• Issues in Feminism
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.123-158
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• 2010

For the last several months, abortion debates have sparkled in Korea. The government has escalated the need of active punishment of illegal abortions to solve low fertility problems, while some obstetricians and gynecologist have proclaimed stoppage of illegal abortions suing colleague doctors who has conducted illegal abortions. Women's rights groups and researchers have also responded to the abortion debate claiming that women's decisions over their pregnancy are important in making of abortion policies. To contribute to Korean abortion debates, his paper aims to analyze European experiences of abortion polices in relation to the consequences on women's health. For the analysis of European abortion experiences, three countries - Ireland, U.K, and Netherland -are chosen. These three countries are selected since their legal and social acceptance of abortion and the level of safe abortion system are different. Each country is reviewed by national abortion policy, legal regulation, medical system and the role of civil society. The analysis shows several implications for abortion debates occurring in Korea. Various systematic policy mechanisms - abortion on women' request, abortions without complicated doctor's referrals, transparent and anonymous counseling and information provision regarding abortion, training and education for medical professionals to guarantee high quality abortion, abortions funded publicly for women to improve their access to abortions, steady monitoring and auditing abortion procedures and outcomes for safe abortion and so on - are required in Korean society. Two track procedures - safe abortion on women's request and prevention of unwanted pregnancy - are needed for reproduction of healthy women and society.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.410-424
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• 2021

Background: Subway stations have the characteristics of being located underground and are a representative public-use facility used by an unspecified number of people. As concerns about indoor air quality (IAQ) increase, various management measures are being implemented. However, there are few systematic studies and cases of long-term continuous measurement of underground station air quality. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze changes and factors influencing IAQ in subway stations through real-time continuous long-term measurement using IoT-based IAQ sensing equipment, and to evaluate the IAQ improvement effect of a bio-filter system. Methods: The IAQ of a subway station in Seoul was measured using IoT-based sensing equipment. A bio-filter system was installed after collecting the background concentrations for about five months. Based on the data collected over about 21 months, changes in indoor air quality and influencing factors were analyzed and the reduction effect of the bio-filter system was evaluated. Results: As a result of the analysis, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and CO₂ increased during rush hour according to the change in the number of passengers, and PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations were high when a PM warning/watch was issued. There was an effect of improving IAQ with the installation of the bio-filter system. The reduction rate of a new-bio-filter system with improved efficiency was higher than that of the existing bio-filter system. Factors affecting PM_2.5 in the subway station were the outdoor PM_2.5, platform PM_2.5, and the number of passengers. Conclusions: The IAQ in a subway station is affected by passengers, ventilation through the air supply and exhaust, and the spread of particulate matter generated by train operation. Based on these results, it is expected that IAQ can be efficiently improved if a bio-filter system with improved efficiency is developed in consideration of the factors affecting IAQ and proper placement.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2008

