• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.601-607
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• 2017

Objective: A method to assess the risk level of agricultural works considering work posture and working time was suggested, and the method was applied to the major fruit crops. Background: It is not complete to analyze only work postures when assessing risk level of agricultural works. Method: $3{\times}3$ matrix was employed, in which the severity level was taken from the REBA method and exposure level was taken from the working time, using the criteria of caution zone/hazard zone. Results: Among the 5 major fruit crops(apple, pear, grape, peach, persimmon), the highest level of ergonomic risk was found in the apple and pear, while medium level was found in other 3 crops, mainly because the working time was less in the 3 crops. Conclusion: It was found that when assessing the overall ergonomic risk of agricultural works, work posture and working time should be considered at the same time. Application: The suggested method could be applied to other non-cyclic tasks.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2635-2638
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• 2012

Background: Many studies have investigated the association between glutathione S-transferase T 1 (GSTT1) null genotype and risk of prostate cancer, but the impact of GSTT1 null genotype in Asians is still unclear owing to inconsistencies across results. Thie present meta-analysis aimed to quantify the strength of the association between GSTT1 null genotype and risk of prostate cancer. Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase and Wangfang databases for studies of associations between the GSTT1 null genotype and risk of prostate cancer in Asians and estimated summary odds ratio (OR) with their 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: A total of 11 case-control studies with 3,118 subjects were included in this meta-analysis, which showed the GSTT1 null genotype to be significantly associated with increased risk of prostate cancer in Asians (random-effects OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.15-1.92, P = 0.002), also after adjustment for heterogeneity (fixed-effects OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.23-1.70, P < 0.001). No evidence of publication bias was observed. Conclusions: This meta-analysis of available data suggested the GSTT1 null genotype does contribute to increased risk of prostate cancer in Asians.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1697-1701
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• 2013

Background: Studies of associations between genetic polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) and glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) with risk of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) have generated conflicting results. Thus, a meta-analysis was performed to clarify the effects of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms on the risk of developing NPC. Materials and Methods: A literature search in two electronic databases namely PubMed and EMBASE up to December 2012 was conducted and eligible papers were finally selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and presence of heterogeneity and publication bias in those studies were evaluated. Results: A total of 9 studies concerning nasopharyngeal cancer were evaluated. Analyses of all relevant studies showed increased NPC risk to be significantly associated with the null genotypes of GSTMI (OR=1.43, 95%CI 1.24-1.66) and GSTT1 (OR=1.28, 95%CI=1.09-1.51). In addition, evidence of publication bias was detected among the studies on GSTM1 polymorphism. Conclusions: This meta-analysis demonstrated the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes are associated with an increased risk of NPC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3741-3745
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• 2016

Background: This study was carried out to examine breast cancer risk and its fertility predictors in women aged ${\geq}35$. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 560 healthy women referred to health centers of Tabriz-Iran, 2013-2014. Five-year and lifetime risk of developing breast cancer were determined using the Gail model. General linear modeling was applied to determine breast cancer predictors. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 42.7 (SD: 7.7) years. Mean 5-year and lifetime risks of developing breast cancer were determined to be 0.6% (SD: 0.2%) and 8.9% (SD: 2.5%), respectively. Variables of family history of breast cancer, age, age at menarche, parity, age at first childbirth, breastfeeding history, frequency of breastfeeding, method of contraception, marital status and education were all found to be predictors of breast cancer risk. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, screening programs based on the Gail model should be implemented for Iranian people who have a high risk for breast cancer in order to facilitate early detection and better plan for possible malignancies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7175-7180
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Malaysia, about one in 19 women being at risk. This study aimed to investigate knowledge and practice of breast self-examination (BSE), as well as knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer amongst female adolescents in Malaysia. Subsequently, relationships between demographic characteristics and knowledge level of BSE, risk factors for breast cancer and BSE practice were assessed. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross sectional survey was conducted using a sample of 500 Malaysian adolescents from the age of 15 to 19 years. A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of BSE, knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer and BSE practices. Results: The findings of this study indicated that female adolescents in Malaysia demonstrated an inadequate knowledge level of BSE and risk factors for breast cancer. Only 27.8% of female adolescents performed BSE regularly. BSE practice, knowledge of BSE and knowledge of risk factors for breast cancer showed significant positive relationships. Conclusions: The study highlighted the importance of planning and implementing breast health education programs for female students in secondary schools in Malaysia. It will also provide the health care providers an avenue to stress on the importance of imparting breast health education to adolescents.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.206-211
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• 2017

