• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2012

Objectives: While there have recently been efforts to improve public health service at a governmental level, there is actually insufficient research on awareness of the roles related to public health service among hospital employees. This study examined role perception and function performance related to public health service among the medical staff in a national hospital. Methods: 15% were randomly sampled from each type of occupation among the medical staff in a national university hospital, a survey was conducted in 323 persons, and there were a total of 265 participants (80.2%): 103 doctors(38.9%), 98 nurses (37.0%), and 64 others (24.1%). Results: The hospital employees had insufficient awareness of their roles as public health service providers in terms of six required items for public health service: 1) services for supporting establishment, implementation, and assessment of public health service policies, 2) participation in the health service activities and support services by central or local governments, 3) technological support and educational services for private health service institutions, 4) health service for unprivileged brackets, 5) health service that requires association with other areas dealing with geriatric, disabled, and mentally-disordered people, and 6) health service for children and mothers. Conclusions: In general, since the hospital employees had insufficient awareness of their roles and responsibilities as public health service providers, it is necessary to secure manpower exclusively in charge of public health service and provide education about strategic public health service.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1-34
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• 2010

We conduct a comprehensive risk analysis of household debt in Korea for the first time using the whole sample credit bureau (CB) data of 2.2 million individual debtors. After analysing debt service capacity profiles of debtor groups classified by the borrower characteristics such as income, age, occupation, credit scoring, and the type of creditor business companies, we investigate the impact of interest rate and income changes on debt service-to-income ratios (DTIs) and default rates of respective debtor groups. Empirical results indicate that debt service burdens are relatively high for low income wage earners, high income self-employed, low income capital and card loan holders, and high income mutual savings loan holders. We also find that debtors from multiple financial companies are particularly weak in their debt service capacity. The scenario analysis indicates that financial companies, with the current level of capital buffers, may be able to absorb negative consequences arising from the increase in DTIs and loan default rates if the interest rate and income changes remain modest. However, the negative consequences may fall disproportionately on non-bank financial companies such as capital, credit card, and mutual savings banks, whose debtors' DTIs are already high. We also find that the refinancing risk of household debt is relatively high in Korea as more than half of household mortgage debts are bullet loans. As the DTIs of mortgage loan holders are already high, under the current DTI regulation, mortgage loans may not be readily refinanced especially when the interest rate rises. Disruptions in mortgage loan refinancing may put downward pressure on housing prices, which may in turn magnify refinancing risk under the current loan-to-value (LTV) regulation. Overall our analysis suggests that, for more effective monitoring of household debt risk, it is necessary to combine existing surveillance schemes based on macro aggregate indicators with more comprehensive and detailed risk analyses based on micro individual data.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1000-1007
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• 2005