Ubiquitous health care system, which is one of the developing solution technologies of IT, BT and NT, could give us new medical environments in future. Implementing health information systems can be complex, expensive and frustrating. Healthcare professionals seeking to acquire or upgrade systems do not have a convenient, reliable way of specifying a level of adherence to communication standards sufficient to achieve truly efficient interoperability. Great progress has been made in establishing such standards-DICOM, IHE and HL7, notably, are now highly advanced. IHE has defined a common framework to deliver the basic interoperability needed for local and regional health information networks. It has developed a foundational set of standards-based integration profiles for information exchange with three interrelated efforts. HL7 is one of several ANSI-accredited Standards Developing Organizations operating in the healthcare arena. Most SDOs produce standards (protocols) for a particular healthcare domain such as pharmacy, medical devices, imaging or insurance transactions. HL7's domain is clinical and administrative data. HL7 is an international community of healthcare subject matter experts and information scientists collaborating to create standards for the exchange, management and integration of electronic healthcare information. The ASTM specification for Continuity of Care Record was developed by subcommittee E31.28 on electronic health records, which includes clinicians, provider institutions, administrators, patient advocates, vendors, and health industry. In this paper, there are suggestions that provide a test bed, demonstration and specification of how standards such a IHE, HL7, ASTM can be used to provide an integrated environment.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of abdominal breathing on VAS-Anxiety (VAS-A), blood pressure, peripheral skin temperature and saturation oxygen in pregnant women in preterm labor. Method: The study design was a matched control group interrupted time series. Forty-six women matched to gestational age were assigned to either the experimental group (26) or control group (20). Data were collected between March 2007 and May 2008. For the experimental treatment the women performed abdominal breathing 30 times, which took 5 minutes, and did one set of 5-minute abdominal breathing daily for three days. Data collection was done before and after the abdominal breathing to measure VAS-A, blood pressure, peripheral skin temperature and oxygen saturation. Descriptive, $X^2$, Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze the data with the SPSS/PC+Win 15.0 program. Result: For the experimental group there were significant decreases in VAS-A (Z=-4.37, p=.00), systolic blood pressure (Z=-3.38, p=.00), and an increase in skin temperature (Z=-4.50, p=.00) and oxygen saturation (Z=-3.66, p=.00). Conclusion: These findings suggest that abdominal breathing in pregnant women in preterm labor results in decreases in anxiety(VAS-A) including biological evidences such as systolic blood pressure, and increases in peripheral skin temperature and oxygen saturation. Further longitudinal study is needed on the lasting effects and obstetric and neonatal outcomes following abdominal breathing.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.425-437
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• 2015

Objectives: Risk assessment is a tool for predicting and reducing uncertainty related to the effects of future activities. Probability approaches are the main elements in risk assessment, but confusion about the interpretation and use of assessment factors often undermines the message of the analyses. The aim of this study is to provide a guideline for systematic reduction plans regarding uncertainty in risk assessment. Methods: Articles and reports were collected online using the key words "uncertainty analysis" on risk assessment. Uncertainty analysis was conducted based on reports focusing on procedures for analysis methods by the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). In addition, case studies were performed in order to verify suggested methods qualitatively and quantitatively with exposure data, including measured data on toluene and styrene in residential spaces and multi-use facilities. Results: Based on an analysis of the data on uncertainty, three major factors including scenario, model, and parameters were identified as the main sources of uncertainty, and tiered approaches were determined. In the case study, the risk of toluene and styrene was evaluated and the most influential factors were also determined. Five reduction plans were presented: providing standard guidelines, using reliable exposure factors, possessing quality controls for analysis and scientific expertise, and introducing a peer review system. Conclusion: In this study, we established a method for reducing uncertainty by taking into account the major factors. Also, we showed a method for uncertainty analysis with tiered approaches. However, uncertainties are difficult to define because they are generated by many factors. Therefore, further studies are needed for the development of technical guidelines based on the representative scenario, model, and parameters developed in this study.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.121-131
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• 2002

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the physical load by identifying harmfully working postures and to develop recommendations for improving the existing situation with nurses in ICU, thereby to provide the basis for development of work-related musculoskeletal preventive program. Method: Various types of tasks were recorded with a video camera to chart and analyze different postures by OWAS(Ovako Working Posture Analysing System). Collected data showed that poor postures were adopted, not only for lifting or repositoning a patient, but also for other tasks. Data Analysis: The performed activities were then divided into Nursing Intervention Classification. Altogether 128 postures were selected for analysis. Then they were classified into different OAC (OWAS Action Categories). From all the observation, unhealthy postures, for which corrective measures had to be considered immediately (i.e., 75% classified as OACII+III+IV) were found. Collected data were analyzed in terms of percentage, 2-tail Mann-Whitney U test. Result: Poor postures mainly occur during 'positioning the patient' and 'airway suctioning' in NIC. No difference was found (p=0.060) between the percentage of harmful posture adopted during the patient handling tasks and non-patient handling tasks. Conclusion: This study shows, that in the nursing profession with ICU not only occur during patient handling, but also during other activities. The OWAS method was useful in determining the physical load by locating potential activities due to harmfully working postures, providing a detailed description with analysis, and suggesting successful means to reduce postural load.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.187-203
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• 2014

