• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.363-369
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• 2015

Chronic pain is one of the leading causes of hospital visits. It not only affects the patients themselves but also has a major negative impact on their families and society. In this study, we investigated epidemiology of musculoskeletal disorders induced chronic pain among general population based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database and also analysed how it influenced on the use of medical services. This study was done by using the data of 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V), taking aged 20 years and over adults as research subjects. The EuroQoL-5 Dimension Index(EQ-5D) was used as a survey instrument. T-test, chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. Subjects with chronic pain had a higher likelihood than control group to use medical services(odds ratio : 5.858, confidence interval 3.636-9.438). Controlling for existence of chronic pain, more women were likely to use medical services than men(1.156, 0.707-1.889). Age, gender and household income level did not affect the use of medical services. Proper control of chronic pain is very helpful in improving patient's quality of life and it also accounts for a large proportion in suppressing excessive consumption of medical services. Anesthesia and pain medicine specialists have superior knowledge about analgesics and anticonvulsants than other physicians do and also have specialized skills to perform procedures like nerve blocks in treating chronic pain. Therefore Anesthesia and pain medicine specialists need to play a leading role in managing chronic pain.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.404-410
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• 2007

Objectives: Due to the assumptions of homogeneity as well as challenges in the socioeconomic position of the elderly, they have been relatively neglected in studies of health inequalities. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the social inequalities in preventive services among elderly men and women. Methods: Data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of 342 men and 525 women aged 65 and over collected during the 2001 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Age adjusted proportions and logistic regression were used to identify the social patterning of preventive services among elderly Koreans using various social position indicators. Results: The findings of this study generally supported the presence of social gradients in preventive services among the Korean elderly. The likelihood of using the service becomes progressively higher with social position. Educational level, income, and self-rated living status were significantly associated with increased medical checkups and cancer checks. In addition, logistic regression detected educational inequalities only among older women receiving BP checks. After being stratified based on health status and chronic disease status, social disparities still existed when educational level and self-rated living status were considered. Among unhealthy individuals, place of residence was observed as a barrier to medical checkups. Conclusions: This study demonstrated strong and consistent associations between socioeconomic position and preventive services among the elderly in Korea. The results indicate that public health strategies should be developed to reduce the barriers to preventive services encountered by the elderly.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.49-58
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• 2015

Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorder is one of diseases with high medical demand over-65 populations. Considering complex, chronic property of diseases, it is important for patients to provide specialized medical service. The musculoskeletal center is one of the most essential facility type in order to give adequate care to the patient suffering from musculoskeletal diseases. Methods: Statistical analysis relating to the component ratio of patients for the demand for medical care. Literature analysis for characteristic of the musculoskeletal diseases. The Status Survey of health care facilities operating in the musculoskeletal center. Results: It is necessary for the musculoskeletal center to be composed of four major areas such as consultation, examination, diagnosis, intervention for continuity of care. For continuum of care, it is essential to build medical environment integrated with each level of care such as consultant, examination, diagnosis procedure. Implications: This study is a basic research for design of musculoskeletal center, and need to be followed by further study using various perspectives and methods.

• Korean Journal of Digital Imaging in Medicine
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.35-41
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• 2009

This study was conducted to improve performance flow of PACS registration and output of external medical images by developing or adding File Transfer Protocol(FTP) Module on Order Communication System(OCS) and to upgrade efficiency of performance. The numbers of requests for examination of external medical images from January 2004 to December 2007 were investigated and the numbers of cases of examinations and losses were done respectively from January to June, 2007 as a period before the improvement and from July to December, 2007 as a period after it. Satisfaction of persons inputting external medical images of CD was asked directly before and after the improvement. When the numbers of requests for examination of external medical images from 2004 to 2007 2004 were investigated, they were 12,783, 16,774, 21,613 and 27,487 cases in 2004, 2005, 2005 and 2007 respectively. For the numbers of the requests from January to December, 2007 it was the lowest in February by recording 1846 and it was 2800 in October. While the number of loss of external medical images was averagely 3.6 before using FTP Module on OCS, it reduced to 0 and satisfaction increased to 98% after it. By utilizing FTP Module on OSC for PACS registration of external medical images, the images were delivered simultaneously with occurrence of order, PACS registration of many patients was conducted together and CDs were returned to patients immediately after sending images from outpatient clinics or wards to remove possibility of losing them. In addition, because the module was established on OCS and data were sent associated with order, problems related with order were decreased. By eliminating movement distance it was turned out to be very effective in terms of time and space.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.180-193
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• 2008

