• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2017

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the exposure levels of door-to-door deliverers to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Another objective was to confirm the general working patterns of door-to-door deliverers via survey. Methods: In the city of Daegu, ten door-to-door deliverers who wished to join the study were recruited. The general working characteristics of door-to-door deliverers were surveyed using self-reported questionnaires. In the cabin of each car driven by a deliverer, a real-time PM2.5 sampler (Sidepak, Model AM510, TSI Inc., MN, USA) and a GPS device (GPS 741, Ascen, Korea) were installed. Each deliverer was monitored for four days per week so that each day could be monitored at least four times. Results: A total of 40 measurements of PM2.5 concentrations were taken during delivery of parcels. The average exposure levels of door-to-door deliverers to PM2.5 was $44.62{\mu}g/m^3$ ($7-9443{\mu}g/m^3$. Exposure levels to PM2.5 according to the day of the week and coverage areas were not significantly different (p>0.05). Door-to-door deliverers using trucks with older diesel engines manufactured before 2006 had significantly higher exposure levels to PM2.5 than in the case of trucks with diesel engines manufactured after 2006 (p<0.05). Many of the door-to-door deliverers reported the status of having windows open during the delivery task. During delivery services, the working hours spent in residential areas were higher than on roadsides, but exposure levels to PM2.5 in residential areas and on roadsides were $46.17{\mu}g/m^3$ and $49.90{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Real-time PM2.5 exposure levels were significantly different between roadways and residential areas (p<0.001). Conclusions: PM2.5 exposure levels of door-to-door deliverers were found to be affected by higher vehicle emissions from the roadsides near their vehicle during deliveries and while driving to other locations compared to by PM2.5 from the diesel engines of their own trucks. Particle concentrations from roadsides and emissions from nearby vehicles through open windows were the main source of PM2.5.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.639-643
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• 2010

Purpose: Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral illness in children, which is usually mild and self-limiting. However, in recent epidemics of HFMD in Asia, enterovirus 71 (EV71) has been recognized as a causative agent with severe neurological symptoms with or without cardiopulmonary involvement. HFMD was epidemic in Korea in the spring of 2009. Severe cases with complications including death have been reported. The clinical characteristics in children with neurologic manifestations of EV71 were studied in Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital. Methods: Examinations for EV71 were performed from the stools, respiratory secretion or CSF of children who presented neurologic symptoms associated with HFMD by realtime PCR. Clinical and radiologic data of the patients were collected and analyzed. Results: EV71 was isolated from the stool of 16 patients but not from respiratory secretion or CSF. Among the 16 patients, meningitis (n=10) was the most common manifestation, followed by Guillain-Barre syndrome (n=3), meningoencephalitis (n=2), poliomyelitis-like paralytic disease (n=1), and myoclonus (n=1). Gene analysis showed that most of them were caused by EV71 subgenotype C4a, which was prevalent in China in 2008. Conclusion: Because EV71 causes severe complications and death in children, a surveillance system to predict upcoming outbreaks should be established and maintained and adequate public health measures are needed to control disease.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.212-223
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• 2000