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship of maternal factors such as knowledge, attitude and practice of weaning with infant feeding. The subjects were 103 mothers visiting a public health center in Gumi, Kyungbook who filled out self-administered Questionnaires. First of all, about $90\%$ of the participants recognized the importance of complementary foods and proper weaning practices. The response for the recognition of the importance of infant weaning process showed a significant difference by education levels. Concerning an appropriate time for the introduction of weaning foods, $53\%$ of mothers had commenced weaning at age $4\~6$ months, while $38\%$ had done so at age $6\~8$ months. Approximately $76\%$ of mothers fed their babies without the knowledge of age-related weaning method and type of weaning foods. There were no statistical differences in maternal weaning knowledges between levels of education and house income. Mothers with higher levels of education and family income tended to show high perception scores regarding possibility of food allergies caused by baby foods. A demand for reliable sources and education related to nutritious weaning foods and weaning practices were strong in the group with higher education. Knowledge of weaning method and baby foods were obtained by 59 of the 103 mothers from mass media, 35 from friends caring babies, and 9 obtained advice from health professionals or family. Advice from the heath professionals was not the main influence on their decision to introduce weaning foods. Although commercial baby foods are the most commonly used as first weaning foods, those with higher education groups considered commercial baby food are not nutritionally better than home-maid foods. The current findings suggest to us that to improve weaning process, mothers should be educated on the selection and preparation of nutritious, balanced weaning foods and on good weaning practices. It is advised that supportive health professionals from community public health centers should lead the education of infant feeding practices based on maternal characteristics and on basic food and nutritional knowledge.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.483-493
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine trends in dietary vitamin E intakes and contributing food groups among Korean adults. Methods: This study included 66,695 subjects aged ${\geq}19years$ who completed a nutrition survey as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1998, 2001, 2005, 2007~2009, 2010~2012, 2013~2015). We estimated individual daily intakes of ${\alpha}-$, ${\beta}-$, ${\gamma}-$, ${\delta}-tocopherol$, and total vitamin E by linking food consumption data with a vitamin E database of commonly consumed foods. Results: Daily vitamin E intake significantly increased from $6.4mg\;{\alpha}-TE/d$ in 1998 to $7.7mg\;{\alpha}-TE/d$ in 2013~2015 (p for trend < 0.0001) among men as well as from $5.4mg\;{\alpha}-TE/d$ in 1998 to $6.5mg\;{\alpha}-TE/d$ in 2013~2015 among women (p for trend < 0.0001). However, the intake of vitamin E was lower than the adequate intake (AI) of Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans 2015 (2015 KDRI). In 2013~2015, men consumed 6.5 mg/d of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$, 0.5 mg/d of ${\beta}-tocopherol$, 6.0 mg/d of ${\gamma}-tocopherol$, and 3.9 mg/d of ${\delta}-tocopherol$, whereas women consumed 5.7 mg/d of ${\alpha}-tocopherol$, 0.4 mg/d of ${\beta}-tocopherol$, 4.8 mg/d of ${\gamma}-tocopherol$, and 2.8 mg/d of ${\delta}-tocopherol$. The major food groups contributing to vitamin E intake were vegetables (men: 23.3%, women: 22.7%), grains (men: 14.5%, women: 13.9%), and eggs (men: 13.0%, women: 12.5%). Conclusion: This study provides scientific evidence for vitamin E intake in Korean adults. Since the current intake of vitamin E was lower than the reference intakes set by 2015 KDRI, dietary vitamin E intake should be monitored regularly among Korean adults.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.217-227
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• 2023

The consumption of ready-to-eat side dishes is rapidly growing in South Korea. These foods are particularly vulnerable to microbiological contamination as they are often cooked without any treatment, such as heating or stored at room temperature after cooking. Hence, in 2022, we analyzed the ready-to-eat side dishes sold in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea for microbiological contamination. We collected 100 samples from supermarkets in 7 cities, and then examined them for presence of food-borne pathogens and sanitary indicator bacteria. In the analysis of the food-borne pathogens, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were isolated from 51 samples (51.0%) and 3 samples (3.0%), respectively. However, both quantitatively met the Korean Food Standards Codex. Genes of five different enterotoxins and one emetic toxin were analyzed from the 51 isolated B. cereus strains. We detected enterotoxin entFM (100.0%), nheA (94.1%), hblC (58.8%), cytK (56.9%), and bceT (41.2%) in 51 isolates, and emetic toxin gene, CER, in only one (2.0%) isolate. We did not detect C. perfringens toxin gene (cpe) that causes food poisoning in any one of the three C. perfringens isolates. In the case of sanitary indicator bacteria, Kimchi had the highest levels of total aerobic bacteria and coliforms, followed by Saengchae, Jeotgal, Jeolim, Namul, and Jorim, respectively. We counted total aerobic bacteria at two different storage temperatures (4℃ and 20℃) to determine the effect of storage temperature. When stored at 20℃, total aerobic bacteria count increased in most of the ready-to-eat side dishes, except for Jeotgal. This result conclusively shows the need for refrigerating the ready-to-eat side dishes after purchase. Further research is needed to assess the risk and safety of the ready-to-eat side dishes available in the market and determine appropriate safety management practices.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.83-96
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• 2016

