• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2011

Although pesticides have increased crop production and controlled disease, they have produced a number of adverse health effects. Pesticides have potential human toxicity and a variety of groups, such as farmers or industrial workers, as well as the general population, are exposed to pesticides. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to provide an overview of pesticide exposure and health through a literature review, focusing on exposure assessment, acute poisoning, chronic health effects, and future research needs. The exposure types and levels of pesticides vary by study subjects and need to be assessed by integrating several methods focused on the epidemiological purpose. Acute pesticide poisoning is a major public health problem in the world. Paraquat is the main causative pesticide for acute poisoning in Korea and should be banned in order to save several thousands of lives every year. Occupational pesticide exposure also causes numerous chronic diseases among farmers and industrial workers, including cancers, respiratory diseases, depression, retinal degeneration, diabetes, and abnormal menstrual cycle. However, controversy exists regarding the long-term effects of low-dose environmental pesticide exposure. The area of pesticide study is relatively new with broad study populations and it has received little academic and policy attention, particularly in Korea. More detailed studies investigating the risk of pesticide-related health effects and intervention efforts to reduce the problems are needed in Korea.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.263-269
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• 2020

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by chronic pain in the skeletal system accompanied by stiffness, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and psychiatric problems, such as anxiety and depression. Fibromyalgia commonly affects orofacial health, presenting with a variety of oral manifestations, including temporomandibular disorder, xerostomia, glossodynia, and dysgeusia. Therefore, oral healthcare providers need to be aware of this clinical entity to effectively manage oral symptoms and provide proper oral self-care modification and education on the nature of fibromyalgia. This review focuses on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, orofacial concerns, and treatment of fibromyalgia.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.25-36
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• 2005

Recent trends in agricultural globalization have brought on a crisis to our already impoverished Korean farmers. This study was proposed to assist in comparing the health and dietary characteristics of farmer families that have chronic disease patients to farmer families that do not have chronic disease patients. For the study, 1870 families were selected from 9 rural Korean provinces. Trained evaluators interviewed farmer housewives to collect demographic, health behavior, and dietary relative information about family members. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS (ver 8.2). Chi-square tests and General Linear Models were also used. In general, patient family members were older than non-patient family members. For patient families, the mean age was 70.4 for husbands and 64.3 for wives. For non-patient families, the mean age was 64.2 for husbands and 57.3 for wives. Therefore we analyzed the data after we stratified the subjects based on the wife's age of 65. Patient families snacked less and 'dined out' less than non-patient families. However, they consumed cookies more frequently, and milk and fruits less frequently, when compared to non-patient families. There were no significant differences in nutrient supplementation, and/or instant food intake frequencies between patient families and non-patient families. Sixty-two percent of patient family members complained about health problems such arthritis, lumbago, numbness, shoulder pain, dizziness, and others, whereas 52olo of non-patient family members complained about Farmers' syndrome. Husband cigarette smoking was not significantly different among groups. However, the smoking patterns of the wives was significantly higher in patient families. Alcohol consumption was also higher in patient families. In summary, it was determined that rural patient families had poorer dietary behavior and poorer health in general, when compared to non-patient families, and accordingly, diverse community-level health and nutritional support are suggested to solve the farmers' health problems and to improve their quality of life.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.67-73
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• 2011

Objectives: To examine the overview of fatigue-related health conditions in the Korean general population. Methods: Data were collected from 2,203 adults (1,126 men and 1,077 women) via a self-reporting questionnaire and their sleeping, exercise, stress, physical problems, use of functional food, and fatigue status were analyzed. Results: The average sleeping hours was about $6.6{\pm}2.0$ hrs per day, and 24.3% of subjects didn't exercise (over 30 min) in a week. Around 16.5% of subjects were under severe stress, and 46.1% (36.9% male vs. 55.6% female) had had trouble with at least one form of physical distress including dyspepsia, headache or muscular pain. 45.4% (37.2% male vs. 53.9% female) of subjects used functional supplements. 46.3% (42.8% male vs. 50.0% female) of subjects complained of chronic fatigue, and they were significantly different compared with no-fatigue subjects regarding severe stress status (8.6% vs. 24.0%), frequency of physical distress (33.2% vs. 69.9%), and use of functional supplements (41.6% vs. 49.8%). Conclusion: This result first reports the features of fatigue-related health conditions including prevalence of chronic fatigue in the Korean population. This data could be helpful to develop fatigue-focused traditional Korean medicine in the future.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.31-46
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• 2004

Owing to continuous economic growth, an increased standard of living, and improvements to health care in Korea, the life expectancy of Koreans rose from 69.0years in 1985 to 71.3 years in 1990 It continued to rise throughout the 1990s, and, by2002, had reached 76.5 years for the general population and 80.0 years for Korean females. Similarly, the percentage of the Korean population that is 65 years of age or older Increased from 3.1 In 1970 to 7.1 In 2000, and is expected to reach approximately14.0 in 2019. Thus, according to this estimate, Korea will have evolved from an 'aging society 'to an "aged society" in only 19 years. In the case of other countries, this same transformation has generally taken 2 to 5 times longer. One of the major issues related to Korea's rapid1y aging population relates to the health problems of the elderly According to the 2002 National Health Survey Report,87.6 percent of the elderly were reported to have at least one chronic disease. In other words, almost 9 out of evert 10 elderly persons in Korea were suffering from a chronic illness. This, clearly, places a significant economic burden on Korean society in the form of increased health care costs. This paper examines the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases within Korea's rapidly aging population and offers some possible short- and long-term solutions to cope with the increased burden being placed on Korea's health care system. These Include the basic services at local health centers for the elderly and the national life-long health promotion programs that aim to correct unhealthy behavior, such as smoking, the excessive use of alcohol, and poor eating and exercise habits.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.187-197
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• 2004

