• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.195-207
• /
• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to confirm whether plasma lead can be used as a chronic biomarker for the biological monitoring of exposure to lead. Methods: Lead concentrations in 66 plasma samples from retired lead workers (G.M. 60.25 years, Median 61.00 years) and 42 plasma samples from the general population (G.M. 53.76 years, Median 56.50 years) were measured using ICP/Mass. Tibia, whole blood, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and blood zinc protophorphyrin (ZPP) concentrations and urinary ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid (${\delta}-ALA$) were measured for correlation analysis with plasma lead. Results: The geometric mean concentration of lead in plasma was $0.23{\mu}g/L$ for the retired lead workers and $0.10{\mu}g/L$ for the general population sample. A simple correlation analysis of biomarkers showed that plasma lead concentration among the retired lead workers was highly correlated with lead concentration in the tibia and with blood lead concentration, and the plasma lead concentration among the general population correlated with ZPP concentration in the blood. The lead concentration in the tibia and the lead concentration in the whole blood increased with length of working period. As the period in the lead workplace increased, the ratio of lead in plasma to lead concentration in whole blood decreased. Conclusion: This study confirmed the possibility of a chronic biomarker of lead concentration in blood plasma as a biomarker. In the future, comparative studies with specific indicators will lead to more fruitful results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.4239-4242
• /
• 2013

It is reported that the expression level of MLL3 in gastric cancer tissue highly correlates with tumor progression. However, whether MLL3 genetic variants are associated with the risk of gastric cancer remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a genotyping analysis for MLL3 in 314 cases of gastric cancer and 322 controls from the Chinese Han population. 4 SNPs (rs6943984, rs4725443, rs3800836, rs6464211) were selected for the present analysis. We found 2 SNPs (rs6943984, rs4725443) of MLL3 gene were significantly associated with the risk of gastric cancer : the rs6943984 with the minor allele A and rs4725443 with the minor allele C revealed strong associations with increased gastric cancer risk [P < 0.001, OR=1.97, 95% CI=1.48~2.64 and P <0.001, OR=2.23, 95% CI=1.54~3.24]. Haplotype analysis of the four SNPs showed that haplotype A-T-A-C, G-T-G-C, and G-C-A-C increased the risk of gastric cancer (P <0.001, P=0.18, and P<0.001, respectively), while haplotype G-T-A-C significantly reduced the risk of gastric cancer (P <0.001). We concluded that MLL3 variants are significantly associated with gastric cancer risk. Our results for the first time provided new insight into susceptibility factors of MLL3 gene variants in carcinogenesis of gastric cancer of the Chinese Han population.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.81-99
• /
• 1993

The purpose of this research is to assess the geographical distribution of physicians and dentists and the degree of maldistribution of the physician. Data were obtained form the Korean Medical Association's report on physicians registry and census for 1990. To assess the degree of disparity in the rural-urban distribution of physician manpower and to identify changes in the distribution pattern, the Gini index of concentration was used. Major findings are as follows; 1. Urban-rural disparity in the distribution of physician manpower exists in all categories of manpower, i.e. physician, dentist, oriental medical doctor, general practitioner, medical specialist, practitioner, public health physician and public health dentist. Urban area which had 74.4% of nation's population, accounted for over 90% of all physician manpower. 2. In terms of the ration of physician manpower per 10, 000 population, in urban area, they were 8.2 physicians, 2.7 general practitioners, 5.5 specialists, 3.0 practitioners, 1.8 dentists and 1.3 oriental medical doctors. In rural area, the ratios were 1.4 physicians, 0.6 general practitioners, 0.9 specialists, 1.0 practitioners, 0.4 dentists and 0.4 oriental medical doctors. 3. Gini indicies computed to measure inequality of physician manpower distribution were 0. 3675 for physicians, 0.3372 for general practitioners, 0.3338 for specialists, 0.2263 for practitioners, 0.3132 for dentists and 0.3293 for oriental medical doctors. 4. Inspite of increase in the number of physician manpower, urban concentration of physician manpower intensified from 1980 to 1990. However, the Gini index for all physician manpower fell by 18.3~36.7% from 1980 to 1990, indicating more even distribution. 5. In rural area, the public health physicians and dentists had increased the ratios of physicians, general practitioners, practitioners and dentists per 10, 000 population remarkebly, and had decreased the Gini indicies of physicians, general practitioners, practitioners and dentists. Thus, public health physicians and dentists contributed to improve the distribution of physician manpower in rural area. Based on the results of this study, long-term and rational manpower policies should be developed to solve the problem of geographical maldistribution of physician manpower as well as short-term policy for inducing physicians to the rural areas.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.143-152
• /
• 2014

