• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.195-199
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• 2005

The Working Group on the revision of Clinical Research Methodology for Acupuncture met in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 24 to 26 August 2005. The main objectives of the meeting were to review the regional publication guidelines for Clinical Research on Acupuncture, to make necessary revisions in the guidelines, to make recommendations on further collaboration and activities in the field of research on acupuncture, and to discuss scientific evidence-based approaches in the clinical research on acupuncture. Fourteen members from the eight Member States, one secretariat staff from the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and ten observers from the Republic of Korea attended the meeting. The members presented their papers to review the current status of clinical research on acupuncture. The drafts of proposed revision to the previous guidelines for clinical research methodology on acupuncture were discussed extensively. The issues covered during the discussion included: the definition of the new terms; reorganization of clinical research design; revision and update of contents (e.g., control group); introduction of Institutional Review Board (IRB) on the section of ethical approval; additional outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), qualitative measures, etc. In the course of these discussions, the working group developed the revised guidelines for clinical research on acupuncture and made recommendations for promoting the dissemination of the revised guidelines.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.25-53
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• 1999

This study was conducted to provide basic data for policy of Oriental medicine by analyzing community residents' consciousness of taking herb medicine and its related factors. Data were collected from 1478 residents from March 2, 1999 to May 31, 1999. The results of this study are summarized as follows. 1. According to general characteristics of the subjects, 52.3% of the subjects was 'female'; 25.0% 'fifties of age'; 21.4% 'forties of age'; 20.9% 'thirties of ages'; 69.1% 'married'; 60.1% 'resident in a big city'; 12.1% 'residents in a small town or village'; 39.0% 'highschool graduate'; 35.9% 'above college graduate'; 23.4% 'housewife'; 23.4% 'professional' 34.1% 'Buddhist'; 81.1% 'middle class'. 2. The rate of experience of taking herb medicine was 85.2%(88.2% of 'male'; 82.5% of 'female'). It appeared to be significantly higher in the groups of 'the married', 'housewife', and 'Buddhist'. As the age increased, so the rate of experience of taking herb medicine was significantly high. 3. In case of purpose of taking herb medicine, taking herb medicine as a restorative(66.8%) was much higher than taking it as a curative medicine. Taking herb medicine as a curative medicine appeared to be significantly higher in the groups of 'male', 'thirties of age', 'resident in a town or village', 'above college graduate', 'professional technician', 'Christian', and 'the upper class'. 4. 52.1% of the respondents satisfied with the effect of herb medicine. The groups of 'male', 'older age', 'residents in a big city', 'insurant in company', and 'the employed' showed significantly high rate in satisfying with herb medicine than the other groups. 5. According to the reason for preferring herb medicine, 36.7% of the respondents preferred herb medicine because the herb medicine was effective, while 27.8% preferred it because its side effect was low. 16.7% preferred it. because persons around them recommended it. The preference for the herb medicine displayed significantly higher rate in the groups 'sixties of age', 'the unmarried', 'resident in a big city', 'office clerk', and 'the lower class'. 6. 42.6% of the respondents did not want to take the herb medicine because the price of the herb medicine was high. Also 20.6% of the respondents did not want to take herb medicine because it is uneasy to take herb medicine. 15.8% did not want to take it because certain foods should not be taken during the period of taking it. 9.4% did not want to take it because it tasted bitter. 7. In case of opinions on side effects of herb medicine, 40.8% of the respondents thinks that herb medicine is free from side effects, while 37.5% thinks that it causes side effects. There were significant difference in the opinions on side effects by sex, age, marital status, resident area, education level, occupation, and type of health insurance. 8. 60.7% of the respondents thinks the price of herb medicine is not resonable, while only 10.9% thinks it is resonable. 9. 14.2% of the respondents thinks health foods which contain herbs are good, while 16.8% thinks it is bad. 76.7% thinks that medicinal herbs in packages must be included in health insurance coverage, while only 3.0% thinks it needs not be included in health insurance coverage. 10. 45.2% of the respondents uses packs of decocted herbs although they think the packs of decocted herb are a little low effective because decocting herbs in home is bothersome. 45.2% uses packs of decocted herbs because they are convenient, being not related to the effect. 7.6% takes medicinal herbs after decocting them in a clay pot because they think the packs of decocted herbs have low effect. 11. According to the level of satisfaction with Oriental medical care, the respondents marked $3.47{\pm}0.64$ points on the base of 5 points. It was significantly higher in the groups of 'male', 'the married, resident in a big city', 'highschool graduate', 'the unemployed', 'office clerk', 'growing up in a big city', 'insurant in region', and 'the middle class'. 12. According to the result of a regression analysis of factors influencing preference for herb medicine, the factors displayed significant difference by sex, age, education level, health status, and times of receiving Oriental medical care. As shown in the above results, the community residents satisfy with the effect of herb medicine. Therefore, the method of taking herb medicine without difficulty must be devised. The medicinal herbs in packages need to be included in health insurance coverage and resonable price of herb medicine must be set. Also, education program for community residents must be developed in order to provide right information in herb medicine. Therefore, related public authority, associations, and professionals must make efforts, forming organic cooperative system.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1998

