• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2002

Purpose : The aim of this study is to find out the distribution of illness, patterns of medical care utilization and factors determining medical care utilization in elementary school children. Methods : We performed the questionnaires in Gwangju city on 2,036 children of two elementary schools from June 1 to June 30, 1998. Results : The prevalence rate of illness was 32.3%. The distribution of illness was respiratory disease(64.7%), gastrointestinal disease(12.8%), injury & poisoning. The rate of persons having received medical treatment when they were sick, was 89.8%. The selection distribution among various medical facilities was pediatric hospital(46.7%), otolaryngologic hospital(19.8%), pharmacy (13.2%) and internal medicine in the decreasing frequency sequence. The major factors influencing the selection of medical facility were geographic accessibility and good results. The most common reason for the first visit to the pediatric hospital was geographic accessibility. The most common reason for a visit and to otolaryngologic hospital was a good result. The most frequently utilized medical facility for respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms was pediatric hospital. The persons influencing the selection of medical facility in the children were mother(73.3%), father( 10.8%), doctor and others in decreasing sequence. The persons answering the questionaire thought that the optimal age of pediatric care was from 0 to 12 years(47.8%), to 10 years(22.4%) and to 15 years(18.5%) in decreasing rate. Conclusion : Other departments instead of pediatrics have treated children. Children have particular growth and development process, which is different to those of adults. So, it is necessary to choose special medical care and adequate medical facilities for children.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2018

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to assess physical illnesses, psychological difficulties, and daily life function of victims' family members one year after the Sewol ferry disaster, in order to establish a basis of strategies to promote their mental health and resilience. Methods : We statistically analyzed self-reported data collected from a survey conducted between March 22 and 28, 2015 with 139 family members of victims. Results : All respondents complained about one or more psychological difficulties, and 95.4% of them had newly diagnosed or exacerbated physical illnesses. An increased number of psychological difficulties was associated with a greater tendency to present physical illnesses including chronic headache, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, obstetrico-gynecological, genitourinary, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the majority of respondents reported a decrease in life functioning. Specifically, 71.9% reported interpersonal avoidance and 63.9% reported difficulty in returning to work. Conclusions : Not only psychological trauma but also physical illness and daily functioning should be evaluated in detail and actively addressed in the bereaved family members after a catastrophe.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.96-108
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• 1990

This study was conducted to assess the morbidity and medical facilities utilization patterns of high school students in urban and rural areas, and to contribute to establishment of school health policies. A questionnaire survey was carried out for 1,979 of one boy's and one girl's high school in Pusan and 1,315 of one boy's and one girl's high school in Kyungnam province from March 27 to April 8, 1989. The summarized result is as follows. The number of students who were sick or injured in one month period was 378.0 of 1,000 students. One sick or injured student experienced 1.2 events on the average and thus the incidence rate was 453.2 per 1,000 students for a month. The morbidity rate of the urban area (550.8) was higher than that of the rural area (306.5) while the rate for girl students (561.9) was higher than that of the boy students (328.3) (P<0.01). Especially, the girl students (740.7) in the urban area showed two times higher morbidity rate than that of the girl students in the rural area. Out of all morbidity respiratory disease for 67.6 percent in urban area and 68.5 percent in rural area and it was followed by gastrointestinal disease and nervous & sensory diseases. The morbid conditions took place at school in 37.5 percent, and at home in 59.8 percent. The absence rate due to morbidity was 4.4 percent out of all morbid students. In addition, 73.5 percent of all morbid student utilized medical treatment, of which the pharmacy accounted for 53.8 percent and 57.5 percent in the urban and rural areas, respectively. The second most common facility utilized was hospital OPD. While there was no student who utilized the school nursing room in the rural area, 1.5 percent of the sick students utilized the school nursing room in the urban area. The most important in selecting medical facility was the distance. By low medical expense was more frequent cited reason for selecting medical facility in rural area (13.6 percent) than in urban area (3.2 percent). Mild illness accounted for 70.3 percent of the reasons for no treatment and 21.8 percent was due to the conflict between school hour and clinic hour. The morbid students mostly suffered from mild respiratory and gastrointestinal disease, and its incidence was the highest rate in the school. Although there was relation between the worry of absence and no-treatment, the school nursing room utilization of students was very insufficient. Therefore, it is required to activate the operation of the high school nursing room by utilizing the specialized personnel.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.525-532
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• 2010

