People In Korea Research Articles

Prevalence of Tinnitus and Related Factors Among Middle-aged People in Korea

Prevalence of Tinnitus and Related Factors Among Middle-aged People in Korea

Successful Steroid Therapy in a Child with Suspected Autoimmune Hepatitis

Introduction: Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) is an unexplained cause of chronic and progressive liver inflammation. The incidence of AIH is about 4.82/per 100,000 people in Korea, but based on global research the incidence is increasing and it should be taken more seriously. Laboratory and imaging tests were performed which led to the diagnosis of AIH but to diagnose AIH is difficult. Steroid therapy is an option for this patient by considering the side effects that are well-monitored. A favourable outcome was shown and this report is expected to highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in AIH cases. Case presentation: A 6-year-old, 5-month-old girl presented to Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya with jaundice for 2 weeks. She had been unable to walk for the past 1 month due to pain in both legs, nausea and vomiting, anorexia, right-sided abdominal pain, and an enlarged abdomen. She has had a history of fever for the past 1 month. Laboratory parameters showed cholestasis, abnormal liver function test (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 1406 U/L, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 1392 U/L, and prolonged coagulation factor), and positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) test (79.10 AU/mL). Hepatitis markers were negative. Liver biopsy and autoantibodies examination (LKM and SMA) was not done due to limited facilities. Hepatitis, cholecystitis, and ascites were noted on abdominal ultrasonography. Ascites and cholecystitis were seen on an abdominal CT scan. Steroid therapy was administered and there was improvement in clinical condition and laboratory results following two weeks duration of treatment. Conclusion: This case report illustrates that steroid treatment for a child with AIH results in a good improvement and provides achievement of treatment goals following existing guidelines. The use of steroid therapy in suspected cases of AIH, without further diagnostic modalities, may be of value in the prevention of further liver damage, especially in healthcare settings with limited resources.

Effects of Savings on Depressive Symptoms Among Homeless People in Korea: Using Propensity Score Matching

Researchers have found that the accumulation of assets through savings may serve a vital function in enhancing mental health and well-being. However, the question of how the status of savings affects the level of depressive symptoms in homeless persons remains largely unexplored. This study examines the relationship between savings and depressive symptoms in homeless individuals by utilizing the 2016 National Survey on Homeless People. We employed propensity score matching to reduce selection bias and multivariate logistic regression to probe the effects of savings on depressive symptoms. We found that after taking into account the covariates, a lower level of savings was associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms. Our findings imply that an asset-based policy orientated toward those facing homelessness could have a significant effect on reducing depressive symptoms.

Impact of Radiofrequency Exposure From Mobile Phones on the Risk of Developing Brain Tumors in Korean and Japanese Adolescents: A MOBI-Kids Case-control Study.

This study aimed to examine the association between risk of brain tumors and radiofrequency (RF) exposure from mobile phones among young people in Korea and Japan. This case-control study of brain tumors in young people was conducted in Korea and Japan under the framework of the international MOBI-Kids study. We included 118 patients diagnosed with brain tumors between 2011 and 2015 and 236 matched appendicitis controls aged 10-24 years. Information on mobile phone use was collected through face-to-face interviews. A detailed RF exposure algorithm, based on the MOBI-Kids algorithm and modified to account for the specificities of Japanese and Korean phones and networks, was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) for total cumulative specific energy using conditional logistic regression. The adjusted ORs in the highest tertile of cumulative call time at 1 year before the reference date were 1.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-3.60) for all brain tumors and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.16-3.03) for gliomas, with no indication of a trend with exposure. The ORs for glioma specifically, were below 1 in the lowest exposure category. This study provided no evidence of a causal association between mobile phone use and risk of brain tumors as a whole or of glioma specifically. Further research will be required to evaluate the impact of newer technologies of communication in the future.

