• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.280-294
• /
• 2001

Despite to the reality that the outbreaks from flood poisoning in Korea have been continuously increasing in the last two decades, it was very much neglected even in the public health field in Korea. Food poisoning outbreaks resulted in many cases not only in the damage of health but also in the death of many lives. However, this problem can be effectively solved by effects through health education activities, but not solely by the legal measures. This study was carried out to provide information that can be used in planning health education programs and proposing new rules to prevent any possible outbreaks from flood poisoning. The main problems contributing to flood poisoning outbreaks in an institutional setting or school catering and at home were reviewed and analyzed through the epidemiological investigations and articles related to flood poisoning in the last a decade (1991 ∼ 2000). Accordingly, the data presented in this study are sufficient to show and prove the significant trends in food poisoning accidents in Korea. The major findings investigated in this study are as follows. The frequency of food poisoning accidents as well as the number of victims have continuously increased in Korea. The number of victims per food poisoning accident is also increased from 20 persons in 1990 to 69.8 persons in 2000. Therefore, we should realize that the group poisoning outbreaks occur more frequently and the size of group poisoning accidents is getting larger. Among four seasons, the food poisoning accidents occurred more frequently in the summer (May ∼September) until 1997, However, after 1997, the food poisoning accidents occurred evenly in three seasons except the winter. The most important bacteria that cause food poisoning in Korea were Salmonella spp., Vibrio spp. and Staphylococcus aureus. They occupied 85∼90% of the rates of accidents and the number of victims.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.135-149
• /
• 2001

Purpose : To describe the characteristics of the claims for compensation and the methodology of investigations concerning adverse events following immunization(AEFI) and epidemiologic characteristics of the AEFI. From these results, to give a suggestion for improving AEFI surveillance system, consequently to stabilize National Immunization Program. Methods : Totally 61 cases were reported to the National Compensation Program and surveillance system of AEFI from 1995 to 2000. Documents from National Compensation Program, medical records and epidemiologic investigation reports of the cases were collected and analyzed. Results : The number of reported cases was 12 in 1995, 3 in 1996, 12 in 1998, 5 in 1999, and 29 in 2000, respectively. That of deaths was 24(39.3%) and 16 cases among them were autopsied(66.7%). That of claims for compensation was 36 and 17 cases among them were compensated(47.2%). The proportion of claim was lower in 1999~2000 than in 1995~1998, but proportion of compensation increased. Although proportion of investigation was lower in 1999~2000 than in 1995~1998, cases which were not epidemiologically investigated, decreased. The epidemiologic investigation launched within 24 hours after report increased from 25% in 1995~1998 to 48.3% in 1999~2000. Among reported cases, the number of boys was 31(50.8%), and 75.4% of subjects were from 2 months to 24 months old. 78.4% of adverse events occurred within one week after immunization. Conclusion : We can find that surveillance system of AEFI and quality of epidemiologic investigation has been somewhat improved. But, it seems that severe cases were more frequently reported than moderate or mild cases, and reporting rate was lower than that of other developed countries. We could not identify the detailed epidemiologic characteristics of AEFI due to these limitation of data. To achieve the stabilization of National Immunization Program, reporting rate and the quality of investigation should be improved.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.452-458
• /
• 1999

Objectives: The authors conducted the study to evaluate bias when potentially diseased subjects were included in cohort members while analyzing risk factors of chronic liver diseases. Methods: Total of 14,529 subjects were followed up for the incidence of liver diseases from January 1993 to June 1997. We have used databases of insurance company with medical records, cancer registry, and death certificate data to identify 102 incident cases. The cohort members were classified into potentially diseased group(n=2,217) when they were HBsAg positive, serum GPT levels higher than 40 units, or had or has liver diseases in baseline surveys. Cox's model were used for potentially diseased group, other members, and total subjects, respectively. Results: The risk factors profiles were similar for total and potentially diseased subjects: HBsAg positivity, history of acute liver disease, and recent quittance of smoking or drinking increased the risk. while intake of pork and coffee decreased it. For the potentially diseased, obesity showed marginally significant protective effect. Analysis of subjects excluding the potentially diseased showed distinct profiles: obesity increased the risk, while quitting smoking or drinking had no association. For these intake of raw liver or processed fish or soybean paste stew increased risk; HBsAg positivity, higher levels of liver enzymes and history of acute liver diseases increased the risk. Conclusions: The results suggested the potential bias in risk ratio estimates when potentially diseased subjects were included in cohort study on chronic liver diseases, especially for lifestyles possibly modified after disease onset. The analytic strategy excluding potentially diseased subjects was considered appropriate for identifying risk factors for chronic liver diseases.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.343-350
• /
• 2008

