• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.120-127
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• 2024

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to increased mortality rates. To assess this impact, this ecological study aimed to estimate the excess death counts in southern Iran. Methods: The study obtained weekly death counts by linking the National Death Registry and Medical Care Monitoring Center repositories. The P-score was initially estimated using a simple method that involved calculating the difference between the observed and expected death counts. The interrupted time series analysis was then used to calculate the mean relative risk (RR) of death during the first year of the pandemic. Results: Our study found that there were 5571 excess deaths from all causes (P-score=33.29%) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 48.03% of these deaths directly related to COVID-19. The pandemic was found to increase the risk of death from all causes (RR, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.33), as well as in specific age groups such as those aged 35-49 (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.32), 50-64 (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.49), and ≥65 (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.32) years old. Furthermore, there was an increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.22). Conclusions: There was a 26% increase in the death count in southern Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of these excess deaths were not directly related to COVID-19, but rather other causes, with cardiovascular diseases being a major contributor.

• 비만대사연구학술지
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.47-52
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• 2022

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are emerging as a novel solution to improve lifestyle and prevent non-communicable diseases. Obesity is a complex, multi-factorial, chronic condition that requires patient-centered lifestyle modification. DTx, such as mobile applications and wearables, may offer easily accessible, efficient, and personalized care in the field of obesity and metabolic diseases. Yet, there is controversy over its clinical usefulness. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of DTx, including its potential role and current limitation in obesity care, based on recent literature.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.1-15
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• 2020

Objectives : The objectives of this study were to investigate why and how China used traditional Chinese medicine as a response to COVID-19 and how its performance was achieved, and to explore ways to utilize traditional Korean medicine in Korea. Methods : We examined the information through government data and media articles. China's COVID-19 progress and policy response were reviewed and compared with Korea. Based on this, the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine response in China were identified. Results : Based on legal basis, China makes the overall use of traditional Chinese medicines to respond to COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine has been applied to health insurance, the licensing regulations have been eased, and traditional Chinese medical specialists were dispatched. The medical care guidelines were developed and R&D were carried out. In addition, policies related to traditional Chinese medicine included policies for preventive treatment, the combination of Chinese and Western medicine, and telemedicine. Conclusions : Traditional Chinese medicine response to COVID-19 was included within the overall national quarantine policy, providing medical services for the mild stage. In addition, R&D was conducted to establish a basis for the utilization of traditional Chinese medicines. Traditional Korean medicine also needs to be prepared so that it can be used as a complement to the response of communicable diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.603-615
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• 2022

Assessing the health of international migrants is crucial in the Republic of Korea, Asia, and even worldwide. We compared the risk factors for non-communicable diseases among Asian migrants in Korea and the Korean population. This cross-sectional (2015) and longitudinal (2009-2015) observational study comprised a population-wide analysis spanning 2009 to 2015. Asian migrants (n=987,214) in Korea and Korean nationals (n=1,693,281) aged ≥20 were included. The Asian migrants were classified as Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and other. The prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases (current smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension) were analyzed. Regarding the age-adjusted prevalence, direct age standardization was conducted separately by sex using 10-year age bands; the World Standard Population was used as the standard population. Among the participants aged ≥20, the age-adjusted prevalence of current smoking was higher among Chinese and other Asian migrant men than among Korean men and women (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was higher among Chinese, Filipino, and other Asian migrant women than in Korean women (p<0.001, p=0.002, and p<0.001, respectively). Among the participants aged 20-49, the age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension was higher in Filipino migrant women than in Korean women (p=0.009 and p<0.001, respectively). Current rates of smoking and obesity were worse among Asian migrants of specific nationalities than among native Koreans. The health inequalities among Filipino migrant women in Korea, especially those aged 20-49, should be addressed.

• 생태와환경
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.306-315
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• 2019

한강 하구는 오염물질과 병원성 미생물의 유입 및 확산 가능성으로 인해 이곳에 서식하는 수산생물에 피해가 발생할 수 있다. 하지만 지금까지 이 지역 서식 생물에 대한 법정전염병 병원체 감염 여부가 조사된 자료는 찾아보기 힘들다. 본 연구에서는 한강 하구 전류리에 서식하는 수산 생물 중 잉어과 어류와 갑각류를 대상으로 법정전염병(잉어봄바이러스병, SVC; 잉어허피스바이러스병, KHVD; 유행성궤양증후군, EUS; 흰반점병, WSD) 및 기생충의 감염 여부를 조사하였다. 전류리 유역에서 채집된 어류는 잉어과 어류가 가장 많았으며 주연성 어류와 일차 담수어가 같이 관찰되었고, 갑각류는 해산종이 채집되었다. 채집된 잉어과 어류와 갑각류에 대해 PCR을 이용한 법정전염병 검사 결과 이들 질병에 감염된 개체는 없었다. 기생충성 질병 검사 결과 공중보건상 위협요인인 간흡충이 검출되지는 않았지만 일부 어류에서 다른 흡충류의 metacercaria와 nematode, cestode, copepod, 단생충 및 구두충 등의 감염을 확인할 수 있었다. 이상의 결과는 아직 한강 하구가 주요 수산생물 전염병 병원체에 심각하게 오염되지 않았음을 의미한다. 그러나 한강의 수질 상태는 지속적으로 변화하고 수서 생태계에 대한 전염병의 파괴력은 예측하기 힘들 정도로 위험하므로, 지속적인 방역 노력이 진행되어야 할 것이다. 이를 위해 조사 지역을 전류리뿐만 아니라 이곳보다 상류로 확대하고 조사 개체 수를 늘려서 질병모니터링을 실시할 필요성이 제기된다.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.164-170
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• 2006

