• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.76-93
• /
• 1998

Three hundred sixty-two(male 131, female 231) elderly aged over 65 in Chungb- uk area were interviewed to determine the disease states and drug usage patterns. The prebalence of disease was 78% and women reported more chronic diseases(83%) than men(71%). Elderly who live with spouse and have an occupation have a lower rate of disease. Average number of diseases of the elderly was $1.8\pm{1.1}$, and women$(2.1\pm{1.3)}$ have significantly higher average number of diseases than that of men$(1.4\pm{0.7)}$. Also the elderly in urban areas$(2.1\pm{1.4)}$ have significantly higher number of diseases than that of the elderly in rural areas$(1.6\pm{0.9)}$. Arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular and gastric diseases were the most frequently listed chronic diseases in order for both men and women. Anemia and fracture of bone were relatively higher in women than in men. Particularly, the arthritis of the urban elderly have a rate of 1.5 times higher than that of the rural elderly. Fifty-two percent of the elderly were currently using drugs ; among drug users 71.2% used prescription drugs and 20.5% used nonprescription drugs. The average number taken per person was 2.1$\pm$1.4 and there was no sex or age difference. However, the elderly in rural areas $(2.7\pm{1.7)}$ consumed a significantly higher number of drugs than those in urban areas$(1.7\pm{0.7)}$. The average number of prescripti- on drugs taken was 2.0$\pm$1.4 while the average of nonprescription drugs taken was $(1.3\pm{0.6)}$. Analgesics and antihypertensive drugs were most commonly used. Vitamin and analgesics were the most frequently used self-prescribed drugs. It was noted that potential adverse drug interaction by concominant drug consumption for arthritis and antihypensive drug, abuse of digestants and antiacid without treatment of the underlying disease, and misuse of quick-acting bowel medications were problematic for the elderly. In addition drugs used for the elderly have some adverse effect on the digestive system. The types and composition of drugs used by the elderly were identified and presented. Medication compliance was poor and 13.5% reported adverse reactions such as edema, heartburn, nausea, and difficulty with eating. Seventeen percent of the elderly obtained drugs arranged by those other than medical staff. Also, even among those elderly who obtained drugs prescribed by a doctor, 69.1% of subjects had not receive instruction about potential adverse reactions. These results suggest that nutritional problems related to drug usage might exist and so dietitians, either individually or as members of health teams, need to have a better understanding of drug-nutrient interaction and closer supervision, and drug information/education service should therefore be provided to prevent or minimize adverse drug reaction in elderly users of medication.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.17-32
• /
• 1995

The purpose of this study is to promote health for young female workers. It is based on questionnaires collected from 215 female workers in Incheon area. This study includes health condition (fatigue scores), occupational disease, knowledge of abused drugs and the actual condition of drug use. The results are summerized as follows: - $47.4\%$ visited their health center and were treated with diseases like cold and headache $(34.9\%)$, gastroenteric disease $(6.5\%)$, trauma $(7.9\%)$ and chronic disease such as diabetes and hypertension $(3.3\%)$ - $44.7\%$ received regular health education and $4.7\%$ among them received education on abused drugs. - $20.5\%$ were suffering from work related diseases such as gastroenteric disease, headache, trauma, repiratory disease, skin problem, arthritis, low back pain, shortsightness and tuberculosis. - Total mean fatigue score as an indication of health status was $9.0\pm5.4$ points out of 30 points. Physical mean score (group I) was $3.92\pm2.2$ points and psychological mean score was $2.5\pm2.3$ points and neurosensory mean score was $2.6\pm2.1$ points out of each 10 points. - They recognized analgesics $(55.0\%)$ and the next are laxatives $(49.8\%)$, inhalants $(40.0\%)$, narcotics $(24.2\%)$, stimulants $(24.0\%)$, antihistamines$(5.9\%)$, diuretics $(3.0\%)$, tranquilizer $(2.4\%)$ and sedatives $(1.4\%)$ - They used analgesics $(37.2\%)$ the most and then laxatives $(6.0\%)$, stimulants$(5.6\%)$, diuretics $(1.9\%)$, antihistamines$(0.5\%)$, And nobody used tranquilizer, sedatives, narcotics and inhalant. - The relationship between career, drug abuse education, health center utilization and and the actual condition of drug using was examined. The longer the career and the more educated with drug abuse, the less drug used. And those who utilized health center rarely used more drugs. - The relationship between career, health center utilization, the score of fatigue and use of analgesics was also examined. Those group who have a longer career above 3 years and the group who have never used health center used more analgesics. And the group of fatigue score above 11.0 points used a little more analgesics than the other group. These results indicate that analgesics are the most frequent used drugs among female workers. Those analgesics such as geborin, penzal, saridon, aspirin, tyrenol should be used properly. These basic data is submitted for the education and consultation which are carried out by industrial nurses for promoting health of industrial workers.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.64-86
• /
• 2010