Asthma and allergic diseases are one of the most common disorders in children. Due to its increased prevalence, as well as the increased morbidity and mortality from these diseases, asthma and allergic diseases have come to be recognized as a major worldwide public health issue. In addition, socioeconomic burden of asthma and allergic diseases has increased in Korea also. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) investigated the worldwide prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases using simple standardized methods because of the comparison of asthma and allergic diseases between the countries. In Korea, several epidemiologic studies have been conducted to determine the prevalence of asthma in children. Although these studies showed increased prevalence of asthma among Korean children (from 3.4% in 1964 to 10.1% in 1989), these findings were based on data from small numbers of subjects. The first Nationwide Study of Asthma and Allergies in Korean Children, which utilized the Korean version of ISAAC written and video questionnaire, was conducted in 1995 and the second Nationwide Study of Asthma and Allergies in Korean Children was conducted in 2000, directed by the Korean Academy of Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Diseases. We report here the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases in Korean children and adolescents, and show the changes that occurred over this 5 year period. We also describe the risk factors for development of these diseases in Korean children. We developed Korean versions of the ISAAC written (WQ) and video (AVQ) questionnaires for allergic diseases. In 1995, the enrolled population consisted of 25,117 children selected from 34 elementary school and 14,946 children selected from 34 middle school across the nation, the response rate was 94.8%. In 2000, 27,831 children selected from 34 elementary school and 15,214 children selected from 34 middle school, and the response rate was 96.4%. From these studies, we can confirm that increase of the prevalences of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in Korea, except the prevalence of food allergy. Especially, the video questionnaire showed increases in the lifetime and 12 month prevalence rates of wheeze at rest, exercise-induced wheeze, nocturnal wheeze, nocturnal cough, and severe wheeze over this period of time in middle school children. In addition, the increase of prevalences of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis was noted significantly. Risk factor analysis showed that body mass index (BMI), passive smoking and living with a dog or cat were associated with higher risk of wheeze. Also the occurrence of fever during infancy and the frequent use of antibiotics were associated with the risk of wheeze. In conclusion, during the 5 year period from 1995 to 2000, the prevalences of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis has increased in Korean children. BMI, passive smoking, living with a dog or cat, the fever episodes in infancy, and the frequent use of antibiotics in infancy are important risk factors to development of asthma and atopic dermatitis. In the near future, the birth cohort study will be needed to investigate the causes of this increase and the natural course of allergic diseases, then we develop the methods to control asthma and allergic diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.28-37
• /
• 2013

As a symbolic landscape of Seoul, Namsan has undergone not only physical changes but also changes in its human use and characteristics. At this point, research on Namsan, which holds diverse stories that have accumulated over a long period, as a cultural landscape is necessary. In particular, a concrete understanding of the characteristics of the mountain's use in the period of its initiation as a modern park is an important task in research on the history of urban parks. Consequently, the purpose of the present study lies in grasping the use of Namsan at the time of the establishment of Kyongsungbu Namsan Park Design Proposal in 1917 and examining the characteristics per space. The research process was based on the status of the park design plan. The primary source of information came from the analysis of historical newspaper articles. Additional materials including documents, old maps, photographs, postcard materials were also used. The period of the study was 1883 to 1917. This time was the initial period of Namsan Park soon after the opening up of Korea's ports to the world. The major spaces in which Namsan was used as a park encompassed Hanyang Park, Waeseongdae Park, Noin-jeong, Jangchung-dan, and remaining parts of Namsan in a natural state. When the main ways in which each space is used are examined based on the data analyzed, Namsan has been used for purposes including public events, accidents, religious worship, track and field days, field trips, and strolls. When the nature of each of the spaces is determined in terms of the characteristics of their use, these spaces were characterized as community parks, outdoor community spaces, indoor community spaces, sports arenas, and natural parks, among other things. The present study is significant in terms of research on the history of parks for confirming that Namsan in the initial period already served as a modern park for urban activities and grasping the specific urban activities that were engaged in on Namsan.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.62-72
• /
• 2015