Current status and characteristics of lung transplantation for elderly people in Korea: analysis of Korean Network for Organ Sharing Data

Current status and characteristics of lung transplantation for elderly people in Korea: analysis of Korean Network for Organ Sharing Data

Situational Avoidance and Its Association with Mental Health Among Transgender Adults in South Korea: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Purpose: In fear of discrimination or unwanted disclosure of their transgender identity, transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) people may commonly avoid daily activities. We assessed the prevalence of situational avoidance among TGNB people and examined its associations with mental health outcomes. Methods: We analyzed data from a longitudinal survey conducted at baseline (2020) and follow-up (2021) among 268 TGNB people in South Korea. Situational avoidance due to transgender identity within the past 12 months was assessed based on 12 kinds of daily activities (e.g., public bathroom use, job applications, and hospital visits). Past-week depressive symptoms and past 2-week anxiety symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale and General Anxiety Disorder Scale, respectively. Results: Of 268 participants, 135 (50.4%) have ever avoided daily activities. The most frequently reported situational avoidance was public bathroom use (32.1%), followed by job applications (24.3%) and hospital visits (12.3%). After adjusting for confounders including baseline depressive symptoms and experience of anti-transgender discrimination, participants with any situational avoidance experience were 1.30 times (95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.01-1.69) more likely to have anxiety symptoms compared with those without situational avoidance experience. In particular, participants who avoided three or more kinds of daily activities were 1.40 times (95% CI = 1.02-1.93) more likely to have anxiety symptoms than those without any experience of situational avoidance. No association was observed with depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Multilateral interventions including anti-discrimination law enactment are necessary to reduce transphobia and provide support for TGNB people in Korea, thus reducing their fear of participating in daily activities and promoting their mental well-being.

Exploring Joseon-Era Korean Attire Through the Novel 'Kingdom of a Thousand Years'

Every culture has its own way of dressing, so clothes become symbols of their culture. Clothes, along with food and shelter, are important when studying a country's culture. This research looks at the book "The Kingdom of a Thousand Years " by Kim Kyung-uk to learn about how people in Korea dressed during the Joseon period (1392-1910). The goal is to understand how Koreans lived with nature back then through their clothes.

The Relationship between ICT Use and Perceived Life Satisfaction among Older People in Korea: The Mediating Effect of Social Capital

The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the spread of infectious diseases have increased people’s reliance on information and communication technology (ICT). However, older adults are the most marginalized group affected by ICT, and their activities and daily life have become more difficult than ever during the pandemic. Based on the theory of the TAM, this study analyzed the effect of ICT use on life satisfaction among older adults during the pandemic, and examined the mediating role of social capital. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the relationships among ICT use, social capital, and life satisfaction, and the Sobel test was used to test the mediating effect and statistical significance of social capital. The results of the analysis confirmed the positive effects of technology’s perceived usefulness and self-efficacy on attitudes and ICT use among older adults. ICT use had a positive effect on life satisfaction. In addition, it was found that social capital had a mediating effect on the relationship between ICT use and life satisfaction. During the pandemic, ICT use not only had a direct effect on life satisfaction but also had an indirect effect through social capital among older adults. The results of this study have implications for research on ICT use and life satisfaction among older adults, and have implications for formulating public policies for active aging. The results of this study can facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the antecedents and consequential factors of the use of digital information among older adults, which not only complements previous studies but also provides a theoretical basis for systematic research on digital literacy and well-being in older adults.

How Does the Frequency of Eating-Alone among Older People in Korea Affect Their Health and Dietary Behavior?

This study examined the relationship between general population characteristics and diet-related factors pertaining to eating alone for older adults (65 years and older) in Korea. This study used the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2016–2020, and the target population was 7037 Koreans aged 65 years or older who participated in the nutritional survey and health interview. Eating alone variables were classified as follows. Eating together all day means “eating together”, eating only one meal a day means “1/day”, eating two meals a day alone means “2/day”, and “3/day” means eating three meals a day alone. The main results are as follows. The rate of moderate or severe food insecurity was 3.41% in the “eating together” group to 7.86% in the “3/day” group, which was 4.45% higher in the “3/day” group. Fruit + vegetable intake among food intake lowered by about 35 g from 301.2 g in the “eating together” group to 266.2 g in the “3 day” group. In addition, as a result of analyzing the prevalence of depression using the PHQ-9 score, the “3/day” group had a 1.775 to 2.464 times higher risk of depression than the “eating together” group. Finally, EQ-5D variables and quality of life scores were significantly lowered from the “eating together” group to the “3/day” group. Overall, higher frequency of eating alone was associated with food safety, essential food intake, and quality of life. Based on these results, it is thought that a dietary life support program such as the eating together program is necessary to improve the quality of life of the older people who eat alone.

