• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.195-196
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• 2018

The Korean Academy of Health Policy and Management (KAHPM) has shown remarkable achievements in the field of health policy and management in Korea for the last 30 years. The KAHPM consists of experts in various fields of health policy and management, and has been the leading academic discussion forum for health policy agendas of interest to the public. Health Policy and Management (HPM), the official journal of the KAHPM, published the first issue of volume 1 in October, 1991 and is publishing the second issue of volume 28 as of 2018. Currently, it is one of Korea' main journals in the field of health policy and management. HPM has published a special issue in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the KAHPM. The HPM invited authors, including former presidents of the KAHPM and current board members, to write about main issues in health policy and management. Although the HPM tried to set up an invited author on all subjects in the health policy and management field, 19 papers are published, that completed the peer review process by August, 2018. The authors of the special issue of the 30th anniversary of the KAHPM include six former presidents, a senior professor, and 12 board members. The subjects of this issue are reform of the healthcare delivery system, health insurance and medical policy, reform of health system governance, the role of National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) and the National Evidence-based healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA), ethical aspects of health policy change, regional disparities of healthcare, healthcare accreditation, new healthcare technology evaluation system, globalization of the healthcare industry, the epidemiological investigator system, the quarantine system, safety and disaster, and official development assistance. There are some remaining topics to deal with for the KAHPM: aged society, anti-smoking, non-infectious disease, suicide, healthcare resources, emergency medical care, out-of-pocket money, medical fee payment system, medical aid system, long-term care insurance, industrial accident compensation insurance, community-centered health welfare system, and central government and local government of health. The HPM will continue to publish review articles on the main topics in health policy and management. This is because the KAHPM, which has been the leading academic society of Korea's health policy and management for the last 30 years, feels responsible for continuing its mission for the next 30 years.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.651-659
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• 2020

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death across the world, and gold-standard treatments such as percutaneous coronary intervention and artery bypass grafting have various limitations including myocardial damage and subsequent maladaptive cardiac remodeling. To overcome this, stem-cell therapies are emerging as a promising strategy for cardiovascular regeneration. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have high potential to proliferate and differentiate into endothelial cells for vascularization and tissue regeneration, and several clinical trials have explored EPC function in tissue repair in relation to clinical safety and improving cardiac function. Consequently, EPC has been suggested as a feasible stem-cell therapy. However, autologous EPC transplantation in cardiovascular disease patients is restricted by risk factors such as age, smoking status, and hypertension that lead to reduced bioactivity in the EPCs. New approaches for improving EPC function and stem-cell efficacy have therefore been suggested, including cell priming, organoid culture systems, and enhancing transplantation efficiency through 3D bioprinting methods. In this review, we provide a comprehensive understanding of EPC characteristics, therapeutic approaches, and the current state of clinical research into EPCs as stem-cell therapy for cardiovascular disease.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 1999

Respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease has been described among current or former smokers and has features consistent with interstitial lung disease. Symptoms include cough, dyspnea on exertion. Lung pathology is characterized by the accumulation of pigmented macrophages within respiratory bronchioles and adjacent air spaces associated with mild thickening of the peribronchiolar interstitium. It must be separated from the other interstitial lung disease because of marked differences in treatment and prognosis. Recently we experienced a case of respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease in a 48-year-old man. As far as we know, this is the first case in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2020

Background: Exploratory study to investigate whether co-exposure to physical wrist stressors and chemicals is associated with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in French male farmers and agricultural workers. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 711 men aged 30-65 years and working as either farmers or agricultural workers in 2009-2010 within a cohort covered by the French Agricultural Workers' and Farmers' Mutual Benefit Fund. CTS and exposure to physical wrist stressors and chemicals were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between CTS and personal/medical factors, exposure to physical wrist stressors, exposure to chemicals, and co-exposure to physical wrist stressors and chemicals were studied using multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Forty-four men {5.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.0-7.7]} reported that they had suffered from unilateral/bilateral CTS during the last 12 months. CTS was associated with age, current smoking [odds ratio (OR) = 2.1 (1.0-4.5)], and exposure to physical wrist stressors [OR = 2.6 (1.1-5.9)]. An association was found between CTS and co-exposure to physical wrist stressors and chemicals [OR = 3.3 (0.8-14.3), p = 0.044] in comparison with the no-exposure group. Conclusions: This exploratory study shows an association of CTS with exposure to biomechanical wrist stressors in male farmers and agricultural workers and suggests an association of CTS with co-exposure to physical wrist stressors and chemicals. Owing to the limitations of the study, this result must be confirmed by a prospective study with objective assessments of the outcome and exposure before drawing conclusions on the possible synergistic effects of mechanical stressors and chemicals on the impairment of the median nerve.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.245-252
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• 2012

