2.The Effects of Family-of-Origin Health on Beliefs About Childbearing Among Unmarried Individuals: The Mediating Effect of Depression
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health 2025;29(1):21-28
Purpose:
Family-of-origin health and depression are crucial factors influencing beliefs about childbearing among unmarried individuals. This study explored the mediating role of depression in the relationship between family-oforigin health and beliefs about childbearing among unmarried individuals.
Methods:
This study included 219 unmarried individuals aged 20 to 40, selected using convenience sampling from a university and church in Changwon city, Korea. Data were collected between June 1 and July 31, 2023, using structured questionnaires assessing family-of-origin health, depression, and beliefs about childbearing. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, 1-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and the PROCESS macro model 4.
Results:
The average age of the study participants was 25.60±4.20 years. The sample comprised 135 females (61.6%) and 84 males (38.4%). Beliefs about childbearing were significantly positively correlated with family-oforigin health (r=0.21, p=0.002) and significantly negatively correlated with depression (r=-0.30, p<0.001). Familyof- origin health was also significantly negatively correlated with depression (r=-0.38, p<0.001). Depression acted as a mediator in the relationship between family-of-origin health and beliefs about childbearing among unmarried individuals, with an indirect effect of 0.04, and a 95% confidence interval of 0.01 to 0.08.
Conclusion
This study identified the family-of-origin health as a significant pathway influencing unmarried individuals' mental health and beliefs about childbearing. These findings have implications for interventions to address the declining birth rate.
3.Factors Affecting Parents’ Influenza Vaccination Intentions for Their Adolescent Children
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health 2025;29(1):8-20
Purpose:
Adolescence involves parental health management, with parents or guardians often making decisions regarding vaccination. This study assessed how parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs about influenza vaccination influenced their intentions to vaccinate their adolescent children.
Methods:
This descriptive survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University for use between December 1 and 31, 2022. Parents of adolescents aged 13–19 years were surveyed face-to-face and online using a modified tool to evaluate their vaccination intentions, knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs regarding their children’s influenza vaccination. The analysis included 149 responses and involved methods such as calculating means, standard deviations, t-tests, analyses of variance, Scheffe tests, correlations, and hierarchical regressions.
Results:
On a 7-point scale, the mean score for parental intention to vaccinate their adolescents was 4.99±1.24. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination, television and radio information, and perceived benefits influenced children’s vaccination intentions, with positive parental attitudes being the most significant factor. The independent variables accounted for 66.7% of the variance in vaccination intentions.
Conclusion
To improve parental intentions to vaccinate adolescent children against influenza, promoting vaccination benefits and safety through the media is crucial to enhance favorable attitudes. Initiatives that strengthen positive parental attitudes towards influenza vaccination and increase awareness of its benefits can effectively boost vaccination intentions.
4.Prevalence of Malnutrition and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents From Immigrant Families Living in Korea
Seong-Woo CHOI ; So-Yeong KIM ; Kyung-Ae PARK
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health 2025;29(1):29-35
Purpose:
This study assessed the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity among children and adolescents from immigrant families living in Korea.
Methods:
A total of 436 subjects (age: <18 years) from immigrant families were examined. The 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for Children and Adolescents were used to assess the malnutrition and obesity status of the subjects. Subjects with a height-for-age of <3rd percentile, weight-for-age of <5th percentile, body mass index (BMI)-for-age of <5th percentile, and BMI-for-age of ≥95th percentile were defined as stunted, underweight, wasted, and obese, respectively.
Results:
The overall prevalence of stunted, underweight, wasted, and obese subjects was 5.5%, 9.0%, 8.8%, and 18.6%, respectively. Comparison of first- and second-generation immigrants revealed that the prevalence of malnutrition was higher in first-generation immigrants than in second-generation immigrants. Moreover, the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity in first-generation immigrants living in Korea for <5 years was not significantly different from that in first-generation immigrants living in Korea for ≥5 years. In addition, comparisons by family origin showed that children from Central Asian families had a higher prevalence of malnutrition than other children.
Conclusion
Children and adolescents from immigrant families still suffer from malnutrition after resettling in Korea. Therefore, nutritional programs should be provided to improve their malnutrition status.
