• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.242-249
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• 2023

Objectives: Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, adolescents have experienced decreased physical activity and a decline in mental health. This study analyzed the association between changes in depressed mood after the COVID-19 pandemic and physical activity among adolescents. Methods: The analysis was based on the results of the 17th Youth Health Behavior Online Survey conducted in 2021, which included 54848 middle and high school students in South Korea. Information on physical activity included low-intensity physical activity lasting >60 min/day, high-intensity physical activity, and strength training exercises. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between physical activity and changes in depression after the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and previous depression, adolescents who performed strength training exercises more than once per week had a 0.95-fold lower risk (odds ratio [OR]=0.948, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.905-0.994, p=0.027) of increasing depression after the COVID-19 pandemic, while the risk of decreasing depression increased by 1.22-fold (OR=1.215, 95% CI=1.131-1.305, p<0.001). The results were not significant for low-intensity physical activity for >60 min/day and high-intensity physical activity. Conclusion: Strength-training exercises are significantly associated with the prevention of depression among adolescents following the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.120-127
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• 2024

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to increased mortality rates. To assess this impact, this ecological study aimed to estimate the excess death counts in southern Iran. Methods: The study obtained weekly death counts by linking the National Death Registry and Medical Care Monitoring Center repositories. The P-score was initially estimated using a simple method that involved calculating the difference between the observed and expected death counts. The interrupted time series analysis was then used to calculate the mean relative risk (RR) of death during the first year of the pandemic. Results: Our study found that there were 5571 excess deaths from all causes (P-score=33.29%) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 48.03% of these deaths directly related to COVID-19. The pandemic was found to increase the risk of death from all causes (RR, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.33), as well as in specific age groups such as those aged 35-49 (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.32), 50-64 (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.49), and ≥65 (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.32) years old. Furthermore, there was an increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.22). Conclusions: There was a 26% increase in the death count in southern Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of these excess deaths were not directly related to COVID-19, but rather other causes, with cardiovascular diseases being a major contributor.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.109-116
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• 2010

Objectives: The pandemic of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus has required decision-makers to act in the face of the substantial uncertainties. In this study, we evaluated the potential impact of the pandemic response strategies in the Republic of Korea using a mathematical model. Methods: We developed a deterministic model of a pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in a structured population using the demographic data from the Korean population and the epidemiological feature of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009. To estimate the parameter values for the deterministic model, we used the available data from the previous studies on pandemic influenza. The pandemic response strategies of the Republic of Korea for novel influenza A (H1N1) virus such as school closure, mass vaccination (70% of population in 30 days), and a policy for anti-viral drug (treatment or prophylaxis) were applied to the deterministic model. Results: The effect of two-week school closure on the attack rate was low regardless of the timing of the intervention. The earlier vaccination showed the effect of greater delays in reaching the peak of outbreaks. When it was no vaccination, vaccination at initiation of outbreak, vaccination 90 days after the initiation of outbreak and vaccination at the epidemic peak point, the total number of clinical cases for 400 days were 20.8 million, 4.4 million, 4.7 million and 12.6 million, respectively. The pandemic response strategies of the Republic of Korea delayed the peak of outbreaks (about 40 days) and decreased the number of cumulative clinical cases (8 million). Conclusions: Rapid vaccination was the most important factor to control the spread of pandemic influenza, and the response strategies of the Republic of Korea were shown to delay the spread of pandemic influenza in this deterministic model.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.555-562
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• 2018

Swine influenza virus (SIV)는 돼지 개체군에서 가장 흔한 질병을 일으키는 바이러스 중 하나이며 그 subtype은 hemagglutinin (HA)와 neuraminidase (NA)에 의해 결정됩니다. 최근 SIV subtype 진단 방법이 개발되고 있으나 SIV의 리보뉴클레오타이드 서열의 많은 변이로 인해 PCR 보다는 항원-항체 반응을 이용하는 방법이 주로 사용되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 SIV 하위 유형의 신속한 결정을 위하여 2008년 이후 국내에서 발생한 SIV의 다중염기서열 정렬을 통하여 10개의 subtype 진단 프라이머 세트를 개발하고 이를 이용한 one-step RT-PCR 반응을 최적화하였다. 또한 감염력이 높고 독성이 있는 인플루엔자 H1N1 (pH1N1)의 아형에서 확인된 독특한 M 유전자서열을 검출함으로써 pandemic SIV를 조기에 결정하도록 특이적 프라이머를 설계하였다. 2008년부터 2014년까지 한국에서 발생한 9종의 SIV RNA를 활용하여 SIV의 아형 및 pandemic 가능성을 결정하기 위해 시험 분석한 결과 모든 진단 프라이머 세트는 SIV 아형을 정확하게 결정하였으며 pandemic SIV를 검출할 수 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 결과적으로 이들 프라이머 세트를 이용한 최적화된 one-step RT-PCR 분석이 SIV 아형의 신속한 진단에 유용하다는 것이 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 SIV 하위 유형 및 pandemic SIV가 확산되기 전에 조기 발견을 위한 키트로 개발될 수 있음을 시사한다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.275-283
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• 2020

