• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.3 s.58
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• pp.585-598
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• 1997

Background : Although there are growing concerns about the adverse health effect of air pollution, not much evidence on health effect of current air pollution level had been accumulated yet in Korea. This study was designed to evaluate the chronic health effect of ai. pollution using Korean Medical Insurance Corporation (KMIC) data and air quality data. Medical insurance data in Korea have some drawback in accuracy, but they do have some strength especially in their national coverage, in having unified ID system and individual information which enables various data linkage and chronic health effect study. Method : This study utilized the data of Korean Environmental Surveillance System Study (Surveillance Study), which consist of asthma, acute bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), cardiovascular diseases (congestive heart failure and ischemic heart disease), all cancers, accidents and congenital anomaly, i. e., mainly potential environmental diseases. We reconstructed a nested case-control study wit5h Surveillance Study data and air pollution data in Korea. Among 1,037,210 insured who completed? questionnaire and physical examination in 1992, disease free (for chronic respiratory disease and cancer) persons, between the age of 35-64 with smoking status information were selected to reconstruct cohort of 564,991 persons. The cohort was followed-up to 1995 (1992-5) and the subjects who had the diseases in Surveillance Study were selected. Finally, the patients, with address information and available air pollution data, left to be 'final subjects' Cases were defined to all lung cancer cases (424) and COPD admission cases (89), while control groups are determined to all other patients than two case groups among 'final subjects'. That is, cases are putative chronic environmental diseases, while controls are mainly acute environmental diseases. for exposure, Air quality data in 73 monitoring sites between 1991 - 1993 were analyzed to surrogate air pollution exposure level of located areas (58 areas). Five major air pollutants data, TSP, $O_3,\;SO_2$, CO, NOx was available and the area means were applied to the residents of the local area. 3-year arithmetic mean value, the counts of days violating both long-term and shot-term standards during the period were used as indices of exposure. Multiple logistic regression model was applied. All analyses were performed adjusting for current and past smoking history, age, gender. Results : Plain arithmetic means of pollutants level did not succeed in revealing any relation to the risk of lung cancer or COPD, while the cumulative counts of non-at-tainment days did. All pollutants indices failed to show significant positive findings with COPD excess. Lung cancer risks were significantly and consistently associated with the increase of $O_3$ and CO exceedance counts (to corrected error level -0.017) and less strongly and consistently with $SO_2$ and TSP. $SO_2$ and TSP showed weaker and less consistent relationship. $O_3$ and CO were estimated to increase the risks of lung cancer by 2.04 and 1.46 respectively, the maximal probable risks, derived from comparing more polluted area (95%) with cleaner area (5%). Conclusions : Although not decisive due to potential misclassication of exposure, these results wert drawn by relatively conservative interpretation, and could be used as an evidence of chronic health effect especially for lung cancer. $O_3$ might be a candidate for promoter of lung cancer, while CO should be considered as surrogated measure of motor vehicle emissions. The control selection in this study could have been less appropriate for COPD, and further evaluation with another setting might be necessary.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.493-500
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• 2013

The study aims to determine the status of oral health of mental illness patients and establish the preliminary data. The examinations and questionnaire survey were done 92 psychiatric patients to measure sociodemographic characteristics, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index, patient hygiene performance (PHP) index, community periodontal index of treatment need (CPITN). Result of the missing teeth index in the state of oral health was higher in the hospital group (6.42) while the filled teeth index was higher in the center group (4.78). In the DMFT index, mental illness patients were higher than the national sample. The oral health status of medical aid recipients was poorer as the subjects were older and less educated (p<0.05). The PHP index was 3.41, close to the bad oral hygiene state. The hospital group (81.7%) required higher need for periodontal treatment. The periodontal health state was much poorer especially when the subject was in the age of 40's and 60's, received less education, and had no family (p<0.05). $CPITN_3$ was higher in the hospital group (13.3%) than the national sample (5.7%). The mental illness patients were socially vulnerable, therefore oral health care program should be needed and age, education level, health insurance type, presence of family and other factors needs to be considered in this approach.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.338-343
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• 2013

Serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are widely used in the clinical diagnosis of hepatic diseases and the assessment of liver status. They also have epidemiological significance to be prospective risk factors for bone diseases, such as osteitis deformans, rickets, osteomalacia, hyperparathyroidism, healing fractures, and osteoblastic bone tumors. In the previous study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in several genes have been reported to be associated with serum levels of liver enzyme in American population. We aimed to confirm whether the genetic variation of RETNLB (resistin like beta) gene also influence the serum levels of liver enzyme in Korean population. We genotyped variants in or near RETNLB in a population-based sample including 994 Korean adults. Here, we performed association analysis to elucidate the possible relations of genetic polymorphisms in RETNLB gene with serum levels of liver enzyme. By examining genotype data of a total of 944 subjects in 5 hospital health promotion centers, we discovered the RETNLB gene polymorphisms are associated with serum levels of ALP. The common and highest significant polymorphism was rs736327 (${\beta}$=8.66, P=2.37E-05), rs7639070 (${\beta}$=8.56, P=3.24E-05) with ALP in all groups. Furthermore, the ALP was consistently associated with rs736327 (${\beta}$=10.40, P=5.23E-05), rs7639070 (${\beta}$=10.32, P=6.74E-05) in the male population. Consequently, we found statistically significant SNPs in RETNLB gene that are associated with serum levels of ALP. In addition, these results suggest that the individuals with the minor alleles of the SNP in the RETNLB gene may have elevated serum levels of ALP in the Korean population.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2013

Serum liver enzyme levels are widely used in the clinical diagnosis of liver diseases and the assessment of liver status. They also have epidemiological significance to be prospective risk factors for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. In the previous study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in several genes have been reported to be associated with serum liver enzyme levels in American population. We aimed to confirm whether the genetic variation of C16orf47 (chromosome 16 open reading frame 47) gene also influence the serum liver enzyme levels in Korean population. We genotyped variants in or near C16orf47 in a population-based sample including 994 unrelated Korean adult. Here, we performed association analysis to elucidate the possible relations of genetic polymorphisms in C16orf47 gene with serum liver enzyme levels. By examining genotype data of a total of 944 subjects in 5 hospital health promotion center, we discovered the C16orf47 gene polymorphisms are associated with serum liver enzyme levels. The common and highest significant polymorphism was rs7203412 (${\beta}$=3.68, P=3.66E-06) with glutamic oxaloacetic transferase (GOT) and rs7203412 (${\beta}$=6.2, P=7.06E-05) with glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) in all group. Furthermore, the SNP rs7203412 was consistently associated with GOT (${\beta}$=6.41, P=6.78E-08) and GPT (${\beta}$=11.53, P=2.81E-06) in men group. Consequently, we found statistically significant SNP in C16orf47 gene that are associated with serum levels of GOT and GPT. In addition, these results suggest that the individuals with the minor alleles of the SNP in the C16orf47 gene may be more elevated serum liver enzyme levels in the Korean population.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.166-190
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• 1998

This study presents the status on drug prescription for clinic outpatients' bronchitis, gastritis, and gastric ulcer, and also the physician factors that affects their prescriptions. In this research project the physician factors are as follows: their demographic features, their work related features, education related features, drug information related features and drug promotion related features. The variables in drug prescriptions are drug expenses, daily drug expenses, days of medication, the highest price of the drugs used and the number of the different drugs used. Analysis of the use of prescription drugs was performed on NFMI(National Federation of Medical Insurance) 1994 medical expense claim data. Data on physicians' characteristics were collected by mailing surveys. Patients with secondary diseases were excluded. In this study, 388 adults with bronchitis, 1,038 children with bronchitis, 1,158 patients with gastritis, 369 patients with gastric ulcer were included. The older physicians tend to allow the lower drug costs: this explains that the older doctors who are more experienced less depend on the medicines. It can be also explained that doctors are likely to use the medicines that had been used for their intern and resident practice/training period. General practitioners give more intensive prescription compared to specialists. And specialists prescribed medicines to patients for longer period. The doctors' prescriptions for patients are largely affected by commercial sources. So objective and reliable sources for drug information is needed for patients' benefits. Physician factors explain better at the daily drug expenses, the drug price and the number of different drugs than days of medication. Gastric ulcer are better explained by the prescription model adopted in this study than other diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.336-352
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• 2017

