• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.412-424
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• 2015

Objectives: An ultra dry air environment of nearly ${\leq}2%$ RH is often required in lithium battery factories. The objective of this study is to evaluate the subjective eye, pulmonary, nose, and skin symptoms of workers exposed to ultra-low relative humidity and thionyl chloride. Methods: We recruited 274 workers using a self-reported questionnaire in March 2014. Those who worked in ultra-low relative humidity and with thionyl chloride were identified and their prevalence of symptoms was compared with that of other workers. We excluded white collar workers, researchers and other workers who were exposed to various hazard factors, and finally included 164 workers. Results: There were significant differences in the rate of self-reported eye and skin symptoms between exposure group_1 and exposure group_2. Exposure group_2 experienced more frequent eye, and skin symptoms. Multinomial logistic regression analysis for experience of dry eye symptoms and skin symptoms in exposure group_2 showed that dry eye symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 6.33, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.19-18.24, p<0.001), and itchiness (OR, 6.45, 95% CI, 1.94-21.43, p<0.01) were the significant variables. The complaints of workers experiencing ultra-low relative humidity and thionyl chloride were high compared with other workers. Conclusion: These findings suggest that exposure to ultra-low relative humidity and thionyl chloride may be associated with more frequent eye and skin symptoms than exposure to ultra-low relative humidity alone. The current precautions to protect workers from the adverse effects of ultra-low relative humidity and thionyl chloride appear to be insufficient, indicating that additional management plans to reduce symptoms should be considered.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.210-217
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• 2011

Objectives: The rising burden of preventable risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among adolescents is a major public health challenge worldwide. We identified the preventable risk factors for NCDs in adolescents. Methods: In a school-based study, pre-tested structured questionnaires were completed by 414 adolescents (14 to 17 years) at six schools in three cities in Pakistan. The chi-squared test and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated in a multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: Over 80% of the adolescents had unhealthy diets, and 54% were physically inactive. Most adolescents were exposed to passive smoking, and 14% were also current smokers. More than one-third of participants chewed betel nut, and one-quarter used oral tobacco. More girls were physically inactive (OR, 4.07; 95% CI, 2.69 to 6.17), whereas a greater proportion of boys were current smokers (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.19 to 3.91), exposed to passive smoking (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.72 to 3.83), and using betel nut (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.34 to 3.06). Only 3.1% of the participants were without any preventable lifestyle risk factor for NCDs, and over 80% had ${\geq}$2 factors. Co-existence of risk factors was independently associated with fathers being blue-collar workers (aOR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.07 to 11.92) and parents not treating their child fairly (aOR, 5.05; 95% CI, 1.29 to 19.78). Conclusions: Most of the adolescents studied had preventable risk factors for NCDs. These results warrant comprehensive and integrated interventions to prevent lifestyle risk factors, and parents are front-line stakeholders.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.129-132
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• 2014

Background: The true association between breast cancer and vitamin D is currently under investigation. We compared serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels in women with benign and malignant breast masses and controls. Materials and Methods: Levels of vitamin D were measured by electrochemiluminescense. Serum levels >35 ng/ml, 25-35 ng/ml, 12.5-25 ng/ml and <12.5 ng/ml were considered as normal, mild, moderate and severe vitamin D deficiency, respectively. Results: Overall, 364 women were included in the control, 172 in the benign and 136 in the malignant groups. The median serum vitamin D level was significantly lower in breast cancers than controls. Levels were also lower in malignant than benign cases and in benign cases than controls although statistically non-significant. Conclusions: Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that severe vitamin D deficiency causes a three-fold increase in the risk of breast cancer while this was not the case for moderate and mild deficiency.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2017