Korea has had problems with the price and supply of essential drugs such as Gleevec for leukemia, Fuzeon for HIV/AIDS, and Tamiflu for both avian flu and swine flu. The shortage or refusal of patented drugs supply is imposing a heavy burden in not only developing countries but also developed countries. Thinking over the serious results, we need to concern about the limited access to patented drugs by multinational drug companies' patent monopoly especially for pandemic and life threatening diseases. The effective response regarding to pandemic and life threatening diseases. The effective response regarding to pandemic situation requests collaborative and unbiased provisions of all countries in the world, however, sometimes patent monopoly may hinder the efforts. Compulsory licensing has been considered to be a useful alternative to the abuse of patent rights. However, the Korean experiences of compulsory licensing have left some controversial issues in connection with the availability of it in Korea. 'Flexibility' allowed in TRIPS and Doha Declaration has not come into effect in Korea for several reasons. Although the situation shows the limitations of compulsory licensing as a pharmaceutical supply policy, it is clear that compulsory licensing still has the possibilities of enhancing the access to medicines of all countries in need. Through searching the institutionalization process and experiments of compulsory licensing in Korea, this article explores the possibilities and the limits.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.57 no.4
• /
• pp.289-292
• /
• 2013

A total of 2,080 forensic autopsies in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province were performed by the National Forensic Service (NFS) in 2010. After analysing blood samples collected at autopsies by GC-MS and LC-MS/MS, the types and prevalence of drugs and poisons in blood were investigated using our laboratory information management system. Among 2,080 cases, 1,061 cases (51%) were positive for drugs and poisons. Surprisingly, antidepressants were identified in 137 cases which comprised 13% of the positive cases. Twelve different kinds of antidepressants were determined: Amitriptyline, fluoxetine, nortriptyline, trazodone, imipramine, mirtazapine, citalopram, venlafaxin, clomipramine, paroxetine, sertraline and bupropion. Amitriptyline was the most frequently detected antidepressant and was identified in 39 cases. Moreover, amitriptyline, fluoxetine, and nortriptyline were included in the list of the 20 most commonly encountered drugs or poisons in the analysis of blood collected at autopsies from 2007 to 2009, indicating the prevalence of their use. In this study, the 137 antidepressant-related deaths were classified by the mode of death to predict the prevalence of these drugs. As a result, those deaths were divided into four groups based on the cause and mode of death: 56 cases of suicide with fatal concentrations of antidepressant drugs in blood, 6 homicidal cases directly or indirectly related to antidepressants, 59 natural deaths with antidepressants detected in blood and 16 deaths caused by fire or other accidents with antidepressants detected in blood. Because incidents involving antidepressants have been increasing, especially in suicides or homicides, it is necessary for the health authorities and law enforcement administrations to cooperate and share the statistical data for curbing the abuse of antidepressants. This report is expected to provide the reference data related with antidepressants for the investigation of the deaths.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.101-118
• /
• 1990

