• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.31
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• pp.23.1-23.6
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• 2016

Objectives A stable follow-up participation rate is a very important factor for validity in a cohort study. This study analyzed the factors that affect the participation rate at one hospital-based birth cohort in South Korean. Methods The participants were recruited from the Mothers' and Children's Environmental Health study between 2006 and 2010. The analysis targeted 1751 mothers who participated in a birth cohort. We conducted analyses of general characteristics during pregnancy and those of infants at birth that affect the participation rate of the 6-month follow-up survey. Results The participation rate for the 6-month follow-up survey was 60.4%. The participation rate in the follow-up of the subsequent period decreased within a 5% to 10% range compared to the number of subjects. The participation rate of premature infants was 16.9% lower than that of a full-term infant (52.6% vs. 69.5%). Analysis showed a 16.7% difference between the participation rate of low-birthweight infants in follow-ups (53.7%) and the participation rate of infants with normal weight (70.4%). The participation rate of mothers who were employed during pregnancy was significantly lower for the 6-month follow-up compared to the participation rate of mothers who were unemployed during pregnancy. Conclusions In this study, factors such as premature birth, low-birthweight, and the employment status of the mother during pregnancy affected the participation rate of the follow-up survey for the birth cohort at six months. A specific strategy is needed to encourage survey participation for the high risk groups in the follow-ups.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to describe prenatal nursing intervention studies on pregnant women and their families published in Korean nursing journals to identify research trends and to analyze the characteristics of intervention studies. This scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework. We identified a research question and searched six domestic electronic databases for relevant articles. Forty-five references that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were finally selected. We extracted the data using an analytic framework, and then collated and summarized the characteristics of the intervention studies. The most frequently used research designs were non-randomized controlled trials (91.1%), and only a few studies applied a specific theoretical framework (24.4%). The participants were mainly pregnant women only (64.4%) during the third trimester (35.6%) of pregnancy. Prenatal education was the most common type of intervention (48.9%), followed by complementary therapy (37.8%) and psychosocial support programs (13.3%). The most commonly used outcome variables were drawn from the psychological domain (44.5%), although distinct types of outcome variables-especially from the psychological and physical domains-were used to measure the effectiveness of different types of prenatal interventions. This review suggests that further prenatal nursing intervention studies in Korea should expand the study participants to include pregnant women's family members, high-risk and vulnerable groups, and women throughout entire pregnancy. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop integrative prenatal nursing interventions that promote family support and participation by facilitating partnerships among women, families, and nurses before, during, and after pregnancy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.193-200
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to identify how students majoring in nursing perceive causes of cancers and the effects of diet for preventing cancers. Data for the study were collected by 651 nursing students, who were registered in the second and third year in three technical colleges and third and fourth year in two universities. The Research instruments included items on general characteristics of subjects, items about the degree of perception of the frequency of cancer onset and items on the perception of mortality. risk factors. preventive diets, knowledge, and high risk factor for cancer in specific body areas. The findings of this study are as follows : 1. Almost all subjects(92.8%) reported that the frequency of cancer onset increases and that it is 93.9% for people over 40. Degree of perception about cancer mortality was low at 33.0%. 2. As far as the perception of risk factors for cancer onset was concerned, smoking, stress, heredity, family history, and alcohol were rated high, over 80.0%. Risk factor in. eluding virus, hormones. pesticides were rated as low. 3. As to the perception of risk factor for body area as associated with diet salted and scorched food were rated at 44.5% for stomach cancer, alcohol, 50.4% for liver cancer, smoking. 72.8% for lung cancer. pregnancy times. 25.3%, and marriage age, 23.0% for uterine cancer, and no delivery experience, 40.1% for breast cancer. 4. The knowledge score for cancer was between 12 and 36, with a mean score of 26.75(SD=4.13). There was a statistically significant difference between experience in raring for cancer patients during clinical practice and knowledge score(t=3.09. p=.002).

