Earticle

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the agenda-setting process and the formation process of school-based mental health policies by applying a policy stream model. Methods: For this purpose, Kingdon’s policy stream model was used as the analytical framework. Results: First, when establishing a school-based mental health policy, the agenda was set going through unpredictable and nonlinear changes. Second, for the school-based mental health policy to be selected onto the agenda and to be developed and implemented as an actual policy, the role of policy makers was considered most important in the process. Third, the policy window for school-based mental health policy was closed around the year 2013. Finally, an analysis of the school-based mental health policy stream identified two key features. One is that the school-based mental health policy first emerged when school violence prevention policy expanded its scope into relevant neighboring policies. The other is that the school-based mental health policy has taken shape through a linear decision-making process (being put on the government’s agenda, searching for an alternative, selection, and implementation) during the policy implementation period after it has been selected as an alternative policy. Conclusion: Conclusions can be summed up as follows. The school-based mental health policy needs continuous development and improvement in case the window for the policy may open in the coming future. The government’s support is needed to draw policy makers’ interest and participation who play the biggest role in establishing policies.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to survey male high school students on their MERS(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome)-related knowledge, risk perception, and health behaviors and to identify the factors affecting health behaviors during the MERS outbreak in Korea. Methods: The subjects in this study were 144 students in a male high school. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires in July, 2015. The collected data were analyzed by ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 21.0. Results: The proportion of correct answers to questions testing MERS-related knowledge was 71.6% among male high school students; their health behaviors were rated at 48.9%; and their risk perception rate was 1.8 out of 4. There was a positive correlation between knowledge, risk perception, and health behaviors. Knowledge and risk perception explained 15.1% of the variance in health behaviors. Conclusion: To improve students’ health behaviors, their risk perception and knowledge over MERS should be strengthened. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and implement efficient and feasible MERS education programs for high school students.

Purpose: This study compares the differences in health-related factors, nutrition knowledge and dietary habits between nursing and allied health college students. Methods: Nursing students(n=499) and allied health college students(n=402) were surveyed on their health-related factors, nutrition knowledge and dietary habits. Data were collected from two universities in A city, Korea. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, x2 distribution and t-test, x2-test and Pearson correlation coefficient using SPSS 21.0. Results: The level of nutrition knowledge was higher among nursing students than students majoring in other fields. Scores regarding dietary habits were not significantly different between nursing students and other students. Conclusion: Nutritional education for college students is needed in order to improve their health. Nutritional education programs should be tailored to meet various needs of these students.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined influence of the frequency and the intensity of smoking on suicidal ideation and attempts in Korean high school students. Methods: This cross sectional study used secondary data from the 2014 Adolescent Health Behavior Online Survey. A total of 35,094 high school students were included in the study. The study set up two categories for the frequency of smoking - intermittent and daily - and another two for the intensity of smoking - heavy and light. Complex samples logistic regression was used to analyze the combined influence of smoking frequency and intensity on suicidal ideation and attempts. Results: Regardless of frequency and intensity, smoking was more likely to increase suicidal ideation and attempts than non-smoking. Among smokers, intermittent heavy smokers (suicidal ideation: Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 1.406, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.015~2.161, p=.012; suicidal attempts: AOR: 2.977, 95% CI: 1.814~4.886, p<.001) or daily heavy smokers (suicidal ideation: AOR: 1.274, 95% CI: 1.017~1.596, p=.035; suicidal attempts: AOR: 1.717, 95% CI: 1.250~2.359, p=.001) had significantly higher odds of suicidal ideation and attempts than intermittent light smokers. Conclusion: Based on the results, smoking prevention and cessation are essential to preventing suicides in adolescents. Especially, smoking intervention programs are needed to reduce smoking intensity in smokers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined influence of the frequency and the intensity of smoking on suicidal ideation and attempts in Korean high school students. Methods: This cross sectional study used secondary data from the 2014 Adolescent Health Behavior Online Survey. A total of 35,094 high school students were included in the study. The study set up two categories for the frequency of smoking - intermittent and daily - and another two for the intensity of smoking - heavy and light. Complex samples logistic regression was used to analyze the combined influence of smoking frequency and intensity on suicidal ideation and attempts. Results: Regardless of frequency and intensity, smoking was more likely to increase suicidal ideation and attempts than non-smoking. Among smokers, intermittent heavy smokers (suicidal ideation: Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 1.406, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.015~2.161, p=.012; suicidal attempts: AOR: 2.977, 95% CI: 1.814~4.886, p<.001) or daily heavy smokers (suicidal ideation: AOR: 1.274, 95% CI: 1.017~1.596, p=.035; suicidal attempts: AOR: 1.717, 95% CI: 1.250~2.359, p=.001) had significantly higher odds of suicidal ideation and attempts than intermittent light smokers. Conclusion: Based on the results, smoking prevention and cessation are essential to preventing suicides in adolescents. Especially, smoking intervention programs are needed to reduce smoking intensity in smokers.