Objectives : In this study, we diagnosed Mibyeong group of adult by taking into Mibyeong Index consideration, and identified the correlation of a Mibyeong group with cold-heat pattern and life quality of them. Methods : The questionnaires were collected by Gallup Korea professional surveyor through face to face interviews. To analyze the differences between health and mibyeong group, we used the descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, ANOVA. And multinomial logistic regression was used to generate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for the differences between health and mibyeong group. Results and Conclusions : The gender composition of respondents in this study that there 545 male (49.5%) and 555 female (50.5%). The score of both cold pattern(health: $21.33{\pm}4.25$, MI 1: $22.43{\pm}4.29$, MI 2: $24.09{\pm}5.03$; post hoc test, p <0.001) and heat pattern(health: $18.4{\pm}4.01$, MI 1: $19.48{\pm}4.10$ MI 2: $19.88{\pm}4.81$; post hoc test, p <0.001) in mibyeong group is higher than the score health group. And, these result have no relevance to age. The score of both Physical component summary (PCS) and Mental component summary (MCS) in health group is higher than the score mibyeong group. Cold-heat pattern and quality of life vary significantly according to health status. This results suggest the analysis of cold-heat pattern and quality of life by health status could provide the setting of direction to promote public health depending on health status.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.3279-3286
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• 2014

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Korea. To reduce cancer incidence, the Korean National Cancer Center (KNCC) has been expanding its organized cancer screening program. In addition, there are opportunistic screening programs that can be chosen by individuals or their healthcare providers. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with participation in organized and opportunistic cancer screening programs, with a particular focus on socioeconomic factors. Materials and Methods: We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), a cross-sectional nationwide study conducted by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare from 2007 to 2011. The study included information from 9,708 men and 12,739 women aged 19 years or over. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted, adjusting for age, year of data collection, residential region, current smoking status, current alcohol consumption status, exercise, marriage status, job status, perceived health status, stress level, BMI, limitation of activities, cancer history, health insurance type, and private insurance status, to investigate the association between education level, economic status, and cancer screening participation. Results: In terms of education level, disparities in attendance were observed only for the opportunistic screening program. In contrast, there was no association between education level and participation in organized screening. In terms of economic status, disparities in opportunistic screening participation were observed at all income levels, but disparities in organized screening participation were observed only at the highest income level. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that socioeconomic factors, including educational level and economic status, were not significantly associated with participation in organized cancer screening, except at the highest level of income.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1019-1024
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• 2015

Background: Survival of breast cancer patients depends on a number of factors which are not only prognostic but are also predictive. A number of studies have been carried out worldwide to find out prognostic and predictive significance of different clinicopathological and molecular variables in breast cancer. This study was carried out at Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), Islamabad, to find out the impact of different factors on overall survival of breast cancer patients coming from Northern Pakistan. Materials and Methods: This observational retrospective study was carried out in the Oncology Department of NORI Hospital. A total of 2,666 patients were included. Data were entered into SPSS 20. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine associations of different variables with overall survival. P values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: The mean age of the patients was 47.6 years, 49.5% being postmenopausal. Some 1,708 were ER positive and 1,615 were PR positive, while Her 2 neu oncogene positivity was found in 683. A total of 1,237 presented with skin involvement and 426 had chest wall involvement. Some 1,663 had > 5cm tumors. Lymph node involvement was detected in 2,131. Overall survival was less than 5 years in 669 patients, only 324 surviving for more than 10 years, and in the remainder overall survival was in the range of 5-10 years. Conclusions: Tumor size, lymph node metastases, receptor status, her 2 neu positivity, skin involvement, and chest wall involvement have significant effects whereas age and menopausal status have no significant effect on overall survival of breast cancer patients in Pakistan.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.31-44
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to explore empirically the effects of the residential environments and housing consciousness on the housing tenure choice of newlyweds in the Seoul metropolitan region. Regarding the results of the empirical analysis, firstly, not only the household's attributes and housing characteristics but also the residential environments and housing consciousness were significant factors on housing tenure choice. Secondly, as a household considers worse housing quality and better environmental quality surrounding the housing, the household chose Cheonsei housing more often than owner-occupied housing. On the other hand, as a household reviews only better living condition, the selection probability of monthly rent was higher. Thirdly, as a household regards that the housing investment value was more important, the choice probability of owner-occupied housing was higher than that of other tenure types.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.160-172
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• 2018