This study was intended to investigate actual conditions and problems relating to a variety of substance which have been used by students. A Questionnaire survey was carried out with the subject of 2411 students in an academic boys' high school, academic girls' high school, technical boys' high school and technical girls' high school in Pusan, from the 15th day to 29th day of March, 1989. The summarized results were as follows. There was not a remarkable difference in distribution of these subjects in boys' & girls' high school. The common and good health condition of subjects accounted for 90 percent or higher. 24.4 percent of them also had smoking experience, 11.6 percent of which continues to smoking. The understanding rate of these substances name other than sedative, psychostimulants and antihypnotic accounted for 90 percent or higher. The experience rate taking these substances for one year showed that anodyne, digestive and nutritive tonic accounted for 70 percent, antihypnotic for 15.6 percent, sedative for 1.4 percent, respectively, and psychostimulants for 0.5 percent. Moreover. it was shown that drugs accounted for 1.5 percent, bond for 1.4 percent, and thinner for 0.5 percent. The rate of the daily experiencers who took anodyne, digestive, nutritive tonic, sedatives, and psychostimulants and so on was 7.7 percent, 6.2 percent, 5.2 percent, 5.9 percent, and 5.0 percent respectively. This fact implied that there was a serious problem in high school students' non - narcotic abuse. The usage rate of these substances for treatment purpose showed that anodyme accounted for 90 percent or higher, and digestive for 70-80 percent, respectively, where girl students showed higher rate than one of boy students. Additionally, there was higher the usage rate for other purposes. The usage rate of drugs was highest when these students felt melancholy and curiousity. Their obtaining place appeared that these students mainly obtained these drugs, bonds and thinners from a small shop or peddler and their friend while they usually obtained other substance from the pharmacy and medical institute. The first usage time of these substances appeared during the middle school (the age of 14-15) which was the highest rate. The smoker of all subjects used remarkly large substances as compared with one of no-smoker. Particularly, it appeared that the usage of drugs was very closely related to smoking. The large number of students did not use these substances for oesrable purposes even though they understood the name of these substances. For this reason, from primasy schools it is required to teach the students dependence and harmful effects caused by these substances abuse. Moreover, it was shown that these students firstly used these substances during the middle school (the age of 14-15)due to curiosity. As a result, it is very urgent to give the students health education suitabale for prevention of these substance abuse, when considering harmful effects of these substances. And so health education for no-smoking. Finally, considering that it is very easy to obtain these substances from a small shop and pharmacy, the regulation of these substances control should be considered and completed in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.29 no.3 s.54
• /
• pp.451-469
• /
• 1996

To identify the drug abuse status and its determinant factors in high school boys in Taegu, the study was performed from April to May, 1995. Study population were selected by cluster sampling method and total 5,665 students replied to the self-administered questionnaire survey (2,207 in academic high school, 3,458 in business high school). The major findings were as follows; The proportion of drinking, smoking experience was 55.0%, 45.8%, respectively, and the proportion of current drinker, current smoker was 27.2%, 27.5%. The drinking, smoking experience rate of second grade students was higher than first grade and it was higher in business high school boys. The proportion of a stimulant, a hallucinogen, hemp leaf cigarets experience was 3.2%, 1.6%, 0.1%, respectively. Drug abuse had significant association with home environment(lower economic status, frequent move, death of father or mother, apart from family), parents environment(parents' indifference, parents' drinking and smoking, etc.), school life(lower school grades, intimate friend's drug abuse, etc.), generous attitude to drug abuse, higher level of stress. Students who replied that the law prohibited immature person(students) from drinking and smoking showed lower drug abuse rate. In multiple logistic regression analysis, second grade students, business high school students, parents' indifference, lower school grades, intimate friend's drug abuse, no recognition of the fact that the law prohibits high school students from drinking and smoking, generous attitude to drug abuse, higher level of stress were significantly related with alcohol abuse and smoking. Other drugs abuse were related with above factors. On consideration of above findings, to prevent students from drug abuse, we have to try together in house, school, and society.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.316-321
• /
• 1994

This study was undertaken to estimate whether nalbuphine, a mixed agonist/antagonist opioid analgesic produced psychic dependence. Moreover, the physical dependence liability of nalbuphine was compared with that of morphine after 7 days administrations of the drugs in mice and rats, and the effects of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the development of physical dependence on nalbuphine were also studied. Nalbuphine did not produce psychic dependence. However, various abstinence signs precipitated by naloxone were observed in nalbuphine-dependent mice and rats. As the nature of the dependence syndrome produced by nalbuphine 30 mg/kg under these conditions seems similar to that induced by morphine 10 mg/kg, it is clear that nalbuphine possesses the substantial abuse potential. Therefore, nalbuphine may be needed to initiate more stringent controls for the prevention of nalbuphine abuse. On the other hand, GTS inhibited the development of physical dependence on nalbuphine and reduced the contents of dopamine and its metabolite in the brains of mice. Accordingly, results of this study suggest that the inhibitory effects of GTS on the development of physical dependence on nalbuphine may involve dopaminergic mechanism. GTS may be useful for the therapy of physical dependence on nalbuphine.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.176-180
• /
• 2018