Physical activity levels and energy intake according to the presence of metabolic syndrome among single-household elderly in Korea: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016–2018

Exercise and dietary and nutritional intake affect the risk and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in elderly people, effects that may differ according to sex in elderly single households (ESH). This study aimed to analyze the differences in physical activity (PA) levels and energy intake according to sex and prevalence of MetS among elderly people in Korea to investigate the relationships between these factors. Data from 893 elderly individuals (aged >65 years) were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). We analyzed PA levels (occupational and recreational PA and place movement) and energy intake (EI; total, carbohydrate, protein, and fat), and found that there were sex differences in both according to the presence or absence of MetS in ESH. Among both males and females, the MetS group had a significantly lower recreational moderate PA than the non-MetS group. However, total PA in males was significantly higher in the non-MetS than in the MetS group, but there was no significant difference in females. Furthermore, the EI of females did not differ in the presence or absence of MetS, except for fat intake, and in the nutritional intake of ESH in males, no difference was found in the presence or absence of MetS. We also found that in Odd ratio, "active" was associated with lowering high waist circumference (OR = 0.40, 95%CI = 0.21-0.76), and "very active" was associated with lower MetS occurrence (OR = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.33-0.81) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.37-0.83). Therefore, in the MetS group of ESH, there was a significant correlation of the MetS component in PA rather than EI. Male ESH require interventions that increase PA, while female ESH require nutrition interventions that increase and balance PA. Therefore, a new program is needed that promotes continuous interest and healthy lifestyles in consideration of the characteristics of ESH.

Who is my family?: A comparative study of the family boundary in East Asia

AbstractMost Asian countries are regarded as Confucian countries although each has its own historical and cultural background. Little is known about how people in different Asian countries perceive their family boundaries. This study is an attempt to compare the perception of the family in China, Japan, and Korea. We examined the family perception and found substantial differences among the three. Chinese people showed the widest and paternally extended perception of family. Data from people in Korea nearly matched data from China, but family perception developed bilaterally. People in Japan, however, perceived only blood‐tied, intimate relations as family members. In addition, the perception of the family was not substantially different between the genders in Japan and China, but in South Korea, men perceived family boundaries more widely than women, implying that women have a greater family burden than men in Korea. Considering the heterogeneity in family perceptions in these countries, this paper tries to explain how social institutions interact with individuals and impact the perception of family. Finally, this paper concludes that it is inappropriate to tie the three East Asian countries as ‘Confucian civilizations’ in terms of family perception.

The Cosmopolitan Vernacular: Korean Shamans (Mudang) in the Global Spirituality Market

Cosmopolitanism has often been used to discuss religions that had been institutionalized, canonized, and then transmitted globally through premodern cultural flows. In contrast, vernacular religions have maintained their local uniqueness in terms of pantheons, belief systems, practices, and ritual objects—even into the 21st century. This article discusses the cultural and societal conditions that have enabled the vernacular traditions of Korean shamanism (musok) to travel globally in real and virtual worlds. Not all Korean shamans (mudang) work with foreigners, but the four ethnographic case studies that this article examines are cosmopolitan practitioners. They assert that spirits can communicate beyond spoken languages, that mudang clients do not have to be Koreans, and that media depictions are a vehicle for making the practice available to more people in Korea and worldwide. Such international activity has become an easily achievable task in hypermodern conditions. The vernacular is flexible in meaning and usage because institutions do not supervise it and it is often an undocumented oral tradition. Mudang constantly recreate musok practices from their personal interpretation of the religious experience. Thus, when musok goes global, it is reinterpreted and transformed to fit the cultural understandings of the target audiences.

Effect of Fluidized Bed Agglomeration on Rheological and Physical Properties of Soy Protein-Enriched Milk Powder for Dietary Supplementation in Sarcopenia.

Recently, many elderly people in Korea have been consuming protein-enriched milk powders for dietary supplementation in sarcopenia. In general, protein powders are manufactured using a spray dryer, and their fine particles result in poor instant properties. Fluidized bed agglomeration (FBA) is an effective method for improving the physical properties of protein powders via particle granulation, such as flowability and wettability. Therefore, the effects of FBA on the rheological and physical properties of isolated soy protein (ISP)-enriched skim milk powder (SMP) were investigated in this study. The size of ISP-enriched SMP particles was significantly increased by FBA, leading to changes in the Carr index and Hausner ratio from fair flowability and intermediate cohesiveness to good flowability and low cohesiveness, respectively. The wettability of the granulated particles was also improved by FBA, and they exhibited a shorter wetting time below 10 s. However, a slight color change was observed after the FBA process. These findings contribute to the production of protein-enriched food powders with improved properties.

