• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

Purpose: To identify the need to reform in the crisis response of Health Teacher, School Nurse, in elementary school during epidemic outbreak of influenza H1N1. Methods: 139 elementary health teachers, school nurse, in seoul elementary school responded in the questionnaire, and we analysed by using frequency and percent, t-test, and paired t-test. Results: The Job status became 121% more 'during influenza H1N1 (flu) outbreak' than Job status of 'before outbreak'. The proportion of the flu-related duty among their daily workload was up to 77.5%. The administration-related workload of the flu-related duty was 30.8%. and students' health assessment including temperature measurement 18.7%. Furthermore, an impediment of usual daily work due to an increaed flu-related workload was 95.7%, and no alternative plan such as disposition of assistant labor force was 86.1%. Especially, an impediment of health education was 61.0%, so the major concern was the loss of health education. We compared average scores (a five-point Likert scale) of health teachers' work motivation, exhaustion, work relationship and Job management of 'during' with 'before' flu-outbreak. The difference range of 'during' minus 'before' work motivation score was from -0.4 points to -0.9; work exhaustion range from 1.8 to 1.9; the difficulty of relationship between students, school personnel, parents of students, and health teachers from 1.4 points to 1.3 points; and the consideration of changing Job, taking time off from the Job and retirement from 1.4 to 1.6 points. Conclusion: The health teachers had a heavy workload due to flu-outbreak. They also experienced the impediment of usual work implementation. However, there was a shortage of alternative plan such as disposition of an assistant labor force. Under their Job status like this, the health teachers' motivation score was decreased and work exhaustion was increased. Furthermore, they had a lot of relation difficulty with students and school personnel. Therefore, we suggested that in contrast to the usual Job status, there is a need to have a prepared response during school crisis like flu-outbreak such as improved response system in seoul metropolitan education office, simplification or dispersion of administrative work, and temporary call-center for simple inquiries or advices.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.408-415
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the mumps transmission control status and inapparent infection rate among middle and high school students in Daegu City during a mumps outbreak. Methods : Nine schools (two middle schools and seven high schools), which reported a number of mumps cases between 2007 and 2008 were selected for investigation. During March-May 2008, a standard questionnaire was distributed to gather information about case identification, instructed isolation measure, isolation status of mumps cases and related factors, and outdoor activities of nonisolated mumps case. Inapparent infection rate was estimated by serum mumps IgM and IgG antibodies status and self-reported mumps symptoms in three of the nine schools. Results : Among 2,560 respondents, more than half of students answered that they did not receive instructions in mumps transmission control measures during the outbreak. Among the 327 mumps cases identified by the questionnaire, 131 cases (40.1%) were considered as isolated and the isolation rates were significantly different among schools, grades, and gender. Of the non-isolated cases, 88.3% continued attending school. Inapparent mumps infection rates were between 56.3% and 70.2%. Conclusions : Mumps transmission control was inadequate to control the mumps outbreak. Although high inapparent infection rate would mitigate the transmission control effect of case isolation, this measure is fundamental for infection control. The reasons of this inadequate status need to be explored to develop an effective intervention strategy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.667-682
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the changes in health behavior, mental health, and nutritional status of Korean adolescents before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak. Methods: A total of 800 adolescents (12~18 years old) who participated in the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were included as study subjects and divided into four groups (204 middle school boys, 172 middle school girls, 219 high school boys, and 205 high school girls). The 2019 and 2020 KNHANES data were classified into data collected before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, respectively. Results: After the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, middle school boys showed an increased tendency toward becoming overweight and obese, with significantly increased levels of diastolic blood pressure and insulin. While there was no major change in the subjective health status among adolescents, the high school boys showed a significantly decreased physical activity after COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, the proportion of middle school students feeling a little stressed significantly increased after the COVID-19 outbreak. The rate of skipping breakfast significantly increased in middle school girls, but the rate of having lunch with companions significantly increased among all adolescents after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the intake of milk, vegetables, fruits, seaweeds, and pulses significantly decreased, although the intake of sugars, beverages, and seasonings significantly decreased as well, during this period. These changes may lead to an increased proportion of adolescents with insufficient intake of nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and riboflavin. Conclusion: These results highlight the impact of COVID-19 on comprehensive changes in physical and mental health status, lifestyle behavior, and nutritional status in adolescents, suggesting the need for targeted prevention and intervention for physical and mental well-being during the pandemic.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.429-435
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• 2007

