• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.214-218
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• 2014

We introduce a technical equipment of GATe (Green (algae)-tide) water combine developed by K-water. The GATe water combine consists of five modules: main body and buoyant, transfer hopper, screen conveyer, sludge remover, and separator of algae and waste. Also a sprinkler, as the pre-treatment step if necessary, is equipped to the device to spread out environmental-friendly algaecide under the circumstance that the level of algal bloom does not reach to the scum-forming condition. The overall module system of this device is very simple. Based on the field test, the device covers surface area of ca. $500,000m^2day^{-1}$ during the period from May to July, and treats water volume as much as $500,000m^3day^{-1}$ in spite of some variation depending on the water quality condition. The removal efficiency of the device appeared to be over 90%. In addition, the operating duration of the device was able to expand to cover the period between March and November. We expect this new technology can be used to solve algal bloom problems in drinking water resource and public water area.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.11 no.1_2
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• pp.19-29
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• 1996

Human exposure to volatile compounds in tap water can occur from inhalation and dermal absorption as well as direct ingestion. The relative contribution to total human exposure from these pathways has been considered to be important especially for VOC's (volatile organic compounds). In an attempt to reduce the uncertainty of the risk assessment, it has been suggested that the exposure assessment process could be significantly improved by adopting Monte-Carlo simulation. However, there is no actual data in Korea for each exposure parameter to determine the level of exposure, and the distributional pattern. Therefore, we surveyed water use patterns and behavior related to multi-route exposure to VOC's in household tap water in Korea, and compared these values to the those in western countries. In the first survey, we calculated daily water intake using data from a sample of 1322 persons of several cities in Korea. In the second survey, we obtained questionnaire data on exposure time for showering, bathing and household activities, and tap water intake from 851households in Korea. In the last survey, we measured the exposure parameters (exposure time, water use rate etc.) related to showers, baths, toilets, dish washing, washing and cooking, and tap water intake was surveyed. Also, the subjects were measured their body weight, height and tidal volume, etc. A diary, a flow meter and a measuring cup were used to measure these values as precisely as possible. Average daily water intake was ranged 0.79-1.71 L/day for adults in three surveys. Tap water intake measured by log-sheet during one week in third survey was 1.26 (average), 1.98 L/day (90 percentlie), respectively. These results were comparable with results from EPA (1.4, 2L/day). The average amount of water used by housewives in the third survey was 515.0 $\pm$ 564.6L/day. In usual activity, the amount of water used in the bathroom, the laundry and the kitchen was 140.0 $\pm$ 538.9, 148.0 $\pm$ 174.5, 229.3 $\pm$ 205.4 L/day, respectively. Exposure parameters such as water intake rate, exposure duration, body weight, inhalation rates in surveyed data of Korean people differed from those published from western countries. This could be attributed to variations in lifestyle, dietary habits and physiological characteristics.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.507-519
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• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence, health behaviors, and control of hypertension in rural areas in Korea. Method: A total of 927 subjects above age 20 were selected from the areas which fell under the jurisdiction of the 24 Community Health Center located in Chungcheongbuk-do. The employees in the Community Health Center visited and interviewed patients. Data were collected using a questionnaire from July to October 2002. Result: The result showed that women had higher hypertension prevalence rates than men and the increment of its rate leveled up according to age. The hypertension prevalence rate was significantly high when the monthly income was less than 1 million won, their type of the Medical Insurance was the Guardian, they were only able to read Korean characters, and they were bereaved of spouses. In the Health behavior related to hypertension, the hypertension group showed a significantly lower level than the non- hypertension group in terms of drinking rate, smoking rate, intake of salt and intake of meat. There was no significant difference in the exercise rate and coffee intake rate between these groups. In the degree of the obesity the hypertension group was significantly higher than the non-hypertension group. The factors related to hypertension were that the duration for the incidence of hypertension was 12 to 60 months and took up 41.2%. The places where the medical check-ups occurred were the Community Health Center at 46.6%, the medical institution was mostly hospitals recording 46.5%. There were 66.1% of the targets who knew well about their blood pressure and there were 64.7% people who received education about it. As for the education place, the rate of Community Health Center was mostly high and it stood at 77.0%. In the aspect of the management of hypertension, the targets who took medicine on a regular basis were up to 76.1% and the targets who measured blood pressure once a month happened to be about 46.1 %. The targets who always recorded their blood pressure were 3.8%, chest X-ray as a related examination of hypertension reached 32.6%, electrocardiogram examination was 36.2%, cholesterol and serum lipid examination took up 33.6%, and the eye ground examination took 7.3%, which showed the lowest level of all.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.47-58
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• 2004

