• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2002

Research on diet, acculturation, and ethnicity has suggested that immigrants dietary patterns differ from people who do not have immigration experience. The purpose of this paper is to present preliminary descriptive findings concerning consumption of foods that are common in Korean and American diets, by people of Korean descent residing in California. Adults (18 years of age or older, N=1334) of Korean descent who could be reached by listed residential telephone number in California were randomly selected and telephone-interviewed by closely supervised bilingual (Korean-English) interviewers who were specially trained for this task. This study found that dietary patterns of Koreans living in California differed according to age and gender; also, the frequency of consumption of foods differed according to number of years of residence and acculturation. Koreans who reported higher levels of acculturation to American society ate less of traditional Korean foods such as Kimchi and ate significantly more higher-fat foods common in the American diet. Increased acculturation was also related to an increased frequency of alcohol drinking. Older Koreans tended to eat slightly more of traditional foods such as rice, Kimchi, fruits, and fish, compared to younger Koreans. Women tended to eat healthier foods than men, consuming green vegetables, Kimchi, milk, cheese/yogurt, fruits, and bread more frequently. Koreans reporting longer residences in the United States reported a greater consumption of pork, bread, and soda.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6893-6897
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• 2013

Background: During and after the Fukushima nuclear disaster (FND), many parents were concerned about the effects of radiation on the health of their children. Purpose: To clarify the factors that influenced general workers living with children and the effect of child age groups in implementing preventive behaviorsagainst radiation following the FND. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study of preventive behaviors among general workers was carried out 3-5 months after the nuclear disaster. The subjects were 1,394 regular workers, who took part in radiation seminars run by the Fukushima Occupational Health Promotion Center between July and September, 2011. In total, 1,217 responses were submitted, of which 1,110 were eligible for the present study. This anonymous questionnaire survey inquired about the presence and age of children in the household and about radiation preventive behavior implemented after the FND. The contribution of each variable was assessed by logistic regression analysis. Results: General workers in Fukushima who lived with younger children performed more preventive behavior against radiation during and after the FND. In particular, both location-related and daily routines were practiced significantly more frequently (p<0.01) by workers living with a child in the age ranges of 0-6 (8 of 10 items) and 7-12 (5 of 10 items). Conclusions: This is the first study to assess the positive association between living with children by age group and increased preventive behavior against radiation implemented by general workers after the FND.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.49
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• pp.310.1-310.11
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• 2018

Background: Acute pyelonephritis (APN) is one of the most common community-acquired bacterial infections. Recent increases of antimicrobial resistance in urinary pathogens might have changed the other epidemiologic characteristics of APN. The objective of this study was to describe the current epidemiology of APN in Korea, using the entire population. Methods: From the claims database of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea, the patients with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes N10 (acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis) or N12 (tubulo-interstitial nephritis, neither acute nor chronic) as the primary discharge diagnosis during 2010-2014 were analyzed, with two or more claims during a 14-day period considered as a single episode. Results: The annual incidence rate of APN per 10,000 persons was 39.1 and was on the increase year to year (35.6 in 2010; 36.7 in 2011; 38.9 in 2012; 40.1 in 2013; 43.8 in 2014, P = 0.004). The increasing trend was observed in both inpatients (P = 0.014) and outpatients (P = 0.004); in both men (P = 0.042) and women (P = 0.003); and those aged under 55 years (P = 0.014) and 55 years or higher (P = 0.003). Eleven times more women were diagnosed and treated with APN than men (men vs. women, 6.5 vs. 71.3), and one of every 4.1 patients was hospitalized (inpatients vs. outpatients, 9.6 vs. 29.4). The recurrence rate was 15.8%, and the median duration from a sporadic episode (i.e., no episode in the preceding 12 months) to the first recurrence was 44 days. The recurrence probability increased with the number of previous recurrences. The average medical cost per inpatient episode was USD 1,144, which was 12.9 times higher than that per outpatient episode (USD 89). Conclusion: The epidemiology of APN in Korea has been changing with an increasing incidence rate.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.2067-2070
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• 2013

