• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.310-318
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• 2015

Objectives: Previous studies have shown that overweight (including obesity) has increased significantly in Korea in recent decades. However, it remains unclear whether this change has been uniform among all Koreans and to what extent socioeconomic and behavioral factors have contributed to this increase. Methods: Changes in overweight were estimated using data from the 1998, 2001, 2005, 2007-2009, and 2010-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=55 761). Results: Overweight increased significantly among men but not among women between 1998 and 2012. Changes in socioeconomic and behavioral factors over the time period were not associated with overall trends for both men and women. However, we found significant differences in the prevalence of overweight relative to key risk factors. For men, overweight increased at a significantly greater rate among the non-exercising (predicted probability [PP] from 0.23 to 0.32] and high-calorie (PP from 0.18 to 0.37) groups compared to their active and lower-calorie counterparts, respectively. For women, overweight increased only among the non-exercising (PP from 0.27 to 0.28) and low-income (PP from 0.31 to 0.36) groups during this period. Conclusions: These findings suggest that programs aimed at reducing overweight should target Korean men and women in specific socioeconomic and behavioral risk groups differentially.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.89-101
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• 2000

This study was carried out to compare the bone mineral density and risk factors of osteoporosis between normal and rheumatoid arthritis in postmenopausal women. Sixty-eight postmenopausal patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) were compared with 124 postmenopausal normal women. Data were collected from october, 1998 to April, 1999 at Dong-a university hospital in Pusan. From all subjects, individual characteristics such as age, body weight, height, age of menarche, duration of menopause, gravity, parity, and breast feeding period and factors of life style such as milk consumption, exercise, alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, coffee consumption were identified as influencing factors of osteoporosis by questionnaire. From RA patients, health assessment score, Ritchie articular index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and steroid dosage were measured by rheumatologist on measuring bone mineral density. Bone mineral density was measured at the Lumbar spine, femoral neck, femur Ward's triangle, and femur trochanter using dual x-ray absorptiometry. The data was analyzed by using a frequency, t-test, Chi-square, ANCOVA with SPSS PC program. The results could be summarized as follows : 1) There was a significant difference in age and breast feeding period between RA patients and normal women. 2) RA patients took less calcium in the past and practiced less regular exercise in past and present than normal women. 3) There was no difference in lumbar bone mineral density between RA patients and normal women. 4) There was a significant difference in femur Ward's triangle and femur trochanter between RA patients and normal women after adjustment for age and breast feeding period. 5) The prevalence of osteoporosis of all subjects was the highest in femur Ward's triangle. In summary, our findings suggest that the bone mineral densities of femur Ward's triangle and trochanter in postmenopausal women with RA is significantly lower than normal women. Also the exercise participation rate of postmenopausal women with RA is lower than normal women. For the further study, we recommend to develop exercise program that improve the bone mineral density in femur Ward's triangle and trochanter and to test the effect of that exercise program.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 1985