The result of studying papers about management of lower back pain published in domestic and foreign nursing and medical magazines in these 10 years is as follows ; 1. General characteristic of lower back pain ; 1) In sex distribution, there were more men than women in 5 papers and more women than men in 4 papers among 9 papers surveryed. 2) In age distribution, thirties to forties of patients had more lower back pain as surveyed by general hospitals and fifties to sixties of patients had more lower back pain as surveyed by oriental medical hospitals. 3) In cause factor, there were 50 to 65% of sprain, 32 to 44% of herniated intervertebral disc and 13 to 29% of degenerative changes. 4) In symtom distribution, there were 26 to 57% of lower back pain, 42 to 65% of lower back pain with radiating pain and 34 to 99% of paravertevral muscle spasm. 5) In period of pain management distribution, 18 to 40% of patients experienced pain for less than 6 months and 59 to 82% of them experienced pain for more than 6 months in 3 papers among 4 papers. 6) In surveying the treatment, 66 to 88% of patients had conservative treatment and there were treatments of general hospital, oriental medicine, self remedy and traditional practice in conservative treatment. 7) In job distribution, 12 to 50% of them were housekeepers, 23 to 31% office workers, 4.6 to 36% blue color workers and 11 to 15% students. 2. As psychological character lower back pain paients had anxiety, depression, anger-hostility, phobic anxiety, neurasthenia, hypochondriasis, and interpersonal sensitivity. 3. To distinguish the cause of lower back pain, plain lumbar roentgenogram, straight leg rasing test, eletromyelogic findings, somatosensory evoked potentials CT and MRI were performed. 4. To relieve lower back pain. epidural adhesiolysis, epidulal injection of local anesthetic in mixture with steroid, lumbar spinal root block, low level laser therapy, acupuncture like transcutaneous nerve stimulation(AL TENS), topical capsaicin and lumbar orthotics were used in medical field, and relaxation technique was used in nursing field. 5. Mckenzie's extension exercise and William's flexsion exercise for lower back pain were used in medical field and Yoga exercise was applied in nursing field. 6. The more school education and self efficacy were high, the better they had active coping lower back pain positively and the less self efficacy was the more they had serious pain. As a result of studying the paper there have been very little research for lower back pain in nursing fields of Korea and foreign countries. Because 60 to 80% of population expeience lower back pain at least more than once, it is necessary to develop the study and clinical practice for management of lower back pain.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.623-630
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• 2020

