• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.77-88
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and assess the impact of an integrated infection control education program on the awareness, attitudes, and performance of infection control among caregivers in long-term care facilities. Methods: Participants were recruited from two long-term care facilities with 25 caregivers in both the experimental group and the control group. This study used non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental pre-post design. The effectiveness of a developed Integrated Infection Control Education Program was evaluated based on infection control awareness, attitudes, and performance. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 28.0 through descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, and independent t-tests. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of awareness (t=-5.00, p<.001), attitude (t=-4.91, p<.001), and performance (t=-6.66, p<.001) of infection control between the two groups. Conclusion: Given these results, the integrated infection control education program significantly improved infection control awareness, attitudes, and performance among caregivers in long-term care facilities. This study is noteworthy because it provided comprehensive education on infection control practices to caregivers in environments that are particularly susceptible to infections, especially following COVID-19. This educational program is actively utilized and validated in practice, it would enhance the infection control performance of caregivers, thereby reducing infection rates within facilities, shortening the length of stay for elderly residents in long term care facilities, and contributing to the reduction of healthcare costs.

• The Korean Journal of Medicine
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• v.99 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2024

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections commonly present as mild upper respiratory tract infections in healthy adults, although severe respiratory complications have been observed, particularly in elderly and immunocompromised patients. We report a case in whom pneumonia caused by hMPV progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a healthy adult without underlying diseases. A 31-year-old female presented with fever and dyspnea, prompting transfer to our hospital for mechanical ventilation 3 days after symptom onset. Auscultation revealed coarse breath sounds and crackles in both lung fields, and chest X-ray showed non-specific infiltrative nodules with poorly defined borders throughout both lungs. ARDS caused by community-acquired pneumonia was diagnosed. hMPV was identified via rapid testing of respiratory samples for genes that encode pneumonia pathogens and drug resistance markers; we employed reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions to these ends. Six days later, the patient was weaned off the mechanical ventilator, and discharged from the hospital in good clinical condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2024

PURPOSE: This study aims to analyze the prevalence and risk factors of stroke in Korean older adults and provide basic data for stroke prevention. METHODS: Based on the data from the 2019-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 5,750 adults aged 65 or older who participated in the health survey were selected. Risk factors for stroke were analyzed through complex sample multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: As a result of this study, the prevalence of stroke among the subjects was 6.20%. Stroke risk factors were elderly, male, low personal income level, and current and past smoking experience. The risk of stroke prevalence was OR 1.076 (95% CI 1.048-1.104) higher with each age increase. According to gender, the risk of stroke prevalence was OR 1.587 (95% CI 1.068-2.358) higher in males compared to females. In the case of individual income level, the risk of stroke prevalence was OR 1.509 (95% CI 1.011-2.253) higher in Q1, the lowest compared to Q4, which has the highest income level, and it was not significant in Q2, and Q3. Compared to non-smokers, current smokers had an OR 1.717 (95% CI 1.087-2.712), and past smokers had an OR 1.546 (95% CI 1.095-2.183). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of stroke in Korean older adults was 6.20%, and the risk factors for stroke were old age, men, low individual income level, and smoking. Therefore, prevention programs and smoking cessation education are needed for subjects with stroke risk factors.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.74-90
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• 2001

Serious depopulation has occurred since the rapid economic growth after $1965{\sim}1995$. As a result, nowadays most of mountain villages face difficulty in maintaining and managing their settlement, because of the elderly population and the extremely small size of the settlement. Population change is understood as the origin of depopulation problems and the criterion for the depopulation. This study aims to identify the problems of over-depopulation in rural Korea and to classify the patterns and process of follow and to provide policy alternatives. It consists with the three parts : identifying the problems of over- depopulation, classifying the socio-economic factors of fallow land, analyzing a detailed case study of follow land in over-depopulation rural area-Sangju Gun and to provide policy alternatives. The results are summarizes as follows: 1) In the study area, the amount of fallow and abandoned cultivated land has increased since 1975. With the increased urbanization, the cause of the increase in fallow and abandoned cultivated-land is the labor shortage of quantity and quality. The underlying reasons for the abandonment of farmland are poor field conditions and the lack of rented farmland. 2) The secondary cause is a relative labor shortage through specialization into intensive horticulture. In the study area, specialization into pear requires intensive labor input. It has caused a relative labor shortage. 3) The third causes are landowner and the lack of rented farmland due to labor shortage. The declining of agriculture and forestry have caused out-migration and increased non-residents' landowner. 4) The fallow patterns are devided into two types the less favored farmland fallow type, non-residents' landowner(out-migrator) fallow type. The significant causes of the increase in fallow and abandoned cultivated land are the labor shortage, intensive farming, less favored farmland conditions, non-residents' landowner. The factors which caused the follow processes in Korea are socio-economic factors (labor shortage, intensive farming, less favored farmland conditions) and cultural factor(non-residents' landowner, psychological ties between rural areas and urban areas).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.287-294
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• 2008