This study was conducted to assess the morbidity and medical facilities utilization patterns of the residents in urban low income area. Study population included 2,002 family members of 468 households in the low income area (LA) of Nam-san 4 Dong, Jung Gu of Taegu city and 1,709 family members of 374 households in surrounding neighbourhood control area (CA). Well trained nursing school students interviewed mainly with housewives according to the pretested questionaire between July 1 and July 30, 1984. Age-sex distribution of the study population in LA was similar to that in CA. The average monthly income of a household in LA was 236,000 won and 356,000 won in CA. Educational level of the residents in LA was lower than that in CA; average years of school education of the 20 years old or above in LA was 6.9 years compared with 8.5 years in CA. The average family members per room in LA was 2.6 and 2.2 in CA, and proportion of Medicaid program beneficiary was 29.4% in LA and 1.9% in CA. Prevalence rate of illness during 15-day period was 131 per 1,000 population in LA and 71 in CA(p<0.01) and that of the chronic illness for 1 year was 134 per 1,000 population in LA and 89 in CA(p<0.01). The most common illness experienced during 15 days was respiratory disease(24.0% in LA ana 29.8% in CA) and followed by gastro-intestinal disorders(21.0% in LA, 20.6% in CA). Injury or poisoning was 10.3% in LA and 3.3% in CA. Castro-intestinal disorder was the most common chronic illness in both LA (22.7%) and CA (21.7%), and followed by musculoskeletal disease in LA and neuralgia in CA. Mean activity restricted days among the persons with illness during 15-day period was 4.0 days in LA and 2.2 days in CA. Among persons with illness during 15 days, 17.9% in LA and 11.6% in CA did not seek any medical treatment and the most frequently utilized medical facility was pharmacy in LA (35.5%) and local clinic or hospital OPD in CA (42.1%). Among persons with chronic illness, 15.2% in LA and 9.2% in CA did not seek for medical treatment, and residents in LA as well as residents in CA utilized local clinic or hospital OPD more frequently than pharmacy or drugstores, especially those who have medical insurance. The most common reason for not treating illness experienced during 15-day period and chronic illness was economical constraint in both LA and CA. The higher prevalence rate of illness during 15-day period and chronic illness in LA than that in CA seems to be highly correlated with their lower economic status and educational level and crowded living condition. The utilization pattern of medical facilities was associated with the medical security status. A program to improve the economic status and living condition should be integrated with the health program to promote the health of the population in low income area.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2017

This study was performed to investigate the distribution of ticks and the rate of infection with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus in ticks collected at Mt. Gwanak and the Seoul National University campus, Korea. Ticks (n = 273) were collected from May to October and included 76 Haemaphysalis longicornis (4 adult females, 72 nymphs), 49 Haemaphysalis flava (9 adult females, 3 adult males, 37 nymphs), and 148 Haemaphysalis spp. larvae. SFTS virus detection was performed by using one-step RT PCR and nested PCR. The SFTS virus was detected in 7 samples (1 Haemaphysalis longicornis nymph, 3 Haemaphysalis flava nymphs, and 3 Haemaphysalis spp. larva). The overall minimum field infection rate was 2.6%, whereas the minimum field infection rates of adult, nymphal, and larval ticks were 0%, 3.2%, and 2.0%, respectively. For a more accurate indication of the prevalence of SFTS virus in Korea, further in-depth investigations of tick species and SFTS virus occurrence over a larger area and longer period are needed.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.536-546
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• 2001

The purposes of this descriptive study were to identify the prevalence rate of urinary incontinence(UI) and the differences in frequency of incontinent and normal women by general characteristics, obstetrical history, and the conditional events for urinary incontinence of the elderly women in a community. By the results of this study, it is intended to provide nursing practice guidelines for incontinent women. The research design of this study was a preliminary descriptive study. The 173 subjects were 55 years old and over, and resided in a small city area. Data were collected from June 20 to July 20, 2001, by an interview or a self-report with questionaire. The questionaire was composed of items of general characteristics, obstetrical characteristics, and conditions of UI by the modified Henderickon's Stress Incontinence Scale(1981). The results were summariezed as follows: 1. The UI prevalence rate of the sample was 64.2%. Of the incontinent women, 31.5% had experienced UI for a period of three to five years, and 84.7% had never treated or managed their UI. Frequency of UI was once or twice times per month(46.8%). 2. The total mean of UI on the scale in the incontinent women was 25.50 of 85, ranging from 18 to 41. 3. The most frequent condition of UI was coughing, followed by laughing, sneezing, heavy exercise, and preparation of urination in descending order. 4. There were significant differences in age, education, social activity, and urinary difficulty between the incontinent women and the normal women. 5. There were significant differences in frequency of spontaneous abortion, age of menopause between the incontinent women and the normal women. 6. There were no significant differences in number of delivery, frequency of artificial abortion, age of the last delivery, and postal health management between the incontinent women and the normal women. In conclusion, the incidence of UI in this study was high, but there were no effective treatments or management. It is suggested to provide the adult women with knowledge about UI, and to educate preventive behavior and control skill of urinary incontinence. Also episodes of urinary incontinence were high in the situation of sudden increase of abdominal pressure. This data can be used for the prevention strategy of urinary incontinence, In future research it is recommended to identify comprehensive factors related to urinary incontinence including psychosocial factors, and effective strategies of urinary incontinence.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.714-720
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• 2004

