• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.245-258
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• 2021

Objectives: In many previous studies, endocrine disruptors (EDCs) have been found to affect delays in puberty. Various EDCs have been reported on, but there have been only limited epidemiologic studies on the effects of exposure to environmental heavy metals and pyrethroid pesticides on puberty delay. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of exposure to environmental mercury, cadmium, and pyrethroid pesticides with delayed puberty in children based on national survey data that represents Korean children. Methods: We selected 450 children at the ages of 9-11 years old from the third Korean National Environmental Health Survey (3rd KoNEHS). The relations of urinary Hg, Cd, and 3-PBA with pubertal development were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Urinary Hg levels were significantly associated with delayed puberty in boys [testicle development: OR=0.41 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.84); genitalia development: OR=0.35 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.81)]. Girls with higher Hg levels were more likely to experience delayed menarche [OR=0.23 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.90)]. We observed a significant 49% reduction in odds for menarche per increasing unit of urinary cadmium levels [OR=0.51 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.01)]. In addition, urinary 3-PBA showed a negative association with genitalia development in boys and menarche in girls [genitalia development: OR=0.73 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.96); menarche: OR=0.56 (95% CI: 0.32, 1.00)]. Conclusions: The results of this study support the hypothesis that exposure to environmental mercury, cadmium and pyrethroid pesticides may affect puberty delays. Additional evidence needs to be obtained through further prospective studies.

• 웰빙융합연구
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.43-49
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims to study the perception of merchants and customers about the odor problem of traditional markets in Wonju, Gangwon-do. Research design, data and methodology: A survey was conducted to investigate the perception. The survey consisted of 11 questions for merchants and 12 questions for customers. Results: In a survey of merchants - The question 'What kind of smell did you smell at the traditional market?' was investigated with multiple responses. Regarding the odor experience, unclean odor was the highest with 105 votes (36%), followed by rotting odor with 82 votes (28.1%) and other odors with 44 votes (15.1%). In a survey of customers - The question 'What kind of smell did you smell at the traditional market?' was investigated with multiple responses. As a result of the survey, filthy smell was the highest with 98 votes (43.2%). Next, rotten smell was found with 60 votes (26.4%) and others with 31 votes (13.7%). Conclusions: If the odor problem in the traditional market is solved, the economic and health damage to the merchants will be reduced. Further, it will help to revitalize traditional markets by increasing customer visits. As a solution, it is judged that it is good to study the direction of the establishment of a real-time monitoring system and the preparation and application of odor removal measures.

• 환경영향평가
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.69-75
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• 1994

Environmental Impact Assessment is composed of screening, scoping, inventory survey, prediction, assessment, alternative assessment, mitigation measure, and post management. Environmental monitoring data is applied to EIA process such as prediction and post management. It must he collected and managed systematically for effective applying in EIA process. This article explains factors such as air quality, water quality, soil, ocean, odor, noise & vibration, ecosystem, etc. and organizations of environmental monitoring managed by Ministry of Environment.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제52권5호
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• pp.292-298
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• 2019

Objectives: Presenteeism is currently recognized as a significant global health issue that can potentially cause productivity losses. Hence, many studies have analyzed the relationships between workplace factors and presenteeism. However, few studies have considered non-occupational factors. This study examined the associations between presenteeism and activities outside work, including volunteering, self-development, leisure/sports, and gardening and house repair activities, in Korean wage workers. Methods: This study analyzed the fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey, in which a total of 19 294 wage workers participated. To identify relationships between presenteeism and activities outside work, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used after adjusting for general and occupational characteristics. Results: Self-development and leisure/sports activities significantly increased the odds ratio (OR) of presenteeism (OR, 1.166; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.061 to 1.282 and OR, 1.276; 95% CI, 1.181 to 1.379, respectively). Conclusions: Certain activities outside work, such as self-development or leisure/sports, were related to presenteeism among Korean wage workers. Although many previous studies have emphasized the positive effects of those activities on health, this study documented negative effects of these activities outside work on health.

