• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.275-284
• /
• 2006

Objectives: This investigation was carried out to understand the status of the urinary incontinence (UI) and overactive bladder (OABs) syndrome of women in a rural region. Methods: The authors conducted a questionnaire survey among the 322 females who voluntarily participated in a health examination, from 16 to 18 August 2001. Using by definition of UI and OABs, we calculated the proportion of UI, OABs I, and OABs II. The data collected was evaluated using the SPSS 12.0 statistical package, and the differences of symptoms and problems related to daily life between UI, OABs patients and the others were analyzed using a Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Results: The overall proportion of UI was 35.4%, and stress UI (32.9%) is more common than urgency UI (17.4%) and mixed UI (14.9%). The proportion of OABs I and OABs II were respectively 36.0%, 14.0%. Symptoms related to UI or OABs were nocturia (35.1%), frequency (23.9%), urgency (21.4%) etc. Of the incontinence cases, 27.2% had experienced UI for a period of one to three years. The proportion of OABs increased significantly by age (p<0.05), UI didn't. The most frequent symptoms in UI and OABs were respectively 'slow stream', 'urgency'. The most frequent problem of daily life in UI and OABs was 'seeking toilet firstly at stranger place'. Conclusions: The proportion of UI and OABs in our study were respectively 35.4%, 14.0%. UI and OABs must be very significant health problems in women, especially rural region. Systemic and profound interventions for UI and OABs need to administer to women in Korea.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.89-100
• /
• 2005

Objectives: This study was to find the effected factors on customer satisfaction for medical service and the willingness to revisit among hospital users Methods: The data was collected by a questionnaire survey from February 1 to April 30, 2004, and 600 samples have been analysed among users of university hospital, private hospital and public hospital in a local city. Results and Conclusions: The satisfaction total score to use hospital was 113.54 points(out of 175 point), these scores were constituted 39.10 points(out of 55 point) on satisfaction score for kindness of hospital employee, 36.28 points(out of 60 point) for equipment utilization and service formality, 18.59 points(out of 30 point) for environmental status and 19.57 points(out of 30 points) for reliability in medical examination and treatment service. The factors effected on satisfaction total score to use hospital were type of visiting hospital, age of customer, convenience to visit the hospital, experience of using other hospitals(R2=0.171). The effected factors of willingness to revisit scores were such as satisfaction score in medical examination and treatment service, satisfaction score of kindness hospital employee, experience of health examination and age of customer($R^2=0.370$). In conclusion, to raise the response's willingness to revisit. This must be reinforced by employee's kindness education and medical service quality.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.187-208
• /
• 2006

Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the risk factors of Oral cleft and to inspect the living environments of the rural areas of Sintang, Indonesia Methods: During 3 to 9 August 2004, A questionnaire survey was done for the risk factors of oral cleft. Case group was composed of 11 oral cleft patients who admitted Missionary Hospital whose mother's bloods were analyzed for anemia and hyperlipidemia. Control group was composed of 56 reproductive rural women recruited from near rural villages. Also we surveyed 4 rural areas of Indonesia with simple water test kits. $x^2-test$ for significant difference was analysed. Results: Drinking water was statistically significant risk factor(p<0.05) of oral cleft. Other factors had no statistical significancy. The kind of drinking water was river-originated water. In rural villages, water sanitation state, even boiled water, was very poor. Although $NO_2-N$, $NO_3-N$ was negative, E. coli-form microorganisms were strongly positive in most samples. Total food intake amount was not enough, and vitamin supplements were also under the need. Conclusions: Drinking the contaminated river-water around pregnancy was supposed to be one of the risk factors of oral cleft in Indonesia. Further study is needed for nitrate and mercury.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.65-79
• /
• 2001

