• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.370-376
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• 2021

Backround: Working condition surveys are widely recognized as useful tools for monitoring the quality of working life and the improvements introduced by health and safety policy frameworks at the European and national level. The Italian Workers' Compensation Authority carried out a national survey (Insula) to investigate the employer's perceptions related to working conditions and their impact on health. Methods: The present study is based on the data collected from the Italian survey on health and safety at work (INSULA) conducted on a representative sample of the Italian workforce (n = 8,000). This focuses on the relationship between psychosocial risk factors and self-reported health using a set of logistic and linear regression models. Results: Working conditions such as managerial support, job satisfaction, and role act as protective factors on mental and physical health. On the contrary, workers' risk perceptions related to personal exposure to occupational safety and health risks, concern about health conditions, and work-related stress risk exposure determine a poorer state of health. Conclusions: This study highlights the link between working conditions and self-report health, and this aims to provide a contribution in the field of health at work. Findings show that working conditions must be object of specific preventive measures to improve the workers' health and well-being.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.298-306
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• 2010

A sanitary survey was conducted to evaluate the water quality and mussel (Mytilus edulis) conditions of two administrative shellfish growing waters: those designated as shellfish growing water for export, and adjacent waters on the east coast of Changseon Island, Namhae, Korea. In all, 1,656 seawater and 166 mussel samples were collected at 46 stations for seawater and five stations for the shellfish from January 2007 to December 2009. Both seawater and mussels were examined for total coliforms and fecal coliforms. The standard plate count and most probable number of Escherichia coli were also determined for the shellfish samples. The range of the geometric means and the estimated 90th percentiles of fecal coliform for seawater samples at each station were <1.8-4.1 MPN/100 mL and <1.8-22.3 MPN/100 mL, respectively. The sanitary conditions for both shellfish growing areas, the designated shellfish growing area and adjacent area in Changseon, met the 'Approved area' criteria of the United States National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The range of E. coli detected in mussels in these areas was <20-500 MPN/100 g; and only 3 of 166 samples exceeded 230 MPN/100 g, the European standard for the consumption of raw bivalves. Therefore, the mussel farms in the Changseon area are classified as 'Class A' according to criteria set in European Community regulations. However, the levels of E. coli in mussels in parts of the designated shellfish growing area and adjacent area exceeded the bacterial limits after rainfall exceeding 45 mm. Further studies are needed to fully define the conditions leading to a temporary closure to harvest after a rainfall event.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.652-666
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate systematic review and meta-analysisto identify exercise intervention effect applied to patients who underwent lung resection with lung cancer. A total of 1,322 publications were searched from 1990 to 2016 through domestic and foreign electronic databases, and the final 13 publications were selected through literature selection process. Finally, eight RCT (randomized controlled trial) and five NRCT (non-randomized controlled trial) were identified, including 925 participants. The results of the meta-analysis of the effect sizes of the intervention on the outcome variables showed that the health-related quality of life EORTC QOL-C13/30 (the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire) (MD-0.50 95 % CI -0.83-0.18) and SF-36 PCS (the Medical Outcomes 36-Item Short Form Health Survey PCS) (MD 0.75, 95 % CI 0.41-1.10) in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group. The results of this study suggest that exercise interventions can potentially improve the quality of life of patients who underwent lung resection with lung cancer.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.30
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• pp.4.1-4.11
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• 2015

Objectives: This survey was designed to conduct the first nationwide dietary exposure assessment on hazardous substances including the intakes of functional food and herbal medicine. In this paper, we introduced the survey design and the results of the dietary exposure status and internal exposure levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg). Methods: We selected 4867 subjects of all ages throughout Korea. We conducted a food survey, dietary survey, biomonitoring, and health survey. Results: Pb and Cd were the highest (median value) in the seaweed ($94.2{\mu}g/kg$ for Pb; $594{\mu}g/kg$ for Cd), and Hg was the highest in the fish ($46.4{\mu}g/kg$). The dietary exposure level (median value) of Pb was $0.14{\mu}g/kg$ body weight (bw)/d, $0.18{\mu}g/kg$ bw/d for Cd, and $0.07{\mu}g/kg$ bw/d for Hg. Those with a blood Pb level of less than $5.00{\mu}g/dL$ (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reference value for those 1 to 5 years of age) were 99.0% of all the subjects. Those with a blood Cd level with less than $0.30{\mu}g/L$ (German Federal Environmental Agency, reference value for non-smoking children) were 24.5%. For those with a blood Hg level with less than $5.00{\mu}g/L$ (human biomonitoring I, references value for children and adults, German Federal Environmental Agency) was 81.0 % of all the subjects. Conclusions: The main dietary exposure of heavy metals occurs through food consumed in a large quantity and high frequency. The blood Hg level and dietary exposure level of Hg were both higher than those in the European Union.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.37-54
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• 2019

