• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.190-198
• /
• 2009

Objectives : The objective of this study is to estimate the economic costs of cancer on society. Methods : We estimated the economic burden of people with cancer in South Korea. To perform the analysis, we reviewed the records of people who were cancer patients and those who were newly diagnosed with cancer. The data was compiled from the National Health Insurance Corporation, which included the insurance claims database, a list of cancer patients, a database that records the cancer rates, the Korea Central Cancer Registry Center s cancer patient registry database and the Korea National Statistical Office s causes of death database. We classified the costs as related to cancer into direct costs and indirect costs, and we estimated each cost. Direct costs included both medical and non-medical care expenses and the indirect costs consisted of morbidity, mortality and the caregiver's time costs. Results : The total economic costs of cancer in South Korea stood at 14.1 trillion won in 2005. The largest amount of the cost 7.4 trillion won, was the mortality costs. Following this were the morbidity costs (3.2 trillion won), the medical care costs (2.2 trillion won), the non-medical care costs (1.1 trillion won) and the costs related to the caregiver's time (100 billion won). As a result, the economic cost of cancer to South Korea is estimated to be between 11.6 trillion won to 14.1 trillion won for the year 2005. Conclusions : We need to reduce the cancer burden through encouraging people to undergo early screening for cancer and curing it in the early stage of cancer, as well as implementing policies to actively prevent cancer.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.237-243
• /
• 2004

The aim of this study is to investigate the detection rate of putative periodontopathogens, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Actiobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, related to cardiovascular diseases(CVD). Plaques were sampled from 15 subjects (4 sites of denture base and/or tooth) with sterilized explorers and were transported in IX PBS. The detection of periodontopathogens was performed by polymerase chain reaction with species-specific primers based on 16S rDNA. The PCR products were cloned into pGEM-T easy vector and its nucleotides were sequenced in order to confirm the specificity. Our data showed that the detection rate of P. gingivalis and T forsythia in denture base of edentulous patients was 25％ and 75％, respectively. And the detection rate of P. gingivalis and T.forsythia in denture base of patient having one more tooth was 91％. The results indicate that plaque of denture base may serve as reservoirs of oral bacteria related to CVD.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.58 no.2
• /
• pp.141-149
• /
• 2014

Background: Oriental lifestyle for treating diseases has been developed and well-accepted for a long time among Koreans. Sasang Constitution theory, originated from Korean traditional medicine, suggests that medication treatment should be differentiated by each patient's body classification (So-yang [SY], So-eum [SE], Tae-yang [TY], and Tae-eum [TE]), in contrary to western medicine's theory that medication should be applied equally by disease indication without such classification. However, the pharmacotherapeutic outcomes of these theories have not been compared to date. In this study, we aimed to compare the two theories by evaluating blood pressure (BP), which is lowered as a therapeutic outcome, among hypertensive patients taking angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) or calcium channel blockers (CCBs), two most commonly used antihypertensive classes in Korea. Methods: From April 2006 to June 2012, we retrospectively collected data on hypertensive patients with Sasang Constitution classification at Kyunghee University Hospital at Gangdong, one of the East-West collaborative medical centers in Korea. We collected information on age, gender, underlying diseases, antihypertensive drugs (ARB, CCB, ARB+CCB), and BP by reviewing the electronic medical records. We excluded patients with missing blood pressure at baseline or follow-up, or those who had a change in their antihypertensive drug class during follow-up. Results: We selected a total of 573 patients (SY: 165, SE: 158, TY: 0, TE: 250). Baseline BPs were on average 139.0/82.0 mmHg for SY, 137.8/78.5 mmHg for SE, and 138.7/79.2 mmHg for TE. In all three groups, CCBs were the most prescribed, followed by combination therapy with ARB+CCB, then ARBs. BP reduction after 1 month of initial medication was significantly different among the drug classes, but not in Sasang constitutional classification (ARB [SY: -12.4/-4.7, SE: -12.3/-2.5, TE: -8.6/-1.8], CCB [SY: -12.3/-5.4, SE: -13.0/-2.3, TE: -10.8/-6.0], ARB+CCB [SY: -15.6/-6.7, SE: -18.4/-8.1, TE: -20.2/-6.7], drug [$P{\leq}0.05$/P>0.05], constitutional type [P>0.05/P>0.05]). Conclusion: We observed significant differences in reduction of blood pressure by classes of drugs (ARB+CCB>CCB>ARB) but not by Sasang constitutional classification. Therefore, current approach of antihypertensive pharmacotherapy assisted by Western medicine is appropriate for treatment of hypertension. However, further larger scale or prospective studies are required in order to confirm these results.

• Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.168-176
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Robotic-associated minimally invasive surgery is a novel method for overcoming some limitations of laparoscopic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes (postoperative pain, cosmesis, surgeon's workload) of single-incision robotic cholecystectomy (SIRC) vs. single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) vs. conventional three-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (3PLC). Methods: 134 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy at a single center during 2016~2017 were enrolled. Prospectively collected data included demographics, operative outcomes, questionnaire regarding pain and cosmesis, and NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) scores for surgeon's workload. Results: 55 patients underwent SIRC, 29 SILC, and 50 3PLC during the same period. 3PLC patient group was older than the others (SIRC vs. SILC vs. 3PLC: 48.1 vs. 42.2 vs. 54.1 years, p<0.001). Operative time was shortest with 3PLC (44.1 vs. 38.8 vs. 25.4 min, p<0.001). Estimated blood loss, postoperative complications, and postoperative stay were similar among the groups. Pain control was lowest in the 3PLC group (98.2% vs. 100% vs. 84.0%, p=0.004), however, at 2 weeks postoperatively there were no differences among the groups (p=0.374). Cosmesis scores were also worst after 3PLC (17.5 vs. 18.4 vs. 13.3, p<0.001). NASA-TLX score was highest in the SILC group (21.9 vs. 44.3 vs. 25.2, p<0.001). Conclusion: Although SIRC and SILC take longer than 3PLC, they produce superior cosmetic outcomes. Compared with SILC, SIRC is more ergonomic, lowering the surgeon's workload. Despite of higher cost, SIRC could be an alternative for treating gallbladder disease in selected patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.551-556
• /
• 2023

Angiography equipment is used to evaluate and treat coronary artery disease. As a common feature of equipment, radiation is used, and function development for dose reduction is being carried out by each company. Therefore, the difference depending on whether DCR installed in angiography equipment is used is analyzed from a radiological point of view to prove the effect. Among 431 patients who underwent coronary artery intervention from March 2021 to February 2023, 250 patients with retrospective data were selected. And than among the 250 subjects obtained, 91 patients used the cardiovascular roadmap function during single-vessel intervention, and 159 patients did not use the roadmap. When DCR was used, total dose area product (34.57 uGy/m² : 69.15 uGy/m²), total air kerma dose (688.47 mGy : 1640.4 mGy), fluoroscopy dose (23.87 uGy/m² : 49.91 uGy/m²) and fluoroscopy time (723.55 s : 366.03 s), total number of images (17 : 26) showed lower values and were statistically significant than those not used. The use of DCR function in single vessel coronary intervention is thought to be radiologically safer as single vessel coronary intervention using dynamic cardiovascular DCR showed lower perspective time and perspective dose than procedures performed without the DCR.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.25-35
• /
• 2022

Covid-19, of which the first patient in Korea occurred in January 2020, has affected various fields. Of these, the tourism sector might havebeen hit the hardest. In particular, since tourism-based industrial structure forms the basis of the region, Gangwon-province, and the tourism industry is the main source of income for small businesses and small enterprises, the damage is great. To check the situation and extent of such damage, targeting the Chuncheon region, where public access is the most convenient among the Gangwon regions, one-day tours are possible using public transportation from Seoul and the metropolitan area, with a general image that low expense tourism is recognized as possible, this study conducted empirical analysis through data analysis. For this, the general status of the region was checked based on the visitor data of Chuncheon city provided by the tourist information system, and to check the levels ofinterest in 2019, before Covid-19, and in 2020, after Covid-19, by comparing keywords collected from the web service sometrend of Vibe Company Inc., a company specializing in keyword collection, with SK Telecom's T-map search site data, which in parallel provides in-vehicle navigation service and communication service, this study analyzed the general regional image of Chuncheon-city. In addition, by comparing data from two years by developing a tourism popularity index applying keywords and T-map search site data, this study examined how much the Covid-19 situation affected the level of interest of visitors to the Chuncheon area leading to actual visits using a data analysis approach. According to the results of big data analysis applying the tourism popularity index after designing the data mart, this study confirmed that the effect of the Covid-19 situation on tourism popularity in Chuncheon-city, Gangwon-provincewas not significant, and confirmed the image of tourist destinations based on the regional characteristics of the region. It is hoped that the results of this research and analysis can be used as useful reference data for tourism economic policy making.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.457-459
• /
• 2002

Sunlight causes various types of adverse skin changes on the sun-exposed areas of the skin, in which the most hazardous one is the induction of malignant skin tumours. FT -IR spectra were obtained from specimens excised from normal skin, BCCs, SCCs, MMs, nevi, lesions of solar keratosis and Bowen's disease. Tissue samples from freshly frozen specimens were cut into 2 sections in strictly sequential order to be stained with H & E for histopathological analysis, and then to be air-dried on CaF$_2$ slide glasses for further spectral data acquisition from defined area of interest. Intra- and inter-sample variations were estimated within grouped lesion categories according to each skin component. Mean spectra for each type of tissue pathology in the 800-1800 $cm^{-1}$ / region was interpreted using the classical group frequency approach that showed the most visible differences in spectra of benign, premalignant and malignant changes directly related to protein conformation and nucleic acid bases. The relative intensity of the nucleic acid peak was increased with progression to malignancy. In addition, PCA was able to evaluate and maximise the differences in the spectra by reducing the number of variables characterizing each patient and pathology category. This type of approach to non-destructively estimate the complexity of IR-spectra of inhomogeneous samples such as skin demonstrates the advantage of FT -IR microspectroscopy to be able to observe diseased states (benign, premalignant, malignant) and distinguish them from normal against a huge background of inter- and intra-subject variability.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.97-107
• /
• 2000

