• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.280-287
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• 2015

The high time-resolution monitoring data are essential to estimate rapid changes in chemical compositions, concentrations, formation mechanisms, and likely sources of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). In this study, $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate, $PM_{2.5}$, $PM_{10}$, and the number concentration of size-resolved PMs were monitored in Fukuoka, Japan by good time-resolved methods during the springtime. The highest monthly average $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate was found in May ($8.85{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), followed by April ($8.36{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), March ($8.13{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$), and June ($7.22{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$). The cases exceed the Japanese central government's safety standard for $PM_{2.5}$ ($35{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) reached 10.11% during four months campaign. The fraction of $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate to $PM_{2.5}$ varied from 12.05% to 68.11% with average value of 35.49% throughout the entire period of monitoring. This high proportion of sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$ is an obvious characteristic of the ambient $PM_{2.5}$ in Fukuoka during the springtime. However, the average fraction of $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate to $PM_{2.5}$ in three rain events occurred during our intensive campaign fell right down to 15.53%. Unusually high $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate (> $30{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) marked on three days were probably affected by the air parcels coming from the Chinese continent, the natural sulfur in the remote marine atmosphere, and a large number of ships sailing on the nearby sea. The theoretical number concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in $PM_{0.5-0.3}$ was originally calculated and then compared to $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate. A close resemblance between the diurnal variations of the theoretically calculated number concentration of $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ in $PM_{0.5-0.3}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ sulfate concentration indicates that the secondary formed $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ was the primary form of sulfate in $PM_{2.5}$ during our monitoring period.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1135-1145
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the situation of internal facilities and sanitary management of elementary, middle, and high school foodservice in Chonbuk area. Self administered questionnaires were collected from 252 nutrition teachers and school dietitians. Statistical data analysis was completed using a SPSS 11.5 program. The results are summarized as follows: Approximately 99.2% of the subjects were women and those who were married accounted for 76.6%. Those in their 30s to 40s accounted for over 87%, those with more than 11 years experience accounted for 56.8%, and those 69.0% were regular nutrition teachers. Among the 280 school foodservice systems, 51.6% of the schools were located in urban areas and 48.0% in rural areas. About 68% of the schools prepared meals the conventional way and 32.3% prepared them the commissary way. The number of employees accounted for in the schools was 37.7% with 1 to 3 employees, 27.8% with 4 to 6 employees, and 25.4% with 7 to 9 employees. About 54% of schools have an expectance of school meal service for more than 11 years. However 67.5% of their facilities had not been remodeled since the implementation of the foodservice. As a result of the conditions of the school foodservice facilities, there were significant differences between elementary and middle & high schools; preparation room (p<0.01), toilet (p<0.01), and boiler room (p<0.01). About 62% of the nutrition teachers responded that they were dissatisfied with the situation of the facilities (e.g. size and materials of the kitchen, heating and cooling systems). The washing and disinfection methods in elementary, middle and high schools were very different, because they had no sanitizers and disinfectant guidelines. Therefore the governmental regulating agencies must review and approve of the plans prior to new construction or extensive remodeling of the school foodservice facilities. In addition, we suggest that it is necessary to provide practical sanitizers and disinfectant guidelines and other useful education.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.190-199
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• 1981