Dypepsia is the most common gastrointestinal disease and mainly occurs by stress or food. According to the cause of dyspepsia, the clinical characteristics and the curative process are different in patients. The purpose of this study is to compare acute dyspepsia patients depending on food factor and stress factor. For this study, we analyzed the cause, and the symptoms of 59 acute dyspepsia patients and divided them into two groups: one group is 27 acute dyspepsia patient group caused by stress factor (stress factor group). The other group is 32 acute dyspepsia patient group caused by food factor (food factor group). In addition, we carried out HRV test and compared HRV index between two groups. There was no significant difference in past illness involved in gastrointestinal tract diseases between two groups. There were big differences in the frequency of chest discomfort, thurst, lack of appetite, and exhaustion after meals between two groups. There were many changes of tongue fur in food factor group. But there were many changes of tongue body in stress factor group. The pulse pattern is mostly wiry in stress factor group. But, The pulse pattern is mostly slippery in food factor group. HF, TP were significantly lower than food factor group in stress factor group, it means autonomic nerve system was more suppressd in stress factor group than food factor group. Food factor group improved sooner than stress factor group. This study presented the clinically different characteristics (past medical history, symptoms, tongue diagnosis, pulse pattern, curative process) of acute dyspepsia depending on food factor and stress factor. Thus, it provides the necessity of oriental medical diagnosis and treatment called pattern identification for acute dyspepsia.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.1217-1223
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• 2003

Purpose : This study was conducted to assess clinical practices related to the evaluation and treatment of patients with acute gastrointestinal infection(AGI) in infants and children. This survey also evaluated the current opinion regarding the use of rotavirus vaccine. Methods : This survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire provided to 82 pediatricians in private clinics of Jeonbuk province. From April to June, 2002, 63 of 82 pediatricians(76.8 %) responded to the survey. Results : The annual proportion of patients with AGI was 13%. The highest proportion of patients with diarrhea were reported for the months of October through December. For the treatment of diarrhea, pediatricians preferred to prescribe lactobacillus products, oral rehydration solution, enzyme products, anti-emetics, anti-diarrheal formula, nothing by mouth(NPO) and bowel movement inhibitors in descending order of frequency. Most pediatricians(79.4%) prescribed antibiotics in less than 20% of patients with AGI. Amoxicillin was the most commonly prescribed antibiotics followed by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole(TMP/SMX) and amoxicillin/clavulanate. Clinical manifestations that pediatricians considered as important factors in prescribing antibiotics were bloody diarrhea, mucoid diarrhea, high fever, persisting disease and abdominal pain. Diagnostic procedures that pediatricians preferred for AGI patients were stool examination(rotavirus antigen, RBC, WBC), abdominal X-ray, and serum electrolytes. Pediatricians had a strong interest in rotavirus vaccine(71.4%). Conclusion : Acute gastrointestinal illness remains a common problem, especially during the winter months in Korea. AGI manifesting as watery diarrhea is appropriately treated with commonly available agents but pediatricians appear ready to consider additional approaches to decrease the sizable disease burden of AGI among children in Korea.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2017

Purpose: Febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the commonest bacterial infections in children. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics of the first episode of febrile UTI occurring in children over 5 years compared to those in infants younger than a year. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 10 patients over 5 years, having febrile UTI, and 25 controls under 1 year. Clinical characteristics including symptoms at admission, the time interval between symptom onset and hospital visit and/or diagnosis, duration of fever, urinalysis, and other laboratory and imaging test results were compared between the two groups. Results: Most patients in the control group showed only high fever at the time of presentation to the hospital. However, 60% of the case group had fever along with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as abdominal and flank pain, vomiting, as well as relatively mild pyuria. The case group showed a longer duration between symptom onset and hospital visit and/or diagnosis. Conclusions: Delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment of UTI increases the risk of permanent renal scarring and associated complications. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of febrile UTI is vital for very young infants, as well as children considering that febrile UTI could be an important cause of febrile illness in children over 5 years.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.223-231
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• 2014

Purpose: With previous methods based on only age and location, there are many difficulties in identifying the etiology of acute abdominal pain in children. We sought to develop a new systematic classification of acute abdominal pain and to give some helps to physicians encountering difficulties in diagnoses. Methods: From March 2005 to May 2010, clinical data were collected retrospectively from 442 children hospitalized due to acute abdominal pain with no apparent underlying disease. According to the final diagnoses, diseases that caused acute abdominal pain were classified into nine groups. Results: The nine groups were group I "catastrophic surgical abdomen" (7 patients, 1.6%), group II "acute appendicitis and mesenteric lymphadenitis" (56 patients, 12.7%), group III "intestinal obstruction" (57 patients, 12.9%), group IV "viral and bacterial acute gastroenteritis" (90 patients, 20.4%), group V "peptic ulcer and gastroduodenitis" (66 patients, 14.9%), group VI "hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease" (14 patients, 3.2%), group VII "febrile viral illness and extraintestinal infection" (69 patients, 15.6%), group VIII "functional gastrointestinal disorder (acute manifestation)" (20 patients, 4.5%), and group IX "unclassified acute abdominal pain" (63 patients, 14.3%). Four patients were enrolled in two disease groups each. Conclusion: Patients were distributed unevenly across the nine groups of acute abdominal pain. In particular, the "unclassified abdominal pain" only group was not uncommon. Considering a systemic classification for acute abdominal pain may be helpful in the diagnostic approach in children.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2020

