• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.2 s.46
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• pp.313-325
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• 1994

A cross-sectional study was conducted in an effort to investigate the effect of air pollution on respiratory symptoms. Two groups of female aged more than 20 living in the unpolluted rural area of Taebul (n=159) and urban area of Taegu (n=140) were selected. The ATS-DLD-78 questionnaire was translated into Korean and administered with minor modification. The proportion of smoker was less than 1% in both area. Exposure to smoking and higher educational level were more frequent in Taegu. Age-adjusted prevalence rates of 'chronic cough', 'chronic sputum', 'wheezing', and 'dyspnea' were higher in Taegu than in Taebul. In particular, the prevalence rate of 'chronic sputum' in Taegu was found to be higher, which was statistically significant. Exposure to smoking and education level were not concerned with all respiratory symptom prevalence rates. In conclusion, this study Indicates that an urban factor is related to the rates of respiratory symptoms in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2005

Objectives : To develop a tool for multidimensional measurement of the quality of life, which was psychometrically sound, short, and easy to administer for patients with hypertension. Methods : A sample of 1,115 hypertensive patients aged 20 or above in Cheong-Song County was studied from June 1997 to October 1998. In the development of the instrumental stage, the authors first conceptualized the quality of life. Item generation, item reduction, and questionnaire formatting were followed. Item-level (item descriptive, missing%, item internal consistency, item discriminant validity) analysis, scale-level (scale descriptive, floor and ceiling effect) analysis, and other tests(Cronbach's alpha, inter-dimension correlations, factor analysis, clinical validity) were performed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the new measurement scale. After 1 year, responsiveness and confirmatory factor analysis were performed. Results : The results of both item-level and scale-level analyses were acceptable. An acceptable degree of internal consistency was observed for each of the dimensions (Cronbach's alpha was 0.60 or higher). Inter-dimension correlations were below 0.50 and the factor analysis result was the same as the intended dimension structure. Correlation coefficients between perceived health status, stress and dimensions were proven to be acceptable. The result of comparing dimensional score means among ADL and MMSE-K groups above 60 years was statistically significant(p<0.05). The result of confirmatory factor analysis concluded that the dimensional structure model was well fitted. However, the result of responsiveness test using sensitivity and specificity was unsatisfactory. Conclusions : The newly developed measurement scale is psychometrically reliable and valid instrument for measuring quality of life in hypertensive patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether a medium to high degree of total physical activity and indoor physical activity were associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among elderly Korean women. Methods: A prospective cohort study was done to evaluate the association between physical activity and mortality. The cohort was made up of elderly (${\geq}65$ years of age) subjects. Baseline information was collected with a self-administered questionnaire and linked to death certificates retrieved from a database. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) levels. Results: Women who did not suffer from stroke, cancer, or ischemic heart disease were followed for a median of 8 years (n=5079). A total of 1798 all-cause deaths were recorded, of which 607 (33.8%) were due to cardiovascular disease. The group with the highest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity was significantly associated to a reduced all-cause mortality (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.71 and HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.67, respectively) compared to the group with the lowest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity. Additionally, the group with the highest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity was significantly associated to a lower cardiovascular disease mortality (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.71 and HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.67, respectively) compared to the group with the lowest level of total physical activity and indoor physical activity. Conclusions: Our study showed that regular indoor physical activity among elderly Korean women has healthy benefits.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.35-54
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• 1999

This thesis shows about the meaning of treatment rate increasing, the current treated level and the reason of low treatment rate and increasing methods. 1. Treatment rate incresing means high treat level within short time, keeping treatment effect for a long time as well as raising treatment rate. 2. The current by diseases each others completed treatment rate of oriental medicine is 14.0% to 89.7%$(mean:\;{\pm}40.0%)$. Therefore the rate is show too low. 3. The reasons of low treatment rate; low academic level of oriental, academic limitation, clinic and prevention problem of oriental medicine, lack of medical approch suitable for current diseases and symptoms, mostly incurrable diseases using oriental medicine, lack of preventive education, disappropriate medical service and nonspecialty of the treatment, etc. 4. The next methods for incresing the treatment rate must be improved; such as accurate establishment of process that diagnosis symptoms and treats them, system research of microdiagnosis, positive treatment with medicine and nonmedicine method at the same time, appropriate subdivision and actualization of clinical basic research, research of dose and response, diversity of treatment methods and forms, development of treatment service and prevention based on health level, enormous change as cure medicine and opening-up of new disease field, specialization of medical examination, reinforcement of public medical part and herbal drugs use with same origin, mental and pysical stability of patients, accurate extract and oral drinking ways, etc.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.357-357
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• 2005

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.513-513
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• 2005