Asian Branches of International Life Science Institute (ILSI), i.e. China, India, Japan, Korea and South East Asian Region, identified five key public health issue priorities of each region and compared the results. In case of China, India and South East Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand etc. ASEAN countries), communicable diseases were the first priority issue, while elderly issue and food safety were prime issues for Japan and Korea, respectively. Malnutrition was the second priority issue for India and ASEAN countries, whereas non-communicable disease like cancer and degenerative diseases was for Korea and China, and obesity far Japan. Typical issues were smoking for China, nutrition education for China and Japan, biotechnology aiming GMO for India, and functional food causing health claim problem for Korea and Japan. Although the priority varied with the socioeconomic situation of each county, food and water safety recorded the highest priority of all the countries. The key public health issues of Korea were discussed in detail.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제57권3호
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• pp.291-294
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• 2019

Primary amebic encephalitis (PAM) is a devastating central nervous system infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba, which can survive in soil and warm fresh water. Here, a 43-year-old healthy male was exposed to warm freshwater 5 days before the symptom onset. He rapidly developed severe cerebral edema before the diagnosis of PAM and was treated with intravenous conventional amphotericin B while died of terminal cerebral hernia finally. Comparing the patients with PAM who has similar clinical symptoms to those with other common types of meningoencephalitis, this infection is probably curable if treated early and aggressively. PAM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of purulent meningoencephalitis, especially in patients with recent freshwater-related activities during the hot season.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.39-42
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• 1981

Recent changes in the cause of death among the Korean population seem to be systematic and significant. Data on cause of death from the medically certified death certificates provide at least four types of evidence: a sudden increase in recent years in the numbers of death due to cerebrovascular disease or circulatory diseases including rheumatic fever and chronic heart diseases and atherosclerosis; increasing steadily in the numbers of death due to malignant neoplasm of various sites, and death due to accident; decreasing steadily in the numbers of death due to communicable diseases or parasite diseases; and a large number of deaths with unspecified symptoms and ill-defined conditions. The lack of complete registration of the deads occurred or the incomplete description on the cause of death reported suggests that statistical information of cause of death from the medically certified death records is meaningful in interpreting changing patterns.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.197-204
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the public's awareness of the importance of hand washing and to compare perceptions on the habit of hand washing with actual hand washing behavior. Methods : Data were collected by observing 2,800 participants washing their hands after using public restrooms in seven cities nationwide and by surveying 1,000 respondents (age > 14 years) through telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results : Although 94% of the survey respondents claimed to mostly or always wash their hands after using public restrooms, only 63.4% of the observed participants did wash their hands after using public restrooms. Significant factors related to increased adherence to hand washing were female gender, approximate ages of 20 to 39 years by their appearance, and the presence of other people from the observation. About 79% of the survey respondents always washed their hands after using bathrooms at home, 73% washed their hands before handling food, and 67% washed their hands upon returning to their home. However, 93.2% and 86.3% of the survey respondents did not wash their hands after coughing or sneezing and after handling money, respectively. Although most of the survey respondents (77.6%) were aware that hand washing is helpful in preventing communicable diseases, 39.6% of the survey respondents did not do so because they were 'not accustomed' to washing their hands and 30.2% thought that washing their hands is 'annoying'. Conclusions : This is the first comprehensive report on hand washing behavior and awareness of the general population in Korea. The result of this study in terms of individual behavior and awareness of hand washing are comparable with similar studies conducted in other countries. However adherence to hand washing is still low and needs to be increased. The results of this study can be used as a baseline in setting up strategies and activities to promote adherence to hand washing.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권4호
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• pp.421-430
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate whether mass drug administration (MDA) intervention has an equivalent effect on reducing the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection regardless of the baseline values. A repeated cross-sectional survey was performed targeting students of 12 primary schools in Al Jabalain and El Salam districts of White Nile State, Sudan, at both 1 week before and 8 months after the MDA. Prior to the baseline survey, schoolaged children in Al Jabalain had received MDA interventions twice in 4 years, while those in El Salam had not. The baseline prevalence was 9.1% in Al Jabalain and 35.2% in El Salam, which were reduced to 1.8% and 5.5% at 8 months after the MDA, respectively. The corresponding reduction rates were 80.3% and 84.4%, not significant difference between both districts. However, changes in the geometric mean intensity (GMI) of egg counts were significantly different between both districts. The baseline GMIs were 14.5 eggs per 10 ml of urine (EP10) in Al Jabalain and 18.5 EP10 in El Salam, which were reduced to 7.1 and 11.2 EP10 after treatment, respectively. The corresponding reduction rates were 51.0% and 39.5%. In conclusion, MDA interventions were found to bring about similar relative reduction in prevalence regardless of the baseline value; however, the relative reduction in infection intensity was more salient in the district with a low baseline value for both prevalence and intensity. This clearly points to the importance of repeated MDA interventions in endemic areas, which will eventually contribute to schistosomiasis elimination.