• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.179-182
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• 2008

As a part of a broader effort to determine the status of Paragonimus species infection in Lao PDR, an epidemiological survey was conducted on villagers and schoolchildren in Namback District between 2003 and 2005. Among 308 villagers and 633 primary and secondary schoolchildren, 156 villagers and 92 children evidenced a positive reaction on a Paragonimus skin test. Only 4 schoolchildren out of 128 skin test-positive cases had Paragonimus sp. eggs in their sputum, all of which was collected on 1 day. Several types of crabs, which were identified as the second intermediate host of the Paragonimus species, were collected from markets and streams in a paragonimiasis endemic area for the inspection of metacercariae. Among the examined crabs, only "rock crabs" (Indochinamon au) harbored Paragonimus sp. metacercariae, and it is speculated that the life cycle of Paragonimus sp. was maintained via rock crabs in Namback District, Lao PDR.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.461-470
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• 2021

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of low physical activity (PA) in Peruvian adults and to identify associated factors. Methods: An analytical study was performed using data from the 2017-2018 Nutritional Food Surveillance by Life Stages survey. The outcome variable was low PA (yes or no), assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form. Prevalence ratios were estimated as a measure of association. Results: Among the 1045 persons included in the analysis, the age-standardized prevalence of low PA was 61.9%. The adjusted model showed that being female and migrating from a rural to an urban area in the last 5 years were associated with a higher probability of having low PA than males and individuals who had not migrated, while residing in rural highlands and jungle areas was associated with a reduced probability of having low PA compared to people residing in other geographic domains. Conclusions: Being a female and migration from a rural to an urban area in the last 5 years were associated with a higher likelihood of having low PA. Therefore, promotion and prevention strategies related to PA are required, especially in the female and migrant populations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify incidence of nonfatal unintentional injuries (accidents) among students, and to investigate compensation payment for five years (2000~2004) in schools located in Seoul. Methods: Subjects were 14,783 students injured among elementary, middle and high school students. The accumulated data for 5 years (2000~2004) was from the Seoul School Safety and Insurance Association. Chi-square, ttest, logistic regression, and MANCOVA were conducted. Results: The most frequent accidents occurred among males (73.2%), and in special school students (3.86 per 1,000) followed by middle school students (3.05 per 1,000), in May (0.25 per 1,000) followed by June and October, in physical education classes (0.73 per 1,000) followed by special activities (0.40 per 1,000), recess (0.31 per 1,000) and lunch (0.29 per 1,000). Fractures (0.86 per 1,000) were followed by mild injuries (0.39 per 1,000), joint and ligament injuries (0.31 per 1,000), and teeth injuries (0.26 per 1,000). After adjusting for potential confounding variables, the highest means of final compensation payment was for burns (810 thousand KRW) followed by the teeth injuries (506 thousand KRW), cleaning injuries (550 thousand KRW) followed by injuries incurred during special activities (510 thousand KRW) and injuries incurred at special schools (556 thousand KRW). Conclusion: In school, the highest incidences of nonfatal unintentional injuries were in special schools, among males, fractures and physical education. However, the highest compensation payments were for burns, and injuries taking place at special schools and during cleaning hour. Proper health education including teaching healthy habits for safety/injury prevention is needed to prevent injuries and decrease compensation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.943-952
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• 2022

As a test for diagnosing fatty liver, recently, ultrasound and blood exam are being performed simultaneously. In particular, in the case of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in blood exam, it is used as an index indicating the level of inflammation in various parts of the body as well as cardiovascular diseases. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze the association between metabolic syndrome components, liver function, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels according to the degree of nonalcoholic fatty liver, and use it as a clinical indicator for fatty liver diagnosis. Metabolic syndrome components, liver function and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein blood test values analyzed from 1,139 men and women over 20 years of age with nonalcoholic fatty liver in abdominal ultrasonography from March 2021 to August 2021 at the Korea Association of Health Promotion, Gwangju-Jeonnam Branch. Analyzed for all men and women, the blood test values for subjects with mild fatty liver were AST 30 U/L, ALT 32.1 U/L, γ-GTP 41.2 IU/L, and hs-CRP 0.14 mg/dL. These values were lower than the blood test values of subjects with moderate fatty liver (AST 38 U/L, ALT 47.6 U/L, γ-GTP 54.9 IU/L, hs-CRP 0.22 mg/dL) and was statistically significant (p<0.001). In this case of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein test, it is statistically significant, showing higher values in Subjects with moderate fatty liver than Subjects with mild fatty liver. thus, it is considered that hs-CRP can be used as clinical data for the prevention and management of fatty liver.

• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.6-8
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• 2018

It is essential to study the effects of hypergravity on the human body in the research field of aerospace medicine. Previous studies have shown that hypergravity could act in a harmful way to the human body. However, recent studies have shown that moderate degree of hypergravity can act in a beneficial way to the human body. The authors have in particular been studying the effects of hypergravity on immune diseases, especially allergic asthma and rhinitis. Therefore, this review paper will introduce the results of recent studies on hormetic (health promotion) effect of hypergravity. In addition, this review paper also examines the mechanism by which hormetic effect of hypergravity could be possible. Furthermore, we will also discuss how to apply these hormetic effects in clinical practice.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.479-492
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• 2020

