• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2001

Objective : To develop a boner understanding of the relationship between weight status and the prevalence of obesity related diseases in the Korean population. Methods : The 1998 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey was used and 10,880 persons who had previously taken health examinations were selected for study. The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity's classification of weight status was used. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, chronic heart disease, stroke were included as obesity related disease. A logistic regression model was developed to estimate the prevalence odds ratio by obesity class adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic factors and we converted the odds ratio to a prevalence ratio using the base line prevalence of disease to aid in the interpretation of the ratios. Results : The prevalence of obesity was 26.3% based on the KSSO classification $(BMI\geq25)$. A graded increase in the prevalence ratio was observed with increasing severity of overweight and obesity for all health outcomes with the exception of chronic heart disease in men and stroke in both men and women. With normal weight individuals as the reference, for men who were younger than 50 years, the prevalence ratios were highest for hypertension BMI<23-25: 1.70(95% CI=1.41-2.05), 25$BMI\geq30$: 4.83(95% CI=3.70-5.84). The prevalence ratios for dyslipidemia were as high as hypertension, but were lower than hypertension for diabetes mellitus and osteoarthritis. Prevalence ratios generally were greater in younger adults. The prevalence of having 2 or more obesity related diseases increased with weight status category, except in people who were older than 50 years. Conclusions : Based on results, obesity is an increasingly important health problem in Korea and the disease burden increases according to weight status. For Korean adults, the strongest relationship was seen between weight status and hypertension and dyslipidemia. In older people the impact of excess weight and obesity is stronger than that seen in younger people. Increased efforts in the study of obesity and prevention and treatment of obesity and obesity related disease are required.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.1011-1014
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• 2012

Objective: The possibility that smoking prevalence among junior and senior high school students may decrease with increasing mobile phone bill was reported by the mass media in Japan. We conducted a nationwide survey on adolescent smoking and mobile phone use in Japan in order to assess the hypothesis that mobile phone use has replaced smoking. Methods: A total of 70 junior high schools (response rate; 71%), and 69 high schools (90%) from all over Japan responded to 2005 survey. Students in the responding schools were asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire about smoking behavior, mobile phone bill, and pocket money. Questionnaires were collected from 32,615 junior high school students and 48,707 senior high school students. Results: The smoking prevalence of students with high mobile phone bill was more likely to be high, and that of students who used mobile phones costing 10,000 yen and over per month was especially high. When "quitters" were defined as students who had tried smoking but were not smoking at the time of survey, the proportion of quitters decreased as the mobile phone bill increased. The proportion of students who had smoking friends increased with the increase in the mobile phone bill per month. Conclusion: The hypothesis that the decrease in smoking prevalence among Japanese adolescents that has been observed in recent years is due to a mobile phone use can be rejected.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2018

Intestinal parasitic infections remain a major public health problem in many parts of Thailand, particularly in rural areas. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections and associated risk factors among the people living in Huai Sai sub-district, Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao Province, central Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from June 2017 to August 2017 which included a total of 224 participants. Stool samples were examined using a simple direct smear and formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique. Association between risk factors and intestinal parasitic infections was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 16.1%. Soil-transmitted helminth infections (14.3%) were more common than protozoan infections (1.8%). The most common intestinal parasites were hookworms (6.7%) followed by Strongyloides stercoralis, (5.0%), Ascaris lumbricoides (1.3%) and Trichuris trichiura (1.3%). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (1.0%), Giardia intestinalis (0.4%), and Blastocystis hominis (0.4%) were the protozoans identified. A high prevalence of infections was found in male participants of ${\geq}40years$ who raised dogs in the households and did not wear boots while working fields. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association of intestinal parasitic infections with gender with the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.4 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.1-5.2 (P=0.020). The results showed a high prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infections among adults in rural communities which were particularly apparent regarding the skin-penetrating species of nematodes. A greater focus on intervention is required by improving sanitation and personal hygiene to prevent the spread of intestinal parasitic infections.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.465-471
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• 2010