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitude and preventive behaviors of middle school students and to investigate socio-demographic and health-related factors. Methods: 198 male and 188 female middle school students in M city were recruited for the survey. Independent sample t-test, One-way ANOVA and $Scheff{\acute{e}}^{\prime}s$ test and Pearson's correlation were performed to examine factors associated with tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitude and preventive behaviors. Results: The percentage of correct answers to questions testing tuberculosis-related knowledge was very low, 33%. The mean scores of attitude and preventive behaviors were 3.02 and 2.90 out of 4 (highest score), respectively. Middle school students who had experiences of health education or tuberculosis-related education showed significantly higher scores than their counterparts in all factors - knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors. Parental education, academic achievement, smoking, sleeping time, infectious disease education, and source of tuberculosis information were associated with knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors. Knowledge about tuberculosis had a positive correlation with attitude and preventive behaviors. Conclusion: The level of tuberculosis-related knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors was very low among middle school students. In addition, school health education was highly related to a higher level of knowledge, attitude, and preventive behaviors regarding tuberculosis. Therefore, to intensify students' preventive behaviors against tuberculosis and other infection diseases, sustainable school health education should be provided for middle school students who are at risk of developing tuberculosis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.1 s.37
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• pp.73-87
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• 1992

The level of copayment increased in order to stabilize the financial condition of the health insurance on 1986. An important question regarding the policy was whether the increase in the level of copayments reduced the utilization of medical services in the poor selectively. In spite of the importance of the research question, no study has been reported. This study was designed to find out changes in numbers of physician visits, to explain characteristics influencing the difference of utilization before and after the program. Finally the interaction effect between the program and the level of income was examined for the abover question. A total of 10,421 persons from eight institutions was selected as the study sample. Research findings are as follows. 1. The number of physician visits decreased by ten percent as a result of increasing the level of copayment. 2. The decrease was remarkable in some groups such as children, rural area and large family. 3. The most important factor which explained the difference was the number of physician visits before the introduction of the new program. The more numbers of physian visits during the last year were, the more numbers of physian visits decreased after the program. 4. The interaction term between the program and the level of income was statistically significant in the multiple regression model which explained physician visits and its coefficient was negative. It means that an increase in copayment did not reduced the number of physician visits in the poor, selectively. 5. It can be concluded that imposing adequate copayment reduces the use of medical services as well as medical costs without serious damage in access especially for the poor people.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.104-112
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• 2014

Objectives: To date, studies have not comprehensively demonstrated the relationship between stroke incidence and socioeconomic status. This study investigated stroke incidence by household income level in conjunction with age, sex, and stroke subtype in Korea. Methods: Contributions by the head of household were used as the basis for income levels. Household income levels for 21 766 036 people were classified into 6 groups. The stroke incidences were calculated by household income level, both overall within income categories and further by age group, sex, and stroke subtype. To present the inequalities among the six ranked groups in a single value, the slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality were calculated. Results: In 2005, 57 690 people were first-time stroke patients. The incidences of total stroke for males and females increased as the income level decreased. The incidences of stroke increased as the income level decreased in those 74 years old and under, whereas there was no difference by income levels in those 75 and over. Intracerebral hemorrhage for the males represented the highest inequality among stroke subtypes. Incidences of subarachnoid hemorrhage did not differ by income levels. Conclusions: The incidence of stroke increases as the income level decreases, but it differs according to sex, age, and stroke subtype. The difference in the relative incidence is large for male intracerebral hemorrhage, whereas the difference in the absolute incidence is large for male ischemic stroke.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2005

Subjects in this study comprised of general public (907), high school students (772), individuals associated with Oriental medicine (660), and 60 majoring in western medicine, totalling 2,413 individuals. Survey was conducted on the necessity of establishing Oriental medicine school at the national university level and the following result were obtained: - 78.3% (1847 individuals) were in favor of establishing Oriental medicine school at the national university level. - For the validity of establishment, responders expressed opinions of standard and virtuous education, higher quality education, standardized practice, research on difficult to cure diseases, and obtaining competitiveness in the world market. - One to three schools were considered as an appropriate number of schools with less than 80 students per class, Class size may be adjusted from existing schools (52.5% favored decrease in size) and (46.3% favored increase in size). - Educational and research facilities must be accopanied with schools of Oriental medicine as well as clinical training facilities, herbal pharmaceutical research centers, and fundamental medical centers. - Many favored 6 year curriculum as the most appropriate system and the school of Oriental medicine should be established within the university. Based on the information gathered in this survey, we may recognize the limitations of Oriental medicine schools at the private institutional level and support the establishment of Oriental medicine schools at th national university level. This establishment may play as a steeping stone for advancement in education, standardization of research and treatment, and commercialization of Oriental medicine of benefit the general public.