Seok Hyun Gwon

Factors that Influence Sexual Intercourse among Middle School Students: Using Data from the 8th (2012) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence sexual intercourse among middle school students in South Korea. METHODS Using statistics from the 8th (2012) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. The study sample comprised 37,297 middle school students aged primarily 12 to 15. RESULTS The significant predictors of sexual intercourse were grade, ever smoking, ever drinking, habitual or purposeful drug use, economic status, weekly allowance, cohabitation with family, and type of school. CONCLUSION The results suggest that intensified sex education is needed not only in the 1st grade of middle school, but also in the upper grades of elementary school. Sexual health interventions for high-risk groups may be needed, given the factors predicting sexual intercourse.

Assessing Correlates of Physical Activity Levels in Female University Students

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to examine the level of physical activity and influencing factors in female college students. Method: Cross-sectional survey data including physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, social influences on physical activity, and perceived health status were collected from 213 subjects. Data from 204 subjects were analyzed. Results: The mean level of physical activity was 2,750.97 MET-min/week. Physical activity showed a positive association with exercise self-efficacy as well as social influences, and a negative association with age. Stepwise multiple regressions showed that physical activity among female college students was predicted by type of leisure activity, relative health status, social influences, and age. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a program for improvement of physical activity in female college students should include interesting and dynamic leisure activities and strategies for performing together with friends should be developed.

Density and Proximity of Licensed Tobacco Retailers and Adolescent Smoking A Narrative Review

Adolescent smoking prevention is an important issue in health care. This literature review describes the theoretical concept of ecological model for adolescent smoking and tobacco retailers and summarizes previous studies on the association between the density and proximity of tobacco retailers and adolescent smoking. We reviewed nine studies on tobacco retailer density and proximity in relation to adolescent smoking, published in peer-reviewed journals between 2004 and 2014. The tobacco retailer density and proximity were correlated with adolescent lifetime smoking, past 12-month smoking, past 30-day smoking, and susceptibility to smoking. School nurses or other school health professionals may need to include the density and proximity of tobacco retailer factors around schools in school-based tobacco-use prevention programs. Health policy makers may need to consider zoning or licensing restrictions of tobacco retailers around schools for adolescent smoking prevention.

South Korean Adolescents' Intention to Smoke

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine associations between intention to smoke, and 3 constructs of the Theory of Planed Behavior, including attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control related to smoking among adolescents in South Korea. METHODS We used a cross-sectional correlational design. The survey was conducted on 13- to 15-year-old adolescents (N = 740) in Seoul, South Korea. Multilevel modeling was conducted to analyze the data. RESULTS After adjusting for socio-demographic and economic factors, attitude toward smoking, subjective norm about smoking, and perceived behavioral control about smoking were independent statistically significant predictors of in tention to smoke. When all 3 were considered together, attitude toward smoking and perceived behavioral control remained statistically significant, but subjective norm about smoking did not. The number of licensed tobacco retailers also predicted intention to smoke. CONCLUSIONS Attitude, perceived behavioral control, and tobacco retailers around schools need to be considered when developing tobacco prevention and control programs and policies for adolescents.

Effect of Home Visiting with Pregnant Teens on Maternal Health.

Purpose:Determine the extent that participation in Resource Mothers Program (RMP) home visiting improves maternal health at 3 months postpartum. Study Design and Methods:A randomized controlled trial using RMPs in two urban and one rural location in a mid-Atlantic state. Community health workers from these RMPs enrolled teens into the study and the research team assigned participants to either the intervention group or telephone support control group using computerized randomization assignments. Data collection from baseline and 3 months postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile (PPP) is reported. Results:The sample included 150 pregnant teens with a mean age of 17 years. Mean self-esteem scores between groups were not significantly different at baseline, but the RMP group self-esteem scores improved significantly at the 3 months postpartum interview (36.40 ± 5.63 for RMP vs. 34.10 ± 4.29 telephone control group, p = 0.049). Neither group was at risk for depression at baseline or 3 months postpartum. Because 60% of the total sample identified as Hispanic, post hoc analysis revealed significantly different baseline stress mean scores between Hispanic and non-Hispanic teens (p = 0.038); however, these differences were no longer significant by 3 months postpartum (p = 0.073). The EPDS scores by ethnicity were not different at baseline (p = 0.875) but were significantly different at 3 months (p = 0.007). Clinical Implications:The RMP home-visiting intervention can lead to improved self-esteem scores in teens, particularly in Hispanic teens. Improved self-esteem has been shown to lead to better parenting.

