• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2018

Objectives: To identify the associations of characteristics of the neighborhood environment with substance abuse among clients receiving treatment for drug abuse in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1128 drug addicts from 28 neighborhoods who were receiving treatment at all 7 compulsory drug detention centers in Thailand. A trained interviewer conducted structured interviews with the subjects about substance use and the perceived neighborhood environment in their community. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to estimate the effects of the neighborhood environment on substance use. Results: The majority of participants, 53.8% only used methamphetamine pills, 31.3% used other illicit drugs as well as methamphetamine pills, and 14.9% used an illicit drug other than methamphetamine. Three neighborhood characteristics were associated with substance use. A 1-unit increase in the perceived neighborhood cohesion score was associated with a 15% reduction in methamphetamine pill use and an 11% reduction of the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conversely, a 1-unit increase in perceived neighborhood crime predicted 19 and 14% increases in the use of methamphetamine pills and the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug, respectively. In addition, a 1-unit increase in the scores for stigma surrounding addiction corresponded to a 25% increase of the use of methamphetamine pills and a 12% increase in the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conclusions: Substance use among drug addicts was influenced by characteristics of the neighborhood environment. Therefore, prevention and intervention strategies should be designed based on a consideration of the impact of neighborhood context on substance use behaviors.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.224-225
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• 2002

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.82-83
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• 1998

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-19
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• 2011

Toxicokinetics of Korean Traditional Medicines(TKM) is the description of what rate TKM will enter the body and what happens to it once it is in the body in terms of toxicology. However, it is not easy to understand TKM toxicokinetics because of various factors such as a mixture of 2-30 kinds of herbal materials containing thousands of chemicals, and complex chemical properties. For these reasons, little is known about toxicokinetics of TKM. This study was aimed to characterize and review the absorption, distribution and metabolism of korean traditional medicines in a view of toxicokinetics. For this aim, some of korean traditional medicines were reviewed on a basis of drug-drug interaction, biotransformation and intestinal metabolisms by bacteria. As the factors affecting mainly on toxicokinetics of TKM, individual herbal material's degree of lipophilicity and metabolic rate, and decoction components according to different kinds of herbal materials were considered. Other factors such as intestinal pH and bacterial activity for metabolism affecting on TKM toxicokinetics, especially in small intestine. It would be a better way for improving the adverse or poor effects caused by TCM if the factors affecting on toxicokinetics of TKM is considered.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2001

Legal permissible limit of herbal drugs metal level in Korea is define 'less 30.0ppm in total(except mineral drugs)' including Pb Hg Cd As Cr Ni etc. This limit has a lot of problems in several factors, that is, not divide hazard and essential elements, not consider high and low toxic effect in each metal, not calculate dose-response relationship and average health behavior in Korean etc. As a that result, It has strong limits and weakness in the basic toxicology and Oriental medicine. To improve and correct these factors, We need to several new approach as like below. It must be radical study following problems in short and middle-long period in the future, toxic metal and essential element must be divide to basic toxicology and also be diverse toxic effect. But mineral drugs that included a amount of severe toxic metals is being used as active prescription drug until now. If toxic, safety and side-effect of metals will be considered, mineral drugs must prohibit instantly or use at least after examined toxic effect. But one of the most important things about herbal drugs contamination, all people and department (government, farmer and trader, oriental medicine doctors and association) will be participate cooperative and collection for preventive or the least contamination in herbal drugs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.343-346
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• 1999

Objectives : In Korea, pharmacists can dispense medicines without doctor's prescription. This causes the high proportion of pharmaceutical expenditures. The study shows the prescribing behaviors of practicing pharmacists with the simulated patient of arthritis. We select the arthritis as a subject of simulation, because the arthritis is one of the major health problems and the abuse of cortico-steroids is usual in treatment of arthritis patients. Methods : Twenty drug stores among the 320 drug stores in a district, Seoul, Korea were randomly selected. One of the researchers visited the drug stores and received the medicines from the pharmacists after explaining standardized scenario of arthritis. The simulated patient recorded the practice behaviors of pharmacists. Results: The mean number of prescribed drugs are four and half. Among the twenty pharmacists, the nineteen prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the seven(35%) prescribed the cortico-steroids. The antacids were prescribed by the fourteen(70%) pharmacists. The five(25%) pharmacists only recommended the simulated patients to visit the medical doctors, and the three(15%) performed physical examination to the simulated patients. The three pharmacists(15%) asked the past history of the drug adverse effects and no pharmacist explained the adverse effects of prescribed medicines. Conclusions : The research shows that the cortico-steroids are frequently prescribed and the pharmacists commonly do not give the explanations of the prescribed medicines to the arthritis patients.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2007