This study examined the intake status of energy drinks and related factors among university students in Yeungnam region, Korea. A total of 456 students participated in the study by a self-administered questionnaire. About 26% of the respondents never took energy drinks, whereas about 30% took them previously, but do not take them now. Almost 45% answered that they have taken them up to now. The reasons for first intake of energy drinks were 'necessity for myself' followed by 'curiosity', 'recommendation of friends', and 'seeing advertisement', and Chi-square test showed that there was a significant difference according to dwelling status. About half of the respondents took them since high school, and the main reason for energy drink intake was 'to stay awake'. About 45% of the respondents indicated that they increased study hours after taking energy drinks, whereas almost 40% answered that they had little effect on them. Over half of the respondents experienced side effects after energy drink intake. About one-fifth of the respondents mixed the energy drinks with alcoholic beverages to make them taste better. In addition, in the result for the multinomial logistic regression analysis, gender, grade, dwelling status, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, perception of effect of energy drinks on health, and perception of benefit level of caffeine were the predictors for the respondents who never took energy drinks in comparison with the respondents who have taken them up to now. On the other hand, for the respondents who took them previously but do not take them now compared with those of having taken them up to now, the predictors were dwelling status and smoking status. These results imply that dietary education from childhood regarding knowledge and side effects of energy drinks should be offered.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to measure the intake rate of SSBs (sugar sweetened beverages) and examine the relationship between health behavior factors and SSBs intake by adolescents. Methods: This study used data from the 2016 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which included 65,528 study participants. SSBs intake frequency was measured by asking respondents if they consumed soda, high-caffeinated beverages, and sugary drinks during the previous week. Type of intake was categorized into three groups according to the number of consumed drinks [SSBs (0): None; SSBs (1-2): 1 or 2 consumed; SSBs (3): 3 consumed]. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine health behaviors that affected SSBs consumption. Results: Increased SSBs intake was significantly correlated with current smoking (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.82-3.17), current drinking (OR=2.13, 95% CI=1.82-2.51), sedentary time increase (OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.15-1.49), three days or more physical activity per week (OR=1.12, 95% CI=1.02-1.24), <8 hours sleep (OR=1.6, 95% CI=1.43-1.78), increased internet usage time (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.25-1.65). Conclusions: Sugar-sweetened beverages intake by Korean adolescents was associated with health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, sedentary time increase, more physical activity, poor sleeping time, and increased internet use time. Based on these results, it is necessary to recognize the influence of SSBs intake and to intervene to reduce consumption of SSBs.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The effects of fish consumption by subjects with prediabetes on the metabolic risk factors were examined based on the data from the $6^{th}$ Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 2015. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 1,520 subjects who agreed to participate in a blood test and dietary intake survey were divided into a prediabetes group and normal blood glucose group, and the level of the subjects' fish consumption was divided into ${\leq}17.0g/day$, 18.0-93.0 g/day, and ${\geq}94g/day$. The correlation between the level of fish intake and the metabolic risk factors was evaluated by multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A significant difference in the gender distribution was observed in the prediabetes group, which is a group with a high risk of non-communicable diseases, according to the fish intake, and there were significant differences in the total energy intake, protein intake, n-3 fatty acids intake, and the intakes of sodium and micro-nutrients according to the intake group (P < 0.05). In addition, the blood total cholesterol (TC) decreased 0.422 fold in model 1 (unadjusted) [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.211-0.845] and 0.422 fold in model 2 (adjusted for sex) (95% CI: 0.210-0.846) in those with a fish intake of 18.0-93.0 g/day (P < 0.05) compared to those with a fish intake of ${\leq}17.0g/day$. The blood TC decreased 0.555 fold (95% CI: 0.311-0.989) in model 1 and 0.549 fold (95% CI: 0.302-0.997) in model 2 in those with a fish intake of ${\geq}94g/day$ compared to those with a fish intake of ${\leq}17.0g/day$ (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Subjects with prediabetes or the metabolic risk factors can maintain their blood low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and blood TC concentrations at the optimal level by consuming fish (18.0-93.0 g/day).