• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.106-116
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a valid social contact survey instrument and to verify its feasibility for use among Korean adults. Methods: The Delphi technique was used to develop an instrument to assess social contacts, which was then applied in a cross-sectional pilot study. A panel of 15 medical professionals reviewed the feasibility and validity of each item. The minimum content validity ratio was 0.49. Thirty participants used the developed measure to record contacts during a 24-hour period. Results: After a systematic review, the survey instrument (parts I and II) was developed. Part I assessed social contact patterns over a 24-hour period, and part II assessed perceptions of contacts in daily life and preventive behaviors (hand hygiene and coughing etiquette). High validity and feasibility were found. In the pilot study, the 30 participants had a combined total of 198 contacts (mean, 6.6 daily contacts per person). The participants' age (p=0.012), occupation (p<0.001), household size (p<0.001), education (p<0.001), personal income (p=0.003), and household income (p<0.001) were significantly associated with the number of contacts. Contacts at home, of long duration, and of daily frequency were relatively likely to be physical. Assortative mixing was observed between individuals in their 20s and 50s. Contact type differed by location, duration, and frequency (p<0.001). Conclusions: The developed social contact survey instrument demonstrated high validity and feasibility, suggesting that it is viable for implementation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.131-135
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• 2014

Background: Cassava and corn milling is a growing small-scale enterprise in Africa. We aimed to determine the incidence of hand-arm musculoskeletal complaints among vibration-exposed Congolese cassava and corn millers in the previous 12 months. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, prior to a follow-up study, from March to May 2013 among cassava/corn millers in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, in which 365 millers age-matched to 365 civil workers anonymously answered a questionnaire. Results: Overall incidence of hand-arm musculoskeletal complaints was 25.8% in millers (vs. 5.2% in civil workers; p < 0.001). The risk of experiencing musculoskeletal symptoms was seven times higher in millers [vs. civil workers; odds ratio (OR) = 7.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.03-12.50; p < 0.0001]; 2.4 times higher in smoking millers (vs. smoking civil office workers; OR = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.42-3.88; p < 0.001); 3.6 times higher in millers with longer daily exposure (> 8 hours; vs. those working ${\leq}8$ hours; OR = 3.56; 95% CI: 1.93-3.61; p = 0.026); and 7.4 times higher in young millers (vs. older millers, OR = 7.39; 95% CI: 1.29-75.52; p < 0.001). Smoking, number of cigarettes, and daily exposure duration were positively correlated with musculoskeletal complaints. Conclusion: This study revealed a relatively high incidence of musculoskeletal complaints among African cassava and corn millers. The use of anti-vibration protective equipment and the regulation of this hazardous occupation may reduce the burden of musculoskeletal disorders in millers.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1 s.69
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• pp.25-34
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• 2007

Objectives : The present study was carried out to provide basic information necessary for the prevention and efficient treatment of stroke through a comparison between thr patients of the first attack and those of recurrence. Methods : The observation f3r the current study was made on 210 cases of stroke that were confirmed through brain CT-scan. The patients were hospitalized at one of two oriental medical hospitals in Seoul during 2006. Result : The main results were as follows. First, the male-to-female ratio of stroke patients were 1:1.26, with more primary stroke far females and more recurrent stroke for males. Second, in the age distribution, seventies was the top, and sixties, fifties, and forties were next in the order of frequency. A large city was the most frequent residential site and unemployment was the most frequent occupation to have stroke. The incidence of stroke became higher as patients had a taste for spicy and salty food. Third, the most common preceding disease was hypertension. In the relationship of diastolic blood pressure with recurrence, there was significance in the test of independence. Fourth, the most important precipitating conditions at the onset of stroke were rest and steeping. The most common precedent symptoms were verbal disturbance, numbness, and dizziness. In the stroke patients with hemiparesis, male and female patients usually showed It. hemiparesis. Fifth, as a result of brain CT-scan, cerebral hemorrhage was inclined to reduce but cerebral infarction was inclined to increase due to senility and change of lifestyle. Finally, total cholesterol findings disclosed that 22.4% were hypercholesteremia, 18.6 % were hyperlipemia in triglyceride findings, and 19.0% were glycosemia in glucose findings. Conclusions : The above results suggested avoidance of meat and salty fDod and positive control of hypertension and diabetes mellitus in order to prevent stroke.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.571-584
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• 2005