The groundwater quality through livestock excreta survey based on "Act of the management and use of livestock excreta" was investigated by selecting sampling sites within 1 km of the farmland without considering hydrogeological units. However, these sites can be affected by various pollution sources such as chemical fertilizers and livestock excretions. Additionally, the effects of pollution sources on groundwater quality in the sites cannot be clearly distinguished from naturally occurring backgrounds. In this study, a method was developed to select the sampling sites for groundwater quality through livestock excreta survey in order to understand the effects of pollution sources especially livestock excreta. First, the concentrations of nitrate within the radius of 200 m, 300 m, 500 m and 750 m, respectively, from the farms regarded as pollution sources in hydrogeological units were compared in 2016-2017. All the nitrate concentrations at 200 - 500 m from the farms exceeded a background concentration, 13.3 mg/L. Those at 750 m and the background concentrations measured by the Ministry of Environment were comparable. Therefore, the appropriate radius was suggested as 500 m for livestock excretions survey. In this study, the areas within 500 m from the farms could be considered under the influence of livestock excretions, while those beyond 500 from the pollution sources as background in hydrogeological units. The developed method was validated by applying it to the sites selected based on both administrative divisions and watersheds for livestock excretion survey. The average densities for the developed method were 0.82 and 0.39 points/km2, respectively, which were considered as appropriate levels according to those of the European Environmental Agency.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.49
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• pp.308.1-308.10
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• 2018

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the structure, organization, management, and staffing of pediatric critical care (PCC) in Korea. Methods: We directed a questionnaire survey for all Upper Grade General Hospitals (n = 43) in Korea in 2015. The first questionnaire was mainly about structure, organization, and staffing and responses were obtained from 32 hospitals. The second questionnaire was mainly about patients and management. Responses to second questionnaire were obtained from 18 hospitals. Results: Twelve from 32 Upper Grade General Hospitals had pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) and 11 of them had the PICU which was exclusive for children. Total number of PICU beds in Korea was 113. The ratio of the number of PICU beds to the number of children was 1:77,460 in Korea and this ratio is lower than that of other developed countries. The mean number of beds in the PICUs was $9.4{\pm}9.3$ (range, 2-30). There were 16 medical doctors who were assigned for PCC and only 5 of them were full time pediatric intensivists. In the 18 Upper Grade General Hospitals that responded to the second questionnaire survey, there were 97 patients in the PICUs with an average number of $5.7{\pm}7.2$ (range, 0-22) on the survey day. The mean age of the patients was $3.4{\pm}5.6$ years. The mean length of hospital stay was $82{\pm}271days$. The mean Pediatric Risk of Mortality score III was $9.4{\pm}7.8$ at the time of admission to the PICUs. Conclusion: There is a considerable shortage of PICU beds compared to those in developed countries. In addition, the proportion of PICUs with PCC specialists is much lower than those in the US and European countries.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.314-322
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the quality of life reported by patients with multiple myeloma and secondly to identify the factors that impact the quality of life (QoL). Methods: 189 patients with multiple myeloma completed survey questionnaires. Quality of life was evaluated using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core (EORTC QLQ-C) 30 and Multiple Myeloma (MY) 20. The data were analyzed using the t-test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, Duncan test and the Mann-Whitney test. Results: The mean score for each subscale of EORTC QLQ-C30 was 53.35 for global health status, 73.37 for functional scale, and 31.29 for symptom scale. The mean score for each subscale of EORTC QLQ-MY20 was 60.49 for future perspective, 59.78 for body image, 20.25 for disease symptom and 24.99 for side effect of treatment. Quality of life was reported to be significantly lower among females, unemployed, dependence on a sibling for financial support for treatment, a diagnosis of anemia, having treatment, high score on Eastern Coorperative Oncology Group and high grade peripheral neuropathy. Conclusion: The results of the survey can identify characteristics impacting the QoL of patients with multiple myeloma. Developing appropriate educational strategies and nursing interventions would enhance their QoL.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.201-207
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• 2016

