Background
: Social support is defined as interpersonal transaction ; the giving of symbolic or material aid to another. It has been shown to have both buffering effects and direct beneficial effects on diverse health related outcomes. But there has been the dearth of wee-validated measurement instruments. This article describes the development of Korean version of the Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire(DUFSS), focusing on the aspect of social support.

Methods : The 13-item, self-administered questionnaire was translated to Korea language. It was evaluated on 177 patients attending the family medicine clinic of Seoul National University Hospital during one month(November, 1996.) Comparisons to the family APGAR, COOP/WONCA functional status chart are made to assess validity. Factor analyses are performed. Correlation of the questionnaire score with the sum of family APGAR and each items of COOP/WONCA functional chart are measured Internal consistency are evaluated.

Results : The questionnaire score are correlated with significantly correlated with social activity item. The total Cronbach's alpha is calculated as 0.89. The four content areas developed by factor analyses are donfidant support(items 8,9,10), affective support(item 4,5,6,7), instrumental support(item 3,12) and quality of support(item 1). These shows similarity to American study results.

Conclusion : The Korean version of the Duke-UNC functional social support questionnaire has been documented as having high reliability and moderate validity. It covers two dimensions well(confidant support, affective support) with a small enough number of questions. Instrumental support may need further study.

In recent study, exercise hypertension is associated with a lower adjusted mortality rate and is likely to a good prognostic sign, although its clinical significance is uncertain. The purpose of this investigation was to study exercise hypertensive reaction and to search its related factors. From June. 1st to Aug. 31st 1996, 108 males, mean age 41.5years(range, 20-70) attended the exercise stress test as volunteers during checking-up of health & disease at Health Service Center of Kwang-ju Christian hospital. The exercise stress test using stationary leg bicycle was done until the examiner were exhausted, at which we measured peak exercise systolic blood pressure & Pulse rate. The results are shown as follows. Exercise hypertension was present in 22 subjects(20.0%). Including age, body mass index, RPE scales at 70% maximal heart rate, rate of level of elevation of heart rate during exercise, no significant related factors associated with exercise hypertension was present by the discriminant analysis. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that exercise-induced increase in systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with only resting systolic pressure(r=0.101, p less than 0.01). RPE(Rating of Perceived Exertion) scales was 18.05±1.31 when pulse rate of the examiner was reached to 70% of maximal heart rate(220-age(year)). In conclusion, no significant related factor associated with exercise hypertension was presents, but exercise-induced increase of systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with only resting systolic pressure.

Background
: Recently in Europe, some epidemiologic studies reported that various physical symptoms and social, psychological wellbeing are related to low blood pressure. But in Korea, none has been studied on symptoms related to low blood pressure yet. In this study, we would like to see if the somatic symptoms and social, psychological wellbeing shown to be related to low SBP is truly associated with it.

Methods : Questionnaire interview was done to the people who have visited Department of family practice in two university hospitals and two health promotion center from April, 1996 to August, 1996. Seven somatic symptoms and Psychosocial Wellbeing Index(PWI) for the evaluation of social, psychological health status were included in the questionnaire. SAS statistics packages was used in statistical precess. We used logistic regression to see the frequency of somatic symptoms related to the systolic blood pressure(SBP) group and the confirmation of confounding variables was done by ANOVA.

Results : Total of 304 completed the questionnaire. Average age was 44 years old and average SBP was 115.4±16.4. 84of them(27.6%)felt that they had a low BP & 69 were women compared to 21 men, being meaningfully more common. 107(35.2%) people answered that they had heard that their blood pressure was low and 66% were from doctors. Only 32(38.1%) of the group who felt of having hypotensive symptoms and 38 of the group who heard of having hypotension actually had SBP of below 100mmHg. Vocation, income, smoking & alcohol history, present illness, marital status were not significant as a confounding variable. SBP of 100 or below group had a less presentation of fatigue & significantly higher PWI than the group of above 100mmHg(p<0.05). The group who felt that they had a low BP had more complaints fatigue, dizziness, palpitation, cold hands and feet and had significantly higher PWI than the group who didn't.

Conclusion : SBP of 100mmHg or below group has more frequent manifestion of fatigue and low level of sociopsycholgiacl health index than the above 100mmHg group. But most of the people who complained of hypotensive symptoms didn't have low blood pressure and a lot of them misunderstand of having low blood pressure and after checking blood pressure by doctors, so great deal of caution is called for when seeing patients.

