• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.2 s.42
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• pp.282-292
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• 1993

Neurotoxicity in the workplace may occur with exposure to scores of chemicals. Although large acute outbreaks of the occupational neurological disease are rare, the incidence of occupational neurotoxicity in its subtler aspects is unknown. A working knowledge of both the major occupational neurotoxic solvents and the tools used by cliniical neurologists and neurotoxicologists to evaluate neurotoxicity in working populations is a necessity fur the occupational physician. To investigate the effects of carbon disulfide($CS_2$) on the peripheral nerve system using the nervous conduction study, 105 male workers working in the spinning room of a viscose rayon factory were examined and compared with a sex and age matched, unexposed 105 male controls using t-test analysis. 72.4% of $CS_2$-exposed workers complained of neurological symptoms, and the abnormal cases in nerve conduction study were 48.6%. The abnormal cases of nerve conduction study increased in number according as the age and duration of exposure increased. In this study, asymptomatic workers were confirmed to have subclinical neuropathy by nerve conduction study. Also as there were abnormal cases even in its duration of exposure below 4 years, nerve conduction study turned out to be ways of discovering of early peripheral neuropathy. In nerve conduction study, the amplitude, velocity, F-wave latency and H-reflex of the motor and sensory nerves in both upper and lower extremities were significant different between $CS_2$-exposed workers and the controls. From the pathological viewpoint, both segmental and axonal degenerations were assumed in this study.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2002

Objectives : To evaluate the DNA damage by hair dyeing in human lymphocytes Methods : Comet assays were carried out to evaluate the DNA damage in lymphocytes by hair dyeing. Twenty subjects were selected from women volunteers whose age ranged from 55 to 67 year old. All subjects had no smoking history. Blood samples were collected before and 6 hours after hair dyeing. DNA damage was evaluated by means of the tail moments, which were quantified by a KOMET 4.0 image analysis system. Results : The tail moments before hair dyeing showed no significant differences among subjects except for the high frequency group. The mean values of the tail moments in subjects with low and high frequencies of hair dyeing were 1.39 and 1.77, respectively (p<0.05). The tail moments after hair dyeing increased significantly, The mean values of tail moments in subjects before and after hair dyeing were 1.45 and 1.79, respectively (p<0.01). However, the difference levels of DNA damage in lymphocytes before and after hair dyeing were found to be slightly lower in both the dietary supplement taking group and high frequency group. Conclusions : The high frequency group appears to have a higher level of DNA damage than the low frequency group before hair dyeing. DNA damage in lymphocytes was found to be significantly higher in the volunteers after hair dyeing. In this study, the related factors such as high frequency and taking dietary supplements appeard to reduce DNA damage in lymphocytes after hair dyeing.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2009

Objectives : The changing population age structure and rapidly increasing medical costs make providing high-quality, effective medical care for the elderly a challenge. This study assessed the satisfaction with medical care in terms of comprehensiveness, general satisfaction, and accessibility among community-dwelling Korean elders. Methods : Data were obtained from a nationwide representative sample of the older adults(aged 65 years old or older) living in the community, who participated in a 2006 telephone survey conducted using random digit dialing(n=881). General satisfaction, comprehensiveness and accessibility were measured using a 10-item satisfaction survey questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the distribution of each of three components of subjective satisfaction. Analysis of covariance(ANCOVA) was used to examine the association of each of the three components with socioeconomic variables. Results : Comprehensiveness and general satisfaction were low among older people with a high socioeconomic status. Accessibility was evaluated as low among older people of low socioeconomic status, those living in rural areas and those who were medical aid beneficiaries. Conclusions : Urgent interventions should be considered in order to improve accessibility to medical care for elders of low socioeconomic status and those living in rural communities. Given the rapid aging of the population, we need to develop a monitoring system to improve the quality of geriatric care.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2018

Purpose: This study proposes a process for evaluating the preventive maintenance policy for a system with degradation characteristics and for calculating the appropriate preventive maintenance cycle using time- and condition-based maintenance. Methods: First, the collected data is divided into the maintenance history lifetime and degradation lifetime, and analysis datasets are extracted through preprocessing. Particle filter algorithm is used to estimate the degradation lifetime from analysis datasets and prior information is obtained using LSE. The suitability and cost of the existing preventive maintenance policy are each evaluated based on the degradation lifetime and by using a minimum repair block replacement model of time-based maintenance. Results: The process is applied to the degradation of the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane in a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant to evaluate the existing preventive maintenance policy. Conclusion: This method can be used for facilities or systems that undergo degradation, which can be evaluated in terms of cost and time. The method is expected to be used in decision-making for devising the optimal preventive maintenance policy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.86-95
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated associations between perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19, as well as the difference in the magnitude of these associations by occupational type and previous Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) experience. Methods: The participants were workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 who completed a questionnaire about their perceptions related to COVID-19, work experience during the previous MERS-CoV outbreak, and symptoms of PTSD ascertained by the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Participants' characteristics were compared using the chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations between perceptions and the prevalence of PTSD, stratified by occupational type and previous MERS-CoV experience. Results: Non-medical personnel showed stronger associations with PTSD than medical personnel according to general fear (odds ratio [OR], 6.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92 to 23.20), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.56), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.59). Those with prior MERS-CoV quarantine experience were more prone to PTSD than those without such experience in terms of general fear (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.37), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.40), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.38). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-medical personnel tended to have higher odds of being categorized as having PTSD. Workers with prior MERS-CoV experience were more susceptible than those without such experience. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions to manage human resources for a sustainable quarantine system.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

