• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 1998

To study the incidence and epidemiological factors of uterine cervical cancer in medical underserved area females, the questionnaire survey and Pap. smear for uterine cervical cancer was done on total 330 women who lived in Ullungdo from 5th to 12th August, 1998. The results were summarized as follows： The age distribution of subjects was 50s (24.5%), 60s (24.5%) and their educational level was “no schooling” (14.2%) and “elementary school” (42.7%). The first coital age of subjects was 19∼21yrs (30.0%), 16∼18yrs (13.9%) and the first pregnancy age was 22∼24yrs (36.7%) and 19∼21yrs (30.0%). The frequency of total pregnancy of subjects was over 5 times (52.1%). The frequency of total delivery was “3∼4 times” (35.5％) and “5∼6 times” (15.2％). 68.8% of subjects had experience of abortion and 80.0% of their husband were on the phimosis. 172 (52.1%) subjects had gynecological symptoms, their symptoms were leukorrhea (48.3%), pruritus (21.5%) and leukorrhea with pruritus (20.3%). 63.9% of total subjects have been received Pap. smear and the frequency of their Pap. smear was “only 1 time” (44.1 ％), “irregularly” (30.3%) and the reason of respondents who have not been received Pap. smea. was “no specific symptom” (51.3%). Among the 330 women screened there were negative (45.8%), inflammation (47.3%), trichomoniasis and candidiasis (1.8%), atypical cells (4.5%) and dysplasia (0.6%).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.518-522
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of enuresis in association with voiding habits and socioeconomic status in elementary school children. Methods : A dynamic survey was done of 1,514 students from two elementary schools in Suwon, Korea in December 2006. Data regarding gender, age, height and weight, voiding habits, and monthly family incomes were gathered and analyzed to discover any correlation with the incidence of enuresis. The percentile value of height or weight was extrapolated from the standard population curve. Results : Among 1,514 children, 1,063 (70.2%) answered and returned the questionnaires. Overall, the prevalence of enuresis was 8.7% and there was no difference between the public (8.8%) and private school (8.7%). The family incomes of the students from the two schools differed greatly from each other, but there was no difference in the prevalence of enuresis between the two schools. Children with a habit of void-holding showed a higher prevalence of enuresis. No significant correlation was found between the prevalence of enuresis and the height and weight percentile of children. Experience with hospital visits was low among enuretic children (20.8%), suggesting that Korean parents tend to neglect treatment of enuresis for their children. The prevalence of enuresis decreased by 2.0% each year, as school children aged. Conclusion : The overall prevalence of enuresis among elementary school children in Suwon district was 8.7%. The 12.1% prevalence of enuresis at the seven years came down gradually, to be nil at the age of 13. Infrequent urination or void-holding was assumed to be one of the important factors causing enuresis in elementary school children.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2003

Objectives : Impaired hearing is a prevalent occupational hazard, not only in industry, but also in the armed forces. In military life, noise has unusual characteristics, and constitutes a serious hazard to hearing. The aim of this study was to analyze the hearing threshold data in order to compare the hearing loss among shipyard workers, representing different workers, and a military service background. Methods : A cross-sectional audiological survey, combined with a questionnaire study, was conducted on a stratified random sample of 440 shipyard workers, with long-term exposure to noise. The employees were divided into four groups, according to their working and military service backgrounds, in relation to their exposure to noise. Results : As expected, the working and military noise exposure group (Group I) had significantly poorer hearing than the other groups. The high frequencies (2-8 kHz) showed the greatest difference in terms of poorer fearing in both ears. The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was highest in Group I. A logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the dependence of the NIHL in relation to age, smoking, drinking, working duration, ear protection, past history of ear diseases, and working and military sonics backgrounds, on the noise exposure The important factors found to be related to the NIHL, in relation to noise exposure were: age, work duration, and working and military service backgrounds. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for NIML in the right ear were 4.5 times greater (95% CI 1.7-11.6) for the military noise exposed group, and 7.9 times greater (95% CI 2.0-31.3) for the working noise exposed group than in the controls. The hearing thresholds at the pure-tone average and 4 kHz were significantly increased with age and work duration with both the working and military service backgrounds. Conclusions : From these results, specific preventive programs were planned, which should be assessed by epidemiological surveillance of the military noise exposed population.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 1982

