Healthcare providers' communication experience in the pediatric intensive care unit: a phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare providers must effectively communicate with other professionals, multidisciplinary teams, and parents of patients in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) to improve outcomes in children and satisfaction levels of parents. Few studies have focused on healthcare providers' communication experiences, which are crucial for identifying current problems and suggesting future directions. This phenomenological study was conducted to address this gap. METHODS: A qualitative study using online and face-to-face interviews was conducted from January to June 2021 by a trained researcher in PICUs of two tertiary hospitals. Participants were five physicians and four registered nurses who worked in the PICUs and had over five years of clinical experience. The interviews were audio recorded with the participant's consent and analyzed by the researchers using Colaizzi's seven-step method. RESULTS: Healthcare providers' communication experiences revealed four categories: facing communication difficulties in PICUs, communication relying on individual competencies without established communication methods, positive and negative experiences gained through the communication process, and finding the most effective communication approach. CONCLUSIONS: Without adequate support or a systematic training program, healthcare providers often have to overcome communication challenges on their own. Therefore, support and training programs should be developed to facilitate better communication in the future.

Impacts of Smoking Ban Policies on Billiard Hall Sales in South Korea Using Objective Sales Information of a Credit Card Company: Quasi-Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Smoking ban policies (SBPs) are potent health interventions and offer the potential to influence antismoking behavior. The Korean government completely prohibited smoking in indoor sports facilities, including billiard halls, since the government revised the National Health Promotion Act in December 2017. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the impact of the SBP on the economic outcomes of indoor sports facilities, particularly billiard halls. METHODS: This study used credit card sales data from the largest card company in South Korea. Data are from January 2017 to December 2018. Monthly sales data were examined across 23 administrative neighborhoods in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. We conducted the interrupted time series model using the fixed effects model and the linear regression with panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE). RESULTS: The sales and transactions of billiard halls were not significantly changed after the introduction of the SBP in the full PCSE models. The R2 of the full PCSE model was 0.967 for sales and 0.981 for transactions. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of the SBP did not result in substantial economic gains or losses in the sales of billiard halls. In addition to existing price-based policies, the enhanced SBP in public-use facilities, such as billiard halls, can have a positive synergistic effect on reducing smoking prevalence and preventing secondhand smoke. Health policy makers can actively expand the application of SBPs and make an effort to enhance social awareness regarding the necessity and benefits of public SBPs for both smokers and the owners of hospitality facilities.

Factors associated with home death in South Korea: Using the exit data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging, 2008-2018.

BACKGROUND: Even though home deaths have been reported to improve quality of life, satisfy patients and families, and reduce healthcare expenditures, not enough is known about the factors that influence home deaths in Korea. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the factors associated with home deaths among middle-aged and older adults in South Korea. METHODS: This secondary data analysis used core interview and exit interview data of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging conducted between 2008 and 2018. The deceased included adults over the age of 45 years. The exit data were obtained from interviews with family members or other acquaintances known to the deceased every two years since 2008. Complex-sample logistic regression was conducted using 1,565 middle-aged and older deceased adults. RESULTS: Among 1,565 decedents, the average age at the time of death was 80.67±10.69 in the home death group, and 78.72±9.83 in the non-home death group. The proportion of home-related deaths was 26.4%. Age over 81 years was associated with increased odds of home death, whereas having two or more living children, living in town/small city, paid medical expenses by children/grandchildren and their spouses, expected death, death from disease, and having three or more chronic diseases were associated with decreased odds of home death. An increase in activities of daily living during three months before death was associated with a decrease in home death. CONCLUSION: The findings could help healthcare professionals develop tailored interventions to help people die at their preferred place of death based on family characteristics and healthcare accessibility. Age, residential area, number of children and children's financial support, and illness-related factors influenced home death by creating differences in access to healthcare resources and support. Policymakers should decrease healthcare disparities and improve health resource allocation and home-based care.