This survey was performed as a pilot of comprehensive survey of 18-month old infants which is an important period in pediatric dentistry. Through the oral examination of 154 infants of 18-month age, labored at Pusan National University Hospital and Ilsin Christian Hospital, and direct interview with their first caregivers (mother in most cases), we investigated into the state of their weaning and feeding, between-meal snacks, oral hygiene care, tooth eruption and dental caries and obtained the results as follows : 1. 73% of the infants had not yet weaned, and 82% of which were being milked during or before sleep without oral hygine care. 2. Snacks were taken in order of fruits, biscuits, cheese, bread and candies, and beverages in order of water, fermented milks, milk, sugared juice, fresh fruit juice. 61% of the infants ate snacks irregularly. 3. The toothbrush for infants was the most popular way of oral hygiene care. The mean age of initiation of tooth brushing was 13.8 months and the mean frequency was 1.6 times a day. 4. The incisors in all infants, the 1st molars in 86%, and canines in 66% were erupted. The average number of erupted teeth was 14.1. 5. The caries prevalence rate was 27.3% and 73% of total caries was observed in maxillary deciduous incisors. dmft index was 0.97. Through these results, it was concluded that a systematic education about weaning time, mode of snacking and the way of oral hygine care is required for the parents.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.5-41
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• 1979

Vast volumes of studies of the medical and public health aspects of fertility and family planning have been published by the various institutes of health related research and university scholars in Korea. None of them, however, have dealed with the population problems associated with biologically and mentally handicapped people. It must be emphasized that the purpose of Korea's population policy should be to improve the quality of the population rather than to decrease its rate of increase. In this spirit, the first report of this study is to identify problems related with mentally and physically less fitted population, and to attempt to offer the possible solutions to the health planners and policy-makers. Several nation-wide surveys of the handicapped people in Korea have been compared. Each survey shows a wide range of difference in the prevalence of the handicaps(see Table 13). In this study, the data on the handicaps are collected by two independent system ; one by the nation-wide survey and the other by the reporting system existing at the Seoul National University Demonstration Health Project. The Chandrasekar-Deming technique was used to estimate the total number of handicaps. The estimates are summarized in the tables 8, 9 and 10. Estimate of total number of handicapped people in Korea is 601, 400 with the prevalence rate of 16.1 per thousand persons. Even if taking a number of conditions which may result in a biased estimate of the total number of the handicaps into consideration, the proportion of handicapped people in Korea has increased in the past two decade as the result of the rapid decline in fertility and childhood mortality, which consequently prolonged life expectancy of persons with congenital or acquired impediment. An increase in the proportion of handicapped people will eventually bring about serious problems of social welfare, medical care, and population qualities from various aspects including eugenics. To tackle the problem, there must be an increased emphasis on the prevention of handicaps from the government and private sector. Based on the amount and quality of data, and from the practical point of view, this study prepared a set of recommendations for the government to strengthen its programs of the preventive activities during the prenatal period and early childhood, early finding from routine examinations, and proper social and medical rehabilitation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.163-173
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• 1974

