• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.165-177
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• 2023

Objectives: The objective of this study was to develop strategies aimed at reducing disparity of physical activity in urban community. Methods: The study was conducted in a urban vulnerable area, focusing on the establishment and operation of a community health organization through the residents' autonomy council. Training programs were provided to the members of the council to enhance their capabilities. The research project was planned and implemented using a living lab approach. Based on these activities, the health division of residents autonomy council was newly established. Results: The findings demonstrated the potential and feasibility of utilizing the residents' autonomy council as a community-led health organization. A health project model centered on the health division of the residents' autonomy council was developed. Conclusions: This study concluded that it is possible to effectively promote health projects to reduce the health disparity through the resident-led participation strategy on the residents' autonomy council in the community.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.345-352
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• 2020

Under "Emergency Doctor Security Act of 2007", Japanese government focuses on relocating doctors in medically underserved areas and matching supply and demand of manpower in order to resolve the ubiquity of specific treatment departments. Particularly, there are two alternatives to secure the number of local physicians and avoid the regional shortage of doctors in the short term. Firstly, the government attracts existing physicians to the region. Secondly, the government increases the capability of regional clinical training system to prevent the influx of doctors to the larger cities. Also, it seeks solutions from various perspectives, such as cultivating manpower to work in vulnerable areas through the regional frame system and autonomous medical college. This study introduces the case of Japan as a benchmark and suggests that policymakers should focus on the recent conflict between the government and the medical consultation. More specifically, this study provides policy implications on the alternative measures for securing the manpower of regional doctors.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using X-rays is a standard technique implemented for treating head and neck cancer (HN C). Compared to 3D conformal RT, IMRT can significantly reduce the radiation dose to surrounding normal tissues by using a highly conformal dose to the tumor. Proton therapy is a type of RT that uses positively charged particles named protons. Proton therapy has a unique energy deposit (i.e., Bragg peak) and greater biological effectiveness than that of therapy using X-rays. These inherent properties of proton therapy make the technique advantageous for HNC treatment. Recently, advanced techniques such as intensity-modulated proton therapy have further decreased the dose to normal organs with a higher conformal dose to the tumor. The usage of proton therapy for HNC is becoming widespread as the number of operational proton therapy centers has increased worldwide. This paper aims to present the current clinical evidence of proton therapy utility to HNC clinicians through a literature review. It also discusses the challenges associated with proton therapy and prospective development of the technique.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.144-152
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• 2021

Objectives: We did this study to summarize and review and charcterize the community-wide early response to COVID-19 in Dongnae-gu of Busan Metropolitan City where first confirmed case of COVID_19 occurred in Busan. Methods: Research team from college of medicine participated as advisor to response team of local government. Research team consulted and educated and interviewed response team and wrote and reviewed COVID-19 white paper of local government. Results: Political commitment of District mayor made possible community-wide co-operation between public-private section. Early mobilization of District-wide resource was possible through political commitment. Whole-of-government response developoed to whole-of-society approach including economic support. Conclusions: Proactive community-wide response were mobilized under commitment of city mayor of local government to address the first CIVID-19 incidence in Busan Metropolitan City.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.67-77
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the vaccination rate for pneumococcus among aged 65 or older, and at the same time to determine the reasons for vaccination or non-vaccination. Methods: The population of this study was aged 65 or older, with a total of 1,150 subjects to be analyzed and a computer assisted telephone interviewing was used. The survey included pneumococcal vaccination status, reasons of vaccination, sources of information on vaccination, reasons for not vaccination, and other related factors. Results: The vaccination rate for pneumococcus among aged 65 or older was 56.2 percent, lower than 69.0 percent in the U.S. (2017), and 69.2 percent in the U.K. (2019). Among the factors related to the pneumococcal vaccination, the groups with the high vaccination rate were women, low age groups, residents of urban areas, people without a job, people with high education, medical insurance subscribers, married people, and people who have family members. In addition, the groups with high vaccination rates were those with high awareness, those who received recommendations from doctors, those who had vaccination records, those who believed in vaccination effects, and those who saw public service advertisements. Conclusions: In the future, it is necessary to develop alternatives to accurately manage vaccination records for adults who are not eligible for state support, and regular adult vaccination rates should be calculated so that they can be used as evidence for the country's infection control policy.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.37-55
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• 2021

On March 19, 2021, the Korean Bioethics Association and related academic circles published a joint statement criticizing the partial revision of Infectious Disease Control And Prevention Act. However, according to the Bioethics And Safety Act of Korea, research conducted by the state or local governments for public welfare is excluded from human subjects research project. In addition, since the Korean legal system is not based on the dichotomy between research and surveillance, the discussion of the US Common Rule cannot be directly applied to Korea. For the harmonious operation of the state's duty to manage infectious diseases and the Institutional Review Boards, institutional alternatives should be prepared in consideration of the following issues. First, the related academic community should first pay attention to the problems of the current laws in Korea. Second, it should be understood that the state is carrying out many tasks without the consent of the parties in order to fulfill its duty to manage infectious diseases. Third, when presenting institutional alternatives, it is necessary to consider the feasibility of implementation in Korea. An in-depth discussion of the institutional alternatives by the Medical Law Society and other related academic circles is necessary.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the vaccination coverage for hepatitis B among aged 19 or older, and at the same time to determine the reasons for vaccination or non-vaccination. Methods: The survey was conducted through a Mixed-Mode Random Digit Dialing Survey (RDD) method. The survey included hepatitis B vaccination status, reasons of vaccination and non-vaccination, sources of information on vaccination, and other related factors. Results: The vaccination coverage for hepatitis B among adults 19 years of age and older were 38.0%, 32.5%, and 26.9% for the first, second, and third doses. A related factors with high rate of hepatitis B vaccination was women, younger than 65 years of age, rural residents, having a job, highly educated, health insurance subscribers, living with spouse, family members living together. In addition, the vaccination rate was higher in those who was aware of the states recommended adult vaccination, were explained by a doctor about the need for adult vaccination, kept their vaccination records, and recognized that it helped prevent infectious diseases, and had seen promotional materials. Conclusions: In the future, it is necessary to check the antibody retention rate along with the hepatitis B vaccination coverage of adults on a regular basis. In addition, in order to accurately and quickly identify the hepatitis B vaccination coverage, it is necessary to prepare a plan to improve the computerized registration rate to manage adult vaccination records.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to explore whether there are differences in smoking status between two regions of Wonju-City and Chuncheon-City, Gangwon State, and to determine whether the experience of smoking cessation programs in the region affects quit attempts. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional study in which adults aged 19 and older living in two cities were surveyed using a pre-developed mobile app to investigate social capital for smoking cessation, and a total of 600 citizens were participated, including 310 in Wonju-City and 290 in Chuncheon-City. The statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: Wonju-City had a higher prevalence of current smoking than Chuncheon-City. Among smoking cessation programs operated by local public health centers, Wonju-City had a lower odds ratio for experience with smoking cessation education than Chuncheon-City (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.33 to 0.81). When examining the effect of smoking cessation program experience on quit attempts, in Wonju-City, citizens who had completed smoking cessation education and used a smoking cessation clinic were more likely to attempt to quit than those who had not (OR=2.31 and OR=2.29, respectively). In Chuncheon-City, citizens who were aware of smoking cessation support services were 2.26 times more likely to attempt to quit smoking than those who were not, but statistical significance was not reached due to the small sample size. Conclusion: Therefore, healthcare organizations in both regions should develop more practical intervention strategies to increase smokers' quit attempts, reduce smoking rates in the community, and address regional disparities.