Through the research and analysis on the vegetation environment, flora of habitats through documentary and field studies over 14 habitats of Euryale ferox Salisbury within Jeollabukdo, with the objective of acquiring the basic data for forming an environment based on plantation of reservoirs that are composed with Euryale ferox, the following results were obtained. 1. The entire flora of the 14 habitats appeared to be 79 families, 211 genus, 298 species, two subspecies, 30 varieties and six forma, thus, a total of 336 taxa was confirmed. Among these, emergent water plants appeared to compose 17 taxa, floating-leaved plants to compose seven taxa including Euryale ferox floating plants to compose five taxa and submerged water plants to compose two taxa. As a result of analyzing the similarity only over the water plants. The lowest similarity rate appeared between Gamdong Reservoir and Aedang Reservoir, as the similarity rate between the two regions appeared to be 0% as a result of the analysis. Floating-leaved plants, lotuses and caltrops, appeared to be equally inhabiting in Hanseongji at Jeongeup and Seoknam Reservoir at Gochang, which showed the highest similarity rate, in addition to Euryale ferox. 2. When examining the appearance frequency of aquatic plants per growth type, Actinostemma lobatum and Phragmites communis, in addition to Euryale ferox each appeared 11 times, showing a high frequency of 78.6% and Trapa japonica, which is a floating-leaved water plant, appeared ten times(71.4%) and Zizania latifolia appeared eight times(57.1%). In addition, the appearance rate appeared to be high in the order of Persicaria thunbergii, Leersia sayanuka, Ceratophyllum demersum, Echinochloa crusgalli var. oryzicola, Scirpus maritimus, and Nelumbo nucifera. 3. The rare plants discovered in the Euryale ferox habitats pursuant to the IUCN evaluation standards was confirmed to be composed of five taxa, with three taxa including the least concerned species(LC), Melothria japonica at Yanggok Reservoir, Hydrocharis dubia at Myeongdeokji and Ottelia alismoides at Daewi Reservoir, in addition to vulnerable species(VU), Utricularia vulgaris at Sangpyeong Reservoir, along with Euryale ferox. 4. Most of the group or community types of the natural habitats of Euryale ferox appeared to be the Euryale ferix community' and the Daewi Reservoir of Gunsan was defined as caltrop + Euryale ferox + Nymphoides indica community. The green coverage ratio of Euryale ferox per natural habitats showed a considerably huge deviation from 0.03 to 36.50 and as the average green coverage ratio was appropriated as 9.8, it can be considered that maintaining the green coverage ratio of Euryale ferox in a 10% level would be advisable when forming a reservoir with Euryale ferox as the key composition species. 5. The vegetation community nearby the natural habitats of Euryale ferox per research subject area appeared to be composed of three Leersia japonica communities, two communities each for Zizania latifolia community and Trapa japonica community and one community each for Nelumbo nucifera community, Nymphoides peltata + Typha orientalis community, Trapa japonica + Nelumbo nucifera community, Hydrocharis dubia community, Leersia japnica + Paspalum distichum var. indutum community and Euryale ferox + Trapa japonica community, showing a slight difference depending on the location conditions of each reservoir. Thus, this result may be suggested as a guideline to apply when allocating the vegetation ratio and the types of floating-leaved plants upon planting plants in reservoirs with Euryale ferox as the main companion species.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2004

Objectives: This study was to identify socioeconomic factors and health-related behaviors influencing on HRQOL(health-related quality of life) for the older adults in rural area. Methods: 483 subjects aged over 65 years responded a direct interview, which covered HRQOL, BMI, socioeconomic characteristics, and health-related behaviors including smoking, drinking, and exercise. Results: Overall, the mean number of healthy days were 15.1 days and not significantly different by sex. Men didn't show a significant difference in HRQOL by age group. But women reported lower levels of healthy days and higher levels of activity limitation and physical unhealthy days with increasing age. Results from ANCOVA showed HRQOL to be significantly associated with education, job, and family type. Men presented no significant difference in HRQOL by health-related behaviors, but women who have been drinking, or have less number of chronic diseases reported higher mean healthy days and lower activity limitation days, physical unhealthy days, and mental unhealthy days. Older adults who reported good to excellent self-rated health were higher healthy days and lower activity limitation, physical unhealthy days, and mental unhealthy days than those who reported fair to poor health status. Conclusions: The HRQOL for the older adults in rural area was related to socioeconomic characteristics, health-related behaviors and self-rated health status. A better understanding of factors related to HRQOL would help to improve the older adults' quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.66-73
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• 2004

