• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.360-368
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• 2013

Recently interactive water fountains are gaining popularity in making public facilities in South Korea. The total number of interactive fountains is rapidly growing at the rate of >50% annually. In this study, we performed quantitative microbial risk assessment to estimate infection risks in children by Legionella spp. while playing in interactive fountains. The exposure dose for a given concentration of Legionella in water was calculated using water-aerosol partition rate of Legionella, exposure duration, inhalation rate, and deposit rate of aerosols in the lungs following inhalation. The dose was converted to infection risk by using the dose-response function developed for L. pneumophila. High weight and/or old children, i.e., 12-year children, running around in fountains were the highest risk group by showing >0.05 infection probability for fountain waters containing ${\geq}10^4$ CFU/L Legionella. The result supported the current guideline by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which permits use of water with < $10^3$ CFU/L Legionella cells for all purposes. However, the results still warrant further evaluation of the guideline to accommodate risks for children because the dose-response relationship in the model was developed for healthy adults. Further risk assessment studies need to be conducted by employing dose-response model for children who generally carries weaker immune system than adults.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.935-948
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• 2014

As chronic diseases have become more prevalent and problematic, effective cares for major chronic diseases have been a locus of the healthcare policy. In this regard, this study examines how region-specific characteristics affect the prevalence of hypertension in South Korea. To analyze, we combined a unique multi-year data set including key indicators of health conditions and health behaviors at the 237 small administrative districts. The data are collected from the Annual Community Health Survey between 2009 and 2011 by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government organizations. For the purpose of investigating regional variations, we estimated using Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) and decision tree model. Our finding first suggests that using the multi-year data is more legitimate than using the single-year data for the geographical analysis of chronic diseases, because the significant annual differences are observed in most variables. We also find that the prevalence of hypertension is more likely to be positively associated with the prevalence of diabetes and obesity but to be negatively associated with population density. More importantly, noticeable geographical variations in these factors are observed according to the results from the GWR. In line with this result, additional findings from the decision tree model suggest that primary influential factors that affect the hypertension prevalence are indeed heterogeneous across regional groups. Taken as a whole, accounting for geographical variations of health conditions, health behaviors and other socioeconomic factors is very important when the regionally customized healthcare policy is implemented to mitigate the hypertension prevalence. In short, our study sheds light on possible ways to manage the chronic diseases for policy makers in the local government.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.314-321
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• 2019

Based on data obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted by Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC), this study analyzed the relationship between existence of the spouse, number of family members, and disease afflictions of the Korean elderly, and factors affecting their quality of life. The collected data were analyzed by Chi-square test, t-test and One-way Anova, using the SPSS / WIN 25. Our comparative analysis on the health status and quality of life revealed that individuals in the singles group had significantly more diseases than the married group. The singles group considered their health was subjectively poor, whereas the quality of life of the married group was higher. Analyzing the characteristics of chronic disease and activity restriction showed significantly higher prevalence of several diseases in the singles group. Besides, the singles group revealed significantly higher limitations of activity. Taken together, our results reveal a difference in the health status, quality of life, and the presence of chronic diseases in accordance to existence of the spouse, indicating that having a spouse increases the level of health and quality of life of the elderly.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting childhood asthma and atopic dermatitis. Methods: For this study, data for 1,170 children (1-11 years) from the Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-2, 2011) were analyzed. First correlation matrices were computed to test the normality of every data set and then to be in accordance with the real demographic composition, data were added weight before being analyzed. Results: The child with asthma of a three generation family (OR=3.91, 95% CI [1.33, 11.45], p=.013) compared with a two generation family showed higher asthma development, and maternal asthma (OR=9.71, 95% CI [2.66, 35.40], p=.001) showed higher asthma development in child. The only factor affecting atopic dermatitis was parental perceptions of child health: poor (OR=3.40, 95% CI [1.29, 8.98], p=.014). Conclusion: These results suggest that childhood asthma and atopic dermatitis are both affected by parental perceptions of child health. Accordingly, management and support programs for children who have asthma and/or atopic dermatitis and their families should be comprehensive and also give attention to any other health problems because health perception represents quality of life.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.217-230
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• 2019

This study was conducted to develop a customized severity-adjustment method and to evaluate their validity for acute myocardial infarction(AMI) patients to complement the limitations of the existing severity-adjustment method for comorbidities. For this purpose, the subjects of KCD-7 code I20.0 ~ I20.9, which is the main diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction were extracted using the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury survey data from 2006 to 2015. Three tools were used for severity-adjustment method of comorbidities : CCI (charlson comorbidity index), ECI (Elixhauser comorbidity index) and the newly proposed CCS (Clinical Classification Software). The results showed that CCS was the best tool for the severity correction, and that support vector machine model was the most predictable. Therefore, we propose the use of the customized method of severity correction and machine learning techniques from this study for the future research on severity adjustment such as assessment of results of medical service.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.605-611
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to manufacture a multi-function device (MFD) which can be applied to various types of weight-bearing view of the lower leg, and to compare the results with the images from the existing weight-bearing platforms (WBPs), thereby suggesting a clinical utilization. The MFD was manufactured, by considering the minimum adjustable heights of the platform for weight-bearing foot/ankle, platform for hindfoot alignment view, and X-ray tube of the X-ray device. A foot/ankle phantom was used to take the images of weight-bearing lateral foot in MFD and WBPs to compare the resolutions of the X-ray images using a quick modulation transfer function (MTF) program. Between both the images taken from the MFD and WBPs, there was no statistically significant difference found in the mean cycles per pixel (C/P) and the lines per image height (LPH) of the 50%-Contrast Spatial Frequency (MTF50), and 10-90% of Maximum Energy Rise Distance (10-90%), where p>0.05. The MFD is suggested for its clinical trial as a useful positioning device that can secure the patient's safety and manifoldly perform various inspections. Also, the recommendation of the positioning device as a policy can activate dedicated manufacturers, while also improving the quality of medical services.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.425-436
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• 2015

