PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the construct equivalence of the general five factors of health behavior and to compare the latent means between adolescents with a health problem and those without in Korea. METHODS: The 2009 KYRBS (Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey) data were used for the analysis. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test whether the scale had configural, metric, and scalar invariances across the existence of health problems in adolescents. RESULTS: Configural, metric, and factor invariances were satisfied for the latent mean analysis (LMA) between adolescents with health problem and those without. Adolescents with health problem and those without were not different in the LMA of all factors. CONCLUSION: Health providers should give more interest to the group of adolescents with health problems and consider prudential school life to the same group.
Adolescent* ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Risk-Taking

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the personal, familial, and environmental variables that affect low level gambling behavior in university students. METHODS: The participants were 389 students in 4 universities. Data were obtained from these participants through self-report questionnaires, administered between August 19 and September 13, 2013 and data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 programs. RESULTS: The significant predictors of low level gambling behavior in university students were self-control, family strengths, social motives, amusement motives, number of gambling peers, onset of gambling, irrational gambling beliefs, gambling experience of father, mother and peers, and risk taking. These personal, familial and environmental variables explained 65.5% of the variance in low level gambling behavior. CONCLUSION: The outcomes of this study indicate that, for university students to decrease gambling behavior, intervention programs that manage gambling experience of family and peers should be developed with an emphasis on decreasing irrational gambling beliefs, social motives, amusement motives, and risk taking behavior and increasing self-control and family strengths.
Fathers ; Gambling* ; Humans ; Mothers ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk-Taking

PURPOSE: In this study the fitness of a path model on sexual risk behavior in adolescents was examined including the relationship of the following sensation seeking, parent-adolescent communication, exposure to pornography, friends' attitudes to sex, attitudes to sexual behavior, sexual permissiveness, perceived behavioral control, and sexual behavioral intention. METHODS: The participants were 354 adolescents. Data were analyzed using the SPSS and AMOS programs. RESULTS: Parent-adolescent communication, exposure to pornography, friends' attitudes to sex, and sexual behavioral intention showed a direct effect on sexual risk behavior in adolescents, while sensation seeking, exposure to pornography, friends' attitudes to sex, attitudes to sexual behavior, sexual permissiveness, and perceived behavioral control showed an indirect effect on sexual risk behavior in adolescents. The modified path model of adolescent's sexual risk behavior had a good fit with the data. CONCLUSION: Based on the outcomes of this study, it is necessary to design intervention programs that emphasize increasing parent-adolescent communication, perceived behavioral control, and sexual behavioral intention and reducing exposure to pornography, friends' attitudes to sex, attitudes to sexual behavior, and sexual permissiveness in order to decrease adolescent's sexual risk behavior.
Adolescent* ; Erotica ; Humans ; Intention ; Permissiveness ; Risk-Taking* ; Sensation ; Sexual Behavior

Homosexuality, Male ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Risk-Taking ; Sexual Behavior ; psychology

PURPOSE: Recently, the number of post-stroke survivors has increased. The physical deficits following stroke have been well studied, but there is little information on fear of recurrence in stroke patients. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health risk behaviors, health motivation and sense of control on fear of recurrence after a stroke. METHODS: Data were collected through a questionnaire that included items on general characteristics. Participants were recruited from the convalescent centers and outpatients clinics. Participants completed the mastery scale, health motivation scale, and a fear of stroke recurrence scale. The data were analyzed using hierarchial multiple regressions analysis with SPSS version 18.0. RESULTS: Levels of fear of recurrence, health motivation and sense of control were moderate with means of 19.76(SD=5.15), 26.85(SD=5.10), and 16.69(SD=4.65), respectively. Health motivation and sense of control contributed to fear of recurrence. The variables explained 30.5% of variance in fear of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that interventions for fear of recurrence management after stroke should take into account health motivation and sense of control.
Humans ; Motivation ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Recurrence* ; Risk-Taking ; Stroke* ; Survivors

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sleep and mental health in middle school female students. METHODS: For this purpose, We analyzed the data of 15,477 for middle school female students among the 2016 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey by multiple logistic regression based on the complex sample design. RESULTS: Sleep duration of middle school female students in Korea were significantly associated with perceived stress, depressive experience, and suicidal idea, and subjective sleep satisfaction were significantly associated with perceived stress, depressive experience in results of multiple logistic regression. CONCLUSION: Sleep duration and subjective sleep satisfaction have a significant impact on the mental health of middle school female students. Therefore, in-depth research and policies to mental health of middle school female students through sleep duration and subjective sleep satisfaction increase are required.
Adolescent ; Female* ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health* ; Risk-Taking

