• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.51-67
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• 2008

The study analyzes divorce rates in Korea and makes suggestions for the future research of divorce rates. Based on the data from Korea Statistical Information System (KOSIS) of the National Statistics Organization, trends for divorce rates change and the relations between divorce rates and macro environmental factors are analyzed. Macro environmental factors include socioeconomic factors such as, Korean War, Vietnam War, oil shock, IMP economic crisis and gross national income (GNI), whereas demographical factors include population structure, rates of female labor participation, and geographical location. The principle characteristics of divorce rates are as follows: 1) the Crude divorce rates (CDR) and the number of divorced had been increased from 1970 to 2004, then the trend changed to a decrease; 2) the slope of the change were the highest during 1998 to 2004 after the IMP economic crisis. The relations between socioeconomic factors are as follows: 1) during the war there was a small increase of CDR for a short period of time; 2) the economic crisis of the nation tend to increase the CDR, while the IMP economic crisis had a strong impact on an increase of CDR because of the interaction effect among the population structure, women's sex role changes as well as the level of standard of living. The increase in CDR from 1990 to 2000 can be explained partly by the population of baby Boomers passing through their marriage and divorce process. The number of population residing in the rural area and the middle class households, and the mobility of population also had an impact on the divorce rates changes. The recommendations for the future research were as follows: 1) the need to develop new divorce statistics that are based on a marriage cohort or a birth cohort because family behavior is a mixture of personal, social and political responses, and because CDR is not an accurate measure of divorce rate since it was influenced by population structure; 2) the need to include micro personal factors as well as macro social factors in a model to find an interaction effect between those variables.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.436-442
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify the effect of dairy products, milk and yogurt on osteoporosis incidence among Korean postmenopausal women using prospective cohort data. MATERIALS/METHODS: Between 2001 and 2003, 10,038 participants were recruited in rural and urban areas for a baseline examination of a community-based cohort study. Of those, 1,573 postmenopausal women (aged 40-69 years at baseline) were eligible for the present study. Intakes of dairy products, milk, and yogurt were assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The speed of sound at the radius and tibia were measured using a quantitative ultrasound device and osteoporosis was defined based on the WHO criteria (T-score ${\leq}-2.5$). RESULTS: During the 4-years follow-up study, the cumulative incidence of osteoporosis was 18.4% (273 cases) in the radius and 33.6% (407 cases) in the tibia. The subjects with higher frequency of dairy product consumption showed a decreased risk of radius osteoporosis after adjusting for potential confounders [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.33-0.80 for >1 time/day vs. non consumer; P for trend = 0.0027]. Similarly, high frequency of milk and yogurt consumption had a protective effect on radius osteoporosis risk [milk: HR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.42-0.87 for > 5-6 times/week vs. non consumer (P for trend = 0.0130), yogurt: HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.30-0.85 for > 5-6 times/week vs. non consumer (P for trend = 0.0167)]. However, high dairy products consumption was not related with tibia osteoporosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that daily intake of dairy products could potentially reduce radius osteoporosis incidence among Korean postmenopausal women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3143-3147
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• 2012

Background: Previous studies investigating the association of physical activity with risk of lung cancer reported conflicting results. In order to update and improve available evidence on any link, a meta-analysis was performed. Method: We searched the PubMed database for prospective cohort studies investigating the relation of physical activity with risk of lung cancer. The pooled relative risk (RR) with its 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) was used to assess the association. Results: We included 14 prospective studies with a total of 1,644,305 participants, with 14,074 incident lung cancer cases documented during follow-up. Meta-analysis of all 14 studies suggested both high and medium levels of physical activity to be associated with decreased risk of lung cancer compared to the reference group with low level of physical activity (for high level, RR = 0.77, 95%CI 0.73-0.81, P < 0.001; for medium level, RR = 0.87, 95%CI 0.83-0.90, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by gender found obvious associations in both men and women. No publication bias was observed. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that high and medium levels of physical activity have a beneficial effect on lung cancer by reducing the overall risk of tumour development among both men and women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3117-3121
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• 2013

Objective: Previous epidemiologic studies demonstrated that obesity might associated with the risk of bladder cancer. However, many of the actual association findings remained conflicting. To better clarify and provide a comprehensive summary of the correlation between obesity and bladder cancer risk, we conducted a meta-analysis to summarize results of studies on the issue. Stratified analyses were also performed on potential variables and characteristics. Methods: Studies were identified by searching in PubMed and Wanfang databases, covering all the papers published from their inception to March 10, 2013. Summary relative risks (SRRs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by either random-effect or fixed-effect models. Results: A total of 11 cohort studies were included in our meta-analysis, which showed that obesity was associated with an increased risk for bladder cancer in all subjects (RR=1.10, 95% CI=1.06-1.16; p=0.215 for heterogeneity; $I^2$=24.0%). Among the 9 studies that controlled for cigarette smoking, the pooled RR was 1.09 (95% CI 1.01-1.17; p=0.131 for heterogeneity; $I^2$=35.9%). No significant publication bias was detected (p = 0.244 for Egger's regression asymmetry test). Conclusions: Our results support the conclusion that obesity is associated with the increased risk of bladder cancer. Further research is needed to generate a better understanding of the correlation and to provide more convincing evidence for clinical intervention in the prevention of bladder cancer.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2012