Factors influencing sexually transmitted infections among adolescents in South Korea

BACKGROUND No data exist regarding the sexually transmitted infection (STI) rate in adolescents aged 12-15 in South Korea. Only a Korean few studies have attempted to investigate the factors influencing sexually transmitted infections among adolescents. AIM The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-reported sexually transmitted infection contraction rate and analyse individual and family factors that influence this rate among middle school students aged 12-15 in South Korea. METHODS Using statistics from the 8th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, secondary data analysis was conducted. The study sample consisted of 714 individuals who had reported initiating sexual intercourse. RESULTS The rate of self-reported sexually transmitted contraction was 13.5%. The following factors predicted STI contraction: second year of middle school, excellent academic achievement, habitual or purposeful drug use, first intercourse before middle school, intercourse after drinking alcohol, weekly allowance, and living without family predicted sexually transmitted infection contraction. LIMITATIONS The parental data were collected by the self-reported surveys in a cross-sectional manner and questions of STI contraction and intercourse after drinking may have confused the subjects. CONCLUSION We need to utilize these predictors in providing adolescents with sexual health interventions and establishing adolescent sexual health policies. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICIES Increased sex education and employment of a school nurse in each middle school are needed. High-risk students need to be monitored given the predictors of sexually transmitted infection contraction, and the school health personnel need to inform female students and their parents the importance of seeing a gynaecologist for regular check-ups.Background No data exist regarding the sexually transmitted infection (STI) rate in adolescents aged 12–15 in South Korea. Only a Korean few studies have attempted to investigate the factors influencing sexually transmitted infections among adolescents. Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-reported sexually transmitted infection contraction rate and analyse individual and family factors that influence this rate among middle school students aged 12–15 in South Korea. Methods Using statistics from the 8th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, secondary data analysis was conducted. The study sample consisted of 714 individuals who had reported initiating sexual intercourse. Results The rate of self-reported sexually transmitted contraction was 13.5%. The following factors predicted STI contraction: second year of middle school, excellent academic achievement, habitual or purposeful drug use, first intercourse before middle school, intercourse after drinking alcohol, weekly allowance, and living without family predicted sexually transmitted infection contraction. Limitations The parental data were collected by the self-reported surveys in a cross-sectional manner and questions of STI contraction and intercourse after drinking may have confused the subjects. Conclusion We need to utilize these predictors in providing adolescents with sexual health interventions and establishing adolescent sexual health policies. Implications for Nursing and Health Policies Increased sex education and employment of a school nurse in each middle school are needed. High-risk students need to be monitored given the predictors of sexually transmitted infection contraction, and the school health personnel need to inform female students and their parents the importance of seeing a gynaecologist for regular check-ups.

Telephone Support and Telemonitoring for Low-Income Older Adults

The objective of the current pilot study was to determine whether nurse-led telephone counseling improves health behavior, self-care, and physiological indices for low-income older adults using a telemonitoring system. The control group (n = 15) was provided with weekly health education only, and the intervention group (n = 20) was given additional telephone support by nurses. At baseline and 8 weeks, data on health and self-care behaviors were collected using a self-reported questionnaire, and blood pressure and fasting blood glucose levels were assessed. Nurse-led telephone support had a medium effect on improving health behavior (Cohens d = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.10, 1.27]), reducing systolic blood pressure (Cohens d = -0.61, 95% CI [-1.29, 0.08]), and improving self-care behavior for hypertension (Cohens d = 1.16, 95% CI [0.05, 2.27]). Findings support that nurse-led telephone support may be effective for improvements in health behavior, systolic blood pressure, and hypertension self-care in disadvantaged older adults under remote monitoring. Further studies are needed to obtain a powered sample size and investigate the long-term effects of personalized elements surrounding telehealth in community-based settings. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2018; 11(4):198-206.].

Concept analysis of impressionability among adolescents and young adults

To report a concept analysis of impressionability among adolescents and young adults.