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Evidence on the relation of socioeconomic position (SEP) with health and illness is mounting in South Korea. Several unlinked studies and individually linked studies (longitudinal study) showed a graded inverse relationship between SEP and mortality among South Korean males and females. Based on the mortality relative ratios by occupational class reported in the published papers of South Korea and western countries, the magnitude of the socioeconomic inequality in mortality in South Korea seems to be similar to or even greater than that in western industrialized countries. A potential contribution of health related selection, health behaviors and psychosocial factors to explain this socioeconomic inequality in mortality was discussed. It was suggested that early life exposure measures would demonstrate a greater ability to explain socioeconomic inequalities in all-cause mortality than the above pathway variables in South Korea. This is based on the cause-specific structure of mortality among the South Korean population who have a relatively greater proportion of stomach cancer, hemorrhagic stroke, liver cancer and liver disease, and tuberculosis, which share early life exposures as important elements of their etiology, than western countries. However, the relative contribution of early and later life socioeconomic conditions in producing socioeconomic inequality in health may differ according to the outcome, thus remains to be investigated.

"This paper examines the background and trends of the overseas migration of Koreans, which started in the late 19th century because of economic, political, and social conditions in the Korean peninsula. Major characteristics and problems of Korean communities overseas are also discussed using China as an example.", (excerpt)

"Trends and correlates of dramatic fertility declines in the NIES [newly industrialized economies of Asia] from the 1960s to the 1980s are examined in this paper. Specifically, we first look at changes in the fertility effects of such demographic factors as age structure of fertility, age pattern of marriage, and marital fertility. Next, as major proximate determinants of fertility, we examine changes in contraception and induced abortion. We then examine the fertility effects of changes in infant mortality and family planning programs. Finally, by examining changes in such socioeconomic factors as educational attainment and female labor force participation as well as attitudinal changes toward marriage and the family, we seek to infer their effects on fertility declines in the NIES." The data primarily concern Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. (SUMMARY IN ENG), (excerpt)

Abstract: This paper examines the associations between Chinese and Korean immigrant parents’ early life material and food deprivation and their concern about their child’s diet or weight, preferences for heavier children, and weight-promoting diet and child weight, alongside the moderating role of parents’ acculturation toward American culture. In 2010, Chinese and Korean immigrant parents of children ages 3–8 years in the United States (N = 130) completed interviews which asked about their perceived early life material deprivation and food insecurity, acculturation, child feeding practices, and evaluations of whether their child weighed more or less than the ideal, and child consumption of soda and candy. Independent measures of child and parent BMI were also obtained. Regression analyses revealed that parents’ early life food insecurity was associated with the evaluation that their child should weigh more than they do and greater consumption of soda and sweets by their child, among the least acculturated parents. Parental material deprivation was associated with more laissez-faire child feeding practices: less monitoring, less concern about the child’s weight or diet, and less perceived responsibility for the child’s diet, but only among less acculturated parents. Overall, the results suggest that immigrant parents’ child feeding practices and body size evaluations are shaped by material hardship in childhood, but these influences may fade as acculturation occurs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As the amount of information is rapidly growing, and ubiquitous urban environments are emerging, the question which kind of information to provide is a major challenge for commercial and public travel-information service providers alike. This paper reports the analyses of recent data, collected in Metropolitan Seoul, about the acquisition of travel information. The study applies CHAID analysis to find homogeneous segments in travel information acquisition. Findings indicate that contextual variables are crucial to explain information acquisition behaviour, depending on decision context. The implication is that both socioeconomic and contextual variables are important to better understand the acquisition (and provision) of travel information. The results have important implications for managers and policy-makers, in particular in the way they respond to dynamic, contextual market segmentation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Little research has examined the role of pain catastrophizing (PC) in predicting suicide among patients with rheumatic disease or the mechanisms through which it works. This study examines whether depression, perceived social support (PSS), and perceived burdensomeness (PB) mediate the relationship between PC and suicide risk. It also examines the relative importance of sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors in predicting suicide risk. Methods: Three hundred sixty patients from a rheumatology clinic in Korea completed measures of pain catastrophizing, social support, depression, and perceived burdensomeness. Results: In hierarchical multiple regression analysis, the PC magnification, PB, physical disability, and PSS were significantly related to suicide risk. Results of the serial multiple mediation analysis indicated that the total indirect effect of PC magnification on suicide risk was significant while the direct effect was not. Four specific indirect effects of PC magnification were found to be statistically significant. First of all, PC magnification was associated with suicide risk through PB and through depression and PB. PC magnification was also associated with suicide risk through depression and PSS. Lastly, PC magnification was associated with suicide risk through depression, PSS, and PB. Conclusions: The identified pathways through which PC affects suicide risk suggest the importance of depression, PSS, and PB. Evaluation and intervention targeted at physical disability and the psychological factors of PC magnification, depression, PSS, and PB may be integrated into the management of suicide risk in patients with rheumatic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although it has been suggested that socioeconomic status is associated with dietary quality, the possible mediation effects of eating behaviours on dietary quality are unclear. Thus, we investigated the causal chain by which socioeconomic status influences the quality of the diets consumed by children through their eating behaviours using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods: The study focused on persons from 2 to 18 years of age who completed the 24-h dietary recall survey ( n = 3158). Using causal mediation analysis, we assessed the relationship between socioeconomic status and poor dietary quality in children and examined the mediation effects of eating behaviours. Socioeconomic indicators included household income, parental education, and parental occupation. Dietary quality was defined by the number of key nutrients, protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, and vitamin C, consumed at insufficient levels. Results: In the present study, more than half the children did not consume the recommended amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. Eating breakfast had a significant impact on poor dietary quality regardless of socioeconomic indicators. On the other hand, children from lower-middle-income households consumed insufficient amounts of more nutrients than their counterparts regardless of eating behaviours. Through the mediation model, we found that lower-middle household incomes were associated with poor dietary quality, but that dietary quality was significantly mediated by eating breakfast. Conclusion: We found that poor dietary quality among children in lower-income households was partially explained by their being less likely to eat breakfast, but that eating breakfast did not entirely mediate these effects. Thus, to reduce differences in dietary quality among children, those who are economically vulnerable must be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit is constantly growing. However, a decision regarding intensive care in these populations remains a challenge. Aim: To identify factors that influences the decision of elderly patients and their families about whether to initiate intensive care in case of an acute event. Design/participants: Medical records of patients (>80 years), who were admitted to general wards and referred for intensive care, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who received intensive care were compared with those not agreeing to the initiation of intensive care. Results: Among the 125 patients, 45 agreed to receiving intensive care. Baseline characteristics at the time of intensive care unit referral were similar between the intensive care and non-intensive care groups. Only one patient had advance directives before the intensive care unit referral. Lower economic status (odds ratio = 0.27, 95% confidence interval = 0.08–0.94) and cognitive impairment (odds ratio = 0.20, 95% confidence interval = 0.07–0.56) were found associated with a lower likelihood of agreeing to intensive care, while a large number of participants involved in the decision-making process were associated with a higher likelihood of intensive care unit use (odds ratio = 1.82, 95% confidence interval = 1.08–3.09). Mean duration of hospital stay was longer for the intensive care group as compared with the non-intensive care group (28.8 days and 19.8 days, respectively, p = 0.03). However, there was no significant difference in the survival rate. Conclusion: The initiation of intensive care in elderly patients was influenced not only by medical conditions but also by the patient’s economic status and the number of family members involved in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is a commonly occurring cancer among Korean American men. Korean Americans have lower rates of cancer screening participation than other Asian American sub-groups. However, little is known about factors that influence the cancer screening behavior of Korean immigrants. The purpose of this study was to explore facilitators of and barriers to lung cancer screening (i.e., low dose CT of the chest) among Korean immigrant men, using qualitative individual interviews and focus groups. A convenience sample of 24 Korean men who were immigrants, Washington State residents, able to speak Korean, aged 55-79, and eligible for lung cancer screening (based on current guidelines) were recruited from Korean churches and senior centers. Five focus groups (that included between two and five men) and nine individual interviews were conducted. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. Facilitators of lung cancer screening included perceptions about positive aspects of the health care system in South Korea, recommendations from others (physicians, family members, and community organizations), existing health problems and respiratory symptoms, interest in health, and the health consequences of aging. Barriers included costs of health care in the US, lack of time, lack of knowledge (about lung cancer and screening), attitudes about prevention, and lack of physician recommendation. This study adds new knowledge to a field where little information is available. It also lays the groundwork for developing culturally relevant lung cancer screening interventions for Korean Americans and the health care providers who serve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate the relationship between depression in elderly individuals and chronic illness, subjective health status, and cognitive impairment. Method: This study used the dataset of the Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons, which was conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 2011. Participants (n = 10 674) were randomly selected from a pool of individuals aged 65 years and older. Elderly depression was evaluated by the short version of the Geriatric Depression Scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with depression in terms of their sociodemographic and health‐related characteristics. Results: Our results revealed that chronic illness, subjective health status, and cognitive impairment were significant factors associated with depression. In particular, subjective health status showed the highest odds ratio (OR) (OR for bad subjective health status = 4.290, P < 0.001), followed by chronic illness (OR for three or more chronic illnesses = 1.403, P < 0.01) and cognitive impairment (OR = 1.347, P < 0.001) in the final model. Interestingly, the significant association between chronic illness and depression was attenuated (OR for three or more chronic illnesses = 1.403, P = 0.01) or even disappeared (OR for two chronic illnesses = 1.138, P = 0.274; OR for one chronic illnesses = 0.999, P = 0.996) after adjustment for subjective health status in the final model; this may be attributable to the close relationship among the variables studied: chronic illness, subjective health status, and depression. Conclusions: Development and implementation of prevention strategies, including management of chronic illness, individual's perception of health status, and cognitive impairment, could possibly reduce the impact of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To examine the combined effects of education level and perceived social class on self-rated health and life satisfaction in South Korea.Methods: We used data drawn from the 8 to 15th wave of the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS). Using wave 8 at baseline, data included 11,175 individuals. We performed a longitudinal analysis at baseline estimating the prevalence of self-rated health and life satisfaction among individuals by education level (high, middle, and low education level) and perceived social class (high, middle, and low social class).Results: For self-rated health, odds ratio (OR) of individuals with low education and low perceived social class was 0.604 times lower (95% CI: 0.555-0.656) and the OR of individuals with low education and middle perceived social class was 0.853 time lower (95% CI: 0.790-0.922) when compared to individuals with high education and high perceived social class. For life satisfaction, OR of individuals with low education and low perceived social class was 0.068 times lower (95% CI: 0.063-0.074) and the OR of individuals with middle education and middle perceived social class was 0.235 time lower (95% CI: 0.221-0.251) compared to individuals with high education and high perceived social class.Conclusions: This study shows that the combined effects of education level and perceived social class associated with self-rated health and life satisfaction. Our study suggests increasing education level and perceived social class. Additionally, it will be important to develop multi-dimensional measurement tools including education level and subjective social class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Near-elderly adults go through many changes in socioeconomic status, such as retirement, which may affect their mental health differently according to when they live. We aimed to compare the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and its changes according to sociodemographic factors using nationally representative surveys of Korean near-elderly adults conducted 10 years apart.Methods: Nationwide community samples of individuals aged 55-64 years living in 2001 (n = 1256) and 2011 (n = 1066) were compared. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview to diagnose MDD. Sociodemographic data were collected using self-reported questionnaires including questions on employment and economic status. We examined differences in MDD prevalence and its association with sociodemographic factors over time by calculating 2011-to-2001 odds ratios (ORs) using multivariable logistic regression models.Results: Among near-elderly people, MDD tended to be more prevalent in 2011 than in 2001. However, only near-elderly men in 2011 showed a higher risk of MDD compared with those in 2001 (2011-to-2001 OR 4.19), while women did not. The prevalence ratio by gender decreased from 7.04 in 2001 to 2.34 in 2011. Among vulnerable sociodemographic groups, a significant increase in MDD was observed in unemployed men (adjusted OR 8.35), but not in unemployed women or other vulnerable groups.Conclusion: This study provides evidence of a substantial increase in MDD in Korean near-elderly men and suggests that unemployment should be considered as an important correlate of MDD in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of dining out has rapidly increased; however, the independent associations between dining out, metabolic syndrome risk factors and nutritional status have not been well characterised. The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between dining out, nutritional intakes and metabolic syndrome risk factors among Korean adults, using data from the 2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Frequency of dining out was significantly associated with intake of nutrients such as energy, water, protein, fat, carbohydrate, Ca, Na, vitamin A and carotene. Especially, the result revealed that Korean adults had insufficient Ca intake compared with the Korean reference intake (700 mg). As the frequency of dining out increased, so did energy intake. In addition, individuals who dined out seven or more times per week experienced a 64 % higher likelihood of blood pressure abnormalities, an 88 % higher likelihood of waist circumference abnormalities, and a 32 % higher likelihood of low HDL-cholesterol levels than those who dined out less than once per week. BMI was not associated with the frequency of dining out. Our findings suggest that strategies to modify dining-out behaviour could reduce metabolic syndrome risk factors via improved nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BACKGROUND One of the major demographic changes in Korea is the rapid increase of one-person households, from 7% in 1985 to 24% in 2010. The increase of living alone has important implications for the traditional family system. OBJECTIVE We investigate the long-term trend over half a century in the proportion of people living alone, separately for different age and gender groups. Focusing on two groups, the widowed elderly aged 65 or over and never-married 25 to 34-year-olds, we further examine the relationship between education and living alone. METHODS We use 1960 to 2010 Korean Census data to describe the trends in living alone by age and gender. We apply logit models to predict the odds of living alone by education from 1980 to 2010. To facilitate interpretation, we present predicted probabilities of living alone. RESULTS There is a continuing increase in solo living among Koreans, albeit to different degrees, for both genders and all age groups. The rising trend in solo living among elderly widows and never-married men aged 25 to 34, in particular, reveals that the propensity for living alone has increased within specific marital status and age groups. We find that those with lower education were more likely to live alone than their counterparts with higher education. CONCLUSIONS The negative relationship between education and living alone in Korea is in contrast to the pattern of 'buying-out' living alone in the United States. We interpret the finding in the context of Korean society, which has a long tradition of valuing living together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assets have the potential to influence marital happiness and satisfaction. Using the two waves of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women & Families (KLoWF), this study examines the extent to which assets, debts (negative assets) and their changes are related to a wife's marital happiness and relation satisfaction with her husband, controlling for the socio-economic characteristics of the wife. This study found that financial assets, real assets and their changes have significant associations with a wife's marital happiness and relation satisfaction with her husband. Relatively, income was not strongly related to marital satisfaction. The findings of this study underscore the importance of assets for marital satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite rapid social change that has influenced the social status of older adults, expectations about their behaviour and whether such expectations differ across generations remain unexplored in Korea. Based on ageing theories of activity, disengagement and modernisation, this study investigated age norms among Koreans conceptualised as shared expectations of appropriate behaviours of older adults. Competing perspectives in intergenerational relations and prejudice toward older adults were examined to test if they influenced age norms and if such associations varied across different age groups. Data were analysed from a survey of 1,445 individuals aged 20 and above who resided in 16 administrative districts of Korea. Comparisons of age norms across age groups indicated that the older adult group (age 65+) held more restrictive attitudes about social participation and engagement in various behaviours in old age than the middle-aged adults (ages 45–64) and younger adults (ages 20–44). Respondents with more prejudice towards older adults tended to place more restrictions on the behaviour of older adults. A significant interaction indicated that respondents whose views were in line with a generational conflictive perspective, assessed as reporting more competitive perspectives between young and old people and being less supportive of intergenerational programmes, had a more restrictive view about older adults' behaviours among the middle-aged group but less restrictive attitudes in determining acceptable behaviour in later life among the older adult group. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Korea is one of the fastest aging countries and is expected to become a super-aged society within 12 years. The Korean Urban Rural Elderly (KURE) study was developed to evaluate the epidemiological characteristics and establish the prevention and management of major disorders of the elderly in Korea. Methods/Design The KURE study is a community-based prospective cohort study on health, aging, and common geriatric disorders of Korean elderly persons aged at least 65 years. To construct a cohort reflecting both urban and rural areas, we selected 2 representative communities in the country. To establish multidisciplinary approaches to geriatric health, this study was performed by researchers in the divisions of geriatrics, preventive medicine, endocrinology, and sociology. The baseline examinations began in 2012; the study will follow more than 4,000 elderly Koreans over 10 years. The first and second follow-up health examinations will be performed every 4 years. Every 2 years after each health examination, inter-assessment interview will be conducted to improve participant retention. Discussion The KURE study will provide longitudinal epidemiologic data on health, aging, and common geriatric disorders of the elderly in Korea. This is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary study of the elderly with respect to biological, physical, socio-economic, and environmental factors. The results of this study will contribute to improve public health and welfare policies for the aging society in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic engagement between South and North Korea is often justified as a means of encouraging economic and social evolution in North Korea, with the ultimate goal of national unification. he South has invested heavily in the North, and firms have employed more than 50,000 workers. Yet expectations of a transformational impact rest on unexamined assumptions. he North recognizes the Trojan horse nature of the engagement policy: results of an original survey of South Korean employers show that the North Korean government has largely circumscribed the exposure of its citizens to both South Koreans and market-oriented economic practices, in the process violating labor rights defined by covenants to which both countries belong. he problem seems intractable, given that South Korea's diplomatic commitment to engagement with North Korea trumps labor rights concerns and South Korean firms perceive that the North Korean status quo confers benefits. As the experience of labor rights movements elsewhere shows, conditions will likely improve only if an aroused citizenry--here, the South Koreans--demands change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Childhood and adolescent overweight is a recognized public health concern as the prevalence is already high and continues to increase. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and overweight status by gender among Korean children and adolescents. Methods The data used in this study were taken from the 2009 Korean Survey on the Obesity of Youth and Children. Underweight individuals (n = 1,010) and children and adolescents whose age, height, or weight information was missing (n = 591) were excluded from the data set, resulting in a total of 8,555 subjects who were included in this analysis. Subjective SES, parental education level, parental occupational status, and family structure were used to measure parental SES. Chi-squared tests were used for univariable analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted for multivariable analysis. Results After adjusting for subject's characteristics including gender, age, parental interest in weight management of children, parental body shape, economic status variables that significantly influenced childhood overweight were identified. Low economic status increased the probability of childhood overweight (odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.5). Conclusions There is an inverse association between parental SES variables and the overweight status of children and adolescents. Additionally, parental body shape is an important factor that influences childhood and adolescent overweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether elderly Koreans recognize a scenario of intimate partner violence as such and whether they would seek help in the given situation of elder mistreatment (EM). Two cohorts of Korean elders (one immigrant and one Korea-based), each numbering 124 participants, were recruited using a quota sampling strategy. The study used a mixed method approach, employing a hypothetical scenario, and patriarchy theory informed the study. Findings revealed low perception of the vignette as EM and low help-seeking intention in both cohorts. Among the immigrant cohort, intention to seek help was greater among respondents who were female, demonstrated lower adherence to traditional values, and perceived the vignette as EM. Among the Korea-based cohort, the only significant factor was recognition of the scenario as EM. Development of culturally competent and geographically specific practice and intervention is urgently needed, particularly among elders who have greater adherence to traditional cultural values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By combining stakeholder theory and activity theory, this study examines the dynamic