OBJECTIVES: Young adulthood represents a critical developmental period during which the use of tobacco may begin or cease. Furthermore, differences in smoking behaviors between younger (aged 18-24 years) and older (aged 25-34 years) young adults may exist. This study aimed to characterize patterns related to current smoking in younger and older young adults. METHODS: This study used data acquired from the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2013 to 2014. A total of 2069 subjects were categorized as younger (712 subjects) and older (1357 subjects) young adults. The chi-square test was used to assess the relationships between smoking status and socio-demographic, health-related, and smoking-related factors. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess the factors affecting current smoking in these age groups. RESULTS: The current smoking prevalence was 18.3% among the younger young adults and 26.0% among the older young adults. Sex, education level, occupation, perceived health status, alcohol consumption, and electronic cigarette use were related to current smoking in both age groups. Secondhand smoke exposure at home and stress levels showed significant relationships with smoking in younger and older young adults, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Strong correlations were found between the observed variables and smoking behaviors among young adults. Determining the factors affecting smoking and designing interventions based on these factors are essential for smoking cessation in young adults.

OBJECTIVES: Young adulthood represents a critical developmental period during which the use of tobacco may begin or cease. Furthermore, differences in smoking behaviors between younger (aged 18-24 years) and older (aged 25-34 years) young adults may exist. This study aimed to characterize patterns related to current smoking in younger and older young adults. METHODS: This study used data acquired from the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2013 to 2014. A total of 2069 subjects were categorized as younger (712 subjects) and older (1357 subjects) young adults. The chi-square test was used to assess the relationships between smoking status and socio-demographic, health-related, and smoking-related factors. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess the factors affecting current smoking in these age groups. RESULTS: The current smoking prevalence was 18.3% among the younger young adults and 26.0% among the older young adults. Sex, education level, occupation, perceived health status, alcohol consumption, and electronic cigarette use were related to current smoking in both age groups. Secondhand smoke exposure at home and stress levels showed significant relationships with smoking in younger and older young adults, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Strong correlations were found between the observed variables and smoking behaviors among young adults. Determining the factors affecting smoking and designing interventions based on these factors are essential for smoking cessation in young adults.
Alcohol Drinking ; Education ; Electronic Cigarettes ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Occupations ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking ; Tobacco ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Young Adult

Since the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), medical schools have experienced a sudden, full-scale transition to online classes. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it is important to evaluate current educational programs and to assess their implications. This study explored perceptions of online classes and learning behavior among medical students. Twenty preclinical medical students were interviewed in focus groups for 2 months. They generally expressed positive perceptions about online classes, and in particular, positively assessed the ability to lead their individual lifestyles and study in comfortable environments with fewer time and space constraints. Students thought that the online environment provided a fair chance of facilitating positive interactions with the professor and considered communication with the professor to be an important factor only when it was related to the class content or directly helped with their grades and careers. Students also had negative views, such as feeling uncertain when they could not see their peers' learning progress and assess themselves in comparison and feeling social isolation. Learning behaviors have also changed, as students explored their learning styles and adapted to the changed learning environment.Students expanded their learning by using online functions. However, students sometimes abused the online class format by “just playing” the lecture while not paying attention and relying on other students’ lecture transcripts to study. The results of this study are hoped to provide a useful foundation for future research on online class-based teaching and learning.

Purpose: Although the importance of life satisfaction in patients with chronic diseases has been emphasized, limited studies have been performed on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among elderly patients with chronic diseases. This study examined the HRQoL among Korean patients with diabetes aged 65 years or older. Methods: This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2016. The analysis included data of 2,353 elderly patients with diabetes aged 65 years or older who were aware that they had type 2 diabetes. Each participant was categorized into one of three age groups (65–69 years, 70–74 years, and ≥ 75 years). The EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) scale was computed to estimate the HRQoL. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to compare the demographic characteristics, lifestyle characteristics, nutrient intake, and EQ-5D scores between the age groups. Results: The intake levels of most nutrients were similar in the three age groups, but the total energy intake levels were significantly lower, and the sodium intake levels were significantly higher in the older age groups (p < 0.001). In addition, all items of the EQ-5D index, except for anxiety/depression, tended to decrease with age. In particular, the oldest age group (≥ 75 years) showed significantly lower levels on most items and the EQ-5D index than those in the other age groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion Elderly patients with type 2 diabetes may have low levels of life satisfaction, which worsens with increasing age. Therefore, it is important to develop and manage personalized guidelines and medical systems so that elderly patients have a higher quality of life for the remainder of their lives. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for the systematic management of diabetes in elderly Korean patients.

