• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.163-175
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• 2004

Objectives: This study was carried out to decrease the prevalence of human clonorchiasis and to evaluate the control effect in two Clonorchis sinensis-endemic area of Gokseong-gun and Sunchang-gun adjacent to the Sumjin River in Korea. Methods: The formalin-ether concentration method for stool egg examination or ELISA was applied for the diagnosis of clonorchiasis. As a primary survey, according to the non-probability sampling, a total of 1,2.13 inhabitants at Gokseong-gun were screened through the stool examination, and 1,004 inhabitants at Sunchang-gun were screened through the ELISA. The humans infected with C. sinensis were medicated with praziquantel and educated for the prevention of reinfection with the fluke. After 9 months, as a secondary survey, each prevalence of 616 inhabitants at Gokseong-gun and 2.637 inhabitants at Sunchang-gun was followed-up for the decrease of human clonorchiasis. Results: The prevalence before the mass control was 39.0% at Gokseong-gun and 30.1% at Sunchang-gun in average from 61.5% to 8.9% according to the villages (Myeon) of the survey. In the riverside villages to the Sumjin River the prevalences were higher than other villages located far from the river. The prevalence after the control was decreased to the level of 22.4% at Gokseong-gun(P<0.0001) and 16,3% at Sunchang-gun (P<0.0001). Conclusions: These results suggested that human clonorchiasis was still highly endemic in riverside area of the Sumjin River and could be decreased through the control activities such as diagnosis, medication and education. It was highly recommended that a integrated control such as those of the present study must be adopted in other localities along the Sumjin River for the eradication of human clonorchiasis.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.83-108
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• 1984

Out of a total of 58 species of helminthic and protozoan parasitic infections in Korea, so far 38 species were reported as intestinal parasites of man. Quite a few species of the intestinal parasitic infections have long been prevalent throughout the country and this has been a significant public health problem. In this paper, current status and transition of the intestinal parasitic infections in the past years were presented. Chronological reviewing of data show background and prospects of change in the prevalence of infections. In the national prevalence survey on parasitic infections conducted once every five years since 1971, stool examinations were done by both cellophane thick smear and brine flotation techniques. Every egg positive case of Ascaris lumbricoides and Clonorchis sinensis was further examined by Stoll's dilution egg counting technique. In 1981, perianal swab using adhesive cellulose tape was added for Enterobius infection. For protozoan cyst examination conducted by province and city in '81, fecal specimens were fixed in SAF solution and examined by the formalin-ether concentration technique. High prevalence of parasitic infection in ana before the 1960s can be easily understood from the data given by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in 1967. From a parasite control point of view, the 1960s was the preparatory period particularly for control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Several organizations which have contributed to parasite control were founded in this period and the prevention law of parasitic infections was passed in '66. In the '70s, overall prevalence rates of the common intestinal parasitic infections, which were highly prevalent in the past were turned into reduction phase for the first time. The '80s can be said to be an active control period of parasitic infections. Intestinal helminths According to the reports of the national prevalence survey on parasitic infections, the prevalence of helminthic infections was 84.3%(number of person examined:24,887) in '71, 63.2%(27,178) in '76, and 41.1%(35,018) in '81. By area, the prevalence rate in '81 was 35.1%(20,569) in urban areas and 49.6%(14,447) in rural areas. Intestinal nematodes Ascaris lumbricoides The prevalence of Ascaris infection has decreased significantly in recent years. Among students, the prevalence was 55.4%, in '69 and decreased to 4.7% in '83. In the national prevalence surveys, the prevalence decreased to 13.0% in '81 from 54.9% in '71. By area, the prevalence decreased to 8.5% in '81 from 46.4% in '71 in urban area and 19.4% in '81 from 59.6% in '71 in rural area. By age, the prevalence has become in recent years relatively even in all age groups, although higher prevalence used to be seen in young age groups of around 10 