Objectives: We intended to identify factors related to the severity of hot flush of climacteric women from an East-West medical point of view. Methods: We surveyed 446 climacteric women who had received Korean oriental medical questionnaires about clinical symptom patterns and health medical examinations at Kyung-Hee University Medical Center over 1 year, from June 2007 to May 2008. Then, we compared hot flush with clinical symptom pattern and health medical examination result. Results: As the severity of hot flush increased, hypnagogic disorder in sleep pattern, abdominal gaseous distention in digestion pattern, tenesmus in evacuation pattern, yellow or reddish urine in voiding pattern, spontaneous sweating in sweating pattern, chest oppression in psychologic pattern, not-pulling-bedclothes in cold-heat pattern and mouth dryness in craniocervical symptom increased (p<0.05). In relation to digestion pattern, the severity of hot flush showed statistical significance according to prevalence of gastritis diagnosed by gastroscopy and upper GI series(p<0.01). In relation to voiding pattern, the severity of hot flush showed statistical significance according to prevalence of urine protein diagnosed by urinalysis (p<0.05). In relation to sweating, psychologic & cold-heat pattern, triiodothyronine (T3) increase and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) decrease were significantly correlated as the severity of hot flush increased (p<0.01). Conclusions: The result showed that hot flush of climacteric women had to be considered in respect of digestion disorder related to gastritis and sweating psychologic cold-heat disorder related to thyroid hormone.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.3927-3930
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• 2012

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and the leading cause of death from cancer among women. Evidence suggests that early diagnosis and screening interventions might help to improve outcomes. This population-based study was conducted to determine breast cancer awareness and screening behavior among Iranian women and to examine its association with women's literacy. The study was carried out in two provinces, with 1,477,045 population, located in central and eastern part of Iran. Overall, 770 women were studied. Of these, 482 (62.7%) were literate and 287 (37.3%) were not. The results obtained from the data analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between literate and illiterate women. Further analysis of the data using logistic regression showed that literacy was an important contributing factor for breast cancer prevention behavior. The findings suggest that in order to improve women's health and breast cancer outcomes providing equal educational opportunities for women seems necessary.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권9호
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• pp.4427-4432
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• 2016

Background: Fear and fatalism have been proposed as factors affecting breast cancer screening, but the evidence is not strong. This study aimed to determine relationships of fear and fatalism with breast cancer screening behavior among Tabriz women in Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross- sectional study, 370 women referred to 12 health centers in Tabriz were selected with two-stage cluster sampling and data regarding breast cancer screening, fatalism and fear of breast cancer were collected respectively with a checklist for screening performance, Champions Fear and Pow Fatalism Questionnaires. Data were analyzed by logistic regression with SPSS software version 16. Results: Only 43% and 23% of participants had undergone breast self- examination and clinical breast examination. Among women older than 40 years, 38.2% had mammography history and only 2.7% of them had done it annually. Although fatalism and fear had a stimulating effects on breast cancer screening performance th relationships were not significant (P>0.05). There was a negative significant correlation between fear and fatalism (r= -0.24, p=0.000). On logistic regression analysis, age (OR=1.037, p<0.01) and income status (OR= 0.411, p<0.05) significantly explained BSE and age (OR=1.051, p<0.01) and body mass index (OR= 0.879, p<0.01) explained CBE. Also BMI (OR= 0.074, p<0.05) and income status (OR=0.155, p<0.01) was significantly effective for mammography following. Conclusions: Breast cancer screening behavior is inappropriate and affected by family livelihood status and lifestyle leads to weight gain, so that for promoting of screening behaviors, economic support to families, lifestyle modification and public education are suggested.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.83-93
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• 2013