This study was conducted to evaluated the degree of job-related life style and stress of industrial workers to present fundamental materials of preventive oriental medicine. The medical examination with oriental medicine method was performed from October 14 to November 1, 2002 for the 474 industrial workers and general characters, life style and Psychosocial Well-being Index(PWI) were collected by using self-recording type questionnaire. The results were as follows; 1) All 474 of subjects were male, job type was distributed into technician, 37.8% of them, white collar worker, blue collar worker, research worker in an orderly fashion. 2) As a result of comparison between the job types in general characters, research worker group was the highest in education level, above 10 years group in employee duration and 1.5-2.99 million won group in monthly income was the largest group in all job type and the distribution was significantly different. 3) Analyzing the difference in life style according to the job type shows that significantly highest prevalence of drinking alcohol was found in blue collar workers, they drank alcohol 2-4 times a week and that workers did not smoke in all group of job type and the prevalence of exercise was significantly high in less than 1 time a week. 4) Analyzing the difference in the degree of stress according to the job type shows that blue collar worker group had the highest score in Factor 1, Factor 4 fields, technician group had the highest score in Factor 2 field and the differences were significant. Considering above results, the present study shows that there are difference in life style and stress according to the job type in industrial workers and that health management according to job type must be required to improve health condition and to prevent disease of industrial workers in the future.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.735-744
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• 1997

The effect of green tea drinking on the hepatocellular chemical cacinogenesis have been studied. Placental glutathione S-transferase(GST-P) positive foci area in a liver tissue, contents of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS), total cytochrome P450 and glucose 6-phospphatase(G6P) activity in hepatic microsomes were investigated. Weaning Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed AIN-76A diet with deionized water or green tea infusion, Rats of CTR and CTR+ groups were provided deionized water while GTI and GTI+ groups were provided green tea instead of deionized water for the entire experimental period of 13weeks. Rats of GTP and GTP + groups had deionized water for the first 6 weeks and switched to green tea for the last 7weeks of the experimental period. CTR+, GTI +, and GTP + groups were carcinogen treated groups, Diethylnitrosamine(DEN) was injected as a single dose of 200mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally after 4 weeks of feeding. 2-Acetyla-minofluorene(AAF) was used as a carcinogen proliferater and suppled in the diets of carcinogen treated rats as 0.02% content for the last 6weeks starting from 2weeks after DEN injection. Rats were sacrificed after 13week weeks of feeding. The area and number of GST-P positive foci detected in carcinogen treated rats were decreased by green tea ingestion but when timing and duration of green tea ingestion was delayed after promotion period as in GTP + group, GST-P positive foci were not decreased as much as in GTI+ group. TBARS contents of carcinogen treated rats decreased by 13weeks of green tea ingestion but GTP groups did not show statiscally significant differences. G6P activities tended to decrease by carcinogen treatment but changes were not statiscally significant by green tea ingestion. Total cytochrome P450 contents were increased by carcinogen treatment. Thirteen weeks of green tea ingestion (GTI) also increased to total cytochrome P450 contents while 7weeks of green tea ingestion(GTP) did show any effects. These results suggest that green tea has suppressive effects on hepatocellular chemical carcinogenesis probably through the activities of antioxidant compounds. (Korean J Community utrition 2(5) : 735∼744, 1997)

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.123-149
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• 1991