A survey of nutrition and incidence of parasites was conducted from January 23 to 31 and February 14 to 18, 1981, to determine the nutritional status of young children under the age of 6 years, in one of the rural family health project areas: Whaseoung-gun, Kyunggi-do, Korea. This study covered a total of 233 children. The results are summarised as follows: Approximately one-half of these families had an annual income between \1,000,000 and \2,500,000. Nearly 84% of the households were involved in farming. Energy intake of children met 70.6% of the requirement: carhohydrates provided 77%, protein provided 11%, and fat provided 12% of the total energy intake. Low intake of iron; calcium; and vitamins, excluding thiamin, was also found. Mean hemoglobin value was $10.6{\pm}1.0gm/100ml.;\;42%$ of subjects were categorized as low group, 22% were in the deficient group, and only 36% were at an acceptable level as indicated by O'Neal. Thus, 22% of the subjects were proven to be anemic by the hemoglobin criteria. Mean hematocrit value was $30.1{\pm}2.8%$, and 80 of 208 children, or 38.4% of subjects, were below 30% of the standard established by O'Neal. The positive prevalence of parasitic infection was 20% , significantly higher than that observed in the Yowido compound (5.5%) in 1980. Hematologic findings had no significant correlation to parasitic infection. The majority, 95.2% of the subjects, met or surpassed 90% of the KlST's standard of height:whtile 28. 6% of the subjects were below 90% of the KIST's standard of weight. The ratio of weight to height for boys 4 to 6 years old was 15.8 to 17.5, in contrast to 16.3 to 16.9 for boys of KHDI project areas, and also in contrast to 17.7 to 17.9 for boys of the same age group from the Yowido apartment compound in Seoul. According to the results of the assessments, the authors found a clear difference in growth values, hematologic findings and dietary patterns between rural areas and advantaged urban areas of Seoul. Our results suggest the need to develop the nutrition and parasite control training of village women for better nutritional care of their young children.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 2009

The principal objective of this study was to provide basic data regarding health care services for middle-aged men, via an analysis of the relationships among stress level, food habits and well-being-related attitudes with social-demographic characteristics and health-related factors. The main findings of this study were as follows. The average age of the participants was $48.7{\pm}5.2$. With regard to health status, 18.8% of the participants were diagnosed with digestive diseases within the past year. Stress levels were higher in the participants with lower levels of educational attainment. Furthermore, participants who had become divorced or lived separately from their families, participants who did not have their own houses, and participants who reported low marital satisfaction also had high levels of stress. Our food habits scores revealed meaningful differences among the study subjects, and were shown to vary with marital satisfaction, occupation, and residence type. In terms of both the importance and practice level of well-being-associated food habits, the most frequent response in this study was 'Consume home-made food rather than processed or ready-to-eat food' ($4.30{\pm}0.86$, $3.68{\pm}1.04$). In terms of importance level, the factors most relevant to well-being in terms of food habits were education level, marital satisfaction, residence type, self-assessed health status, smoking, drinking, regular exercises and leisure activities. With regard to practice levels, the degree to which subjects engaged in food habits targeted toward well-being differed meaningfully depending on marital status, marital satisfaction, residence type, family type, self-assessed health status, smoking, drinking, nutritional supplement intake, regular exercises and leisure activities. After analyzing the correlation among stress level, food habit score and the attitude towards well-being-related dietary habits (importance and practice level), we observed a meaningful relationship between the four factors at the level of p<0.001. According to the above result, continuous attention to health, including the appropriate control of smoking and drinking, as well as, stress management, via regular exercises and appropriate food habits is expected to exert a positive influence on the prevention of disease, and is also expected to improve quality of life. For all well-being-associated items, the importance level was shown to be higher than the practice level. Thus, in order to foster health-oriented food habits, we recommend that a new plan be designed, targeted toward ease of active practice for middle-aged men.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.54
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• pp.177-201
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• 2003

Gambling is prevailing in our society and the family problems of gamblers are also serious. In order to reduce the problems of gamblers and their families, the basic research on gambling would be the first step. In light of this, this study is a survey which has two objectives: to grasp the overall conditions of gambling and the proportion of pathological gamblers; to find the differences between the pathological gamblers' group and the general group in terms of various aspects of family relations in Choongchung area. The findings of this study is as follows, The respondents tend to gamble most with korean playing cards, either in winter or regardless of seasons. They tend to gamble most with family members, relatives, or friends. About 20% of them gamble more often than once a month, and 60% started gambling in their twenties or thirties. The proportion of pathological gamblers was found to be 11.6% of the sample of this study, with men and rural area residents to be significantly more than women and urban area residents. In the various aspects of family lives, such as marital satisfaction, family relations, family violence, family history of addiction, how to spend leisure time with family, it was found that the pathological gamblers' group has significantly more problems than the general group. On the basis of the above findings, the suggestions were made as follows. Firstly, the counter plan to gambling is necessary in the rural area, especially in winter time. secondly, positive leisure activities which substitute gambling needs to be developed, especially for men. Thirdly, family education and family therapy Program is required for the pathological gamblers and their families. Fourthly, governmental policy is necessary for the budget to prevent and treat gambling problems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1407-1412
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• 2012