Since bovine lymphosarcoma causes considerable economic loss to the dairy industry, seroepidemiological survey on bovine leucosis virus (BLV) was carried out for the dairy herds throughout the country to observe the epidemiological situation of the disease by using immunodiffusion test. Attempts were simultaneously made to detect bovine leucosis virus in the lymphocytes from BLV antibody-positive cattle by means of fluorescent antibody techniques, syncytium assay and electron microscopy. In immunodiffusion test for BLV antibody in 2003 heads of dairy cattle selected randomly from 164 herds, the prevalence of positive reactors by regions were 37.8% in Central, 27.2% in Honam (Southwest), 28.0% in Youngnam (Southeast) and 25.2% in Youngdong (East coast)and averaging 29.7%. By provinces, Chungcheong appeared the highest prevalence of BLV antibody carriers (41.8%), while Jeonbug revealed the lowest incidence rate (24.4%). When the results of serological studies were analyzed by age groups and the sizes of herds, the number of reactors increased gradually with the advance in the age of cattle and the herd size. The highest rate of BLV carriers was found in the ages between 6 and 8 years, and in the size of herds with 20 to 50 heads. One hundred and seventeen breeding bulls from the central regions were tested for BLV antibody. Four out of 70 bulls (5.7%) of Korean cattle and 14 out of 39 bulls (35.9%) of Holstein were reactive for BLV antigens. Of 164 dairy herds examined, 17 herds (10.4%) have no BLV antibody-positive cattle, while 42 herds (25.6%) were included in the range of 20 to 40% of the positive rate and 10 herds (6.1%) in the range of over 80% of the rate. When the lymphocytes from the BLV antibody carrying cattle were cultured in the presence of phytohemagglutinin and stained with FITC-conjugated sheep anti-BLV serum, 8 out of 11 cases (72.7%) of BLV positive cattle revealed specific fluorescence for BLV in the lymphocytes. In syncytium assay of the peripheral lymphocytes of the cattle, 5 out of 7 (71.4%) lymphocytes from BLV antibody carriers induced syncytia in the indicators of bovine embryonic splenic cells. The cultured lymphocytes were examined with an electron microscope to detect the BLV particles. Two out of 6 specimens (33.3%) from the reactors showed the typical type C virus with the size of 90 to 110 nm around microvilli and in intracytoplasmic vacuoles.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.66-76
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• 1997

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyse sleep habits and sleep disorders in the elderly population ased 65-84 years. Methods : Epidemiological survey was performed at home by means of semi structured interviews in the city of Pusan, Korea. Subjects were randomly selected. The questionnaire consisted of 128 items including demographic findings, sleep habits, sleep disorders, somatic illnesses, and psychological distresses. Results : (1) The mean retiring time was 10.28 h (SD 1.30 h) and the mean wake-up time was 5.24 h (SD 1.33 h). The mean duration of sleep was 5.63 h (SD 1.80 h). The mean sleep onset time was 44.51 min. The mean frequency of daytime napping was 2.49 (SD 3.23). The subjects reported they woke up an average of 2.05 (SD 1.59) times per night. All of the above results were not related to age or gender. However, the mean frequency of difficulty in initiating/maintaining sleep was 2.2 times for men and 3.2 times for women (p<0.05). (2) The prevalence of insomnia was 57.7% and was not related to age or gender. Difficulty in initiating sleep was the most commonly reported insomnia complaint(52.4%). Early morning awakening was reported by 50.0% of patients and difficulty in maintaining sleep was reported by 45.1% of them. Worrying in bed and physical pain were strong contributing factor to insomnia. Conclusions : The results of our study showed several characteristics of sleep habits in the elderly. Sleep disorder in old age is not inevitable or trivial. Since sleep disturbance in older adults is common and distressing, it has implications for general health and well-being. Active concern and therapeutic intervention for the sleep habits and sleep disorders in the elderly are needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1976

This study was conducted in order to observe some descriptive epidemiological findings and causes of life-long labour force loss in the rural population of Korea, and to consider, on the basis of these observations, some principles of the necessary control measures. The total number of subjects in the study was 27,172, all family members of 4,174 households. The study population was located in the 81 counties, out of a total of 138 counties, where the college students conducted service activities during the summer of 1974. In each village area where these service activities were conducted, one household per student interviewer was randomly selected. Student interviewers were instructed on the contents of the questionnaire prior to the survey. The main contents of the questionnaire form included address, name, sex and age of each family members, and present life-long labour force loss, if any, of each family member. In cases of current labour force loss, the age of onset and causes were recorded. Of the total households surveyed, 8.9% had family members (1-4 in number) with life-long labour force loss. Of the total persons surveyed, the crude prevalence rate for life-long labour force loss was 15.1 per 1,000; and the age-standardized prevalence rates for male and female were 16.3 per 1,000 and 13.4 per 1,000, respectively. The rates, in both sexes, were gradually increased as the ages were increased. The prevalence rates per 1,000, in order, for life-long labour force loss by the causes were 10.2 for senility, 2.4 for impairment of extremities, 1.2 for chronic diseases of internal organs, 0.5 for other conditions of muosculoskeletal system, 0.4 for blindness in both eyes, 0.2 for impairment of spine, 0.2 for psychoses, and 0.1 for epilepsy. Among them the causes of impairment of extremities were stroke, poliomyelitis, accidents, arthritis and injury due to war operation, in that order of higher relative frequency. The frequency ratios by age of onset were also observed by the causes and sex.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.264-271
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• 2020