Objective : A primary degenerative sagittal imbalance has been considered because of unique lifestyles such as the prolonged crouched posture during agricultural work and performing activities of daily living on the floor. Previous papers have reported that sagittal imbalance disease is often seen distinctly in the farming districts of "oriental" countries such as Korea and Japan. However, this finding was only evaluated with the use of X-ray, and other factors such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), muscle volume, compression fracture, and laboratory results were not considered. Thus, using these, we evaluate the agricultural work-associated factors for Korean elderly spinal sagittal imbalance. Methods : We recruited 103 Korean participants who had a sagittal vertical axis (SVA) of >5 cm in this Korean Elderly Sagittal Imbalance Cohort Study. The following were evaluated : radiological parameters, MRI, compression fracture, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, C-terminal telopeptide, osteocalcin, bone mineral density and muscle fatty change, muscle volume, and health-related quality of life from patients' survey. Moreover, in this survey, the farmers' annual working hours were investigated. Subsequently, we analyzed the associated factors for spinal sagittal imbalance depending on occupation. Results : A total of 46 participants were farmers, and the others were housewives, sellers, and office workers. The farmer group had more SVA (141 vs. 99 mm, p=0.001) and pelvic tilt (31° vs. 24°, p=0.004) and lesser lumbar lordosis (20° vs. 30°, p=0.009) and thoracic kyphosis (24° vs. 33°, p=0.03) than non-farmer group. A significantly positive correlation was noted between the working hour and SVA in the farmer group (p=0.014). The visual analogue scale score for back pain (8.26 vs. 6.96, p=0.008) and Oswestry Disability Index (23.5 vs. 19.1, p=0.003) in the farmer group were higher than that in the non-farmer group, but the Short Form-36 score was not significantly different between the two groups. The Mini-Mental State Exam score was significantly lower in the farmer group than in the non-farmer group (24.85 vs. 26.98, p=0.002). Conclusion : The farmer group had more sagittal imbalance and back pain in proportion to the working hours even though the muscle and bone factors and general laboratory condition were not significantly different between the two groups. These results supported that the long hours spent in the crouched posture while performing agricultural work were a risk factor for severe sagittal imbalance.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-117
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• 2023

Among the healthcare-related judgments handed down in 2002, there was a significant ruling on the timing of the duty of explanation, stating that, in order to ensure the exercise of the patient's right to self-determination, the patient must be given time to consider and decide on the risks and side effects of a medical procedure in specific circumstances. In addition, in a case where an insurance company claimed unjust enrichment against a medical institution on behalf of its insureds, the court provided a clear standard by distinguishing between active and passive requirements regarding the need to preserve the right of subrogation of creditors. In the area of medical administration, there was a ruling that clarified that a medical institution's business suspension under the National Health Insurance Act is directed against the medical institution, a ruling that broadly recognized causation in a case of compensation for side effects of corona vaccination, and a ruling on the scope of a medical practitioner's license, such as the use of ultrasound devices by an oriental medicine practitioner. In a case involving a patient's claim for eviction from a medical institution, the court reviewed a ruling on just cause for termination of a hospitalization contract in relation to Article 15(1) of the Medical law.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.42-51
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• 2012