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between metabolic syndrome and periodontal in the adult Korean population on the basis of the 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES) data. Of 19-year-old or older adult patients suffering from their disease diagnosed as metabolic syndrome, 1,315 subjects whose community periodontal index(CPI) information was fully available were finally analyzed, and the following conclusions were drawn. 1. It was found that of sociodemographic characteristics, age and educational background correlated to the prevalence of periodontal diseases. With increasing age and poorer educational background, the rates of periodontal diseases increased(p<0.001). 2. It was revealed that of general health behaviors, smoking, alcohol drinking and BMI correlated with the prevalence of periodontal diseases. Higher rates of periodontal diseases were shown in the group of patients who were current smokers(p<0.05), had the higher frequency of drinking per week(p<0.001), and had higher BMI(p<0.005). 3. It was ascertained that of oral health behaviors, the history of oral health examination in the previous year, the use of proxabrush or dental floss, and perceived(i.e., subjective) oral health status correlated to the prevalence of periodontal diseases. The higher rates of periodontal diseases were seen in those who had no history of oral health examination in the previous year(p<0.001), had used neither proxabrush nor dental floss(p<0.05), and perceived that their own oral health was poor(p<0.001).

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1551-1560
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• 2017

The aim of this review is to analyze the trend of using Virtual Reality (VR) in addiction treatment by categorizing the types of addictions and methods of Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) for substance use disorders. VR has been utilized as a new paradigm for treating various mental and psychological problems. In recent years, a number of researches have been done to demonstrate the effectiveness of VRT for addiction treatment, specifically substance use disorders. In order to comprehend the tendency of these researches, the current study performed a systematic review of published book and journal articles using the following bibliographical databases: ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, ProQuest, and Embase. Forty-five (45) articles were retrieved; out of these researches, nicotine/smoking has garnered the highest number of studies (73%, n=33); alcohol (18%, n=8); cannabis/marijuana (2%, n=1); and other drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine (7%, n=3). This paper analyzed the results of those studies, found some limitations as well as strengths, and made suggestions for further research on VRT for addiction treatment.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.51-72
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• 2002