The objective of this research is to investigate the different aspects in which users positively identify with indoor green walls and the influences that it has on usage behaviors. Under the hypothesis that public space users prefer locations with green walls, the effect on their behavior was observed. After installing indoor green walls, behavioral observations and questionnaires were carried out to analyze green wall preferences. The observation experiment was carried out for a total of 8 days in order to see what influences the preferences for of indoor green walls had on usage behaviors and compare a control group with an experimental group that experienced a green wall. The usage time data were put into an SPSS statistics program and used to run an independent sample t-test. The questionnaire was carried out for two days from March 1st to 2nd 2014 after the observation was completed, and was done by 224 users of the two areas. The results from the experiment are as follows. First, comparisons between the total usage time of seats adjoined to partitions in both the green walled area and the partitioned area showed that there was no preference for indoor green walls. Second, the results appeared to show a higher percentage of women users in the green walled area, compared to the original partitioned area. Third, it showed that partitions and plants did not have any influence on seat choices. Fourth, the questionnaire showed preferences for indoor green walls. Out of the 94 people who sat in the partitioned area, 11.7% answered that they wanted to sit in the green walled area, they couldn't due to the lack of available seats. Furthermore, out of the 130 people who sat in the green walled area, 24.6% said they chose the seat because of their preference for the green wall. Although 64.3% of users of the two areas said that they would choose the green walled area if under the same circumstances, the behavior observation did not reflect this.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.448-454
• /
• 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a water fluoridation program (WFP) on prevention of dental caries in Gimhae City, Korea, with reference to the results of 2012 Korean National Oral Health Survey (KNOHS). In WFP population, 972 subjects including 8-, 10- and 12-year-old children in Gimhae City were examined in 2009. The WFP in Gimhae city has been implemented since 1999. 1872 subjects in non-fluoridated small and medium sized cities similar to Gimhae city were selected from 2012 KNOHS data as the control population. Two dentists who received training in KNOHS with an inter-examiner-agreement examined oral health status of all subjects. To assess the effects of WFP on dental caries, caries preventive fraction was estimated by assessing the differences of decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index and decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS) index, DMFS in pit and fissures and smooth surfaces between WFP population and the control. Univariate analysis of variance adjusted for gender and number of fissure-sealed teeth or surfaces was conducted. DMFT of 12-year-old subjects (n=354) in WFP and control population (n=1,518) were 1.60 and 2.12, respectively, with an estimated prevention effect of 24.7%. Caries preventive fraction on pit and fissure, and smooth surfaces of WFP subjects was estimated 27.5% and 24.0%, among subjects aged 12 years, respectively. WFP in Gimhae City, Korea reduced the prevalence of dental caries and is recommended as a public oral health program where a fluoride-containing toothpastes are commonly used.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.71-96
• /
• 2011