The population concentration in the Capital region of Korea has become an important issue for the pursuit of the balanced regional human capital development. Considering migration both as a geographic and a social movement, migration to the capital region could be examined in the push factors and the selective migrant characteristics from the out-migration region. Their relative importance reveals that age and education level are important in almost all years, but the importance of the percentage of manufacturing sector and rural/urban region moves to the years of education, the percentage of unskilled occupation and manufacturing sector and unemployment ratio recently. Since the brain drain has been occurring under the highly unbalanced regional development in Korea, the results suggest that regional human capital investment should be accompanied with enlarging quality employment opportunities to reap the benefits.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 1990

This research was to investigate and study on 92 Dental Technicians who had had some experience of working or being employed at dental craft-shops or craft-rooms in Seoul area and had transferred to other types of occupation, with regard to their reasons for changing their profession. For an approach to the study, some questionnaires and interview including 3 aspects of in quiriesmental, economic and social backgrounds-were administered, and major findings are as follows ; 1. The ages in which transferring to other kinds of job happened occurred mostly from 20 to 30(78.26%) an a group of subjects whose ages ranged from 20 to 30 years old. And, with regard to their experience of working or being employed at dental craft-shops or craftrooms, the transfer of their profession to the other kinds mosty happened in a group of subjects(94.56%) whose experience of working in the dental field is less than 4 years. 2. The reason of transfer with reference to the mental background was mostly mattered in a group that expressed "Excessive Work Duties"(34.78%), and most lowly mattered in a group of subjets who had "Certain Relations with Dentists"(8.70%). Thus, it appeared that the biggest reason of transfer by the mental background was, due to the excessive duty work, not to have Sufficient time to be usualized by dental technicians for their own purpose. 3. With reference to the economical background, a group that declared there was "No Wage Standards in Ratio to Their Labor" was the most in the separation rate as shown 45.56%. And, a group suspecting "No Guarantee for Their Living after Retirement" Showed a separation rate, 9.78%. In other words, the reason for transfer was that they did not receive due wage according to their amount of labor. 4. With reference to the social background, a group making a subject for no good working environments or conditions had a separation rate, 41.30%, which was the most among others, and a group with a subject of "The Rarity of Employment because of Excessive Supply of Dental Technicians" had the rate, 10.87%, which was the lowest. This meant that the major cause of transfer by the social background was a phenomenon for dental technicans to escape from unclean working places.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.151-162
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Kimchi intake and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults (over 19 years old), using data from the Korean National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2007~2012. A total of 30,630 participants were analyzed in this study. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the NCEP ATP III criteria standards. Out of the 30,630 participants, 8,230 (23.45%) had meatabolic syndrome. When the subjects were grouped by their Kimchi intake, those who consumed a sufficient amount (36.0~82.125 g) showed a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome (P<0.001). However, multiple logistic regression analysis results after adjusting for sex and age, exercise status, smoking status, drinking status, energy intake, income level, occupation, area, frequency of eating-out, showed that the Kimchi intake did not significantly affect the odds ratio of metabolic syndrome. High sodium contents of Kimchi was the major cause of various cardiovascular diseases, and was associated with the hypertension risk factors of the metabolic syndrome. However, in this study, the Kimchi intake, even after adjusting sodium intake, did not have negative influence on the development of metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.81-92
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• 2008

Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) problems have been increasingly reported in hospital sector but the problems were not addressed with respect to holistic aspects of the target population in Korea. Often, it is required to understand how MSD symptoms are associated with factors such as personal, work environmental and psychosocial stressors. To examine features of association between sets of MSD symptoms and the factors, a questionnaire survey was conducted in a university hospital. A 140-item questionnaire was developed and used for collecting information including factors (e.g., job/occupation, task/activity, job stress) and MSD symptoms. A total of 1,091 workers (male 23.7% and female 76.3%) were finally determined for data analyses. Prevalence rate for the whole body was 72% and, among body parts, the highest was 48.7% for the shoulder, followed by 34.6%(the low back), 32.7%(the leg/foot), 27.9%(the neck), 26.7%(the wrist) and 12%(the elbow). The symptoms were significantly different by job/occupational variable in each of all body parts except the neck. The symptoms were very significantly different by task/activity variables in each of all body parts while those symptoms were significantly different by psychosocial variables, depending on body part and gender. In the logistic regression analyses performed for MSD symptoms by body part and each of 3 factors, odds ratio values varied, ranging from 0.7 to 3.3. The controls for reducing the symptoms were discussed on the basis of the findings. The results show that the MSD symptoms can remarkably vary by the factors and, in particular, can be highly differential for the task/activity factor. This study suggests that MSD symptom features be examined by using various factors and then a higher differential factor be primarily utilized for controling MSD symptoms in general industry including hospital settings.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.41-48
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• 2005