years old, particulary in the highly prevalent rural areas. By sex, the prevalence was higher in the female than in the male. Unfertilized egg positive rates among the ascariasis cases increased gradually up to 55.4% on the average in '81. The intensity of the infection was also significantly decreased. Trichuris trichiura Trichuris infection had also decreased to 23.4% in '81 from 65.4% in '71. By area, the decreasing tendency of the prevalence became faster in urban areas than in the rural areas. The prevalence in urban and rural areas in '71 was 69.7%, and 63.1% respectively and decreased to 19.5% and 29.0% respectively in '81. By age, the prevalence reached a peak at the 10-14 age group and showed relatively even distribution throughout all age groups. By sex, the prevalence was close in young age groups, but in the 30s or over age group, especially in rural area, the prevalence was significantly higher in the female than in the male. The prevalence has much fluctuated depending in the area. The prevalence in rural areas surveyed in the '80s shows a range between 20.9% and 73.7% by locality. It is anticipated that the prevalence of Trichuris infection will drop more rapidly, when mass treatment is conducted. Hookworms Hookworm infection by mostly Ancylostoma duodenale and a few by Necator americanus has decreased to a negligible levels in recent years. In the national prevalence surveys, the prevalence was 10.7% in '71, 2.2% in '76, and 0.5% in '81. The prevalence was higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Wide application of multi-specific anthelminthics in the ascariasis control programmes conducted in the past decade appear to have been effective against hookworm infection. Trichostrongylus orientalis As in the case with hookworm infection, the prevalence of Trichostrongylus infection has reached a negligible levels. In the national prevalence surveys, the prevalence was 7.7% in '71, 1.0% in '76 and 0.2% in '81. Enterobius vermicularis In the national prevalence survey in '81, the egg positive rate was 12.0%. Higher prevalence is expected when examined repeatedly. The prevalence rate was 10.3% in urban area and 14.6% in rural area. In recent surveys conducted in rural areas among schoolchildren, the prevalence was 32.4% in Gimhae Gun in '82 and 64.1% in Yeongyang Gun in '83. By age, the egg positive rate was higher in young age groups of around 10 and sharply decreased in age groups of around 20 and then somewhat increased again in middle age groups. By sex, the prevalence was higher in the female than in the male. Strongyloides stercoralis Strongyloides stercoralis infection has rarely been found in Korea. Three cases were reported in 1914. And 0.1-0.5% were found infected out of 2,642 persons examined at the prisoner-of-war camp on Geojedo in 1956. One case was reported in '54 and '82, respectively. Anisakis spp. No systematic survey has been conducted for anisakiasis In Korea. So far, only several cases have been found 1 case in Seoul in '71, 5 cases in Busan in '81 and 1 case in Busan in '84. Intestinal trematodes Metagonimus yokogawai In the national prevalence survey conducted in 1981, the egg positive rate was 1.24% on the average. High endemic areas are located in the southwestern part of Korea. The prevalence in Hadong Gun was 29.1% on the average in '79. In a survey conducted in 76, the prevalence was 44.0% in Gwangyang, 55.0% in Gogseung and 29.0% in Gurye. The infection is closely correlated with raw sweetfish consumption in these areas. Other intestinal trematodes A human case of Heterophyes heterophyes was reported in 1914. Several species were reported in the '80s : 17 cases of Fibricola seoulensis, 9 cases of Pygidiopsis summa, 8 cases of Heterophyes heterophyes nocens, 1case of Heterophyopsis continua, 2 cases of Stellantchasmus falcatus, 1 case of Stictodora sp., 1 case of Echinostoma hortense, and 4 cases of Echinochasmus japonicus. As the intermediate hosts, snakes and frogs play a role for F.seoulensis and fish for the rest of the species. Intestinal cestodes Taenia saginata and T. solium Egg positive rates in the national prevalence survey were 0.7% in '76 and 1.1% in '81. The prevalence in '81 was 0.6% in urban area and 1.8% in rural area. The proglottid positive rate in Jeju Do was 19.2% on the average. On Udo, Jeju Do in 1983, the egg positive rate among the inhabitants was 2.9%. Hymenolepis nana In the national prevalence survey, egg positive rates were 0.6% in '76 and 0.4% in '81. No difference was seen in the prevalence by area and sex. Hymenolepis diminuta Infected cases were reported : 3 in '64 and I in '66. Egg positive rate in '81 was 0.01% in the national prevalence survey. Diphylobothrium latum So far, about 30 cases have been reported. The cases have been reported