• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2015

Thyroid nodules are an endocrine disease often found in clinical practice, and patients with thyroid nodules found by chance have rapidly increased alongside development of thyroid ultrasound techniques for health examination purposes. This study analyzes the subjects' general characteristics, thyroid ultrasounds, and fine needle aspiration cytology in order to find out the relationship between male and female thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer frequency. An ultrasound examination of the thyroid was performed for 32,973 individuals who visited the K Hospital of Health Examination. Subjects have no history of thyroid disease and are 20 years old or over. Data of general characteristics, diabetes) was collected by a written survey completed by the subject, and the ultrasound of the thyroid(thyroid nodules existence, size, number) and FNAC was used to find out the malignancy rate. Frequency of patients with thyroid nodule was 4,611(26.1%) in men and 5,341(34.9%) in women between 32,973 individuals. Women's prevalence rate is significantly higher than men, and the prevalence rate significantly increased with age in men and women(p < 0.05). The prevalence of multiple nodules was significantly higher in women(43.5%) than in men(35.6%), and significantly increased with age in men and women(p < 0.05). The fine needle aspiration cytology was performed in 692(men 342, women 350) subjects who showed signs of malignancy through ultrasound. Prevalence of malignancy of the nodules was higher in men(33.3%) than in women(29.4%) although it is not statistically significant. It is known that thyroid nodule prevalence in women is much higher than in men. But this study shows the men's prevalence rate was not too low compared with women, and the men showed a rather higher malignancy rate in nodules than women. It is considered that the role of thyroid ultrasound is both important in men and women.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2014

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the pollution level (gaseous and particle phase) in the public facilities for the PAHs, non-regulated materials, forecast the risk level by the health risk assessment (HRA) and propose the guideline level. PAH assessments through sampling of particulate matter of diameter < 2.5 ${\mu}m$ ($PM_{2.5}$). The user and worker exposure scenario for the PAHs consists of 24-hour exposure scenario (WIES) assuming the worst case and the normal exposure scenario (MIES) based on the survey. This study investigated 20 PAH substances selected out of 32 substances known to be carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic. The risk assessment applies major toxic equivalency factor (TEF) proposed from existing studies and estaimates individual Excess Cancer Risk (ECR). The study assesses the fine dusts ($PM_{2.5}$) and the exposure levels of the gaseous and particle PAH materials for 6 spots in each 8 facility, e.g. underground subway stations, child-care facilities, elderly care facilities, super market, indoor parking lot, terminal waiting room, internet caf$\acute{e}$ (PC-rooms), movie theater. For internet caf$\acute{e}$ (PC-rooms) in particular, that marks the highest $PM_{2.5}$ concentration and the average concentration of 10 spots (2 spots for each cafe) is 73.3 ${\mu}g/m^3$ (range: 6.8-185.2 ${\mu}g/m^3$). The high level of $PM_{2.5}$ seen in internet cafes was likely due to indoor smoking in most cases. For the gaseous PAHs, the detection frequency for 4-5 rings shows high and the elements with 6 rings shows low frequency. For the particle PAHs, the detection frequency for 2-3 rings shows low and the elements with 6 rings show high frequency. As a result, it is investigated that the most important PAHs are the naphthalene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene from the study of Kim et al. (2013) and this annual study. The health risk assessment demonstrates that each facility shows the level of $10^{-6}-10^{-4}$. Considering standards and local source of pollution levels, it is judged that the management standard of the benzo (a)pyrene, one of the PAHs, shall be managed with the range of 0.5-1.2 $ng/m^3$. Smoking and ventilation were considered as the most important PAHs exposure associated with public facility $PM_{2.5}$. This study only estimated for inhalation health risk of PAHs and focused on the associated cancer risk, while multiple measurements would be necessary for public health and policy.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.314-321
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• 2015