As one of the typical farming practices in the sloped upland in Pyeongchang and Hongcheon area, application of piling with coarse saprolite materials has been practiced by farmers for several reasons such as reduction of damage by monocropping, better development of plant roots, and better drainage. However, adverse effect on application of coarse saprolite soil materials to environmental aspects should not be ignored. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical properties of coarse saprolite materials in upland fields in Pyeongchang area. According to particle size distribution of coarse saprolite materials, averaged gravel contents for Pyeongchang and Hongcheon county were 16.7 and 25.3%, respectively. There was no significant difference in gravel contents by soil depth, and CV values for each particle size ranged from 20 to 40%, which implied that application of coarse material with similar properties. When we compared CEC values of dressed soil with or without considering gravel content, CEC values decreased as increasing gravel contents. The penetration resistances were 0.04-7.48 MPa at the 0 to 10 cm surface soil, and 0.10 to 8.80 MPa at the depth below 11 cm. The bulk density of the soil was $1.15g\;cm^{-3}$ at the surface soil and 1.29 to $1.35g\;cm^{-3}$ at the soil depth below 10 cm. The organic matter content, cation exchange capacity, and avaliable $P_2O_5$ concentrations of soil in upland where piling with saprolite materials of Pyeongchang area applied were $12.4g\;kg^{-1}$, $7.1cmol_c\;kg^{-1}$, and $526mg\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. Cation exchange capacity was lower than that of averaged Korean upland soil, while available $P_2O_5$ concentration was relatively higher than that of averaged Korean upland, which indicated high input of various fertilizers.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.81-95
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• 2014

Purpose: Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients are vulnerable to invasive infection by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp). This study was performed to evaluate immune responses after Hib and Sp vaccination in Korean pediatric HCT recipients. Methods: Patients were prospectively enrolled at Samsung Medical Center during 2009-2011. ELISA tests to detect anti-PRP IgG antibody and antibodies to Sp serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F were performed at the Center for Vaccine Evaluation and Study, Ewha Medical Research Institute. Results: Ten patients (two allogeneic, eight autologous recipients) with median age 5.4 years (range 2.7-12.2 years) were enrolled. Before Hib vaccination, 60% of patients' anti-PRP IgG titers were below $0.15{\mu}g/mL$. After vaccination, 100% of patients' anti-PRP IgG titers increased above $0.15{\mu}g/mL$ (cut-off value for detection) and $1.0{\mu}g/mL$ (cut-off value for seroprotection). For pneumococcus, in 2-5 year-old patients, pre-vaccination geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of IgG for six serotypes (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, and 23F) were below $0.35{\mu}g/mL$ and at 5 months post-vaccination GMCs of IgG for all seven serotypes increased to above $0.35{\mu}g/mL$. In patients older than 5 years, pre-vaccination GMCs of IgG for four serotypes (4, 9V, 14, and 23F) were below $0.35{\mu}g/mL$ and at 3 months post-vaccination GMCs of IgG for all seven serotypes increased to above $0.35{\mu}g/mL$. Conclusion: Most HCT recipients had low or no protective antibodies to Hib and Sp before vaccination, but showed good immune responses to protective levels after vaccination.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.300-308
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• 2009

Background: The quality of care for patients with community acquired pneumonia needs to be improved; the factors affecting this care need to be analyzed. The objectives of this study were used to measure the performance of care processes of for patients with pneumonia and to determine those patient and hospital characteristics are associated with quality care. Methods: The analysis was performed using data from 21 hospitals that had over 500 beds for 1,001 patients, who were sampled randomly. All patients were born before 31 December 1989, and discharged between the two months' August 2006 and October 2006. Performance process indicators were measured by respective hospital, and multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate associations between patients and hospital characteristics using 4 process indicators. Results: Performance rates in timely assessment of oxygenation assessments and blood cultures, correct administration of antibiotic medications, and blood culture performed prior to initial antibiotics were 69.4%, 79.1%, 82.5% and 60.5%, respectively. Age had a positive affect on oxygenation assessment within 24 hours. Bed number, number of nurses per bed, annual number of emergency department visits, average percentage of beds filled, location and arrival time, and site were factors associated with process indicators. Conclusion: It is necessary to make up for the weak points in the process of care for patients with community acquired pneumonia, by enforcing quality assurance. To reduce performance rate variation among hospitals, improvement in care protocols is required for hospitals that have poor quality of care levels.