Influence of COVID-19-Related Interventions on the Number of Inpatients with Acute Viral Respiratory Infections: Using Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

After the first COVID-19 patient was diagnosed, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and behavior change campaigns were implemented in South Korea. The social distancing policy restricted unnecessary gatherings and activities to prevent local transmission. This study aims to evaluate the effect of social distancing, a strategy for COVID-19 prevention, on the number of acute respiratory infection inpatients. This study used the number of hospitalized patients with acute respiratory infection from the Infectious Disease Portal of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) between the first week of January 2018, to the last week of January 2021. Intervention 1t represents the first patient occurrence of COVID-19, Intervention 2t represents the relaxing of the social distancing policy. We used acute respiratory infection statistics from Korea and segmented regression analysis was used. The analysis showed that the trend of the number of acute respiratory infection inpatients decreased after the implementation of the first patient incidence of COVID-19 due to prevention activities. After the relaxing of the social distancing policy, the number of inpatients with acute respiratory infections significantly increased. This study verified the effect of social distancing on the reduction in hospital admissions for acute respiratory viral infections.

Effect of COVID-19-Related Interventions on the Incidence of Infectious Eye Diseases: Analysis of Nationwide Infectious Disease Incidence Monitoring Data.

Objective: Social distancing has been confirmed to reduce the incidence of not only the COVID-19, but also the incidence of other diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of social distancing policies on the incidence of infectious eye diseases by monitoring their nationwide incidence data in all age groups. Methods: In this study, to analyse the impact of COVID-19 policy on IEDSC, the time periods were divided into two interventions. The first intervention was the first COVID-19 patient report in Korea on 19 January 2020. The second intervention was relaxation of the social distancing policy on 6 May 2020. Segmented regression analysis of the interrupted time series was used to assess COVID-19 policies on the IEDSC. Results: After the first incidence of a COVID-19 patient, IEDSCs decreased significantly in all age groups, while the relaxation of the social distancing policy increased IEDSCs significantly, mostly in all groups. Conclusion: In the post-COVID-19 era, we hope that national-level interventions such as reducing air pollution and employing precautionary measures will significantly reduce the financial burden of developing infectious ophthalmic diseases.

Effectiveness of educational interventions for quality of life of parents and children with food allergy: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Educational intervention along with medical treatment is important to improve the quality of life of children with food allergies and their parents. This systematic review was designed to investigate the effects of education programs for parents and children with food allergies to provide a direction for developing an intervention program to improve their quality of life. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant studies published between January 2010 and August 2021 were identified through a systematic search of 5 databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial, and Psycho Info). RESULTS: A total of 2351 articles were identified. Of these, 9 met the inclusion criteria after duplicates were removed. Among these, only 2 studies, using the support and handbook provided, showed significant results on quality of life. DISCUSSION: There is a lack of educational interventions for children with food allergies and their parents. Educational intervention, an essential intervention, can maximize medical treatment and improve overall quality of life. Hence, these interventions should be actively developed and applied in the future.

Association between the Human Development Index and Confirmed COVID-19 Cases by Country.

It is important to understand the ultimate control of COVID-19 in all countries around the world in relation to the characteristics of developed countries, LDCs, and the variety of transmission characteristics of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors associated with confirmed cases of COVID-19 with a focus on the Human Development Index (HDI). The units of analysis used for the current study were countries, and dataset were aggregated from multiple sources. This study used COVID-19 data from Our World in Data, the Global Health Security Index, and the WORLD BANK. A total of 171 countries were included in the analysis. A multi-variable linear regression with a hierarchical framework was employed to investigate whether the HDI is associated with confirmed COVID-19 cases after controlling for the demographic and healthcare system characteristics of the study countries. For Model 2, which controlled for demographic and healthcare system characteristics, HDI (ß = 0.46, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 2.64−10.87) and the number of physicians per 1000 people (ß = 0.34, p < 0.01, 95% CI = 0.21−0.75) had significant associations with the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people. Countries with a high HDI level are able to conduct higher per capita testing, resulting in higher numbers of confirmed cases than in countries with lower HDI levels. This study has shown evidence that could be used by governments and international organizations to identify national characteristics and provide the international cooperation necessary to develop effective prevention and intervention methods to deal with the global pandemic.