Background: Previous studies showed that the characteristics of population and regions were related to the suicide rates. This study purposed to analyze the relationships between regional factors and suicide rates with spatial analysis model. Methods: This is a cross sectional study based on the statistics of 2011 which was extracted from the 229 City Gun Gu administrative districts in Korea. Cause of death statistics on each district was used to produce the age-, sex-adjusted mortality rates resulting from suicide. Regional characteristics were measured by the number of doctors engaged in medical institutions per 1,000 population, divorced people's rate per 1,000 population, number of marriages per 1,000 population, and percent of welfare budget in general accounting. Statistical analysis was performed by using SAS ver. 9.3 and ArcGIS ver. 10.2 was used for geographically weighted regression (GWR). Results: In ordinary least square (OLS) regression, divorced people's rate per 1,000 population had a significant positive relationship with the standardized mortality rate per 100,000 population. Marriages per 1,000 population and the proportion of welfare budget in the general accounting had significant negative relationships with the mortality rates. Meanwhile, GWR provided that the directions of variable, divorced people's rate per 1,000 population, were varied depending on regions. The adjusted $R^2$ was improved from the 0.32 in OLS to the 0.46 in GWR. Conclusion: Results of GWR showed that regional factors had different effects on the suicide rates depending on locations. It suggested that policy interventions for reducing the suicide rate should consider the regional characteristics in obtaining policy objectives.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.20 no.1 s.21
• /
• pp.10-39
• /
• 1987

Mortality rate and causes of death are regarded as an index of strength as well as level of development of a country. However, there is no accurate data for the causes of death in Korea due to lack of systematic vital data collection system. The objective of this study was to define the causes of death of the school teachers, its changing pattern, cause-specific mortality rate, and geographic variation. The study population included all of the teachers in primary school, middle and high schools, and college who joined in Korean Teachers' Union between 1968 and 1985 that provided a total of 1,972, 069 person-years to observe (1,384,911 man-years, 587,158 woman-years). There were 3,678 deaths in this period (3,377 males, 301 females). The most common cause of death was neoplasm which was followed by the diseases of circulatory system. The proportion of death of neoplasm was 1.5 times higher than that of the general population. Causes of death were classified into 5 major groups (neoplasm, diseases of circulatory system, accidents and poisoning, diseases of liver, and all others). The mortality rates of diseases of circulatory system and all others for general population were 4 to S times higher than those for the teachers. However, mortality rates of neoplasm and diseases of liver were only about 2 times higher than those for teachers. Mortality rate of liver cancer for teachers was higher than gastric cancer mortality rate which is the reverse in general population. The crude death rate was 2.12 per 1,000 person-years for male and 1.00 for female which is one-third of the crude death rate of general population. Crude death rate of study population was higher in rural area than in urban area. However, mortality rate of neoplasm for male was higher in urban area than in rural area while mortality rates of all other causes were higher in rural area. For female, mortality rates of neoplasm and diseases of circulatory system were higher in urban area and the rates for all other causes were higher in rural area. Crude death rate was lowest in Gyeongin area and highest in Yeongnam area. The mortality of neoplasm for male accounted the highest proportion of all death in Gyeongin, Chungcheong and Yeoungnam areas while the mortality of neoplasm and mortality of circulatory system accounted the same proportion in Jeonra area. For female, the mortality of disease of circulatory system accounted the highest proportion in Gyeongin and Yeoungnam and Jeonra areas. Proportion of death due to accidents and poisoning was high in Chungcheong area and death due to all other causes was high in Yeoungnam area. The most common cause of death for male by city and province was neoplasm in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gyeonggi, Chungnam, Chungbuk, Gyeongnam and Gyeongbuk. Diseases of circulatory system was the leading cause of death in the rest of city and provinces. The leading cause of death for female was diseases of circulatory system in Seoul, Incheon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Gyeongbuk, neoplasm in Busan, and accident and poisons in all other cities and provinces. The mortality rates of male were above 2 per 1,000 person-years in Jeju, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, Daegu, and Chungbuk, and it was below 1.5/l,000 in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi. The mortality rate of female was above 1.2/1,000 person-years in Gyeongnam and Incheon while it was below 0.5/l,000 in Daegu, Geonggi Chungbuk and Jeju. The leading cause for male by school of employment was neoplasm in all levels of school with a remarkably higher rate in the professors of college. Leading cause of death for female was disease of circulatory system in primary schools, high schools and college but neoplasm in middle schools. There was no death due to liver diseases in middle and high school teachers and college professors and no death due to all other category in high school teachers and college professors, in females. High school teachers and the highest mortality rate and college professors showed the lowest mortality rate. Temporal trend of mortality was examined in three periods; period I ($1968{\sim}1974$), period II ($1975{\sim}1979$), and period III ($1980{\sim}1985$). The leading cause of death for male was diseases of circulatory system in period I and II but neoplasm in period III. Such trend of decreasing diseases of circulatory system and increasing neoplasm was observed in female. Overall mortality rate was decreased over the 3 periods. The mortality rates of diseases of circulatory system, liver disease and all others were decreased in male but the mortality rates of neoplasm and accident and posions was increased. Female showed a similar trend to male but the mortality rate of liver diseases was increased. Mortality rates of diseases of circulatory system, neoplasm and liver diseases increased with age of teachers up to 50 years of age but decreased in 60 years of age. Mean age at death due to each cause was higher in male than female by $4{\sim}10$ years. However, the mean age at death of the teachers was $2{\sim}5$ years lower than that of the general population in all causes of death and the sex difference in the mean a2e at death was smaller ($2{\sim}3$ years) in general population. In sex ratio of mortality, male was higher than female in almost all diseases except suicide and maintained a high ratio. The general population showed universally high ratio in male like teachers, and more or less did regular patterns in mortality with ratio smaller.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.173-180
• /
• 2022