The purposes of this research were to add to the developing knowledge base about the burden and social support of grandmothers involved with caring grandchildren, and to examine whether a significant relationship exists between their burden and social support perceived by the grandmothers. A convenience sample of 102 grandmothers was recruited from five collective apartment areas at a small city in Korea. The criteria of selection of sample were that the grandmothers were raising their grandchildren under the age of 36 months for 3 months or longer at own or gandchildren's home. The instruments used were a 15-item multidemensional burden scale and a 8-item social support scale. Both scales were self report, five point Likert type scales. The higher the score, the higher the degree of burden and social support. Data was collected by two prepared research assistants visiting subjects' home from December 10, 1998 to March 20, 1999. The collected data were analysed using mean, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient computed by SPSS software. The results were as follows. 1. In the age distribution of grandmothers, the over half of subjects(58.8%) were under 60 years old. The majority(69.6%) of subjects were married at time of data collection. 79(77.5%) of the sample reported that their perceived health status was good or over. 2. The burden of the grandmothers was not scored high, and the item means on burden scale were ranged from 2.26 to 4.19 out of 5. 'Short of private time'(4.19) had the highest score, followed by 'fatigue'(3.92), 'short of rest'(3.75), and 'short of contact with friends and neighbors'(3.62). The lowest item was 'family doesn't help me'(2.26), and followed by 'family doesn't understand me'(2.33), 'angry with family' (2.43), and 'angry while caring for grandchild'(2.60). 3. There were significant relationships between the burden and present health status(p<.01), childcaring confidence(p<.01), and motive of caring(p<.01). 4. The score of social support, was ranging from 3.61 to 4.01 out of 5. 5. The relationship between burden and social support was found to be correlated negatively. The relationship was statistically significant(γ= - .2833, p<.001). In conclusion, it was found that the burden was not high and burden of grandmothers caring grandchildren was correlated negatively to social support. Therefore, these results provide a basis for developing a nursing intervention to reduce the burden of grandmothers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2001

Objectives : To compare the multiple outcomes of patients with cataract surgery at perioperative time,3-4 months and 12 months after surgery and to assess patient outcomes associated with visual improvement(visual acuity of operated eye, visual function-14(VF-14), symptom score). Methods : For this assessment, a prospective study was conducted with 389 patients who had undergone cataract surgery for either one eye or both eyes. The surgery was peformed by 20 ophthalmologists who were practicing at university hospitals and general hospitals. Patients were interviewed and clinical data were obtained. Doctors were questioned with self-reported questionnaire forms. Medical records were examined in order to measure variables related to the surgical process such as surgical methods and ocular comorbidity. The survey was 'conducted at 4 stages' : preoperative time(389 cases), perioperative time(344 cases, 88.4%), postoperative 3-4 months (343 cases, 88.2%), and postoperative 12 months (281 cases, 72.2%). After excluding cases with incomplete data, 198 cases were enrolled in the study. Patient outcomes was measured for any improvement in the functional outcomes(visual acuity of operated eye, visual function, symptom score) at postoperative 3-4 months. Results : The visual acuity(operated, weighted average), symptom score, VF-14 score, satisfaction with vision, and subjective health status were shown to be improved at the perioperative time, postoperative 3-4 months and 12 mouths. An improvement in the Snellen visual acuity score was observed in 190 patients(96.0%), whereas improvements of the VF-14 score and cataract symptom sure were observed in 151 patients(76.3%) and 179 patients(90.4%), respectively. All three outcome measures demonstrated improvement in 137 patients(09.2%). The improvement of the three functional outcomes at 3-4 months after receiving surgery was associated with a lower level of visual function and a higher level of cataract symptom score at perioperative time, as well as a greater experience level of the surgeon. Conclusions : In this study, the estimates of the proportion of patients benefiting from cataract surgery varied with the outcome measure of benefit. Preoperative VF-14 score, a measure of functional impairment related to vision, and symptom score may be better measures of the benefit derived from cataract surgery than the change in visual acuity.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.271-278
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• 2015