Characteristics of site-specific response using the measured data from seismic accelerometers in Pohang Yeongil New Port under 9.12 and Pohang earthquakes

Recently, medium-sized earthquakes such as the Gyeongju 9.12 earthquake (September 12, 2016, ML = 5.8) and the Pohang earthquake (November 15, 2017, ML = 5.4) occurred in Korea, thereby increasing social concern about earthquakes. Because Korea is not located near the Circum-Pacific Belt, also referred to as the “Ring of Fire”, people in Korea are not used to earthquake disasters. Coastal areas in Korea are lined with multiple mega-cities and major industrial facilities. Most of them constructed on landfill, they have a high threat level to the damage to populations and structures leading to complex disasters in the event of an earthquake. However, studies of seismic hazards in ports is incomplete compared with those of onshore sites. Improving the understanding of seismic hazards and characterizing them catching up with related research from various perspectives being actively conducted. In this study, the site-specific response characteristics of the Pohang International Container Terminal in Pohang Yeongil New Port were analyzed using the S-wave energy of 10 sets of ground motions recorded by seismic accelerometers operated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries based on the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (H/V ratio) method. As a result of analysis, the H/V ratio curves show that the peak frequency values for the target site averages 9 Hz, and the natural period values of the site were preliminarily predicted to average 0.11 s. In addition, site amplification characteristics are different based on the seismic wave calculation method. The result can be used as data for identifying ground dynamic characteristics and verifying the site amplification coefficients and design spectrum in the seismic design.

Investigation of the Appropriate Reverberation Time in Learning Spaces for Elderly People Using Speech Intelligibility Tests

The Republic of Korea is currently an aging society, and it will enter an ultra-aging society in 2025. This study aimed to investigate the undesignated appropriate reverberation time of learning spaces for elderly people in Korea. For this purpose, a virtual sound field was created, and the anechoic sounds were convoluted with the virtual sound field to control the reverberation time via absorption rate adjustments. Using a virtual sound field, auralized materials were made which have five different conditions with a reverberation time ranging from 0.4 s to 1.2 s. Speech intelligibility tests were conducted in both elderly and young people using headphones. Consonant–Vowel–Consonant (CVC) tests were undertaken. Preliminary experiments were performed to adjust the difficulty levels of speech intelligibility via normal young adults. The test order was nonsequential, and the sound output level was 60 dB(A). As a result, the test scores were found to decrease with an increase in the reverberation time. In addition, it was revealed that the test scores fell by 32.4% compared with the scores of normal adults under the same reverberation conditions. When the reverberation time was longer than 0.8 s, the test score was reduced by up to 13.3%; therefore, learning spaces for elderly people may require reverberation times shorter than 0.8 s. If the proposed reverberation time were applied to learning spaces for the elderly, it is believed that it could provide an appropriate sound environment for the elderly.

Mask-wearing behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: The role of individualism in a collectivistic country

The behavior of the general public is crucial for an effective COVID-19 response. The Republic of Korea has shown better performance in this regard than many other countries worldwide. Based on the theories of individualism and collectivism, this study analyzes how Korean culture and political preferences influence the mask-wearing behavior of people in Korea. We conducted two online surveys after the first wave and in the middle of the third wave of the pandemic in Korea. The results showed only small partisan differences in the level of mask-wearing behavior in Korea. Additionally, regression analysis results demonstrate that, when demographic variables are controlled, concerns of spreading infection and horizontal individualistic tendencies of younger respondents have a significant positive relation to mask-wearing behavior. Meanwhile, horizontal collectivism had a significant positive relationship with older respondents’ mask-wearing behavior, as expected in the collectivistic culture of the Korean people. As a result, horizontal individualism has similar characteristics with horizontal collectivism in Koreans and both have a positive relation to their mask-wearing behavior.

