• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2021

We surveyed 27 workplaces and 1897 workers and analyzed the correlation between Personal characteristics of workers and Musculoskeletal Symptoms. The presence or absence of Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disease in workers was based on The Management Target or higher in accordance with the guidelines for The Investigation of Harmful Factors in Musculoskeletal Burdened Work of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Personal characteristics were divided into age, work load, housework burden, work experience, leisure type, gender, and marital status. In the survey, correlations were investigated through binominal logistic regression analysis for rank variables of work load, household burden, and work experience, and the significance of the results was confirmed by crosstabulation and chi-square analysis for other nominal variables. And in the case of other variables, there was a slight trend, but it was confirmed that it was not statistically significant. As a result, We confirmed that the incidence rate of Musculoskeletal Disease Symptoms increased as the age of the workers was lower, the higher the workload and housework, if they were women, if they did not engage in leisure activities. However, considering that the results of this study are slightly different as a result of comparing the results of other studies, the data of this study can be used as rough indicators for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, but additional research is needed before using it as quantitative indicators.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.6
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• pp.256-263
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• 2013

Background: Health status measure is not only important for clinical research studies but also for clinical practices of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the validity of the Korean Version of COPD Assessment Test (CAT) in primary care clinics as well as in referral hospitals. Methods: Smokers or ex-smokers, aged 40 years or older, with a smoking history of >10 pack-years; and a COPD diagnosis in the past 6 months or more, were recruited from 4 primary care clinics and 2 referral hospitals. Demographic, medical, and spirometry data was collected from patients who completed the CAT and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and had their dyspnea been assessed. The primary endpoint was the correlation between of the Korean version of CAT with SGRQ in patients with COPD. Results: A total 100 patients were enrolled. The mean age and smoking amounts were $69.2{\pm}8.4$ years and $40.6{\pm}22.3$ pack-years, respectively. Sixty-seven percent of the patients reported at least one exacerbation in the past year. The mean CAT score was $16.9{\pm}8.0$. The internal consistency assessed by Cronbach's alpha was 0.85. The CAT score was positively correlated with the SGRQ score (r=0.76, p<0.0001) and each component of SGRQ: symptoms, activity and impacts; r=0.68, r=0.61, and r=0.72, respectively (all p<0.0001). These positive correlations were preserved in the different groups (r=0.86, p<0.0001 in primary care clinic group; r=0.69, p<0.0001 in hospital group). The CAT score was also positively correlated to the Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (r=0.46, p<0.0001). Conclusion: The Korean version of CAT had good internal consistency and showed good correlations with SGRQ. It can be used for assessing the impacts of COPD on the patient's health including primary care setting.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5927-5936
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• 2014

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Jordanians. Breast cancer patients suffer from several negative consequences after treatment and these include pain, fatigue, sexual problems, appearance and body image concerns, with psychological dysfunction. This could affect the patient quality of life and psychological well-being. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published quantitative data on the quality of life and psychological well-being of breast cancer patients in Jordan. The objective of this study was to obtain such data and assess predictors with calculated scores. Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted among breast cancer patients in Jordan diagnosed in 2009 and 2010, assessment was performed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Breast Module (QLQ-BR23) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Clinical, demographic and psychosocial indicators that could predict patient quality of life scores were collected. Results: The number of patients interviewed was 236 (mean age=$50.7{\pm}10.7$ years). The mean Global Health score for the QLQ-C30 was $63.7{\pm}20.2$ SD. Among functional scales, "social functioning" scored the highest ($mean=78.1{\pm}28.6$ SD), whereas "emotional functioning" scored the lowest ($mean=59.0{\pm}SD\;33.5$). For the QLQ-BR23, the worst scores within the functional scales were for "body image" ($mean=52.1{\pm}36.8$ SD) and "future perspective" ($mean=52.9{\pm}38.5$ SD). The worst symptom was "upset by hair loss" ($mean=69.8{\pm}43.0$). The mean HADS scores was $18.{\pm}9.0$ SD. Out of study participants, 53% scored abnormal on the anxiety scale and 45% on the depression scale. Severe depression and severe anxiety were detected among 8% and 14% of study participants, respectively. Statistically significant predictors for individual scores were similar to those reported in published studies, such as the presence of recurrence since baseline, family history of cancer, low educational status, current social problems, extent of the disease, presence of financial difficulties, and employment status. Conclusions and Recommendations: Breast cancer survivors in Jordan have overall good quality of life scores when compared with patients from Western countries. However, their psychological wellbeing is more impaired. There is an urgent need for psychosocial support programs and psychological screening and consultation for breast cancer patients at hospitals of the Ministry of Health in Jordan.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.1069-1076
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• 2017

