• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.314-326
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted to identify the ingredients used in ten consumer product categories and determine hazardous substances among these ingredients. Methods: A total of 542 commercial products in ten consumer product categories were selected. The consumer products were sticker removers, washing machine cleaners, multi-purpose cleaners, mold removers, glass cleaners, chlorinated sanitizers, air conditioner cleaners, disposal cleaners, drain cleaners and disinfectant sprays. The company list was complied from governmental records and a market survey. The respective companies were contacted for a list of ingredients found in the 542 products. Results: The corresponding companies listed 163 ingredients. According to European Union (EU) Directive 67/548/EEC, 38 of the 163 ingredients were classified as dangerous substances. Among these substances, 28 ingredients were hazardous to the skin, 15 were hazardous to the eye, and nine were hazardous if inhaled. Three ingredients were classified as CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction) substances: liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) with carcinogenicity and mutagenicity, and VM&P naphtha and ligroine with carcinogenicity. Conclusion: Various chemicals, including hazardous substances, were used in consumer products. Risk assessment of consumer products is required in order to protect the population from health risks.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.263-281
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• 2005

This study was to elucidate the theoretical backgrounds and realities of consumer health information services from a review of the literature, to manifest the actual conditions of consumer health information services by domestic hospital libraries and public libraries, and then to activate library services at least to meet the needs of the services by enhancing their role for consumer demand for health information. This paper propose to activate consumer health information services, as follows : First, librarians both in hospital and in public libraries cognize that consumer health information services really are needed. Furthermore, they expect that when consumer health information services are implemented, the function of the library would be expanded even to the realm of preventive health medical care for consumers and as well as to the patients' right to know. Second, it is recommended that hospital libraries should actively perform their consumer health information services, along with the active collection of health information and materials and develop related bibliographies for hospital libraries to provide patients and their families with medical information. Public libraries also are required to actively collect, maintain and manage health information and to equip themselves with special books in their reference rooms. Third, it is recommended to launch such a cooperation network with a subsystem of MEDLIS as CHIN or CHIPS in the United States of America, to construct an integrated database of consumer health information and materials, an interlibrary system, a reference room service system as well as a cooperation network among hospital and public libraries.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.447-457
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of consumer's self-assessment on actual diets and to analyze its accuracy by consumer's health status. The results were as follows: In general, many consumers misunderstood or assessed inaccurately their actual diets. In particular, the Extreme Optimists and the Optimists were the consumers whose diets were poor, but who assessed wrongly their actual diet quality. In relation with their health status, these two groups showed that the better the consumers consider their health, the more the Extreme Optimists and the Optimists are.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.315-346
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• 2012

The legal relationship between patient and physician is legally equal relationship. But, in times past, patients be compelled to sign an unequal contract, substantially. Because of the imbalance between supply and demand in the health care market. Today, the law of supply and demand in the health care market is running well. And as the cognition of citizens' rights grows, the relationship between patient and physician can also get a lot of changes. Patients have the right to know the information about medical care, and to decide whether or not to get treatment including invasions against their own bodies. In other words, Doctors have an obligation to explain to their patients. If doctors did not provide patients sufficient explanation or information, it violates the right of patients. This is a tort, or a breach of contract. To improve the remedy for violation of patient's right, patient is able to be protected by status as consumer. If patient is a kind of consumer in terms of medical consumption, he/she as consumer can enjoy supplementally the consumer's right. The patient as a consumer can exercise now a consumer's right as a constitutional right. In addition, with respect to consumer's rights, Framework Act on Consumers was enacted. This Act is based on constitutional provisions of Article 124 and the Act can be seen as a law that embodies consumer right because the provision of the constitutional law delegates specific contents. In the health care field, patients need to win recognition the statue of the consumer to hold the sovereignty of the consumer. In particular, if patients are consumers, they may be able to make good use of the quickly and efficiently collective dispute resolution and association lawsuit to rescue their damage, the Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) of Framework Act on Consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.7 s.209
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• pp.23-35
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• 2005

This study examined the consumer complaining behavior after purchasing functional health foods and investigated the variables which influence public and private consumer complaining behavior. The subjects of this study were 206 consumers who were dissatisfied after purchasing functional health foods. The survey was conducted during September. 15-October 6, 2003. Percentiles, frequencies, means, $X^2$ and logistic regression were utilized for data analysis with SPSS program. Major findings were as follows: 1 The groups reporting public complaining behavior were over college graduate, high income workers, professional and clerical workers(demographic variables). Purchasing related variable were high purchasing price, strategy of sales person and. ad, purchasing channel through door to door sales, telemarketing, multi level sales, and home shopping, purchasing purpose of weight control and cosmetic. 2. The groups reporting private complaining behavior were high school graduate, low income workers, housewives and the unemployed(demographic variables). Purchasing related variable were low purchasing price, the case of consumer need, purchasing in the shop, purchasing purpose of health restoration.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.81-102
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• 1997

