• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.12-14
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• 2014

Worldwide, stroke is the 2nd or 3rd leading cause of death and a major health problem. Recent advances in medical technology have significantly improved diagnosis and treatment strategies of ischemic stroke. The ischemic stroke subtype is an important determinant of mortality and long-term prognosis of patients. To estimate excess-risks of the ischemic stroke subtype, recently published article, Korean cohort study of stroke, was used as a source article. According to mortality analysis methodology from American academy of insurance medicine, the overall mortality ratio and excess death rate was the highest in patients with SOD, followed by those with CE. Calculated mortality ratio and excess death rate for subtype in this review are SOD, 920%/34‰; CE 267%/34‰; UI 209%/25‰; UM 190%/23‰; UN 188%/15‰; LAA 162%/15‰; LAC 117%/3‰.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.39-43
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• 2009

we studied and analyzed a tree mortality of 7 species(Pinus koraiensis etc) in surface forest fire area. In this results, the order of tree mortality was Cryptomeria japonica>Pinus koraiensis>Pinus densiflora>Pinus thunbergii>Larix leptolepis>Pinus rigida>Quercus. More damaged crown was higher tree mortality and more d.b.h was less tree mortality. Especially, oak trees in which a damage rate of crown was less 30% almost survived.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.253-264
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• 2010

This study investigates the relationship between daily mortality and heat stress in Seoul, using perceived temperatures (PT) derived from a heat budget model. During the summer season, observed PT intensity showed the biggest magnitude of summer heat stress from the middle 10 days of July to the first 10 days of August. The elderly (65 and above) were found to be the most vulnerable to heat stress. The threshold PT, with a significant increase in excess mortality, was $38^{\circ}C$. No time lagged effect was observed with summer heat stress, while a high correlation was observed between anomalies in PT and relative deviation of mortality. A comparison of the heat index and the discomfort index with excess mortality revealed that the discomfort index underestimated excess mortality, whereas the heat index could not appropriately explain the increase in excess mortality correlated with the increase in excess heat. In contrast, PT was found to be the weather element that best represents excess mortality due to heat stress, and is thus expected to serve as a more reliable forecast index of human biometeorology.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.323-328
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• 2012

Objectives: Economic growth and development of medical technology help to improve the average life expectancy, but the western diet and rapid conversions to poor lifestyles lead an increasing risk of major chronic diseases. Coronary heart disease mortality in Korea has been on the increase, while showing a steady decline in the other industrialized countries. An age-period-cohort analysis can help understand the trends in mortality and predict the near future. Methods: We analyzed the time trends of ischemic heart disease mortality, which is on the increase, from 1985 to 2009 using an age-period-cohort model to characterize the effects of ischemic heart disease on changes in the mortality rate over time. Results: All three effects on total ischemic heart disease mortality were statistically significant. Regarding the period effect, the mortality rate was decreased slightly in 2000 to 2004, after it had continuously increased since the late 1980s that trend was similar in both sexes. The expected age effect was noticeable, starting from the mid-60's. In addition, the age effect in women was more remarkable than that in men. Women born from the early 1900s to 1925 observed an increase in ischemic heart mortality. That cohort effect showed significance only in women. Conclusions: The future cohort effect might have a lasting impact on the risk of ischemic heart disease in women with the increasing elderly population, and a national prevention policy is need to establish management of high risk by considering the age-period-cohort effect.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2006

Objectives: A number of studies in economically developed countries have shown occurrence of stroke and cardiovascular disease to be inversely related to socioeconomic class. The purpose of this study is to investigate socioeconomic differentials in stroke and cardiovascular disease mortality in Korea. Methods: Two data from two sources, registry data from National Health Insurance Corporation and death certification data from National Statistics Office, were used to calculate mortality rate for five socioeconomic classes. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate relative indices of inequality as a measure of mortality differentials between socioeconomic classes. Results: For males, graded socioeconomic differentials in mortality were observed with higher mortality rates related to lower socioeconomic class for intracerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarct, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarct, and arrhythmia. The relative index of inequality for stroke and cardiovascular disease was 1.61(95% CI=1.54-1.68). For females, these differentials were observed for arrhythmia and intracerebral hemorrhage. The relative index of inequality was 1.06(95% CI=1.02-1.11). Conclusions: This socioeconomic differential in mortality, consistent with the results of other studies performed in economically developed countries suggest that Socioeconomic class can influence mortality regardless of the developmental stage of the country.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.91-95
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• 2010

Density-dependant growth and mortality rate of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum reared in net cages was investigated in Gomso Bay, Korea where unusually high mortality of clams has been reported. For the experiment, four groups of clam cages were set up with a density of $2,000clams/m^2$ (group A), $1,000clams/m^2$ (group B), $500clams/m^2$ (group C) and $100clams/m^2$ (group D). Mortality and growth of clams in each experimental cage was monitored biweekly from May 2001 to September 2001. Highest mortality in group A was observed in late August, while highest mortality of rest groups was observed in early September. In September, the cumulative mortality in group A was 99%, while it was 93.2% in group B, 91.2% in group C and 88% in group D. Shell growth rate of clams in thecages was found to be density dependent; monthly shell length increase was 0.67 mm in group A, 1.33 mm in group B, 1.63 mm in group C and 1.71 mm in group D. Our study indicated that clam growth and mortality in the Bay is density dependent and the growth and survival rate is negatively correlated with the density.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2785-2791
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• 2014