Background: As the prevalence of hypertension is increasing in Korea, the government is seeking policy actions to manage patients with hypertension more efficiently. In this paper, we aimed to identify factors associated with the use of medical care at hospitals among outpatients with hypertension. Methods: We analyzed a total of 15,040 cases of 3,877 outpatients with hypertension obtained from the Korea Medical Panel database from 2010 to 2016. The dependent variable was whether a patient with hypertension visited a hospital or not; and independent variables were the patient's various socio-demographic, health-related, and heath-status characteristics. We conducted a generalized linear mixed model analysis with logit link for all the cases and then conducted it stratified by gender. Results: As a result of a multivariable analysis, women were less likely than to visit at a hospital (odds ratio [OR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.61) and people aged 65 years and older than those aged less than 65 years (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89). Residents in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam were more likely than those in than Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Jeju to visit a hospital (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.05-1.86). The likelihood of visiting a hospital was high in people belonging to a group of: the highest level of annual household income (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.30-2.29); Medical care aid recipients (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.34-2.83); people having three or more complex chronic diseases (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.19-2.11); people having diabetes (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.41-2.32); or people having ischemic heart disease or cerebrovascular disease (OR, 6.80; 95% CI, 5.28-8.76). Also, we found that factors associated with the use of medical care at hospitals among outpatients with hypertension differed between genders. Conclusion: A variety of factors seem to be associated with the use of medical care at hospitals among outpatients with hypertension. Future research needs to find a way to help patients with hypertension visit an appropriate medical institution between clinics and hospitals.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.335-339
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among students from Goseonggun, Gangwon-do and Hadong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do as typical low and high endemic counties. From May to July 2017, a total of 2,033 fecal samples were collected at 27 elementary, 10 junior high, and 8 high schools from 2 counties and examined by the Kato-Katz technique for egg-positive surveys (Collection rate: 37.02% [2,033/5,492]). Of the participants examined, 13 (0.64%) were found to harbor eggs of 3 parasitic species, Trichuris trichiura, Clonorchis sinensis and Metagonimus yokogawai. Based on the regional distribution, the egg-positive rate in Goseong-gun was 0% (0/550) and that in Hadong-gun was 0.88% (13/1,483). The positive rates for C. sinensis, M. yokogawai, and T. trichiura in Hadonggun were 0.20% (3/1,483), 0.61% (9/1,483), and 0.07% (1/1,483), respectively. The present survey showed that the prevalence of parasitic infection among students is currently very low even in remote, previously endemic areas, and the present status of parasitic diseases can be summarized as some transmission of fish/food-borne trematodes. Thus, it is necessary to carefully, continuously monitor the trematode infection status, particularly of C. sinensis and M. yokogawai.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.269-272
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• 2012

Echinostome eggs were detected in 22 (1.1%) of 2,074 people residing in riparian villages along the Mekong River in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR. In order to recover the adult flukes, 9 persons were treated with praziquantel and purged with magnesium salts. A total of 55 echinostome specimens (4 species) were recovered from the 9 persons. Echinostoma revolutum (8 specimens) was recovered from 3 persons, Artyfechinostomum malayanum (8 specimens) was from 2 persons, Echinochasmus japonicus (33 specimens) was from 7 persons, and Euparyphium sp. (6 specimens) was from 1 person. In Lao PDR, only human infections with E. japonicus were previously known. Therefore, the present study describes human infections with E. revolutum, A. malayanum, and Euparyphium sp. for the first time in Lao PDR. These results indicate that the surveyed villages of Khammouane Province, Lao PDR are low-grade endemic foci of echinostomiasis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.401-408
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• 2018

Korea is successfully controlled intestinal parasitic infections owing to economic development and high health consciousness. The Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases (formerly the Division of Malaria and Parasitology) is in the Center for Laboratory Control of Infectious Diseases of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has been the governmental agency responsible for controlling and leading scientific research on parasitic diseases. The Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases has conducted and funded basic research and disseminated the research results to various medical fields, ultimately promoting public health in Korea. Among the noteworthy achievements of this division are the national surveillance of healthcare-associated parasitic infections, prevention and control for parasitic infections, and the elimination of lymphatic filariasis from Korea. On a broader scale, the division's research programs and academic supports were influential in preventing and treating infectious parasitic diseases through public policies and laws. In this review, we summarize the past and present role of the Division of Vectors and Parasitic Diseases in preventing and treating infectious parasitic diseases in Korea.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.221-232
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• 2010

Purpose: It is necessary for dental technicians exposed to hazardous chemicals in the dental laboratories to be informed of the various harmful effects of chemicals for their health and safety. The purposes of this study was to investigate the actual condition of the use of MSDS in dental laboratories and the recognition rate of MSDS for dental technicians. Methods: 231 dental technicians who were self-written questionnaire. The results were analyzed by SPSS 12.0. The answers to the questionnaire underwent frequency analysis, chi-square test and correlation analysis were performed to investigate association between health effects and recognition rate of chemical information. Results: The results from the effects of damage caused by chemicals 60.7%, and when it was less than 2 years working experience 47.6%. Currently any dental laboratories(rooms) was not furnished MSDS(0%) and even similar data furnishing rate was only 17.3%. Answer rate of 'Do not know about MSDS' was 73.6%. In addition to, education in the types and characteristics of chemicals(74.5%) does not receive all the higher education. For the question of 'To prevent human risks and accidents, is to provide chemical information needed', the answer rate of 'needed' was 87.2%. Moreover, the answer rate of 'To provide chemical information that could prevent accidents' was 76.6%. Therefore it was found that dental technicians need to be provided for chemical information. In addition, they wanted to get education related to chemicals used in the workplace(80.5%), and 90.9% was answered that they was willing to keep MSDS in they workplace. Conclusion: This study investigated the current dental laboratories(rooms) and the MSDS for the awareness and recognition of workers was very low, education was not being conducted properly. The dental laboratories(rooms) of the compact characteristics of the MSDS was not reasonably accessible and the furnishing location, dental laboratories(rooms) for the real item was needed for improvement. MSDS for dental technicians through education and promotion of information about chemicals and chemicals was to prevent health problems caused by the MSDS that will raise awareness of the necessity.