Background
Few studies have investigated the association between religion and health behaviors in Korea, where various religions coexist. The present study aimed to investigate the association between religion and health behaviors among primary care patients in Korea.
Methods
We analyzed data from the Family Cohort Study in Primary Care. Among the 1,040 participants in the cohort, 973 of those who had reported their religion were included in the analysis. Participants completed standardized questionnaires that included religious status and lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, smoking status, drinking status, and dietary habits. The association between religion and health behaviors was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models.
Results
Among the 973 participants, 345 (35.5%) were Christian, 153 (15.7%) were Roman Catholic, 308 (31.7%) were Buddhist, and 163 (16.8%) did not have any religion. Compared with those without a religion, the odds ratio (OR) for vigorous physical activity (OR, 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–2.28) increased, and that for binge drinking (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.46–0.78) and problematic drinking (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.35–0.99) decreased among participants with a religion. Compared with those without a religion, Catholics were more likely to engage in vigorous physical activity (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.31–3.67), whereas Christians were less likely to engage in heavy (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30–0.84), binge (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.22–0.54), and problematic drinking (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.25–0.86). Smoking, meal regularity, and breakfast consumption were not associated with religion.
Conclusion
The status of drinking and physical activities were different according to religion. As religion is one of the psychosocial characteristics of patients, knowing patients’ religion can be helpful for primary physicians.

Citations

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Background
The present study purposed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of biological indicators in identifying Korean female heavy drinkers. Methods: Fifty five drinking women were selected among those who visited the Department of Family Medicine of Chungnam National University Hospital during the period from January to December 2006. We surveyed the alcohol intake during the recent one month. The correlation of alcohol intake with %CDT (carbohydrate- deficient transferrin), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), gamma glutamyl transferase (ՃGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was examined. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve of the biomarkers for heavy drinking (more than 7 drinks per week, one drink= 14 g of alcohol) were also investigated. Results: The mean weekly alcohol intake showed a significant positive correlation with %CDT (r=0.583, P＜ 0.01), MCV (r=0.290, P＜0.05) and AST (r=0.423, P＜0.01). The sensitivity of %CDT, MCV, ՃGT, AST and ALT to heavy drinking were 66.7%, 13.3%, 40.0%, 26.7% and 26.7%, respectively, and the specificity 80.0%, 97.4%, 71.1%, 90.0% and 85.0%, respectively, and positive predictive values 55.6%, 66.6%, 35.3%, 50.0% and 40.0%, respectively, and negative predictive values 86.5%, 74.5%, 75.0%, 76.6% and 75.6%, respectively. The areas under the ROC curve (95% confidence interval) of %CDT, MCV, ՃGT, AST and ALT were 0.873 (0.780∼0.966), 0.806 (0.668∼0.944), 0.549 (0.372∼0.725), 0.519 (0.328∼0.710) and 0.479 (0.293∼0.666), respectively. Conclusion: %CDT is considered as the most useful marker for identifying Korean female heavy drinkers.(J Korean Acad Fam Med 2008;29:412-417)

Background
This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of brief group education on improvement of readiness to change in heavy drinkers. Methods: We selected 37 heavy drinkers categoriged in the state of precontemplation and contemplation stage according to readiness to change questionnaire (RTCQ). The readiness to change was re-evaluated after 4 sessions of drinking education. Results: The mean (±SD) frequency of participation in group education was 3.5 (±0.6). According to the stage of readiness to change, the subjects were distributed into 11 (29.7%) in the stage of precontemplation and 26 (70.3%) in contemplation before participation in the program. After completion of educational program, the readiness to change in the subjects was significantly (P＜0.001) changed into 1 drinker (2.7%) in the stage of precontemplation, 16 (43.2%) in contemplation and 20 (54.1%) in action. The influential factors associated with the improvement of the status of readiness to change was family APGAR score (odd ratio 1.75, 95% CI 1.02-3.03). Conclusion: Above results suggested that the readiness to change in heavy drinkers can be improved by brief group education program. (J Korean Acad Fam Med 2008;29: 342-348)

Background
: Heavy drinking may be a cause of serious health problems in hepatitis B virus carriers. The aim of this study was to reveal the degree of drinking problems in the Korean hepatitis B virus healthy carriers.

Methods : The subjects were 218 hepatitis B virus healthy carriers (124 males and 94 females) recruited from those who visited the Health Promotion Center of Chungnam National University Hospital for a general health check-up. Drinking problems of the subjects were evaluated by the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire.

Results : The AUDIT scores (mean±SD) of the male subjects (9.6±7.9) were significantly (P＜0.001) higher than those of the female subjects (2.7±5.2). The individuals with heavy drinking (more than 14 drinks in males and 7 drinks in females per week) are 24 (19.4%) in males and 5 (5.3%) in females. Alcohol use disorders were suspected in 36 (29.0%) males and 4 (4.3%) females.

Conclusion : It is suggested that, in Korea, clinical attention in primary health care should be focused on reducing the alcohol consumption among the hepatitis B virus carriers, considering a large proportion have drinking problems and the possible harmful effect on their health by heavy drinking.

Background
: The management of problem drinking is very important in family practice and primary care. This research was designed to evaluate the effect of brief intervention on heavy drinking patients in family practice.

Methods : The subjects were composed of 34 Korean males who had findings of alcoholic liver disease in the general health examination. About 5 to 10 minute outpatient interventions consisting of brief advice on drinking problems were delivered in the mean (±SD) frequency of 3.5 (±1.4) times during the 12 weeks. The effect of brief intervention was evaluated by the number of drinking days per week and drinks per drinking day during the 4 weeks before brief intervention and 12 weeks later. The result was compared with the control group (24 males) who had the same condition but did not receive the brief intervention.

Results : The mean (±SD) drinking days per week were significantly (P＜0.001) decreased from 3.5 (±1.7) to 2.0 (±2.1) days and the mean (±SD) drinks per drinking day were significantly (P＜0.001) decreased from 9.5 (±3.5) to 5.1 (±4.3) drinks. The degree of decrease in the subjects was significantly higher than the control group in both drinking days per week (P=0.001) and drinks per drinking day (P＜0.005).

Conclusion : The brief intervention by family physicians is an effective clinical method in the management of heavy drinking patients.