Objectives: We noticed that hyperhidrosis can be differentiated by whether it is topical or systemic in both Korean medicine(KM) and Modern medicine(MM). Comparing between topical and systemic sweating, we will figure out similarity between KM and MM about stimuli on sweat. Methods: All research is done by finding information on text-book, article, books. Results: Hyperhidrosis is differentiated by whether it is topical or systemic in both Korean medicine(KM) and Modern medicine(MM). First, systemic sweating(SS) is affected by body temperature. In KM, Heat and Cold(plus yang deficiency) can make human sweat systemically. In MM, heat is also mentioned as stimulus. Second, topical sweating(TS) can occur on emotionally-stressed situation especially on palms-and-soles. In KM, this phenomenon is explained by heart spirit(心神) and disease transmitted by pericardium meridian(手厥陰心包經 是動病). In MM, anatomically hyperhidrosis on palms-and-soles is generated by adrenergic sympathetic nerve which is involved with stress. Third, sweating on palms-and-soles also can be generated by internal organ. In KM, hyperhidrosis on palms-and-soles is explained as illness on stomach meridian(足陽明胃經). The 70% of parasympathetic nerve is vagus nerve which is located at internal organs-usually gastrointestinal tract. In that point, stomach and parasympathetic nerve seem to be involved in hyperhidrosis on palms-and-soles. Conclusion: Hyperhidrosis is differentiated similarly by whether it is topical or systemic in both Korean medicine and Modern medicine. Conserving each perspective of KM and MM, one perspective can be useful to other by supplementing other's weak point.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2006

Organophosphate insecticides, commonly used in agriculture, are a gradually increasing cause of accidental and suicidal poisoning. Intoxication can occur by ingestion, inhalation or dermal contact. Exposure to organophosphorus agents causes a sequentially triphasic illness consisting of the cholinergic phase, the intermediate syndrome, and organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy. Acute pancreatitis as a rare complication of organophosphate intoxication has also been infrequently observed. We report a case of intoxication with organophosphate (phos-phamidon) by parenteral exposure (inhalation and/or dermal contact). A 34-year-old male patient was transferred to our Emergency Medical Center and was intubated due to a progressive respiratory failure. He presented with meiotic pupils, cranial nerve palsies, weak respiration, and proximal limb motor weaknesses without sensory changes. He had been employed in filling syringes with phosphamidon during the previous month. Because the patient's history and symptoms suggested organophosphate intoxication with intermediate syndrome, he was mechanically ventilated for 18 days with continuous infusion of atropine and pralidoxime (total amounts of 159 mg and 216 g, respectively). During his admission, hyperamylasemia and hyperli-pasemia were detected, and his abdominal CT scan showed a finding compatible with acute pancreatitis. He was administered a conservative treatment with NPO and nasogastric drainage. The patient was discharged and showed neither gastrointestinal nor neurologic sequelae upon follow up at one week and three months.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 1994

In order to estimate the utilization pattern of a rural health subcenter, and to identify the recognition for it among the inhabitants in Kogsung district, a questionnaire survey was carried out for objects of 708 population. The results observed were as follows; 1. The annual utilization rate of a rural health subcenter for a basic health service unit was 27.5 per 100 persons, and annual mean visiting times was 1.43 times. 2. The most frequent disease by, annual health subcenter utilization illness was respiratory disease(26.5%), and the next was musculoskeletal disease(23.9%), gastrointestinal disease(15.9%) by order. 3. Favorite reasons for community health subcenter utilization were lower medical cost(23.4%), near distance from living place(20.7%) and lower disease severity(19.5%) by order. But disfavorite reasons for it were non effective treatment(26.2%), insufficient equipment(25.4%) and absence of specialist(17.4%) by order. 4. Insufficient items about community health subcenter utilization were restriction of treatment limit(47.1%), lower reliance(22.4%) and not punctral(21.8%) by order. 5. The results of logistic regression analysis suggested that statistically significant factors in health subcenter utilization were age, educational level and the nearest medical facility class. 6. There was no difference between recognition for a community health subcenter's work and actual utilizing service, and desirable works for it were disease preventing service, disease control of elderly and sanitation control by order. These results suggested that to increase the utilization of rural health subcenter and to promote the accessibility of rural residents to primary health care, there must be considered public relation about health subcenter, expansion of health equipment and recognition about access time.