• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.268-278
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to establish a control group based on the big data from National Health Insurance Service. We also presented presented the number of incidences for each cancer, and analyzed the cancer incidence rate among Korean workers. Methods: The cohort definition was separated by 'baseline cohort', 'dynamic cohort', and 'fixed- industry cohort' according to the definition. Cancer incidence was calculated based on the Korean Standard Classification of Disease code. Incidence rate was calculated among the group of all workers and public officials. Based on the study subjects and each cohort definition, the number of observations, incidences, and the incidence rate according to sex and age groups was calculated. The incidence rate was estimated based on the incidence per 100,000 person-year, and 95% confidence intervals calculated according to the Poisson distribution. Results: The result shows that the number of cancer cases in the all-worker group decreases after the age of 55, but the incidence rate tends to increase, which is attributed to the retirement of workers over 55 years old. Despite the specific characteristics of the workers, the trend and figures of cancer incidence revealed in this study are similar to those reported in previous studies of the overall South Korean population. When comparing the incidence rates of all workers and the control group of public officials, the incidence rate of public officials is generally observed to be higher in the age group under the age of 55. On the other hand, for workers aged 60 or older, the incidence rates were 1,065.4 per 100,000 person-year for all workers and 1,023.7 per 100,000 person-year for civil servants. Conclusions: This study analyzed through health insurance data including all workers in Korea, and analyzed the incidence of cancer of workers by sex and age. In addition, further in-depth researches are needed to determine the incidence of cancer by industry.

• Journal of Appropriate Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.163-173
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• 2020

For the successful execution of an ODA project, it is necessary to know what areas are weak and necessary to the country of demand exactly. The health sector is also a top priority in most of developing countries. This study was carried out to introduce non-communicable disease (NCD) in Fiji for ODA projects planning. The major causes of death in Fiji in 2016 are diabetes, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, lower respiratory infect, asthma in ranking. The major causes of death in Korea in same year are cancer, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, pneumonia, suicide, diabetes in the order of ranking. The chronic disease as non-communicable disease (NCD) has been increasing continuously due to changes in lifestyle and consumption patterns and population aging in prevalence rate. This global trend is also apparent in Fiji and Korea, reflected in increasing mortality and personal costs for the treatment and management of NCD. The need for a sustained comprehensive treatment tailored for individual patients has suggested from many studies and the development of a systematic program to manage NCD patients to provide such care have been recommended. The Fiji government developed Non-communicable Diseases Strategic Plan 2015-2019 and has tried to reduce the prevalence rate of non-communicable diseases by factors. The WHO global action plan guiding national-level NCD policies requires an NCD prevention and control model at the community level, presenting strategic goals and detailed options for the introduction and application of the approach to communities. It is necessary to develop an NCD prevention and control model, consisting of a strategy of community intervention, education for students and NCD patients, and the legal enactment of NCD that adequately meets the needs of community members.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate pediatric emergency department visits patterns and characteristics of children and adolescents under the age of 20 in South Korea from 2002 to 2015 due to dental conditions. This study used a stratified sample of approximately 1 million people from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Database. The age, region, household income, and treatment cost were included for the patient characteristic analysis. Pediatric patients were compared to the adult group (over 20 years old). In children and adolescents, the rate of emergency department visits due to dental conditions was higher for traumatic conditions than for non-traumatic conditions. Children and adolescents with higher household income visited the emergency department more often than those with lower household income. The region with the highest number of children and adolescents visiting the emergency department for dental conditions was Busan (per 100,000 population). Although this study could not confirm the annual trend of children and adolescents' dental emergency visits due to the sample size limitation, the characteristics of children and adolescents' dental emergency visits were compared with those of adults using a stratified sample.

• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.77-81
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• 2021

Purpose: The United States of America have pre-migration screening program are mandated through legislation. The one of purpose of this program is to prevent the importation of certain communicable diseases. Examinations of migration applicants are performed by panel physicians who are licensed physicians in the countries of origin that have agreements with the government departments of the country of destination to undertake this activity. In recent decades, the number of US migrants has increased, however COVID-19 impacted this trend of international migrants. The Aim of this study is to examine trends of US applicants and outcomes of tuberculosis and sexual transmitted infections (STIs) screening in South Korean applicants for US visa. Methods: A total of 4,442 applicants participated in US visa health check-up in 2016 to 2020. Results: The numbers of applicant for US visa in males and females was 1,814 and 2,628. The positive results in tuberculosis and STIs screening was noted with 0.66% in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), 0.03% in tuberculosis, 0.03% in gonorrhea, 0.08% in syphilis, and 0.74% in chlamydia. The age groups of 2 to 14 years showed higher positive rate (13.89%) in tuberculin skin test (TST) tests compared to the rate of interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) tests (0.44%, P<0.001). The positive ratio of NTM and abnormal chest X-ray (CXR) which required sputum tests among the applicants over 15 years old has trends to increase with age. The age groups of over 70 years showed high positive rate in NTM and abnormal CXR (4.10%, 20.51%). However, ages 15 to 49 years groups showed 0.00% to 0.30% in NTM and 1.08% to 3.91% in abnormal CXR. In the study population, the positive rates of STIs were 0.03%, 0.08%, and 0.74% in gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, respectively. Among the participants who underwent sputum smears and cultures were just 1 case of active tuberculosis (0.03%) and 25 cases of NTM infection (0.66%). Conclusion: This study found that rate of positivity in tuberculosis and STIs screening among South Korean applicants for US visa in 2016 to 2020. Regarding tuberculosis, the positivity of CXR among the aged 15 to 59 years applicants was lower than that among over 60 years old. Among 2 to 14 years, positivity of IGRA was very low. And IGRA test can reduce effort of further evaluation compared to TST test in South Korea, so IGRA test among young adults can be useful. High positive rates in STI among young adult could result in high active sexuality, especially chlamydia infection is most common. Therefore Chlamydia polymerase chain reaction should be considered formal protocol among the Korean applicant for US visa.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.214-229
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• 2023

This study was aimed to derive the following regional characteristics and implications by reviewing the effects of local communities and overseas cases through agricultural heritage and related systems to prepare rural regeneration measures using agricultural and rural heritage. First, The study was examined to improve the awareness to improve awareness of the value and preservation of heritage through the designation of agricultural heritage. However, it was found that it was necessary to prepare for social problems such as the aging population in the future. Second, most of the residents' perceptions showed a positive perception of the designation of agricultural heritage, but they were somewhat less recognized in terms of economics, so it was found that regeneration measures were needed to compensate for this. Third, as a result of applying the effect measurement model, the preservation and management effect that meets the purpose of the system is high, and the effect varies depending on projects such as local governments and residents' councils. Fourth, as a result of examining rural regeneration measures through overseas cases, it was found that rather than large-scale development, various cultural and natural resources and activation measures were prepared by expanding the scope to surrounding areas. This study was conducted only on agricultural heritage areas, but it is meaningful that agricultural and rural heritage should be reviewed from various perspectives suitable for the current trend, and it is meaningful in that it considers not only local residents' perception but also regional effects and revitalization measures.

• Korean Association of Arts Management
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• no.52
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• pp.5-37
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• 2019

Despite a copious volume of work on the relationship between social class and cultural consumption, scholars have paid scant attention to the increasingly apparent observation that a vast majority of the population exhibits indifference toward fine arts regardless of one's socio-economic status. Much of the prior literature on cultural consumption has treated the public's indifference to fine arts not as a distinct analytical category that deserves an explanation of its own, but simply as the opposite of "likes" or the act of consumption, let alone being disentangled from the concept of "dislikes" in taste-formation and consumption behavior. In this paper, we suggest that the seemingly increasing trend toward indifference to fine arts, especially among those who are part of the well-educated and economically well-off, merits close scholarly attention on its own term. As an initial step toward this endeavor, we explore the factors behind indifference toward fine arts among Korean middle-class, using the ground theory method. Our interview findings reveal that much of indifference toward fine arts is attributable to the lack of tastes in fine arts and artistic competence. Our results suggest that research drawing on Bourdieu's theory and Peterson's omnivore hypothesis needs to be further revised through an in-depth investigation of the institutional and societal contexts where art education takes place in Korea. We discuss the implications of our findings for policy-making in the cultural and artistic sphere.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.375-386
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• 2018

