OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of married Korean women regarding marriage and childbirth, and their awareness of childbirth-related issues such as low birth rates, sex preferences and sex imbalances in Korea. METHODS: A total of 453 married women aged 20 or older were randomly selected from four urban districts and five rural districts out of 25 districts in Gyeongju, a consolidated city located in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. The survey was conducted from December 2005 to February 2006. A total of 392 out of 453 questionnaires(86.5% response rate) were collected, and 44 incomplete questionnaires were excluded, leaving 348 completed questionnaires to be used for data analysis. Age was divided into three groups as below 49, 50-69, 70 or older. RESULTS: Women's perceptions of marriage were associated with age(p<0.01). Perceptions about childbirth were also significantly related to age(p<0.01), type of residential area (p<0.01) and education level(p<0.05). Sex preferences were significantly related to age(p<0.05) and occupation(p<0.01). Of the respondents aged 49 or younger, 34.8% indicated that the ideal number of children is two, while 25.5% of respondents aged 50 to 69 and 15.3% of respondents aged 70 and 33.7% of respondents aged 70 or older considered four children to be the ideal number. Perceptions of sex imbalance were significantly related to socioeconomic status(p<0.01) and occupation(p<0.01). The largest number of respondents cited "economic burden" as the main reason for low birth rates. Multiple logistic regressions were performed for all three age groups using male sex preference as the dependent variable under the assumption that respondents can have only a single child. Socioeconomic status (p<0.01) and residential area (p<0.05) were significant variables for those aged 49 or below. Education level(p<0.05) and residential area (p<0.01) were statistically significant variables on preferring son in case of having only one child for respondents aged 50 to 69. We did not detect any significant independent variables in respondents who were 70 or older. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the necessity of developing policies and public education programs to explain the consequences of low birth rates and sex imbalances in Korea. As increasing numbers of women work outside the home, it is important for the government and employers to provide social and working environments where women do not consider marriage and childbirth to be obstacles to social and business activities.
Aged ; Birth Rate ; Child ; Commerce ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marriage ; Parturition ; Republic of Korea ; Social Class ; Statistics as Topic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the cognitive function change related to aging, the incidence of cognitive impairment, and the association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and cognitive impairment through a follow-up of the elderly with normal cognitive ability at baseline. METHODS: Two hundred and fifteen subjects aged 65 and over were surveyed in February, 1998 (baseline survey), and their cognitive function was assessed again in 2003 (1st follow-up) and the once again in 2006 (2nd follow-up). Ninety one subjects completed all surveys up through the 2nd follow-up and their cognitive function scores using MMSE-K (Korean Version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) and the distribution of apolipoprotein E allele were analyzed. RESULTS: The cognitive function scores decreased with aging and the difference between baseline and the 2nd follow-up scores of the study increased with the age group. The incidence rate of cognitive impairment through an 8-year follow-up was 38.5% and higher in older age groups. Age was the only significant factor for incidence of cognitive impairment, but there was no significant association between apolipoprotein E genotype and incidence of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The cognition of the elderly decreased with aging and the association of apolipoprotein E genotype with incidence of cognitive impairment was not significant in this study. To confirm the association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and incidence of cognitive impairment further studies will be needed.
Aged ; Apolipoproteins E/*genetics ; Cognition/physiology ; Cognition Disorders/etiology/*genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Recently the populations of patients receiving implant surgery are greatly increase for maintaining oral health. PURPOSE: This study was conducted for implanted patients to assess the chewing ability patient satisfaction level and changes in quality of life before and after the implant surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The current study subjected 109 adult patients, older than 20 years of age, who received implant surgery from December, 2006 to October, 2007 at the 6 dental clinics located at Daegu and Ulsan metropolitan cities. Twice of surveys were conducted for the patients before and after receiving the dental implant surgery. RESULTS: As the motivation of receiving implant surgery, 45.9% of the patients selected the surgery for the chance of "chewing function recovery", and "failure of treatment and complications" was found to be the most worrisome at the time of surgery by recording 38.5%. The satisfaction level before the implant surgery scored 30.37, while the score was increased to 45.01 after the surgery by showing a significant difference before and after receiving the surgery (P < .001). Regard on the surgery, 91.8% of the patients responded as "Satisfy", and 89% of the study subjects responded that they have willingness to recommend the surgery to their families and friends. The chewing ability score measured by using the surveys on edible foods, the score before the surgery was 15.24, while the score was increased to 19.11 after the surgery by showing a significant difference before and after receiving the surgery (P < .001). The quality of life score was also found to be increased to 11.17 after the surgery from 9.99 before the surgery by showing a significant difference (P < .001). CONCLUSION: In a future, the studies on the numbers of implanted loss teeth and the location of tooth loss are necessary, more long-term follow study are needed, and it is thought to be necessary to enlarge the sample size of subjects in conducting the studies.