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water fluoridation program(WFP) on dental caries prevention in Ulsan, Korea. Methods: The data of control group were extracted from 2012 Korean National Oral Health Survey(KNOHS). Since 1998, WFP was implemented in Ulsan. The subjects were 670 subjects including 10 to 12-years old children in 2009. The control subjects were 4,871 people in non-fluoridated metropolitan cities comparable to Ulsan. The control subjects were selected from 2012 KNOHS. A self-reported questionnaire was completed by the variables including oral health behaviors on daily frequency of toothbrushing, eating snacks and beverages. Oral health examination was carried out by two dentists who received a training in KNOHS with an inter-examiner-agreement. Caries preventive fraction was calculated by the difference of DMFT and DMFS index. The preventive effects of the WFP program were focused on gender, number of fissure sealed teeth, daily frequency of toothbrushing, eating snacks and beverages. Data were analyzed using SPSS $19.0^{(R)}$(SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) statistical package. Results: DMFT indices of 12-year-old subjects(n=670) in WFP and control population(n=4,871) were 2.11 and 1.23, respectively with an estimated prevention effect of 41.7%. Conclusions: WFP in Ulsan reduced the prevalence of dental caries. WFP should be recommended for the public oral health program in other metropolitan cities.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was conducted to examine the relationships of the several socioeconomic position indicators with the mortality risk in a representative longitudinal study of South Korea. Methods : The 1998 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was conducted on a cross-sectional probability sample of South Korean households, and it contained unique 13-digit personal identification numbers that were linked to the data on mortality from the National Statistical Office of Korea. Of 5,607 males and females, 264 died between 1999 and 2003. Cox's regression was used to estimate the relative risks (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) of mortality. Results: Socioeconomic differences in mortality were observed after adjustments were made for gender and age. Compared with those people having college or higher education, those people without any formal education had a greater mortality risk (RR=2.21, 95% CI=1.12-4.40). The mortality risk among manual workers was significantly greater than that for the non-manual workers (RR=2.73, 95% CI=1.47-5.06). A non-standard employment status was also associated with an increase in mortality: temporary or daily workers had a greater mortality risk than did the full-time workers (RR=3.01, 95% CI=1.50-6.03). The mortality risk for the low occupational class was 3.06 times greater than that of the high and middle occupational classes (95% CI=1.75-5.36). In addition, graded mortality differences according to equivalized monthly household income were found. A reduction of monthly household income by 500 thousand Korean Won (about 400 US dollars) was related with a 20% excess risk of mortality. Self-reported poor living standards were also associated with an increased risk of mortality. Those without health insurance had a 3.63 times greater risk of mortality than the insured (95% CI=1.61-8.19). Conclusions: This study showed the socioeconomic differentials in mortality in a national longitudinal study of South Korea. The existence of socioeconomic mortality inequalities requires increased social discussion on social policies in Korean society. Furthermore, the mechanisms for the socioeconomic inequalities of mortality need to be explored in future studies.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.243-256
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• 2015

This study aimed at investigating the effects of sub-variables of elderly people's lifestyle health and leisure oriented pursuits, outdoor and challenge pursuits, security and material pursuits, family oriented pursuits, and peer oriented pursuits on what they perceive to be successful later years. The background of this study was that there has been few study on the older population in Korea with focus on their cultural and traditional norms. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of elderly people's lifestyle on what they perceive to be successful later years, thereby identifying practical implications for better social welfare associated with successful later years. Analysis was carried out of self reported questionnaires and self-interviews with elderly people aged over 65 frequenting a welfare center for elders and a community center in a city in Korea. In order to examine the effects, a reliability test, a descriptive analysis, a correlation analysis, and a multi-regression analysis were performed. The results of the analysis for sub-variables of lifestyle showed that health and leisure oriented pursuits, outdoor and challenge pursuits, security and material pursuits, family oriented pursuits, and peer oriented pursuits had significant positive impact on successful later years. The two most influential were peer oriented and family oriented pursuits. Drawing on the results, this study suggests that what is needed for dejected and lonely elderly members in the society is to provide them with opportunities for developing and keeping good relationships with friends and family members and there is a need for a system where old people, as consumers of cultural capital, can have easy access to a variety of cultural resources and activities at a local and regional level.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.67-76
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• 2014