We have developed a simultaneous diagnostic method that can identify both the species of thrips and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) that are problematic in chrysanthemum plants. This is a method of amplifying DNA by performing reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction by simultaneously adding primers specific to TSWV coat protein (N) gene and primers specific to the internal transcribed spacer 2 region of Frankliniella occidentalis and F. intonsa using total nucleic acid extracted from one thrips. The sizes of DNA fragments for TSWV, F. occidentalis, and F. intonsa were 777, 287, and 367 bp, respectively. These results showed species identification of thrips and whether thrips carrying TSWV can be simultaneously confirmed. Further usefulness of the simultaneous diagnostic method was made from greenhouse survey at chrysanthemum greenhouses in Taean (Chungcheongnam-do) and Changwon (Gyeongsangnam-do) to investigate the identification of thrips species and the rate of thrips carrying TSWV. Of thrips collected from the greenhouses, 83.7% thrips was F. occidentalis and 72.9% F. occidentalis carried TSWV in Taean. Similarly, the diagnostic method showed that 92.2% thrips was F. occidentalis and 84.0% F. occidentalis carried TSWV in Changwon. These results confirm that F. occidentalis is a dominant thrips species and the thrips species plays a crucial role in the transmission of TSWV in chrysanthemum plants in the greenhouses. Taken together, this study showed a simple diagnostic method for thrips identification and epidemiological studies of the timing and spread of TSWV through thrips in chrysanthemum greenhouses in South Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.48-59
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• 1999

Objectives. This study was conducted to evaluate the association between upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment(RULA) in vehicle assembly line workers. The goal of this study is to show the feasibility of RULA as a checklist for work related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMSDs) in Korean workers. Methods. The total number of 199 people from the department of assembly and 115 people from the department of Quality Control(QC) in automotive plant were subjects for this cross sectional study. A standard symptom questionnaire survey has been used for the individual characteristics, work history, musculosketal symptoms and non-occupational covariates. The data were obtained by applying one-on-one interview for the all subjects. RULA has been applied for ergonomic work posture analysis and the primary ergonomic risk sure was computed by RULA method. Association between upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and RULA were assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results. A total of 314 workers was examined. The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms by NIOSH case definition was 62.4%. The distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms by the part of the body turned out to be following; back:41.4%, neck: 32.8%, shoulder: 26.4%, arm: 10.5% and hand:29.3%. The relationship of the individual RULA scores were statistically significant for the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. As the result of the multiple logistic regressioin analysis, grand final score (OR=2.250 95% CI: 1.402-3.612) was associated with musculoskeletal symptoms in any part of the body.; upper arm score(OR=1.786 95% CI: 1.036-3.079) and posture score A(OR=1.634 95% CI: 1.016-2.626) in neck; muscel use score(OR=3.076 95% CI:1.782-5.310) and posture score A(OR=1.798 95% CI: 1.072-3.017) in shoulder; upper arm score(OR=1.715 95% CI: 1.083-2.715) and muscel use score(OR=2.057 95% CI:1.303-3.248) in neck & shoulder; muscle use score(OR=10.662 95% CI: 3.180-35.742) in arm; writst/wist score(OR=2.068 95% CI: 1.130-3.786) and muscle use score(OR=2.215 95% CI: 1.284-3.819) in hand & wrist.; muscle use score of trunk (OR=2.601 95% CI: 1.147-5.901) in back. Conclusions. Musculoskeletal symptoms of the extremities were strongly associated with individual RULA body score. These results show that RULA can be used as a useful assessment tool for the evaluation of musculoskeletal loading which is known to contribute to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. RULA also can be used as a screening tool or incorporated into a wider ergonomic assessment of epidemiological, physical, mental, environmental and organizational factors. As shown in this study, complement of the analysis system for the other risk factors and characterizing between the upper limb and back part will be needed for future work.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.2 s.57
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• pp.381-391
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• 1997