A study on the health care of Ewha Womans University staff, faculty and families was conducted during the period from March 1973 to August 1974 using designed questionaire. A total of 196 persons who were randomly sampled as 27.3% of the total staff and faculty 789 were studied. The response rates were 96.0%. The results and findings obtained from the study are summerized as follow. 1. The sex ratio of the members the faculty and the staff shows 83.2% and the singles are 37.2% of the total. Their mean family size being 4.6 persons per capita, each family has mean number of 2.3 childeren. 2. The median monthly income of a member of faculty amounts \114,000 and that of a staff \43,077. It amounts \79,333 when the median monthly income of both the members of the faculty and the staff are taken. Consequently, it amounts \91,727\ per family (Assumed mean). 3. 71.4% of the total hold the house of their own. A spouses of 59.4% of them are working for the additional income of the family. 4. Their health condition is rated fair, i. e. 92.3% of them enjoy good health. Out of total members faculty and the staff, 20.6% are cared by family physician. 36.2% of them feel that they are burdened by heavy medical expense. 5. 76.7% of them have affirmatively responded that they would purchase medical insurance policy when they were offered. It reaches 84.0% of the total who consider buying the policy for their dependents. 74.0% of them desire to purchase the policy for their spouse's parents. 6. The monthly prevalence rate reaches 17.0% and the hospital admission rate 4.7%.12.3% of them affirmatively responded that they had chronic diseas. The number of sick call per capita counts 0.2 per month and the hospital admission rate 0.05. 7. To examine the nature of their disease, the respiratory disease is rated to be the top and the gastro-intestinal disease comes to the next. As far as chronic disease is concerned, the gastro-intestinal disease is predominent. 8. As to their treatment, 65.4% of them get the physician's treatment and 17.0% treatment of drug purchasing and 7.7% prefer Chinesedrug. 6.6% of them gets no medical treatment at all. 9. The treatment ratio, including drug purchasing and other means, reaches 93.4%. 60.7% of them affirmatively responded that they did not or could not get physician's treatment at least once even though they thought they had to. It is disclosed that 25.4% of them are caused by economical reason. 10. Average medical expense per case amounts \7,116 and monthly medical expense per capita \1,345. Consequently, average monthly medical expense per family amounts \6,185. 11. The medical expense of a family is rated 7.7% of total earnings of the same period.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7759-7763
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• 2015

Background: Leukemia accounts for 8% of total cancer cases and involves all age groups with different prevalence and incidence rates in Iran and the entire world and causes a significant death toll and heavy expenses for diagnosis and treatment processes. This study was done to evaluate epidemiology and morphology of blood cancer during 2003-2008. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out based on re-analysis of the Cancer Registry Center report of the Health Deputy in Iran during a 6-year period (2003 - 2008). Statistical analysis for incidence time trends and morphology change percentage was performed with joinpoint regression analysis using the software Joinpoint Regression Program. Results: During the studied years a total of 18,353 hematopoietic and reticuloendothelial system cancers were recorded. Chi square test showed significant difference between sex and morphological types of blood cancer (P-value<0.001). Joinpoint analysis showed a significant increasing trend for the adjusted standard incidence rate (ASIR) for both sexes (P-value<0.05). Annual percent changes (APC) for women and men were 18.7 and 19.9, respectively. The most common morphological blood cancers were ALL, ALM, MM and CLL which accounted for 60% of total hematopoietic system cancers. Joinpoint analyze showed a significant decreasing trend for ALM in both sexes (P-value<0.05). Conclusions: Hematopoietic system cancers in Iran demonstrate an increasing trend for incidence rate and decreasing trend for ALL, ALM and CLL morphology.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6203-6206
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• 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) smears who had undergone the "see and treat" approach compared to those who underwent a conventional approach. The records of women with HSIL smears undergoing colposcopy at Srinagarind Hospital were reviewed. In those undergoing the conventional approach, the final histological diagnosis was made on the most severe histological results obtained after initial colposcopy. In the "see and treat" group, the final histological diagnosis was made on the examination of LEEP specimens obtained after initial colposcopy. Overtreatment in the see and treat group was defined as the LEEP specimens containing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1 or less. During the study period, 302 women with HSIL underwent colposcopy. Twenty (6.6%) were nulliparous. One hundred and ninety-four (64.2%) underwent conventional management while the remaining 108 (35.8%) received the see and treat management. The prevalence of underlying high-grade lesions in women undergoing the conventional approach was significantly higher than that observed among women undergoing the see and treat approach (89.2% and 47.2%, respectively, P<0.001). The overtreatment rate in the see and treat group was 52.8%. Multivariate analysis revealed that only parity status was a statistically significant factor for predicting the overtreatment after undergoing the see and treat approach. In conclusion, the overtreatment rate among women undergoing see and treat in this study is notably high and therefore this approach should not be routinely practiced.