Background & Objectives: Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both sexes in Iran. This study was designed to assess upper GI endoscopic findings among people > 50 years targeted in a mass screening program in a hot-point region. Methods: Based on the pilot results in Guilan Cancer Registry study (GCRS), one of the high point regions for GC-Lashtenesha- was selected. The target population was called mainly using two methods: in rural regions, by house-house direct referral and in urban areas using public media. Upper GI endoscopy was performed by trained endoscopists. All participants underwent biopsies for rapid urea test (RUT) from the antrum and also further biopsies from five defined points of stomach for detection of precancerous lesions. In cases of visible gross lesions, more diagnostic biopsies were taken and submitted for histopathologic evaluation. Results: Of 1,394 initial participants, finally 1,382 persons (702 women, 680 men) with a mean age of $61.7{\pm}9.0$ years (range: 50-87 years) underwent upper GI endoscopy. H. pylori infection based on the RUT was positive in 66.6%. Gastric adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus were detected in seven (0.5%) and one (0.07%) persons, respectively. A remarkable proportion of studied participants were found to have esophageal hiatal hernia (38.4%). Asymptomatic gastric masses found in 1.1% (15) of cases which were mostly located in antrum (33.3%), cardia (20.0%) and prepyloric area (20.0%). Gastric and duodenal ulcers were found in 5.9% (82) and 6.9% (96) of the screened population. Conclusion: Upper endoscopy screening is an effective technique for early detection of GC especially in high risk populations. Further studies are required to evaluate cost effectiveness, cost benefit and mortality and morbidity of this method among high and moderate risk population before recommending this method for the GC surveillance program at the national level.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 1984

With the increase of using pesticides, pesticide poisonings become more frequent. In the previous epidemiological study on pesticide poisoning and the reports of the authorities concerned, it is carefully affirmed that pesticide poisonings are caused by farmers' ignorance and negligence in using the pesticides. But the pesticide poisoning should be taken into account in terms of the person who sprays the pesticides, its spraying process, farming style and farmers' socio-economic conditions. And based on the understanding mentioned above, preventive measures for pesticide poisoning should be established. In this socio-medical point of view, this study examined the public health problems caused by using pesticides and the treatment of pesticide poisoning, based on the interviews with farmers in a area of Kyunggi-Do about the spraying process of pesticides, poisoning experiences and its treatments. The results are as follows ; 1) The style of spraying pesticides in the target area is mostly an individual one, not cooperative one. And the subjects of spraying are householders, whose educational backgrounds are beneath notice. More than 2~5 of the subjects are women or old men of 60 years old or so. These are seen to derive from the socio-economic status of Korean agricultural families; their younger generation's moving to greater cities and their petty farming styles. 2) As for the safety measures for the spraying of pesticides, those which have nothing to do with the economic, problems such as efficient spraying and productivity, are well obeyed. On the other hand, some safety measures as the use of safety devices, and spraying time, the degree of dilution of pesticides and the spraying method In windy days, are not obeyed very well, for to keep those makes spraying difficult to do and productivity worse. These facts indicate that the safety measures for using pesticides must be directly concerned with the spraying process, farming style and farmers' socio economic status, rather than the subject's knowledge or carefulness. 3) Even In cases of poisoning they do rarely consult the doctors. This is caused by the problem of their locality and transportation since one should pass away a day even in the busiest season to consult doctors, and by their low socio-economic status. 4) The epidemiological studies on pesticide poisonings should be necessarily led to a socio-medical one which are concerned together with the spraying process of pesticides, farming style, farmer's socio-economic status and discrepancies in public health policies between agricultural communities and urban ones.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.351-374
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• 2005