relationships among wealth, volunteering, and self-esteem of older adults. This study uses latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) to capture the longitudinal patterns of self-esteem across four waves of data from the Americans’ Changing Lives (ACL) Study. As time-varying variables, the longitudinal trajectories of volunteering hours and self-esteem are analyzed. As time-invariant independent variables, the authors consider two types of wealth measurements: homeownership and the amount of total liquid assets at Wave 1. The authors find that the intercept of volunteering hours is positively associated with the intercept of self-esteem. This study also finds that volunteering hours partially mediates the relationship between wealth and self-esteem. This study sheds lights on dynamic mechanisms of wealth, volunteering, and self-esteem among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims and objectives To examine the relationship between the perception on parenting practices and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD) symptoms in school-age children. Background Psychosocial attention deficit hyperactivity disorder intervention approaches emphasise environmental risk factors at the individual, family and community level. Parenting variables are strongly related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom severity. Design A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Methods The participants were 747 children and their parents in two elementary schools. The instruments used were Korean Conners Abbreviated Parent Questionnaire and Korean version Maternal Behavior Research Instrument (measuring four dimensions of parenting practices: affection, autonomy, rejection, control). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results The rejective parenting practice was statistically significant in logistic regression controlling gender and age of children, family structure, maternal education level and socio-economic status. The rejection parenting is associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children ( OR = 1·356). Conclusions These results suggest the importance of specific parenting educational programmes for parents to prevent and decrease attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. It would be more effective rather than focusing only on the child's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, developing educational programmes for parents to prevent rejection parenting practice and improve parenting skills in the family system. Relevance to clinical practice When developing a treatment programme for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, healthcare providers should consider not only the child's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, but also the parenting practices. Comprehensive interventions designed to prevent rejection and improve parenting skills may be helpful in mitigating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that health inequalities derive from socioeconomic inequalities, fair policies and strategies to tackle health inequalities must focus on socioeconomic conditions. What is needed here is Health in All Policies, a comprehensive and intersectoral approach beyond health and healthcare sectors. However, based on a review of policies and programs of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the 3rd National Health Promotion Strategies (Health Plan 2020) in Korea, we conclude that they totally lacked in perspective on health equity and social determinants of health. In fact, even most programs under the name of health equity include only supplementary health services targeted for low-income groups. As socioeconomic inequalities are worsening in Korea, health inequalities are more likely to be further aggravated if timely actions are not taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors extend comparative research on educational differences in divorce by analyzing data from Korea. A primary motivation was to assess whether the theoretically unexpected negative educational gradient in divorce in Japan is also observed in Korea. Using vital statistics records for marriages and divorces registered between 1991 and 2006, the authors calculated cumulative probabilities of divorce, by marriage cohort (N = 5,734,577) and educational attainment. The results indicated that the relationship between education and divorce was negative even in the earliest cohort and that this negative gradient has become more pronounced in more recent cohorts. Contrary to expectations, however, little evidence was found that the concentration of divorce at lower levels of education was exacerbated by the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s. The authors discuss these findings in light of conventional emphases on the costs of divorce and highlight the importance of better understanding this distinctive east Asia pattern of divorce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neoliberal policies and its socioeconomic consequences in Korea have made employment conditions insecure and affected employees' health as well. Methods and Findings: To examine the association between employment condition and smoking status, we selected male respondents aged 20–59 that participated in all of the 8th–10th wave of Korean Labor and Income Panel Study(KLIPS) which is a nationally representative data. Precarious working was significantly associated with smoking compared to standard working even after adjusting for socioeconomic indicators and self rated health status. After controlling for overall life satisfaction, the