Purpose: This study aims to understand schools’ response to infectious disease, perceived problems and suggestions, with regard to the 2015 MERS outbreak in South Korea, in order to improve the infectious disease response system. Methods: Data were collected by focus group interviews with three groups composed of school health teachers, other teachers, and parents in Seoul-located schools. Results: The major theme was “ Schools’ Discretionary Response in the Absence of the Control Tower.” Four major categories and 11 sub- categories were drawn from the findings. Four major categories were as follows: (a) Temperature monitoring caused lots of complaints, (b) Closure decisions were left at the discretion of schools, (c) Precautions are now being more emphasized, and (d) The support system were malfunctioning. Conclusion: The main areas to be improved are as follows: (1) School district offices should have an expanded role in infectious disease response and build cooperative partnerships with health authorities. (2) Preparedness for infectious disease should be strengthened. (3) Temperature monitoring systems should be improved, (4) Closure decisions should be made at a local community level. These are expected to help schools establish advanced infectious disease response systems.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the use of smart phones and their relationship with self-efficacy and academic achievement among students in 5th to 6th grade. Methods: 954 students in 5th to 6th grade were selected from three elementary schools in K City through purposive sampling. Data of 591 respondents were analyzed by x2 test, ANOVA, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS/WIN program. Results: First, 64% of the students possessed a smart phone and female students used their phone more than male students. 47.5% of the students said they first used a smartphone in their 5th grade and 11.7% said in their 6th grade. Second, heavier use of smart phones was related to a lower level of self- efficacy (p<.001). Third, the more the students used a smart phone, the less they achieved in academic performance (Korean language: p<.001, mathematics: p<.01). Finally, the biggest factor influencing smart phone addiction was longer use of smart phones. In addition, lower self-efficacy and lower ability to adapt to difficult tasks were the factors influencing the increase in smart phone addiction. Less use of smart phones and higher self-efficacy resulted in higher achievement in academic performance. Conclusion: It is essential to decrease students’ use of smart phones and improve their self-efficacy and academic performance. Intervention programs to reduce the use of smart phones should include a profound interest, a personality-oriented educational environment and sufficient dialogues with students at home, schools and the local society, beyond simple regulations to prevent adverse effects.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of health education based on life skill training (LST) on middle school students' health knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Methods: For this study, 961 middle school students, residing in Seoul, Korea, were selected. The students received health education one day a week for 7 weeks from September 1, 2014 to October 25, 2014 . Before and after the whole education program, the students filled out questionnaires surveying on their health knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Excluding inappropriate data, the data of 843 students was analyzed through Paired t-test. Results: After the education program based on LST, there were statistically significant increases in the scores for knowledge about drinking, body image distortion, good eating habits, right usage of smartphone, and prevention of smartphone addiction (p<.05). There were also statistically significant increases in the scores for attitude toward smoking, drug, good eating habits and prevention of smartphone addiction (p<.05). There were statistically significant increases in the scores for behavior regarding drug, good eating habits, right usage of smartphone and prevention of smartphone addiction (p<.05). Conclusion: Health education based on life skill training was especially effective in improving the subjects’ scores for health knowledge, attitude, and health behavior. Therefore, various and systemic LST educational programs should be developed and implemented and their effects should be evaluated in further studies.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate changes in health promoting life style and weight control behavior among nursing students during their two years of college, and to identify the relationship between the changes and their perceived health status. Methods: The subjects were 264 female students in a three-year nursing college in Seoul, Korea. Data was analyzed by paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and multiple logistic regression using SPSS ver.21. Results: Of the six sub-categories regarding health promoting life style, five except spiritual growth showed improvement after two years, but their perceived health status did not change significantly. The number of students who engaged in weight control behavior increased, but there was no change in the number of students who engaged both in weight control and in diet. The group which recorded high scores in perceived mental health status showed 1.2 times greater positive changes in health promoting lifestyle (OR=1.202, p=.023). Conclusion: The results showed although health promoting behavior changed positively throughout the nursing curriculum, physical activities were still low and few students used constructive methods to control their weight. Therefore, it is recommended that nursing colleges build specific programs into their curriculum to correct students’ undesirable health promoting behavior.

Purpose: This study was aimed to examine the effects of sexual education programs focusing on media literacy on teachers as a pilot study. Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental study and a total of 81 teachers (intervention n=42, control n=39) participated. Results: A sexual education program focusing on media literacy was conducted in the form of an 18-hour structured education module. The results were mainly assessed by measuring the teachers’ pre- and post-study awareness and self-efficacy related to sexual media literacy. Awareness related to sexual media literacy of the intervention group (86.3) showed greater improvement than that of the control group (76.8). Also, self-efficacy related to sexual media literacy among the intervention group (20.1) showed greater improvement than that of the control group (17.4). Conclusion: The results highlight the effects of sexual education programs focusing on media literacy, which can improve teachers’ competence in sexual education.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the effect of stress on the relations between emotional intelligence and burnout among nursing college students. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey and the participants were 363 students attending a nursing college located in Seoul. Data were collected by convenience sampling using self-reported questionnaires that consisted of general characteristics, emotional intelligence, perceived stress and burnout. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple regression. Results: Findings of the multiple regression were as follows. First, emotional intelligence had a significant negative-effect on stress. Second, emotional intelligence had a significant negative- effect on burnout. Third, stress had a significant positive-effect on burnout and had a mediating effect on the relationship between emotional intelligence and burnout. Conclusion: Results of the study suggest that as a way to reduce nursing college students' stress and burnout, programs which help improve nursing college students' emotional intelligence should be developed and implemented.

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the relationship between high school students’ mental ․ social health and their tendency toward social networking addiction. Methods: The subjects were 543 high school boys and girls living in D city. The data were collected from the 3rd to 21st of March in 2014. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Duncan’s post-hoc test, Pearson's correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression with SPSS/ Win 21.0. Results: Social networking addiction showed significant differences depending on gender (t=-7.03, p<.001), academic achievement (t=4.571, p=.011), and the level of maternal education (t=3.344, p=.019). Social health was correlated with the tendency toward social networking addiction. Multiple regression analysis found that gender, academic achievement and social health were associated with the level of social networking addiction (F=8.750, p<.001, Adj. R2=.201). Conclusion: The results suggest that it is necessary to take into account gender characteristics, academic achievement and social health in order to develop effective management programs for social networking addiction among high school students.