Background: Korean Working Conditions Surveys (KWCS), referencing European Working Conditions Surveys, have been conducted three times in order to survey working condition and develop work-related policies. However, we found three limitations for managing the collected KWCS data: (1) there was no computerized system for managing data; (2) statistical KWCS data were provided by limited one-way communication; and (3) the concept of a one-time provision of information was pursued. We suggest a web-based public service system that enables ordinary people to make greater use of the KWCS data, which can be managed constantly in the future. Methods: After considering data characteristics, we designed a database, which was able to have the result of all pairwise combinations with two extracted data to construct an analysis system. Using the data of the social network for each user, the tailored analysis system was developed. This system was developed with three methods: clustering and classification for building a social network, and an infographic method for improving readability through a friendly user interface. Results: We developed a database including one input entity consisting of the sociodemographic characteristics and one output entity consisting of working condition characteristics, such as working pattern and work satisfaction. A web-based public service system to provide tailored contents was completed. Conclusion: This study aimed to present a customized analysis system to use the KWCS data efficiently, provide a large amount of data in a form that can give users a better understanding, and lay the ground for helping researchers and policy makers understand the characteristics.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 1985

It has been a long tradition in the field of nutrition that the degree of malnutrition in a community used to be estimated by the degree of the adequacy of nutrients consumption in the households. The adequacy of nutrient consumption in the households then used to be applied to estimate the degree of malnutrition of the children. Such a practice is theoretically acceptable in the community where the food sharing within the household is individual serving style such as in European countries. However, the community where the dietary habit in the household is communal such as in Korea, the estimation of single serving portion from household consumption is quite uncertain. Because of such an uncertainty this study is intended to test the validity of the household food consumption level as an indication of nutritional status of the children in the rural farm households in Korea. The date from the household consumption survey in 1982 by the Korean Rural Nutrition Institute has been used for the analysis of food consumption levels of the households. The survey on the nutritional status of children of 127 preschool children from 78 farm households, has been conducted during May 1983. The nutritional status of the children has been directly measured by weight, height, skinfold thickness, haemoglobin, haematocrit and morbidity of influenza and diarrhoea. The analysis has been conducted to distinguish the differences in prevalence of malnutrition of children from the estimated of household consumption and that of from the direct measurement of nutritional status of children. The results show that the degree of malnutrition of the estimated by the household consumption level has not related with the prevalence of malnutrition by the direct measures of nutritional status of the children. Therefore, the validity of household consumption level as an indication of nutrional status in a same household is quite uncertain for the population studied.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.194-201
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• 2020

Background: Dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are thought to modify systemic inflammation. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between PUFA intake, lung function, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: In this study, we used the dataset of 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, in which, a total of 22,948 individuals including 573 participants with a high probability of developing COPD were enrolled. Participants with missing data for the investigated variables were excluded. Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between PUFA intake (omega-3 [N3], omega-6 [N6], and total) with lung function, and HRQoL. HRQoL was determined according to the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). Subgroup analysis of older patients was performed. Age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, education, residence, total calorie intake, and predicted FEV₁% were adjusted in all analyses. Results: Although lung function was not associated with PUFA intake, EQ-5D index was remarkably associated with N3, N6, and total PUFA intake in a dose-dependent manner. This association was more pronounced in elderly COPD patients. Mean levels of N3, N6, and total PUFA intake were significantly higher in patients having better HRQoL with respect to mobility, self-care, and usual activities. Conclusion: Our results suggest that N3, N6, and total PUFA intake are associated with HRQoL in COPD patients. This association may be attributed to mobility, self-care, and usual activities. Further longitudinal study is required to clarify this relationship.