Cerebrovascular disease(CVD) is one of the major causes of death in Korea as well as most countries in the world and the disease gives great burden to humans socio-economically due to its high fatality and common occurrence of disability as the sequelae. This study was performed to investigate the utilization of western hospital(WH) or oriental hospital(OH) due to CVD and compare the type and the clinical characteristics of patients with CVD between WH and OH located in Kwangju City, Chonnam Province and Chonbuk Province. We reviewed the medical records of 1,070 patients who were discharged from 12 WIT and 6 OH from January to March, 2000 and confirmed for the diagnosis of CVD. Fifty-one percent of the subjects were treated at WH and forty-nine percent at OH. Females were more prevalent than males. As well, the most common age group among these subjects was found to be 70 years and older. About 92% in W~H and 80% in OH received brain imaging diagnostic procedures such as CT or MRI. The cerebral infarction was the most common type of CVD when compared by the kind of utilized hospitals, sex, age group except patient Group who was treated at WH and whose age was lower than 50 years old. The cerebral hemorrhage was more frequent than cerebral infarction among this group. The proportion of cerebral hemorrhage was decreasing and that of cerebral infarction was increasing with age. The most common clinical manifestations of undetermined type of CVD was paralysis of lower extremity in WIT and paralysis of upper extremity in OH. In cerebral hemorrhage loss of consciousness in WIT and dysarthria in OH were most frequently manifested, while in the case of cerebral infarction hemiplegia in WIT and dysarthria in OH were the most common complaints. The interval from the onset of disease to admission to the hospital was 5.5 days in WH arid 31.4 days in OH and the difference was statistically significant. Average admission duration of patients at OH was longer than WH, but it was not statistically significant. In conclusion these results suggest that the effort for systematic and efficient management of CVD patients was necessary for close co-operation and role arrangement between WH and OH considering the positive and negative points of western and oriental medicines.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.1-17
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the role of drinking pattern in the relationship of alcohol consumption by face-to-face interview in rural elderly(n=994) aged 60~64 in Dalsung County, April to September in 1996. Pattern of alcohol drinking included drinking status, alcohol drinking at the morning without breakfast, average drinks per day, frequency of drinks per month, quantity of alcohol drinking, kind of preferred alcoholic beverage and duration of alcohol drinking. Blood pressure was measured once in each subject using a portable automatic sphygmomanometer. Difference in means of systolic blood pressure, alcohol drinking status, alcohol drinking at the morning without breakfast, and kind of alcoholic beverage were statistically significant before adjusting covariates, but alcohol drinking status and alcohol drinking at the morning without breakfast were statistically significant after adjusting covariates. And difference in means of diastolic blood pressure, kinds of alcoholic beverage was statistically significant before adjusting covariates, but no variables was significant after adjusting covariates. Model I multiple regression for systolic blood pressure that included average drinks per day as the variable of drink pattern, age, educational attainment and, previous history of cardiovascular disease were statistically significant, and multiple regression for diastolic blood pressure, educational attainment, BMI, and previous history of cardiovascular disease were statistically significant. Model II multiple regression for systolic blood pressure that included drinking patterns variables except average drinks per day, previous history of cardiovascular disease were statistically significant. However, multiple regression for diastolic blood pressure, no variables were significant. So, inconsistent with prior research, a positive relationship was not found between average drinks per day and diastolic and systolic blood pressure. The effect of alcohol drinking patterns on blood pressure has public health as well as clinical relevance. The study should be replicated to determine the reliability of our findings.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.11-21
• /
• 2000

This study was conducted to reveal the effects of musculoskeletal risk factor on farmer's syndrome. We sampled 97 farmers aged above 30 in 3 villages of Kyunggi-do. Self-administered questionnaire for general characteristics, farmer's syndrome, musculoskeletal risk factor, blood pressure, and laboratory tests were conducted. According to the score of musculoskeletal risk factor, we divide the subjects high risk group and low risk group. The most common musculoskeletal risk factor is repetitiveness, bending of waist and rapid movement in order. The prevalence of farmer's syndrome of all subjects is 28.9%. In female the prevalence of farmer's syndrome(45.2%) is higher than in male(16.4%) significantly. High musculoskeletal risk group had higher score of farmer's syndrome(5.9) than low musculoskeletal risk group(4.4). The most common symptom is lumbago(76.3%), the second was numb limb and shoulder stiffness(54.6%, 54.6%). The prevalence of numb limb and shoulder stiffness higher in high musculoskeletal risk group than low musculoskeletal risk group, but that of lumbago did not show significant differences. In linear regression, score of farmer's syndrome was related to musculoskeletal risk factor as well as gender. Blood pressure and laboratory test did not show significant differences between two groups. These results suggest that musculoskeletal risk factor would influence farmer's syndrome. Further ergonomic evaluation and intervention of farmer's works and musculoskeletal diseases are needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.133-147
• /
• 2000

To provide data for the improvement of primary health care through the study on the utilization rate of community health practitioner(CHP) post and its related factors toward some rural residents in Mooan County Chollanamdo, a questionnaire survey was made from 382 persons during August 1999. Comparison was made between persons at the seaside area under difficult transportation and persons at the railroad area under convenient transportation. The results are as follows: 1. For the last one year, 83.3% of seaside area residents and 67.0% of railroad area residents used CHP post. As the purpose of visit to CHP post at seaside area, 94.3% visited for medical care, 25.3% for chronic disease control and 22.2% for health counselling and 14.1% for chronic disease control. 2. By simple analysis, sex, age, marital status, educational level, residence area, distance from living village to CHP post, presence of chronic diseases, satisfaction with CHP and confidence on CHP were related significantly with the utilization of CHP post for the last one year. 3. By multiple logistic regression, statistically significant variables related with the utilization rate of CHP post for the last one year were analyzed as age, sex, residence area and distance from living village to CHP post.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.53-66
• /
• 2003