odds ratio of smoking among precarious workers decreased, but it was still marginally significant (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 0.99 to 2.07). A relation between precarious working and heavy smoking was also significant. Precarious working was associated with a decreased likelihood of quitting smoking, while it was not significant any more after adjusting for overall satisfaction on life. Precarious work was also related to a higher likelihood of relapse among former smokers, but was not significant after adjusting for other confounders. Conclusions: Precarious workers were more likely to be smokers and heavy smokers than standard workers. Unemployment is also a significant risk factor for decreased quitting and smoking relapse. However, insecure employment was an even more consistent determinant of current smoking behavior than unemployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The nature of Korea’s tenure system and its future development has become an increasingly important aspect of housing policy and community development. A major question being posed is what are the implications of housing tenure differences in social capital for housing (estate) development? Are there differences in levels of social capital between ‘homeowners and tenants’ as well as ‘public rental tenants and private rental tenants’? The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast elements of social capital across different housing tenures in the Seoul Metropolitan Region. Using the results of 260 questionnaires and we assess three commonly recognized elements of social capital: social trust, norms and networks. Respondents from across different tenure types reported differences in feelings of acceptance in the neighborhood, and involvement in formal and informal networks. This study found that some of the elements of social capital differed significantly between housing tenures and that housing tenure was also relevant to negative perceptions of socio-economic diversity in the area. This article concludes housing tenure is relevant to the development of neighborhood-based social capital and that this needs to be considered by those involved in implementing housing (estate) development and sustainable communities in Seoul. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of this study was to examine the perceived health status, family support and life satisfaction of older Korean adults and the relationships among them. This study was designed to be a descriptive correlation study using questionnaire. Subjects were 246 older people who were over 65 years of age in Seoul and Daegu metropolitan city, Korea. Measures were the Cornell Medical Index- Simple Korean Form to measure the perceived health status, the Family Support Instrument to measure the family support and the Standard Life Satisfaction Instrument for Korean people to measure the life satisfaction. Perceived health state was worse as average 3.3, family support was good as average 3.4 and life satisfaction was low as average 3.1. There were statistically significant positive correlations among perceived health state, family support and life satisfaction and between family support and life satisfaction. The predictors of life satisfaction in elderly were family support, age, monthly allowance and perceived health state. These factors explained 37.5% of the total variance. The major influencing factor was family support. This cross-sectional study provides preliminary evidence that to develop nursing strategy to increase family support of older Korean adults is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Familism is an important and complex clinical issue because of its significant impact on family caregiving of elders. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a Korean-translated version of the Family Scale (FS-K) among Korean adults. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was used. Methods: A panel of experts completed the initial translation into Korean and back-translated the FS. Upon establishment of the content and translation equivalence between English and Korean versions of the FS, psychometric properties were evaluated for reliability and construct validity with a sample of 577 adults. Results: The internal consistency of FS-K was found to be acceptable, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .75. For construct validity, the mean scores of the FS-K were significantly different for gender and marital status (p , .05). For the FS-K, six components were extracted, accounting for 53.9% of the variance. Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that the FS-K can be used as a reliable and valid measure of familism among Korean adults. The FS-K will contribute to the understanding of familism for family caregivers caring for elders in both research and clinical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this study, we investigated how socioeconomic factors contributed to airborne PM concentrations in living rooms and children's bedrooms in 50 homes in Korea from July to September 2008. Methods: PM was measured with the personal environmental monitor, and both a questionnaire and time activity diary were used to acquire data on socioeconomic factors and various human activities (i.e., cooking, cleaning, and smoking). Analysis of variance and general linear model were used to identify the effects of socioeconomic and behavioral factors on PM concentrations. Results: Mean PM concentrations in living rooms and children's rooms were 45.3 ± 33.3 μg/m and 45.9 ± 21.0 μg/m, respectively, whereas outdoor PM concentrations