Cancer Incidence Among Adults With HIV in a Population-Based Cohort in Korea

In combination with a decreased risk of AIDS-defining cancers and improved survival of people infected with HIV, the burden of non-AIDS-defining cancer has increased markedly. Although a substantial number of studies have measured the cancer risk among people with HIV in developed countries, little research has been conducted on the risk of cancer in HIV-infected people in Asia. To examine the cancer incidence and the estimated risk of cancer among people in Korea infected with HIV compared with the general population. This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients without cancer newly diagnosed with HIV from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2018, using a nationwide population-based claims database embedded in the National Health Insurance Service database. Data were analyzed between December 6, 2021, and February 28, 2022. Infection with HIV. Cancer incidence and standardized incidence rate (SIR) through indirect standardization. A total of 11 552 individuals without cancer (10 444 male [90.4%]; mean [SD] age, 39.9 [11.2] years) diagnosed with HIV were identified. The SIR for all cancers was 1.68 (95% CI, 1.50-1.87) in men and 1.26 (95% CI, 0.89-1.64) in women. In men, the highest SIRs were for Kaposi sarcoma (SIR, 349.10; 95% CI, 196.10-502.20) and anal cancer (SIR, 104.20; 95% CI, 55.56-149.90). The incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 15.62; 95% CI, 11.85-19.39), Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 16.67; 95% CI, 4.32-29.02), and oropharyngeal cancer (SIR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.36-4.58) in men infected with HIV was higher than in the general population. In women infected with HIV, an increased incidence of cervical cancer (SIR, 4.98; 95% CI, 1.29-8.66) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR, 11.78; 95% CI, 2.35-21.21) compared with the general population was observed. The SIR of thyroid cancer in patients with HIV was lower than in the general population in both men (SIR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.27-0.99) and women (SIR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.06-0.90). In this cohort study, cancer risks, especially AIDS-defining cancer and virus-related cancer, were elevated in people with HIV. Efforts for cancer prevention, screening, and better accessibility to medical care in HIV-infected people are warranted.

Cultural and linguistic adaption and testing of the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) among healthy people in Korea

BackgroundsThis study administered the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) among Korean adults to examine its factor structure, reliability, and validity.MethodsThe HLQ items were translated and culturally adapted to the Korean context. The convenience sampling method was used, and data were collected. The difficulty level, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using diagonal weighted least squares (DWLS) estimator in R, discriminant validity, and composite reliability were performed.ResultsThe easiest scale to obtain a high score was “Scale 4. Social support for health” and the hardest was “Scale 7. Navigating the healthcare system.” Nine one-factor models fitted well. The nine-factor structural equation model fitted the data well. All HLQ scales were homogenous, with composite reliability.ConclusionsThe Korean version of the HLQ has a strong construct and high composite reliability when applied to Korean adults.

Association between Present Teeth and Muscle Strength in Older People in Korea.

Background: As the world population continues to age, interest in muscle strength loss in older people is increasing. This study aimed to confirm the association between present teeth and muscle strength in older people in Korea. Methods: Using data extracted from the 2014–2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we analyzed 5136 older people aged 65–79 years. The present teeth were based on 20 teeth, which is the criteria for comfortable mastication. The association of the risk of low muscle strength according to the present teeth was assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis, and the association was confirmed by dividing into subgroups according to sex. Results: The prevalence of low muscle strength was 17.87% among all participants. Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed the association between low muscle strength and present teeth; a significant association was found even in the model in which all covariates were adjusted (odds ratios (OR) = 1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13–1.61). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between present teeth and low muscle strength even in the model in which both covariates were adjusted for sex (Men, OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.02–1.95; Women, OR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.06–1.6). Conclusion: An association between present teeth and low muscle strength was confirmed in older people in Korea. These results indicate that the importance of oral hygiene management should be emphasized to prevent muscle strength loss in older people.

Operationalization of the Clinical Frailty Scale in Korean Community-Dwelling Older People.

BackgroundThe Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a simple measure of global fitness validated in various populations in real-world settings. In this study, we aimed to assess the characteristics and validities of the CFS in community-dwelling older people in Korea, with the original classification tree (oCFS) and a culturally modified tree (mCFS).MethodsThe comprehensive geriatric assessment records of 1,064 individuals of the Aging Study of the Pyeongchang Rural Area were used for this study. For mCFS, we considered the dependency of the food preparations and household chores not to be deficits in the male population. The frailty index was used as a reference for construct validity. We used a composite outcome of death and institutionalization for outcome validity.ResultsThe correlation coefficients with frailty index were higher in mCFS (.535) than in oCFS (.468). The mean frailty index was lower in individuals reclassified by mCFS (5 to 4) than people who stayed in mCFS 5. The classification coefficient of mCFS was significantly higher than that of oCFS (p <0.001) in determining people with frailty (frailty index.25 or higher). Trends of a higher incidence of the composite outcome were observed in both higher oCFS and mCFS, in which oCFS and mCFS did not differ significantly in predicting the risk of the outcome.ConclusionThe classification tree of CFS could be culturally adopted in a community-dwelling population of Korea and considered valid in detecting the vulnerable population.