Objective: This study investigated the perception, utilization, and satisfaction (in the general population), of the common cold treatment at the Korean Medical Clinic, to provide basic information for the development of Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines for the common cold. Method: A questionnaire was developed that consisted of questions about the general perception, utilization status, degree of satisfaction, willingness to use, and the improvement of the common cold treatment at the Korean Medical Clinic. An online survey was conducted using this questionnaire. Results: Three-hundred subjects responded to the survey. The results of the analysis were as follows. 1. 73.7% of the subjects recognized the common cold treatment at the Korean Medical Clinic. 2. 72% of the subjects had a positive perception of Korean medicine for common cold treatment. The major reason for the positive perception was the expectation about improving immunity and preventing recurrence. 3. Only 20% of the subjects had visited the Korean Medical Clinic for common cold treatment. The expensive cost was the major reason for not visiting the Korean Medical Clinic for common cold treatment. 4. The ratio of subjects who were willing to visit the Korean Medical Clinic for common cold treatment was 70%. 5. The expansion of health insurance coverage (67.7%), the activation of public relations (54.7%), and the development of a new herb medicine preparation that was easy to take (43.3%) were found to be necessary for improving the Korean medical service for common cold treatment. Conclusion: In spite of high recognition and positive perception, actual utilization of common cold treatment at the Korean Medical Clinic was relatively low. Multifaceted efforts are necessary to enhance the competitiveness of Korean medical service for treatment of the common cold.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

Objectives: This study investigated the financial performance of Korean Medicine hospitals in Korea in order to understand the current status of hospital management and improve its efficiency. Methods: Financial statements of 24 medical corporations, 19 juridical foundations and 18 school hospitals from 2016 to 2018 were obtained from the secondary data published by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the National Tax Service and the Korea Advancing Schools Foundation. Financial performance was measured on 6 dimensions: liquidity, profitability, activity, growth, cost and productivity (investment efficiency) by analyzing 8 financial indicators: Liability to Total Assets, Net Profit to Patient Service Revenues, Total Assets Turnover, Growth Rate of Patient Service Revenues, Operating Expenses to Patient Service Revenues, Value Added to Patient Service Revenues, Value Added to Total Assets, and Value Added to Personnel Expenses. Results: Korean Medicine hospitals showed lower Liability to Total Assets, Liquidity and Value Added to Total Assets than Western Medicine hospitals did. They also showed higher Value Added to Patient Service Revenues and Value Added to Personnel Expenses than Western Medicine hospitals did. They also showed higher Value Added to Patient Service Revenues and Value Added to Personnel Expenses than those of Western Medicine hospitals do. The net profit decreased significantly (-50.8%) in 2018 whereas Patient Service Revenues increased (6.9%) for the same period due to Operating Expenses increase and Non-Operating loss. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the Korean Medicine hospital sector in Korea needs to improve liquidity and financial structure and to enhance profitability by reducing Personnel Expenses and generating Non-operating revenues in order to improve its investment efficiency and competitiveness.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.3-50
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• 1984