Adult ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Implantation ; Dental Implants ; Friends ; Humans ; Mastication ; Motivation ; Oral Health ; Patient Satisfaction ; Quality of Life ; Sample Size ; Tooth ; Tooth Loss

PURPOSE: Today, the social requirement of medicine emphasizes the importance of medical professionalism. This forces medical educators to introduce new contents and methods into the curriculum. This study aims to offer ideas for developing the curriculum through clarifying priorities on the basic qualities of medical professionalism and evaluating the current curriculums in medical schools in South Korea. METHODS: In April 2005, 46 respondents majoring in basic medical sciences, clinical medicine, and medical humanities/social sciences completed a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 3 categories related to: 1) the basic qualities of medical professionalism/general education courses, 2) the process of developing the qualities of humanities and social sciences in medical education, and 3) the appropriate allocation of credits for each subject to premedical and medical courses. The analysis consisted of frequency, chi-square, and multiple responses using Korean Ed, SPSS 14.0 for Windows. RESULTS: The most important basic quality is basic medical knowledge. The credits for the general education are sufficient but it's contribution is lacking (44.44%). The most lacking element in the general education courses is socio-cultural comprehension (45.65%). The knowledge of humanities and social sciences is very important in developing the basic qualities (56.52%). The important learning experiences related to these is the introspection into human beings (32.16%). Credits for medical humanities classes in premedical and medical course are noticeably insufficient (45.65, 54.35%, respectively). The appropriate program of informal curriculum for fostering the qualities is meeting with various medical specialists (44.44%, 47.83%, respectively). There is almost no difference among the major groups under (p<.05.) CONCLUSION: To assist medical students to be equipped with the basic qualities of medical professionalism, the realm of medical humanities should be made mandatory; and the general education courses need to be reformed, especially in the premedical curriculum. In particular, continuous cooperation between faculties in medicine, liberal arts, and/or social sciences need to exist with the conglomeration of these into fewer medical humanities majors in Korea.
Clinical Medicine ; Comprehension ; Curriculum ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Education, Medical ; Foster Home Care ; Humanities ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Republic of Korea ; Schools, Medical ; Social Sciences ; Specialization ; Students, Medical

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the smoking rate and the related factors to early smoking of high school students. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to 920 students in 3 high schools in Daegu Metropolitan City and 3 high schools in smaller cities of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province from August to September 2003. RESULTS: Of total respondents, 11.8% had experience of smoking. Of those, 20.2% citied 'curiosity', 9.0% cited 'upon recommendation of friends', and 6.2% cited 'stress management' as the main reason for their smoking. Separately, 53.1% responded 'habitually' and 26.5% responded 'stress management' as the main reason for continuing smoking. Of total former smokers, 68.4% said 'worry about their health' as the main reason for quitting smoking. Of those who failed to quit smoking, 58.7% cited 'weakness of will' as the main reason for their failure. Of total respondents, 10.8% were smoking currently. 'Smoking of family member'(p<0.01) and 'intent to smoke'(p<0.05) were significantly associated to early smoking of the subjects. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, 'higher levels of stress' and 'smoking of family member' were significant related factors to early smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Amid growing number of early smokers, it is imminent to identify the actual state of smoking among young people and the factors influencing their smoking to prevent early smoking and discourage smoking. In addition, education programs need to be developed to assist early smokers in quitting smoking and prevent smoking among youth.