Purpose: Precepted video review (PVR) has been considered one of the methods for the remediation of clinical performance examinations (CPX). This study quantified the effect of brief PVR on CPX scores. Methods: For two years, final-year students (61 students in the 1st year's cohort and 54 in the 2nd year's cohort) participated in CPXs. The scores on the initial CPX were announced to the students shortly after that CPX administration. There was no PVR after the initial CPX in the 1st year. All participants of the 2nd year were notified of the opportunity to voluntarily receive brief PVR after the initial CPX. Several months after the initial CPX, the students took the latter CPX in both years. The differences of scores between initial and latter CPX were compared in good performers and poor performers of the initial CPX. Results: Thirteen poor performers and 8 good performers received PVR in the 2nd year. In the 1st year, history taking (Hx), physical examination, and patient physician interaction (PPI) scores of the good performers of the initial CPX were significantly decreased on the latter CPX. In the 2nd year, the Hx and PPI scores of the good performers of the initial CPX, who received PVR, were significantly decreased at the latter CPX. The Hx and PPI scores of the poor performers of the initial CPX were significantly increased at the latter CPX in both years regardless of PVR. Conclusion: The changes in CPX scores according to PVR did not show any consistent trend. Brief PVR appears to be not sufficient for improving CPX scores.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 1995

We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate the preventive effect of ginseng on the development of cancer in the population over 40 years old residing in Kangwha-eup from August 1987 to December 1992. Alnong 4, 634 persons (2, 362 men, 2, 272 women), 335 (7.6%) persons had died. Cancer accounted for 79 (22.8%) of the total death. Of 4, 634 persons eligible for analysis, 70.475 (3, 263) were ginseng intakes. Ginseng intakes had a decreased risk (RR=0.48, 95% Cl : 0.34~0.67) compared with non-intakes. The relative risk of cancer according to the kind of ginseng was 0.23 (95% Cl : 0.08~ 0.63) for fresh ginseng extract intakes. There was a decrease in risk with rising the frequency of ginseng intake, showing statistically significant dose-response relationship. The longer the duration of ginseng intake or the greater the total number of ginseng consumed, the lower the risk. Newly diagnosed cancer cases have been identified: 42 stomach, 24 lung, 14 liver and 57 at other sites. The relative risks of ginseng intakes were 0.34 (95% Cl 0.19~0.60) in gastric cancer and 0.27 (95% Cl : 0.12-0.60) in lung cancer. Among ginseng preparations, fresh ginseng intakes were significantly associated with the decreased risk of gastric cancer (RR: 0.19, 95% Cl : 0.04~0.98). These results strongly revealed that Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer (Korean ginseng) has preventive effect against cancer.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 2007

Recent epidemiologic studies show that gestational exposure to air pollution adversely affects pregnancy outcomes including low birth weight in preform birth. In this study, we evaluated the effect of air pollutants on LBW (low birth weight) on firstborn fetus throughout the gestational period using the birth cohort between 1999 and 2003 in Seoul. Using birth cohort data from the National Statistics Office of Korea we identified 288,346 firstborn births (excluded missing data on lack of information for birth weight and discordance between residential and certificated address from a total of 316,451) during 1999 to 2003 with complete covariate (gender, parity, date of birth, gestational age, parental age and educational level, maternal occupation etc.) and maternal residential history data. Our subjects were defined as more than 37 weeks and less than 44 weeks of completed gestation and we identified 5,457 persons (1.89%) by low birth weight (<2.5 kg) in this study. Using logistic regression, we estimated the risk of mean (entire pregnancy and trimester period) air pollution concentrations for CO, $O_3,\;PM_{10},\;NO_2\;and\;SO_2$. In terms of trimester-specific exposure, we found that some air pollutants exposure in each trimester would increase the risk for LBW. Results also showed that the effect size of air pollutants exposure during the first and third trimester is higher than during the second trimester. In all trimester, the estimated risk of LBW was 1.831 (95% CI=1.573-2.132) with unit increase for CO, 1.139 (95% CI=1.107-1.172) for 50, and 1.009 (95% CI=1.001-1.017) for $O_3$. Our results suggest that exposure during the gestation period to relatively low levels of some air pollutants may be associated with a reduction in birth weight on first-born fetus. These findings implicate the effective risk management strategies should be applied to minimize the public health impacts for pregnant women.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2011