This study is to investigate how the expenditures for hypertension is affected by socioeconomic, health care resources, and health behavior factors with a special emphasis on geographic variations and to provide the data about regional management for hypertension. To analyze, we combined a unique data set including key indicators from Medical Service Usage Statistics 2012 by Region by National Health Insurance Corporation, Annual Community Health Survey 2012 by Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government organizations at the 247 small administrative districts. We found that the average expenditures of hypertension in 249 small districts is 62,000 won and coefficient of variation is 30.0. Major factors of differences in hypertension expenditure is population density, marital status, household income, number of hospital per 100 thousand, medical expenses outside the jurisdiction, drinking rate, moderate and over-intensity physical activity, and hypertension diagnosis rate. The results of decision tree was that there were significant differences between regions in hypertension diagnosis rate, household income, marital status, number of hospital per 100 thousand, obesity rate, drinking rate. This study concluded that determinants of geographic variations in hypertension spending are not only health resources and socioepidemic characteristics but health behaviors.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.202-209
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• 2018

This study analyzed the effects of the nutrient intake on oral health and chewing difficulty according to the age group. The subjects were 5,855 participants of the third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES VI), 2015, Korea Centers for Disease Control and prevention and aged 20 years and over. The data were analyzed using SPSS Ver 21.0, classified as the difficulty in chewing group (DC) and no difficulty in chewing group (NDC). As a result, the DC rates were 5 times higher in the 60+ year age group (39.5%) than in the 20-39 year age group (8.1%). The DC group were experience periodontal disease (33.4%), dental caries (30.1%), diabetes (41.8%), myocardial infarction (57.3%), arthritis (44.0%), asthma (48.0%), and depression (41.9%). In addition, 86% of the DC group were experiencing speech problems. The DC group had significantly lower intakes (1446.59g), than the NDC group (1666.62g), and the protein, carbohydrate, dietary fiber and other dietary intake were significantly lower. These findings suggest that the chewing difficulty is related to the nutrient intake, and psychological status in the elderly DC group. Therefore, the care of chewing difficulties is essential for the elderly to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Accordingly, oral care and myofunctional therapy are needed to maintain oral health.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.373-383
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• 2013

Purpose: In this study, we analyzed refractive power of school children in low income family. Methods: We have done a comparative analysis with 112 subjects of low-income of 17 elementary schools in the Yeongcheon area and low-income children less than -6 D of refractive errors from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Report 2010. Results: Spherical equivalent (SE) with low-income group of nation was -1.99 D for right eye and -1.81 D for left eye, while high income group of nation showed -1.26 D and -1.21 D for right eye and left eye respectively. The SE with low income group in Yeongcheon area was -1.85 D for right eye and -1.81 D for left eye. The SE with orphan was -2.75 D and -2.42 D. Single parent family was -2.10 D and -1.96 D, and two parent family was -1.75 D and -1.73. Conclusions: The lack of attention to children eye care may be one of cause for myopia, so the role of the parents and teacher is very important. However, limited role of parents to children due to low income, it is necessary to provide an institutional strategy and social interest to prevent children vision' in low income family.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.352-358
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• 2020

Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT) is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited congenital disorder, characterized by impaired blood coagulation due to platelet dysfunction. It was first reported by the pediatrician Glanzmann in 1918. GT affects both males and females, and it is more common in regions of the Middle East, India, and France, where intermarriage is common. It has an incidence of about 1 in 1,000,000 people. In South Korea, according to the Division of Rare Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 200 cases have been reported in 2018. Clinical symptoms include petechia, ecchymosis, epistaxis, and gingival bleeding. The spontaneous loss of deciduous teeth can result in excessive bleeding with that blood transfusion should be considered. Preventing hemorrhages and hemostasis are most important factors in dental treatment. Local bleeding can be controlled by compression, but platelet transfusion can be required by prolonged bleeding. Pediatric dentists can minimize the gingival bleeding by control of the oral hygiene to prevent gingivitis and dental caries. The importance of oral hygiene and periodic recall check-up should be emphasized. During dental treatment, the examination and the treatment plan of patient should be modified to prevention of hemorrhages carefully. A 6-year-old girl with GT was referred for the treatment of dental caries, and resin restoration was performed under nitrous oxide inhalation sedation. After treatment, compression was required for the bleeding control.