The levels of health knowledge, attitude and practice of housewives considerably effect to the health of households, communities and the nation. This study was designed to grasp the levels of health knowledge, attitude and practice of houswives and analyse the various factors effecting to health in order to provide health education services as well as materials for effective formulation and implementation of health policy to improve the health of the nation. This study has been conducted through interviews by trained surveyers for 4,281 housewives selected from 4,500 households throughout the country for 40 days during July 11-August 20, 1983. The results of survey were analysed by stepwise multiple regression and path analysis are summarized as follows; 1. Based on the measurement instrument applied to this study, the levels of health knowledge, attitude and practice of housewives were extremely low with 54.5 points out of 100 points in full. Higher level with 72 points and above was approximately 21 percent and lower level with 39 points and below was approx. 24 percent. The middle level was approx. 55 percent. In order to implement health programs successively, health education should be more strengthened and to improve the level of health knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the nation, political consideration as a part of spiritual reformation must be concentrated on health. 2. The level of health knowledge indicated the highest points with 57.3 the level of attitude was the second with 55.0 points and the practice level was the lowest with 50.0 point. Therefore, planning and implementation of health education program must be based on the persuasion and motivation that health knowledge turn into practice. 3. Housewives who had higher level of health knowledge, showed their practice level was relatively lower and those who had middle or low level of it practice level was the reverse. 4. Correlations among health knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) were generally higher and statistically significant at 0.1 percent level. Correlation between total health KAP level and health knowledge was the highest with r=.8092. 5. Health KAP levels showed significant differences according to the age, number of children, marital status, self-assessed health status and concern on health of the housewives interviewed (p<0.001) 6. Health KAP levels also showed significant differences according to the education level, economic status, employment before marriage and grown-up area of the housewives interviewed. (p<0.001) 7. Heath KAP levels showed significant differences according to health insurance benificiary and the existence of patients in the family. (p<0.001). 8. Health KAP levels showed significant differences according to distance to government organizations, schools, distance to health facilities, telephone possession rate, television possession rate, newspaper reading rate and activities of Ban meeting and Women's club. (p<0.001) 9. Health KAP levels showed significant differences according to electric mass communication media such as television, radio and village broadcasting etc. and printed media such as newspaper, magazine and booklets etc., IEC variables such as individual consultation and husband-wife communication, however, there was no significance with group training. 10. Health KAP of the housewives showed close correlation with personal characteristics variables, i.e., education level (r=.5302), age (r=-.3694) grown-up area (r=.3357) and employment before marriage. In general, correlation of health knowledge level was higher than the levels of attitude or practice. In case of health concern and health insurance, correlation of practice level was higher than health knowledge level. 11. Health KAP levels showed higher correlation with community environmental characteristics, Ban meeting and activity of Women's club, however, no correlation with New-village movement. 12. Among IEC variables, husband-wife communication showed the highest correlation with health KAP levels and printed media, electric mas communication media and health consultation in order. Therefore, encouragement of husband-wife communication and development of training program for men should be included in health education program. 13. Mass media such as electric mass com. and printed media were effective for knowledge transmission and husband-wife communication and individual consultation were effective for health practice. Group training was significant for knowledge transmission, however, but not significant for attitude formation or turning to health practice. To improve health KAP levels, health knowledge should be transmitted via mass media and health consultation with health professionals and field health workers should be strengthened. 14. Correlation of health KAP levels showed that knowledge level was generally higher than that of practice and recognized that knowledge was not linked with attitude or practice. 15. The twenty-five variables effecting health KAP levels of housewives had 41 per cent explanation variances among which education level had great contribution (β=.2309) and electric mass com. media (β=.1778), husband-wife communication (β=.1482), printed media, grown-up area, and distance to government organizations in order. Variances explained (R²) of health KAP were 31%, 15%, and 30% respectively. 16. Principal variables contributed to health KAP were education level (β=.12320, β=.1465), electric mass comm. media (β=.1762, β=.1839), printed media, (β=.1383, β=.1420) husband-wife communication (β=.1004, β=.1067), grown-up area and distance to government organizations, in order. Since education level contributes greatly to health KAP of the housewives, health education including curriculum development in primary, middle and high schools must be emphasized and health science must be selected as one of the basic liberal arts subject in universities. 17. Variences explained of IEC variables to health KAP were 19% in total, 14% in knowledge, 9% in attitude, and 10% in health practice. Contributions of IEC variables to health KAP levels were printed media (β=.3882), electric mass comm media (β=.3165), husb-band wife com. (β=.2095,) and consultation on health (β=.0841) in order, however, group training showed negative effect (β=-.0402). National fund must be invested for the development of Health Program through mass media such as TV and radio etc. and for printed materials such as newspaper, magazines, phamplet etc. needed for transmission of health knowledge. 18. Variables contributed to health KAP levels through IEC variables with indirect effects were education level (Ind E=0.0410), health concern (Ind E=.0161), newspaper reading rate (Ind E=.0137), TV possession rate and activity of Ban meeting in order, however, health facility showed negative effect (Ind E=-.0232) and other variables showed direct effect but not indirect effect. 19. Among the variables effecting health KAP level, education level showed the highest in total effect (TE=.2693) then IEC (TE=.1972), grown-up city (TE=.1237), newspaper reading rate (TE=.1020), distance to government organization (TE=.095) in order. 20. Variables indicating indirect effects to health KAP levels were; at knowledge level with R²=30%, education level (Ind E=.0344), newspaper reading rate (Ind E=.0112), TV possession rate (Ind E=.0689), activity of Ban meeting (Ind E=.0079) in order and at attitude level with R²=13%, education level (Ind E=. 0338), activity of Ban meeting (Ind E=.0079), and at practice level with R²=29%. education level (Ind E=.0268), health facility (Ind E=.0830) and concern on health (Ind E=.0105). 21. Total effect to health KAP levels and IEC by variable characteristics, personal characteristics variables indicated larger than community characteristics variables. 22. Multiple Correlation Coefficient (MCC) expressed by the Personal Characteristic Variable was .5049 and explained approximately 25% of variances. MCC expressed by total Community environment variable was .4283 and explained approx. 18% of variances. MCC expressed by IEC Variables was .4380 and explained approx. 19% of variances. The most important variable effected to health KAP levels was personal characteristic and then IEC variable, Community Environment variable in order. When the IEC effected with personal characteristic or community characteristic, the MCC or the variances were relatively higher than effecting alone. Therefore it was identified that the IEC was one of the important intermediate variable.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.6 s.208
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• pp.113-131
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate older people's planning for estate distribution by examining the factors associated with their will-holding status. This study used data from the 1994 Assets and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) Survey, Wave One. The objectives of this study were (a) to establish profiles of older people who have a written will and to compare their financial portfolios across will-holding status; (b) to identify factors that influence the decision to make a will, and (c) to draw implications for family economists, financial educators, planners, and policy makers. The results suggested that a household's financial resources (i.e., liquid and illiquid assets, housing equity, and household income) positively influence the probability of having a will. Older people who resided in a community property state and who were in poor health were less likely to be will-holders than their counterparts, holding financial resources and other variables constant. Demographic characteristics such as age, education, and race, and behavioral characteristic also were significant determinants of the likelihood of having a will. Volunteer participation and charitable contribution, which are proxies for altruism, increased the likelihood of having a will. The probability of having a will also was higher among those who had life insurance and had gwen inter-vivos gifts of more than $\$5,000$ to their children or grandchildren in the past 10 years. On the other hand, the likelihood of having a will declined with increasing number of biological children. From the findings, implications for financial planners and educators were suggested along with directions for future research.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2015