Objectives: To investigate the state of medical care around health sub-centers, public health doctors' participation and opinion in the process of district public health programs. Methods: The study included 1,036 public health doctors who worked at health sub-center all over the country. The data were collected for Feb, 2002 using self-administered questionnaire by mail. Results: One or two doctors were working at health sub-center and 33.5% of health sub-centers was located in the region of the separation of prescription and dispensing. There were another medical facilities in 45.9% of the administrative district(eup or myon) where health sub-centers were located. The count of medical utilization went down to 14.8${\pm}$14.8 per a day in Nov, 2001 from 18.0${\pm}$15.6 in May, 2000, and the decline was much more in the region of the separation of prescription and dispensing. Among public health programs in health sub-centers, public health doctors participated mostly in preliminary medical examination for vaccination and least in health education. They participated in implementation rather than planning or evaluation of health program. Over a half of public health doctors were found to be positive that health programs implemented in their health sub-centers would promote the level of health in community people and they were willing to participate in district public health program if community people were in need. Conclusions: Recently health sub-centers are required to turn into health promotion facilities rather than medical practice facilities. Health program in health sub-centers will be advanced in both quality and quantity by turning the role of public health doctors who have provided medical services mainly into managing health program. Persistent education about managing health program and the policy to motivate participation in health program should be provided for public health doctors.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.15-27
• /
• 2003

Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the medical care patterns of hypertensive patients between rural and urban areas. Methods: We selected one rural county(Region A where there were 19 public health centers; one health center, 8 health sub-centers and 10 community health posts) and two urban districts(Region B and C where there was no health sub-center and community health post) in Daegu city. Region B had similar socioeconomic characteristics with rural county A while region C had different characteristics. The medical insurance records of 14,422 incident patients (2,501 in region A, 4,873 in region B and 7,048 in region C) with diagnostic code of hypertension from September 1998 to August 1999 were reviewed. Incident patient was defined as a patient who had no record of medical fee claim for hypertension to the national health insurance corporation in past 6 months and visited a medical facility for hypertension for the first time. The data for annual visit days, annual prescription days and annual total medical expenses were abstracted. The medical care pattern was categorized by the number of annual visit days and prescription days. The most proper care group was defined as the patient who visited 6-15 days with 240 prescription days or more in a year. Results: The type of medical facilities for the most visit was clinics, 373.% and it was followed by general hospitals, 28.2%; public health centers, 24.7%; and hospitals, 9.8% in region A(p<0.05). In region B, it was clinics, 63.1% and followed by general hospitals, 27.6%; health center, 5.2%; and hospitals, 4.1%(p<0.05). In region C, it was clinics, 53.8% and followed by general hospitals, 35.0%; health center, 6.3%; and hospitals, 4.9%(p<0.05). Annual mean total medical expenses per patient was highest in region C(won195,993) and followed by region A(won191,683) and region B(won178,713). The proportion of the most proper care group was 7.7% in region A, 5.2% in region B and 6.7% in region C(p<0.05). According to the type of medical facilities for the first visit, the proportion of the most proper care group was highest(14.7%) in the patients of public health centers, and it was followed by general hospitals, 8.8%; clinics, 3.6%; and hospitals, 2.0% in region A(p<0.05). In region B, it was highest in general hospitals, 9.7% and followed by hospitals, 4.0%; health center, 3.6%; and clinics, 3.4%(p<0.05). In region C, it was highest in general hospitals, 10.1% and followed by clinics, 5.2%; hospitals, 4.1%; and health center, 3.1%(p<0.05). Conclusions: The proportion of proper care for hypertension was higher in rural area and it was attributed to the care of health center, sub-centers and community health posts which appeared to follow patients better than hospitals and clinics.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.126-136
• /
• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the effects of a health education program for the aged on knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction and stroke. Methods: Data from 337 elderly people (159 participated and 178 non-participated) at senior centers in Jeju-si were collected by 1 to 1 interview from January to March 2012, one year after the education program provided. Two stages of study were performed: Cross-sectional, case-control study on the level of knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms; and multivariate logistic regression to fine out predictors of optimal awareness. Results: No significant discrepancy of knowledge level between case and control group was found. The knowledge level as high as a surge was shown in both groups one year later. A surge of knowledge had been shown after the education provided in one month. The factors affecting the optimal level of knowledge were education (Odds ratio 3.01; Confidence Interval 1.72-5.26; P-value <0.001) and 7 days of watching TV news per week (2.97; 1.68-5.23; P<0.001). However, participation in the health education was not significant (1.60; 0.98-2.61; P=0.059). Conclusions: The effects of a targeted program in high-risk groups for cardio-cerebrovascular disease are only guaranteed in the enhancement by a population-based mass-media education campaign.