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.202-212
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• 2021

Objectives: The reproductive health of female workers has been extensively investigated in South Korea and other countries worldwide. However, few studies have discussed the reproductive health of male workers. In this study, we reviewed the recent literature that reports on the effects of occupational exposure on the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. Methods: In May 2020 we used the PubMed search engine to search the literature over the last 10 years and chose case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies and reviews. We selected epidemiological studies that investigated the association between pre-pregnant occupational exposure and the reproductive health of male workers and the health of their children. We excluded case reports, non-epidemiological studies (animal experiments, cellular-level experiments, and similar articles), and studies that described postnatal occupational exposure. Results: We eventually selected 23 studies. The studies that included exclusively male workers reported that those employed in the agricultural sector or those exposed to pesticides showed lower blood levels of reproductive hormones and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers exposed to complex organic solvents and organic compounds showed a high risk of poor semen quality, increased time to pregnancy, decreased blood levels of reproductive hormones, and a high risk of lympho-hematopoietic system cancer in their children. Male workers employed in occupations that involved significant social contact, or in the leather and livestock industries, and in occupations with high levels of exposure to lead and organic solvents showed a high risk of malignancies, including lympho-hematopoietic system cancer, neuroblastoma, and central nervous system tumors in their children. Studies that investigated both male and female workers reported that children of male smelters showed a high risk of premature birth, and children of male workers exposed to metals showed a high risk of hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Children of male welders and workers employed in the glass, ceramic, and tile industries showed a high risk of premature birth. Conclusion: The findings of this study will serve as basic data for further research on male workers' reproductive health and provide a scientific basis for the development of strategies to protect the reproductive health of males employed in high-risk occupations. Moreover, the results of this study may provide guidelines to improve the understanding of and knowledge on male workers' reproductive health.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.776-785
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• 2008

Maternal stress was one of the common symptoms that pregnant women could have experienced during pregnant period. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation of maternal stress with maternal nutrients intake and pregnancy outcome. Subjects were 248 pregnant women and were recruited at two hospitals in Seoul area. Individual stress levels were divided by the stress scores (total 41 scores), as low stressed group (< 12) and high stressed group (${\geqq}12$). The social characteristics, nutrient intake, anthropometric measurements and pregnancy outcome were compared between low stressed group (LSG) and high stressed group (HSG) to recognize risk factor of maternal stress. We found that subjects experience stress by various factors which were concern about newborn (40.4%), concern about health (28.8%), economic difficulties (13.2%), depress (10.1%), family relationship (2.9%), concern of house work (2.5%), human relationship (2%). In HSG, unemployed rate (p < 0.05) and pre-pregnancy BMI (p < 0.05) were higher than in LSG. Family size in HSG was larger than that in LSG (p < 0.01). Doing regular exercise with the light activity level was significantly higher in LSG (p < 0.05). The nutrient intake in LSG was slightly higher than that in HSG, but not statistically significant. Pregnancy outcome was not significantly affected by the maternal stress. In conclusion, the risk of maternal stress may be related with a life style during pregnancy. Therefore, life style for maternal stress control, such as weight control and regular exercise is recommended to prevent maternal stress.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2007

This study was performed for the purpose of providing basic data of the pelvic disorders through survey of the frequency of management of occurrence by major risk factor. Female pelvic mass was detected using sonography, and necessary data were collected from 604 female visitors to a obstetrics and gynecology hospital located at S-si. Female pelvic mass was uterus mass, ovarian mass, cervical cyst, endometrial disease. For the analysis, such variables as age, weight and frequency of pregnancy were chosen as risk factors. Results of the analysis and conclusions are as follows ; 1) The frequency of occurrence of the female pelvic mass is highest, as 38.9% of the component ratio, in the age of 35 to 54. It maintains high level of 35.8% even in the age of 55 and above. 2) The frequency of occurrence of the female pelvic mass increases in proportion as the weight and frequency of pregnancy increase. 3) The size of the uterus tumor has no statistical relationship with the risk factors, age, weight and frequency of pregnancy.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.410-418
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• 2016

