• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.69-79
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to suggest a guideline that can be used as a standard for consultation and review by environmental impact assessment consultation and review practitioner to enhance the practical effectiveness of creating alternative habitats. The consultation stage of environmental impact assessment was significantly divided into 1) preparation of draft environmental impact assessment reports and gathering of consensus thereon, 2) preparation of environmental impact assessment reports and consultation thereon, 3) follow-up survey of environmental impacts(under construction) and 4) follow-up survey of environmental impacts(in operation). And it was suggested that the procedures of creating alternative habitat by each consultation stage were linked in order of 1) planning, 2) designing, 3) construction, and 4) post-monitoring and maintenance. The basic principles were also proposed for each stage of consultation on environmental impact assessment and procedure for the creation of alternate habitats. Then, issues and methods to be reviewed by the consulting agency and review agency of environmental impact assessment were presented in detail. The guideline of this study provides important information not only to environmental impact assessment consultation and review practitioner, but also to developers and environmental impact assessment agents who plan, construct, and manage alternative habitats.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.228-236
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• 2001

Objectives : To propose a feasible, valid and appropriate study designs and epidemiologic methods for evaluating the adverse health effects of Agent Orange-chemical defoliants used in Vietnam- in Korea. Methods : A literature study was peformed on Agent Orange, herbicides, pesticides and dioxins. The study subjects, study design, exposure assessment and health outcomes assessment were examined in each study. The potential data sources for the study subjects, study design, exposure assessment and health outcomes assessment in Korea were investigated. Results and Conclusion : In earlier Korean studies, research subjects for studying the effects of Agent Orange were identified from the patients or persons who claimed to have Agent Orange-related diseases due to the difficulties in identifying the entire population of Vietnam veterans in Korea. In this study, an attempt was made to identify the total number of Vietnam veterans in Korea. As a result, the addresses of 20,000 Vietnam veterans were obtained. It is proposed that a retrospective cohort design on a sample of the total number of Vietnam veterans is a feasible and appropriate study design. Self report questionnaires and military records were proposed to assess the exposure level. It is believed that measuring the plasma or tissue TCDD should be used only for a validation study assessing the level of exposure. For the health outcomes assessment, it is possible to obtain the mortality, cancer frequency, physical examination, screening and medical insurance record data.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2007

This study was to investigate utilization status of internet, health/nutrition websites among children, and to assess the needs for developing nutrition websites and education programs for children. The survey questionnaire was administered to 5-6th grade students (n=434) at two elementary schools. About 32% used the internet every day while 19.5% used it whenever they needed, showing significant differences in internet usage by gender (p<0.01). Although the subjects used the internet frequently, those who used health/nutrition websites were 23.3%. The purpose of using these sites were mainly 'to obtain health/nutrition information' (55%), 'to get information regarding weight control' (17%). Fifty-six percent of the users were satisfied with the nutrition websites, but only 30% said that they were helpful. The preferred topics in developing nutrition websites were assessment of obesity, exercise methods, weight control methods, nutrition information (e.g., diet for stature growth), dietary assessment and food hygiene. Girls showed more interest in these topics than boys (p<0.05). For school nutrition education, girls showed more interest than boys in topics for cooking snacks (p<0.001) and selecting snacks (p<0.05). In nutrition websites, subjects wanted to have information and game/quiz, as well as getting information using Flash animation. The favorite colors for screen and text were slightly different by gender (p<0.01). In school nutrition education, 89.5% of subjects liked to have activities (e.g., cooking, exercise, game). They also liked materials using computers, video and internet than printed materials. If nutrition education was done at schools, subjects wanted to receive 5.7 times of education per semester on average (mean length: 42.6 min/session). This study suggests that nutrition websites and education programs for children should include the topics such as assessment of obesity or diet, weight control and special information (e.g., diet for growth) as well as general information. In designing nutrition websites and programs, methods including game, quiz, Flash animation and activities (cooking, exercise) could be appropriately used to induce the interest and involvement of children.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.397-409
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• 2011