Objectives: As the demand to deal with pathogens in domestic research institutions has expanded and biological accidents have increased, the need for systematic biosafety management in infectious disease laboratories has grown. According to international standards, risk assessment (RA) is required for biosafety management. However, RA criteria have not been clearly established in Korea, so to this end I have attempted to determine RA criteria meeting international levels Methods: In order to provide RA criteria for application, I analyzed the RA criteria in use in the U.S., Europe and at international organizations. In order to ensure the public nature of the RA criteria, I constructed the research model through modified management consulting methodology reflecting the model of Radnor and O'Mahoney. Results: According to the results of the study, existing laboratory biosafety regulations were comparable to domestic laboratory safety laws. Existing laboratory biosafety standards that are designed around risk factors were found to be insufficient. An RA case to be carried out in infectious disease laboratories at the National Institute of Health of KCDC was identified. Conclusion: To establish a systematic risk management system meeting international standards, it was necessary first to harmonize the systems of national and international standards. In addition, in order to provide specific biosafety management on-site, I recognized a need for methodology and planning strategies to discover biosafety management so that it can be carried out as required through the RA of individual laboratories.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.130-134
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• 2013

The clip-type pulsimeter equipped with a magnetic sensing Hall device and the most popular body sign of the electrocardiogram (ECG) were investigated in order to analyze the pulse wave velocity (PWV). The PWV simultaneously calculated by means of time difference between the maximum peak of ECG pulse wave and the starting point of radial artery pulse wave, and distance difference between the heart position and the radial wrist position. The PWV analyzed from the clinical data was a wider scope of 5~7 m/s with an average value of 6 m/s. By the prediction of blood vessel's elasticity from the analysis of PWV, it may be useful for developing an oriental-western diagnostic medical signal device for a U-health-care system in the future.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.329-332
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• 2017

In this study, a performance evaluation was carried out to develop a new add-on device with an algorithm for automatically measuring the exercise weight and repetitions when using an existing fitness machine. The developed device was designed to be simply attached to an exercise machine to measure the exercise weight and repetitions. The measured data are transferred to a smartphone using Bluetooth. As result, it is possible to detect the weights and repetitions from three users with different exercise habits with little error. The system can measure the user's motion and transfer the data to various devices capable of utilizing the workout data, giving it the advantage of being applicable to personalized health care and rehabilitation therapy.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.595-602
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• 2018

Quality control (QC) of Computed Tomography (CT) devices is based on image quality measurement on AAPM CT phantom which is a standard phantom. Although it is possible to control the accuracy of the CT apparatus, it is expensive and has a disadvantage of low penetration rate. Therefore, in this study, we make image quality measurement phantom at low cost using FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) type three-dimensional printer and try to analyze the usefulness, compare it with existing standard phantom. To print a phantom, We used three-dimensional printer of the FFF system and PLA (Poly Lactic Acid, density: $1.24g/cm^3$) filament, and the CT device of 64 MDCT (Aquilion CX, Toshiba, Japan). In addition, we printed a phantom using three-dimensional printer after design using various tool based on existing standard phantom. For image quality evaluation, AAPM CT phantom and self-generated phantom were measured 10 times for each block. The measured data were analyzed for significance using the Mannwhiteney U-test of SPSS (Version 22.0, SPSS, Chicago, IL, USA). As a result of the analysis, phantom fabricated with three-dimensional printer and standard phantom showed no significant difference (p>0.05). Furthermore, we confirmed that image quality measurement performance of a phantom using three-dimensional printer is similar to the existing standard phantom. In conclusion, we confirmed the possibility of low cost phantom fabrication using three dimensional printer.