Contributing Factors in Whether Displaced Households Want to Receive Humanitarian Information from Humanitarian Actors: Iraq Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment.

Due to political conflict, insurgency, and the COVID-19, the number of displaced households in need of humanitarian support in Iraq has increased. This study investigated factors related to desire of displaced households to receive humanitarian information. Data from the eighth round of the Iraq Multi-Cluster Needs Assessment was used. We classified the household displacement status, identifying levels and types of humanitarian information that the households sought, together with whether the households were impacted by COVID-19. We identified safety and security, housing, water and electricity services, education, health care, and levels of humanitarian assistance resulted in significant differences between internally displaced person (IDP) and returnee households in terms of interest in receiving humanitarian information. The desire to receive humanitarian information was related to whether household members were unemployed due to COVID-19, displacement status, and walking time to reach the nearest health care facility and marketplace. Returnees and IDPs in Iraq are facing a new crisis. Their individual, structural, and environmental vulnerabilities are increasing commensurately. New strategies such as strategies using online or mobile communication that provide humanitarian information are needed to provide humanitarian information to vulnerable groups such as those who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, female heads of households, and those with health problems. In addition to traditional cash and voucher support, the use of the latest technologies such as smartphones and mobile clinics in humanitarian settings would be new strategies.

Nursing students' witnessed experience of patient death during clinical practice: A qualitative study using focus groups.

BACKGROUND: Witnessing the death and dying of patients is a strong, often overwhelming experience during clinical practice. It is necessary to explore how nursing students experience care for dying patients and to understand their perceptions of death and dying. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the experiences of nursing students who witness dying patients and terminal care in their clinical practice. DESIGN: A qualitative study using focus group discussion methodology. SETTING(S): A university in Seoul, South Korea. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 16 nursing students with more than 1 year of clinical practice experience participated. Their median age was 21.9 years (range 21-24), and all were women. METHODS: A qualitative study using three focus groups (10 juniors in two focus groups and 6 seniors in one focus group) was conducted from December 2018 to January 2019. Data were analyzed using the Colaizzi analysis method. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in 26 themes, 9 theme clusters, and 3 categories. Three categories emerged: 1) Experience the distance death up close; 2) Dilemma at the end of life; and 3) Strategy on a better end to life. CONCLUSIONS: For nursing students, it is necessary to develop and apply internal and external reinforcement programs on providing person-centered care so that they can accept the death of others with equanimity. Nursing students, who are future nurses, should receive education covering various aspects of clinical scenarios involving dying patients and their family members.

Factors affecting weekday-to-weekend sleep differences among Korean adolescent students: Focus on extracurricular tutoring time.

OBJECTIVES: Discrepancy in weekday-weekend sleep induces negative effects on physical health, obesity, psychological disorders, and academic performance; this particularly affects adolescent students through extracurricular tutoring, including evening self-study, private tutoring, and home studies. The present research aimed to clarify sociodemographic and economic factors, including extracurricular tutoring time, associated with weekday-to-weekend sleep differences using longitudinal data. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS) data were analyzed. Weekday-to-weekend sleep differences and extracurricular tutoring, as well as other covariates, were measured using adolescent's self-report questionnaires. Multilevel regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) of repeated measures were used to test the hypothesized relationship between variables. RESULTS: The time spent in weekly extracurricular tutoring was negatively associated with weekday-to-weekend sleep differences. However, increased tutoring time was positively associated with bedtime, and bedtime was in turn positively associated with differences in Korean adolescents' weekday-to-weekend sleep patterns. The SEM analysis result showed a significant indirect effect of tutoring time on sleep differences via bedtime. CONCLUSIONS: Limiting weekly extracurricular tutoring time is important to early bedtime and reducing weekday-to-weekend sleep pattern differences. Policymakers should develop alternatives to private tutoring to improve the sleep duration and reduce weekday-to-weekend sleep differences among adolescents.