Purpose: It is well known that a terminal cancer condition affects not only patient themselves but their family members because the patients experience a variety of symptoms. This study was aimed to investigate modifiable factors that influence family caregivers' quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Methods: From January 2015 through May 2015, a survey was conducted with 61 family caregivers of hospice patients who were hospitalized in two university hospitals and one municipal hospital in Busan. The questionnaire was consisted of characteristics of family caregivers and patients, the Korean version of the Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer (CQOLC-K), Beck's Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Beck's Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and patient's symptom controlling scores rated by family caregivers. Results: Family caregivers' depression was associated with religion. Quality of life and depression of family caregivers were also influenced by monthly household income. Patient age was inversely related to family caregiver's quality of life ($r_s=-0.259$, P=0.043). Family caregivers' quality of life was associated with patient's anxiety (r=0.443, P=0.001). Family caregivers' depression was affected by patient's constipation (r=0.276, P=0.046), anxiety (r=0.508, P<0.001), and daytime drowsiness (r=0.377, P=0.005). And family caregivers' anxiety was influenced by patients' sleep disturbance (r=0.276, P=0.046), depression (r=0.297, P=0.031), and anxiety (r=0.357, P=0.009). Conclusion: According to our findings, family caregivers had higher quality of life and less depression and anxiety when symptoms in hospice patients were well controlled.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.345-350
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• 2012

To investigate the exposure and health risk assessment for the residents near the D-asbestos mine in Chungbuk, Korea. We analyzed asbestos in the 20 ambient air and 23 activity based samples near the mine. The airborne sample results are showed that 8 of 20 samples ranged between 0.0025 to 0.0029 f/cc (fiber per cubic centimeter) and the others were below the detection limit by phase contrast microscopy (PCM). In addition, asbestos fibers were under the detection limit or not being by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Based on interview and survey targeting the local residents, we made the activity based sampling (ABS) scenarios fit to the conditions of field. At the same time, we calculated the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) of these ABS scenarios according to the ELCR average value and 95% upper confidence limit (UCL). At the case of weed whacking, soil digging and sweeping yard scenario, 95% UCL of ELCR exceeded the $1{\times}10^{-4}$, acceptable risk range for exposure. Based on our study results, it is necessary safety measures such as risk communication, abatement or management of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA).

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2001

Purpose : Surveying the effects on drop the anxiety of the hospice patients in spiritual nursing intervention with a quasi-experimental design using non-equivalent contrast group non-synchronized design to try in order to give the support which provide a holistic and individualizational nursing to comfort of hospice patients. Method : The results of survey were collected from 67 patients(67 subjects comprised 37 hospice patients of the experimental group and 30s of contrast) who were given hospice care from July to September of 2000 at the General Hospital in Cheon Ju city. The tool was used Spielberger's State Anxiety Scale, and the difference in the level of dropping anxiety among patient groups was analyzed with the mean, standard deviation, $x^2-test$. t-test and paired t-test. The spiritual nursing intervention was carried out through Hymn, Scripture, prayer, the therapeutic use of self over a period of three weeks. Results : 1) In general characters, men were a many more of the objects and the average age of the experimental and contrast group was 59.6, 55.9 respectively. The family of living together was $2{\sim}3$ members of most part. 2) There were not significant differences in the general, disease and therapeutic, religional characters between the experimental and contrast group. 3) The majority of the objects were cancer patients in disease and therapeutic characters(Experimental : 92%, Contrast : 95%). 4) After the spiritual nursing intervention state anxiety of the experimental group were remarkably lower than those of the contrast (t=-5.987, P=0.000). 5) Decreasing rate in the anxiety scores of before and post facto of the experimental group were remarkably lower than those of the contrast (t=6.237, P=0.000). Conclusion : The hospice patients who were offered spiritual nursing intervention became much lower than those who were not offered it in anxiety. Spiritual nursing intervention can be suited to field with one program of an effective that that relieved their anxieties. It is not only a very short time but has quite a little findings in part of spiritual nursing intervention. Therefore, further study in this field is necessary to concrete and substantial investigate in order to more and more increasing hospice patients in 21st century.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.446-452
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• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the exposure status of formaldehyde(FA) among the nurses in ambulatory care departments of university hospital. Methods: Two university hospitals were surveyed. The FA concentration in air were measured to target 62 nurses in 8 ambulatory care departments(89 samples). Air sampling and analysis of FA were carried out according to the OSHA Method ID-205. The survey was conducted with questionnaire asking about how to control FA and whether the nurses use the formaldehyde protectors or not. Results: FA was detected in all samples. The maximum concentration of FA was 0.258 ppm and the geometric mean was 0.023 ppm. There was no sample that exceeded any of exposure standards by OSHA-TWA whereas there were 54 samples(60.7%) that exceeded the standards by NOISH-TWA. Among 62 nurses handling FA, 13 nurses(21.0%) used the protective gloves while nobody used a gas mask. It was assessed that any of 8 common ambulatory care departments did not use a safety cabinet for FA in which local exhaust ventilation was fixed. Conclusions: Nurses in ambulatory care departments were exposed to FA. Therefore, the environment management of a workplace, the health management of a nurses, FA handling education and installing a FA cabinet with a local exhaust ventilation were needed because FA as a carcinogen was able to cause any cancer to a human body if it was emitted in air for long time.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.518-527
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• 2014