Few studies have examined burnout among the faculty of medical schools in the Republic of Korea. The aim of this study was to determine the level of burnout and its associated factors among the faculty members of three medical schools in the Busan-Gyeongnam area, and to summarise the available literature on burnout. We conducted the survey using a validated questionnaire that incorporated the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) as well as questions about demographic characteristics, working experience, health, lifestyle, most time spent and most difficult work, and suicidal ideation and job quitting ideation of the survey participants. MBI-HSS scores were analysed in the three dimensions of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (De), and personal accomplishment (PA). Through the survey, the 186 professors, 49% among the total, provided data which were included in the present analysis. More than thirty per cent (37.1%) of the professors reported at least 1 symptom of burnout. For burnout dimensions, 11.8% of the respondents scored high for EE burnout, 25.3% for De, and 14.5% for PA, with 1.6% scoring high on all three dimensions of burnout. High burnout was found to be strongly associated with several of the variables under study, especially hours worked per week, self-rated health, career (range, 4 to 9 years), and age (range, 50 to 59 years). The EE score was highest for the professors who chose 'patient care' as the most difficult type of work. This study showed that just over one-third of professors have at least 1 symptom of burnout and working more hours per week, short length of work (years), and especially suicidal ideation seem to be associated with the burnout of medical school faculty members in the Busan-Gyeongnam area. In summary, a greater risk of burnout of physicians (including medical professors) seems to be associated with specialties at the front line of care, working more hours per week, work-life imbalance, low self-efficacy, depression, and conflicts with colleagues and patients.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify cell phone addiction in school-age children and factors influencing addiction. Methods: The participants were 163 parents of elementary school students in the 1st to 4th grades. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires completed by the parents, and analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 IBM program. Results: Of the children, 86.5% were reported as being average users, 9.2%, at risk users, and 4.3%, at high risk users. Cell phone addiction in the children was significantly different according to games played by the children and parents' monthly income. Significant factors influencing cell phone addiction in the children were children's self-control, games played by the children, parents' cell phone addiction and parental control for children's cell phone use, explaining 24% of variance in cell phone addiction. Conclusion: The findings indicate that cell phone addiction in school-age children is influenced by parent-related factors as well as personal factors. Therefore approaches to education programs on cell phone use in school-age children should include parent-related factors as well as personal factors of the children.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.371-382
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• 2000

This study was performed to research how predominantly TMD is known among people and how exactly it is understood. The data set up by this study could be used as beneficial references. Based on this data, people can be more knowledgeable of TMD so that they can recognize the signs and symptoms of TMD. Then, the patients can visit eligible clinician, TMD professionals. Nine hundred thirty six people (426 men and 510 women, ranging from 18 to 69 years old) were selected for the subjects of this study and were investigated by use of self-administered questionnaire. The obtained results were as follows : 1. 10.68% of the subjects were reported to have heard of the term, "Temporomandibular disorders". Females occupied significantly higher percentage than males and 18-29 age group occupied higher percentage than 30-49 age and 50-69 age groups. On the other hand, even more people (52.24%) were reported to have heard of the tenn, "Jaw joint disease". It also had same sex and age prevalences, too. 2. As for the route through which people have heard of TMD, more than half (58.38%) of the people mentioned mass media of communication (T.V. radio 40.36%, newspapers magazines 15.86%, internet 2.16%). Other people who had already heard of TMD (25.05%), dentist (7.75%), and other sources (8.83%) such as physicians, physicians of Chinese medicine, pharmacists were also mentioned. There were not significant differences among sex and age groups. 3. When it comes to the cause and concept of TMD, 32.59% of the subjects considered" an inappropriate overuse of the mandible" as the cause of TMD. There were not significant differences among sex and age groups. 4. The most frequently reported presumable TMD signs and symptoms were jaw pain (61.00%), jaw joint sound (57.80%), and difficulty with mouth opening (50.11%). 5. In answer to the question who is the eligible person to treat jaw joint disease, 35.26% answered the dentists are and 41.99%, orthopedicians. Of the people who chose dentist, 30-49 age group occupied the largest part. In the case of orthopedicians, 18-29 age group was the largest. 6. Of the 7.69% of subjects who had been treated of TMD, only 5.02% of them visited the dentist for the treatment of TMD. There were not significant differences among sex and age groups. 7. In answer to the question of how to prevent development of TMD, 58.87% selected "Avoid eating hard food", 58.65%, "Avoid opening the mouth wide", and 51.07%, "Avoid chewing gum frequently".