• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.227-233
• /
• 2018

Objectives: Chronic diseases, including back pain, result in significant patient morbidity and societal burden. Overall improvement in physical fitness is recommended for prevention and treatment. Walking is a convenient modality for achieving initial gains. Our objective was to determine whether neighbourhood walkability, acting as a surrogate measure of physical fitness, was associated with the presence of chronic disease. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of prospectively collected data from a prior randomized cohort study of 227 patients referred for tertiary assessment of chronic back pain in Ottawa, ON, Canada. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was calculated from patient-completed questionnaires and medical record review. Using patients' postal codes, neighbourhood walkability was determined using the Walk Score, which awards points based on the distance to the closest amenities, yielding a score from 0 to 100 (0-50: car-dependent; 50-100: walkable). Results: Based on the Walk Score, 134 patients lived in car-dependent neighborhoods and 93 lived in walkable neighborhoods. A multivariate logistic regression model, adjusted for age, gender, rural postal code, body mass index, smoking, median household income, percent employment, pain, and disability, demonstrated an adjusted odds ratio of 2.75 (95% confidence interval, 1.16 to 6.53) times higher prevalence for having a chronic disease for patients living in a car-dependent neighborhood. There was also a significant dose-related association (p=0.01; Mantel-Haenszel chi-square=6.4) between living in car-dependent neighbourhoods and more severe CCI scores. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that advocating for improved neighbourhood planning to permit greater walkability may help offset the burden of chronic disease.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.225-234
• /
• 1998

Nutrition during childhood is essential for growth and maintenance of health. Good food habits developed during the childhood will contribute both to the healthy growth and the prevention of the degenerative disease of later life. Both parents and the providers in child care centers play an important role for children's good eating behavior. Therefore all child care programs should achieve recommended standards for meeting children's nutritional and educational needs in a safe, sanitary, and supportive environment to promote the healthy growth and development of children. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the foodservice management practices and assess the needs for a Central Production Unit by contacting the child care center' providers. This approach was achieved using a variety of qualitative and quantitative information including the general foodservice management practices and the needs for a Central Production Unit. An indepth face-to-face interview with structured-questionnaires was undertaken at 32 representative child-care centers in Seoul. Statistical data analysis was done using the SAS program for descriptive analysis and ANOVA. The number of national/public and private sectors were 11 respectively, followed by 10 licensed home day-care centers. Total average number of children in child-care centers was 54.3 $\pm$48.5. The foodservice productivity index in child-care centers was 4.8 minutes per meal for public child care centers, 6.0 for private child-care centers, and 9.8 for home child care centers. Home child care centers were found to have the lowest productivity index which indicated inefficient foodservice practice. The important factors in group purchasing were menus(39.6%) or close distance(39.6%) > type of foodservice operation(32.8%) > total number of meals(19.9%) > food costs(16.2%) in order. Average score of the efficiency for central food production in child-care centers was 3.80 $\pm$0.84 out of 5.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.141-151
• /
• 2010

Gestational age and infant birth weight are influenced by gestational weight gain. This study was aimed to examine the effects of gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcomes. Pregnant women were recruited at two hospitals in Seoul area. Characteristics and dietary intakes of pregnant women were obtained using 24-hour recall questionnaires. Gestational weight gain was categorized as less (Under-gain) than, within (Recommended gain), or greater (Over-gain) than the Institute of Medicine guidelines. Maternal height and pre-pregnancy weight in the over-gain group significantly higher than under-gain and recommended gain group. Mini dietary assessment score of eating bean has significantly higher in under-gain group than recommended gain group and eating kimchi has significantly higher in undergain group than over-gain group. Score of eating fruit was significantly higher in over-gain group than other groups. The mean intake of carbohydrate in the recommended gain group were significantly higher than under-gain group, and mean intake of potassium in the over-gain group were significantly higher than under-gain group. Under-gain group showed the high rate of the preterm delivery and low birth weight infant delivery. However recommended gain group showed 46% reduced risk of preterm delivery (OR = 0.54 CI = 0.30-0.98). Risk of macrosomia increased with increasing gestational weight gain (p for trend < 0.05). In conclusion, pregnancy outcomes were influenced by gestational weight gain. Therefore, these finding suggested adequate gestational weight gain according to BMI for reducing the risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight and macrosomia.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.334-342
• /
• 2012

