• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.390-395
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• 2021

Background: Health-care providers typically undergo shift work and are subjected to increased stress. Night shift work may induce disturbed sleep cycles and circadian rhythm. The objective of this study was to explore if night shift workers (NSWs) show an increased risk of abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 574 employees without thyroid disease and abnormal TSH at baseline who underwent annual check-ups between 2007 and 2016 in a medical center. NSWs were defined as those with working time schedules other than daytime hours. We calculated the incidence rate and estimated the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for incident abnormal TSH and subclinical hypothyroidism compared with non-NSWs using a Cox regression model. Results: A total of 56 incident abnormal TSH cases and 39 subclinical hypothyroidism cases in NSWs were identified during 3000 person-years of follow-up. In models adjusted for age, sex, obesity, and working departments, we found no increased relative risk for incident abnormal TSH (HR: 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.33-1.60) or subclinical hypothyroidism (HR: 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.19-1.45) when comparing NSWs to non-NSWs; nor were incidence rates significantly different among exclusively medical employees after excluding administrative staff. Conclusion: In this hospital-based nine-year follow-up retrospective cohort study, NSWs were not associated with increased relative risk of incident abnormal TSH and subclinical hypothyroidism, in contrast to previous cross-sectional studies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.389-395
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• 2016

Objectives: Acute methanol poisonings known to be typical occupational diseases occurring in developing countries broke out in sub-contract manufacturers in the early 2016. The present paper attempted to identify underlying causes which hide under apparent findings, and suggest alternative policies to prevent recurrence of similar intoxication Methods: We evaluated occupational health and safety characteristics of workers in micro-enterprises similar to workplaces with methanol poisoning by in depth-interview of employers, workers, and labor inspectors, and literature review. Results: The common findings of workplaces with methanol poisoning were addressed; First, the victims were illegal agency workers. Second, the workplaces were sub-contract micro-manufacturers with less than 5 employees. Investigators found that local ventilations did not work, while most of workers did not wear any proper personal respiratory protective equipment in the workplace. In addition, periodic environmental monitoring and medical check-ups were not done. However, these apparent findings do not appear to be root causes of methanol poisoning. Our in depth-analysis clarified a root cause; micro-enterprises with less than 5 employees are exempted with essential regulations of OSH Act, and employers do not know about OSH Act. Conclusions: We suggest occupational health policies to prevent recurrence of similar intoxication; First, government should introduce programs so that all employers should know about employers' responsibilities in OSH Act from the start of business. Second, even manufacturers with less than 5 employees should not be exempted with essential regulations of OSH Act. Finally, employers should take responsibilities for health and safety of all the workers including agency workers working in workplaces.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 2008

The aim of this study is to determine the Toxocara seropositive rate among healthy people with eosinophilia. A total of 97 people residing in Seoul who were healthy and whose blood eosinophilia was over 10%, as shown by regular health check-ups in 2004, were subjected to this study. Their sera were tested by immunoblotting and ELISA with the antigen of larval Toxocara canis excretory-secretory (ES) protein. Sixty-five sera were band-positive (67.0%). The seropositve control sera were positive to band sizes of 66 kDa, 56 kDa, 32 kDa, and 13 kDa. In ELISA, 63 sera (65.0%) were positive to T. canis ES protein. There was no significant correlation between the IgG ELISA titer and the level of eosinophilia (r = 0.156, P = 0.156). As there were insufficient data to determine whether there were cross-reactions with other helminthic infections, or whether atopy occurred, further studies are required to verify the cause of the seropositive reactions against T. canis ES antigen. Toxocariasis seropositivity is suggested to be the major cause of eosinophilia, since the Toxocara seroprevalence among Korean rural adults was shown to be approximately 5%.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2007