In an epidemiological study of metal workers exposed to metalworking fluids (MWF), the prevalence time of Evolution, seasonal occurrence and clinical type of contact dermatitis were investigated. Compostional analysis of MWF with HPLC, dermatological examination and two consecutive questionnaire surveys were conducted. Study population was divided into two groups ; workers contact to cutting oil and workers contact to rust preventive oil. In the analysis of MWF, aliphatic hydrocarbons, having 12-20 carbons, was most common composition(49.04%) of cutting oil otherwise, major contents (90.99%) of the rust preventives oil were aliphatic hydrocarbons composed of 6-9 carbons. The frequency (point prevalence) of contact dermatitis(CD) was 7(12.7 per 100 subjects) in the dermatological examination of 55 workers. As the result of second survey for contact dermatitis, cumulative prevalence of oil working full-time and recent 1 year prevalence in two groups were 28.0, 16.7 and 15.1, 12.5 per 100 subjects. There were no difference in the prevalence of CD by oil, age, oil contact duration. Summer is the most common evolution season in workers exposed to cutting oil, but not in workers exposed to rust preventive oil. Major clinical type of CD was erythematous papules in both groups. It presents the importance of preventive measures that 51.1% suffer from contact dermatitis had medical care at their own expense, and 47.1% of them felt serious about their contact dermatitis. From the fact that 68.6% think cotton gloves protective apparatus, we emphasize the need for health education.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.175-192
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• 1989

A total of 9, 012 cases was submitted for diagnosis of chicken diseases to Veterinary Research Institute, Rural Development Administration from domestic chicken farms during 18 years from 1971 to 1988. Of them, 6, 181 cases diagnosed as the infectious disease were investigated for the detection rate of infections on basis of you, season , and chicken age. The results obtained were summarized as followings：1. Detection rate or the infections was lowest as 49.3% in the year 1973, and highest as 78.6% in 1985 (average 68.6%). 2. Of infections detected, bacterial diseases were most frequent (32.6%), and followed in order by viral (26.3%), parasitic (7.7%), and fungal diseases (2.1%) in geneal. 3. The most frequently detected bacterial diseases in order of prevalence were mycoplasmosis (8.8%), colibacillosis (8.5%), and staphylococcosis (5.8%), and followed by salmonellosis pullorum disease , yolk sac disease, and salpingitis (0.8-1.5%). 4. In viral diseases, 7.5% of infections detected was lymphoid leukosis and 7.2%-Marek's disease, 4.4%-Newcastle disease, 2.0%-infectious laryngotracheitis, 1.7%-infectious bursal disease, and 1.0%-avian encephalomyelitis, while detection rate of infectious bronchitis, egg drop syndrome '76, and inclusion body hepatitis was less than 1.0%, respectively. 5. The most prevalent parasitic disease was coccidiosis (4.5%), followed by ascariasis (1.4%). The detection rate of other parasitic diseases including leucocytozoonosis, black head , heterakiasis, and ectoparasitosis was very as 0.2-0.7%, respectively： In fungal diseases, 2.0% of infections was detected as aspergillosis, and followed by candidiasis (0.1%). 6. Detection rate of the infections on basis of season was somewhat higher in summer. (27.7%), and autumn (27.7%) than in winter (23.5%), and spring (21.5%) in general. In bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases, there were the similar tendencies of detection rate as in infections, while parasitic diseases were much highly detected in summer (34.3%), and autumn (39.5%) than in any other season. 7. Among bacterial diseases colibacillosis was most frequently detected in summer, and staphylococcosis in autumn. In detection rate of viral diseases, Marek's disease, infectious laryngotracheitis, and infectious bursal disease was highest in summer, lymphold leukosis, fowl pox and egg drop syndrome '76 in autumn, and infectious trachitis in winter, repectively. The majority of important parasitic diseases including coccidiosis were highly detected in summer and autumn. 8. On basis of chicken age, detection rate of infections were highest in chicken of growing period between 30 and 150 days of age (41.4%), and followed by 35.3% in laying chicken over 150 days of age, and 17.3% in chicken of brooding age under 30 days of age. Bacterial, and parasitic diseases were most frequently detected in chicken of growing period, viral diseases in chicken of growing, and laying period as nearly equal rate of detection, and fungal diseases in chicken of brooding age.