This study aimed to explore the environmental factors affecting childhood obesity using photovoice from the perspectives of students, parents, and teachers in the community.

Six school students, seven parents, and seven school teachers completed an assignment requiring them to take 24 pictures and participate in group discussions. After training session, the participants were asked to take pictures associated with food and physical activity environments related to childhood obesity at home, school, and within their communities for two weeks and to submit the pictures with records. Each group had four sessions for discussion.

School cafeteria, convenience stores near schools, instant food and fast food joints, food delivery, and high-calorie snacks comprised the food environmental factors. Lack of physical activity classes at school, commuting by car, barriers to physical activity, and use of smart-phone were environmental factors that inhibited physical activity.

To reduce childhood obesity, the creation of a supportive environment for encouraging the consumption of healthy foods and enhancing physical activity should be considered. Modifications of and improvement to the obesogenic environment might be a good strategy to prevent and reduce childhood obesity.

This study aimed to investigate factors affecting frailty by age groups among vulnerable elders in Korea.

In this secondary analysis, data were collected from records for 22,868 elders registered in the Visiting Health Management program of Public Health Centers in 2012. Health behaviors, clinically diagnosed disease, frailty, depression and cognitive condition were assessed. Data were analyzed using stepwise regression to determine the associated factors of frailty by age group.

Alcohol consumption, physical activity, number of diseases, DM, CVA, arthritis, urinary incontinence, depression and cognitive condition were found to be factors significantly associated with frailty among the elders aged 65~74 (F=135.66, p<.001). Alcohol consumption, physical activity, CVA, arthritis, urinary incontinence, depression and cognitive condition were found to be factors associated with frailty in the elders aged 75~84 (F=245.40, p<.001). Physical activity, CVA, arthritis, depression and cognitive condition were factors associated with frailty in the elders over 85 years of age (F=96.48, p<.001).

The findings show that frailty of elders and associated factors were different by age group, and common factors affecting frailty were physical activity, CVA, arthritis, depression and cognitive condition. Thus, these factors should be considered in the development of intervention program for care and prevention of frailty and program should be modified according to age group.

The purpose of this study was to develop an Allergic Rhinitis-Specific Quality of Life (ARSQOL) scale and verify its validity and reliability.

ARSQOL was developed in 5 steps. Items for the preliminary instrument of ARSQOL were developed through a literature review and deep interviews with allergic rhinitis patients. Face validity with Content Validity Index (CVI), construct validity using factor analysis, and known group comparison, criterion validity test using correlation between ARSQOL and total nasal symptoms score (TNSS) were conducted to evaluate the validity of ARSQOL. Cronbach's α was used to evaluate the reliability of ARSQOL.

CVI for the items in the final ARSQOL were. 92. Five factors including discomfort associated with nasal symptoms (4 items), physical function (7 items), mental function (5 items), sleep disorder and social function (4 items), and problems of daily life (6 items) were identified through factor analysis and these five factors explained 66.6% of the total variance. The correlation coefficient between TNSS and the total score of life quality was -.69. In the group comparison, the persistent allergic rhinitis group showed lower ARSQOL scores than the intermittent patient group, and moderate to the severe allergic rhinitis patient group presented poorer ARSQOL than the mild symptom patient group. The Cronbach's α reliability coefficient was .95.

Results show that the ARSQOL has good reliability and validity and thus ARSQOL is a useful scale for clinical practices and research as a measure of quality of life in adults with allergicr hinitis.

This study was done to compare health risk behavior prevalence for youth living in metropolitan, medium sized and small cities or rural area, in order to enhance understanding regional differences.

For this study, data from the 2006 Youth Health Risk Behavior Online Survey collected by the Korean Center for Disease Control were analyzed using SPSS.

In the metropolitan areas, prevalence for disease and perceived obesity were higher than in other areas. Lack of intense or moderate physical activity, obesity, fast food intake, and insufficient sleep showed higher prevalence than in rural areas. Prevalence of lifetime smoking, lifetime alcohol consumption, present alcohol use, fruit intake less than once a day, and not wearing a seat belt were higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Gender, smoking, and alcohol use were correlated. Spearman correlation between living with parent and skipping breakfast were significant. Smoking, alcohol use, and sexual behavior were correlated.

As significant differences in prevalence of youth health risk behaviors exist between regional areas, health education and health promotion programs considering these differences have to be developed and implemented for adolescents. Programs for prevention of smoking and alcohol use, programs for improvement of fruit intake and safety are suggested for adolescents in rural areas, whereas programs to enhance physical activity and obesity management are suggested for adolescents in metropolitan areas.

Suicide has been considered a large public health concern in recent years because suicide mortality has been increasing rapidly. This study was done to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of a suicide attempt among adolescents in South Korea.

The data of the 2006 Youth Health Risk Behavior web-based Survey collected by the Korean Center for Disease Control was analyzed using logistic regression for this study.

The prevalence of a suicide attempt was 5.2% in South Korea. The risk factors of a suicide attempt were suicidal ideation (odds 31.83), depression (odds 7.98), drug use (odds 4.67), currently smoking (odds 3.19), feeling unhappiness (odds 2.77), stress (odds 2.60), currently drinking alcohol (odds 2.39), sexual activity (odds 2.33), living with neither parent (odds 2.24), initial alcohol drinking by age 9 (odds 1.80), health status (odds 2.15), skipped breakfast (odds 1.75), disease (odds 1.65), and school records (odds 1.22).

Suicide screening and prevention programs should be developed, considering these risk factors. Suicide prevention programs should be applied to the at risk population prior to a suicide attempt.

The purpose of this study was to compare suicide mortality by region in South Korea.

Suicide mortality differentials were calculated for several mortality indicators by geographical regions from raw data of the cause of death from KNSO.

The results are as follows; the Crude suicide death rate was 22.63 per 100,000. The highest was in Kangwon showing 37.84% whereas, Chungnam, and Jeonbuk followed after. Suicide was 4.4% of all causes of death, but Inchon and Ulsan showed a higher proportion. The male suicide death rate was 31.12 per 100,000 and females 14.09. The ratio of gender suicide mortality was 2.21, per 100,000 and was the highest in Jeju. For age-specific suicide death rates, the rate increased as age advanced, showing 2.33 per 100,000 in 0-19years, 18.68 in 20-39, 30.48 in 40-59,63.33 in 60 years and over. In Ulsan, Kangwon, and Inchon, age-specific suicide death rates of the 60 and over age group were higher than other regions, Daegu, Busan, and Kangwon showed a higher age-specific suicide mortality of the 40-59 age group, and Kangwon, Jeonnam, and Chungnam had a higher age-specific suicide mortality of the 20-39 age group.

Suicide mortality differed by region. These results can be used for a regional health care plan and planning for suicide prevention by regions.