This study intended to investigate factors shaping the styles for comsumers to express their dissatisfaction after comsuming goods(cloth and household appliance) and services(public and health) In particular this study examined what kinds of characteristics were crucial to distinguish three styles of consumers' and public complaints. The characteristics of consumer to be considered in this study included consumer knowledge consumer attitude consumer and several socio-economic characteristics. The sample used in this study were consumers whose age was grater than 20 years old living near Seoul in 1996. Discriminant analysis was conducted to investigate what factors discriminate the style of complaint. This study found that several consumer characteristics were sigificant in explaining different styles for consumers to response their dissatisfactions. The effects of consumer characteristics were more significant in explaining the complaining styles derived from public and health services rather than goods. Overall consumer attitude consumer knowledge and the degree of satisfaction of services were discriminant variables in explaining the styles of consumer complaint. Both consumer knowledge and budgeting skill were significant in explaining complaint styles to response dissatisfaction derived from consuming clothing while both consumer education and time constraint were significant in shaping the kinds of complaining styles derived from consuming household appliances.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.13-28
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was aimed to identify the expressions used by consumers to talk and by mediator to provide information about hypertension in the internet and suggest more understandable vocabulary for consumers. Methods: A researcher collected archival postings associated 78 hypertension-related vocabularies from internet websites for extracting consumer and mediator vocabulary respectively. Then, the consumer and mediator vocabularies with the same meaning as 78 vocabularies were extracted from postings collected by two non-professional extractors and a researcher, respectively. Both consumer and mediator vocabularies manually mapped to the 78 hypertension-related representing vocabularies. Finally, the survey was conducted from 110 inpatients and 115 nurses from December 27 to 31, 2013 for the selection of recommended vocabulary related to hypertension. Data were analyzed using the SPSS program and included descriptive statistics. Based on the survey results, the recommended vocabularies were selected for laypersons. Results: 67 consumer and 73 mediator vocabularies were linked with the 78 vocabularies. Two vocabularies unmapped to both consumer and mediator vocabularies were 'wheeze' and 'angioplasty'. 49 recommended vocabularies related to hypertension were selected for helping laypersons understand hypertension information. Conclusions: The consumer-oriented vocabularies may be helpful to overcome the vocabulary problem between non-professionals and professionals.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2024

Background: Exposure assessment is an important part of risk assessment for consumer products. Exposure models are used when estimating consumer exposures by considering exposure routes, subjects, and circumstances. These models differ based on their tiers, types, and target populations. Consequently, exposure estimates may vary between models. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the results of different exposure models using identical exposure factors. Methods: Chemical exposure from consumer products was calculated using four consumer exposure assessment models: Targeted Risk Assessment 3.1, Consumer Exposure Model 2.1 (CEM), ConsExpo web 1.1.1, and the Korean Exposure Algorithm (primary and detailed) issued by the Ministry of Environment, No. 972 (MOE). The same exposure factors were used in each model to calculate inhalation and dermal exposures to acetaldehyde, d-limonene, and naphthalene in all-purpose cleaners, leather coating sprays, and sealants. Results: In the results, TRA provided the highest estimate. Generally, MOE (detailed), CEM and ConsExpo showed lower exposures. The inhalation exposure for leather coating spray showed the largest differences between models, with differences reaching up to 1.2×10⁷ times. Since identical inputs were used for the calculations, it is likely that the models significantly influenced the estimated results. Conclusions: Despite using the same exposure factors to calculate dermal and inhalation exposures, the results varied substantially based on the model's exposure algorithm. Therefore, selecting an exposure model for assessing consumer products should be done with careful consideration.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.275-282
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• 2018

Objective: Since certain chemicals are widely applied in a variety of consumer products, exposure via simultaneous use of multiple consumer products can put human health at risk. For this reason, use patterns of consumer products are an important factor inhuman health risk assessment. The aim of this study is to investigate co-use patterns of air-fresheners and deodorizers in Korea in order to estimate potential cumulative exposure. Methods: To collect the information on use patterns of air-fresheners and deodorizers, ten air-fresheners and 14 deodorizers were selected. A total of 3,000 participants were recruited and asked through on line questionnaires whether they had simultaneously used the selected air-fresheners and deodorant products in their daily lives. Results: Among the 3,000 participants, 45.6% had used more than two air fresheners and 46.3% used more than two deodorizers. The most common types of air fresheners used concurrently include liquid and candle types for indoor environments, while those of deodorizers were fabric trigger sprays and refrigerator gels. In addition, 73.7% used more than two products without product categories. Fabric trigger sprays were contained in all of the high-ranking product combinations. Conclusions: This study showed that many consumers concurrently used air-fresheners and deodorizers in their daily routines. For accurate exposure assessment, co-use patterns of consumer products should be further investigated.

• Food Quality and Culture
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.82-88
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• 2009

This study developed learning content and web pages providing information on Health/Functional Food (HFF) for consumers who come across information indiscriminately from a variety of advertising media such as the Internet and TV. After coming to an understanding of the current situation through literature review and fact-finding, we collected information and commercials on HFF that are exposed to consumers. Focusing on advanced countries such as the U.S. and Japan, we examined the current status of consumer education programs, especially in terms of HFF industry. Further, we referred to the guidelines for consumer education provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and monitored the information from a web site that sells dietary supplementary products in the U.S. In addition, we surveyed consumer information on foods for special health use provided by the Japanese National Institute of Health & Nutrition, and investigated a DB of raw materials of function food (functionality/safety documents). Upon a literature review, the 13 functions of HFF were classified. As a result of conducting interviews with consumers, we developed content that was fit for consumers' perspectives. Through this research, we established a web page to enable people to search for information by function and then by raw material. After searching for information by raw materials, searching products by raw materials can be done in cooperation with E-marketplace. Subsequently developed content and education programs were offered on an HFF web page, which has been in operation since 2005. Therefore, it is expected that appropriate information on HFF will be available.