Feasibility of an Intervention Study to Support Families When Their Loved One Has Life-sustaining Therapy Withdrawn.

This investigation addressed family member perceptions of preparation for withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in the intensive care unit. These families are at a high risk for psychosocial and physical sequelae. The quantitative results of this mixed methods study are reported. A control group received usual care and an educational booklet component of the intervention. The experimental group received the above plus exposure to comfort cart items and additional psychological support. Twenty-eight family members enrolled over a 13-month period. Sixty-one percent (10 intervention, 7 control) completed the follow-up. Fourteen family members (82%) recalled the booklet. Some family members reported moderate to severe depression (12.5%), anxiety (12.5%), and stress (12.6%). Satisfaction with care (83.7%-85.2%) and family member well-being (44.1) were within the norm. Short Form-36 physical component score was higher than the norm, and the mental component score was lower than the norm. This study demonstrated feasibility and acceptability of the interventions and follow-up questionnaires when families make the difficult decision to withdraw treatment. Strategies are suggested to strengthen statistical power.

Relationships between Extra-School Tutoring Time, Somatic Symptoms, and Sleep Duration of Adolescent Students: A Panel Analysis Using Data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey.

As private tutoring has expanded worldwide, it has been noted that private tutoring and associated emotional distress can affect sleep duration and the health of adolescent students. However, the relationships between extra-school tutoring time, somatic symptoms, defined as physical symptoms of emotional distress, and sleep duration in adolescents has rarely been determined. The aim of this study was to identify these relationships in adolescent students. Data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey were analyzed to address the research questions. Weekday sleep duration, extra-school tutoring time, and somatic symptoms were measured using adolescents' self-report questionnaires. A multilevel, structural equation model was utilized to test the relationships between these variables and was deemed appropriate considering the repeated measure of the panel data. After controlling for respondent sex, parent working status and education level, and family structure, adolescents' extra-school tutoring time and level of somatic symptoms were associated with sleep duration during weekdays. Furthermore, the association between extra-school tutoring time and sleep duration was partially mediated by somatic symptoms. Korean adolescent students slept less than the recommended duration. Intervention programs that increase parental interest and attention in adolescent students' lives, not only focused on academic achievement but also emotional distress is needed. Researchers and policymakers should understand recommended age-appropriate sleep duration and the educational culture and provide balanced strategies between the consideration of the effect of private education on academic achievement and the need to guarantee physical and mental health in adolescent students.

Sex Differences in Factors Associated with General Life Satisfaction among Occupationally Injured Workers in Korea: A Panel Analysis of the 2013-2017 Panel Study of Worker's Compensation Insurance.

The majority of previous occupational studies focused on factors affecting life satisfaction among occupationally injured workers have been based on a cross-sectional design, not a sex-aggregated model. This study aimed to identify sex differences in factors related to life satisfaction among workers who experienced work-related injuries using nationally representative panel data from South Korea. Data from the first to fifth (2013-2017) waves of the Panel Study of Worker's Compensation Insurance were analyzed. Of 1514 respondents, those who participated in all five survey waves were included in the final study population. To assess the factors associated with general life satisfaction of the occupationally injured workers, a panel data analysis was conducted using generalized estimating equations. The impacts of education level, return to work, self-rated health, task performance, self-esteem, and self-efficacy were significant in both sexes. On the other hand, the influence of age, marital status, personal labor income, and National Basic Livelihood Act recipient status significantly varied by sex. There were sex differences in factors related to general life satisfaction among occupationally injured workers, highlighting the need for sex-specific intervention programs. Employers, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders need to pay attention to vulnerable groups and investigate the most appropriate financial support.

Factors Associated with Single-Use and Co-Use of Tobacco and Alcohol: A Multinomial Modeling Approach.

Tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption are among the most important public health concerns not only in South Korea but also globally. This study identified the factors associated with single-use and co-use of tobacco and alcohol in Korean adults and provided more accurate estimates using a multinomial modeling approach. This study used the Korea Community Health Survey Data 2017, of which 205,336 respondents were selected as the sample for a multinomial logistic regression analysis. For the group that identified as only drinking monthly compared to the reference group, we found that the direction of the following factors was opposite to that of the results of the only currently smoking group: Age, marital status, educational level, monthly household income, occupation, obesity, self-rated health, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. For the currently smoking and drinking monthly group relative to the reference group, the overall direction was a mix of the results of only currently smoking and only drinking monthly. These findings support the development of policies that consider the risk of smoking tobacco and consuming alcohol simultaneously.

Determinants of timeliness in early childhood vaccination among mothers with vaccination cards in Sindh province, Pakistan: a secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data.

OBJECTIVE: Untimely vaccination refers to receiving the given dose before (early) or after (delayed) the recommended time window. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of timeliness of childhood vaccinations and examine the determinants of vaccination timeliness in Sindh province, Pakistan. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2013 and 2014 Maternal and Child Health Program Indicator Surveys. SETTING: Community-based maternal and child health surveys. PARTICIPANTS: Among 10 200 respondents of Maternal and Child Health Program Indicator Surveys, 1143 women who had a live birth in the 2 years preceding the survey were included. OUTCOMES: At the participants' home, an interviewer asked mothers to show their children's vaccination cards, which contained information regarding vaccinations. Children's vaccination status was categorised into timely or early/delayed compared with vaccination schedule. A logistic regression analysis using Firth's penalised likelihood was performed to identify factors associated with timeliness of vaccinations. RESULTS: 238 children (20.8% of children who received a full set of basic vaccinations) received all vaccinations on schedule among children who received a full set of basic vaccinations. The percentages of timely vaccinations ranged from 2.3% for second measles vaccination to 89.3% for bacillus Calmette-Guérin. Child's age and place of delivery were associated with timely vaccinations. Older child age and institutional delivery were associated with decreased timely vaccination rate. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based vaccination record is a key tool to improve the timeliness of vaccinations. The redesigned vaccination cards, the new electronic registries for vaccination card information and the vaccination tracking system to remind the second/third vaccination visits may be helpful to improve timely vaccinations for children under 2 years old.

Factors Affecting Breastfeeding Practices in Sindh Province, Pakistan: A Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey Data.

Breastfeeding practices are critical for child health and growth. This paper investigates demographic factors, socioeconomic status, and information sources that affect breastfeeding practices in Sindh Province, Pakistan. A secondary analysis was performed of data on 10,028 women with a birth in the preceding two years who had participated in the 2013-14 Maternal and Child Health Program Indicator Survey. Multiple logistic regressions were used to test the association between breastfeeding status (ever breastfed and still breastfeeding) and age, number of living children, residence, education, wealth, information sources about breastfeeding, assistance during delivery, and place of delivery. Of the 9955 women included in the analysis, 97.9% had breastfed and 83.9% were still breastfeeding at the time of the survey. Being in the second, third, or fourth wealth quintiles and receiving breastfeeding information from relatives and friends were associated with ever breastfeeding. Women who were 35 years or older, living in a town/small city, higher maternal education, middle wealth quintile, and receiving breastfeeding information from the media were associated with still breastfeeding. The findings suggest the need to develop interventions considering maternal socioeconomic status and peer counseling interventions. Mass media campaigns to promote breastfeeding practices should be accompanied by governmental restrictions on the marketing of infant formula.

Impact of Socio-Economic Factors and Health Information Sources on Place of Birth in Sindh Province, Pakistan: A Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey Data.

Medical facility birth with skilled birth attendance is essential to reduce maternal mortality. The purpose of this study was to assess the demographic characteristics, socio-economic factors, and varied health information sources that may influence the uptake of birth services in Pakistan. We used pooled data from Maternal-Child Health Program Indicator Survey 2013 and 2014. Study population was 9719 women. Generalized linear model with log link and a Poisson distribution was used to identify factors associated with place of birth. 3403 (35%) women gave birth at home, and 6316 (65%) women gave birth at a medical facility. After controlling for all covariates, women's age, number of children, education, wealth, and mother and child health information source (doctors and nurses/midwives) were associated with facility births. Women were significantly less likely to give birth at a medical facility if they received maternal-child health information from low-level health workers or relatives/friends. The findings suggest that interventions should target disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of women after considering rural-urban differences. Training non-health professionals may help improve facility birth. Further research is needed to examine the effect of individual information sources on facility birth, both in urban and rural areas in Pakistan.