Humans ; Logistic Models ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This prospective population-based cohort study was conducted to evaluate the risk factors of cognitive impairment and the degree of cognitive function change through a 5-year follow-up. METHODS: The baseline and follow-up surveys were conducted in 1998 and 2003, respectively. Among 176 subjects who had normal cognitive function in the baseline study, 136 were followed up for 5 years. The cognitive function was investigated using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Stata. RESULTS: Of the 136 subjects analyzed, 25 (18.4%) were cognitively impaired. Old age and low social support in the baseline survey were risk factors for cognitive impairment after 5 years. In the generalized estimating equation for 128 subjects except severe cognitive impairment about the contributing factors of cognitive function change, the interval of 5 years decreased MMSE-K score by 1.02 and the cognitive function was adversely affected with increasing age, decreasing education and decreasing social support. CONCLUSIONS: Although the study population was small, it was considered that the study results can be used to develop a community-based prevention system for cognitive impairment.
*Rural Health ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Male ; Korea ; Humans ; Follow-Up Studies ; Female ; Cognition Disorders/*diagnosis/physiopathology ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to examine the health behaviors of nurses and provide basic information on health promotion for nurses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was completed by 340 nurses working at a university hospital in Daegu, Korea from March 6 to March 30, 2006. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics, working environment, health behaviors, self-assessed health status, and the practice of health promotion activities according to the work group(shift group vs. non-shift group). RESULTS: There were significant differences in 'regular diet', 'drinking', 'ordinary health management', 'regular exercise', 'leisure activities', 'rest', and 'feeling of fatigue' between the two groups. The score for the practice of health promotion activities of the non-shift group was 121.9, which was higher than the 115.4 for the shift group. By field of practice of health promotion activities, there were significant differences in 'self-realization' and 'nutrition' between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The shift group did not appear to have enough time to take care of their health. It is therefore important to provide a working environment in which nurses are encouraged to increase their interest and efforts to maintain healthy behaviors. In addition, programs for education and training should be developed to help nurses adopt healthy life styles and enhance their self-esteem.
Daegu ; Education ; Health Behavior* ; Health Promotion ; Korea ; Life Style ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Complementary Therapies* ; Humans ; Korea*

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the drinking behaviors and the relationship between drinking and smoking behaviors among some Korean university students. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in May, 2006. A total of 1,163 students(715 male and 448 female) completed questionnaires, who were randomly selected in a university in Gyeongsangbuk-Do, Korea. RESULTS: The overall drinking and smoking rates for male subjects were 88.7% and 37.2%, and those for females were 83.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Among the male drinkers 39.9% smoked, while 16.0% of the male non-drinkers were smokers. As male drinkers drink more often, heavier amount per drinking episode, even on a binge, their smoking rate was high. The subjects reported there was positive reinforcement between drinking and smoking behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The drinking rate of students was relatively high, especially for male students drinking behavior was strongly correlated with smoking behavior. Health promotion programs should be targeted at university students considering drinking and smoking behaviors simultaneously.
Drinking Behavior ; Drinking* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Reinforcement (Psychology) ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To evaluate and report the clinical and radiological results of the intramedullary fixation by retrograde flexible nail in the humeral shaft fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2002 to May 2005, seventeen cases who had the humeral shaft fracture were treated with the intramedullary fixation by retrograde flexible nail. Fifteen cases were followed up and the clinical and radiological results were analyzed. RESULTS: All of the cases had satisfactory fracture union, and none of the patient had limitation in shoulder or elbow joint movement, and shoulder or elbow joint pain, and average ASES was 42.86 point. There was 1 case of delayed union, and 3 cases of distal nail displacement. Another severe complications were not occurred. CONCLUSION: Intramedullary fixation by retrograde flexible nail is one of the effective method in the humeral shaft fracture without nerve or vessel injuries, and also can avoid the complication of wide soft tissue incision or rotator cuff injury.
Elbow Joint ; Humans ; Rotator Cuff ; Shoulder