Objectives: Drug utilization review program in Korea has provided 'drug combinations to avoid (DCA)' alerts to physicians and pharmacists to prevent potential adverse drug events or inappropriate drug use. Seven hundred and six DCA pairs have been announced officially by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) by March, 2015. Some DCA pairs could be grouped based on the drug interaction mechanism and its consequences. This study aimed to investigate the drug-drug interaction (DDI) pairs, which may be potential DCAs, generated by the drug class-drug class interaction method. Methods: Eleven additive/synergistic and one antagonistic drug class-drug class interaction groups were identified. By combining drugs of two interacting drug class groups, numerous DDI pairs were made. The status and severity of DDI pairs were examined using Lexicomp and Micromedex. Also, the DCA listing rate was calculated. Results: Among 258 DDI pairs generated by the drug class-drug class interaction method, only 142 pairs were identified as official DCA pairs by the MFDS. One hundred and four pairs were identified as potential DCA pairs to be listed. QT prolonging agents-QT prolonging agents, triptans-ergot alkaloids, tricyclic antidepressants-monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and dopamine agonists-dopamine antagonists were identified as drug class-drug class interaction groups which have less than 50 % DCA listing rate. Conclusion: To improve the clinicians' adaptability to DCA alerts, the list of DCA pairs needs to be continuously updated.