• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 1998

This study was conducted to detect the factors related to preventive health behavior of male office workers. 135 questionnaires were collected from April 20 to May 8, 1997. The collected data were analysed by using the statistic package of $SPSS/PC^+$. The significant results are as follows; 1. The most influencial factors of preventive health behavior were age, duration of marriage, job satisfaction and health perception. 2. The better preventive health behavior they practiced, the better health status and the lower health risk they showed. 3. We can classifiy preventive health behavior as two groups one is directive and the other is indirective with respect to the exposure of risks.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.134-138
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• 2024

The rapid advancement of technologies within the Fourth Industrial Revolution is expected to bring significant changes to the work environment across industries. While automation and digitalization not only enhance productivity but also health and safety, they also pose new health risks such as isolation, technostress, and musculoskeletal disorders. The rise of remote work and platform labor necessitates strengthening social protections for workers' health rights. To ensure that technological progress leads to better worker health, proactive and comprehensive occupational health policies are essential. Cultivating interdisciplinary expertise in occupational health professionals is also crucial. Industrial hygienists can play a pivotal role in assessing and managing the health impacts of technological changes, as well as bridging the gap between innovation and worker well-being.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.44-54
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• 2017

Background: Mental health issues such as stress and depression have been regarded as major social problems in Korea. We investigated the relationship between stress and depression with unmet medical needs (UMN). Methods: Using the nationwide database of 2010 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (K-NHANES), subjects aged 19 years or above were selected (n=6,055). In the K-NHANES questionnaire, subjects were asked about their UMN experience, severity of stress, and perceived depression lasting at least 2 weeks over the past year. The effects of stress and depression on UMN were analyzed in 4 models established by adding predisposing, enabling and need factors in a step-wise fashion. The risks for UMN were also assessed according to the causes of UMN. Results: Individuals who felt stress 'very often' (odds ratio (OR) 3.28, 95% CI=2.23-4.86) and 'often' (OR 2.53, 95% CI=1.93-3.31) and who experienced depression (OR 1.68, 95% CI=1.35-2.10) reported significantly elevated UMN rates, and these effects were substantial especially for the individuals who had UMN due to economic constraint. Females, lower education level, lower income, unemployed status, and negative perceptions about health status were found to be additional risk factors for UMN. Conclusion: Our results confirmed the risks of stress and depression on UMN. It is strongly advisable to create initiatives to improve mental health, particularly stress and depression, and to fulfill individuals' medical utilization needs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2006

Objectives: In spite of the recent increased concern for Asian dust storms, there are few studies concerning how dangerous the general public recognizes these dust storms to be. This study examined the public's perceptions of the risk of the Asian dust storms and also the source of the information concerning the risk. Methods: A telephone interview survey using a standardized questionnaire was done for the adults living in Seoul and its metropolitan area from May 15th, 2003 to May 16th, 2003. The contents of the questionnaire were the sociodemographic characteristics, the perceptions of risk to the Asian dust storms, and the coping strategy of the study participants. Results: The study participants get their information on Asian dust storms mainly from TV newscasts and they have a good knowledge of them. They regard it as one of the most dangerous health risks, along with dioxin. They think that it is associated with allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis and bronchial asthma, etc. Of the 500 study participants, 201 (40.2%) persons suffered bodily discomforts during the Asian dust storm period. Conclusions: Although there are uncertainties about the health risks of Asian dust storms, the public thinks these dust storms are very dangerous to health in many ways This negative perception will not disappear easily. To fill the gap of the public's perceptions of the risk and the objective evidence of its health effects, more studies about its health effects and the methods to reduce exposure are required.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2017

Background: We assessed the cancer risks of four different Finnish asbestos-exposed cohorts. We also explored if the cohorts with varying profiles of asbestos exposure exhibited varying relative risks of cancer. Methods: The incident cancer cases for the asbestos-exposed worker cohorts were updated to the end of 2012 using the files of the Finnish Cancer Registry. The previously formed cohorts consisted of asbestos mine workers, asbestosis patients, asbestos sprayers, and workers who had taken part in a screening study based on asbestos exposure at work. Results: The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for mesothelioma varied from about threefold to > 100-fold in the different cohorts. In the screening cohort the SIR for mesothelioma was highest in 2003-2007, In other cohorts it was more constant in 5-year period inspection. The SIR for lung cancer was about twofold to tenfold in all except the screening cohort. Asbestos sprayers were at the highest risk of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Conclusion: The SIR for mesothelioma is high in all of the cohorts that represent different kinds of asbestos exposure. The smaller SIR for mesothelioma in the screening cohort with lowest level of asbestos exposure might suggest dose-responsiveness between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma. It does seem that the highest risk of lung cancer in these cohorts except in the youngest of the cohorts, the screening cohort, is over. The highest SIR for lung cancer of the asbestosis patient and sprayers cohort is explained by their heavy asbestos exposure.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.592-605
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• 2007