Objectives: The adverse health effects attributed to exposure to radon have been well known over the world. However, the efforts for prevention and mitigation of radon have not been taken in Korea so far. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation methods applied for various types of houses and public buildings with high level of radon. Methods: Based on the results of "National Radon Survey" performed by the National Institute of Environmental Research(NIER) in 2010-2012, we selected 30 candidate buildings consisting of 20 houses and 10 public buildings with greater than $148Bq/m^3$ of radon level. We measured the concentration of radon in 30 buildings, using E-PERMs and RAD-7 during January to March of 2013. More than five E-PERMs and one RAD-7 per house were installed for seven days. Ten houses and five public buildings were finally chosen to be mitigated after mainly considering the level of radon and the location of buildings nationwide. Three mitigation methods such as Sealing, two types of Active Ventilation(window-shaped and wall-typed ventilations), and Active Soil Depressurization(ASD) were applied, and the concentrations of radon were measured before and after mitigation, respectively. To evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation methods, reduction rates of radon were calculated and Wilcoxon's signed-rank test was performed. Results: The mean concentration of 15 buildings just before radon mitigation was $297.8Bq/m^3$, and most of the buildings were located in Gangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Daegu areas(73.3%), and built in 1959-1998. The level of radon decreased from 48% to 90% and kept the below recommendation limit of $148Bq/m^3$ after installation of radon mitigation. Among mitigation methods applied, the reduction rate(58.7-90.4%) of radon attributed to ASD was the greatest than that of other methods, followed by Active Ventilation(48.4-78.4%) and Sealing(<22%). The effectiveness of radon reduction by window-shaped Active Ventilation(63.2-75.2%) was relatively better than that of wall-typed Active Ventilation(48.4-54.3%). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that ASD could be more effective for radon mitigation. Moreover, our findings would be background information in future for making the strategy for radon mitigation nationwide, as well as for developing Korean-version of mitigation techniques according to types of dwellings in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-114
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• 1999

This study was designed to investigate the effects of an aquatic exercise program on the shoulder joint function. physical symptom. quality of life and stress among the patients who received modified radical mastectomy between 6 to 12 months prior to their visits. The subjects were 31 women aged between 40 and 60 who visited the out-patient department at Kang Nam St. Mary's Hospital for follow-up care. and were not under the treatment of intravenous cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy. and had no complications. Twelve of them were assigned to the control group. while nineteen subjects to the experimental group. The aquatic exercise program was developed by the author with the assistance of exercise specialists. The program includes warming uP. aerobic and cooling down exercises in water. The aquatic exercise program for the experimental group was carried out 3 times a week with 60 minutes in each time for 8 weeks from September 20th to November 15th. 1995 in a regular swimming pool in Seoul. Changes in the range of motion of the shoulder joint. muscle strength. physical symptom. quality of life. and stress were examined after the completion of treatment. The data were collected through isokinetic muscle strength evaluation and questionnaire survey before and after the treatment. Paired and unpaired t-test were adopted to analyze the data. The results were as follows ; 1. The increment in the range of motion of the shoulder joint in the experimental group after the exercise was significantly greater than those in the control group. 2. The peak torque of shoulder girdle muscles increased significantly after the exercise in the experimental group only. 3. The physical symptom score decreased significantly after the exercise in the experimental group only. 4. The experimental group revealed significantly higher level of quality of life and lower level of stress after the exercise compared with those before the exercise. whereas the control group showed no significant changes in those levels. These findings may indicate that the aquatic exercise program is effective in increasing the range of motion of the shoulder joint and muscle strength and quality of life. and also effective in decreasing physical symptoms. and the level of stress in postmastectomy patients. Accordingly. the acquatic exercise program' can be adopted as an effective nursing intervention for postmastectomy rehabilitation.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.327-339
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• 2003