were 50.0 ± 19.8 μg/m. Significant relationships were found between concentrations in children's rooms and living rooms, and also between indoor and outdoor concentrations. PM concentrations in children's rooms varied significantly by region, parental education, floor of residence, and average monthly household expenses. Concentrations in living rooms varied significantly by the number of children. This implies that lower socioeconomic status can contribute to higher indoor PM concentrations. Indoor PM concentrations in households with cleaning, cooking, and smoking were higher than in homes without these activities. General linear model showed that the effects of socioeconomic factors on PM concentrations were significant in the following order: region (the increment in estimate β = 24.16), parental education ( β = −18.84), type of housing ( β = −16.97; p < 0.01), and number of children ( β = 19.12; p < 0.05). Conclusions: We found that indoor PM concentrations were affected by socioeconomic factors rather than human behavioral activities. In determining the environmental policy for indoor air quality, it is important to consider various socioeconomic factors of subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of lowest-low fertility in southern and eastern Europe dramatically changed the relationship between fertility and its covariates. Today, low fertility countries are characterized by low female labor force participation, low gender equity, robust marriage institution, and strong familism. It is assumed that the discrepancy between an advanced socioeconomic system and robust family patterns is an important cause of lowest-low fertility. The Republic of Korea is a typical case where the conventional family pattern causes disharmony with socioeconomic development and depresses fertility. The direct cost of children has been rising rapidly because of the Confucian value of education and strong family ties. The tight labor market conditions and the increasing uncertainty about the future are depressing nuptiality as well as marital fertility. The robustness of traditional gender role division checks the improvement in compatibility between work and the family and sustains the high opportunity cost of childbearing. Although the Korean government announced an ambitious pronatal program in 2006, the budget is so limited that its effect is questionable. Furthermore, a large part of the difference between moderately low and lowest-low fertility is attributed to cultural patterns and is beyond family policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using logit techniques and data from surveys of the elderly conducted in 1984 under the auspices of the World Health Organization, this article investigates socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic determinants of living arrangements of the elderly. Having a spouse or children with whom to live has important effects on living arrangements. The results provide only weak support, however, for hypotheses based on modernization theory and point to the need for detailed data on transitions in living arrangements and for information about the younger generation as well as the older generation, both of which are involved in deciding who lives with whom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of contraceptive service availability on contraceptive use in Korea, Mexico, and Bangladesh. Using World Fertility Survey Data on once-married females and their communities of residence, the multivariate analysis finds that the community level of contraceptive availability directly affects the likelihood of current use, net of the effects of community development, education, parity, and marital duration. The results are supportive of the recent policy emphasis on maximizing the geographic availability of contraceptive services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From analysis of the 1974 Korean National Fertility Survey data, the changing patterns of demographic and socioeconomic determinants of infant and child mortality are generalized. The pattern for infant mortality is: (1) in a traditional society demographic factors affect infant mortality more than socioeconomic factors; (2) at the early stage of development, demographic factors are replaced by socioeconomic factors as the main determinants; (3) when the difference in living standards between social classes narrows, the socioeconomic differentials in mortality also diminish; and (4) at the stage of high development the effects of demographic factors remain although the absolute differences are very small. But the pattern of changing determinants of child mortality is nearly the reverse of that of infant mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Data from the 1974 Korean National Fertility Survey indicate levels, trends, and socioeconomic differentials in adult mortality in the Republic of Korea. The indirect techniques of parental survival and the time location of mortality are used to estimate mortality levels and to discern time trends in adult mortality. Socioeconomic variables are considered for their relationship with levels of adult mortality. The index of household wealth (based on the ownership of modern goods, size and space of household) and education stand out as the most important differentials in adult mortality. The trend in mortality decline is most pronounced for the subgroups representing higher levels of educational attainment and greater ownership of modern goods even after adjusting for the interrelationship between these two variables. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]