Drug abuse and its related problems are increasing continuously in Korea. One of the most frequently abused drugs is methamphetamine, but there are few medical report in Korea. This is the first report of the identification of methamphetamine in the blood of a patient who had a return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest and survived discharge. A 33-year-old male arrived at the emergency department presenting with chest pain and dyspnea. He had ingested methamphetamine and alcohol approximately 7 hours before arrival. One hour after arrival, he had seizure followed by cardiac arrest. Spontaneous circulation was recovered after 4 minutes of CPR. An analysis of the National Forensic Service identified plasma methamphetamine with an estimated average concentration of plasma methamphetamine at the time of arrival of 0.6 mg/L, a lethal dose. He had rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury but survived after continuous renal replacement therapy. Since then, he has suffered chronic kidney disease, and he is being followed up at the out-patient department. In Korea, although drug abuse is still uncommon, it is on the increase. Therefore, emergency physicians should be aware of the clinical characteristics of methamphetamine poisoning.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.57-67
• /
• 1994

The aim of this study was to research and compare the demographic characteristics of drug abusers with non-drug abusers among junior high school students in Japan through a closed format questionnaire. The same questionnaire and face-to-face interviews were used in order to find the circumstances of drug abuser among Kyogoin(a sort of child welfare institution) students in Japan. The goal of the study was to provide basic materials for preventive education of drug abuse through the two investigations mentioned above. Between July 1993 and November 1993, the information for this study was collected from 964 students from 4 junior high schools, and also 142 students from 3 Kyogoin in Japan. A total of 1106 questionnaires were completed resulting in a following response rate of 90.4%. Information was based on the scales : family relation scale, school life scale, recognition on danger of drug abuse scale, family environment scale (Moos, 1986), self esteem inventory (Coopersmith, 1967), etc. The conclusions can be summarized as follows : 1. Drug abusers are more likely to lake communication in their families and have poorer human relations than non-drug abusers. Also their school life scores tended to be lawer non-drug abusers. 2. It was between their 6th year of elementary school and their first of Junior high school when the drug was first used. The drug of choice which they made their first attempt at using was a volatile solvent which was inhaled. It is likely that this drug is "gateway-drug" for adolescents in Japan because they then also tried other drugs (e.g. cocaine, marijuana, etc.) step by step. 3. It is therefore clearly important that greatly increasing education on the harmful effects of drug abuse before the summer vacation of the first term of the sixth year of elementary school. At the same time, intervention in the family will have an effective prevention strategy in Japan, as well., as well.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.23-32
• /
• 2018

Objectives: To identify the associations of characteristics of the neighborhood environment with substance abuse among clients receiving treatment for drug abuse in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1128 drug addicts from 28 neighborhoods who were receiving treatment at all 7 compulsory drug detention centers in Thailand. A trained interviewer conducted structured interviews with the subjects about substance use and the perceived neighborhood environment in their community. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to estimate the effects of the neighborhood environment on substance use. Results: The majority of participants, 53.8% only used methamphetamine pills, 31.3% used other illicit drugs as well as methamphetamine pills, and 14.9% used an illicit drug other than methamphetamine. Three neighborhood characteristics were associated with substance use. A 1-unit increase in the perceived neighborhood cohesion score was associated with a 15% reduction in methamphetamine pill use and an 11% reduction of the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conversely, a 1-unit increase in perceived neighborhood crime predicted 19 and 14% increases in the use of methamphetamine pills and the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug, respectively. In addition, a 1-unit increase in the scores for stigma surrounding addiction corresponded to a 25% increase of the use of methamphetamine pills and a 12% increase in the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conclusions: Substance use among drug addicts was influenced by characteristics of the neighborhood environment. Therefore, prevention and intervention strategies should be designed based on a consideration of the impact of neighborhood context on substance use behaviors.