• 한국실내디자인학회논문집
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2016

This study is a basic research to suggest user-centered healthcare environmental color, which aims to analyze tendency of color consciousness and preference depending on the user characteristics (generation, gender, residential area, and environment). For this purpose, this study constructed an analysis tool through the literature review with regard to environmental color of healthcare facility and influential factors of color preference. Besides, an online survey regarding general usage and satisfaction, health related color consciousness, and color preference tendency of healthcare facility was conducted targeting from 20s to 60s, total 1,500 persons. The results of this study are as follows: (1) The usage and satisfaction of healthcare facilities were higher for older generation and accessible urban area. (2) The respondents were aware that color and health are related, recognizing 'green' as healthy and stress relieving color. Besides, 'natural' and 'clear' was the highest in health related color image. 'Light' which relates to vitality was high as well for older generation. (3) In the color preference tendency survey, hue PB was generally the most highly preferred, in details, younger generation preferred B and R while older generation preferred G. The survey also showed high value and chroma were preferred, while female and younger generation preferred high value of 9.0 and low chroma close to achromatic color, which presented older generation preferred vivid color.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제42권5호
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• pp.302-313
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess environmental health status on a local scale using environmental health-related indicators. It demonstrated the possibility of using a structural equation model, a methodological approach to provide synthesized information. Methods: Eighteen indicators were selected from official statistical data published by local governments. Each environmental health-related indicator was classified according to the PSR (pressure-state-response) model. Aggregation methods were performed using principal component analysis and fuzzy sets. Results: The five principal components were classified through principal component analysis (PCA) and obtained eigenvalues >1.0 from the initial 18 indicators. The aggregated index was obtained by condensing the original information into two broad and simple categories through fuzzy sets. Conclusion: This could be useful in that the aggregation procedure may provide a basis for establishing environmental health policies and a decision-making process. However, the availability and quality of indicators, assessment of aggregation method bias, choice of weighted scores for indicators, and other factors should be examined in future studies.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.273-284
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• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to estimate the number of those who used humidifier disinfectants (HDs) and experienced health effects from exposure to HDs in Korea between 1994 and 2011. Methods: A nationwide interview survey was conducted for the representative sample to identify the proportion of those who used HDs among the general population (n=3,001). Another online survey was conducted for those exposed to HDs to find the proportion of those who experienced health effects among those who were exposed to HDs (n=3,993). Statistics for population size by region and year (1994-2011) were used to estimate the cumulative number of those exposed to HDs and those who experienced health effects. In terms of the proportion of those exposed to HDs, those less than 30 years of age were excluded due to an issue related to information bias. Various approaches for estimation included the capture-recapture method for estimation of those who experienced health effects. Results: The cumulative proportion of those exposed to HDs was 6.7% among the general population, and the proportion of those who experienced health effects among those who were exposed to HDs was 13.9%. Based on these factors, it was estimated that 3.5 to 4.0 million people were exposed to HDs and 350 to 400 thousand experienced health effects at least requiring visiting a hospital. Conclusion: It is suggested that a nationwide representative sample may be essential for population size estimation of those exposed to environmental risk factors and of those who experienced health effects.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• 제35권
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• pp.20.1-20.7
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• 2023

The policy proposal by the current Korean government that proposes flexible overtime rules is causing social controversy. This study has explored the 612 experts' opinions on the occupational safety and health impacts of the policy using an online self-report survey. They expected short-term overwork (87.25%), overwork inequality (86.44%), irregular working hours (84.31%), chronic overwork (84.15%), long working hours (83.66%), and unpredictability of working hours (81.86%) as a result of the policy change. They also responded that the policy change would increase industrial accident deaths (87.25%), mental illnesses (87.09%), deaths due to overwork or cardiovascular diseases (83.84%), and accidents (83.33%). They disagreed that the government's flexibilization policy, while agreeing that the necessity of policies on regulating night work (94.77%), guaranteeing wages to eliminate overtime (90.36%), establishing working time regulations for the bogus self-employed (82.84%), and applying the 52-hour workweek system to all workplaces (76.47%). These expert opinions are consistent with previous research on the health effects of working hours.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제31권spc호
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• pp.563-576
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify personal factors, social factors, and environmental factors related to physical activity in older adults in urban and non-urban areas. Methods: We used source data from the 2017 Community Health Survey. The subjects of this study included some older adults aged 65 and over, and analyzed the data of 23,043 older adults living in the urban and 34,063 older adults living in the non-urban area. Results: The common factors influencing physical activity in older adults by region include current smoking and drinking, BMI, sleep duration, and subjective health status, help with neighbors, frequency of meeting with neighbors and friends, participation in social and leisure activities, and falls experience (p<.001). However, the living environment, public transport satisfaction, and medical service use significantly associated with physical activity for only older adults living in the urban area (p<.001). Conclusion: In order to improve physical activity in older adults in the community, it is necessary to consider not only the improvement of individual factors that practice health behaviors but also health promotion strategies that take into account social and environmental factors because there are environmental differences among regions.

• 한국환경복원기술학회지
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.111-121
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• 2016

This study was carried out to assess the riparian vegetation health in the fluctuation area and vicinity of reservoirs. The results of this study could be a basic data to improve the ecological function and establish green-network of waterside ecosystem. The study site is Daecheong lake reservoirs which the representative landscape of Geum river and with great number of visitors near metropolitan city. The 6 survey plots of 2 survey area were selected, survey area 1 had 4 survey plots and survey area 2 had 2 survey plots, and to compare the study results 4 control plots were selected in Gyeongcheon reservoir. The main dominant specie of survey sites was Salix koreensis in tree and subtree layer, were Salix koreensis and Salix glandulosa. in shrub layer. 2 survey plots of Samjeongdong and Kyeongcheon reservoir were assessed as 'Good', 2 survey plots of chudong were assessed as 'Fair' in vegetation health assessment. In the fluctuation area from flood water level to low water level, 58 populations of Salix koreensis were found in survey sites and Salix koreensis, Salix glandulosa and Acer tataricum subsp. ginale were found in control sites. The most adequate species at the condition affected by inundation impacts would be Salix koreensis and Salix glandulosa was more healthy at the area less affected by inundation. This study was carried out the vegetation health assessment on Daecheong reservoir which has been advanced natural succession for more than 30 years after the construction. Further, it should carry continuously out the research on the planting model of the waterside ecosystem for ecological restoration.