Within the traditional medical delivery system, patients residing in medically vulnerable areas, those with body movement difficulties, and nursing facility residents have had limited access to good healthcare services. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides us with a convenient and useful means of overcoming distance and time constraints. ICT is integrated with biomedical science and technology in a way that offers a new high-quality medical service. As a result, rapid technological advancement is expected to play a pivotal role bringing about innovation in a wide range of medical service areas, such as medical management, testing, diagnosis, and treatment; offering new and improved healthcare services; and effecting dramatic changes in current medical services. The increase in aging population and chronic diseases has caused an increase in medical expenses. In response to the increasing demand for efficient healthcare services, a telehealth service based on ICT is being emphasized on a global level. Telehealth services have been implemented especially in pilot projects and system development and technological research. With the service about to be implemented in earnest, it is necessary to study its overall acceptance by consumers, which is expected to contribute to the development and activation of a variety of services. In this sense, the study aims at positively examining the structural relationship among the acceptance factors for telehealth services based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected by showing audiovisual material on telehealth services to online panels and requesting them to respond to a structured questionnaire sheet, which is known as the information acceleration method. Among the 1,165 adult respondents, 608 valid samples were finally chosen, while the remaining were excluded because of incomplete answers or allotted time overrun. In order to test the reliability and validity of the assessment scale items, we carried out reliability and factor analyses, and in order to explore the causal relation among potential variables, we conducted a structural equation modeling analysis using AMOS 7.0 and SPSS 17.0. The research outcomes are as follows. First, service quality, innovativeness of medical technology, and social influence were shown to affect perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the telehealth service, which was statistically significant, and the two factors had a positive impact on willingness to accept the telehealth service. In addition, social influence had a direct, significant effect on intention to use, which is paralleled by the TAM used in previous research on technology acceptance. This shows that the research model proposed in the study effectively explains the acceptance of the telehealth service. Second, the research model reveals that information privacy concerns had a insignificant impact on perceived ease of use of the telehealth service. From this, it can be gathered that the concerns over information protection and security are reduced further due to advancements in information technology compared to the initial period in the information technology industry, and thus the improvement in quality of medical services appeared to ensure that information privacy concerns did not act as a prohibiting factor in the acceptance of the telehealth service. Thus, if other factors have an enormous impact on ease of use and usefulness, concerns over these results in the initial period of technology acceptance may become irrelevant. However, it is clear that users' information privacy concerns, as other studies have revealed, is a major factor affecting technology acceptance. Thus, caution must be exercised while interpreting the result, and further study is required on the issue. Numerous information technologies with outstanding performance and innovativeness often attract few consumers. A revised bill for those urgently in need of telehealth services is about to be approved in the national assembly. As telemedicine is implemented between doctors and patients, a wide range of systems that will improve the quality of healthcare services will be designed. In this sense, the study on the consumer acceptance of telehealth services is meaningful and offers strong academic evidence. Based on the implications, it can be expected to contribute to the activation of telehealth services. Further study is needed to assess the acceptance factors for telehealth services, such as motivation to remain healthy, health care involvement, knowledge on health, and control of health-related behavior, in order to develop unique services according to the categorization of customers based on health factors. In addition, further study may focus on various theoretical cognitive behavior models other than the TAM, such as the health belief model.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.163-194
• /
• 2017

Coronary artery disease has increased in Korea as the country enters the aged society. It is well known that the incidence of coronary artery disease is related to aging, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and dietary habit. For effective treatment of significant coronary stenosis, close coordination between cardiac surgery and cardiology team is essential. Especially cardiologists' decision whether to do the stent placement or CABG is very important because the cardiologists usually start to consult the patients for their treatment. Recently, non-surgical interventions(that is stent placement) in cardiology field have dramatically increased as the national insurance system removed the limitation of the number of stents deployed. However, accidents are often caused by inappropriate use of stents, especially in patients with triple coronary disease or left main disease with heavy coronary calcifications. Another aspect of stent placement is to cope with an emergency case in the event of coronary rupture or pericardial tamponade during coronary interventions without cardiac surgeons. In the past two years, the Korea Consumer Agency (Consumer Dispute Coordination Committee) analyzed eight cases of medical dispute settlement. Only two hospitals were manned with both cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. Seven patients died of procedures of stenting and five patients died on the day of the procedure. Among the 8 cases, 5 cases showed 3 vessel disease and the rest of the cases had either severe calcification, complete occlusion or poor coronary antomies for stenting According to a 2017 national data registry of coronary stenting, less than 3 drug-eluting stents were implanted in 98% of all patients. In 2015, the number of stent procedures was 38,922, and approximately in 800 (2%) cases, more than four stents were used per patient. We emphasize that it is necessary to seriously consider the cost-benefit analysis between stent and CABG. The patient has the right to choose the right procedure by asking the liability of 'instruction explanation obligation'. He should be well informed of the pros and cons of both procedures to avoid overuse of stent. It can be solved by intimate discussion of individual cases with the cardiac surgeon and the patient. Unilateral dialogue with the patient, forceful restriction on the number of stenting, lack of surgeon's backup in difficult cases should all be avoided. It is also necessary to solve the problem not only at the hospital level, such as multidisciplinary integrated medical care, but also a nationwide solution such as expanding cardiac surgeons as essential personnel to public officials.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.383-393
• /
• 1974

