The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of alcohol use during pregnancy and factors influencing the intention to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy by drinking levels.

Utilizing a comparative descriptive design, a total of 359 female college students were recruited. Measurements were Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) variables related awareness of alcohol use during pregnancy, Korean Version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, knowledge about alcohol use during pregnancy, and socio-demographic factors. Main variables were compared by drinking levels. The factors influencing the intention to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy were identified using hierarchical regression analysis.

Non-problematic alcohol behavior group (n=185) had higher the intention to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy than problematic alcohol behavior group (n=174) (t=3.13, p=.002). The significant TPB variables influencing the intention to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy were that attitudes (β =-.44, p<.001), subjective norms (β =.14, p=.026), and perceived behavior control (β =.19, p=.002) in non-problematic alcohol behavior group, whereas the corresponding variables in the problematic alcohol behavior group were attitudes (β =-.51, p<.001) and subjective norms (β =.21, p=.006).

It is necessary to increase the intention to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy for the female college students having problematic alcohol behavior. The following strategies are recommended for them; decreasing acceptable attitudes toward alcohol use during pregnancy and reinforcing the influence of social pressure toward to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy.

The aim of the study was to assess and identify gender differences in factors associated with prevalence, awareness, and treatment of osteoporosis.

Data for 3,071 men and 3,635 women (age≥ 50) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008~2011 were included. Osteoporosis was defined by World Health Organization T-score criteria. Impact factors and odds ratios were analysed by gender using multivariate logistic regression.

Osteoporosis prevalence rates were 7.0% in men and 40.1% in women. Osteopenia rates were 45.5% and 46.0% respectively. Among respondents with osteoporosis, 7.6% men and 37.8% women were aware of their diagnosis. Also 5.7% men with osteoporosis and 22.8% women were treated. Higher prevalence was found among respondents who were older, at lower socioeconomic levels, with lower body mass index and shorter height in both genders, and among women with fracture history, and non-hormonal replacement therapy. Awareness and treatment rates for the risk groups were similar compared to the low risk controls for both genders. Fracture history increased awareness and treatment rates independently for both genders. Women with perceived poor health status and health screening had increased awareness and treatment rates, but not men.

Results indicate that postmenopausal women have a higher prevalence of osteoporosis than men and awareness and treatment rates were higher than for men. Despite gender difference in prevalence, osteoporosis was underdiagnosed and undertreated for both genders. Specialized public education and routine health screenings according to gender could be effective strategies to increase osteoporosis awareness and treatment.

This study was done to identify the awareness of gender equality among nursing college students, and to provide basic data for educational solutions and desirable directions.

A Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item was used. 34 selected Q-statements from each of 20 women nursing college students were classified into a shape of normal distribution using 9-point scale. Subjectivity on the equality among genders was analyzed by the pc-QUANL program.

Four types of awareness of gender equality in nursing college students were identified. The name for type I was 'pursuit of androgyny', for type II, 'difference-recognition', for type III, 'human-relationship emphasis', and for type IV, 'social-system emphasis'.

The results of this study indicate that different approaches to educational programs on gender equality are recommended for nursing college students based on the four types of gender equality awareness.

This study was conducted to develop an instrument measuring awareness of osteoporosis.

The process included construction of a conceptual framework, generation of 86 preliminary items, verification of content validity, selection of secondary items, verification of construct validity and extraction of final items. The 86 items were reviewed for content validity by two groups of experts and were tested to evaluate inter item correlation coefficient by two groups of adult women. From June to August 2007, data were collected from 383 adult women who lived in Seoul and provinces in Korea. Data were analyzed by performing item analysis, Varimax factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha.

There were 31 items in the final instrument categorized into 5 factors. The factors were labeled as "preventive behaviors (10 items)", "risk factors (5 items)", "characteristics of osteoporosis (6 items)", "improving bone health (5 items)", and "bone physiology (5 items)". Cumulative percent of variance was 60.92% and eigen values ranged from 1.20 to 12.44. Cronbach's alpha was .948 and ranged from .804 to .917.

Validity and reliability of the scale are confirmed in this study showing its utility for measuring awareness of osteoporosis for women. Utilization of the scale will also contribute to designing an appropriate prevention program for osteoporosis.