• 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 Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.415-423
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• 2022

Economic evaluations in the healthcare are used to assess economic efficiency of pharmaceuticals and medical interventions such as diagnoses and medical procedures. This study introduces the main concepts of economic evaluation across its key steps: planning, outcome and cost calculation, modeling, cost-effectiveness results, uncertainty analysis, and decision-making. When planning an economic evaluation, we determine the study population, intervention, comparators, perspectives, time horizon, discount rates, and type of economic evaluation. In healthcare economic evaluations, outcomes include changes in mortality, the survival rate, life years, and quality-adjusted life years, while costs include medical, non-medical, and productivity costs. Model-based economic evaluations, including decision tree and Markov models, are mainly used to calculate the total costs and total effects. In cost-effectiveness or costutility analyses, cost-effectiveness is evaluated using the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, which is the additional cost per one additional unit of effectiveness gained by an intervention compared with a comparator. All outcomes have uncertainties owing to limited evidence, diverse methodologies, and unexplained variation. Thus, researchers should review these uncertainties and confirm their robustness. We hope to contribute to the establishment and dissemination of economic evaluation methodologies that reflect Korean clinical and research environment and ultimately improve the rationality of healthcare policies.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.87-99
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to contribute children's health care and health promotion by surveying the use of visiting nurses in child day care centers. Methods: This study is a descriptive study, and the study period covers July to September, 2010. The research subjects were 27 public health center managers, 166 visiting nurses and 137child care teachers. Results: Teachers' need of visiting health care services and visiting nurses' work performance of were statistically significantly different. The teachers' need of visiting health care was higher in all areas (health examination, health life practice, infectious disease control, safety accidents and disaster management, emergency measures and linkage, nutrition, parent education) but the visiting nurses had a low level of work performance. Conclusion: Child care teachers are not health professionals for child health care, and therefore they are in need of professional help. Thus, for the current public health centers in need of customized visit health care, new visiting nurses in charge of professional child health care need to be developed. Also, new models need to be developed for visiting nurses and child care teachers through the connection of community child health care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2923-2930
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• 2012

Background: Little is known about interest in faith-based health promotion programs among Asian American populations. Among the Christian denominations, the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church is known to place a strong doctrinal emphasis on health. Objectives: To understand appropriate ways to develop and implement health promotion programs and to conduct research among Korean American SDAs. Methods: We collaborated with the North American Division of Korean SDA Churches which sponsors annual week-long religious retreats for their church members. We developed and administered a 10-page questionnaire at their 2009 retreat in order to assess socio-demographic and church characteristics, religiosity, perceived relationship between health and religion, and interest and preferences for church-based health promotion programs. Results: Overall, 223 participants completed our survey (123 in Korean and 100 in English). The sample consisted of regular churchgoers who were involved in a variety of helping activities, and many holding leadership positions in their home churches. The vast majority was interested in receiving health information at church (80%) in the form of seminars, cooking classes and workshops (50-60%). Fewer respondents were interested in support groups (27%). Some interests and preferences differed between English and Korean language groups. Conclusion: Korean American SDA church retreat participants from a large geographic area are very interested in receiving health information and promoting health at their churches and can potentially serve as "agents of influence" in their respective communities.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2003

Objectives : The purpose of the present study was to explore a possible interaction effect of stress and social support on the smoking status and identify smoking related factors of high school students, Methods : A cross-sectional design was used for this study. A total of 1,251 high school students from Gyeonggi-do were selected using stratified-proportional random cluster sampling methods, The participants completed a set of questionnaires to measure their smoking status, stress, social support and sociodemographic information, The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-tests and hierarchical logistic regressions. Results : The interaction effect of stress and social support on smoking status was not supported. However, stress, sex, types of school, parent's smoking and friends' smoking were significantly predicted the smoking status of the high school students. Conclusions : In relation to the prevention of adolescents' smoking, it is recommended to decrease the stress levels of students, to make adolescents' parents cease smoking, and to educate adolescents on how to refuse the temptation to smoke or pressure from their smoking friend.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2001

Purpose: This study was intended to develop the framework of public health center based 'Child growth and developmental clinic' and analyze the efficiency of services. This was the part of Mother-Child Health Guidance Project by the Public Health Center in Seoul. The purposes of this project were to improve children's health and development with early detection of developmental delay by screening test, and to assist and guide the parent for child care and rearing, so that children can reach their maximum potential. Method: Framework and standards for operation of 'Child growth and development clinic' were developed. We selected screening tool. developed parent education materials, and educated the personnel of public health center. Result: 243 children were enrolled for developmental screening, and we detect the children with developmental delay and referred them for further evaluation. The proportion of developmental delayed children was approximately 2% of the enrolled children. Also, we analyzed the characteristics of enrolled children, and their parental needs and attitude on child rearing. Some problems in operation of developmental clinic were discussed. Conclusion: Though we can found some limitations, we are confident that pubic health center can be charge of important role for improving child development for the majority. This study will be the basis of children's developmental clinic running by public health center.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.20-28
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• 2013

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify nursing informatics competencies of nurses working for public health centers in Chungcheongnam-do. Methods: Data were collected from June 10 to July 25, 2012 using the Nursing Informatics Competencies Questionnaire (NICQ). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, $x^2$-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: Nursing informatics competencies of the subjects showed a mean score of $3.3{\pm}1.0$ out of 5. As for scores of individual categories, the score for computer skills competencies was $3.3{\pm}1.0$, informatics knowledge competencies $3.4{\pm}0.9$, and informatics skills competencies $3.0{\pm}0.9$. Nursing informatics competencies were positively correlated with the subjects' ages (r=.65, p<.001), computer usage hours (r=.23, p = .015), levels of demand for informatics knowledge (r=.51, p<.001), and informatics skills education (r=.78, p<.001). Conclusion: Nursing informatics is required to be connected with job training or in-service education on account of its growing necessity for public health nurses. It is also essential to develop programs for strengthening informatics competencies reflecting sub-categories of educational needs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.401-407
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• 2005

Objectives : We wanted to investigate the relationship between heavy metal, especially lead and mercury, to the blood pressure and cholesterol level in children. Methods : This study was undertaken in three primary schools and the study subjects were a total of 274 children. The lead in the blood and the urine mercury were analyzed by performing atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results : All of participants' blood lead levels and urine mercury concentrations were below the suggested level of concern according to the criteria of the CDC and ATSDR. We found no significant correlation between lead, mercury and the blood pressure. The blood lead level did not show any relationship with the blood pressure and cholesterol. However, the urine mercury levels were associated with the serum cholesterol. Conclusion : Our study suggests that mercury can induce an increase of cholesterol as a risk factor of myocardial infraction and coronary/cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.323-335
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• 2010

Purpose: This study identified sociodemographic characteristics, health status, health care utilization and related factors of Asian immigrant women in Korea. Methods: Data were collected from 465 immigrant women from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other Asian countries using standardized questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and $X^2$-test were performed utilizing SPSS version 17. A p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Subjects had relatively good subjective health. The most prevalent conditions were, in order, anemia, gastrointestinal diseases, gynecological diseases, and depression. Subjects utilized mostly hospitals or clinics when sick. There were significant relationships between health care utilization and factors including residence, time since immigration and economic status. The rate of non-treatment in hospitals or clinics was 30.1% during the previous year, with significant relationships between non-treatment and factors including time since immigration and economic status. The major reasons for non-treatment were the burden of hospital expenses followed by communication difficulty. Conclusion: Public health efforts should be targeted to Asian immigrant women to improve their health status and support health care utilization.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.354-355
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• 2002