• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.201-212
• /
• 1997

Objectives: We attempted to study sleep habits and insomnia-associated factors in Korean rural adult population. Methods : In 1,441 adult subjects of three rural communities selected by cluster sampling, we administered an epidemiologic survey using questionnaire methods from July 14, 1996 to July 28, 1996. Results : 1) Mean sleep latency and mean time to sleep again after awakening during nocturnal sleep were longer in females than in males. Females suffered more frequently from insomnia symptom, awakening during nocturnal sleep. morning headache, dysphoric mood in the morning, and the feeling of 'not refreshed' on waking-up than males. 2) The older age group (defined as those older than 65 years) was found to have earlier bed-time, longer sleep latency, more frequent nocturia, longer time to sleep again after awakening during nocturnal sleep, and more frequent insomnia symptom. 3) The presence of insomnia symptom more than once a week was significantly associated with suffering from physical illness, being divorced-separated-widowed, frequently feeling depressed, nocturia, or low education level. 4) In multiple logistic regression analysis, old age, being female, low education level, frequently feeling depressed, and nocturia were independently associated with the presence of insomnia symptom more than once a week. Conclusion : We conclude that, in a Korean rural adult population, insomnia symptom increases with age and females usually suffer more from insomnia symptom than males. In addition, low education level, feeling depressed mood frequently, and nocturia are found to be significantly associated independently with the presence of insomnia symptom more than once a week.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.767-770
• /
• 2016

Background: The proportion of aged Thais (${\geq}65$ years old) is expected to be 30% by 2030, leading to an increased number of elderly cancer cases. Older individuals have distinct patterns of cancer and treatment needs. We therefore conducted the present study of new cancer cases and trends to get a perspective on the elderly cancer situation in Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: All new elderly cancer cases (${\geq}65$ years) registered in the hospital-based cancer registry at the Faculty of Medicine, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University during 1993-2012 were included in the study. Results: Elderly patients accounted for 31.6% of all cancer patients and new cancer cases in the older age group increased 46% from the first to second decades. The absolute number of oldest old (80+ years) doubled. The top three cancers in males were liver and bile duct, lung, and colorectal. In females, the three most common cancers were liver and bile duct, oral cavity, and cervix. Cancers with the highest percentages of increase were thyroid, prostate, and colorectal. Conclusions: Elderly cancer cases are increasing. Treatment modalities and palliative care for older populations are urgently needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.488-498
• /
• 2014

The research aimed to provide accurate and basic data comparing different perceptions of head family's food and food for religious ceremonies depending on age with the goal of sustaining traditional Korean food in the future. The gender distribution of the participants was 274 Males (42.5%) and 370 Females (57.5%). Age distribution was 211 participants (32.7%) in their 20s, 215 participants (33.3%) in their 30 to 40s, and 220 participants (34%) in their 50 to 60s. The older generation appeared to beaware of the definition of head family or 'The eldest's house of head family' as well as the concept of one's family five generations ago with more reductive and emphasis than imaginary concept of head family of the younger generation. The image of the head family was perceived as 'head family's food' in younger generations and as 'eldest son' in older generations. Family role and meaning most often manifested as 'succession of tradition' and 'cultural symbols' in younger generations, respectively, whereas older generations responded 'hallmark of the head family'. Family ancestral rites and head family's food had positive effects on awareness of head family's food. Moreover, those with experience in practicing family ancestral rites responded that head family's food should be more popular. People who viewed family's food more positively were more open with the idea thathead family's food could go mainstream. In conclusion, positive perception of head family's food and traditional pride are crucial environmental factors in public support of popularizing head family's food to the public.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.210-222
• /
• 2004