Background: In the absence of a vaccine or treatment, the most pragmatic strategies against an infectious disease pandemic are extensive early detection testing and social distancing. This study aimed to summarize public and workplace responses to Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) and show how the Korean system has operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Daily briefings from the Korean Center for Disease Control and the Central Disaster Management Headquarters were assembled from January 20 to May 15, 2020. Results: By May 15, 2020, 11,018 COVID-19 cases were identified, of which 15.7% occurred in workplaces such as health-care facilities, call centers, sports clubs, coin karaoke, and nightlife destinations. When the first confirmed case was diagnosed, the Korean Center for Disease Control and Central Disaster Management Headquarters responded quickly, emphasizing early detection with numerous tests and a social distancing policy. This slowed the spread of infection without intensive containment, shut down, or mitigation interventions. After entering the public health blue alert level, a business continuity plan was distributed. After entering the orange level, the Ministry of Employment and Labor developed workplace guidelines for COVID-19 consisting of social distancing, flexible working schedules, early identification of workers with suspected infections, and disinfection of workplaces. Owing to the intensive workplace social distancing policy, workplaces remained safe with only small sporadic group infections. Conclusion: The workplace social distancing policy with timely implementation of specific guidelines was a key to preventing a large outbreak of COVID-19 in Korean workplaces. However, sporadic incidents of COVID-19 are still ongoing, and risk assessment in vulnerable workplaces should be continued.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.76-86
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to describe the experience of school health teachers in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using content analysis. Ten school health teachers were recruited from 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 2 high schools in Seoul, using purposive sampling. They participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews in person or using an online communication system from January to February, 2021. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Three main categories and nine generic categories emerged from the analysis. Firstly, it was discovered that school health teachers had psychological and physical stress to cope with COVID-19 due to the 1) fear of the unexpected infectious disease, 2) burden of having to deal with it alone, 3) breakdown of personal life and physical exhaustion and 4) heavy duty as a health teacher caused by the lack of an organic cooperation system with institutions related to school infectious diseases. Secondly, school health teachers had an increased sense of empowerment in regard to infectious disease management as a result of 1) feeling rewarded and appreciated and 2) gaining confidence and trust in infectious disease management. Finally, school health teachers experienced the urgent need for an effective response strategy for infection control because of the 1) confusion over infectious disease response due to lack of practical manuals applicable to the field as well as training, 2) disappointing response system without an expert response team dedicated to managing infectious diseases in schools, and 3) growing awareness of the need for change. Conclusion: It is expected that school health teachers' experience of COVID-19 will be used as important data for building effective and advanced school infectious disease response systems.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.61-69
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• 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global pandemic for over 2 years. During the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant-predominant period in South Korea, confirmed cases among children and adolescents surged. This review found that, although younger children may be less susceptible to COVID-19 than adolescents, more research is needed on the role of children and adolescents in the disease's spread. Detailed epidemiological information about the transmissibility of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain in children and adolescents is currently scarce, and more research is needed on the role of children and adolescents in disease's spread. There may be a difference in the proportion of cases with severe disease requiring hospitalization depending on the dominant mutant strain; however, COVID-19 generally presents with a mild-to-moderate course in children aged 5-11 years old.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.384-391
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• 2021

The recent appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people around the world and caused a global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has been suggested that uncontrolled, exaggerated inflammation contributes to the adverse outcomes of COVID-19. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the innate immune response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the hyperinflammation that contributes to disease severity and death. We also discuss the immunological determinants behind COVID-19 severity and propose a rationale for the underlying mechanisms.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.360-369
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate public preferences regarding allocation principles for scarce medical resources in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly in comparison with the recommendations of ethicists. Methods: An online survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1509 adults residing in Korea, from November 2 to 5, 2020. The degree of agreement with resource allocation principles in the context of the medical resource constraints precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic was examined. The results were then compared with ethicists' recommendations. We also examined whether the perceived severity of COVID-19 explained differences in individual preferences, and by doing so, whether perceived severity helps explain discrepancies between public preferences and ethicists' recommendations. Results: Overall, the public of Korea agreed strongly with the principles of "save the most lives," "Koreans first," and "sickest first," but less with "random selection," in contrast to the recommendations of ethicists. "Save the most lives" was given the highest priority by both the public and ethicists. Higher perceived severity of the pandemic was associated with a greater likelihood of agreeing with allocation principles based on utilitarianism, as well as those promoting and rewarding social usefulness, in line with the opinions of expert ethicists. Conclusions: The general public of Korea preferred rationing scarce medical resources in the COVID-19 pandemic predominantly based on utilitarianism, identity and prioritarianism, rather than egalitarianism. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for discrepancies between public preferences and ethicists' recommendations.

• 한국수자원학회논문집
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.11-21
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• 2022

지난 2019년 말 발생한 COVID-19는 2020년을 기점으로 국내에 본격적으로 확산되기 시작하여, 사회 전반에 커다란 영향을 미치고 있다. COVID-19 확산을 억제하기 위한 방역수칙들은 인간 생활에 많은 변화를 가져왔으며, 사회적 거리두기 등 사회활동 제한에 따른 다양한 영향이 사회 전반에 걸쳐 나타나고 있다. 본 연구에서는 물 분야 COVID-19 위기 대응의 일환으로, COVID-19 확산에 따른 국내 상수도 사용량 변화를 분석하고, 상수도 사용량의 변화가 공급 서비스에 미치는 위협을 알아보고자 하였다. 국내 중소규모 도시인 S시 주거지역을 대상으로 COVID-19 확산 전후 일정기간 동안의 1시간 단위 용수 사용량 자료를 수집하였으며, 먼저 수집 데이터를 분석 목적에 따라 정제하고 전체 용수 사용량의 변화 및 사용 비중 변화, 그리고 시간별 용수 사용 패턴 변화 등을 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 가정용수 및 영업용수 사용량 및 이용패턴이 COVID-19 확산 이후 뚜렷한 변화를 보였으며, 일부 사용량 변화는 상수도 운영관리 차원에서의 검토가 필요한 것으로 나타났다.