Owing to continuous economic growth, an increased standard of living, and improvements to health care in Korea, the life expectancy of Koreans rose from 69.0 years in 1985 to 71.3years in 1990. It continued to rise throughout the 1990s, and, by 2002, had reached 76.5years for the general population and 80.0 years for Korean females. Similarly, the percentage of the Korean population that is 65 years of age or older increased from 3.1 in 1970 to 7.1in 2000, and is expected to reach approximately 14,0 in 2019. Thus, according to this estimate, Korea will have evolved from an "aging society" to an "aged society" in only 19years. In the case of other countries, this same transformation has generally taken 2 to 5times longer. One of the major issues related to Korea's rapidly aging population relates to the health problems of the elderly. According to the 2002 National Health Survey Report, 87,6 percent of the elderly were reported to Have at least one chronic disease. In other words, almost 9out of every 10 elderly persons in Korea were suffering from a chronic illness, This, clearly, places a significant economic burden on Korean society in the form of increased health care Costs. This paper examines the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases within Korea's rapidlv aging population and offers some possible short- and long-term solutions to cope with the increased burden being placed on Korea's health care system. These include the basic services at local health centers for the elderly and the national life-long health promotion programs that aim to correct unhealthy behavior, such as smoking, the excessive use of alcohol, and poor eating and exercise habits.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.97-114
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• 1996

Recently, attention for health promotion is rising. Alcohol is widely consumed among adults. About 1/3 of people 15 years of older enjoy drinking alcohol. Some 80% of them drink a half or more bottle of soju each time. Regular excessive drinking of alcohol may cause various problems. WHO(1990) reported that social problems such as divorce, unemployment, and financial difficulties ; psychological problems such as melancholy, suicide, and drug abuse ; physical problems such as cirrhosis, lung cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, and sterilization. The patients with liver disease are estimated to be 628,000. Approximately, 12,000 persons are dying by chronic liver disease and cirrhosis each year. Among the people of 15 years or older, persons dependent on alcohol are estimated to be 1,480,000. This study suggests policies to reduce the consumption of alcohol for planning for health promotion. Limitations of sites and times of sales and designation of sellers, designation of sites prohibiting drinking, limitation of alcohol sales promotion, and restrictions on advertisement can be inaugurated. Increase of price through the raise of tax and taxation of promotion cost. Education of high risk groups such as soldiers, pregnant women, and the youth can be introduced. Provision of alternative socialization programs instead of drinking. Some approaches on target groups were suggested.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.311-318
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• 2019

Dying alone is an emerging social problem in South Korea. It is reported that most cases of dying alone showed various and chronic health problems. Despite of this situation, there existed neither medical support nor welfare services when dying. It indicated severe health inequality problems. With this background, the purpose of this study was to examine health inequality issue among dying alone cases by using news paper articles during the past three years(2016-2018). Content analysis was employed for 89 dying alone cases. Characteristics of dying alone cases, types of illness and health problems, and unmet medical services were analyzed. Based on the findings, future directions were addressed.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.97-116
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• 2004

Lifetime Health Maintenance Program(LHMP) for Koreans is the Korean guide to clinical preventive services which include screening for chronic diseases, counseling and immunization. The Korean Task Force on the LHMP vigorously reviews evidence for interventions to prevent over 50 different illnesses and conditions which are important in Korea. The problems addressed in this program are common ones seen every day by primary care physicians in Korea: cardiovascular, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal and endocrine diseases, cancers, alcohol and smoking, and many others. Primary care clinicians have a key role in screening for many of these problems and immunizing against others. Of equal importance, however, is the clinician's role in counseling patients to change unhealthful behaviors related to diet, smoking, exercise, injuries, and sexually transmitted diseases. The recommendations are grouped by age, sex, and other risk factors.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.231-245
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• 2004

Lifetime Health Maintenance Program(LHMP) or Koreans is the Korean guide to clinical preventive services which include screening for chronic diseases, counseling and immunization. The Korean Task Force on the LHMP vigorously reviews evidence for interventions to prevent over 50 different illnesses and conditions which are important in Korea. The problems addressed in this program are common ones seen every day by primary care physicians in Korea: cardiovascular, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal and endocrine diseases, cancers, alcohol and smoking, and many others. Primary care clinicians have a key role in screening for many of these problems and imunizing against others Of equal importance, however, is the clinician's role in counseling patients to change unhealthful behaviors related to diet, smoking, exercise, injuries, and sexually transmitted diseases The recommendations are grouped by age, sex, and other risk factors.