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KMID : 0892720050090010103
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Journal of the Korean Society of Maternal and Child Health
2005 Volume.9 No. 1 p.103 ~ p.117
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Structural Equation Modeling for Health Behavior, Health Status, and Medical Care Utilization of Middle Aged and Old Women in a Rural Area
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Lee Sang-Won
Kim Jong-Yeon
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Abstract
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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, health status, and medical care utilization of middle aged and old women in a rural area.
Methods: A questionnaire survey was performed to 706 women in a rural area, and 423 women without history of hypertension nor diabetes mellitus were selected for the study subjects. The analysis techniques employed were contingency table analysis and structural equation modeling.
Results: There were lower obesity prevalence, lower subjective health status, more worry about health, higher hypertension prevalence, and more medical care utilization in elder women(|T| >2.0). In women with higher economic status or higher educational level, there were lower prevalence of the obesity and hypertension, less medical care utilization, and higher health confidences (|T| >2.0). Higher hypertension prevalence and more medical care utilization were observed in the obese women(|T| >2.0). The socioeconomic status had the strongest effect on the health confidence and medical care utilization, and obesity had the strongest effect on hypertension.
Conclusions: It would be necessary to maintain adequate body weight and control obesity in order to improve the health status of rural women. And effective community program for high-risk women. i.e. old age, low educational level, and poor economic status, should be implemented.
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KEYWORD
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rural health, womens health, health behavior, health status
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