This study estimated the direct and indirect socioeconomic costs of 238 diseases and 22 injuries from a social perspective in Korea from 2007 to 2015. The socioeconomic cost of each disease group was calculated based on the Korean Standard Disease Classification System. Direct costs were estimated using health insurance claims data provided by the National Health Insurance Service. The numbers of outpatients and inpatients with the main diagnostic codes for each disease were selected as a proxy indicator for estimating patients' medical use behavior by disease. The economic burden of disease from 2007 to 2015 showed an approximately 20% increase in total costs. From 2007 to 2015, communicable diseases (including infectious, maternal, pediatric, and nutritional diseases) accounted for 8.9-12.2% of the socioeconomic burden, while non-infectious diseases accounted for 65.7-70.7% and injuries accounted for 19.1-22.8%. The top 5 diseases in terms of the socioeconomic burden were self-harm (which took the top spot for 8 years), followed by cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, ischemic heart disease, and upper respiratory infections in 2007. Since 2010, the economic burden of conditions such as low back pain, falls, and acute bronchitis has been included in this ranking. This study expanded the scope of calculating the burden of disease at the national level by calculating the burden of disease in Koreans by gender and disease. These findings can be used as indicators of health equality and as useful data for establishing community-centered (or customized) health promotion policies, projects, and national health policy goals.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.28-41
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• 2024

Objective: Chronic scrotal hyperthermia (SHT) can lead to serious disorders of the male reproductive system, with oxidative stress playing a key role in the onset of these dysfunctions. Thus, we evaluated the impact of caffeine, a potent antioxidant, on cellular and tissue disorders in mice with chronic SHT. Methods: In this experimental study, 56 adult male NMRI mice were allocated into seven equal groups. Apart from the non-treated control group, all were exposed to heat stress. Two groups, termed "preventive" and "curative," were orally administered caffeine. The preventive mice began receiving caffeine immediately prior to heat exposure, while for the curative group, a caffeine regimen was initiated 15 consecutive days following cessation of heat exposure. Each treated group was subdivided based on pairing with a positive control (Pre/ curative [Cur]+PC) or a vehicle (Pre/Cur+vehicle). Upon conclusion of the study, we assessed sperm characteristics, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, apoptosis, antioxidant and oxidant levels, and molecular markers. Results: Sperm parameters, testosterone levels, stereological parameters, biochemical factors (excluding malondialdehyde [MDA]), and c-kit gene expression were significantly elevated in the preventive and curative groups, especially the former, relative to the other groups. Conversely, expression levels of the heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κβ) genes, MDA levels, and apoptotic cell density were markedly lower in both caffeine-treated groups relative to the other groups, with more pronounced differences observed in the preventive group. Conclusion: Overall, caffeine attenuated cellular and molecular abnormalities induced by heat stress in the testis, particularly in the mice treated under the preventive condition.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.87-99
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• 2007

Background : Most traditional Korean doctors use "Packed Herbal Medicine", which is made from boiling various herbs together. However, the current insurance system doesn't cover the act of making packed herbal medicine. Therefore it is urgent for these doctors to study and find the best and most logical insurance program to cover the Packed Herbal Medicine system. Objectives : The purposes of this study were to investigate whether Announced System of Herb Price is proper for stability of medical herbs's price. Methods : This study made these following results by studying medical herbs's price of KOMD(The korea oriental medicine distribution company) from 2004 March to 2007 March The results are summarized as follows ; The 50 most frequently used herbs were chosen from the 831 standard prescriptions according to 26 pre-determined specific diseases. These prescriptions are considered the most important for this study and insurance purposes. fluctuations of fifty medical herbs which were used much about a predetermined list of 831 prescriptions are multiple function not linear equation. fluctuations of fifty medical herbs which were used much about a predetermined list of 831 prescriptions are different according to time. Therefore, to notify medical herbs's price is valid method for stability of medical herbs's price.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2013

This study investigated the German experience in the transition to a unified health care system and suggests the following implications for Korea. First, Germany could have made use of the unification process better if there had been a good road map. Therefore Korea must develop a well prepared road map that considers all possible situations. Second, Germany saw an opportunity for the improvement of the health care system in the early stage of unification but could not take advantage of it because the situation changed dramatically and they had not sufficiently prepared for it. Korea should take into account the opportunity for improvement of the present health care system, such as the roles of public health and traditional medicine. Thirdly, the conditions f North Korea seem to be far worse than those of former East Germany and also worse than even those of other transition countries. Therefore Korea should design a long-term road map taking as many variables into account as possible, including the different rigid way of thinking and the interrelationship among the social sectors. Fourthly, during the German reunification unexpected factors changed the direction of the events. Korea should have a separate plan for the unexpected factors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.127-136
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• 2012

The challenge facing the Korean National Health Insurance includes what to spend money on in order to elevate the 'value for money.' This article reviewed the changing issues associated with quality of care in the Korean health insurance system and envisioned a picture of an effective pay-for-performance (P4P) system in Korea taking into consideration quality of care and P4P systems in other countries. A review was made of existing systematic reviews and a recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development survey. An effective P4P in Korea was envisioned as containing three features: measures, basis for reward, and reward. The first priority is to develop proper measures for both efficiency and quality. For further improvement of quality indicators, an electronic system for patient history records should be built in the near future. A change in the level or the relative ranking seems more desirable than using absolute level alone for incentives. To stimulate medium- and small-scale hospitals to join the program in the next phase, it is suggested that the scope of application be expanded and the level of incentives adjusted. High-quality indicators of clinical care quality should be mapped out by combining information from medical claims and information from patient registries.