Recently, with the development of advanced medical technology and the introduction of most advanced medical equipments, life expectancy increases accordingly. Many people want to live long-lived in health. Therefore, if it is possible to pre-diagnose the sub-health condition and formulate an appropriate treatment plan, we can prevent the disease and reduce social expenditure costs. In this study, we statistically analyzed the data in responding to each questionnaire for healthy biorhythm and sub-health among targeted members of a specific group. The analysis for the effects of healthy biorhythm to male and female showed that there was a significant difference between male and female. In the analysis of the effects of the conditions of healthy biorhythm to the 10 sub-health indicators, the significant effects of good and bad condition has been observed. The results of the decision tree analysis showed that all the respondents with poor hormone and urological sub-health status have bad healthy biorhythms. In summary, in this paper we have shown that it may be possible to improve the sub-health condition and prevent disease in advance if the healthy biorhythm is well controlled.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.121-129
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• 2002

Osteoporosis, the typical metabolic bone disease of the elderly, is characterized by a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. Genetic and environmental factors are known to play a key role in bone metabolism, and diet is also considered to be one of the important factors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship among the factors affecting BMD, including stature, body weight, age, time period since onset of menopause, and biochemical markers of bone turnover in postmenopausal women. Seventy-eight postmenopausal women who visited health promotion center for health examinations volunteered to participate in this study and they were divided into two groups according to the time period since onset of menopause : women with a time period since onset of menopause of less than 5 years (Group 1) and women with a time period since onset of menopause of 5 years or more (Group 2). The demographic characteristics and dietary intake were surveyed using a questionnaire. BMDs of the lumbar spine and femoral neck of subjects were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH), known to be indicators of bone related hormone status, were anlyzed. Serum samples were measured for calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin as bone formation indicators, and urine was analysed for deoxypyridinoline, creatinine, calcium, and sodium as bone resorption indicators. The results are as follow : The mean BMDs of the lumbar spin and femoral neck were $1.02 \pm 0.02 g/cm^2 and 0.81 \pm 0.02 g/cm^2 respectively, and the BMD level of Group 2 was significantly lower than tat of Group 1 (p<0.01, p<0.05, respectively). The mean daily intake of energy was 1838 $\pm$ 55 kcal. When nutrient intake was compared with the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of the subjects, only calcium, vitamin A and riboflavin intake showed means lower than the RDA. The nutrient intake did not show any significant differences between Group 1 and 2 Serum and urine levels of biochemical markers of bone turnover did not show any significant differences between Group 1 and 2, and all were within the normal range. However, the PTH and deoxypyridinoline levels showed a tendency to be higher, and the osteocalcin level to be lower in Group 2 than in Group 1. Although age and years after menopause (YAM) showed negative correlations with lumbar spine bone mineral density (LBMD) (r= -0.38, p<0.001, and r= -0.26, p< 0.05, respectively), no correlation was found with femoral neck bone mineral density (NBMD). While height, body weight and body mass index (BMI) showed a positive correlation with LBMD (r= 0.32, p<0.001, r= 0.38, p<0.001, r= 0.22, p= 0.05, respectively), only body weight and BMI showed a positive correlation with NBMD (r= 0.30, p<0.01, and r= 0.27, p<0.05, respectivley). There was no significant corealtion between BMDs and the nutrient intake of subjects, except in the case of carbohydrates (r= 0.22, p<0.05). Also, serum and urine levels of bone turnover markers showed no significant correlation with nutrient intake. On the other hand, serum osteocalcin had a positive correlation with vitamin C intake (r= 0.22, p= 0.05), and urine deoxypyridinolin showed a negative correlation with niacin intake (r= -0.22, p= 0.05). Urinary na was negatively correlated with protein intake(r= -0.23, p= 0.05). The results suggested that it is difficult to prevent the decrease in bone mass among postmenopausal women eating the usual Korean diet. However, the BMDs of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were positively related to body weight ad BMI in postmenopausal women. Therefore, this study confirmed that one of the most effective ways to minimize bone loss in postmenopausal women would be to maintain an adequate body weight with balanced nutrient intake and activity in the pre-and postmenopausal periods.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.65-70
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• 2010