This study has been attempted to be helpful for the back rehabilization of Korean workers by analyzing the general, occupational, social aspects of low back pain and to identify possible risk factors for back pain in White and Blue collar workers. The primary data were collected from 380 workers in Seoul city by means of a Questionnaire with random which was distributed from March 10 to 31, 1990. For the test of statistical significance, chi-square analysis was used to compare the back pain characteristics between above two groups. The results were as follows : 1. The incidence of low back pain in all walkers studied was $79.7\%$. The incidence of Blue collar with low back pain $(87.2\%)$ was higher than that of White collars $(75.0\%)$. 2. With regard to the relationship of back pain to the occupational characteristics, statistically significant differences were observed between workers with and without back pain concerning the job factors on work-time, job satisfaction, mental stress, chair fittness, work posture, work rotation, weight lifting, monotonous repetitive movements, vibration, and heavy noise (p<0.05). 3. With regard to the relationship of back pain to the social characteristics, there were no differences with respect to having car, personality types, drinking habits, and leisure-time activities. However, significant differences were showed between no pain and pain groups for the using bed, sleeping posture, traffic time amount, walking health state, smoking habits, and physical exercise (p<0.05). 4. The comparative analysis of back pain related to work factors showed highly significant differences with respect to mental stress, chair fittness, work posture, trunk rotation, weight lifting, monotonous repetitive work in White collar group (p<0.01) ; and job satisfaction, mental stress, trunk rotation, weight lifting, monotonus repetitive work, exposure to vibration and heavy noise in Blue collar group(p<0.01). 5. The comparative analysis of social factors in two groups showed differences with respect to the using bed, sleeping posture, walking amount, health state, physical exercise, smoking habits in White cellar group (p<0.05) ; and walking amount, traffic time amount, health state, smoking habits, physical exercise in Blue cellar group (p<0.05). 6. In regard to the general aspects of back pain between two groups, there were differences concerning etiolgy of back pain, counselling partners, treatment types, and sick-leaves(p<0.05), except pain duration, and awareness of back pain.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2011

Human occupational exposure to n-hexane has been associated with neurobehavioral symptoms such as depression, irritablity, acute irritation symptom, concentration disturbance and fatigue. Effects of monoamine oxidase (MAO) B and serotonin transporter receptor (5-HTTR) polymorphisms on the neurobehavioral symptoms were investigated in 70 male workers from TV and computer monitor manufacturing plants exposed to n-hexane. Neurobehavioral symptoms were assessed through a self-reported questionnaire and ambient level of n-hexane was measured by NIOSH method. Blood and urine were collected from each workers to determine the MAO(B), 5-HTTR and urinary 2,5-hexanedione(2,5-HD). The mean concentration of volatile n-hexane was $18.8{\pm}28.8ppm$ and that of urinary 2,5-HD was $1.07{\pm}1.47mg/g$ creatinine. Statistically significant associations with sexual disturbance were age and smoking. The frequencies of MAO(B) AA, AG and GG were 18.6%, 45.7% and 35.7%, respectively, and the frequencies of 5-HTTR ll, ls and ss genotype were 82.9%, 15.7% and 1.4%, respectively. MAO (B) gene polymorphisms had susceptibility to the neurobehavioral symptoms such as fatigue, concentration disturbance, irritability and acute irritation symptom and 5-HTTR gene polymorphism had susceptibility to the sleep disturbance and acute irritation symptom. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the neurobehavioral symptoms, memory disturbance was significantly associated with smoking(OR=6.752, 95% CI=37.46) and drinking(OR=4.033, 95% CI=1.252-12.98), emotional lability was MAO(B) genotype(OR=0.412, 95% CI=0.170-0.996), fatigue (OR=1.011, 95% CI=1.000-1.021) and acute irritation(OR=0.990, 95% CI=0.981-1.000) were working duration and sexual disturbance were significantly associated with age(OR=1.208, 95% CI=1.042-1.399), ambient n-hexane(OR=1.077, 95% CI=1.005-1.154) and 2,5-HD(OR=0.186, 95% CI=0.041-0.841). This finding implies that the MAO (B) and 5-HTTR polymorphisms may affect susceptibility for specific neurobehavioral symptoms associated with n-hexane exposure in workers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.355-367
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• 1989