Purpose: This descriptive study was done to identify the academic achievement, self-directed learning (SDL), and critical thinking disposition (CTD) of nursing students according to their learning styles. Method: The participants were 240 nursing students. Data were collected using structured questionnaires which included Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, Academic Achievement in Fundamental Nursing and Health Assessment, Self Directed Learning Readiness Scale, and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. Data were analyzed using ${\chi}^2$ test, ANOVA, Pearson' correlation coefficients, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: One third of respondents were shown to be Convergers in their learning style (33.3%). The Academic Achievement of students who were Convergers was significantly higher than those who were Divergers or Accommodators (F=5.95, p=.001). The SDL and CTD of students who were Convergers were significantly higher than Divergers and Assimilators (F=9.67, p<.001 and F=8.42, p<.001). No significant correlations were found between Academic Achievement and SDL or CTD, but a statistically significant positive correlation was found between SDL and CTD (r=.68, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that learning style influences academic achievement, SDL and CTD.

• Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.28-34
• /
• 2017

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychological effects of an outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), a newly emerged infectious disease, on doctors. Methods After the MERS outbreak was over, we conducted an online survey of doctors who worked at the hospitals in which exposure to MERS cases had been confirmed or who were directly involved in MERS diagnosis and treatment. The Patient Health Questionnaires-9 (PHQ-9) and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) assessment methods were used to assess the severity of depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms among the 64 doctors participating in the survey. Results The results of the survey indicate that 26.6% (n=17) of participants exhibited depressive symptoms and 7.8% (n=5) had post-traumatic stress symptoms. The doctors employed at hospitals with MERS cases had higher PHQ-9 and IES-R mean scores than those in doctors were not so employed. In contrast, there was no significant difference in those test scores between doctors who participated directly in MERS diagnosis and treatment and those doctors who did not. Conclusion The survey demonstrated that 28.1% (n=18) of doctors involved in MERS care suffered from depressive or posttraumatic stress symptoms, even though the MERS infection was being controlled. Working at a hospital with MERS cases was the primary determinant of the adverse psychological outcomes among doctors ; however, direct participation in the diagnosis and care of MERS patients was not significantly related to such outcomes.

• Journal of the Korean society of biological therapies in psychiatry
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.218-229
• /
• 2018

Objectives : Antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia causes physical symptoms, such as amenorrhea, galactorrhea, gynecomastia, sexual dysfunction, and bone density loss, as well as psychiatric symptoms, such as depression and cognitive impairments. This study aimed to clarify the associations among hyperprolactinemia caused by antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia, psychiatric pathology, and psychosocial factors. Methods : Ninety-nine patients with schizophrenia in the psychiatry department of a university hospital were registered between 2015 and 2017. All participants were assessed using structured questionnaires to elucidate psychopathology, social function, quality of life, and hyperprolactinemia-related side effects. The standard levels for hyperprolactinemia were 24ng/mL for women and 20ng/mL for men. Results : The average prolactin levels were $73.45{\pm}49.37ng/mL$ in patients with hyperprolactinemia and $9.16{\pm}6.42ng/mL$ in those without hyperprolactinemia. The average prolactin level in women was significantly higher than that in men(p=0.04). Risperidone was most commonly administered in patients with hyperprolactinemia(58.1%, p<0.01), while aripiprazole was most commonly administered in those without hyperprolactinemia(44.7%, p<0.01). Patients with hyperprolactinemia had significantly higher Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(p=0.03) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9(p=0.05) scores and had significantly lower Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale(p=0.04) and Strauss-Carpenter Levels of Functioning Scale(p=0.03) scores than patients without hyperprolactinemia. There were no significant differences in side effects or quality of life between the two groups. Conclusion : These findings demonstrate that hyperprolactinemia confers negative effects on depression and social function, but does not directly affect the quality of life. These results suggest that patients with schizophrenia who take antipsychotics that increase prolactin or cause side effects of hyperprolactinemia need to be assessed and receive interventions for depression.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.84 no.3
• /
• pp.188-199
• /
• 2021