This study aims to investigate the relationship between air pollution exposure and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in a young population in the Ulsan metropolitan region (UMR). Data on physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (past 12 months) in 1,449 infants and children aged 1-18 years who lived within 1.5 or 2 km of air quality monitoring sites were collected in a cross-sectional health interview survey conducted between January-February 2006 in the UMR. Comparisons of the spatial distribution of the prevalence rates for allergic rhinitis and annual average pollutant concentrations over the region showed that a relatively high prevalence rate occurred around the coastal industrial area, with high PM10 concentrations. A linear correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation relationship between them (R = 0.680, p = 0.04). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the combined effect of the PM10 and $SO_2$ variables accounts for approximately 81% of the variance (R-square: 0.81) in the prevalence rate. From the multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment by age, sex, and air-pollutant factors, the PM10 and $SO_2$ which were mainly from industrialrelated emissions were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of allergic rhinitis (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.15-2.70 for PM10 ; aOR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.12-2.35 for SO2).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.723-730
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• 2015

Background: This study was performed to assess patient symptoms prevalence, frequency and severity, as well as distress and coping strategies used, and to identify the relationships between coping strategies and psychological and physical symptoms distress and demographic data of cancer patients. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved a total of 268 cancer patients with various types of cancer and chemotherapy identified in the oncology unit of an urban tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: Data were collected using questionnaires (demographic questionnaire, Medical characteristics, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) and Brief COPE scales and analyzed for demographic, and disease-related variable effects on symptom prevalence, severity, distress and coping strategies. Results: Symptom prevalence was relatively high and ranged from 14.9% for swelling of arms and legs to 88.1% for lack of energy. This latter was the highest rated symptom in the study. The level of distress was found to be low in three domains. Problem-focused coping strategies were found to be more commonly employed compared to emotion-focused strategies, demonstrating significant associations with sex, age group, educational levels and race. However, there was a positive correlation between emotion-focused strategies and physical and psychological distress, indicating that patients would choose emotion-focused strategies when symptom distress increased. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that high symptom prevalence rates and coping strategies used render an improvement in current nursing management. Therefore development of symptoms management groups, encouraging the use of self-care diaries and enhancing the quality of psychooncology services provided are to be recommended.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6175-6179
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• 2012

Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are still important to the health of Thai rural residents. IPIs are the cause of many chronic diseases with, for example, opisthorchiasis resulting in progression to cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). This cross-sectional study in a prospective cohort study aimed to examine the prevalence and co-infection of intestinal parasites among Northeastern Thai rural residents, recruited into the Khon Kaen Cohort Study (KKCS), and who were residing in areas of high-risk for developing CCA. On recruitment, subjects had completed questionnaires and provided fecal samples for IPI testing using the formalin ethyl acetate concentration technique. Data on selected general characteristics and the results of the fecal tests were analysed. IPI test results were available for 18,900 of cohort subjects, and 38.50% were found to be positive for one or more types of intestinal parasite. The prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini (O. viverrini) infection was the highest (45.7%), followed by intestinal flukes (31.9%), intestinal nematodes (17.7%), intestinal protozoa (3.02%), and intestinal cestodes (1.69%). The pattern of different infections was similar in all age groups. According to a mapping analysis, a higher CCA burden was correlated with a higher prevalence of O. viverrini and intestinal flukes and a greater intensity of O. viverrini. Both prevention and control programs against liver fluke and other intestinal parasites are needed and should be delivered simultaneously. We can anticipate that the design of future control and prevention programmes will accommodate a more community-orientated and participatory approach.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.189-230
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• 2020

The metabolic syndrome, by definition, is not a disease but is a clustering of individual metabolic risk factors including abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These risk factors could dramatically increase the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The reported prevalence of the metabolic syndrome varies, greatly depending on the definition used, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and the ethnic background of study cohorts. Clinical and epidemiological studies have clearly demonstrated that the metabolic syndrome starts with central obesity. Because the prevalence of obesity has doubly increased worldwide over the past 30 years, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome has markedly boosted in parallel. Therefore, obesity has been recognized as the leading cause for the metabolic syndrome since it is strongly associated with all metabolic risk factors. High prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is not unique to the USA and Europe and it is also increasing in most Asian countries. Insulin resistance has elucidated most, if not all, of the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome because it contributes to hyperglycemia. Furthermore, a major contributor to the development of insulin resistance is an overabundance of circulating fatty acids. Plasma fatty acids are derived mainly from the triglycerides stored in adipose tissues, which are released through the action of the cyclic AMP-dependent enzyme, hormone sensitive lipase. This review summarizes the latest concepts in the definition, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome, as well as its preventive measures and therapeutic strategies in children and adolescents.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.396-402
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• 2010