Objectives : To estimate the economic burden of osteoporotic vertebral fracture (VF) from a societal perspective. Methods : From 2002 to 2004, we identified all National Health Insurance claims records for women ${\geq}50$ years old with a diagnosis of VF. The first 6-months was defined as a "clearance period," such that patients were considered as incident cases if their first claim of fracture was recorded after June 30, 2002. We only included patients with ${\geq}$ one claim of a diagnosis of, or prescription for, osteoporosis over 3 years. For each patient, we cumulated the claims amount for the first visit and for the follow-up treatments for 1 year. The hospital charge data from 4 hospitals were investigated to measure the proportion of the non-covered services. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 106 patients from the 4 study sites to measure the out-of-pocket spending outside of hospitals. Results : During 2.5 years, 131,453 VF patients were identified. The patients had an average of 3.38 visits, 0.40 admissions and 6.36 inpatient days. The per capita cost was 1,909,690 Won: 71.5% for direct medical costs, 20.6% for direct non-medical costs and 7.9% for indirect costs. The per capita cost increased with increasing age: 1,848,078 Won for those aged 50-64, 2,084,846 Won for 65-74, 2,129,530 Won for 75-84and 2,121,492 Won for those above 84. Conclusions : Exploring the economic burden of osteoporotic VF is expected to motivate to adopt effective treatment options for osteoporosis in order to prevent the incidence of fracture and the consequent costs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.2089-2099
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• 2015

This study examined the relationships between the blood heavy metal (Pb, Hg and Cd) concentration and exposure-related factors. The subjects were 2,042 (male: 953, female: 1,089) who were recruited through a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Differences in the concentrations of mercury were observed in males, whereas females showed differences in lead and cadmium. Analyses of the blood concentrations according to body mass index and waist circumference showed significantly higher concentrations of mercury. In males, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of dyslipidemia was higher than normal in the blood lead concentration. In females, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of dyslipidemia was higher than normal in the blood lead concentration. The blood lead and cadmium concentrations of male smokers was higher than non-smokers, and cadmium showed the same results in females. The blood lead levels were higher in male alcohol consumers than non-drinkers. The blood concentrations of mercury and cadmium showed significant differences according to household income. Blood concentrations of heavy metals were closely related to exposure-related factors, and age, smoking, drinking alcohols, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and household income were found to be relevant.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2000

Hypertension is a well-known degenerative disease whose prevalence rate increases with age. Management of high blood pressure is a critical concern in preventive strategies to reduce the morbidity and mortality for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the dietary characteristics of hypertensive program participants, and to establish strategies based on their nutritional needs. Hypertensive patients were enrolled in the program in a public health center or in a local elderly center, at Suwon, in 1999-2000. Trained dietitians interviewed 62 enrollees(24-hour recall) and related variables. Mean body mass index of the subjects was 25.0kg/m². 30.7% of the subjects had a family history of hypertension. The majority of them ate regularly and partook of all available side dishes. They consumed grains and vegetables regularly, but seldom ate dairy products or food prepared with oil. Male enrollees frequently consumed more processed food and animal fat than did female enrollees(p<0.05). An analysis of the percentage of RDA(Recommended Dietary Allowances of Korea 1995) showed that but for ascorbic acid, enrollees consumed nutrients below the RDA. The food group intake pattern was not diverse, thus only 8.1% of enrollees consumed all food groups in a day. An analysis of eating attitude showed that 64.5% of enrollees always added salt to beef soup. Male enrollees showed low food-related self-efficacy compared to female enrollees, especially with reference to reduction of instant food intake(p<0.01), increase in vegetable intake(p<0.01), reduction of monosodium glutamate(MSG) intake(p<0.01). and not overeating(p<0.05). Their perceived barriers for participating in hypertension nutrition programs included lack of time, program necessity non-recognition, and program comprehension difficulty. These results suggest that nutrition education program necessity non-recognition, and program comprehension difficulty. These results suggest that nutrition education programs for community hypertensive patients should focus on increasing participant consumption of foods, expecially dairy products, and desirable eating attitudes. It also suggests that the program should consider should consider encouraging self-efficacy in changing eating behavior.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.511-519
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• 2006

