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Drug use is increasing in South Korea, necessitating evidence-based policy interventions. However, there is a dearth of reliable tools for identifying the personal and psychological factors that drive drug use among Korean adults. In this study, we developed and validated an instrument based on a motivational model to measure drug use motivation in the Korean context. A survey was administered online to 250 Korean adults aged 19–59. Of the initial 37 potential items evaluated, 23 were retained after exploratory factor analysis. Based on their relevance and factor loadings, the final scale consisted of 15 items distributed across five distinct factors: enhancement, coping, social, positive expectancy, and negative expectancy. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the strong fit of the five-factor model. Criterion-related validity was demonstrated by the significant correlations between the five factors and the selected criterion variables. This instrument can be used in research initiatives related to drug addiction and can provide basic data for policy interventions intended to curb drug addiction problems in South Korea. The novelty and broad applicability of this instrument make it invaluable for exploring the psychological underpinnings of drug use in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) can damage human health. Biogenic organic compounds emitted from trees may increase the concentration of PM2.5 via formation of secondary aerosols. Therefore, the role of biogenic emissions in PM2.5 formation and the sources of PM2.5 need to be investigated. Dual carbon isotope and levoglucosan analyses are powerful tools to track the sources of total carbon (TC) in PM2.5. We collected a total of 47 PM2.5 samples from 2019 to 2020 inside a pine forest and in urban areas in South Korea. The average δ13C and Δ14C of TC in PM2.5 at the Taehwa Research Forest (TRF) were − 25.7 and − 380.7‰, respectively, which were not significantly different from those collected at Seoul National University (SNU) in urban areas. Contribution of fossil fuel, C3-, and C4- plants to carbonaceous component of PM2.5 were 52, 27, and 21% at SNU, whereas those were 46, 35, and 19% at TRF, respectively. The biomass burning tracer, levoglucosan, was most abundant in winter and correlated with the contribution of C4 plants derived carbon. Results indicate that biogenic aerosols emitted from trees is less likely to be an important source of PM2.5 and that trees can act as a bio-filter to reduce PM2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines cross-age networks among middle-aged Seoul citizens using a name-generator approach (50–64 years, n = 828). The proportion of middle-agers with cross-age networks was rather small. The likelihoods of having networks with younger or older generations were related to one's socioeconomic characteristics. The existence of networks with younger generations was significant on successful aging and depression, whereas the existence of networks with older generations was not. Among the respondents with one or more cross-age networks, having younger network members was related to a higher likelihood of the perception of successful aging and greater closeness was associated with lower depression score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the differences between Japanese and Korean college students' images of the elderly. Japan is the most aged society worldwide, while South Korea has the highest rate of aging. Japan has a more advanced elderly welfare system than Korea. The datasets included responses from 320 Japanese students (collected in 2009) and 384 Korean students (collected in 2011). A semantic difference scale of 50 pairs of items was adopted. The chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were utilized. The five most prevalent images among Korean students were generally negative, whereas the most common images among Japanese participants were mostly neutral or positive. A greater degree of talking/good memories, activities with older adults, and experience of gerontological education showed positive relationships to favorable images, whereas living with grandparents and visiting facilities for the elderly did not yield the same results. It seems that greater interaction with grandparents and other senior citizens, as well as more extensive gerontology education, improved the images of the elderly in both countries, whereas merely visiting facilities for older adults seemed insufficient. The results also suggest that living with grandparents can lead to rather negative images of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which the association between different types of social activities and multiple dimensions of health outcomes varies by age groups among Korean elderly. This study employed regression models with data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Social activities were associated with various dimensions of health status of adult women after adjusting for background variables. The association between social activities and health status does not show a great difference between adults of ages 45–64 and of those aged over 65 years. Compared to informal family relationships, involvement in social activities was positively associated with various health outcomes. While previous studies emphasized the importance of informal family relationships among the elderly, which increase with age, this study showed that social activities have a significant influence on the health of elderly females. This influence is equally significant for adults older than 65 years of age as well as 45- to 64-year-old adults. This finding suggests that social policy to get older females more involved in a wide array of social activities helps keep them in good health status. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]