• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.164-174
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting tuberculosis prevention behaviors in North Korean adolescent refugees. Methods: From September 16 to October 8, 2019, a survey was conducted to collect data from 143 North Korean adolescent refugees aged 13 to <25 at alternative and general schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The scale developed by Park (2008) and adapted by Cha (2012) was used to rate tuberculosis prevention behaviors in daily life with the aim of preventing high school students from getting infected with tuberculosis. The collected data were processed through frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression, using SPSS 25.0. Results: The mean score was 13.65 for knowledge of tuberculosis, 44.23 for attitudes towards tuberculosis, and 41.33 for tuberculosis prevention behaviors. Significant differences were found according to gender, country of origin, duration of stay in South Korea, tuberculosis examination, pre-entry chest x-ray, education about tuberculosis, alcohol intake, and subjective health status. A positive correlation was found between knowledge, attitudes, and prevention behaviors. The factors affecting tuberculosis prevention behaviors were attitudes (β=.38, p<001) and subjective health status (β=.26, p<.001). Conclusion: It is necessary to provide attitude-based education that can reinforce positive attitudes in order to improve North Korean adolescent refugees' tuberculosis prevention behaviors. This is expected to help them pay more attention to health care and become better at prevention behaviors. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a tuberculosis prevention education program with the aim of making them more knowledgeable about tuberculosis and providing them with systematic and sustainable education.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.253-262
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• 2022

We aimed to review the current data composition of the Korean Tuberculosis and Post-Tuberculosis Cohort, which was constructed by linking the Korean Tuberculosis Surveillance System (KNTSS; established and operated by the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency since 2000) and the National Health Information Database (NHID; established by the National Health Insurance Service in 2012). The following data were linked: KNTSS data pertaining to patients diagnosed with tuberculosis between 2011 and 2018, NHID data of patients with a history of tuberculosis and related diseases between 2006 and 2018, and data (obtained from the Statistics Korea database) on causes of death. Data from 300 117 tuberculosis patients (177 206 men and 122 911 women) were linked. The rate of treatment success for new cases was highest in 2015 (86.7%), with a gradual decrease thereafter. The treatment success rate for previously treated cases showed an increasing trend until 2014 (79.0%) and decreased thereafter. In total, 53 906 deaths were confirmed among tuberculosis patients included in the cohort. The Korean Tuberculosis and Post-Tuberculosis Cohort can be used to analyze different measurement variables in an integrated manner depending on the data source. Therefore, these cohort data can be used in future epidemiological studies and research on policy-effect analysis, treatment outcome analysis, and health-related behaviors such as treatment discontinuation.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2021

Background: The present study aimed to gather basic data for the development of an educational tuberculosis prevention program for prospective dental hygienists by understanding the level of knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors related to tuberculosis for students in the Department of Dental Hygiene, who need preventive access to tuberculosis infection. Methods: The present study used a self-reported questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors regarding tuberculosis, which was administered to dental hygiene students attending D University located in D city. Results: The average knowledge regarding tuberculosis was 16.17 ± 6.14, out of 30 points. Attitude regarding tuberculosis averaged 48.59 points (± 4.46), out of 60 points, and the degree of preventive behavior was 46.29 points (± 5.0), out of 60 points. Third year students ranked highest for knowledge regarding, attitude toward, and infection prevention behaviors of tuberculosis, compared to those in their first or second year (F = 7.20, p = 0.000). Those who had experienced tuberculosis themselves or with their relatives had higher attitudes toward tuberculosis than those who did not (F = 2.32, p = 0.02). Additionally, the higher the knowledge (β = 0.209, p = 0.004) and attitude (β = 0.425, p = 0.000) about tuberculosis, the higher the level of tuberculosis infection prevention behavior. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, it appears to be necessary to provide practical education to ensure that all students in dental hygiene are equipped with knowledge about tuberculosis, and that as a dental hygienist in carrying out dental hygiene management with a changed attitude, the act of preventing tuberculosis infection can be appropriately performed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.209-217
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was to examine the changes in knowledge, attitudes, and preventive behaviors among elementary school students after providing them with tuberculosis prevention education. Methods: A total of 235 students from D elementary school in G city were selected. After completing tuberculosis prevention education, the subjects were surveyed five times for 16 weeks. 1,087 samples were included in the final analysis. One-way ANOVA, $Scheff{\acute{e}$'s test, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed to examine the changes in tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitudes and preventive behaviors over time. Results: After 16 weeks from the education, the scores of preventive behaviors did not show any significant difference compared to the time right after the education. However, the scores of knowledge and attitudes tended to improve. In particular, 1st~2nd graders had high scores in both knowledge and attitude, and the scores of knowledge and attitude gradually increased over time. The correlation between knowledge, attitude, and preventive behavior regarding tuberculosis had a positive significance during the entire time of the survey. Conclusion: Positive associations between knowledge and attitude and between attitude and preventive behavior sustained for 16 weeks after tuberculosis education among elementary school students. This study suggests that tuberculosis prevention education conducted early on from lower grades can produce more educational effects and that it could be a foundation not only for developing knowledge of tuberculosis but also for cultivating adequate attitudes and forming active tuberculosis preventive behaviors.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.3
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• pp.104-110
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• 2013