This study was conducted on 350 students of health and medical department of universities in Busan from June 3, 2013 to June 21, 2013, and a total of 350 questionnaires were researched. Among them 337 responses were used after 13 unfaithful responses were excluded. The effects of oral health belief on use of dental service of students of health and medical department of universities were examined and analyzed to provide basic data which can be used to expand understanding about oral health belief, to promote changes in behaviors regarding oral health and to improve oral health of the public. Collected data was analyzed through SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Science 15.0. SPSS Inc. USA). For verification of differences of oral health belief depending on general matters and oral health behavior, t-test and ANOVA analysis were conducted, and for examination of the effects of oral health belief on use of medical service, logistic regression and regression analysis were conducted. The study results suggest that those who had higher sensitivity among oral health belief variables had higher probability of needing dental treatment and seeing the dentist immediately. And those who showed higher sensitivity and importance had higher frequency of seeing the dentist for six months. Future studies need to be conducted on the methods to change oral health belief for sustainable and systematic oral health enhancement in consideration of the factors affecting oral health belief and oral health behavior of the students of dental hygiene department.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.105-111
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• 2003

Balanced intake of appropriate nutrients is the key to sustaining and promoting health as well as preventing and treating diseases. It is not always easy, however, to take balanced nutrition and various related factors must be taken into consideration. This report provides a summary of studies that have examined the nutrient intakes of Japanese middle-aged men and the relationship of this intake to drinking, job-related separation from families, and health practices. The alcohol consumption of Japanese middle-aged men has more than tripled in the last forty years. When nutrient intake was examined in relation to alcohol consumption, it was discovered that the maximum acceptable alcohol consumption was approximately 23 grams (about two drinks) of pure alcohol, provided the level of nutrient intake for drinkers was equal to that of non-drinkers. The alcohol energy ratio was approximately 5％. It was also discovered that middle-aged men's eating habits deteriorate when they relocate to new posts without their families and live by themselves. Compared to those living with their families, a higher proportion of those living alone have unfavorable eating habits including skipping breakfast or lunch, having a late lunch, and eating and drinking after dinner until bedtime. When Breslow's seven health practices, nutrient intake, and consumption weight by food group were examined, it was discovered that the group that had many beneficial eating and living habits consumed plenty of legume, pulses, fruit, green yellow vegetables and milk products. Their intake of vitamins and minerals was high and the results of a physical examination proved to be excellent. According to nutrition surveys conducted in Japan, China, the United Kingdom and the United States using a 24-hour recall method with common protocols and strict controls to ensure high levels of accuracy and cross-study validity, the Japanese had the highest cholesterol intake and the lowest dietary fiber intake among the four countries. Also, the alcohol energy ratio of the Japanese exceeded 8％, the highest among the four countries, while their intake of magnesium and iron was the lowest These results indicate that it is necessary to enhance nutritional education for middle-aged men and to reinforce the social environments in which they live and work in order to promote proper diet and nutrition in Japan. (J Community Nutrition 5(2) : 105-111, 2003)

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.123-127
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• 2009

After a health examination, abnormal patients were classified into two groups. One needs clinical treatment immediately, while the other one needs check-up in 2~3 month after for blood tests and preventive medical study. To discover the status and importance of the follow-up study in a health program, blood test upon health examination was compared to the test from the follow-up. We examined patients of ages from 20's to 70's. Among these patients, most of them were between 40's and 50's, and in male patients the follow-up test were more freguent than female. We examined blood obtained from January 2007 to December 2008. We analyzed and compared initial and the follow up blood test. Lipid profile, liver test, thyroid function tests (TFTs), glucose fasting, and HbA1c were examined from the blood tests. We also surveyed their distribution and status. The value of the follow up blood tests was significantly decreased with the most striking differences in lipid profiles and liver test. Follow up study is able to improve life style of patients through doctor's advice in a health program. Therefore, we can conclude that the follow up blood test is also quite critical.