Objectives: This study used the basic principle of Oriental medicine, the sovereign, minister, assistant and courier principle (君臣佐使論) to investigate the effects of the component of ONGABO, which is composed of Ginseng Radix (Red Ginseng), Angelica Gigantis Radix, Schisandrae Fructus, Cuscuta Semen and Curcumae tuber on the viability of HepG2 cells. Methods: Single and mixed extracts of the component of ONGABO were prepared by lypohilizing powder of Red Ginseng (6-year root from Kanghwa), Angelica Gigantis Radix, Schisandrae Fructus, Cuscuta Semen, Curcumae Tuber (from Omniherb Co., Ltd., Korea) at the laboratory of herbal medicine in Woosuk University and were eluted after being macerated with 100% ethanol for three days. The cell viability of HepG2 was determined by using an absorptiometric analysis with PrestoBlue (Invitrogen) reagent after the plate had been incubated for 48 hours. All of the experiments were repeated three times to obtain the average value and standard deviation. The statistical analysis was done and the correlation factor was obtained by using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Origin 6.0 software. Results: Although Ginseng Radix (Red Ginseng) and Schisandrae Fructus did not enhance the viability of HepG2 cells, they were shown to provide protection of those cells. On the other hand, Angelica Gigantis Radix decreased the viability of HepG2 cells significantly, Cuscuta Semen and Curcumae Tuber had a small or no effect on the viability of HepG2 cells. Conclusions: In the sovereign, minister, assistant and courier principle (君臣佐使論), Ginseng Radix (Red Ginseng) corresponds to the sovereign component because it provides cell protection effects, Angelica Gigantis Radix corresponds to minister medicinal because it kills cells, Schisandrae Fructus corresponds to the assistant medicinal to help red ginseng having cell protect effects. Cuscuta Semen and Curcumae Tuber correspond to the courier medicinal having no effect in cell viability in HepG2. We hope this study provides motivation for advanced research on the sovereign, minister, assistant and courier principle.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.4 s.63
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• pp.857-874
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to collect the opinions on the present condition and the improvement directions of urban health centers from and to make a comparison. Samples were drawn from the various sources of a district in seoul. 53 persons involved in district health's administration(the Members of a District Parliament, the senior officials of a District office, village chief) and 84 health center workers were surveyed with anonymous postal questionaires and 427 district private medical personnels with postal questionaires and 625 users of a health center with direct questionaires, from November 18 to 25, 1996. Additionally, 12,151 households were surveyed with self-reported questionaires including priorities on special district health services of health center, from September 1 to 7, 1996. The major findings were as follows : 1) Although the persons involved in district health administration tend to put lower priority on health service over other community activities, they well acknowledged the importance of health center. But health center workers strongly acknowledged the importance of both health service and heath center. 2) As to the level of human resoureces, equipments and ammenities of Health Center commpared with private medical institute, the persons involved in district health's administration and health center workers responded that health center was higher in following order : 54.9%, 41.6%, 36.5% and 88.0%, 80.7%, 44.1%. 3) Concerning the priorities of health center's improvement, the persons involved in district health's administration replied in the order of reinforcement of proffesional health workers (43.3%), improvement of equipments and ammenities(28.3%), and the health center workers replied in the order of reconstruction of organization(24.1%), public health education and promotion(22.8%), reinforcement of proffesional health workers(21.0%). 4) Both the persons involved in district health's administration and health center workers replied that Ministry Health and Welfare, District office, health center were essential as the most critical organizations in the activation of Health Center's Function. 5) Persons involved in district health's administration and health center workers chose, as the most important health center's Function, medical treatment and prevention of infectious disease, and prevention of acute and chrone disease control and special district health service, respectively. Both Groups replied that fammily planning and parasite control are no longer in need. 6) As the future health service requiring reinforcement, every human resources parties considered health conselling, health line, sex education as the most imortant elements in public health education. Concerning the reinforement of other health services such as medical checkup and visiting nurses, every human resources parties showed more than 80% approval rate, but for oriental medical care service, the private medical personels showed relatively low approval rate(52.9%). Therefore the planning for reinforcement of health center's function requires the reflection of human resources party's opinion and the implication of system which can control and combine the differences in party's opinions.

• The Journal of Dong Guk Oriental Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-24
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• 2000