This study examines dynamics of poverty in Korea, focusing on poverty duration and its determinants. Data come from Korean Labor and Income Panel Study(KLIPS), 1998-2003. KLIPS is a longitudinal survey of 5,000 families and their members which are representative of urban residents in Korea. Respondents of KLIPS annually report detailed information on their income, economic activities, and other socio-economic characteristics. This study use poverty exit probabilities to generate distributions of spell lengths, following Bane and Ellwood(1986)'s methodology. This study finds a high level of poverty exit rates in Korea. About three quarters of those beginning a poverty spell exit from poverty within two years. Only 14.3 percent of all the poverty spells consist of long spells which persists five years or more. Yet, a different picture emerges when spells of the poor persons at a given time are analysed. Persistent poor occupy a considerable share of all the poor. Almost 50 percent of those who would be in poverty at a given time are in the midst of poverty spells lasting five years or more. When repeat spells of poverty are also included in the analyses, the proportion of long-term poor increases further. 63 percent of persons poor at a given time are long-termers. The majority of long-term poor are members of families headed by the aged. They show both a low level of poverty exit rates and a high level of reentry rates, and thus are most likely to experience long-term poverty. In the first place, they occupy a substantial share of all the poor. The second who are likely to be poor longer is members of families headed by non-aged women. Researchers have recentlty paid much attention to the working poor who have increased since the economic crisis in 1997. Yet, it is very likely that families headed by non-aged male who largely consist of the working poor temporarily experience poverty. Findings for this study suggest that further studies and policy proposals addressing persistent poverty are necessary.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.347-359
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• 2009

The concentrations of PAHs in $PM_{10}$ fine particles were determined at two sites, which were Jongno, one of the urban core sites of Seoul, and Yongin, a downwind site of Seoul. The average concentration of PAHs in $PM_{10}$ was $19.92{\pm}18.49\;ng\;m^{-3}$ with the range of $1.28{\sim}81.22\;ng\;m^{-3}$ at Jongno site of Seoul from August 2006 to August 2007, and $14.06{\pm}9.96\;ng\;m^{-3}$ with the range of $1.66{\sim}31.84\;ng\;m^{-3}$ at Yongin site from September to November of 2006. In the results of monthly comparison, the concentration of PAHs in August was the lowest level of $3.23\;ng\;m^{-3}$, but the highest level of $46.24\;ng\;m^{-3}$ in January. The seasonal comparison showed the concentration in winter was higher by the factor of 11.9 than in summer. The concentrations of PAHs during a warm period (November${\sim}$March) increased as 5.1 times higher than those during a cold period (April${\sim}$October). The concentrations of PAHs were assumed to be largely attributed to the consumption of fossil fuels, temperature, mixing height, and photochemical reactions in Seoul metropolitan area.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.563-574
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• 2007

There seems to be a consensus among most people that visibility impairment is the most obvious indicator of air pollution. While considerable evidence on the association between air pollution and health outcomes including death and disease have been established, based on industrial complex areas or huge urban cities, time-series, case-crossover and cohort studies, scarce literature exists on the direct evidence for the association between visibility and adverse health outcomes. Our study is assessed the effect of air pollution measured by visibility impairment on respiratory mortality over a period of six years. Relative risks in respiratory deaths were estimated by a Poisson regression model of daily deaths between $1999{\sim}2004$. Daily counts of respiratory deaths as dependent variable was modelled with daily 24-hr mean visibility measurements (kilometers) as independent variable by means of Poisson regression. This model is controlled for confounding factors such as day of weeks, weather variables, seasonal variables and $PM_{10}$. The results in this study is observed the statistically significant association between an inverse health effect and visibility during the study period for respiratory mortality (percentage change in the relative risk for all aged -0.57%, 95% Cl, $-1.01%{\sim}-0.12%$; for $0{\sim}15$ aged -7.12%, 95% Cl, $-13.29%{\sim}-0.51%$; for 65+ aged -0.43%, 95% Cl, $-0.93%{\sim}-0.06%$ per 1 km increased in visibility). The effect size was much reduced during warm season. Visibility impairment resulting from air pollution is strongly associated with respiratory mortality, especially for children may be spent at outdoor. Our result provides a quick and useful indicator for eliciting the contribution of air pollution to the excess risk of respiratory mortality in Seoul, Korea.