In human societies, there are various organizations which are unique and have different roles. Among them, hospital organization are much more complex than other organizations because of their multitude of professional groups each with its own goals. To achieve its purposes, hospital should manage each professional group effectively. Hospital nursing organizations are the core positions in hospitals for patient care. Therefore nursing organizations have have efficient nurse managers to lead nurses for their own purposes. First- line nurse managers have special tasks for patients and nurses, which include to motivating, managing communicating with the people. So they should have high self-efficacy, which is the belief that one can successfully perform the behaviors in question. Self-Efficacy of first line nurse managers that asked them for leading their staff, and their tasks, is essential to bring about self-realization of staff nurses through motivation and job satisfaction, taking advantage of sound surrounding which is able to operate her staff nurses in order to function efficiently. But there were few studies on the topic in a hospital setting. This study was designed to measure first-line nurse managers' self-efficacy. The subjects for this Study were 167 first-line nurse managers randomly selected from 18 university hospitals in Korea. The Self-Efficacy was measured using 'The general self-efficacy scale' developed by Sherer and Maddux(1982). The data were collected through questionnaires and analysed using SAS program, frequencies, percentages and Pearson' correlation coefficients. The results of this study were as follows : 1. The average of first- line nurse managers' self- efficacy was 66.7. 2. The correlation between first-line nurse managers' self- efficacy and general characteristics(age, education, career) was not significant. From the above findings, this study can suggest the following : 1. Repeat studies are needed in various hospital settings. 2. First-line nurse managers must be trained with special programs for each nursing organizations' purposes.

• The Korean Nurse
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.46-62
• /
• 1995

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of HIV/AIDS related knowledge and attitudes of Korean childbering women. The subject were 1152 Korean women who were living in the Seoul area and whose age was between 17-50 years. Data was collected by self reporting with a questionnaire of 57 items developed by the researcher. The reliability of the instrument for the HIV/AIDS related knowledge and attitudes were Cronbach's alpha. .6954 and .7987 respectively. The results were as follows: The mean age of the subjects was 26 years and 46.8% of them were married. The mean score for HIV/AIDS related knowledge was 14.7 out of a possible maximum score of 22. The correct answer rate for HIV/AIDS related knowledge was between 87.0-94.1% for the risk factors. and 36.4-54.8% for the transmission mode. Even though 87% of the subjects knew that homosexuals are risk group for HIV/AIDS. only half(55.8%) of the subjects answered that anal sex is the transmission mode. And only 57% of the subjects knew that HIV/AIDS transmission is possible through heterosexual contact. Their agreement level for attitudes was in order of communal coping (95%). pregnant women protection (94%). Problem appraisal (82%). patients isolation(68%). and disclosure of infection(67%). It was shown that the group who had a pregnancy (t=2.07, p=.039), used contraceptives (t=2.57, p=.OO1). and the group of college level graduates(t=3.61, p=.000) had a higher level of HIV/AIDS related knowledge. The agreement level of pregnant women protection. patient isolation. and problem appraisal were higher in the group of having had a pregnancy, having used contraceptives. and the group over 30 years of age. It was concluded that Korean childbearing women were quite knowledgeable about the risk factors but confused about the transmission mode. especially heterosexual contact. and they showed responsive attitudes to the HIV/AIDS issues considering the 339 infected cases in Korea. They preferred isolation of patients and communal coping as behavioral attitudes. Therefore it can be suggested that a HIV/AIDS prevention program should be focused on transmission mode.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 2006.05a
• /
• pp.40-51
• /
• 2006

To investigate the association between Korean red ginseng (KRG) intake in HIV-1 infected patients and occurrence of grossly deleted nef genes ($g{\Delta}nef$), we characterized nef genes in 10 long-term slow progressors (LTSP) infected with HIV-1 subtype B and 34 control patients. LTSP was defined whose the annual decrease in CD4 T cells was less than $20/{\mu}l$ over 10 years in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. They were treated with KRG for a prolonged period. Nef genes were amplified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using nested PCR and products were sequenced directly. Patient CD4 T cell counts decreased from $444{\pm}207/{\mu}l$ to $294{\pm}177/{\mu}l$ over $136{\pm}23$ months of KRG intake. This corresponds to an annual decrease in the level of CD4 T cells of $13.3/{\mu}l$. A total of 479 nef genes were amplified from 137 PBMC samples. Nine out of the 10 patients, 47 (34.3%) out of the 137 samples, and 92 out of the 479 genes revealed $g{\Delta}nef$. The deletion extended outside the nef gene in 25 $g{\Delta}nef$ obtained from 6 patients. The proportion of samples with $g{\Delta}nef$ (34.3%) was significantly higher than 4.8% in control patients (P<0.001). In addition, it significantly increased as the duration of KRG intake prolongs (P<0.01). These data suggest the possibility that occurrence of $g{\Delta}nef$ might be associated with long-term intake of KRG.