Background: Self-reported low back pain (LBP) has been evaluated in relation to material handling lifting tasks, but little research has focused on relating quantifiable stressors to LBP at the individual level. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Composite Lifting Index (CLI) has been used to quantify stressors for lifting tasks. A chemical exposure can be readily used as an exposure metric or stressor for chemical risk assessment (RA). Defining and quantifying lifting nonchemical stressors and related adverse responses is more difficult. Stressor-response models appropriate for CLI and LBP associations do not easily fit in common chemical RA modeling techniques (e.g., Benchmark Dose methods), so different approaches were tried. Methods: This work used prospective data from 138 manufacturing workers to consider the linkage of the occupational stressor of material lifting to LBP. The final model used a Bayesian random threshold approach to estimate the probability of an increase in LBP as a threshold step function. Results: Using maximal and mean CLI values, a significant increase in the probability of LBP for values above 1.5 was found. Conclusion: A risk of LBP associated with CLI values > 1.5 existed in this worker population. The relevance for other populations requires further study.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.428-436
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• 2019

Background: Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are mixtures with inhalation exposures as mists, dusts, and vapors, and dermal exposure in the dispersed and bulk liquid phase. A quantitative risk assessment was performed for exposure to MWF and respiratory disease. Methods: Risks associated with MWF were derived from published studies and NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations, and lifetime risks were calculated. The outcomes analyzed included adult onset asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary function impairment, and reported symptoms. Incidence rates were compiled or estimated, and annual proportional loss of respiratory capacity was derived from cross-sectional assessments. Results: A strong healthy worker survivor effect was present. New-onset asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF under continuous outbreak conditions, had a lifetime risk of 45%; if the associated microbiological conditions occur with only 5% prevalence, then the lifetime risk would be about 3%. At 0.1 mg/㎥, the estimate of excess lifetime risk of attributable pulmonary impairment was 0.25%, which may have been underestimated by a factor of 5 or more by a strong healthy worker survivor effect. The symptom prevalence associated with respiratory impairment at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF was estimated to be 5% (published studies) and 21% (Health Hazard Evaluations). Conclusion: Significant risks of impairment and chronic disease occurred at 0.1 mg/㎥ for MWFs in use mostly before 2000. Evolving MWFs contain new ingredients with uncharacterized long-term hazards.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.190-198
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to compare health risk behaviors among adolescents according to whether or not the parents were born in South Korea. Methods: From the database of the ninth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS), the researchers classify adolescents into four groups: those whose parents were both native Korean, those whose mother only was a native Korean, those whose father only was a native Korean, and those whose parents were both foreign-born. Data were analyzed using ${\chi}^2$-test and multiple logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: The adolescents with a foreign-born mother were less likely to smoke and drink alcohol than those with native Korean parents, but for other health risk behaviors the two groups were similar to each other. The adolescents with a foreign-born father were at a greater risk of drug use, intercourse, depression and violence at school than those with native Korean parents. The adolescents whose parents were born abroad were at a greater risk of smoking, drug use, intercourse, depression, suicidal ideation and violence at school than those with native Korean parents. Conclusion: Health promotion approaches differentiated by the type of multi-cultural family are needed in order to improve multi-cultural adolescents' health.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5229-5232
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• 2014

Background: While many studies have concluded that local traffic density is positively associated with childhood leukemia, the results are inconsistent. We therefore performed a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between traffic density and the risk of childhood leukemia. Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out using PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from January 1979 to December 2013. We selected and assessed journal articles evaluating the relationship between local traffic density and the risk of leukemia in children. The analysis was carried out using STATA version 12.0. Results: A total of 11 articles, including 12 estimates of effect, were included in our meta-analysis. The summary effect size from the random-effects model, expressed as an odds ratio, was 1.03 (95% CI: 0.98-1.09, p=0.002). No significant association between traffic density and the risk of childhood leukemia was found. Similar conclusions were found on subgroup analysis. Conclusions: The results of our meta-analysis suggested no association between traffic density and the risk of childhood leukemia. This implies that living in close proximity to roads with heavy traffic may not increase the risk of childhood leukemia. However, further high-quality prospective trials are needed to support these results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4927-4930
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• 2012

Background: Many observational studies have assessed the possible association between occupational cooking and uveal melanoma risk, but reported results are controversial. Our goal was to evaluate the association between occupational cooking and uveal melanoma risk by conducting a meta-analysis of observational studies. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched through June 2012 to identify all eligible studies. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was used to evaluate this association. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model were used to calculate pooled ORs. Results: Five case-control studies involving a total of 1,199 cases and 6,927 controls were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, occupational cooking was associated with an increased risk of uveal melanoma (OR: 1.81, 95%CI 1.33-2.46, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis by gender suggested occupational cooking was associated with increased risk of uveal melanoma in both men (OR: 2.16, 95%CI 1.06-4.40, P = 0.034) and women (OR: 1.92, 95%CI 1.19-3.10, P = 0.008). Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests that occupational cooking is associated with an increased risk of uveal melanoma in both men and women.