7.The Effects of Family-of-Origin Health on Beliefs About Childbearing Among Unmarried Individuals: The Mediating Effect of Depression
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health 2025;29(1):21-28
Purpose:
Family-of-origin health and depression are crucial factors influencing beliefs about childbearing among unmarried individuals. This study explored the mediating role of depression in the relationship between family-oforigin health and beliefs about childbearing among unmarried individuals.
Methods:
This study included 219 unmarried individuals aged 20 to 40, selected using convenience sampling from a university and church in Changwon city, Korea. Data were collected between June 1 and July 31, 2023, using structured questionnaires assessing family-of-origin health, depression, and beliefs about childbearing. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, 1-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and the PROCESS macro model 4.
Results:
The average age of the study participants was 25.60±4.20 years. The sample comprised 135 females (61.6%) and 84 males (38.4%). Beliefs about childbearing were significantly positively correlated with family-oforigin health (r=0.21, p=0.002) and significantly negatively correlated with depression (r=-0.30, p<0.001). Familyof- origin health was also significantly negatively correlated with depression (r=-0.38, p<0.001). Depression acted as a mediator in the relationship between family-of-origin health and beliefs about childbearing among unmarried individuals, with an indirect effect of 0.04, and a 95% confidence interval of 0.01 to 0.08.
Conclusion
This study identified the family-of-origin health as a significant pathway influencing unmarried individuals' mental health and beliefs about childbearing. These findings have implications for interventions to address the declining birth rate.
8.Factors Affecting Parents’ Influenza Vaccination Intentions for Their Adolescent Children
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health 2025;29(1):8-20
Purpose:
Adolescence involves parental health management, with parents or guardians often making decisions regarding vaccination. This study assessed how parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs about influenza vaccination influenced their intentions to vaccinate their adolescent children.
Methods:
This descriptive survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University for use between December 1 and 31, 2022. Parents of adolescents aged 13–19 years were surveyed face-to-face and online using a modified tool to evaluate their vaccination intentions, knowledge, attitudes, and health beliefs regarding their children’s influenza vaccination. The analysis included 149 responses and involved methods such as calculating means, standard deviations, t-tests, analyses of variance, Scheffe tests, correlations, and hierarchical regressions.
Results:
On a 7-point scale, the mean score for parental intention to vaccinate their adolescents was 4.99±1.24. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination, television and radio information, and perceived benefits influenced children’s vaccination intentions, with positive parental attitudes being the most significant factor. The independent variables accounted for 66.7% of the variance in vaccination intentions.
Conclusion
To improve parental intentions to vaccinate adolescent children against influenza, promoting vaccination benefits and safety through the media is crucial to enhance favorable attitudes. Initiatives that strengthen positive parental attitudes towards influenza vaccination and increase awareness of its benefits can effectively boost vaccination intentions.
9.Prevalence of Malnutrition and Obesity Among Children and Adolescents From Immigrant Families Living in Korea
Seong-Woo CHOI ; So-Yeong KIM ; Kyung-Ae PARK
Journal of Korean Maternal and Child Health 2025;29(1):29-35
Purpose:
This study assessed the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity among children and adolescents from immigrant families living in Korea.
Methods:
A total of 436 subjects (age: <18 years) from immigrant families were examined. The 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for Children and Adolescents were used to assess the malnutrition and obesity status of the subjects. Subjects with a height-for-age of <3rd percentile, weight-for-age of <5th percentile, body mass index (BMI)-for-age of <5th percentile, and BMI-for-age of ≥95th percentile were defined as stunted, underweight, wasted, and obese, respectively.
Results:
The overall prevalence of stunted, underweight, wasted, and obese subjects was 5.5%, 9.0%, 8.8%, and 18.6%, respectively. Comparison of first- and second-generation immigrants revealed that the prevalence of malnutrition was higher in first-generation immigrants than in second-generation immigrants. Moreover, the prevalence of malnutrition and obesity in first-generation immigrants living in Korea for <5 years was not significantly different from that in first-generation immigrants living in Korea for ≥5 years. In addition, comparisons by family origin showed that children from Central Asian families had a higher prevalence of malnutrition than other children.
Conclusion
Children and adolescents from immigrant families still suffer from malnutrition after resettling in Korea. Therefore, nutritional programs should be provided to improve their malnutrition status.