Seeing the Patient and Family Through: Nurses and Physicians Experiences With Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Therapy in the ICU.

Withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy at the end of life is a complex phenomenon. Intensive care nurses and physicians are faced with caring for patients and supporting families, as these difficult decisions are made. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experience of critical care nurses and physicians participating in the process of withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to guide this qualitative investigation. Interviews were conducted with critical care nurses and physicians from 2 medical centers. An inductive approach to data analysis was used to understand similarities between the nurses and the physicians' experiences. Methodological rigor was established, and data saturation was achieved. The main categories that were inductively derived from the data analysis included from novice to expert, ensuring ethical care, uncertainty to certainty, facilitating the process, and preparing and supporting families. The categories aided in understanding the experiences of nurses and physicians, as they worked individually and together to see patients and families through the entire illness experience, withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy decision-making process and dying process. Understanding the perspectives of health-care providers involved in the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy process will help other health-care providers who are striving to provide quality care to the dying and to their families.

Factors affecting complete and timely childhood immunization coverage in Sindh, Pakistan; A secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data.

BACKGROUND: Pakistan has a high burden of newborn mortality, which would be significantly preventable through appropriate routine immunization. The purpose of this study was to measure the basic timely childhood immunization coverage and to identify determinants of factors influencing childhood immunization coverage in Sindh, Pakistan. METHODS: Data from Maternal and Child Health Program Indicator Survey 2013-2014 which was conducted in Sindh province of Pakistan was used. Outcome measure was full coverage of the basic immunization schedule from child's vaccination card. The association of receiving basic immunization with demographic factors, socioeconomic status, mother and child health information sources, and perinatal care factors were tested by binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 2,253 children, 1,156 (51.3%) received age-based full basic immunization. The basic immunization rates were 69.1% for under five weeks old, 38.3% for six to nine weeks, 18.8% for 10-13 weeks, 44.0% for 14 weeks-eight months, 60.4% for nine to 11 months, and 59.1% for over one year. Child's age, number of living children, parents' education level, wealth, the source of mother and child health information, number of antenatal care, and assistance during delivery were associated with completing basic immunization. CONCLUSIONS: The overall full basic immunization coverage in Pakistan was still low. Policy makers should identify children at risk of low immunization coverage and obstacles of receiving antenatal care, implement educational interventions targeting on less educated parents, and conduct mass immunization campaigns for timely and complete immunization.

Relationship between body image and weight status in east Asian countries: comparison between South Korea and Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: There are many studies examining the relationship between body image and weight status that compare Western and Asian countries. One limitation of these past studies was assuming that all Asian countries are a homogeneous group. To fill the gap in the literature, this study examined the relationship between body image and weight status between participants from two Asian countries. METHODS: This study utilized data from the 2010 module of the East Asian Social Survey from South Korea (n = 1576) and Taiwan (n = 2199), which contained questions related to body image. Body image was originally measured using a five-point Likert-type question, which was collapsed into three categories for the analysis. Weight status was derived from body mass index scores, which were calculated using self-reported weight and height. A set of multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between body image and weight status, stratified by country. RESULTS: A significant relationship between body image and weight status after controlling for relevant covariates was reaffirmed in this study in the South Korean and Taiwanese. Results indicated that the relationship between body image and weight status of the Taiwanese sample was similar to the relationship in the South Korean sample. However, the results from a further analysis showed that the strength of the relationship across the two Asian countries appeared to be different. CONCLUSIONS: The weight over-perception was more evident in South Korea than in Taiwan. Females were more vulnerable to societal pressures for thinness and the misperception of the ideal body than males. Interventions to improve distorted body image perception were needed in both countries.