PURPOSE: The number of patients with dyslipidemia have been increasing steadily over the past few decades in South Korea. The association between the chromium level and chronic disease has attracted considerable interest, but few studies have been conducted on the Korean population. The aim of this study was to identify the dietary and non-dietary correlates of the toenail chromium level, and evaluate the association between the toenail chromium level and dyslipidemia. METHODS: The baseline data of an ongoing prospective cohort study in Yeungnam area in South Korea were analyzed. A total of 500 participants aged 35 years or older who completed questionnaires on their demographics, lifestyle characteristics, and medical information were included. The toenail chromium level was analyzed by neutron activation analysis. The dietary intake was assessed using a validated 146-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The blood lipid profiles were obtained from medical examinations conducted by the Korean National Health Insurance Service or medical institutions. RESULTS: Higher chromium levels were associated with the residential area (urban), higher education level, higher intakes of noodles and vegetables, and lower intake of fruits. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the toenail chromium levels were not associated significantly with the prevalence of dyslipidemia (odds ratio: 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.61 ~ 1.60). CONCLUSION: This study is the first study in Korea to determine the independent correlates of the toenail chromium levels and the association between chromium exposure and dyslipidemia. These findings provide useful scientific evidence for the development of chromium intake guidelines for the Korean population.
Chromium ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Demography ; Dyslipidemias ; Education ; Fruit ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Nails ; National Health Programs ; Neutron Activation Analysis ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Vegetables

Background: University students have been known as having a higher rate of problem drinking than the general population in South Korea. In particular, the university freshmen may experience problem drinking from increased occasions of frequent social gatherings at the first school year as they have increased time to freely use compared to the high school days. Problem drinking among university freshmen may be influenced by multiple factors. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of problem drinking and to identify individualand family-level factors associated with university freshmen's problem drinking. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlation study was conducted. Participants were 227 university freshmen (70 men and 157 women) under the parenting of mother and father from 10 universities in Seoul. The problem drinking was evaluated by using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale and Parental Authority Questionnaire for parenting behaviors were used. Results: The prevalence of problem drinking was 58.6% among university freshmen. An individual-level factor of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy was significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.96) among university freshmen. However, any of family-level factors including types of parenting behaviors were not significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking. Conclusions Alcohol abstinence self-efficacy may be a strong protective factor against university freshmen's problem drinking. University-based alcohol abstinence programs should comprise of nursing strategies including the enhancement of abstinence self-efficacy at the first school year.

Background: University students have been known as having a higher rate of problem drinking than the general population in South Korea. In particular, the university freshmen may experience problem drinking from increased occasions of frequent social gatherings at the first school year as they have increased time to freely use compared to the high school days. Problem drinking among university freshmen may be influenced by multiple factors. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of problem drinking and to identify individualand family-level factors associated with university freshmen's problem drinking. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlation study was conducted. Participants were 227 university freshmen (70 men and 157 women) under the parenting of mother and father from 10 universities in Seoul. The problem drinking was evaluated by using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale and Parental Authority Questionnaire for parenting behaviors were used. Results: The prevalence of problem drinking was 58.6% among university freshmen. An individual-level factor of alcohol abstinence self-efficacy was significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.96) among university freshmen. However, any of family-level factors including types of parenting behaviors were not significantly associated with the prevalence of problem drinking. Conclusions Alcohol abstinence self-efficacy may be a strong protective factor against university freshmen's problem drinking. University-based alcohol abstinence programs should comprise of nursing strategies including the enhancement of abstinence self-efficacy at the first school year.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of intraorbital foreign bodies as well as the treatment outcomes. METHODS: This was a noncomparative interventional case series. Clinical data and radiographic images were gathered via retrospective chart reviews of 14 patients who underwent surgical removal of intraorbital foreign bodies by an oculoplastic surgeon at the Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea between July 2012 and November 2015. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 45.1 years and 13 patients (92.9%) were male. There were 9 metallic; 3 nonmetallic, inorganic; and 2 organic intraorbital foreign bodies in this series. The most common orbital complication was orbital wall fracture (8, 57.1%), and one patient had orbital cellulitis associated with a wooden foreign body. Six patients (42.9%) underwent surgical removal of foreign bodies in a delayed setting, and 4 of them needed surgery to allow for the brain magnetic resonance image tests to evaluate neurologic problems. There were 6 patients (42.9%) who had a postoperative corrected visual acuity worse than 20/200, and all of them had poor visual acuity at the time of injury due to associated eyeball or optic nerve injuries. Four patients (28.6%) had eyeball movement limitations from the initial trauma, but only 1 patient had persistent limitations postoperatively. There were no other complications associated with surgical removal. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with intraorbital foreign bodies were male who had periorbital traumas. The most common foreign body was metal, and orbital wall fractures were common. The poor visual prognosis was related to the eyeball or optic nerve injuries from the initial trauma. The urgent surgical removal should be performed for organic foreign bodies or associated orbital/ocular injuries. Metallic foreign bodies may also be considered for removal to allow for possible brain magnetic resonance image evaluations in the future.
Brain ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Foreign Bodies* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Optic Nerve Injuries ; Orbit ; Orbital Cellulitis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Visual Acuity