• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.11-15
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• 2016

Gastrointestinal cancers remain the most prevalent cancers in many developing countries such as Iran. The aim of this study was to estimate incidence, prevalence and mortality, as well as time trends for gastrointestinal cancers in Isfahan province of Iran for the period 2001 to 2010 and to project these estimates to the year 2020. Estimates were driven by applying the MIAMOD method (a backward calculation approach using mortality and relative survival rates). Mortality data were obtained from the Ministry of Health and the relative survival rate for all gastrointestinal cancers combined was derived from the Eurocare 3 study. Results indicated that there were clear upward trends in age adjusted incidence (males 22.9 to 74.2 and females 14.9 to 44.2), prevalence (males 52.6 to 177.7 and females 38.3 to 111.03), and mortality (males 14.6 to 47.2 and females 9.6 to 28.2) rates per 100,000 for the period of 2001 to 2010 and this upward state would persist for the projected period. For the entire period, the male to female ratio increased slightly for all parameters (incidence rate increased from 1.5 to 1.7, prevalence from 1.4 to 1.6, and mortality from 1.5 to 1.7). In males, totals of 2,179 incident cases, 5,097 prevalent cases and 1,398 mortality cases were predicated to occur during the study period. For females the predicted figures were 1,379, 3,190 and 891, respectively. It was concluded that the upward trend of incidence alongside increase in survival rates would induce a high burden on the health care infrastructure in the province of Isfahan in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.184-189
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• 2007

Pathogenic microbial foodborne disease outbreaks (PMFBDOs) have increased in many countries, the boom in food service establishment is not matched by effective food safety and control. In this study, we investigated the current state and the epidemic aspects of FBDOs in Korea and Japan. In Korea, the average prevalence rate of foodborne disease (FBD) was 15.0 per 100,000 population and cases per outbreak of FBD was 57.0. During the same period in Japan, the prevalence rate showed an average of 24.9, and the cases per outbreak were 16. When both prevalence rate and cases per outbreak were compared, the prevalence rate in Japan was much higher than that in Korea (p<0.01). However, average cases per outbreak of FBD in Japan were much lower than those in Korea (p<0.01). In Korea, outbreaks of FBDs were more common in spring (p<0.01), while in Japan, more frequent in summer and winter (p<0.01). Outbreaks of FBD occurred largely through restaurant and school foods (32.0% and 27.5%) in Korea. In Japan, the proportion of the outbreak cases in the restaurant and home were 23.7% and 12.1%, and cases of unknown causes of FBDs were 48.2%, respectively. Bacteria were the major causes of infection in both countries. The prevalence of PMFBDOs by Salmonella spp. Vibrio parahemolyticus and Staphylococcus aureus were much higher in Korea, while those by Camphylobacter spp. and SRSV were more common in Japan. The causes by virus were more frequent in Japan (13.7%) than in Korea (7.7%). The prevalence of FBDs in Korea and Japan showed characteristic differences, especially in the PMFBDOs due to such factors as geography, climate, culture, diet and food management.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the changing prevalence rate of Helicobacter pylori infection in children, of different age groups, with recurrent abdominal pain over a 10-year period. Methods: Children with recurrent abdominal pain who visited the pediatric outpatient clinic at university hospital were screened for H. pylori. Children were divided into 3 age categories of 4-5, 6-11, and 12-16 years. To study the changes in the annual prevalence rates of H. pylori infection, the study period was divided into 3 time periods: 2004-2007, 2008-2010, and 2011-2014. Urea breath test was performed for all children aged 4-16 years, with a cut-off value of 4.0‰ for children aged ${\geq}6$ years and 7‰ for children aged <6 years. Results: A total of 2,530 children (1,191 boys) with a mean age of $10.0{\pm}3.0years$ (range, 4.0-16.9 years) were included in the study. The total prevalence of H. pylori infection was 7.4% (187/2,530). The prevalence rate of H. pylori infection in children with recurrent abdominal pain was 8.0% (70/873) in 2004-2007, 7.7% (51/666) in 2008-2010, and 6.7% (66/991) in the 2011-2014. Nevertheless, a significant difference was observed in the prevalence rate between children <12 years old and ${\geq}12$ years of age (p=0.018). Conclusion: The prevalence of H. pylori infection in Korean children with recurrent abdominal pain was 7.4%, showing no significant decrease in the last 11 years; however, the prevalence rate in children <12 years old was significantly lower than that in those ${\geq}12$ years old.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2011