The comparison of climate's character of Yunqi(運氣) with the data of meterological observation were made in the research of climate. 1. The comparison of the average velocity of wind, temperature, rainfall, humidity of Seoul, by late 1954 to 1983, with Yunqi(運氣) was made. Fire-Chi(火氣) and moisture-qi(濕氣) were matched with the attribute of Taiyun(大運). Cold-qi(寒氣) was had some relationship. Dry-qi(燥 氣) and Wind-qi(風氣) were not matched. About the relationship of Spirit-of-official-sky(司天之氣) with climate, when the Moisture-soil(濕土) was added, they were matched and when the King-fire(君火) was added, they have some relationship. But Wind-tree(風木), Dry-metal(燥金), Buble-fire(相火), Cold-water(寒水) was added they were not matched. 2. According to the observation data of rainfall by late 180 years of Seoul; about Taiyun(大運), when the Water-Yun(水運) was greatly exceeded and Fire-Yun(火運) was shorted, in the case of Official-sky(司天), when Wind-Tree(風木) was added, the frequency was highly. So when the Soil-Yun(土運) was greatly exceeded and when Official-sky(司天)was added to the Moisture-soil(濕土), the rainfall was not matched. 3. The relationship of the frequency of the abnormal climate occurrences between Yunqi-promotion-weak(運氣盛衰)and Yunqi-Harmony(運氣同化) and Yunqi-soft-attacking(運氣順逆) in the weather of Korean Peninsula was compared by 1564 to 1863. They were not matched except the case of Yunqi-Harmony(運氣同化). 4. There were some cases which were not matched exactly between the climate predicted by the theory and real climate in 1984, the year of Kap-ga(甲子年). But many correspondence between the observation by the office of meteorology and the prediction by the analysis from Yun-qi-sang-hab(運氣相合) theory. 5. Because meterological phenomena of real world and analysis from the hypothesis of Yunqi(運氣) have no relationship with each other, some of Doctor denied Yunqi(運氣) in the way of matching mechanically. But the thought of Doctor who denied Fortune-spirit(運氣) made promotion for the theory of divination by bringing deeper insight. And it was not only the negative side. 6. In the point of geographical difference, the climate of China, the origination Yunqi theory, is different from the Korea's. Thus some observation errors should be considered. From the basis of this thesis, I hope that the deeper advance would be made into the Korean Yunqi theory.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.111-117
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• 2011

Objectives: This study measured the impact of shifts in maternal age and parity on the increase in the low birth weight (LBW) rate in Korea. Methods: We obtained raw data for all 6 397 945 live births registered at the Korea National Statistical Office between 1995 and 2005. We calculated the proportion of increment in the LBW rate due to changes in the distribution of maternal age and parity (AP-dis) and the proportion due to changes in the age- and parity-specific LBW rate (AP-spe). Results: The LBW rate increased from 3.02% in 1995 to 4.28% in 2005. The multiple birth rate increased from 1.32% to 2.19% during the same period. Of the 1.26% points increment in the LBW rate, 0.64% points occurred among singleton births and 0.62% points occurred among multiple births. Changes in the AP-dis accounted for 50% of the increase in the LBW rate among singleton births, but did not contribute to the increase in the LBW rate among multiple births. The remainder of the total increment in the LBW rate was explained by the increase in the AP-spe. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that shifts in maternal age and parity among singleton births and increased multiple births were important contributors to the increment in the LBW rate. This study also revealed that the increase in the AP-spe was an equally important contributor as the shifts in maternal age and parity to the increment in the LBW rate among singleton births and was a major contributor among multiple births.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.11-18
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• 2009

Objectives : This study identified the effects of the acupuncture associated with successful cessation at a smoking-cessation clinic of public health center in an urban area. Methods : The subjects of this study were 1121 patients to the smoking cessation clinic of the Anjung Public Healthcare Center in Pyeongtaek, from June 1, 2007 to December 31, 2008. The 123 patients of them were treated by the auricular acupuncture. The experimental group were treated by the acupuncture, and the control only participated in the smoking-cessation clinic program. The data were analysed by SPSS(version 17.0). Chi-square analysis were conducted to see the different of effects between experimental and control group. Also, to find out the factors that affect the success of smoking cessation, logistic regression and Fisher's exact test were done. Results & Conculusions : 1. As the result of the analysis, it showed that 73.2% of the experimental were able to quit smoking for 4 weeks and 6months. 2. Logistic regression and Fisher's exact test showed that number of Cigarette per day, Nicotine Dependence, CO figure(p=.004<.01), and Number of Acupuncture(p=.000<.001) were the factors that affect the successful smoking cessation. 3. The smoking cessation were more likely to success as patients have lower CO figure(B=-.074), more number of the acupuncture(B=1.718). The more number of acupuncture increased 1 time, the more smoking cessation success did 5.576 times(e$^{(1.718{\times}x)$=e$^{(1.718{\times}1)$ = 5.576). 4. As the result of the analysis between experimental and control group, the success rate have the significance difference(p=.000<.001). 73.2% of the experimental were able to quit smoking, but 45.1% of the control did.