The risk of an outbreak of classical swine fever (CSF) was evaluated in relation to the vaccination and seroprevalence of antibodies. Blood samples were collected from 60 piggeries throughout Korea and information regarding CSF vaccination habits was also obtained via in-person interviews with pig farmers. The results of the survey indicated that 51 out of 60 farms were regularly performing CSF vaccinations in reproductive herds. Farmers preferred to vaccinate their reproductive pigs before weaning (41 farms) than on (9 farms) or after weaning (1 farm). In growing herds, however, double vaccinations as recommended were implemented for only 40 farms (66.7%) and vaccine schedules were identified as being frequently ignored. Moreover, many farms (18/40) were found to vaccinate earlier or later than the recommended time. According to antibody seroprevalence levels, only 36 farms (60%) were considered to be safe regarding potential risk for a CSF outbreak. Among the remaining pig farms, 6 were at low-risk (10%), 12 were at medium-risk (20%), and another 6 were at high-risk (10%). Antibody levels were found to be consistent with vaccination status obtained from personal interview surveys. Our findings demonstrate the importance of vaccinations regarding the prevention of a CSF outbreak, suggesting that vaccinations must be promoted toward pig raisers and practitioners.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.267-280
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the status of infection control nurses (ICNs) and their activities, and to identify the factors affecting the level of infection control activities. Methods: Data were collected from 199 hospitals from June 24 to July 26, 2016. The structured questionnaires included status of infection control nurses, type and level of infection control activities. Results: Most participating hospital were advanced general hospital (20.1%) and general hospital (67.8%). Among the hospitals, 86.4% had an infection control department (ICD). The average hospital work experience of ICNs was 14.62 years, and their average infection control career was for 4.94 years. Among the ICNs, 85.6% worked in full time and the average number of beds per ICN was 311.21. There were significant differences in the existence of ICD, infection control activities including surveillance, outbreak investigation, negative pressure room, hand hygiene monitoring, disinfection, and sterilization according to hospital size. The level of infection control activities was higher with more number of ICNs, ICN employment as full time, and healthcare institution accreditation status. The explanatory power was 37.5%. Conclusion: These results of this study which reflect infection control status of healthcare facilities with more than 150 beds in 2016 will provide baseline data to establish infection control system in small to medium sized hospitals after the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2015.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.215-224
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• 2023

Purpose: This study uses data from the 12th~17th Korea Welfare Panel (2017~2022) to analyze changes in depression scores due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the factors that influenced depression scores according to employment type. Methods: The difference in depression scores according to employment types before COVID-19 (12th~14th) and after COVID-19 (15th~17th) was analyzed. A fixed-effect model analysis was conducted before and after the occurrence of COVID-19. Results: After the outbreak of COVID-19, job satisfaction and family life satisfaction influenced the depression scores of regular wage workers. After the outbreak of COVID-19, annual income, health status, and satisfaction with family life affected the depression scores of non-regular wage workers. After the outbreak of COVID-19, leisure life satisfaction and family relationship satisfaction influenced the depression scores of self-employed. Self-esteem played a role as a control variable in lowering the depression scores of regular and non-regular workers, but did not play a role as a control variable for self-employed. Conclusion: Rather than the direct impact of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, social and economic changes resulting from policies implemented to prevent the spread affect workers' depression, and the impact varies depending on the type of employment. When implementing policies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the future, policies that take employment type into consideration rather than uniform policies should be prepared, and measures for mental health also need to be prepared.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2008