Due to the rapid increase of the elderly population in Korea, there is a growing interest in 'Healthy Aging.' In this trend, it is important to identify the relationship between their lifestyle factors and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to identify the association of physical activity level, sedentary behavior and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Korean older adults. A total of 4,589 older adults at the Sixth and Seventh National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed. The results showed that better HRQoL was observed among physically active older female, which was more evident among physically active female with central obesity while no such relationship was observed among older male. On the other hand, higher sedentary time was associated with lower HRQoL in both male and female subjects. Our analyses indicated that central obesity was closely related with HRQoL regardless of their physical activity levels in female subjects. Further analyses investigating association between sub-dimension of HRQoL and sub-domain of physical activity showed that higher transport physical activity was associated with better anxiety/depression score and higher sedentary time was associated with poorer score on mobility, usual activities among male and mobility, self-care, usual activity and anxiety/depression among female. Our finding suggests that physical activity level, sedentary behavior and central obesity associated with HRQoL.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 2018

Objectives : Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and meta-analyses indicate that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the a-1C subunit of the L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel (CACNA1C) gene increase the risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorders (BDs). We investigated the association between the genetic variants on CACNA1C and schizophrenia and/or BDs in the Korean population. Methods : A total of 582 patients with schizophrenia, 336 patients with BDs consisting of 179 bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and 157 bipolar II disorder (BD-II), and 502 healthy controls were recruited. Based on previous results from other populations, three SNPs (rs10848635, rs1006737, and rs4765905) were selected and genotype-wise association was evaluated using logistic regression analysis under additive, dominant and recessive genetic models. Results : rs10848635 showed a significant association with schizophrenia (p=0.010), the combined schizophrenia and BD group (p=0.018), and the combined schizophrenia and BD-I group (p=0.011). The best fit model was dominant model for all of these phenotypes. The association remained significant after correction for multiple testing in schizophrenia and the combined schizophrenia and BD-I group. Conclusion : We identified a possible role of CACNA1C in the common susceptibility of schizophrenia and BD-I. However no association trend was observed for BD-II. Further efforts are needed to identify a specific phenotype associated with this gene crossing the current diagnostic categories.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.267-290
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• 2011

This research attempts to analyze the effects of demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, health behaviors and social/familial supports on health inequalities among Korean elderly. For this end, this study adopts the multiple linear regression analysis to process data on population aged over 65 contained in 'The Third Korea Welfare Panel Study' published in 2008. The following are the results. First, the less educated they are, the smaller income they earn, the less they drink, the less satisfied with relationships with their family members, the more they turn out to feel depressed. Second, the less educated they are, the smaller income they earn, the less they drink, the less they are satisfied with relationship with family members, the more they benefit from social welfare services, the worse they turn out to rate their health. Based on these findings, three following suggestions could be forwarded. First, vulnerable aged groups including female elderly, low-income elderly, less-educated elderly need customized social supports. Second, new social policy for households is required to enhance elderly people's satisfaction with their family relationships with the rapid trend of a growing number of nuclear families and aging. Third, social welfare service programs need to be reevaluated to enhance their function for the aged.

• Journal of the Korea Knowledge Information Technology Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.351-357
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• 2018

This study is on the elderly people's use and experience of a wearable device. By using wearable device, the elderly can monitor their health data at real time. As a result, their motivation for health care, exercise, and so on can improve and enhance. Across the globe, population aging becomes one of the most important problems in each nation. The social and economic burden from aging is one of most serious challenges to sustainability of the world and its economy, including South Korea. Information Communication Technology including wearable device can help the elderly health care improve. In 2016, the number of wearable devices is more than 19 million. Many of them are the devices related to health data monitoring. In the experiment, the authors measure real time health data from the subjects' wearable devices. In the first experiment day, subjects' average waist size was 36.29 inches. In the final experiment day, 31st day later from start of the experiment, the average waist size was 35.51 inches. At the beginning of the experiment, standard deviation was 1.93. At the final day of the experiment, it was 2.24. In regression analysis, when experiment day extends, average waist size seems to decrease. The trend is significant (t=2.719, p<0.05). That result may mean the subjects' motivation for health care improve. Wearable device can increase the elderly people's motivation for health care and exercise. As a result, their health can improve.