This study was carried out for improving the effectiveness of water resources development project through local resident opinions in the environmental impact assessment(EIA). The EIA reports of seven dams were examined. Four dams -Youngju Dam, Seongduck Dam, Buhang Dam and Hantangang Dam- which included many local opinions including 470 opinions of 341 local residents were selected to be analyzed. Local residents submitted their opinions in the six fields which are meteorological phenomena, water quality, land use, fauna and flora, noise and vibration, and residence, and the major opinions of those opinions came from the atmosphere environment field which is 32% of total opinions and social and economic field which is 38% of total opinions, respectively. In submerged area, opinions of the measure for migration and compensation were 91% and in non-submerged area, opinions of the measure for meteorological phenomena was 86%. Those percentages were maximum in each area. Opinions concerned meteorological phenomena were 86% and 53% in Youngju Dam and Seongduck Dam where area is surrounded by existing dam, but there was only 9% and 0% of opinions in Buhang Dam and Hantangang Dam where area is without existing dam nearby. The reformation methods which reflected the resident's opinions were suggested on EIA in dam development projects. First of all, reliability and objectivity of the field of meteorological phenoma should be enhanced by scientific prediction of the phenomenon days. Secondly, techniques reducing uncertainty of various water quality prediction models ought to be developed and effectiveness of the reduction strategies in environmental impact should be quantified. Finally, the draft of EIA report should involve the detailed plans of migration and compensation's procedures, criteria and measures to support.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2012

Objectives: The AHERA method by the US EPA, ASTM E2356-04, and HSG264 by the UK HSE, all of which are hazard/risk assessment methods for asbestos-containing building materials, were reviewed and compared based on 231 homogeneous areas. In addition, the current Act on Asbestos Safety Management (enforcement: April 29, 2012) was reviewed and analyzed. This trial provided fundamental data for improving the current asbestos hazard/risk assessment method. Methods: For the hazard/risk assessment of 77 asbestos-containing public buildings including schools, 231 homogeneous areas were selected, each of which was assessed using AHERA, ASTM E2356-04, and HSG264. Results: The matching rate of the hazard/risk assessment stood at 20.4 percent between AHERA and ASTM, at 71.4 percent between AHERA and HSG264 and at 17.8 percent between ASTM and HSG264. The AHERA method includes a seven-category rating scale. There were three categories, two of which have three subcategories. ASTM provides two decision-making charts consisting of ten rating scales for current condition estimation and for potential for disturbance estimation. In addition, the HSG264 method has a total of 20 scores with four items, and then provides four grades. This HSG264 method cannot clearly separate current condition and potential for disturbance. Conclusions: In the Korean Act on Asbestos Safety Management, the hazard/risk assessment method for asbestos-containing building materials should consider balance between current condition estimation and the potential for disturbance estimation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.364-371
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• 2022

Background: Respiratory masks can provide healthcare workers with protection from biological hazards when they have good performance. There is a direct relationship between the visual specifications of a mask and its efficacy; thus, the aim of this study was to develop tools for qualitative assessment of the performance of masks used by healthcare workers. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used to develop a qualitative assessment tool for medical face masks (MFM) and particle filtering half masks (PFHM). The development of domains and items was undertaken using observation and interviews, the opinions of an expert panel, and a review of texts and international standards. The second phase evaluated the psychometric properties of tools. Finally, the validated Mask Qualitative Assessment Tools (MQAT) were used to assess six samples from 10 brands of the two types of masks. Results: MQAT-MFM and MQAT-PHFM shared 42 items across seven domains: "cleanliness," "design," "marking, labeling and packaging," "mask layers," "mask strap," "materials and construction," and "nose clip." MQAT-MFM included one additional item. MQAT-PHFM included another nine items associated with an eighth "Practical Performance" domain, and the valve version had another additional "Exhalation Valve" domain and six items. The evaluation indicated 80% compliance for MFM and 71% compliance for PFHM. "Marking, labeling and packaging" and "Layers" were associated with the least compliance in both types of masks and should be checked carefully for defining mask quality. Conclusion: MQAT can be used for immediate screening and initial assessment of MFM and PHFM through appearance, simple tools, and visual inspection.

