Oksoo Kim1,2, Younjhin Ahn3, Hea-Young Lee4, Hee Jung Jang5, Sue Kim6, Jung Eun Lee7, Heeja Jung1,2, Eunyoung Cho8,9,10, Joong-Yeon Lim3, Min-Ju Kim3, Walter C Willett11, Jorge E Chavarro11, Hyun-Young Park3. 1. 1 Korean Nurses Association , Seoul, Republic of Korea. 2. 2 College of Nursing, Ewha Womans University , Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. 3 Division of Cardiovascular and Rare Diseases, Center for Biomedical Sciences, Korea National Institute of Health, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. 4. 4 Department of Nursing, Doowon Technical University , Anseong, Republic of Korea. 5. 5 Department of Nursing, Hallym University , Chuncheon, Republic of Korea. 6. 6 College of Nursing, Yonsei University , Seoul, Republic of Korea. 7. 7 Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul National University , Gwanak-gu, Republic of Korea. 8. 8 Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts. 9. 9 Department of Dermatology, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University , Providence, Rhode Island. 10. 10 Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health , Providence, Rhode Island. 11. 11 Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Korea Nurses' Health Study (KNHS) is a prospective cohort study of female nurses, focusing on the effects of occupational, environmental, and lifestyle risk factors on the health of Korean women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female registered nurses aged 20-45 years and living in the Republic of Korea were invited to join the study, which began in July 2013. They were asked to complete a web-based baseline survey. The study protocols and questionnaires related to the KNHS are based on the Nurses' Health Study 3 (NHS3) in the United States, although they were modified to reflect the Korean lifestyle. Participants were asked about demographic, lifestyle factors, disease history, occupational exposure, reproductive factors, and dietary habits during their adolescence: Follow-up questionnaires were/will be completed at 6-8 month intervals after the baseline survey. If a participant became pregnant, she answered additional questionnaires containing pregnancy-related information. RESULTS: Among 157,569 eligible female nurses, 20,613 (13.1%) completed the web-based baseline questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 29.4 ± 5.9 years, and more than half of them were in their 20s. Eighty-eight percent of the participants had worked night shifts as a nurse (mean, 5.3 ± 4.3 nights per month). Approximately 80% of the participants had a body mass index below 23 kg/m2. Gastrointestinal diseases were the most prevalent health issues (25.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this prospective cohort study will help to identify the effects of lifestyle-related and occupational factors on reproductive health and development of chronic diseases in Korean women.
BACKGROUND: The Korea Nurses' Health Study (KNHS) is a prospective cohort study of female nurses, focusing on the effects of occupational, environmental, and lifestyle risk factors on the health of Korean women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female registered nurses aged 20-45 years and living in the Republic of Korea were invited to join the study, which began in July 2013. They were asked to complete a web-based baseline survey. The study protocols and questionnaires related to the KNHS are based on the Nurses' Health Study 3 (NHS3) in the United States, although they were modified to reflect the Korean lifestyle. Participants were asked about demographic, lifestyle factors, disease history, occupational exposure, reproductive factors, and dietary habits during their adolescence: Follow-up questionnaires were/will be completed at 6-8 month intervals after the baseline survey. If a participant became pregnant, she answered additional questionnaires containing pregnancy-related information. RESULTS: Among 157,569 eligible female nurses, 20,613 (13.1%) completed the web-based baseline questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 29.4 ± 5.9 years, and more than half of them were in their 20s. Eighty-eight percent of the participants had worked night shifts as a nurse (mean, 5.3 ± 4.3 nights per month). Approximately 80% of the participants had a body mass index below 23 kg/m2. Gastrointestinal diseases were the most prevalent health issues (25.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this prospective cohort study will help to identify the effects of lifestyle-related and occupational factors on reproductive health and development of chronic diseases in Korean women.
Entities:
Keywords:
Republic of Korea; cohort; nurses’ health study; occupational exposure; women's health
Authors: Eunyoung Cho; Donna Spiegelman; David J Hunter; Wendy Y Chen; Meir J Stampfer; Graham A Colditz; Walter C Willett Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 2003-07-16 Impact factor: 13.506
Authors: Audrey J Gaskins; Janet W Rich-Edwards; Christina C Lawson; Eva S Schernhammer; Stacey A Missmer; Jorge E Chavarro Journal: Occup Environ Med Date: 2015-08-06 Impact factor: 4.402
Authors: Yoonhee Shin; Bohyun Park; Nam-Eun Kim; Eun Jeong Choi; Minsu Ock; Sun Ha Jee; Sue K Park; Hyeong Sik Ahn; Hyesook Park Journal: J Prev Med Public Health Date: 2022-05-31
Authors: Heeja Jung; Hyunju Dan; Yanghee Pang; Bohye Kim; Hyunseon Jeong; Jung Eun Lee; Oksoo Kim Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-10-21 Impact factor: 3.390