Undernutrition could be a significant deterrent to healthy aging and could negatively affect health outcomes in elderly. This study aimed to assess health-related factors which are associated with nutritional risks in middle-aged and elderly individuals by a cross-sectional study. Interviews were conducted with 2660 subjects (847 males, 1813 females), aged 50 years and over, in 15 cities in Korea. Data on food intake were obtained through a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. Nutritional status were analyzed according to health-related factors including cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, exercise, stress and depression level. Less regular exercise was associated with a higher likelihood of a poor nutrition [odds ratio (OR) 1.94; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.43-2.65] of middle-aged and elderly male subjects. Cigarette smoking (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.24-2.71), less exercise (OR 2.58; 95% CI 2.07-3.21), stress (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.36-2.22), and depression (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.08-1.67) of middle-aged and elderly female subjects was associated with a higher likelihood of a poor nutrition. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that less exercise proved to be the strongest predictors for the poor nutrition, followed by stress, smoking, and depression (model $R^2= 9.0%$). It suggests that guidance to promote regular exercise, to quit smoking, to minimize stress and depression level might help to improve nutritional status of middle-aged and elderly in Korea. These findings also suggest that having recommendable health behaviors are beneficial to the good nutrition of subjects aged 50 years and over.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.109-120
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was to examine the associations between obesity level and major chronic diseases in older population in Korea, using different obesity indicators. Methods: Data was from the 2008 KloSA Biomarker pilot, a nationwide sample of 514 non-institutionalized subjects (age $63.6{\pm}9.8$ years; women 57.2%). Anthropometric information was collected by home visiting nurses. Portable bioimpedence devices(Omran HBF359) were used for measuring fat mass. Obesity cut-offs used the Asian criteria of $BMI{\geq}25$, $WC{\geq}90/85cm$, and $fat%{\geq}25/35$ for men and women. Chronic disease prevalence was defined by physician-diagnosed history of 8 specified diseases. Results: Prevalence of chronic diseases significantly increased with increment of obesity level by BMI, WC and fat %. Odds ratios of acquiring chronic diseases remained significant in the obese group (BMI OR 2.76, 95%CI 1.82-4.19; WC OR 2.73, 95%CI 1.81-4.11; Fat OR 1.87 95%CI 1.26-2.78), after adjusting for age, sex, marital status, education, work participation, household income, smoking, drinking, and exercise. Conclusions: Obesity measured by all three indicators, BMI, WC, and fat mass cannot be disregarded, accentuating the significant effect on increases in disease risks among older population. BMI and WC measure appeared better to assess the risks of chronic diseases.

• Journal of the Korean Medical Association
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• v.61 no.12
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• pp.702-705
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• 2018

Advances in technology lead to advances in medical devices, and these advances have the positive effect of creating opportunities for beneficial developments in healthcare, such as innovating traditional healthcare processes or expanding opportunities for diagnosing and treating diseases. Nonetheless, device developers, suppliers, users, insurers, and patients all face the challenge of balancing patient safety and health effectiveness with a reasonable profit. In Korea, the New Health Technology Assessment system aims to introduce safe and effective health technology, but this is only effective for the entry of devices onto the healthcare market. This system is not enough for creating a healthy ecosystem in which high-quality technologies and devices survive in the market and naturally exit from the market if not successful. The nation must not lag in the rapid development of medical devices, but the concomitant requirement for patient safety is like two rabbits moving in different directions. There is not enough time to resolve each source of uncertainty for both developers and users. The early adoption of health technologies, including medical devices, offers new opportunities for treatment and diagnosis, but also poses unexpected health risks. Thus, we need to design a plan to generate scientific evidence related to medical devices after they introduced into practice. Additionally, regarding the use of individual medical devices, we believe that the creation of a healthy ecosystem for medical devices by implementing medical device surveillance culture is a way to manage the opportunities and risks of the early introduction of innovative medical devices.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2010

In many fields, nanotechnology is leading to the development of purposely-engineered nanoparticles and devices demonstrating new, unique and non-scalable properties. However, concern has been expressed that these same properties may present unique challenges in terms of the potential health impact. Airborne particles associated with engineered nanoparticles are of particular concern, as they can readily enter the body through inhalation. Research into the potential occupational health risks associated with inhaling engineered nanoparticles is actively being conducted in the U.S. and globally. In this article, the potential occupational health effects of inhaled nanoparticles and methods for measuring exposure to nanoparticles are discussed. Critical research needs in this field are also briefly addressed.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.495-521
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• 2009

This paper measures welfare losses from beef consumption reduction, which might be resulted from psychological anxiety about potential outbreak of BSE (commonly known as "bad cow dieses") risks after announcement of resuming US-beef imports in April of 2008. Unlike the previous literature of utilizing the contingent valuation method or experimental market approach, this study estimated quality-differentiated consumer demand functions using the information of self-reported beef consumption quantity, individually constructed price indices of beef, and subjective perception of BSE risks. The empirical results based on a survey sample of 360 residents in Jeon Ju city were consistent with the anticipation from economic theory, in terms of coefficients of own prices, substitute prices and income variables. The announcement of resuming US-beef imports did not make significant differences in the sign and sizes of the main economic variables. However, the subjective perception variable about BSE risks had negative significant impacts on beef demand functions after the announcement but not significant before the announcement. The welfare losses in a form of equivalent variation (EV) corresponding to the increases in concerns about BSE risks were measured to be about 30 thousand won per household.