• Hip & pelvis
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.144-154
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• 2024

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess postoperative direct medical expenses and medical utilization of elderly patients who underwent either hemiarthroplasty (HA) or internal fixation (IF) for treatment of a femoral intertrochanteric fracture and to analyze differences according to surgical methods and age groups. Materials and Methods: Data from the 2011 to 2018 Korean National Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service database were used. Risk-set matching was performed for selection of controls representing patients with the same sex, age, and year of surgery. A comparative interrupted time series analysis was performed for evaluation of differences in medical expenses and utilization between the two groups. Results: A total of 10,405 patients who underwent IF surgery and 10,405 control patients who underwent HA surgery were included. Medical expenses were 18% lower in the IF group compared to the HA group during the first year after the fracture (difference-in-difference [DID] estimate ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-0.87, P<0.001), and 9% lower in the second year (DID estimate ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.85-0.99, P=0.018). Length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the IF group compared to the HA group during the first two years after time zero in the age ≥80 group. Conclusion: A noticeable increase in medical expenses was observed for patients who underwent HA for treatment of intertrochanteric fractures compared to those who underwent IF over a two-year period after surgery. Therefore, consideration of such findings is critical when designing healthcare policy support for management of intertrochanteric fractures.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2018

Objectives: Despite the positive effects of Off-site risk assessment (ORA) system such as prevention of chemical accidents, some problems have been constantly raised. The purpose of this study is to analyze the problems that have occurred through the implementation of the ORA system for the past three years and to suggest reasonable directions for improvement in the future. Methods: In order to identify the problems with the methodology and procedure of ORA system, we analyzed statutes, administrative rules and documents related to the ORA system. A survey of ORA reviewers in National Institute of Chemical Safety was conducted to investigate the weight of determinants considered when judging the level of total risk in ORA. Results: In this study, we found out the uncertainty of the estimation of the number of people in the impact range in the procedure of the risk assessment of individual handling facilities, the lack of quantitative risk analysis methods for environmental receptors, and the ambiguity of the criteria for the total risk. In addition to suggesting solutions to the problems mentioned above, we also, suggested a decision tree for total risk in ORA. Conclusion: We anticipate that the solutions including the systematic decision tree for total risk suggested will contribute to the smooth operation of the ORA system.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.143-160
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• 2019

This study investigated 15 science teachers' perception and practice on free semester and science assessment. We analyzed frequencies of teacher choice for closed questions and used constant comparative method for teacher description and individual interview. Most teachers determined a low ranking for changes in assessment methods and mentioned a lack of objectivity on free semester assessment, unsystematic free semester assessment, and more importance on student activity and interest in science instruction. Most teachers understood process-based assessment as a direction of free semester assessment and teachers mentioned positive aspects for students or teacher difficulties dependent on their perception on process-based assessment. Half of the teachers failed to implement student self-assessment and student peer-assessment due to subjectivity and complexity. Some teachers did not provide feedbacks to students due to a lack of time and did not use certain assessment methods due to a lack of knowledge of the assessment. Teachers who did not have an experience of discussions in a teacher learning community mentioned reasons regarding a small number of the same grade teachers and inactive attitude of colleagues. Teachers who did not participate in professional development programs mentioned a lack of teacher understanding of free semester, participation of the teacher in charge, and teacher choice of participation as reasons.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.86-96
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• 2016

Paraphilia and paraphilic disorder is one of mental disorders making it difficult to assess and treat. Recently, a number of methods for assessing the paraphilia are being developed gradually outside south Korea. And the reliability and validity of various assessment tools are being reported. The standardization of the assessments and questionnaires was not made yet. For assessment of paraphilia that has been reported from abroad, the author comprehensively organized clinical interview, physical examination, psycho-physiological methods, self-reporting scale of sexual thoughts, fantasies and attitudes and multiple self-reporting scale of sexual interests and described the clinical significance of the assessment tools. The national standardization of both self-reported questionnaire and physical evaluations is expected to be completed later.