Purpose. Despite the high prevalence of back pain and its subsequent effects in post-partum women, intervention programs are scarce. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a back-pain-reducing program on post-partum women who experienced low-back pain during pregnancy. Methods. A non-equivalent control-group pretest-posttest design was used. Pregnant women who attended a hospital for prenatal check-ups and experienced back pain participated in an intervention program (n=27), and the results were compared with women in a control group from another hospital (n=25). Results. At 8 weeks post-partum, the pain intensity, functional limitations were lower in the intervention group than in the control group. However, differences in mean change of the pain intensity and functional limitations between 36 and 39 weeks of gestation and at 8 weeks post-partum were not statistically significant between the groups. Moreover, the flexibility, post-partum functional status, and post-partum depression did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusions. A back-pain-relief program in this study was not effective to reduce the back-pain intensity in post-partum women and to decrease the associated functional limitations. The implications for nursing practice and directions for future research are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.290-299
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• 1999

This study was conducted to investigate drinking smoking exercise and environmental characteristics and it's risk factors for hypercholesterolemia (HC) in Korean. 344 adult men who took the annual health check-ups at D or J hospitals were participated in this corss-sectional study. The subjects were grouped by plasma total cholesterol level into three groups: normal cholesterolemic(n=139) borderline hyper-cholesterolemic (n=93) and hypercholesterolemic (n-112) groups. The data of plasma cholesterol level in the subjects were collected from medical records. Drinking smoking and exercise habits family and disease history personality type and stress level of subjects were investigated by using questionaries. The subjects with HC had longer drinking duration and drunk more frequently. The proportion of smok-er heavy smoker($\geq$2pack/day) and longer smoker ($\geq$30yrs) showed high in the HC but there were no significancy. The subjects with HC had preference for light exercise and exercised more frequently but there were no significant difference. The family history of cardiovascular diseases was higher in the were not different among the three groups. The relative risks on HC were 1.33 for family history, 1.22 for severe stress 1.06 for smoking and 1.04 for exercise.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.181-185
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• 2022

Strongyloides stercoralis infection is not endemic in the Republic of Korea (Korea) with a positivity rate of <1% in stool examination. However, there is a risk of hyperinfection in immunosuppressed individuals. It is necessary to determine the seropositivity of S. stercoralis antibodies in Korea. This study investigated the seropositivity of S. stercoralis antibodies in the southeastern area of Korea. From January 2019 to June 2021, serum samples were collected from participants who visited the study center in the southeastern region of Korea for routine health check-ups. We determined serum levels of specific anti-Strongyloides IgG antibodies in 834 samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We observed that 92 samples (11.0%) tested showed a positive response. The age of the participants was 51±10.7 years, and 43.4% of them were men. The antibody positivity rate based on the location of the participants' residence were 12.3% (Gyoungsangnam-do), 10.2% (Busan), and 10.1% (Ulsan), respectively. Total eosinophil count was associated with positive test results (154.8±152.0 per mm³ versus 202.1±178.9 per mm³, P=0.006). Logistic regression analysis revealed that blood eosinophil count, age above 50 years, and residence in Sacheon were factors associated with the positive status of S. stercoralis antibody. Our finding suggests that it is necessary to test for S. stercoralis in actual clinical settings in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.30-34
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• 2016

Purpose: Although Bednar's aphthae are common and regress spontaneously, these lesions may lead to feeding intolerance and are often misdiagnosed, rendering examinations useless. This study sheds new light on the clinical features of Bednar's aphthae. Methods: Sixteen neonates and infants were newly diagnosed with Bednar's aphthae via routine health check-ups in an outpatient clinic. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and the following parameters were analyzed; sex, gestational age, birth weight, mode of delivery, and perinatal problems. A physical examination was carried out during the next outpatient visit to examine the healing process and check for the existence of scars or complications. Results: Initial presentation included changes in feeding habits (n=10), longer feeding time, reduced intake, and increased irritability. In 6 patients, Bednar's aphthae were discovered incidentally, without prior symptoms. Feeding posture and method of feeding are important causes of Bednar's aphthae. Eleven patients were fed in a horizontal position, whereas 5 patients were fed in a semiseated position. Fifteen patients were bottle-fed, whereas 1 patient was exclusively breastfed. After correcting the feeding position, the ulcerative lesions disappeared within 1 month of diagnosis. During the follow-up period, lesions did not recur in any of the patients. Conclusion: This study suggests that Bednar's aphthae are caused by mechanical pressure. A diagnosis of Bednar's aphthae should be considered when lesions are found on the palate of infants and when symptoms seem to be feeding related. Proper education of parents can both treat Bednar's aphthae and easily prevent its recurrence.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.29-46
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• 2006