Objectives : Fructus Amomi has been widely used to treat patients with anorexia and dyspepsia induced by moisture or cold. In addition, it is known to have preventive effects on miscarriage. But, this preventive effect of Fructus Amomi has controversial point. For this reason, this study was designed to investigate the preventive effects of Fructus Amomi on miscarriage in the framework of usage. Methods : We investigated the preventive effects of Fructus Amomi on miscarriage in terms of checking frequency in use of Fructus Amomi in Dongeui-bogam. Results : Fructus Amomi was used by 192 times in Dongeuh-bogam. it was used by 36 times in major drug, the others used in complementary drug. 14 remedies were used to treat patients with gynecologic diseases. In these remedies, 7 remedies were related to preventive effects of Fructus Amomi on miscarriage. In thses 7 remedies, 6 were used with samul-tang or Radix Scutellariae and Rizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae. Conclusions : These results suggest the possibility that preventive effects of Fructus Amomi on miscarriage is not involved in direct efficacy, which was explained with gimi-ron, but in usage of the herbal medicine.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2002

Objectives : To investigate the fetal cholesterol levels and related factors in a rural adult population. Methods : 3,207 adults(1,272 men and 1,935 women) were examined in 1997 Their heights, weights, and fasting serum total cholesterol levels were measured, and their body mass indices were calculated. A questionnaire interviewing method was used to collect risk factor data. Results : The mean value of total cholesterol were 190.5 mg/dl, and 198.8 mg/dl, and the age-adjusted prevalence rates for hypercholesterolemia (above 240 mg/dl) were 13.7% and 10.2%, in men and women, respectively. From simple analyses, age, educational level, coffee intake, amount of meat and food intake, waist circumference, waist-hip circumference ratio(WHR), and body mass index(BMI) were significant risk factors in men (p<0.05) relating to serum total cholesterol levels. In women, age, educational level, hypertension history, diabetes history, herbal drug history, amount of feed intake, alcohol consumption, waist circumference, WHR, BMI, and menopausal status were significant risk factors (p<0.05). In multiple linear regression analyses, waist circumference (p<0.01), BMI (p<0.01), and coffee intake (p<0.05) proved to be significant risk factors in men. Whereas, menopausal status (p<0.01), BMI (p<0.01), herbal drug history (p<0.01), amount of food intake (p<0.05), waist circumference (p<0.05), and alcohol consumption (p<0.05) were significant risk factors in women. Conclusions : The significant risk factors, for both men and women, relating to the serum total cholesterol were waist circumference and BMI. Thus, for the reduction of serum total cholesterol level, it is recommended that health education for the control of obesity should be implemented.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.321-328
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• 2004

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of genetic polymorphism of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) on the xylene metabolism. Methods : Among 247 workers, 116 were occupationally exposed to xylene and 131 were not. Workers exposed to xylene had different work such as spray, touch-up, mix & assist, and pre-treat. Questionnaire variables were age, sex, use of personal protective equipment, smoking, previous night's drinking and work duration. The urinary methylhippuric acid was measured in the urine collected in the afternoon and corrected by urinary creatinine concentration. The genotypes of CYP2E1 and ALDH2 were investigated by using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) methods with DNA extracted from venous blood. Results : 1. The urinary concentrations of o-, m-, and p-methylhippuric acid and total methylhippuric acid in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the non-exposed group (p<0.001). 2. In multiple regression analysis, the urinary methylhippuric acid concentration was significantly influenced by exposure grade (Job-exposure matrixes), smoking, drug use and kind of protective equipment (p<0.1). 3. Genetic polymorphism of CYP2E1 and ALDH2 did not affect urinary methylhippuric acid level in the exposed group (p>0.05). Conclusions : Exposure grade, smoking, drug use and kind of protective equipment affected urinary methylhippuric acid level, whereas genetic polymorphism of CYP2E1 and ALDH2 did not. However, further investigation for the effect of genetic polymorphism on the metabolism of xylene with a larger sample size is needed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.688-696
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to provide implications for Korea's addiction measures by comparing the service delivery system for drug addiction in Korea and Japan. The method of research in this study is literature research. The collected data were analyzed using the Inter-Country Difference Act. According to the study, South Korea and Japan were supporting addicts and their families with a seemingly similar system for dealing with drug addiction. But the difference was also found. The difference between Korea and Japan on coping with drug addiction is, first, that Korea does not have an organization that only supports drug addiction. Second, continuous aid was insufficient even though it was an easy addiction to recur. As a suggestion to solve these problems, first, countermeasures for drug addiction alone are needed. Second, close and complementary links are needed within an integrated service delivery system. Third, persistence and appropriateness for treatment and rehabilitation are needed. Fourth, it suggested the need for preventive education contents.