This study examined the prevalence of MIH and severity of hypomineralization exhibited by MIH-affected tooth based on the clinical examination of 950 children between age 8 and 9 in the city of Jeonju. The etiology was also studied utilizing a questionnaire on the MIH risk factors. The prevalence of MIH was 7.1%. The examined MIH-affected teeth showed statically significant difference in the degree of their hypomineralization (p < 0.05). The permanent first molar showed greater frequency of MIH compared to the permanent incisor, and the MIH code 2a and 3 were only observed in the permanent first molar (p < 0.05). From the questionnaire, showed the significant relationship between the occurrence of MIH and risk factors such as stress and antibiotics intake during pregnancy, low birth weight and events like hospital admission, frequent respiratory infection, high fever and long-term antibiotics intake within the three years of children's lives (p < 0.05). Among all the possible risk factors, the antibiotics intake during pregnancy only showed high correlation with the incidence of MIH (p < 0.05).

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.sup1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2008

Previous infant feeding guidelines recommended a delayed introduction of solids to beyond 6 months of age to prevent atopic diseases. However, scientific evidence supporting a delayed introduction of solids for prevention of atopic diseases is scarce and inconsistent. Current evidence does not support a major role for maternal dietary restrictions during pregnancy or lactation in the prevention of atopic disease. In studies of infants at high risk of developing atopic disease, there is evidence that exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months compared with feeding intact cow milk protein decreases the incidence of atopic dermatitis, cow milk allergy, and wheezing in early childhood. For infants at high risk of developing atopic disease who are not breastfed exclusively for 4 to 6 months, there is modest evidence that atopic dermatitis may be delayed or prevented by the use of extensively or partially hydrolyzed formulas, compared with cow milk formula, in early childhood. There is no convincing evidence that a delayed introduction of solid foods beyond 4 to 6 months of age prevents the development of atopic disease. For infants after 4 to 6 months of age, there are insufficient data to support a protective effect of any dietary intervention for the development of atopic disease.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.97-108
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• 2014

Objectives: This study is to report the clinical effect of oriental medicine on a patient suffering from postabortal syndrome with somatic pain disorder, Qi deficiency and depression. Methods: The patient had a miscarriage by cervical incompetence in 24 weeks' gestation even though she had operated cervical cerclage in 20 weeks' gestation. The patient received herbal medication, acupuncture, moxibustion during 20 days of outpatient treatment. The clinical effects were evaluated through VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and EPDS (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Test). Results: The clinical symptoms of somatic pain and Qi deficiency were reduced during the treatment. The EPDS score also decreased from 19 points (high risk level) to 8 points (low risk level). Conclusions: This case study showed that herbal medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment appeared to effectively reduce postabortal syndrome. Since patients previously experienced cervical incompetence tend to have habitual abortion for next pregnancy, further long term observation and preventive treatment are needed in this case for next safe pregnancy and childbirth.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2018

Background: Lower-limb varicose veins (VVs) are common and known to have a higher prevalence among people who work in occupations requiring prolonged standing. In the Republic of Korea, however, VV-related occupational factors have seldom been examined. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of VVs among nurses, an occupational group considered to be at high risk of VVs, and determine the occupational risk factors of prolonged standing. Methods: Between March and August 2014, a questionnaire survey coupled with Doppler ultrasonography was conducted on the nurses working at a university hospital. Results: A total of 414 nurses participated in the survey and diagnostic testing. From the survey analysis and test results, the prevalence of VVs in nurses was estimated to be 16.18%. Significant factors for venous reflux were age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-1.10], pregnancy (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.17-3.94), and delivery (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.08-3.78). The statistical significance of these factors was verified after risk adjustment for sociodemographic factors (OR = 3.40, 95% CI = 1.27-9.09). Conclusion: Factors significantly associated with venous reflux were increasing age and prolonged working hours (${\geq}4hours$) in a standing position (OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.08-7.25), even after risk adjustment for sociodemographic factors. This study is significant in that an objective diagnosis of VVs preceded the analysis of the risk factors for VV incidence, thus verifying objectively that VVs are associated with occupations requiring prolonged hours of working in a standing position.