Objectives: Self-reported anthropometric values, such as height and weight, are used to calculate body mass index (BMI) and assess the prevalence of obesity among adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of selfreported height, weight, and BMI of the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey questionnaire. Methods: A convenience sample of 137 middle school students and 242 high school students completed a selfadministered questionnaire in 2008. Body height and weight were directly measured after self-reported values were obtained from the questionnaire survey. Sensitivity, specificity, and kappa statistics were computed in order to evaluate the validity of the prevalence of obesity (BMI $\geq$ 95th percentile or $\geq$ $25;kg/$m^2$) based on self-reported data. Results: Self-reported weight and BMI tended to be underestimated. Self-reported height tended to be overestimated among middle school females and high school males. Obese adolescents tended to underestimate their weight and BMI and overestimate their height more than non-obese adolescents. The prevalence estimate of obesity based on selfreported data (10.6%) was lower than that based on directly measured data (15.3%). The estimated sensitivity of obesity based on self-reported data was 69.0% and the specificity was 100.0%. The value of kappa was 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.70 - 0.88). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that self-reported height and weight may lead to the underestimation of BMI and consequently the prevalence of obesity. These biases should be taken into account when self-reported data are used for monitoring the prevalence and trends of obesity among adolescents nationwide.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.389-395
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• 2011

The aims of this study were to assess the lung lesions and to compare gross observations with histopathological findings in the lungs of slaughter pigs. During August of 2010 through July of 2011, the 1,200 lung samples were randomly collected from slaughtered pigs in Korea. We examined prevalence of lung lesions and classified the lung lesion according to the severity of lung lesions. For the comparison of gross lesions with histopathological findings, BALT hyperplasia was also examined. Among the tested samples, 1,100 (91.7%) had pneumonic lung lesions. In the seasonal prevalence of pneumonic lung lesions, spring was the highest followed by winter, summer and autumn, respectively. The mean pneumonic score ($mean{\pm}SD$) was $21.37{\pm}17.87$ and the highest gross lesion according to stages was 11~20% (27.2%, 326/1,200). The prevalence of pleuritis was 7.0% and the highest prevalence was determined in summer. In severity, the lungs collected in this study were frequently in chronic stage (36.4%, 437/1,200), and it was shown that BALT hyperplasia was more extensive in chronic lesion. In this study, the prevalence of pneumonic lung lesions showed a high side and appeared particularly high in the spring. Severity of lung lesion was the most prevalent chronic lesions which were consistent with histopathologic findings.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.216-224
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• 2023

In several schistosomiasis-endemic countries, the prevalence has remained high in some areas owing to reinfection despite repeated mass drug administration (MDA) interventions; these areas are referred to as persistent hot spots. Identifying hotspots is critical for interrupting transmission. This study aimed to determine an effective means of identifying persistent hot spots. First, we investigated the differences between Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni prevalence among school-aged children (SAC) estimated by a community-based survey, for which local key informants purposively selected communities, and a randomly sampled school-based survey. A total of 6,225 individuals residing in 60 villages in 8 districts of North Kordofan, Blue Nile, or Sennar States, Sudan participated in a community-based survey in March 2018. Additionally, the data of 3,959 students attending 71 schools in the same 8 districts were extracted from a nationwide school-based survey conducted in January 2017. The community-based survey identified 3 districts wherein the prevalence of S. haematobium or S. mansoni infection among SAC was significantly higher than that determined by the randomly sampled school survey (e.g., S. haematobium in the Sennar district: 10.8% vs. 1.1%, P<0.001). At the state level, the prevalence of schistosomiasis among SAC, as determined by the community-based survey, was consistently significantly higher than that determined by the school-based survey. Purposeful selection of villages or schools based on a history of MDA, latrine coverage, open defecation, and the prevalence of bloody urine improved the ability for identifying persistent hot spots.