Purpose: This study investigated the effect on survival rate for organophosphate intoxication patients who received trachostomy. This research was conducted to help identify appropriate treatment of patients who received a trachostomy. Methods: This research was retrospectively conducted using the medical records of 141 patients who arrived at the Chosun University Hospital emergency medical center between Jan 2007 and Dec 2010, suffering from organophosphate intoxication. They were placed in two groups including one which received trachostomy as part of their treatment and one that did not. The effect of each variable on mortality was evaluated by regressionanalysis. Results: Of 141 patients with organophosphate intoxication, 105 of them did not tracheostomy and 16 were dead cohorts (15.2%). Their size of pupil was 1mm. Factors such as amount of organophosphate ingested, PAM time after ingestion, average body temperature, arrival time, atropinization time after ingestion, AST/ALT, Bun/Cr all appeared to be significant factors in death cohorts (P<0.05). 36 patients among the total had tracheostomy and 11 ones of them were in dead cohort (30.6%) and their average age was 58 years. The facts affect the state of patients in dead cohort include the amount of intoxication which between $327.27{\pm}194.1ml$, performing intubation 686 mins after intubation, reaching to the hospital after 580mins, injecting PAM 744 mins after intoxication, injecting atropine 627 mins after intoxication. The largest cases of patient's state was found to be stupor with 14 patients (38.9%) the level of Cholinesterase in blood appeared to be significant in dead cohort as $391.00{\pm}353.9IU/L$ (P<0.05). Conclusion: Further planned studies are necessary on the use of tracheostomy for treatment of poisoning victims, especially those intoxicated by organophosphorus insecticides.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.405-411
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• 2007

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical applicability of the repeatability criteria recommended by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) spirometry guidelines and to determine which factors affect the repeatability of spirometry in Korean adults. Methods: We reviewed the spirometry data of 4,663 Korean adults from the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Cohort (COPD cohort) and the Community-based Cohort Study VI-Fishing village/Islands (community cohort). We measured the anthropometric factors and differences between the highest and second-highest FVC (dFVC) and $FEV_1$ ($dFEV_1$) from prebronchodilator spirometry. Analyses included the distribution of dFVC and $dFEV_1$, comparison of the values meeting the 1994 ATS repeatability criteria with the values meeting the 2005 ATS/ERS repeatability criteria, and the performance of linear regression for evaluating the influence of subject characteristics and the change of criteria on the spiro-metric variability. Results: About 95% of subjects were able to reproduce FVC and $FEV_1$ within 150 ml. The KNHANES based on the 1994 ATS guidelines showed poorer repeatability than the COPD cohort and community cohort based on the 2005 ATS/ERS guidelines. Demographic and anthropometric factors had little effect on repeatability, explaining only 0.5 to 3%. Conclusion: We conclude that the new spirometry repeatability criteria recommended by the 2005 ATS/ERS guidelines is also applicable to Korean adults. The repeatability of spirometry depends little on individual characteristics when an experienced technician performs testing. Therefore, we suggest that sustained efforts for public awareness of new repeatability criteria, quality control of spirograms, and education of personnel are needed for reliable spirometric results.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.385-396
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• 2014

Objectives: By conducting a meta-analysis of cohort studies reporting standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for workers exposed to trichloroethylene, we attempted to adjust for healthy hired effect by applying the same methods as described in a recent report from the Agricultural Health Study. Methods: Among all cohort studies that evaluated the association between all cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), kidney cancer, liver cancer and occupational exposure to trichloroethylene, a total of 10 studies reporting SMR values were selected. A random-effects model was used to estimate the summary SMRs or rSMRs and 95% confidence intervals. Relative SMR ($rSMR=SMR_x/SMR_{not\;x}$) was calculated comparing observed and expected counts for all cancer, NHL, kidney cancer, and liver cancer with an independent referent set of values consisting of the observed and expected counts for other causes. Results: The SMR values for all causes ranged from 0.68 to 1.03, suggesting moderate to weak healthy worker effect for the selected studies. When the healthy worker hire effect was taken into account, the summarized risk became statistically significant; the summary SMR of all cancer was 0.95 (0.91-1.00) and the summary rSMR of all cancer was 1.10 (1.04-1.15). The summary SMR of NHL was 1.04 (0.93-1.14) and the summary rSMR of NHL was 1.23 (1.04-1.46). The summary SMR of kidney cancer was 1.08 (0.88-1.33) and the summary rSMR of kidney cancer was 1.23 (1.02-1.49). The summary SMR of liver cancer was 0.88 (0.78-0.99), and the summary rSMR of liver cancer was 0.95 (0.84-1.07). Conclusion: The rSMR method is useful to determine summary risk adjusted for healthy worker effect through meta-analysis.