Background/Aim: Stomach cancer is the second most common cause of death from all malignant tumors in the world (third in men, fifth in women), with a strong decreasing trend in most developed countries. The aim of this descriptive epidemiological study was to analyze mortality of stomach cancer in Serbia, excluding the Province of Kosovo, in the 1991-2009 period. Materials and Methods: In data analysis, we used mortality rates which were standardized directly using those of the world population as a standard. In order to analyze the mortality trend from stomach cancer, linear trend and regression analysis were used. Confidence intervals (CIs) for the average age-adjusted and age-specific mortality rates were assessed with 95% level of probability. Mortality data were derived from the data file of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Results: During the 1991-2009 period, a significant downward trend in mortality of stomach cancer was recorded in Serbia (y=9.78 - 0.13x, p=0.000; average annual percent change was -6.3 (95%CI, -7.8 to - 4.8). During the same period, a significant decrease in mortality trend was found both in male (y=14.13 - 0.20x; p=0.000; % change was -7.7 (95%CI, -10.9 to -4.5) and female populations (y=6.27 - 0.08x; p=0.000; % change was - 4.4 (95%CI, -5.3 to -3.6). Conclusion: Decreasing trends in mortality from stomach cancer in Serbia are similar to those in most developed countries.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10779-10782
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• 2015

Purpose: Analysis of descriptive epidemiological characteristics of pancreatic cancer in Vojvodina, Serbia. Materials and Methods: The study covers population of Vojvodina in the period from 2000 to 2009. The method used for data processing was the descriptive. The data, referring to a specified period of time, were analyzed from chronological and demographic aspects and according to histological diagnosis. Results: In the period from 2000 to 2009, there were 2,108 registered cases of pancreatic cancer of which 1,886 had a fatal outcome. Standardized incidence rates varied between 5.7 and 9.1 per 100,000 population in males and between 4.2 and 5.3 in females. Linear incidence trends in males in the specified period of time, based on crude (r=0.7883, p<0.05) and standardized (r=0,6373, p<0,05) incidence rates, demonstrated increase. Annual percent increase in the crude incidence rate was 4.5% in males, and 2.8% in females. Age-standardized mortality rates varied between 5.2 and 7.5 per 100,000 population in males and 3.6 and 4.7 in females. Linear mortality trends in males in the specified period of time, based on crude (r=0.8795, p<0.05) and standardized (r=0.7669, p<0.05) mortality rates, also demonstrated annual percent increase. Conclusions: Data analysis shows unfavorable onco-epidemiological situation related to pancreatic cancer in Vojvodina, in aspects of both incidence and mortality. Absence of primary and secondary prevention does not allow medical institutions to successfully fight against this disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2369-2378
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• 2012

Objectives: To assess knowledge of HPV and attitudes towards HPV vaccination among the general female population, government officials, and healthcare providers in China to assist the development of an effective national HPV vaccination program. Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiologic survey was conducted across 21 urban and rural sites in China using a short questionnaire. 763 government officials, 760 healthcare providers, and 11,681 women aged 15-59 years were included in the final analysis. Data were analyzed using standard descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: Knowledge of HPV among the general female population was low; only 24% had heard of HPV. Less than 20% of healthcare providers recognized sexually na$\ddot{i}$ve women as the most appropriate population for HPV vaccination. There was high acceptance of the HPV vaccine for all categories of respondents. Only 6% of women were willing to pay more than US $300 for the vaccine. Conclusions: Aggressive education is necessary to increase knowledge of HPV and its vaccine. Further proof of vaccine safety and efficacy and government subsidies combined with increased awareness could facilitate development and implementation of HPV vaccination in China.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1543-1545
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• 2012