The objectives of this study were to conduct preliminary research to investigate full course meals in Korean style restaurants in order: i) to analyze the nutrient contents of full course meals per servings, and ii ) by analyzing the above, to examine the amount and the quality of the foods served in the full course meals by two different types of Korean style restaurants. A total of 27 restaurants participated in this study, 7 restaurants from the luxurious hotels in Seoul and 20 restaurants from the City of Changwon. A key finding was that restaurant patrons tended to overconsume nutrients as compared to the Korean Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), and restaurants generated large amounts of food wastes due to the excess food served. Other findings were as follows: 1) Compared with 1/3 or the Korean RDA, all the nutrients were oversupplied. The average nutrient ratios were about 3.7 times higher than 113 of the Korean RDA in calories, about 9 times higher in proteins, 10 times higher in phosphorus, 7 times higher in Vitamin Bl, and 12 times higher in Vitamin E. 2) Seventy-five percent (n = 20) of the restaurants served within the range of thirty to forty dishes, whereas most of the hotel restaurants (70%) served twenty dishes or fewer. 3) The average carbohydrate: protein: fat (CPF) ratio of caloric nutrients was 40：26 : 34. This study concluded that: i) Korean style full course meals provide too much food, nutrients, and calories, resulting in an over- or unbalanced nutrient intake, and ii ) the Korean style full course meals consisted of a high-protein, high-fat and high-caloric intake, which is similar to a westernized caloric nutrient pattern. Such over -or unbalanced nutrient intake could cause chronic degenerative problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. These findings indicate that restaurants serving Korean style full course meals should carefully plan their menus in order to provide their customers with balanced meals. They should also be strongly encouraged to play an active role in improving their customers' nutritional status, as well as reducing the restaurants wastage of food. Lastly, further research should be conducted to improve the quality of the menus in Korean restaurants. (Korean J Community Nutrition 8(3) : 327∼339, 2003)

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.329-341
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine vegetable & fruit (V/F) intakes, beliefs and self-efficacy regarding V/F consumption, nutrition knowledge and eating behavior of elementary students. A survey was conducted to the 4th graders (n = 234) at two elementary schools in Guri, Kyunggi-do. About one-fourth of subjects were overweight or obese. Subjects had 4.2 servings of V/F a day, consuming 340.2 g of V/F. Girls consumed significantly more amounts of vegetables than boys (p < 0.05). Girls were more favorable regarding V/F consumption (p < 0.01), and believed more strongly on advantages of having V/F such as “good for skin” constipation prevention (p < 0.001) and cancer prevention (p < 0.05). Boys felt more strongly in disadvantages or barriers of eating V/F, including mother's cooking time constraints (p < 0.01), lack of past experience of eating V/F, and family members' disliking of V/F (p < 0.05). Girls felt more confident in eating V/F (p < 0.05) than boys; they also felt more confident in specific items of "eating fruits/salads instead of cookies/chips for snack" and "eating fruit juice/vegetable juice instead of soda"(p < 0.01). Subjects showed low level of nutrition knowledge, especially in items such as balanced meals, recommended servings of V/F and vitamin deficiency. Compared to boys, girls had more desirable eating behavior such as eating adequate amount of meals (p < 0.001), having a variety of foods, eating fruits daily, and having fatty foods less frequently (p < 0.05). Intakes of Ca and K were quite below the recommended level, while the intakes of protein, Na and vitamin A intake were much above the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for 9-11 old children. Nutrient intakes expressed as %DRI was higher in girls for vitamin A (p < 0.01), energy and riboflavin (p < 0.05). High V/F consumption group (${\geq}5$ servings of V/F a day) compared to the counterparts showed higher self-efficacy and had better eating behaviors. Nutrition education for children should focus on increasing consumption of V/F, by helping them to increase self-efficacy for eating V/F and to recognize the benefits and reduce the barriers of eating V/F, especially in boys. It is also needed to provide nutrition information for balanced meals or increasing V/F consumption, and help the children to adopt desirable eating behavior.