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disease with increased prevalence in the elderly. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences found at the end of the chromosome, which progressively shorten as cells divide. Telomere length is known to be a molecular marker of aging. This study aimed to assess the relationship between telomere length and the risk of COPD, lung function, respiratory symptoms, and emphysema index in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Dusty Areas (CODA) cohort. Methods: We extracted DNA from the peripheral blood samples of 446 participants, including 285 COPD patients and 161 control participants. We measured absolute telomere length using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. All participants underwent spirometry and quantitative computed tomography scan. Questionnaires assessing respiratory symptoms and the COPD Assessment Test was filled by all the participants. Results: The mean age of participants at the baseline visit was 72.5±7.1 years. Males accounted for 72% (321 participants) of the all participants. The mean telomere length was lower in the COPD group compared to the non-COPD group (COPD, 16.81±13.90 kb; non-COPD, 21.97±14.43 kb). In COPD patients, 112 (75.7%) were distributed as tertile 1 (shortest), 91 (61.1%) as tertile 2 and 82 (55%) as tertile 3 (longest). We did not find significant associations between telomere length and lung function, exacerbation, airway wall thickness, and emphysema index after adjusting for sex, age, and smoking status. Conclusion: In this study, the relationship between various COPD phenotypes and telomere length was analyzed, but no significant statistical associations were shown.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.75-93
• /
• 2023

Objectives We aimed to analyze the registration status of interventional clinical trials in children and adolescents with chronic cough. Methods All interventional clinical trials registered up to 3 July, 2023 on the international clinical trial registry platform (ICTRP) of the World Health Organization (WHO) were analyzed. Information was extracted including study design, interventions, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and outcome indicators. Results A total of 18 interventional clinical trials were analyzed. For study design, multicentre trials, randomized allocation, parallel group design and phase 4 trials were the most frequently reported. Blinding was used in 44.4% and informed consents were obtained from 61.1%. For intervention, drugs were used in 61.1%, using placebo control group in 27.8%. Quality of life questionnaires were most frequently reported in 50% as the primary outcome, and adverse events were the most as the secondary outcome. In most cases, the assessment timepoints were after two weeks. Conclusions Based on the characteristics of clinical trial design analyzed in this study, it is necessary to design traditional Korean medicine clinical trials with improved quality and accuracy of information.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.757-764
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary habits and demand for nutrition service of university dormitory residents. Out of 450 questionnaires distributed to the undergraduate and graduate students residing in a university dormitory, 335(74.4%) returned and 265(58.8%) were analyzed. The analyzed sample included 140 males(52.8%) and 125 females(47.2%). The number of undergraduate and graduate students were 183(69.1%) and 82(30.9%), respectively. Male and undergraduate students tend to more frequently use dormitory foodservice than the respective counterpart. About 21% of respondents skipped breakfast everyday and almost 2/3 of respondents skipped breakfast more often than $3{\sim}4$ times a week. The most often chosen reason for skipping meals was 'lack of time' for lunch and dinner as well as breakfast. Graduate students tend to drink coffee more often than undergraduate students. Male students were more likely to drink carbonated drinks and alcohol compared with female students. Over half(59%) of respondents were taking multivitamins and mineral supplements. About 80% of respondents perceived their health average or above. New residents having moved in to the dormitory less than a semester before tend to perceive their heath status worse than the residents having lived longer in the dormitory. The demand for nutrition service was high as shown by the high percentage of respondents willingness to receive the service: 76% for nutrition assessment service and 63% for nutrition counseling service. Such demand did not differ between males and female respondents. However, graduate students were more willing to participate in nutrition counseling service than undergraduates.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.365-373
• /
• 2023

Purpose: In the context of COVID-19, studies evaluating the adherence of dentists and dental students to infection control are relevant due to their high occupational exposure and risk, as well as their responsibility for disseminating information and good practices. This study evaluated the adherence of dentists and dental students to infection control in the oral radiology field in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic on different continents. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study involved individuals who performed intraoral radiographic examinations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Questionnaire on Infection Control in Oral Radiology was administered virtually using a Google Form. Participants from different continents(the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania) were recruited. Data were subjected to descriptive analysis and simple and multiple binary regression (5%). Results: There were 582 valid answers, and 68.73% of the participants were from the Americas, 18.90% from Europe, and 12.37% from Asia. The median score for infection control protocols was 94 points for dental students and 104 points for dentists, and participants below the median were considered to have low adherence to infection control in oral radiology. Low access to infection control was found for 53.0% of dentists in the Americas, 34.0% from Europe, and 26.9% from Asia. Conclusion: The adherence to infection control protocols in oral radiology was low even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results may help improve the awareness of students and professionals, since oral radiology routines have the potential for transmitting COVID-19.