Purpose: Exercise has been shown to be a simple and economical therapeutic modality that may be considered as an effective aid for diabetic mellitus. For example, exercise training increases insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. But we found no reported of how exercise affect type 1 diabetes. This study investigated the impact of aerobic and graduated treadmill exercise regimens on body weight, glucose and insulin concentrations, lipid profiles, and oxidative stress indicators in rats with streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes. Glycosylated hemoglobin ($HbA_{1c}$) was determined as an indicator of glucose control during exercise. Methods: In our study, a total of 40 rats were used. Three groups of 10 rats each were given STZ to induce diabetes. The remaining 10 rats became the normal group. After 28 days we determined biochemical parameters such as glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin ($HbA_{1c}$), insulin concentration, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were also measured. Results: Concentrations of blood glucose and $HbA_{1c}$ in the moderated exercise groups were significantly decreased after 28 days compared with the control group (p<0.05). There was a significant reduction in serum TC and TG in the experimental groups. The activity of SOD increased significantly by 17.70% and 48.25% respectively. Conclusion: These results indicate that physical training and exercise training affects body weight, fasting blood glucose, $HbA_{1c}$, insulin, lipid profiles, and antioxidant status in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. We suggest that graduated treadmill exercise may have therapeutic, preventative, and protective effects against diabetes mellitusby improving glycemic control, oxidant defenses, and lipid metabolism.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.502-512
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify role ambiguity of comprehensive nursing care unit nurses. Methods: A concept analysis method by Walker and Avant was used to understand role ambiguity of comprehensive nursing care unit nurses. Results: The antecedents of role ambiguity of nurses at comprehensive nursing units were shortage of nurses, unclear admission criteria, and demands for customized nursing care according to severity. Attributes include ambiguity in role delegation, patient placement ambiguity, and professional ambiguity among nursing staff. The consequences were diminished job satisfaction due to excessive workload, difficulty in resolving role ambiguity due to the lack of work analysis studies, and poor outcome of nursing indicators. Conclusion: Improvement of nationwide awareness for comprehensive nursing care unit is required. Clear division at scope of practice for nursing staff in accordance of each medical institution's characteristics is essential. Nurses at comprehensive nursing care unit should understand nature of role ambiguity that occurs as they work in large groups. Nurses should promote communications between nursing staff and they must have volition to improve status quo. An additional research of comprehensive nursing care on the causes of role ambiguity in the practice of nursing care for ward nurses is needed, and management measures should be sought at the organizational level.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.1-18
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• 2022

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of interventional clinical trial registration for children with precocious puberty and to secure basic data for the design of clinical trials for traditional Korean medicine treatment of precocious puberty. Methods The following resources were used to search for data: Clinicaltrial.gov, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP), and Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS), using the search terms, 'Precocious puberty', 'child'. All clinical trials which were registered as of June 2022 were used. Results For the intervention and clinical trial design, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analog was reported in 41.7% of trials, and single group assignment was performed in 66.7% of the studies. Prior consent had not been reported in 50% of the studies. Tanner stage and GnRH stimulation tests were reported by multiple trials as inclusion criteria, and prior treatment experiences for trial drugs were reported as exclusion criteria. The peak serum concentration of luteinizing hormone following GnRH stimulation test was used as a primary outcome in 45.8% of clinical trials, and other growth-related indicators such as growth rate, height, and predicted adult height were also reported. Conclusions In consideration of the design, eligibility criteria, and outcome measurement of the existing clinical trials identified in this study, it should be referred to in the design of clinical trials for traditional Korean medicine treatment of precocious puberty.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.243-251
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• 2023

Objectives: Although a few studies have investigated the relationship between kidney and oral function (number of remaining teeth), their results remain inconclusive. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between kidney function and oral health in community-dwelling healthy elderlies and examine the factors associated with kidney function. Materials and Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Shimane prefecture cohort recruited by the Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education in 2019. We collected clinical data on dental status, background factors and kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], mL/min/1.73 m² and creatinine levels, mg/dL). Results: The study enrolled 481 participants, whose mean age was 66.7±7.4 years, and 223 (46.4%) participants were men. Multivariate analysis revealed significant correlations between eGFR (B=0.17, P=0.04), creatinine (B=-0.54, P<0.01), and the number of remaining teeth. The number of remaining teeth was associated with creatinine and eGFR, which are indicators of kidney function. Conclusion: This study suggests that preserving the teeth may prevent decline in kidney function. Dental professionals should provide instructions and professional care to reduce the risk of systemic diseases such as kidney dysfunction.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.122-133
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• 2018

In this study, groundwater quality data measured for 11 years from 2006 to 2016 were analyzed statistically for 101 civil defense emergency water supply facilities (CDEWSF) in the Gwangju area. The contamination level was quantified into four grades by using excess drinking water quality standards, average concentration analysis, and tendency analysis results for each facility. On the basis of this approach, the groundwater contamination degree of each item was evaluated according to land use status, installation year, depth, and geological distribution. The contamination grade ratios, which were obtained by analyzing three contamination indicators (water quality exceeded frequency, average concentration analysis, and trend analysis) for 15 items on statistically significant of civil defense emergency water was relatively high, in the order of Turbidity (51.5 %) > Color (32.7 %) > Nitrate nitrogen (28.7 %) > Hardness (25.7 %). As a result of the contamination grade analysis, except for the items of Turbidity, Color, and Nitrate nitrogen, the contamination levels were distributed in various degrees from "clean (0)" to "seriously contaminated (3)." Regarding the contamination grade of 12 items, 25 % of the total were classified as "possibly contaminated (1)," and 75 % were rated "clean (0)." The four items (Turbidity, Color, Nitrate nitrogen, and Hardness) for which contamination indication rate were evaluated as "high" by the were visualized on a contamination map.