This research was conducted to understand and analyze the health-related behaviors of middle school students and get fundamental research data essential to provide efficient student guidance and public health service at school. The interview using Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System(YRBSS). Translation and modification for Korean students of the YRBS. The Korean version of YRBS(Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System) that translation and modification for Korean students of the YRBS developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)was used to assessment to health-related behaviors of youth. The interviewees were 1040 enrolled students at middle school in Daegu metropolitan city. YRBSS monitors six categories of priority health behaviors among youth and young adults behaviors that contribute to unintentional and intentional injuries; tobacco use; alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases(STDs)(including human immunodeficiency virus infection); unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical activity. The result shows that over 30% of students rarely or never used safety belt and almost students were rarely or never wore a bicycle helmet. During the 12 months preceding the survey, 21.9% female students had felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for $\geq$ 2weeks in a row that they stopped doing some usually activities 20.5% of male middle school students have ever tried cigarette smoking. 26.2% of male students and 27.2% do female students had had over one drinks of alcohol during their lifetime(lifetime alcohol use). 47% of male students had had over one drinks of alcohol on $\geq$ 1 of the 30 days preceding the survey(current alcohol use). Over one half of female student were thought they were overweight. These results suggest that some risk behaviors be very prevalent in a korean middle school students and priority health-risk behaviors, which contribute to the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among youth and adult, often are establish during middle school age, extend into adulthood, are interrelated. Among both children and adults, the leading causes of death are closely linked to these behaviors. Among adults, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes are the national leading killers. Practicing healthy behaviors, such as eating low-fat, high-fruit-and-vegetable diets, getting regular physical activity, and refraining from tobacco use, would prevent many premature deaths. Because health-related behaviors are usually established in childhood, positive choices need to be promoted before damaging behaviors are initiated or become ingrained.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.117-131
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to grasp the nature of health behavior to pactice in order to keep and improve the optimal health in the current status of the cancer patients. The subjects were 21 cancer patients, who knew about their disease for themselves, could communicate without mental disease history, and could understand the purpose of this study and cooperate, in a university hospital in Seoul. The data were collected by direct interview from July 15 to Oct. 17, 1994. The interview took about 1~2hours per one time for each paitent by unstructural and open questions. And they were classified into some similar contents on the basis of the phenomenological analysis and categorized. The analyzed results are as follows: 1) In the daily life before and after diagnosis as cancer patients, they were categorized into 6 areas-the state of movement, sleeping, nutrition and diet, society and economy, drinking and somking, and recognition of their health. 2) In the experience of health behavior of cancer patents, they were categorized into 7 areas-the state of movement, sleeping, nutrition and diet, society and economy, drinking and smoking, recognition of their health, and psychology etc. According to the analyzed results of daily life before diagnosis as cancer patients, it turned out that they didn't recognize the problems for their health habit and made their disease state bad by irresolute characteristics which hesitated to practice rightly, renunciation, and irresponsibility and so on, even if they had much interests in their health and were motivated. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize and have an individual-centric interests in order to change the pattern of life for optimal health state to some extent. In the health behavior of cancer patients, it turned out that they had interests in the state of nutrition and diet the most. Even though they experienced the change of serious nutritive state due to the bad gastroenteric trouble by anticancer treatment, they were trying to have a regular eating habit refraining from irritant food and use folk remedies or healthy food temperating the taste food thoroughly, they also showed the sensitive response for nutrition. In addition, they appeared to use the traditional medical treatment or the folk remedies very seriously without abuse. In consideration of it, it is desirable to use them together with the modern medical treatment intercomplementarily and necessary to look into the types for cancer patients and their benefits.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.56
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• pp.69-99
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• 2016

Taking the perspective of children's welfare, this study aimed at critically analyzing the system of notification disposition which institutionalized children have experienced. Notification disposition is a juvenile justice process that, when a child (10 th 18 years old ) has been delinquent or is at risk for delinquency, is initiated without investigation or prosecution procedures by direct notification to a judge from the caregivers, school principals, chief probation officers, or directors of child care institutions. The data used in the analysis included case records of probation offices, and court sentencing documents of juvenile protective dispositions. Results showed that notification cases were initiated by directors of child shelters/care institutions. The most common reasons of notification were theft, runaway, physical violence, drinking, and smoking. Furthermore, there were more controversial reasons, such as "bad influence on another institutionalized children", "showing no remorse", "no sense of guilt"and "challenge of rearing in institutions" Based on the results, we discussed three problematic aspects of the direct notification system by directors of childcare institutions : (1) too much reliance on the judicature judgment of juvenile court; (2) less stability of the judicial status of notified children, and (3) inadequacies of the notifying eligibility for directors of child care institutions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 2019

Objectives: To identify the positive rate of and the risk factors associated with latent tuberculosis infection(LTBI) in mine workers, the objectives of the present study evaluated those among former mine workers. Methods: Between January 2015 and May 2017, former male mine workers who had been subjects for epidemiology research for work-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and had received QuantiFERON-$TB^{(R)}$ Gold In-Tube(QFT-GIT) from the Institute of Occupation and Environment(IOE) under Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service(KCOMWEL) were selected as the study subjects. To identify significant variables for increased risk of LTBI, logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: A total of 736 male former mine workers were selected as study subjects. The positive rate of LTBI among subjects was 69.2%(509/736). The current smoking[odds ratio(OR), 2.3; 95% confidence interval(CI), 1.1-4.9], COPD(OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.9-2.3), department loading(OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9-3.4) and mining(OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.9-2.5), and working duration of over 20(OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.9-3.1) and over 30 years(OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 0.9-4.9) were associated with increased risk of LTBI. The interferon-gamma(IFN-${\gamma}$) level after stimulation with Mycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB)-specific antigens showed a significantly negative correlation with age(r=-0.126). Conclusions: The present study determined that the high positive rate of LTBI among mine workers was associated with not only the host factors but also the occupational exposure to mine dust.