Purpose: The use of surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) has steadily increased over the past decade. Recent literature suggests that a larger population may benefit from SSRF, and that the geriatric population-as the highest-risk population-may receive the greatest improvement from these interventions. We sought to determine the overall utilization of SSRF in the United States. Methods: The National Trauma Database was analyzed between 2016 and 2017. The inclusion criteria were all patients ≥65 years old with rib fractures. We further stratified these patients according to age (65-79 vs. ≥80 years old), the presence of coding for flail chest, three or more rib fractures, and intervention (surgical vs. nonoperative management). The main outcomes were surgical interventions, mortality, pneumonia, length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay, ventilator use, and tracheostomy. Results: Overall, 93,638 patients were identified. SSRF was performed in 992 patients. Patients who underwent SSRF had improved mortality in the 65 to 79 age group, regardless of the number of ribs fractured. We identified 92,637 patients in the age group of 65 to 79 years old who did not undergo SSRF. This represents an additional 20,000 patients annually who may benefit from SSRF. Conclusions: By conservative standards and the well-established Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma clinical practice guidelines, SSRF is underutilized. Our data suggest that SSRF may be very beneficial for the geriatric population, specifically those aged 65 to 79 years with any rib fractures. We hypothesize that roughly 20,000 additional cases will meet the inclusion criteria for SSRF each year. It is therefore imperative that we train acute care surgeons in this skill set.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2009

The exposure of human beings to toxic trace metals (Cu, Zn) continues to be an important public health issue and concern. This study was conducted to assess the exposure to trace metals (Cu, Zn) in the general Korean population by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Serum samples were obtained from 40 healthy volunteers. Specimens were collected in special container and we applied sample processing to minimize contamination. We used ICP-MS and AAS to analyze simultaneously the concentration of metals including copper, zinc. Distribution of trace metal levels in the general healthy population showed lower values. The results in this study can provide background data for clinical studies associated with trace metal exposure in the korean population.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.231-239
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this research is to provide more reliable water unit factors of domestic airports by investigating of general informations related to the domestic airport. The informations of domestic airports such as passengers, settled population of airports, building areas and water amount are investigated to estimate the unit factor of water of domestic airports. The domestic airports are divided into three type such as central airport, position airport and general airport. Through analysis of relationship between water amount and the others, the unit factor of water could be calculated. The water amount of central airport as Incheon international airport and position airports could be estimated by unit factor of settled population. The others could be estimated by unit factor of building area.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.46-54
• /
• 2011

Objectives : The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) among inpatients with schizophrenia, and to compare with general population. Methods : Nine hundreds seventy inpatients were included to assess the prevalence of MS from two mental hospitals in Yong-in city. Assessment of MS was performed based on modified American Heart Association criteria with abdominal obesity threshold of 90cm for men, 85cm for women. Comparative analysis was performed using age- and gender matched sample from Korea Health and Nutritional Examination Survey III. For evaluating risk factors, analysis included 766 inpatients taking consistent medications at least for 30 days. Results : The prevalence of MS of inpatients with schizophrenia was 26.2%, in females it was 33.2%, compared to 20.2% in males(p < 0.001). Compared to general population, the prevalence of MS was significantly lower in male and higher in female patients. In terms of criteria prevalence, who met abdominal circumference criterion were more prevalent in patient group(p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, female gender and old age remained as risk factors of MS. Conclusions : The prevalence of MS of inpatients with schizophrenia was 26.2% and significantly low compared to general population. Female gender and old age were risk factors of MS.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.181-190
• /
• 2019

Objectives : Epidemiological studies in other countries show that a low intake of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) increases the risk of depression or suicidality. However, no studies have investigated the associations of suicidality with omega-3 FAs in Korea. Hence, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the effects of omega FAs on suicidality in the general South Korean population. Methods : The data in this study were sourced from adults (n=215,860) who completed the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI), and the associations between omega FAs and suicidality were analyzed using multivariate logistic regressions. Results : Our results demonstrated that high omega-3 FA intake was associated with a decreased risk of suicide (OR=0.83, 95% CI : 0.71-0.98) and the high omega-6 to omega-3 FA ratio was associated with an increased risk of suicide (OR=1.25, 95% CI : 1.02-1.54). Additionally, a high intake of omega-3 FAs was associated with a decreased risk of suicide in men, but not in women (OR=0.72, 95% CI : 0.59-0.88). Conclusions : Overall, our findings suggest that a lower intake of omega-3 FA is associated with the increased risk of suicidality in the general Korean population, especially in men.