Background
: Recently, many studies have reported that university students have been suffering from stress because of their the uncertainty of their future and employment. Eating habits have often been considered as one of health-related behaviors that may be affected by life stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between stress and eating habits in university students.

Methods : A cross-sectional study was designed. The subjects were 282 university students which assessed their eating habits and stresses. The total numbs of students in the study 263. Eating habits were scored using a questionnaire consisting of three categories-regularity, balance, and preference. The stress was assessed by modified Korean version of BEPSI.

Results : The stress score was 2.4 and the total score of eating habits was 44.2. The regularity among the domains of eating habits was 14.1, the balance score was 16.1, and the preference was 14.0. In multiple regression after adjustment with confounding variables, stress had a negative relationship with eating habits.

Conclusion : The relationship between stress and eating habits was statistically significant, especially in regularity and balance. It is important to know not only the health status, but also the factors associated with health such as stresses and eating habits in order to improve the health status of the university students. Further research needs to uncover causality and make a generalization.

Background
: Hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease is well known. Our aim of this study was to demonstrate positive association between elevated homocysteine levels and cerebrovascular diseases in Koreans.

Methods : With a case-control design, 186 stroke (infarction 134, hemorrhage 52) patients, diagnosed by brain CT or MRI and 359 control patients were evaluated. We used multiple logistic regression analyses conditioned on the matching variables (sex, age, hypertension, DM, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hyperhomocysteinemia) and calculated odds ratio and 95% CIs.

Results : Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (OR) for cerebrovascular diseases associated with hypertension compared with normal blood pressure were 2.45 (95% CI, 1.16 to 5.15) in prehypertension and 3.33 (95% CI, 1.56 to 7.10) in stage 1 hypertension and 3.77 (95% CI, 1.32 to 10.74) in stage 2 hypertension. OR for cerebrovascular diseases associated with hyperhomocysteinemia compared with ＜10μmol/L were 2.06 (95% CI, 1.09 to 3.91) in 13.0 to 16.9μmol/L and 3.17 (95% CI, 1.70 to 5.90) in ≥17μmol/L.

Conclusion : Not only hypertension but also hyperhomocysteinemia was a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases in Koreans.

Background
: This study was aimed at preparing basic data required for establishment of a cancer screening program by evaluating the screening rate and related factors in rural and urban areas.

Methods : The study population of 2,157 respondents was selected by a random cluster sampling method in one rural area (Gun) and one urban area (Gu). The subjects answered the structured questionnaire. The Andersen model was used to evaluate the related factors.

Results : The results by proportions of the study population who had received cancer screening tests in the last three years were 8.9% for stomach cancer, 10.5% for hepatic cancer, 4.5% for colorectal cancer, 46.3% for cervical cancer and 16.0% for breast cancer. Application of Andersen model revealed that sex, age, education level, economic status, knowledge and alcohol drinking for stomach cancer; sex age, knowledge alcohol drinking, and smoking for liver cancer; sex, age, education level, marital status, knowledge, alcohol drinking, and smoking for colorectal cancer; age, educational level, marital status, area, economic status and attitude for cervical cancer; age, area, attitude and family history for breast cancer were significant.

Conclusion : These results could be used to develop a program that facilitates change of community people's knowledge and attitude and practice of health behavior.

Background
: Density patterns on mammography have been related to the risk factors for breast cancer in the western countries. High mammographic density appears to confer a 4-fold risk of breast cancer. While the proportion of high-density mammography is higher in Korean women than in Caucasian women, the incidence of breast cancer in Korean women is considerably lower. Therefore, we examined if the mammographic breast density pattern correlates with the risk factors for breast cancer in Korean women.

Methods : In a cross-sectional design, we recruited 1,758 pre- and post-menopause women without prior history of breast cancer and breast surgery who underwent screening mammogram and completed a self-administered questionnaire in 6 general hospitals. On the basis of ACR BI RADS breast composition, four density patterns were classified in caudocranial and mediolateral mammography by a designated radiologist in each hospital. Multiple linear logistic regression was used for statistical analyses.

Results : Inter-rater reliability between the initial report and the report made by another blinded radiologist was high (Pearson's co-efficient=0.81). Overall, the age, body mass index, family history of breast cancer, and duration of hormone replacement therapy correlated with the mammographic density patterns. In pre-menopausal women, the high body mass index and parity (=2) were associated with low mammographic density. In post- menopausal women, older age, high body mass index, negative family history of breast cancer, and duration of hormone replacement therapy were associated with low mammographic density.

Conclusion : Our data showed that the mammographic breast density patterns correlated with risk factors for breast cancer in Korean women. While the proportion of high-density mammography is higher in Korean women, the incidence of breast cancer is lower than in the western population. This maybe dependent on other unknown factors.

Background
: Smoking contributes to increased incidence of disease and mortality, as well as to a significant loss in socioeconomic fields. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between stress and smoking behavior.

Methods : We analyzed data from 1997 Korea's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey collected through telephone interview based on the multi-stage stratified random sampling (N=1,055). For the analysis of the data on demographic and economic characteristics and health behavior, χ² test and multiple logistic regression were used to determine the relationship between stress and smoking.

Results : Multiple logistic analysis showed that the group with mid level stress had a 1.52 times (95% CI=1.03∼2.24) greater risk for smoking than the low stress group and the high stress group, a 2.34 times (95% CI=1.14∼4.82) greater risk. There was a higher risk in men than in women, in the group who had experienced divorce or lost of spouse than for those who were married, in those who are employed than unemployed and in drinkers than abstainers.

Conclusion : This study found that the group who experienced higher stress levels carried higher proportion of smokers. Therefore, sound stress management and development and implementation of systematic stress control programs will contribute to health promotion and disease prevention.

Background
: Cancer screening for early detection of cancer is essential in the reduction of cancer mortality, but it cannot be successful without the general public's active participation in performing the screening tests. The aim of this study was to examine the stage of readiness for cancer screening among Korean adults by using one of the stage theories, the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM).

Methods : We developed a survey instrument to assess cancer screening behavior by applying the stages of the PAPM. A total of 1,057 adults participated across four municipalities from two metropolitan cities (Incheon and Busan) and two provinces (Kyeonggi-Do and Kyeongsangnam-Do) in Korea. The individuals were classified according to their stage of readiness to perform cancer screening tests regardless of the specific site of cancer.

Results : Overall, 28.6% of the participants surveyed had been screened for cancer in the two years prior to our survey. Among those who had not been screened, some had never heard of or had not thought about cancer screening (28.6%). Others were considering the possibility of performing cancer screening tests (29.8%) or had decided to perform them but had not yet acted (11.6%), while a few had decided not to perform them (1.5%). The most significant factors influencing whether or not cancer screening was performed were family experience with cancer screening, sex, age, marital status, region, and financial resources.

Conclusion : In order to promote cancer screening in the general population, we should make adequate and appropriate interventions (including information, education, financial supports, etc.) to improve individuals' readiness to perform cancer screening.