Before occupation of an apartment housing, the builders are required to inform the test result of IAQ to the public. However, there is no simplified method to predict IAQ before measurement of pollutant concentration. In this study, a simplified way of predicting IAQ based on the distribution of indoor pollutant concentration is proposed. 7 different cases of air change rate have been simulated through CFD analysis to get the distribution ratio of each pollutant material and then simplified functions were used with CRIAQ1 values derived from CFD simulation to evaluate by comparing the influence of each material in the indoor pollutant concentration. Again, a lot of efforts which can improve the indoor air quality have been performed. Materials used in indoor space are labeled with their pollutant emission level. Installation of ventilation system in residential buildings will be regulated by a building codes sooner or later. But it is important to understand the fact that layout of walls, location or size of openings will influence the indoor air flow and pollutant concentration. And location of emitting material influences to indoor air pollutants distribution. But until now there is few recognition and consideration of these factors. Therefore, in this paper the effects of these factors is proved and some kind of guideline is made for designers after a comparison of typical apartment floor plan and a new type plan with their average pollutant concentration and its distribution of each room. CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) program was used to show the indoor air flow and pollutant concentration distribution. For this purpose, a typical $100m^2$ apartment floor plan was chosen as a case study model and several alternatives were reviewed to improve the IAQ performance. The simulation took place in the condition of natural ventilation through windows.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 1998

The slope revegetation methods in Korea are generally the hydroseeding mixed with perennial herbs, soil, fibers, and fertilizer in consideration of scenic landscape rather than ecological and engineering effect. But perennial herbs can't protect the slope from deep surface erosion and they are not tall enough to create the original naturalness at the boundary parts of existing woodlands. This study is about the slope revegetation method using nutritional propagation capacity of plants and the experimental construction was carried out on the cut-slope of Yongin Hoam C.C. We dug several trenches to a depth of 80cm and at intervals of 150cm from each other. After placing various kinds of live branches(Salix species) into the trench, we backfilled with the excavated soils and finally sprayed water mixed with soil-stabilizer, fertilizer. As six months passed, we made a vegetation research and check the slope surface erosion. Vegetation research was performed in examining the frequency of each block using transect method. 31 kinds of plant species appeared in total area($113.6m^2$) and the dominant species are Setaria viridis, Artemisia rubripes, Persicaria pubescens, Plantago asiatica, Cyperus amuricus, Commelina communis. Among the examined blocks, '아', the top part of the slope, showed the ratio of 1.4 as the highest Alpha-diversity. With regard to life form, therophytes were shown dominant distribution of 58% of total species and neophytes relatively low distribution of 16%. It can be estimated that there is no ecological stabilization of this slope, because of ruderal species' occupation of 74% in total area. Regarding the slope stabilization, the serious surface erosion didn't take place in spite of heavy rainfall this year, but a little surface erosion took place at the block where no other species coming from outside of the site were found.

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2006

This study is to compare the prevalence of obesity between Korean-American children and Korean children, and to investigate the role of environmental factors in obesity development. Prevalence of child obesity is compared by their residence, parents' anthropometric data, education and occupation, and the length of immigration, and birth place of the children. A total of 593 children between the ages of 9 and 12 were examined. 262 Korean-American children (KcUS group) from New Jersey, USA and 331 Korean children (KcK group) from Seoul, Korea were compared. KcUS group showed a higher obesity rate (male: 12.6% and female: 8.2%), compared to KcK group (male: 8.0% and female: 5.1 %). KcK male children showed lower weight and prevalence of obesity than Korean-American male children who lived in the United States for more than three years. Korean-American female children had higher weight and obesity rate than Korean female children. Waist circumference and hip circumference were also higher in obese children in both KcK and KcUS groups. The children who live in America had an odds ratio of 1.69 to be obese compared to KcK, while those born in America and those who have lived in America for more than 3 years had odds ratios of 1.53 and 1.25 to be obese, respectively. This study found that environmental factors, immigration to America for instance, could playa bigger role in child obese development than the genetic factor.