Purpose: An impacted tooth is defined as a tooth that shows delayed eruption and is expected to erupt incompletely by clinical and radiograph examination despite it reaching its expected time of eruption. The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical and radiological characteristics and treatment duration and method of impacted teeth in Korean patients. Materials and Methods: For this study we used clinical records, study models, panoramic radiographs and intraoral photographs of patients who attended Gachon University Gil Hospital Orthodontic Department between 2005 and 2008. There were 164 patients with a total number of 202 impacted teeth. Results: Male patients shows a little more prevalence than female patients (1.13:1). The under 12 age group had the highest prevalence of tooth impaction, and the over 19 age group showed the least prevalence of tooth impaction. The ratio of tooth impaction between the left to right ratio was 1.73:1 and maxilla and mandible was 1.84:1. The impacted teeth were most commonly positioned buccally (76 cases, 41.5%). Full nap closure technique (108 cases, 81.2%)was most frequently used for attachment of surgical traction hooks. Maxillary canine impaction was most commonly encountered both in male and female patients. The mean treatment period was 12.2 months and the success rate of treatment was 90.3%. The canine tooth shows the longest treatment time and highest failure rate. The ankylosis was the major cause of failure. Conclusion: Impacted teeth most commonly show in left side maxilla in the under 12 age group. And it is most commonly positioned buccally. The mean treatment period was 12.2 months, and the success rate of treatment was 90.3%.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2023

Head louse infestation is a significant public health problem across the world, particularly among preschool and primary schoolchildren. This study investigated the trends of head louse infestation in the Republic of Korea over a 9-year period (2011-2019), targeting primary schoolchildren in 3 areas of Seoul, 4 other large cities, and 9 provinces. A survey was administered annually by the health staff of each regional office (n= 16) of the Korea Association of Health Promotion (KAHP). The branch offices of KAHP examined a total of 51,508 primary schoolchildren, comprising 26,532 boys and 24,976 girls. Over the 9-year survey, a total of 1,107 (2.1%) schoolchildren tested positive for adults and/or nits of Pediculus humanus capitis. The prevalence was 2.8% (133/4,727) in 2011-2012 and gradually decreased to 0.8% (49/6,461) in 2019 (P< 0.05). Head lice were found more frequently in girls (3.0%; 746/24,976) than in boys (1.4%; 361/26,532) (P< 0.05). In terms of geographic localities, the highest infestation rate, 4.7% (average prevalence over 9 years), was observed in southern Seoul (Gangnam branch of KAHP), whereas the lowest infestation rate, 0.7%, was seen in Gyeongsang (north and south provinces) and western Seoul. Although the prevalence decreased significantly during the 9-year period, head louse infestation remains a health and hygiene issue among primary schoolchildren in the Republic of Korea. Regular surveys along with health education are needed to further improve children's hair hygiene.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2016

Objectives: By using six years of KNHANES dataset (2008~2013) about 60 ages older people, we analyzed how the depression prevalence rate in the elderly is influenced by disease and activity limit. Especially, to add a sense of more reality, we adopted stress experience as a control variable to see how the depression prevalence rate in the elderly is influenced by disease and activity limit depending on the stress experience. Methods : We adopted six years of KNHANES dataset, indicating that our results were based on long period of time capable of considering temporal patterns in the depression prevalence rate in the elderly. Total 1,160 elderly people in KNHANES were selected for our empirical analyses. Dependent variable is either 0 or 1 depending on whether the elderly people feel depression. Main explanatory variables for our study include disease and activity limit. Logistic regression analysis was applied for two group such as stress experience and non-experience. Results : According to the empirical results, stress factor is found to be significant in explaining the depression in the elderly. Depression prevalence rate increased when the elderly has stress experience: chronical disease(OR=1.650), chronical disease with activity limit(OR=3.388), non-chronical disease with stress(OR=11.841) chronical disease with stress (OR=13.561) and chronical disease with activity limit and stress(OR=28.691). Conclusions: The finding suggest that the Countermeasures of elderly's depression alleviation should include stress management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2012