In recent years, the number and proportion of Korean elderly have grown rapidly, and elderly individuals show a disproportionate risk for poor nutritional status. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of sociodemographic background to nutrient intake of persons 65 years of age or older, living in 15 cities in Korea. Data on 1973 subjects (603 males, 1370 females), who participated in the Korean Elderly Nutrition Survey (2000), were analyzed. Their mean age was 72.3 years and their mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.2 kg/$m^2$. Basic sociodemographic data were obtained through personal interviews. The 98-item semi-food frequency questionnaire, developed and previously validated for Korean middle-aged and elderly subjects, was administered. “Percentage of subjects who consumed under 75％ Korean RDA,” “number of nutrients consumed below 75％ Korean RDA,” “mean nutrient adequacy ratio,” and “nutrient density” were used to determine nutritional status. Male elderly had better nutritional quality than female elderly. Nutritional quality decreased with age, especially in older elderly (over 75). Elderly who were underweight (BMI 〈 20 kg/$m^2$) showed poorer nutritional quality than those who were normal weight (BMI 20∼25 kg/$m^2$) and overweight (BMI $\geq$ 25 kg/$m^2$). Elderly who lived alone had significantly poorer nutritional quality than those who lived with a spouse, and/or with children. Lower education level and economic dependence also showed lower nutritional quality. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of specific sociodemographic factors on nutritional quality. For number of nutrients under 75％ RDA as a dependent variable, education level explained 4.8％ of the variance, followed by living status, age, body mass index, gender, and living expense support (Model $R^2$ = 0.091). For mean nutrient adequacy ratio as a dependent variable, model $R^2$ was 0.098. Therefore, sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, body mass index, living status, educational level, and economic status influenced elderly nutrition status. These results indicate that an elderly nutrition intervention should focus on subjects who are poorly educated, living alone, age 75 or older, and/or underweight.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.9
• /
• pp.4369-4371
• /
• 2012

Aim: Metastatic tumor of bone is the most common malignancy involving bone and is an important predictor of prognosis in advanced cancers. The prognosis depends upon the primary site of origin and the extent of disease. In current study, we present the pattern and distribution of metastatic bone disease seen in the leading cancer care center of Pakistan, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital & Research Center (SKMCH & RC), Lahore. Materials & Methods: All cases of bony metastatic disease were included that presented in the Pathology Department, from Jan 2005 to July 2011. Patients of all ages and both sexes were included. Primary bone tumors, lymphomas, sarcomas and other malignancies were excluded. The data were recorded and analyzed with SPSS 16.0. Results: A total of 146 cases of metastatic bone disease were included in the study. Out of the total cases, 79 were male and 67 were female. Age range 25-82 years (median 52). Hip bone was the most frequent bone involved, with femur and vertebrae as second and third in the list. The commonest bone involved in males was vertebrae with 23 cases and in females was hip bone with 22 cases. Regarding primary site, cancers of breast, prostate and gastrointestinal tract were at the top of the list with prostate and breast being the most frequent primary sites of metastasis in males and females respectively. Conclusion: Bone metastasis is an important entity to consider in the differential diagnosis whenever a bony tumor especially carcinoma present in older age. Our data are comparable with international findings and the literature available regarding the site and distribution of skeletal metastatic lesions. A slight deviation noted was more common bony metastatic lesions with ovarian primaries in females and gastrointestinal tract cancers in males in our study.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.18
• /
• pp.8479-8486
• /
• 2016

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally. In Jordan, it is the number one cancer among men and the second most common cancer among women, accounting for 15% and 9.4% respectively of all male and female diagnosed cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions about colorectal cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms in Jordan and to provide useful data about the best modes of disseminating preventive messages about the disease. Materials and Methods: A stratified clustered random sampling technique was used to recruit 300 males and 300 females aged 30 to 65 years without a previous history of CRC from four governorates in Jordan. A semi-structured questionnaire and face to face interviews were employed. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was applied to assess knowledge and perceptions about CRC. Results: Both males and females perceived their CRC risk to be low. They had low knowledge scores about CRC with no significant gender association (P=0.47). From a maximum knowledge score of 18 points, the median scores of males and females were 4 points (SD=2.346, range 0-13) and 4 points (SD=2.329, range 0-11) respectively. Better knowledge scores were associated with governorate, higher educational level, older age, higher income, having a chronic disease, having a family history of CRC, previously knowing someone who had CRC and their doctor's knowledge about their family history of CRC. Conclusions: There is a low level of knowledge about CRC and underestimation of risk among the study participants. This underlines the need for public health interventions to create awareness about the illness. It also calls for further research to assess the knowledge and perceptions about CRC early detection examinations in Jordan.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2009

Male adults of bean bug, Riptortus clavatus Thunberg (Heteroptera: Alydidae), release aggregation pheromone (AP) which consists of (E)-2-hexenyl (Z)-3-hexenoate (E2HZ3H), (E)-2-hexenyl (E)-2-hexenoate (E2HE2H), and tetradecyl isobutyrate (TI). Variation in the pheromonal secretion were checked by the factors of age, mating status, seasons, body weight and time in a day. There were no significant differences in the amounts of AP secretion by mating, body weight, and time in a day. Higher amount of AP was detected from older males than younger ones. The amount of AP detected was higher in the males collected from April to September than in those collected during October. No AP was detected in the males of November and December. These phenomena in the AP secretion were discussed in relation to food exploitation and reproductive diapause of the bean bug.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.99-108
• /
• 2012