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a system dynamics model for adolescent obesity in Korea that could be used for obesity policy analysis. METHODS: On the basis of the casual loop diagram, a model was developed by converting to stock and flow diagram. The Vensim DSS 5.0 program was used in the model development. We simulated method of moments to the calibration of this model with data from The Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey 2005 to 2013. We ran the scenario simulation. RESULTS: This model can be used to understand the current adolescent obesity rate, predict the future obesity rate, and be utilized as a tool for controlling the risk factors. The results of the model simulation match well with the data. It was identified that a proper model, able to predict obesity probability, was established. CONCLUSION: These results of stock and flow diagram modeling in adolescent obesity can be helpful in development of obesity by policy planners and other stakeholders to better anticipate the multiple effects of interventions in both the short and the long term. In the future we suggest the development of an expanded model based on this adolescent obesity model.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Internet ; *Nonlinear Dynamics ; Obesity/*pathology ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; *Risk-Taking ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to summarize the current conditions and implications of health inequalities in South Korea. METHODS: Through a literature review of empirical studies and supplementary analysis of the data presented in the 1998, 2001, and 2005 KNHANEs, we evaluated the extent and trends of socioeconomic inequalities in both health risk factors, such as smoking, physical activity, and obesity, and outcomes, such as total mortality, subjective poor health status by self-reports and metabolic syndrome. Relative risks and odds ratios were used to measure differences across socioeconomic groups, and the relative index of inequality was used to evaluate the changes in inequalities over time. RESULTS: We found clear inequalities to various degrees in most health indicators. While little change was observed in mortality differences over time, the socioeconomic gaps in risk factors and morbidity have been widening, with much larger differences among the younger population. CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic inequalities are pervasive across various health indicators, and some of them are increasing. The trends in socioeconomic inequalities in health should be carefully monitored, and comprehensive measures to alleviate health inequalities are needed, especially for young populations.
Adult ; Female ; *Health Status Disparities ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Risk-Taking ; Social Class

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence risk-taking behavior in middle school students. METHODS: The participants in this study were 544 students from 4 middle schools in Seoul or Gyeonggi Province. From July 16, to September 9, 2008, data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Demographic, individual, socio-economic characteristics of risk-taking behavior were examined. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, zero-inflated negative binomial regression as count model using SAS 9.1 and Stata 10.0 program were used for the analysis. RESULTS: The score for risk-taking behavior of the middle school students tended to be low with thrill-seeking behavior being the highest. Risk-taking behavior was higher for boys and for students not living with parents. Stress coping ability, family risk factors, family functioning, peer's risk-taking behavior, and harmful environment were correlated with risk-taking behavior. On zero-inflated negative binomial regression analysis, the factor significantly influencing risk-taking behavior were self-esteem and for increased risk-taking behavior, family functioning, and peer's risk-taking behavior. CONCLUSION: A risk-taking behavior approach that considers developmental needs is useful in understanding the behavior of early adolescents. Development of effective guidance and interventions considering factors influencing risk-taking behavior as identified in this study is recommended.
Adolescent ; Analysis of Variance ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Parents ; Questionnaires ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Risk-Taking* ; Seoul

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to review the relationship between pit and fissure sealant (PFS) experience and the socio-economic factors of adolescents before and after coverage by National Health Insurance (NHI). METHODS: Our sources were the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Surveys from 2008 and 2014. The variables used were PFS experience, demographic factors, socio-economic factors, and oral health-related behaviors. RESULTS: PFS experience was higher in 2014 than in 2008. The relationship between PFS experience and socio-economic factors was significant in both 2008 and 2014. Although the inequity of PFS experience among adolescents was reduced as PFS was included in NHI coverage, a disparity still exists. CONCLUSIONS: Even after NHI coverage included PFS, the policies to reduce the inequity of PFS experiences among adolescents should be further devised. In addition, a longitudinal study is recommended to determine the relationship between PFS experience and various socio-economic or behavioral factors.
Adolescent* ; Demography ; Humans ; Korea ; Longitudinal Studies ; National Health Programs* ; Risk-Taking