Background
: It is known that obesity is related to hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus. The results of study done in Korea are widely spread. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of obesity by four obesity measure methods and the risk of obesity for obesity related diseases.

Methods : This study was done for the period from May 1 to August 31, 1995 in three health care centers run by middle sized hospitals in Pusan. The total number of sampled population was 654(men227, women 427)

Results : We compared obesity by sex and age according to four obesity measure methods. The results were as following : Obesity was more prevailed in women than in men for all measure methods. In women, there was significant difference according to age by Broca's Index(P=0.006), Kassura's modified formula(P=0.018) and Suh's formula(P=0.009) but in men there was no significant difference. We compared the laboratory test results of men and women. The test results elevated significantly in men were diastolic blood pressure(P=0.001), hemoglobin(P<0.001), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) (P=0.034), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) (P=0.011), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase(γ-GT) (P<0.001). Total cholesterol was elevated significantly in women. We evaluated the correlation of age and obesity with the tests. For the age, systolic blood pressure(P<0.001), diastolic blood pressure(P=0.001), total cholesterol(P<0.001), glucose(P=0.045), ALT(P=0.003) were correlated positively. The odds ratio of obesity for elevated blood pressure was 1.03(P=0.005), for hypercholesterolemia 1.03(P=0.001), for elevated ALT 1.03(P=0.005) for hyperglycemia 1.01(P=0.083).

Conclusion : In this study, we found that the prevalence of obesity is higher in women than in men at 40 years old and beyond. We found that obesity is independent risk factor of elevated blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia and elevated ALT. We suggest that the clinicians be concerned in dealing with obesity.

Background
: In recent years, the incidence of obesity increased in Koreans. The main cause suggested is the diet style of Korean changed to that of Western. It has been proved that obesity is a risk factor of an aggravating factor of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, etc. Primary physician has been interested in the correlation of blood pressure with relative body weight and aging. The purpose of this study was to focus on the influence of age and relative body weight on blood pressure.

Methods : Subjects were collected from 2,068 adults who had received Adult Health Examination. That subjects were divided according to age, relative body weight and then the relation of blood pressure with age according to relative body weight and relation with relative body weight according to age were investigated.

Results : Systolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all male and female three weight groups and then increased significantly according to relative body weight in all male and female three age group except male seventh decade group. Diastolic blood pressure increased significantly according to age in all make and female three weight groups except male obesity group and then increased significantly according to the relative body weight in all make and female three age groups except male and female seventh decade groups. Systolic blood pressure has higher correlation with age than relative body weight and diastolic blood pressure has higher correlation with relative body weight in male. In female, systolic and diastolic blood pressure have higher correlations with age.

Conclusion : It can be suggested that blood pressure increase significantly according to aging process and relative body weight. These two factors have a little different effects to systolic and diastolic blood pressure according to sex. Relative body weight has more effect to diastolic blood pressure than systolic blood pressure in male.

Background
: The purpose of this study is to obtain the accurate information the obesity indices, such as body mass index(BMI), relative weight and waist-hip ratio(WHR) and to investigate their relationship in order to assess the childhood and adolescent obesity more appropriately.

Methods : In May, 1995, a total of 6943(male ; 3469, female ; 3474) students from primary, middle and high schools in Seoul were selected and each students' height, weight, waist and hip circumference data were collected.

Results : The BMI increased with age in both sexes. From age 12 to 16, values of BMI 50th percentiles for females exceeded those for males. And the BMI 95th percentiles at the age of 13 to 14 years were higher for females than for males. The prevalence of obesity by relative weight was higher in males than in females(male ; 17.9%, female ; 13.1%). The WHR was higher in males than females in all age group and decreased with age in both sexes, showing more sharp reduction in females. Strong correlations were observed between the BMI and the relative weight, and the BMI and the relative weight correlated closely with WHR. The WHR was significantly higher in obese group than in non-obese group. In the female obese group aged 6 to 11 years, no significant correlation was found between the relative weight and the WHR.

Conclusion : There were significant relationships between he indices of obesity and body fat distribution. This study suggests that WHR as well as BMI and relative weight might be useful in assessing the childhood and adolescent obesity.

Background
: Obesity is a risk factor for developing hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. Various diagnostic methods and criteria of obesity have been developed. The predictive values of health risk factors(hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and body fatness) were different for cardiovascular diseases. We reviewed the medical records to assess the relation of health risk factors to waist-hip ratio(WHR) and body mass index (BMI).

