social behavior. Better understanding of the developmental circumstances and needs of truant children may point the way to more effective intervention strategies. Much accumulated research has shown strong associations between the emergence of juvenile delinquency and qualities of caregiving in parent-child relationships. Child-parent attachment in particular has been identified as an important developmental foundation of the child-parent relationship. We used a multi-informant approach to examine associations between children's self-reported perceptions of attachment security (using the Security Scales), their emotion regulation (reported by parents on the Emotion Regulation Checklist), and school-related behavior problems (as reported by teachers with the Child Behavior Checklist), among 74 elementary school-aged truant children (mean age 9 years). Children and families were recruited through a truancy intervention program in a state in the deep South in the U.S. Data were analyzed via hierarchical multiple regression. Parents' reports of their children's emotion regulation predicted behavior problems as reported by teachers. Children's own reports of their emotional bonds with parents were somewhat less predictive of emotion regulation and behavior problems. Implications for truancy intervention programs for high-risk elementary school children include more focused attention to the importance of children's developing capacities for emotion regulation and the child-parent bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated a method to maintain the optimal image quality in clinical practice for image quality management in a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) that uses typical technology for digital medical images. This study conducted a survey of 25 hospitals in Seoul and metropolitan areas that had installed PACS to examine the reality of image quality management. Sixteen diagnostic monitors were used as calibration tools to compare and analyze the external illuminance uniformity and grayscale standard display function (GSDF) values at each frequency. According to the survey results, most of the hospitals did not have any particular rules or standardized methods for image quality control. In a PACS, the calibration frequency was examined within the allowable limits of error for each week and month. The calibration was not affected by the difference in brightness of the environment for reading an image. The GSDF measurement values were quite different from the standard values. In conclusion, to improve the image quality of the digital system, it is important to make good use of the system and maintain the image quality. Therefore, it is critical to capitalize on the method suggested in this study and maintain the optimal image quality to guarantee a high level of observer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined science teachers’ conceptions of creativity in science education, pedagogical ideas, and contextual factors perceived as constraints on teaching for creativity and any differences in the conceptions of teachers from South Korea and the United States. Participants in the study consisted of 44 South Korean and 21 US secondary science teachers. Data was collected from open-ended and Likert-type questionnaires. Results indicated that each individual teacher’s conception was considerably limited, but the teachers’ conceptions of creativity as a whole group were consistent with the literature. In terms of teaching methods for creativity, the teachers commonly emphasized problem-based or project-based inquiry which was consistent with the literature. The South Korean teachers tended to consider ethics as a more important criterion for judging creativity than the US teachers and emphasized providing thinking opportunity for fostering creativity, while the US teachers emphasized environmental or emotional support. Possible sources of these differences were discussed. The commonly mentioned constraints included pressure of content coverage for high-stakes tests, difficulties in assessing creativity, and class size. Suggestions for professional development of teachers and further research questions were made based on the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the influence of social-cognitive factors on students’ success on college entrance exams in South Korea. Subjects were 291 college freshmen attending either a prestigious or a less prestigious college. They completed a self-report questionnaire assessing perceived parental control, fear of failure, anxiety, self-efficacy, and time management skills. The results showed that parental psychological control had debilitating effects and self-efficacy had facilitating effects on the performance on the college entrance exam for all students. Fear of failure positively influenced the performance of the students in the less prestigious college but not in the more prestigious college. In addition, comparison of the two colleges revealed that students attending the prestigious college used better time management skills than students attending the less prestigious college. Further, students in the prestigious college tended to be from families with a higher SES level than students attending the less prestigious college. Information is provided to students, parents, and teachers regarding alternative methods for preparing for college entrance exams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess user satisfaction with mobile health (mHealth) application in breast cancer survivors after a 12-week exercise program and provide developers with reference points for mHealth applications from the perspective of patients and physicians. This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected multicenter data of 88 breast cancer survivors who carried out a 12-week exercise program via smartphone application with pedometer. Personalized programs including aerobic and resistance exercise were prescribed by physiatrists. Also, telephone counseling was performed at the 3rd and 9th week. All patients completed the user satisfaction questionnaire at the end of the intervention. The mean achievement rates of aerobic and resistance exercise for 12 weeks were 78.8 and 71.3%, respectively. The mean score of overall satisfaction rated on the 5-point Likert scale was 4.22 ± 0.73. When the patients were grouped according to age, the overall satisfaction score increased significantly with age (P = 0.040). Also, the satisfaction scores of patients with radiotherapy were significantly higher than patients without radiotherapy (P = 0.001). In terms of system characteristics, the most satisfying was data transmission accuracy (4.32 ± 0.74). In addition, patients were very satisfied with telephone counseling (4.55 ± 0.62). The results suggest the direction of mHealth should go to meet the detailed requirements of the specific user group as a more targeted approach. In addition, if a mutual feedback platform can be implanted in mHealth applications, it will increase user loyalty and make mHealth a more available motivational technology in our lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cluster headaches (CH) are recurrent severe headaches, which impose a major burden on the life of patients. We investigated the impact of CH on employment status and job burden.Methods: The study was a sub-study of the Korean Cluster Headache Registry. Patients with CH were enrolled from September 2016 to February 2018 from 15 headache clinics in Korea. We also enrolled a headache control group with age-sex matched patients with migraine or tension-type headache. Moreover, a control group including individuals without headache complaints was recruited. All participants responded to a questionnaire that included questions on employment status, type of occupation, working time, sick leave, reductions in productivity, and satisfaction with current occupation. The questionnaire was administered to participants who were currently employed or had previous occupational experience.Results: We recruited 143 patients with CH, 38 patients with other types of headache (migraine or tension-type headache), and 52 headache-free controls. The proportion of employees was lower in the CH group compared with the headache and headache-free control groups (CH: 67.6% vs. headache controls: 84.2% vs. headache-free controls: 96.2%; p = 0.001). The CH group more frequently experienced difficulties at work and required sick leave than the other groups (CH: 84.8% vs. headache controls: 63.9% vs. headache-free controls: 36.5%; p <  0.001; CH: 39.4% vs. headache controls: 13.9% vs. headache-free controls: 3.4%; p <  0.001). Among the patients with CH, sick leave was associated with younger age at CH onset (25.8 years vs. 30.6 years, p = 0.014), severity of pain rated on a visual analogue scale (9.3 vs. 8.8, p = 0.008), and diurnal periodicity during the daytime (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences with respect to the sick leave based on sex, age, CH subtypes, and CH recurrence.Conclusions: CH might be associated with employment status. Most patients with CH experienced substantial burdens at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]