This experiment was carried out to investigate the actual outbreak status of rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) disease in forage corn for securing the basic data to control of the disease all over the country from 2006 to 2007. Outbreak of the disease showed a wide difference according to regions and was severe in Icheon, Gochang, Kimje, Youngkwang, Kimchun, Youngju, Cheonan, and Boroung provinces in Korea. Outbreak rate of the disease was effected by planting time of forage corn. Disease rate was lower in corns planted from Apr. 26 to May 15 than in those of planted from April 10 to 25 or after May 31. The corn fields planted from April 26 to May 15 showed lower disease rate than that of planted from April 10 to 25 or after May 31. Also the outbreak rate of the disease was some difference according to corn varieties but was not genuinely resistant varieties to RBSDV. Dry matter yield of forage corn was significantly decreased depending on disease rate, and was highly negative correlation to disease rate. The forage corn infected with RBSDV was lower 3.2%, 3.6% and 12% in IVDMD, TDN, and RFV, and higher 3.7% and 4.5% in NDF and ADF than those of the healthy plant, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.77-88
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the degree of role conflict and its ambiguity, and fatigue in clinical nurses and to analyze the effect of these on their self-resilience in order to provide fundamental data for improving their working environment after the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak. Methods: After the collection of data from 258 clinical nurses in five general hospitals, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between nurses' role conflict and ambiguity and fatigue; while a negative correlation was found between nurses' role conflict and ambiguity and self-resilience. A significant negative correlation was found between fatigue and self-resilience. According to the study results, the factor that affected clinical nurses' self-resilience the most was role conflict and its ambiguity, followed by marital status, fatigue, educational level, religion, and related tasks, which together accounted for 38% of self-resilience in clinical nurses. Conclusion: To improve weaknesses in nursing care after the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak, the scope of nursing care was changed upon the expansion of integrated nursing and care-giving services. Therefore, in the rapidly changing environment of nursing, policies to improve nursing performance, as well as successful reaction capability, are suggested.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.2 s.42
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• pp.192-201
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• 1993

Epidemiologic investigation was conducted on January, 1993 in Seoul to identify the cause of an infant methemoglobinemia. Field investigation of the area of outbreak, survey of household and family members, analysis of ground water, and blood tests of involved family members were performed. Following results were obtained On analyzing the quality of the ground water on patient's household high levels of nitrate was found indicating contamination of water as the cause of a methemoglobinemia outbreak. On analysing the quality of the ground waters on seven other places within the neighborhood five were contaminated by nitrate in concentration that exceeded the permissible limit implying presence nearby source of contamination. Sources of contamination were thought to be originating from human waste in conventional bathroom facilities, chicken manure used in nearby orchards and plant fields or fertilizers. But the results of water analysis with presence of bacteria or E.coli, concentration of potassium, phosphate and the past history of diarrhea among family members, chicken manure suggested the most possible source of contamination. To evaluate the health status of members in the neighborhood past history was reviewed revealing no prior existence of patient with cyanosis and 65 people in the neighborhood had normal levels of methemoglobin concentration in their blood. Conclusively, the ground water on patient's household was contaminated with nitrate and despite provision of adequate water supply, family members of the patient along with their distrust in the water supply system had used ground water as their source of drinking water resulting of methemoglobinemia. Many suburban area of Seoul and country side thought to be having similar problems concerning contaminated ground water supply and dormant outbreak of patients as a result of the drinking of the contaminated water. Epidemiologic investigation and water analysis of ground waters are advised.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1109-1115
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• 2020

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading globally, and the WHO has declared this outbreak a pandemic. Vaccines are an effective way to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection needs to be understood for the development of an efficient and safe vaccine. Here, we review the current understanding of vaccine targets and the status of vaccine development for COVID-19. We also describe host immune responses to highly pathogenic human coronaviruses in terms of innate and adaptive immunities.