PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify health promotion behavior and contraception in married immigrant women. METHOD: Seventy-three immigrant women who were married with Korean men were recruited in October 2008. Data was collected by using questionnaires through a personal interview. The collected data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, t-test, and ANOVA. RESULT: The lowest scoring part among health promotion behaviors was exercise. Stress management, eating habits and personal relationships followed. Health promotion behaviors were influenced by the age at marriage, frequency of going out, and health education experiences. Only 35.6% of subjects used contraception. The popular contraceptive methods were IUD, condom, and coitus interruptus. Most subjects got information about contraception from family and friends. 18.1% of subjects had no source of information. The women's education level had a significant influence on their contraceptive knowledge. CONCLUSION: Programs for exercise and contraception are needed to improve health promotion behaviors in married immigrant women. Nurses are an important part in health promotion. The role of nurses must be expanded in all communities through various intervention programs.
Coitus Interruptus ; Condoms ; Contraception ; Eating ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Female ; Friends ; Health Education ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Male ; Marriage ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a research into the current method of contraception used by Korean women (1,130 were surveyed) in order to understand about any problems they may be experiencing and their levels of satisfaction. Our objective is to be able to suggest appropriate methods of contraception which are desired by Korean women. METHOD: We gave questionnaire to reproductive age women who visited Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul from January 2000 to October 2001. Items of the survey contained general characteristics such as, the method of contraception, side effect (if any), and level of satisfaction. RESULTS: The mean age was 35.1+/-5.9 years and the most common occupation was that of housewife (68%), the mean parity was 1.7+/-1.1, and the mean abortion was 0.8+/-1.5. The mean contraception period was 4.6+/-4.9 years, of the methods used, condoms were the most common (29.0%), followed by intrauterine device (21.1%), tubal sterilization (13.5%), oral contraceptive (12.2%), periodic abstinence (9.3%), vasectomy (7.9%), coitus interruptus (6.4%) and others (12.4%). Among women above 41 years of age, sterilization was the most common method. Condom and oral contraceptives were the most common methods among women under the 40 years of age. The side effects, menorrhagia and leukorrhea were the most common among the women who had used the method of contraception with inrauterine divice. Tubal sterilization and vasectomy gave the most satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The most common used contraceptive method among Korean reproductive age women was the condom. We found that the form of contraception has been changing from permanent method to a temporary one. Therefore the education for women in the use of condom, oral contraceptives, and intrauterine device should be completed as soon as possible.
Coitus Interruptus ; Condoms ; Contraception ; Contraceptives, Oral ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Leukorrhea ; Menorrhagia ; Natural Family Planning Methods ; Occupations ; Parity ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Seoul ; Sterilization ; Sterilization, Tubal ; Vasectomy

OBJECTIVE: We researched contraceptive practice and attitudes in Chungju, Korea by questionnaires. METHODS: We gave questionnaires to 316 reproductive women who visited Local Corporation Chungju Medical Center and public health center in Chungju city from August 2002 to December 2002. Items of the survey contained general characteristics, methods, level of satisfaction and side effects of contraception, contraceptive failure methods when failed. RESULTS: We studied questionnaires of 305 cases excluding questionnaires of 11 cases which were either incomplete or uncertain. Of the 298 cases who were not trying to get pregnant, 268 (89.9%) used contraceptive methods. The most common method was tubal ligation (23.2%), followed by condoms (21.8%), Intrauterine devices (17.1%), vasectomy (15.4%), periodic abstinence (8.1%), coitus interruptus (2.3%) and oral contraceptives (1.7%). In the 30-34 age group, the practice rate of contraceptive methods was the highest. Satisfactory rate of contraceptive methods was 76.9%. Intrauterine devices had the most frequent side effects. Of 305 cases, who practiced contraception, 70 (22.9%) cases failed and got pregnant and they commonly used periodic abstinence. CONCLUSION: In comparison with the past, practice rate of contraceptive methods increased. Because of the low efficiency of contraception, despite of high practice rate of them, women who had failed the contraception were considerable and the rate of artificial abortion was high. In order to overcome this phenomenon, it is necessary to induce efficient and correct practice of contraceptive methods through further definite and continuous education including oral contraceptives.
Chungcheongbuk-do* ; Coitus Interruptus ; Condoms ; Contraception ; Contraceptives, Oral ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Korea* ; Natural Family Planning Methods ; Public Health ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Sterilization, Tubal ; Vasectomy

OBJECTIVE: We researched contraceptive practice and attitudes in Chungju, Korea by questionnaires. METHODS: We gave questionnaires to 316 reproductive women who visited Local Corporation Chungju Medical Center and public health center in Chungju city from August 2002 to December 2002. Items of the survey contained general characteristics, methods, level of satisfaction and side effects of contraception, contraceptive failure methods when failed. RESULTS: We studied questionnaires of 305 cases excluding questionnaires of 11 cases which were either incomplete or uncertain. Of the 298 cases who were not trying to get pregnant, 268 (89.9%) used contraceptive methods. The most common method was tubal ligation (23.2%), followed by condoms (21.8%), Intrauterine devices (17.1%), vasectomy (15.4%), periodic abstinence (8.1%), coitus interruptus (2.3%) and oral contraceptives (1.7%). In the 30-34 age group, the practice rate of contraceptive methods was the highest. Satisfactory rate of contraceptive methods was 76.9%. Intrauterine devices had the most frequent side effects. Of 305 cases, who practiced contraception, 70 (22.9%) cases failed and got pregnant and they commonly used periodic abstinence. CONCLUSION: In comparison with the past, practice rate of contraceptive methods increased. Because of the low efficiency of contraception, despite of high practice rate of them, women who had failed the contraception were considerable and the rate of artificial abortion was high. In order to overcome this phenomenon, it is necessary to induce efficient and correct practice of contraceptive methods through further definite and continuous education including oral contraceptives.
Chungcheongbuk-do* ; Coitus Interruptus ; Condoms ; Contraception ; Contraceptives, Oral ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Intrauterine Devices ; Korea* ; Natural Family Planning Methods ; Public Health ; Surveys and Questionnaire ; Sterilization, Tubal ; Vasectomy