Methods : We gathered 5100 cases who have taken medical examination from March 1995 to February 1996 at Ajou University Hospital and measured BMI, WHR, body fat, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar etc.. Except 1350 abnormal cases on current illness and laboratory study, 3750 healthy cases were analysed. First we divided the Healthy cases into obese and non-obese group according to BMI 25kg/m2 in men and women. And then, the obese and non-obese group was divided into central and non-central obese type by WHR 0.8 in women and 0.9 in men.

Results : Except only diastolic blood pressure in male, other lab data such as body fat, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar in male and female were significantly different between the two groups divided by WHR in BMI<25kg/m2. But in BMI>25kg/m2, men had higher(P<0.01) triglyceride at WHR?0.9. Women had higher(P<0.05) triglyceride, systolic and diastolic blood pressure at WHR?0.8.

Conclusion : We thought that the increase of WHR was risk factor for hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus in men and women when BMI was less than 25kg/m2. In obese group(BMI?25kg/m2), increase of WHR was risk factor for hyperlipidemia in men and hyperlipidemia and hypertension in women.

Background
: Nowadays, as public awareness of the Acquired immunedeficiency syndrome(AIDS) epidemic was increasing, athletes have become more concerned about their risk of infection with human immunedeficiency virus(HIV) since it was announced that "Magic Johnson", hero of basketball in the United States, was infected. Because there are no exact cure method about AIDS, the only treatment is prevention through the education and awareness of AIDS. Therefore, we researched the athletes' knowledge of AIDS to provide the basis of preventive methods.

Methods : A questionnaire was given directly to the 110 wrestling and taekwondo athletes attending a sports college.
Result : Athletes are all men and their mean age is 24.6 years old. Concerning the question of latent period, 54.5% had correct answer that AIDS development took more than several years after HIV infection. The person who had educated about the preventive methods of infection during the sports was 4.6%. The person who answered AIDS athletes should be excluded from the sports was 64.5% and the reason of exclusion was the risk of infection through the small bleeding(49.8%), sweating(38.0%), and simple skin contacts(19.7%) during the sports. The correct recognition rate of preventive method of infection during the sports was 51.8 to 62%. Concerning the risk routes and behaviors of infection during daily life, most of them recognized correctly(from 76.3% to 99.0% by each item), but some have also misconception about transfusion(61.0%), skin contact(33%) and mosquitos bite(30%) etc.

Conclusion : Almost all of athletes recognized correctly the risky behavior of sex and blood in transmission of infection, but some have also misconception in daily activities, e.g. transfusion and mosquitos. Many persons answered AIDS infected athletes should be excluded from the sports and they didn't receive any education about preventive methods of AIDS infection during the sports. The knowledge of preventive methods of infection recommended during the sports was relatively high.

Background
: When one of family members must be treated, the others are required to get various forms of changes including modification of their proper roles in the family. Particularily when he or she can not perform his or her activities of daily living(ADL) owing to functional impairment by himself or herself, there seems to be greater dependence upon his or her family. Accordingly, we tried to give help in the treatment of patients through the comparative analysis concerning functional impairment in both groups on the assumption that there is difference of family function between two family groups which have a patient in family, or not.

Methods : This study was carried out to 83 inpatient in Sun Hospital in Dae Jeon and local rehabilitation clinics in Iksan from 1. July. 1995 to 31 Jun. 1996. We evaluated activites of daily living by using modified Barthel Index(MBI) and classified them into dependent group with 60 points or less(Group I), and independent group with more than 60 points(Group II). We also used Family APGAR score and FACES III to evaluate their family functions.

Results : MBI scores to evaluate ADL were 42.9±15.6 in Group I and 82.1±17.9 in Group II. Family APGAR scores were 6.93±2.52 in Group I and 7.24±17.9 in Group II but there was no significance between two groups. Types of family according to Family APGAR score were highly functional, morderte dysfunctional, and severly dysfunctional one in order of frequency in both groups, but thee was no significance in their frequencies in both groups. Types of Family in view of cohesion was disengaged, separated, connected, and enmeshed one in order of frequency in Group I, and were flexible, structured, rigid, and chaotic one in orders in Group II, which showed significance between two groups. Extremal types of family structure were large in numbers in Group I, but it didn't show significance.

Conclusion : Assuming that there were large numbers of rigid and chaotic family in Group I, it is considered that tne family which has a patient with severely impaired function seems to have weaker adaptability to their family stresses than otherwise. Therefore, it is desirable that physicians who take charge of such patients provide continuous and comprehensive medical care for them including their family with greater concerns and through analysis and assessment of their family functions