Breast cancer accounts for about 26% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women aged 20 to 59 years. As part of a basic program for cancer control, the present cross sectional descriptive study was conducted with the objective of determining the epidemiology of breast cancer in Ardabil province during 2003-2010. Necessary information on 469 recorded cases of breast cancer in the registry were collected by check list from patient's files and then analyzed by statistical methods with SPSS.16 software. Some 455 of the patients (97%) were female, 329 (70.1%) residing in Ardabil. The mean age was $46.8{\pm}13.6$ and most were in the age group of 40 - 60. The most prevalent pathologic form was infiltrative ductal carcinoma with 316 cases (67.4%), the largest proportion being grade II (30.6%), but very many belonged to grades III and IV (40.5%). Breast cancer in Ardabil province appeared to slightly increase over the period studied. The results were similar to other places in Asia. With regard to this, more widespread studies are required to determine factors influencing the prevalence at low age and also how to promote early detection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.4177-4180
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• 2013

Background: The aim of this research was to perform an epidemiologic survey of esophageal cancer in Ardabil province. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 661 patients diagnosed with EC were studied from March 2002 to May 2011 e. The necessary data were collected with a checklist from the documents in Ardabil Cancer Registry (ACR) and analyzed by statistical methods with SPSS.18 software. Results: Of the total new cases of EC registered in ARC during study period, 430 (65.1%) of patients were male with the male to female standard ratio was 1.18, with a statistically significant gender bias. The most common morphology of EC was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 68.8%) followed by adenocarcinoma (28.5%). It was observed that in most of patients, EC lesions were in the middle third of esophagus. In addition, most patients were rural and about 40% had smoking habits. The age-standardized incidence rate of cancers was 48.4 per 100,000 among females and males. The annual incidence rates in males and females was 7.1 and 6.7 per 100,000; respectively. Conclusions: Results showed that the prevalence and annual incidence rate of cancer in Ardabil province is lower than other areas of the country with a male predominance and a relatively high proprortion of adenocarcinomas.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.157-162
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• 2015

The descriptive epidemiological study aimed to analyse the mortality trends from gynaecological cancer in Serbia. Average annual percentage of change (AAPC) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for trend using joinpoint regression analysis. Nearly 25,000 gynaecological cancer deaths occurred in Serbia during the 1991-2010 period, with the average annual age-standardised mortality rate being 17.2 per 100,000 women. Increase of mortality was observed for cancer of the vulva and vagina (AAPC=+1.3%, 95% CI=0.1 to 2.6), ovarian cancer (AAPC=+0.8%, 95% CI=0.4-1.3) and for cervical cancer (AAPC=+0.7%, 95% CI=0.3 to 1.1). Mortality rates for gynaecological cancer overall declined in women aged 30-39 years, but mortality was increased in middle-aged women (for cervical cancer) and in the elderly (for ovarian cancer). Improvements to and implementation of the national cervical cancer screening programme conducted in 2013 and expected to be finalised in the following years throughout Serbia should contribute to improvement.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.7-24
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• 2020

Purpose: Emergency medical service (EMS) personnel are at high risk of spreading infection. In this study, we used the PRECEDE model to identify the knowledge, status, and barriers to infection control among Korean paramedics to provide basic infection control data. Methods: A total of 164 respondents were analyzed for the study. A questionnaire was administered and collected through an online self-response platform. Descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression, and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine infection control practices and associated factors using SAS 9.4. To identify the pathways and direct, indirect, total effects based on the PRECEDE model, we used AMOS 26.0. Results: Highly rated self-efficacy (OR 8.82, 95% CI: 3.23-24.09), awareness (OR 6.05, 95% CI: 2.06-17.72), and enabling factors (OR 3.23, 95% CI: 1.18-8.78) led to superior infection control. As a result of the structural model analysis, the highly rated enabling factors and awareness led to superior practice patterns. Conclusion: Practice is related to self-efficacy, awareness, and enabling factors; however, further research is needed to develop strategies for infection control. In particular, institutional arrangements are needed to improve the enabling factors. Improving infection control performance may lead to better infection control and enhanced protection of EMS personnel and patients against infection risks.