The importance of the health care for the miners not only concerns the productivity of the enterprises but also as a fundamental human right, it has to be secured and protected by the society and the government. The Korean coal miners began to find their works at overseas since 1963 when the Korean government selected and dispatched its miners to West Germany. As years go by, the demand and the supply of the coal miners, the program of the coal miners health care became the important tasks to be solved and the further studies and research were necessary to support these tasks achievement. The writers made a statistical analysis on health status of the 1,559 Korean applicants applying for the coal miners in West Germany during the year of 1972 and 1973 by the using of the data of physical examination which were directed by the Korea Overseas Development Cooperation. The standard of physical examination which was applied for coal miners applying the jobs in West Germany was authorized by the Government Office of Labor in 1967. The results are as following; 1. The applicants were from the various provinces throughout Korea; Gang Weon 50.2%, Jeon-Nam 16.8%, Chung-Nam 13.7%, Gyeong-Nam 10.5%, City of Seoul 5.4%, and others 3.7%. 2. The ages of the applicants were from 20 to 44. The age group of 25-29(36.3%) and of 30-34(55.2%) together occupied the 91.5 per cent of the total applicants. 3. Among the 1,559 applicants 52.1 per cent passed the physical examinations. The tendency were shown that as the age increased, the passing rate decreased, and the married applicnts had lower passing rates compared to the unmarried applicants. 4. The height of the applicants averaged $168.4{\pm}4.74(cm)$ and the weight averaged $61.3{\pm}5.65(kg)$. 5. The average vision of the left eye of the applicants was $0.92{\pm}0.23$ and the right eye was $0.91{\pm}0.30$. 6. The mean value of the systolic blood pressure of the applicants was $145{\pm}13(mmHg)$ and the diastolic blood pressure was $85{\pm}8(mmHg)$. 7. Fifteen hundred and fifty-nine applicants were taken chest X-ray and 17.2 per cent were found abonrmal. For each 1,000 applicants, 46 Pulmonary calcification and fibrosis, 45 chronic bronchitis, 27 pleural thickening and adhesion, 20 pulmonary tuburculosis, 11 anomalies of the rib, 10 pulmonary infiltration and 21 others diseases were found. 8. Lumber X-ray examination showed that 23.9 per cent (372 applicants) were found abnormal. For each 1,000 applicants, 77 osteoarthritis, 56 lumbarization, 15 fracture of vertebrae, 15 spondyloarthritis, 14 deformity of vertebrae, 13 spina bifida, 12 sacralization, 12 spondylolysis, and 5 others diseases were found. 9. In total, 47.9 per cent of 1,559 applicants failed the physical examinations, and the main causes for the failure were shown to be 7.1% of anomalies of spine, 6.3% of osteoarthritis, 4.7% of pulmonary calcification and fibrosis, 4.6% of chronic brochitis, 3.6% of hypertension (only), 3.4% of fracture of vertebrae. 3.1% of underweight(under 57.0kg), 2.0% of spondyloarthritis, 2.0% oe pulmonary tuberculosis, 1.7% of pleurisy, 1.0% of spina bifida, 1.5% of syphilis, 1.5% of color blindess, and 1.0% of underheight(under 160.0cm).