Aims: To analyze time-dependent changes in female breast cancer (BC) mortality in China, forecast the trend in the ensuing 5 years, and provide recommendations for prevention and management. Materials and Methods: Mortality data of breast cancer in China from 1991 to 2011 was used to describe characteristics and distribution, such as the changes of the standardized mortality rate, urban-rural differences and age differences. Trend-surface analysis was used to study the geographical distribution of mortality. In addition, curve estimation, time series modeling, Gray modeling (GM) and joinpoint regression were performed to estimate and predict future trends. Results: In China, the mortality rate of breast cancer has increased yearly since 1991. In addition, our data predicted that the trend will continue to increase in the ensuing 5 years. Rates in urban areas are higher than those in rural areas. Over the past decade, all peak ages for death by breast cancer have been delayed, with the first death peak occurring at 55 to 65 years of age in urban and rural areas. Geographical analysis indicated that mortality rates increased from Southwest to Northeast and from West to East. Conclusions: The standardized mortality rate of breast cancer in China is rising and the upward trend is predicted to continue for the next 5 years. Since this can cause an enormous health impact in China, much better prevention and management of breast cancer is needed. Consequently, disease control centers in China should place more focus on the northeastern, eastern and southeastern parts of China for breast cancer prevention and management, and the key population should be among women between ages 55 to 65, especially those in urban communities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7321-7324
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• 2013

Objective: To estimate the incidence and mortality rates for pancreatic cancer in China. Methods: After checking and reviewing the cancer registry data in 2009 from 72 cancer registry centers, we divided cancer registry areas into urban and rural areas. Incidence/mortality rates, age-specific incidence/mortality rates, age-standardized incidence/mortality rates, proportions, and cumulative incidence/mortality rates for pancreatic cancer were calculated. Results: The total number of newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer cases and deaths in 2009 were 6,220 and 5,650, respectively. The crude incidence rate in all cancer registry areas was 7.28/100,000 (males 8.24, females 6.29). The age-standardized incidence rate by Chinese standard population (ASR) was 3.35/100,000, with ranking at 7th among all cancers. Pancreatic cancer incidence rate was 8.19/100,000 in urban areas whereas it was 5.41/100 000 in rural areas. Cancer mortality rate in all cancer registry areas was 6.61/100,000 (males 7.45; females 5.75), with ranking at 6th among all cancers, and 7.42/100 000 in urban but 4.94/100000 in rural areas. Conclusions: Pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality rates have shown a gradual increase in China. Owing to the difficulty of early diagnosis, identification of high-risk population and modification of risk factors are important to reduce the burden of pancreatic cancer.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.330-340
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• 2010

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate and explain the socioeconomic inequalities of all-cause mortality after breast cancer surgery in South Korea. Methods: This population based study included all 8868 females who underwent radical mastectomy for breast cancer between January 2002 and June 2003. Follow-up for mortality continued from January 2002 to June 2006. The patients were divided into 4 socioeconomic classes according to their socioeconomic status as defined by the National Health Insurance contribution rate. The relationship between socioeconomic status and all-cause mortality after breast cancer surgery was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards model with adjusting for age, the Charlson’s index score, emergency hospitalization, the type of hospital and the hospital ownership. Results: Those in the lowest socioeconomic status group had a significantly higher hazard ratio of 2.09 (95% CI =1.50 - 2.91) compared with those in the highest socioeconomic group after controlling for all the identifiable confounding variables. For allcause mortality after radical mastectomy, all the other income groups showed significantly higher 3-year mortality rates than did the highest income group. Conclusions: The socioeconomic status of breast cancer patients should be considered as an independent prognostic factor that affects all-cause mortality after radical mastectomy, and this is possibly due to a delayed diagnosis, limited access or minimal treatment leading to higher mortality. This study may provide tangible support to intensify surveillance and treatment for breast cancer among low socioeconomic class women.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 2016

Background: Many studies have explained regional disparities in health by socioeconomic status and healthcare resources, focusing on differences between urban and rural area. However some cities in Korea have the highest cardiovascular mortality, even though they have sufficient healthcare resources. So this study aims to confirm three hypotheses. (1) There are also regional health disparities between cities not only between urban and rural area. (2) It has different regional risk factors affecting cardiovascular mortality whether it is urban or rural area. (3) Besides socioeconomic and healthcare resources factors, there are remnant factors that affect regional cardiovascular mortality such as health behavior and physical environment. Methods: The subject of this study is 227 local authorities (si, gun, and gu). They were categorized into city (gu and si consisting of urban area) and non-city (gun consisting of rural area), and the city group was subdivided into 3 parts to reflect relative different city status: city 1 (Seoul, Gyeonggi cities), city 2 (Gwangyeoksi cities), and city 3 (other cities). We compared their mortalities among four groups by using analysis of variance analysis. And we explored what had contributed to it in whole authorities, city and non-city group by using multiple regression analysis. Results: Cardiovascular mortality is highest in city 2 group, lowest in city 1 group and middle in non-city group. Socioeconomic status and current smoking significantly increase mortality regardless of group. Other than those things, in city, there are some factors associated with cardiovascular mortality: walking practice(-), weight control attempt(-), deficiency of sports facilities(+), and high rate of factory lot(+). In non-city, there are other factors different from those of city: obesity prevalence(+), self-perceiving obesity(-), number of public health institutions(-), and road ratio(-). Conclusion: To reduce cardiovascular mortality and it's regional disparities, we need to consider differentiated approach, respecting regional character and different risk factors. Also, it is crucial to strengthen local government's capacity for practicing community health policy.