Objectives : As the disabled have higher prevalence rates and earlier onsets of chronic diseases than the non-disabled, their participation in mass screening is important for the early detection and intervention of chronic diseases. Nevertheless, in Korea, the disabled have lower participation rates in mass screening services than the non-disabled. The purpose of the study was to find determinants for the participation in the National Health Insurance (NHI) mass screening program among the disabled. Methods : In this study, the NHI mass screening data of 423,076 disabled people, which were identified using the National Disability Registry (2003), were analyzed. Of the factors affecting the participation rates in mass screenings, the following variables were included for the analysis: socioeconomic stati, such as sex, age, category of health insurance program, region and income, disability characteristics, such as disability type, and severity. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between the participation rates, disability characteristics variables and demographic variables. Results : The participation rate in mass screening of the disabled was 41.3%, but was lower in females, an age of more than 70 years, self-employed and for those with an average monthly insurance premium over 133,500 Won and in metropolitan legions. The participation rate was 1.31 times lower in females than males (95% CI=1.29-1.33); 3.50 times lower in the elderly (more than 70 years) than the younger (95% CI=3.33-3.67); 1.43 times lower in those who live in metropolitan areas (95% CI=1.40-1.46); 2.59 times lower for those in a health Insurance program for the self-employed than for employees (95% CI=2.56-2.63), 1.19 times lower for the higher income (more than 133,500) than the lower income group (4,400-22,000) for the average monthly insurance premium (95% CI=1.15-1.23): 2.04 times lower for those with brain palsy and stroke disabilities than with auditory impairments (95% CI: 1.97-2.11) and 3.27 times for those with severe compared to mild disabilities (95% CI=3.15-3.40). Conclusions : The disabled with high severity, and locomotive and communication disabilities have lower participation rates in mass screening services in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.613-620
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• 2012

To evaluate the effects of sleep habits on the powers of beta waves and the sensory motor rhythm of the electroencephalogram (EEG), female college student subjects were divided into four groups, according to their sleep habits, as follows: GSHG (Good Sleep Habit Group), CSHG (Common Sleep Habit Group: late bedtime), CSDG (Cognitive Sleep Disorder-Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome Group), and NSDG (Non-cognitive Sleep Disorder-Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome Group). Brain function was stimulated by reading a book for 3 min in the morning (9~12 am) and the EEG was measured. According to the results, the powers of the beta waves and sensory motor rhythm were not different during the resting period among the four groups. However, during the reading stimulation period, the powers of beta waves and the sensory motor rhythm in the GSHG were significantly greater than in the other groups ($p$ <0.05). Beta powers during stimulation also increased in all brain areas in the GSHG ($p$ <0.05). Interestingly, these were decreased in the frontal and temporal lobes in the CSHG by the reading stimulation ($p$ <0.05). On the other hand, sensory motor rhythm, which represents focusing efficacy, only improved in the GSHG. These results indicate that the brain's focusing function during the reading stimulation was not properly operating in the morning in the female college students who had a delayed bedtime and bad sleep habits.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.303-314
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• 2000

In order to evaluate prevalence and perception on the intestinal trematodes of inhabitants at Docho-island, Shinan-gun, Chollanam-do, a questionnaire survey for the epidemiological study and stool examination for the detection of the eggs of the trematodes were done on 224 individuals at the island from January to February, 2000. The results were as follows: 1. Egg positive rate of the intestinal trematodes was 21.0%. 2. The egg positive rate has revealed significantly higher in the elderly over age 70 than other ages, higher in seashore villagers than inland ones, and higher in persons who had a rural and/or marine ph than persons with other jobs, respectively(P<0.05). 3. The egg positive rate of alcoholic drinkers was higher than non-alcoholic persons, and the rate was also higher in smokers than non-smokers. It was statistically significant(P<0.05). 4. The egg positive rate was shown to be significantly higher in inhabitants who ate raw mullet that was well known to be the source of infection with the intestinal trematodes than people who did not eat the raw marine fishes(P<0.01). 5. The egg positive rate was also significantly higher in humans who had the complaints of frequent abdominal pain and diarrhea than healthy people(P<0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of intestinal trematodes at the island located in the south and west area in Korea was too high to eradicate the parasitic infections. So a special program is necessary for the control of the trematode infections in many adjacent islands at Chollanamdo.