This study examined the physical and mental health factors affecting the industrial accidents of 142 injured and 1,212 uninjured workers in the shipbuilding industry from 1986 to 1988. The results acquired from the Todai Health Index (THI) and from analysis of the health examination were as follows: 1. Among the personal characteristics of the workers, the educational level of injured workers was significantly lower than that of the uninjured workers. 2. Among the physical characteristics, vision and $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index of the injured workers were lower than those of the uninjured workers, and the difference was statistically significant. On the other hand, the differences in height, weight, hearing function, hematocrit, blood pressure, urine test, and X-ray findings were not statistically significant between the injured and uninjured workers. 3. The score of the THI questionnaire on the physical and mental health of the injured workers was higher than that of the uninjured workers, and the difference was statistically significant. 4. Form the THI score, the industrial workers had complained more about mental health than physical health and there was a statistically singinficant relation with the industrial accidents. 5. The relative risk expressed in terms of the odds ratio was 2.9 for poorer vision, 2.7 for a lower educational level, 2.2 for a higher THI score and 1.6 for overdrinking. 6 Educational level, vision, and the THI score were selected as significant factors influencing industrial accidents based on a log-linear model. According to the results of this model by logistic analysis, the odds ratio of industrial accidents was 1.8 for a lower educational level, 1.7 for poorer vision, and 1.6 for a higher THI score. 7 By event history analysis with the dependent variable as the duration of work at the time of the industrial accident, educational level, age, $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index and THI score were the statistically significant variables selected, and the hazard rate of industrial accident occurrence was 0.24 for a lower educational level, 0.92 for age, 0.99 for a lower $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index and 2.72 for a higher THI score. As we have seen, educational level and THI score were the most significant factors affecting the hazard rate of industrial accidents. Vision, $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index, age, and drinking behavior were also statistically significant variables influencing industrial accidents. Therefore, in order to prevent industrial accidents, it is necessary to establish a health management plan for industry which can objectively evaluate not only the physical but also the mental health of the workers. If we use this type of study as a prospective study design, we can determine the relative risk of physical and mental health factors on industrial accidents. Furthermore, it is expected that this type of study will provide workers at high risk with more precise basic data for a health managment plan for industrial accident prevention.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.171-187
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• 1998

In recent years, adolescent issues including smoking, drinking, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, deviant sexual behavior, mental health problems, high suicide rate, juvenile delinquency and absence without due notice, etc are emerging as serious social problems and the debate on these controversial issues is heating up. The previous studies on adolescent health behavior and social juvenile delinquency such as run-away from home and absence without due notice have been conducted mostly by cause analysis utilizing social demographic factors or biological factors. In other words, the main factors analyzed were demographic and economic factors or parent's educational level, etc, which were the fixed environmental ones that were unable to cause the change in the health behavior. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to analyze factors which are changeable and fixable among the factors influencing the adolescent's health behavior and misconducts and, eventually influencing factors which can be used as the basis to establish health policies and health promotion program to reduce the health risk behavior and misconducts of adolescents. The study subjects were selected by dividing senior high school student in Seoul by region and through random sampling. The 890 subjects were selected from 10 schools including the preparatory school, vocational schools and institutional schools. The duration of the study was for July 1-5, 1997 for the first survey and the second one, for August 25-September 10. Regarding the analysis method, the SAS program was used. The adoptablity of theoretical model was tested through covariance structural analysis utilizing PC-LISREL 8.12 Program. The major findings of the study are as follows: As a result of establishing the model of factors influencing health behavior and juvenile delinquency, in case of male students as the health behavior self-efficacy, education level of fathers, economic level, self-control and the health interest of parent were higher, students were more likely to practice the health promoting behavior. Juvenile delinquency and health risk behavior were prevalent among those with the less shyness, the lower health behavior self-efficacy, lower self-control, lower self-assertiveness, lower economic level. The self-control was the most powerful factor. In case of female students, those with higher health behavior self-efficacy were more likely to practice the health promoting behavior whereas those with lower health behavior self-efficacy, lower self-control, lower self- assertiveness, less shyness were more likely to practice health risk behavior and juvenile delinquency. In case of prep schools, those with higher health behavior self-efficacy and better perceived health status were more likely to practice the health promoting behavior while those with less shyness, lower health behavior self-efficacy and lower academic achievement were more likely to engage in health risk behavior and juvenile delinquency. In case of vocational schools, as health behavior self-efficacy and economic level were higher, the practice rate of health promoting behavior was higher. As the self-control, shyness, self-assertiveness, health behavior self-efficacy were lower, the rate of health risk behavior and juvenile delinquency were higher. In case of social institutional schools, as, the health behavior self-efficacy, social support and economic level, health interest of parents were higher, the rate of health promoting behavior were higher. As the self-control, shyness, self-assertiveness, health behavior self-efficacy and social support were lower, the rate of health risk behavior and juvenile delinquency were higher. So the health promoting behavior was positively related to the health behavior self-efficacy, health interest of parents, social support, education level of fathers, level of perceived health status, economic level. The health risk behavior and juvenile delinquency were higher with the lower health behavior self-efficacy, self-control and self-assertiveness, lower health locus control, less shyness and loneliness, lower economic level and academic achievement. In conclusion, the health risk behavior and juvenile delinquency can be reduced by enhancing self-control, self-assertiveness, health behavior self-efficacy and social support. According to the final model drawn by connecting health behavior and juvenile delinquency, the reduction of health risk behavior can greatly contribute to decreasing social juvenile delinquency as the process of juvenile delinquency was extended from common behaviors to problem behaviors and further into juvenile delinquency.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.127-145
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• 2000

