Development of a Mobile Health Intervention to Promote Papanicolaou Tests and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in an Underserved Immigrant Population: A Culturally Targeted and Individually Tailored Text Messaging Approach

Background: Disparities in cervical cancer incidence and mortality signify the need for intervention efforts targeting Korean American immigrant women. Objective: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how a culturally targeted and tailored mobile text messaging intervention, mobile screening (mScreening), was developed to promote the uptake of Papanicolaou tests and human papillomavirus vaccine among young Korean American immigrant women. Methods: Guided by the Fogg behavior model, the mScreening intervention was developed through a series of focus groups. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to identify core themes. Results: Overall, 4 themes were identified: (1) tailored message content (ie, basic knowledge about cervical cancer), (2) an interactive and visual message format (ie, age-appropriate and friendly messages using emoticons), (3) brief message delivery formats to promote participant engagement, and (4) use of an incentive to motivate participation (ie, gift cards). Conclusions: This study demonstrated the processes of gathering culturally relevant information to develop a mobile phone text messaging intervention and incorporating the target population’s perspectives into the development of the intervention. The findings of the study could help guide future intervention development targeting different types of cancer screening in other underserved racial or ethnic groups

Mammogram Uptake among Korean American Women in the South: Do Health Beliefs Matter?

All manuscripts published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, are under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.Background: Breast cancer is commonly diagnosed in Korean American women (KAW), and its incidence rates continue to increase. Despite the increasing burden of breast cancer diagnosis, screening rates among KAW remain low. There is a growing body of literature on breast cancer screening behaviors in this population; however, current knowledge regarding cultural influences and KAW’s mammogram use is limited, particularly in the southern part of the United States. Using the Health Belief Model, this study examined the association of culturally embedded health beliefs and mammogram use among KAW. Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 538 KAW recruited in North Carolina. A hierarchical binary logistic regression was conducted to examine cultural health beliefs associated with mammogram use. Findings: Preventive health orientation (OR=1.16, CI=1.02-1.32) and perceived susceptibility (OR=1.32, CI=1.10-1.58) were positively associated with having a mammogram in the past two years, while fear (OR=0.58, CI=0.36-0.94) was negatively related to getting screened in the past two years. Conclusions: The current study findings inform future intervention strategies to promote mammogram screening among KAW in sociocultural context.ECU Open Access Publishing Support Fun

Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: a Comparison among Three Types of CRC Screening

Objective: The present study aims to assess the levels of awareness of three types of CRC screening tests (FIT or FBOT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy) among African Americans living in the Black Belt area, and examine the factors associated with awareness of CRC screening tests among this population. Methods: The current study utilized a survey research design. Univariate analysis was used to assess the awareness of three types of colorectal cancer screening: FIT or FOBT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Three sets of logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the factors associated with the awareness level of each of the three colorectal cancer screening types among study participants. Results: More than half of study participants heard of FOBT/FIT. Only one third of participants heard of sigmoidoscopy. The majority of study participants heard of colonoscopy. Participation in socializing groups was found to be positively associated with awareness of all three types of CRC screening. Employment and having a primary care physician were positively associated with FOBT/FIT and colonoscopy. Study participants with a primary care physician demonstrated awareness of FOBT/FIT and colonoscopy Conclusion: Health education on different types of CRC screening especially FOBT/FIT and sigmoidoscopy is needed for the study population. CRC screening awareness among rural African Americans is likely to be improved by removing barriers of accessing primary physicians or other healthcare resources. Health education intervention in community setting or socializing groups such as clubs or religious group can potentially improve awareness of CRC screening

Eating behaviors and weight over time in a prospective study: the Healthy Twin Study

We examined the relationships of combined initial restrained and external/emotional eating with initial BMI andchange in weight and these subscales over time. BMI and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire were twicemeasuredin 1361 Korean twins and families (482 men, 879 women) over a period of 2.7±0.9 years. Subjectswere classified by combination of initial sex-specific restrained and external (or emotional) eating tertiles. Linearmixed models were performed after adjusting for confounders at baseline (household, sibling relations, sex, age,education level, smoking, alcohol use, energy intake, physical activity, and medical history). In adjusted models,initial BMI increased with increasing tertiles of initial restrained eating across initial external/emotional eatingtertiles. Weight was less likely to increase over time with increasing tertiles of initial restrained eating in the lowestexternal eating tertile and middle tertile of emotional eating at baseline. Subscale scores decreased over timewith increasing tertiles of corresponding subscales at baseline. These findings suggest that high dietary restraintand external/emotional eating may indicate concurrent high BMI and attenuated weight gain and decreases in correspondingsubscales over time.This work was supported by the 2013 Inje University research grant.OAIID:oai:osos.snu.ac.kr:snu2014-01/102/0000040632/2SEQ:2PERF_CD:SNU2014-01EVAL_ITEM_CD:102USER_ID:0000040632ADJUST_YN:NEMP_ID:A077602DEPT_CD:902CITE_RATE:1.055FILENAME:2.eating behaviors and weight over time in a prospective_인제대.pdfDEPT_NM:보건학과EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:YCONFIRM:

Dispersion of Vascular Plant in Kumo-do, Korea

AbstractThe vascular plants observed in the area were composed of a total of 228 taxa; 72 families, 172 genus, 201 species, 25 varieties, 1 sub-species and 1 cross species. The only endangered plants found in the area were Milletia japonica (Siebold & Zucc.) A.Gray. The endemic plants growing in the Geumodo except transplanted plants were Lespedeza x maritima Nakai and Carpinus coreana Nakai. which accounted for 0.8% of the vascular plants in Geumodo, 228 taxa. Specialized plants of Geumodo were a total of 41 species; 30 taxa in Grade I, 1 taxon in Grade II, 9 taxa in Grade III and 1 taxon in Grade V. Milletia japonica (Siebold & Zucc.) A.Gray was the only species found in important Grade IV to V. Currently, ferries ply to the island, attracting many tourists. This poses a threat to the rare plants living in the island and presses down the island to develop. Therefore, in the long-term perspective, the conservation plan such as comprehensive research and monitoring on the ecosystem shall be established to protect evergreen broad-leaved forests

Synergistic Uric Acid-Lowering Effects of the Combination of Chrysanthemum indicum

Chrysanthemum indicum Linne flower (CF) and Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Persl bark (CB) extracts have served as the main ingredients in several prescriptions designed to treat hyperuricemia and gout in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine. However, little is known about the combination effects of a CF and CB (CC) mixture on hyperuricemia. In our study, we investigated the antihyperuricemic effects of CC mixture and the mechanisms underlying these effects in normal and potassium oxonate- (PO-) induced hyperuricemic rats. The CC mixture significantly decreased uric acid levels in normal and PO-induced hyperuricemic rats and showed the enhanced hypouricemic effect compared to CF or CB alone. Furthermore, the CC mixture increased renal uric acid excretion in PO-induced hyperuricemic rat. We found that CC mixture and its major components, chlorogenic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (isochlorogenic acid), coumarin, cinnamaldehyde, trans-cinnamic acid, and o-methoxycinnamaldehyde, inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase (XOD) in vitro. The CC mixture exerts antihyperuricemic effects accompanied partially by XOD activity inhibition. Therefore, the CC mixture may have potential as a treatment for hyperuricemia and gout

The Korean urban rural elderly cohort study: study design and protocol

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