Background: Notified tuberculosis (TB) cases in Korea have not decreased over the last decade (2001-2010). Methods: To clarify the reasons, we analyzed an annual report on notified tuberculosis patients and age-specific population drift in Korea. Results: Compared to the age-specific notified TB cases between 2001 and 2010, distinctive features in notified TB cases and new cases increased markedly in people aged 45-54 years and in patients over 65 years old, whereas those between 15-34 years in 2010 decreased drastically. In particular, notified TB individuals over 65 years old occupied 29.6% of the cases in 2010, which was 1.5 times higher than that in 2001. The main reason not to decrease in notified TB patients for the last decade (2001-2010) was due to the increasing elderly population as well as the aging of baby boomers, which have a higher risk of TB development. Conclusion: Korea needs to pay attention to the older population in order to successfully decrease the burden of TB in the future.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2022

In 2021,the incidence of newly notified tuberculosis in Jeju Province decreased by 23.0% compared to that in the previous year. This was the largest decline among the 18 municipalities studied. This study aimed to examine trends in the incidence of tuberculosis among different age and sex groups in Jeju Province between 2017 and 2021. This study observed the number of new cases in the annual report from 2017 to 2021, published by the Jeju Center for Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention. The average annual percentage change (AAPC; %) was calculated to determine the trend in crude incidence rates over the past 5 years by sex and age. While a P-value of <0.1 was considered marginally significant, aP-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The AAPC of all age groups in Jeju Province had negative values. In men,there was a statistically significant decrease in ages 30-34, 40-44, 45-49, and 50-54 years and a marginally significant decrease in ages 35-59, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 75-79, and ≥80 years. In women, a statistically significant decrease was observed among patients aged 30-34, 35-39, and ≥80 years, and a marginally significant decrease was observed among patients aged 45-49, 50-54, 60-64, 65-69, and 75-79 years. A statistically significant decrease in tuberculosis was observed among patients in their 30s and 40s, and elderly patients aged ≥80 years comprised the group vulnerable to tuberculosis. Based on these findings, tuberculosis prevention and screening programs conducted in Jeju Province were effective.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1115-1122
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• 1998

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.39-42
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• 2019

While the notified crude incidence rates(per 100,000 persons, CIR) of new tuberculosis between 2016 and 2017 decreased in nationwide and 16 provinces, except Jeju Province, Korea. The aim of this study was to compare CIRs of Jeju Province and nationwide by calendar years and age groups in order to interpret the increasing trend of CIR in Jeju Province. The data source was the Integrated Diseases and Health Control System of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The selection criteria were the notified new cases as tuberculosis, who had the address as Jeju Province at diagnosis, between 2011 and 2018. The 95% confidence interval of CIR was estimated based on Poisson distribution. There was not statistically significant difference of CIRs between Nationwide and Jeju Province of 2011 and 2018, except 2016. Especially the CIR of group aged over 65 years in Jeju Province, 2016 was significantly lower compared to Nationwide CIR. But, the CIR of group aged 30~50 between 2017 and 2018 showed significantly higher compared to Nationwide CIR. Based on the results, the fact of increasing CIR from 2016 to 2017 in Jeju Province might be interpreted as an introduction of new tuberculosis screening project rather than real increased CIRs.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.79 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2016

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most important occupational risks for healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Korea. Many policies regarding the control and prevention of TB in healthcare settings recommend that HCWs are tested for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in addition to active TB. Moreover, the Korean Tuberculosis Prevention Act also recommends that HCWs receive regular testing for LTBI. However, there are no specific or detailed guidelines for dealing with LTBI in HCWs. Herein, we discuss the diagnosis and treatment of LTBI in HCWs and focus particularly on the baseline screening of hired HCWs, routine follow-up, and contact investigation.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.350-354
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• 2010

Tuberculosis has re-emerged as serious infectious diseases, and oral tuberculosis, though uncommon, can be seen in both the primary and secondary tuberculosis. The aim of the present review is to describe the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and the characteristics of oral tuberculosis. The oral tuberculosis lesion may present as a diagnostic challenge for the clinician. In particular, the risk of tuberculosis transmission in dental practises is potentially increasing, the dentists and dental providers must exercise strict tuberculosis prevention.