The objectives of this study are to identify health behaviors and health problems. and the relations between health behaviors and health problems of female workers in the retail business. The number of subjects were 200 female workers of 6 department stores in Seoul and Kyonggi area, whose jobs last more than 6 months as retail employees. The data was collected during 2 months from July 1 to August 30, 1998. The Cornell Medical Index Health Questionnaire(CMI) was used to measure their health problems, while health behaViorn were investigated in terms of 'smoking', 'alcohol', exercise', 'diet', and 'sleeping'. The data were analyzed with frequency. percentage, t-test, ANOVA test, and $X^2-test$ by SPSS PC+ program. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Out of health problems. Digestive symptoms occupied the highest percent number. nervous ones the second and cardiovascular ones the third among physical health problems of retail female workers. The most frequent mental health problem was 'adequacy' and the next, 'tension' and 'anger', 2, Health problems according to general characteristics of subjects were shown that the younger or the unmarried complained more than the older or the married, especially in the items of 'eye and ear', 'respiratory system', 'cardiovascular system', 'digestive tract', 'nervous system', 'adequacy', and 'depression'. The longer working duration they have had, the more they complained of 'respiratory system' and 'adequacy'. The lower academic careers complained of 'nervous' than the higher ones with statistical significance. 3. The analysis of daily health clinic notes showed that respiratory complaints were the highest percent, successively followed by digestive tract, nervous one, external injury, musculoskeletal system, urinary-reproductive system and others. 4. The level of their health practice was generally low in smoking, diet habit and alcohol intake, exercise, sleeping, very low especially in smoking, diet, alcohol intake, and exercise among them all. 5. Present smokers and ones with past experience complained of physical and mental health problems of 'respiratory system', 'digestive tract', 'skin', 'nervous', 'urinary-reproductive system', 'fatigability', adequacy', 'depression', 'anxiety', 'anger' and 'tension', than non smokers, with statistical difference. Workers without having breakfast and with irregular diet had more complaints on 'digestive tract', 'adequacy' and 'tension', than those who had regular dietary habit. The less the subjects slept, the more they complained of eye and ear, cardiovascular system. The subjects who drank alcohol complained more digestive problem. However, whether they exercise or not did not affect physical and mental health problems in a significant manner. 6. The subjects' age and marital status were statistically significant relating to health behaviors, as the younger or unmarried recorded a low level of health practice in smoking, drinking, dietary habit. Based on the results, the suggestions are made as follows: 1. Health education program on smoking, alcohol intake, diet habit is needed to improve health problems and health behavior of female retail workers. 2. The unmarried workers of late teen and twenties, who are transitional period from teenagers to adulthood are important targets for health promotion program especially for maternal health. 3. Better working environment with sufficient time and facilities for workers to relax is required to promote female sales workers' health. 4. Further research is required to identify the relation between workers' visual fatigue and intense lights for the display of goods.