Purpose: Since 1994, Asian Health Services, the Korean American Community Advisory Board, and the Center for Family and Community Health (University of California at Berkeley) have conducted periodic, population-based surveys on Korean American community health in Alameda County, California. The present study examines changes in health care access and utilization between 1994 and 2002 among Korean American adults in Alameda County, California. Method: We reanalyzed data from the 1994 and 2002 Korean Health Surveys. The primary variables of interest, health care access and utilization, were operationalized in terms of health insurance coverage, routine check-ups, a usual source of health care and reported barriers to health care. The frequency distribution of each indicator was calculated and its standard error was estimated using SUDAAN. The differences between 1994 and 2002 were examined with chi-square test. Results: Compared to 1994, Korean Americans in Alameda County were more likely to have health insurance coverage in 2002 (74.0% vs. 82.7%). Korean Americans in Alameda County were more likely to have received a recent (prior two years) routine health checkup in 2002 (50.4% vs. 57.2%). Health checkups increased over time for males, for adults with more than 12 years of education, and for employed adults. Also, compared to 1994, employed adults were more likely to have a usual source of health care in 2002 (66.5% vs. 78.4%). In both 1994 and 2002, high cost (58.0% vs. 47.8%) was the most commonly cited barrier to health care, and the next most frequently cited barriers were language (29.2% vs. 27.7%) and no time (29.2% vs. 30.3%). Conclusion: To improve health care utilization and health conditions, it is important to investigate factors related to health care and to monitor changing trends. Ongoing surveillance of health-related factors can contribute to the development of health education programs to reduce morbidity and mortality due to chronic disease, and thereby lead to improvements in health status among Korean Americans.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2014

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disease caused by abnormality of chromosome 15q11-13. The estimated prevalence of PWS is 1/10,000-30,000. Most common features of this disease are feeding problems characterized by poor sucking habit related with neonatal or infantile hypotonia and obesity due to early childhood hyperphagia involved with lack of satiety. In the orodental findings, enamel hypoplasia, rampant caries, delayed eruption, poor oral hygiene, hypodontia, supernumerary teeth, increased tooth wear, decreased salivary flow and change in saliva composition were reported. This case report describes the dental treatment of 3-year-9-months-old male patient with PWS. Periodic check-ups and conservative treatments were followed, however, rapid dental caries progression caused by estimating hyposalivation was observed. Because of lack of patient cooperation, dental procedures were performed under general anesthesia.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.171-179
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• 2008

This study focuses on 130 estheticians currently working in and around Daegu and Gyeongbuk region, in order to find out the current state of affairs and side effects related to aromatherapy. This paper is based on a survey. SPSS win 11.0 program was used for the analysis of descriptive statistics and independent t-test. According to the result of analysis, about 33% of the estheticians have had allergy experience. And in terms of installation of an air ventilation fan, which is the most important facility in an treatment room, more than half (50.8%) replied they did not have one. There was a statistically significant difference between those estheticians suffering from allergy and those who did not, in symptoms of stuffy nose/rhinitis (P<0.01) and dry skin/itchiness (P<0.5). (Allergy symptoms from the 33% of estheticians were limited to those which occurred after he or she began career) On work related symptoms, those who had work history at hospitals/clinics or apothecaries were compared. A statistically relevant difference was confirmed between those estheticians with therapy experience and those who had none, in all symptoms except headaches and drowsiness/weariness. In other words, there was difference in symptoms such as dryness of skin/itchiness (P<0.01), stuffy nose/rhinitis, dry throat, tension/nervousness, dizziness, tired eyes(P<0.5), nausea, having trouble with focusing, and fatigue(P<0.1). Those estheticians who had a history of treatment especially suffered most from dryness of skin and itchiness. The rate of regular check-ups and the use of masks, employed for self protection, was lower than average (amounting to 5 points), with the use of masks especially having the lowest average (1.7) points.