Recent research has identified that self-reported voice problems are a risk indicator for voice disorders. However, previous studies concerning the general population did not take into account the influence of gender on self-reported voice problems. The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to determine the gender differences in risk factors of self-reported voice problems in the Korean adult population using national survey data. This study utilized data from the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2008. Subjects inclued 3,622 people (1,508 male and 2,114 female) aged 19 years and older living in the community. Data were analyzed using t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple logistic regression. The prevalence of self-reported voice problems was 5.9% in males, and 8.1% in females Females had higher incidents of self-reported voice problems than males. Adjusting for covariates, in males, age (OR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.07-5.70), pain and discomfort during the last two weeks (OR=3.64, 95% CI: 2.20-6.01) were independently associated with self-reported voice problems (p<0.05). In women, age (OR=1.96, 95% CI: 1.18-3.26), education (OR=2.09, 95% CI: 1.06-4.12), smoking (OR=2.70, 95% CI: 1.48-4.93), thyroid disorders (OR=2.58, 95% CI: 1.47-4.53), pain and discomfort during the last two weeks (OR=1.75, 95% CI: 1.21-2.54) were independently associated with self-reported voice problem (p<0.05). Self-reported voice problems related risk factors differed according to gender. These findings suggest that there needs to be different program strategies that reflect gender differences in self-reported voice problems.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.74-83
• /
• 2015

Objectives: To examine the sex-specific factors associated with being unaware of one's hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity status in a large, HBsAg-positive population of Koreans. Methods: In total, 1197 subjects aged 19 years or older who were HBsAg-positive according to data from the 2007-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. Subjects were considered unaware of their HBsAg seropositivity status if they answered that they had no knowledge of being previously infected by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or diagnosed with HBV hepatitis. Multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance estimate were used to assess the significance of the variables using weighted frequencies. Results: The majority (77.8%) of HbsAg-positive Korean adults (females, 81.9%; males, 74.6%) were unaware of their HBsAg seropositivity status. We found that sex (female: prevalence ratio [PR] 1.19), household income (low: PR, 1.15), marital status (never married: PR, 1.18), self-rated health (moderate: PR, 1.14; good: PR, 1.12), and alcohol use (at least 2-3 times/wk: PR, 1.21) were associated with being unaware. In females, age (50 to 59 years: PR, 1.29; ${\geq}70$ years: PR, 1.30), household income (low: PR, 1.37; middle-low: PR, 1.24), and marital status (never married: PR, 1.33) were associated with being unaware. In males, self-rated health (moderate: PR, 1.14; good: PR, 1.21) and alcohol use (at least 2-3 times/wk: PR, 1.21) were associated with being unaware. Conclusions: Factors related to the socioeconomic status of females and the health-related behaviors of males were found to be associated with being unaware of one's HBsAg seropositivity status.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.481-490
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to characterize the morphological and behavior patterns of Sapsaree dogs. The population (n=8,256) has been constructed since 1990 over 12 generations and managed at the Sapsaree Breeding Research Institute, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk province. Eighteen morphological and seven behavioral traits were investigated for 882 individuals. Linear models were applied for each trait by fitting sex, season of birth, hair color or test age. The averages of body weight, body length, body height, and depth of chest were $20.5{\pm}2.4\;kg$, $57.3{\pm}4.2\;cm$, $52.1{\pm}3.6\;cm$, and $21.1{\pm}2.4\;cm$, respectively. Males had greater estimated values than females for these body conformation traits. The chocolate Sapsarees had greater averages for body weight, body height and chest depth. The older animals (>2 years) had heavier body weight than younger animals. About 54, 69, 97, 39 and 83.3% of the Sapsarees had hairs with yellow color, straight, medium to long, untangled, and longer around eyes, respectively. Also, about 40% brown eye, 43% curly tail, 78% normal jaw, 86% no missing teeth, 90% no dewclaw, and >90% with black nose, pendent ear, tongue without spots were observed. About 95% males were normal in testicles state. The males performed significantly better than the females for majority of the behavioral traits. For nerve stability, affability, wariness, adaptability, sharpness, activity, and reaction during blood drawn about 79%, 73%, 76%, 61%, 70%, 48% and 81% of the Sapsarees performed at desired level. In general, the Sapsarees showed good characteristics for both morphological and behavioral traits, which can be exploited to use the Sapsaree breed as a companion or guide dog.