Objectives: This study examines the occurrence of disease resulting from low back pain and factors of working environment meaningfully influencing the occurrence of lumbago as well as analyzes '2nd Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS)' conducted in 2010 so as to establish the prevention and improvement measures. Methods: The analysis method is that it is to compare the prevalence rate of low back pain according to working environment via odds ratio and to implement the test about the factors having the difference in working environment between low back pain group and normal group through weighted t-test. Results: As a result, it indicates that there is a meaningful difference for prevalence rate of low back pain according to age, status in employment and education level which are socio-demographical factors. The analysis in working hours shows that the period of work is a factor raising the prevalence rate of low back pain rather than weekly working hours. The analysis in the work risk factor indicates that the increase in prevalence rate of low back pain takes place to either workers with repetitive movement and continuously standing posture or those with heavy stress and emotional labour. Conclusions: Workers with low back pain have suffered from accident, depression, anxiety disorder and sleep. The factors in which the prevalence rate of low back pain decrease are to provide information on health and safety and working speed, and enough rest.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic susceptibility and resistance of Escherichia coli in urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 212 inpatients aged 18 years or younger with UTIs treated at the Pediatric Department of Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital between January 2008 and December 2016. For comparison, patients were divided into three groups according to age as follows: group 1, ${\leq}1$ month; group 2, >1 month to ${\leq}12$ months; and group 3, ${\geq}13$ months. The antibiotic resistance rates from January 2008 to December 2012 (study period 1) and from January 2013 to December 2016 (study period 2) were analyzed statistically by group. Results: As the patient age increased, the antibiotic resistance rate to ampicillin (P=0.013), levofloxacin (P=0.050), piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) (P<0.001), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (P=0.002) increased. The frequency of extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli showed a significant difference from 5 cases (4.6%) in study period 1 and 16 cases (15.8%) in study period 2 (P=0.007). The antibiotic resistance rate of E. coli was compared between the two time periods and we found that the antibiotic resistance rate to cefotaxime was significantly increased from 5.4% to 16.8% (P=0.008) and that to TZP was significantly decreased from 40.5% to 7.9% (P<0.001). Conclusion: Over the past 9 years, the resistance rate to cefotaxime has increased but the resistance rate to TZP has decreased. Thus, it is important to continue to investigate the antibiotic resistance rates of bacteria in the community.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.2
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• pp.58-69
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• 2016

Lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths in Korea. Although the smoking rate has begun to decrease, the prevalence of lung cancer is still increasing. We reviewed the national lung cancer registry data and the data published about lung cancer in Korea. In 2012, the crude incidence rate of lung cancer was 43.9 per 100,000. The age-standardized mortality rate of lung cancer was 19.8 per 100,000. The 5-year relative survival rate for lung cancer was 11.3% from 1993 to 1995 and increased to 21.9% in the period from 2008 to 2012. Lung cancer occurring in never-smokers was estimated to increase in Korea. Adenocarcinoma is steadily increasing in both women and men and has replaced squamous cell carcinoma as the most common type of lung cancer in Korea. In patients with adenocarcinoma, the frequency of EGFR mutations was 43% (range, 20%-56%), while that of the EMK4-ALK gene was less than 5%.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.160-166
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• 2017

Purpose: The prevalence of reflux esophagitis (RE) has increased recently in Korea. Little is known concerning the prevalence and characteristics of RE in pediatric patients. This study investigated the prevalence and influence of risk factors in endoscopically proven RE in Korea in pediatric patients over a period of 14 years. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients between the ages of 1 month and 20 years who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy at Samsung Medical Center between 2001 and 2014 was carried out. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors for RE. Results: The prevalence rate of endoscopically proven RE in this study was 28.7% (978/3,413). The prevalence of RE increased from 11.8% from 2001 to 2007 to 37.7% from 2008 to 2014. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that residency in the Greater Gangnam area (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.44) and age (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11-1.15) were significant predictive factors for the presence of RE. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of endoscopically proven pediatric RE has increased over the past 14 years. Residency and older age are more important independent risk factors for pediatric RE in Korea.