more frequently in recent surveys. Mesocestoides sp. A case was reported from a hospitalized patient in Seoul in '67. Spirometra erinacei Two cases were reported in '84 following reidentification of the adult worms collected in '74. Intestinal protozoa Out of a total of 23 species of human protozoan infections in Korea, 13 species were reported as intestinal protozoa : Entamoeba histolytica, E coli, Endolimax nana, Iodamoeba b$\ddot{u}$tschlii, Dientamoeba fragilis, Giardia lamblia, Chilomastix mesnilii, Embadomonas sp., Enteromonas hominis, Trichomonas hominis, Isospora belli, I. Hominis(Sarcocystis hominis), and Balantidium coli. Since the first report on intestinal protozoan infections in 1925, there have been quite a few survey data on the prevalence of the infection. It was found reviewing the data chronologically that up to the early '70s the infection was prevalent around a 30-50%. After that, the protozoan cyst positive rate has shown the tendency of gradual decrease throughout the country. Protozoan cyst survey conducted in Seoul and several provinces in 1981 revealed infection rates of 8.9%(1,310) in Gangweondo, 10.7%(1,703) in Gyenggi Do, 11.7%(1,032) in Jeonra Buk Do, 9.1%(4,116) in Jeonra Nam Do, and 1.4%(5,275) in Seoul. Entamoeba histolytica In the survey conducted by province in '81, the cyst positive rate was 0.8% in Gangweon-do, 0.3% in Gyeonggi Do, 1.4% in both Jeonra Buk Do and Jeonra Nam Do, and 0.2% in Seoul. Giardia lamblia In the survey by province in '81, cyst positive rates were 2.2% in both Gyeonggi Do and Jeonra Buk Do, 1.9% in Jeonra Nam Do, 0.5% in Gangweon Do, and 0.9% in Seoul. Balantidium coli Two cases were reported. One in 1930 and the other in '74. Isospora belli and I. Hominis(Sarcocystis hominis) Isospora belli was reported : 1 case in '56 and 3 cases in '66. I. Hominis, recently identified to be synonymous with Sarcocystis hominis, was reported : 3 cases in '66. Other intestinal protozoa The protozoan parasites other than the above mentioned are generally treated as commensal, although some of them are considered to be pathogenic. The data of '81 show that about 10% of the inhabitants are still infected with protozoa.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.45-71
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• 1991

The landscape systems in Korean island settlements can be recognized as results of ingabitants' ecological adptation to the isolated environment with the limited natural resources. Both the fishery dominant industry in island society and ecological nature of its environments seem to have influenced on inhabitants' environmental cognition as well as the physical landscape of island villages such as its location, spatial pattern in each village, housing form and so on. This study was done mainly by both refering to the related documents and direct observations in case study areas, and results of the study can be summarized as follows. 1. In general, the landscape of an individual island seems to take more innate characteristics of island's own, corresponding to the degree of isolation from mainland. That is, while the landscape of island in neighboring waters takes both inland-like and island-innate landscape character at the same time, the one in the open sea far from land takes more innate landscape character of all island's own in the aspects of village location, land use and housing density etc. 2. The convex landform of most islands brings about more centrifugal village allocation than centripetal allocation in most inland villages. And thus most villages in each island face extremely diverse directions different from the south facing preference in most inland rural villages. 3. Most island villages tend to be located along the ecologically transitional strip between land and sea, so called 'line of life', rather than between hilly slope and flat land as being in most inland village locations. So they are located with marine ecology bounded fishing ground ahead and land ecology bounded agricultural site at the back of them. 4. The settlement pattern of the island fishing villages shows more compact spatial structure than that of inland agricultural villages, due to the absolute limits of usable land resources and the adaptation to the marine environment with severe sea winds and waves or for the easy accessability to the fishing grounds. And also the managerial patterns of public owned sea weed catching ground, which take each family as the unit of usership rather than an individual, seem to make the villagescape more compact and the size of Individual residence smaller than that of inland agricultural village. 5. The folk shrine('Dand') systems, in persrective of villagescape, represent innate environmental cognition of island inhabitants above all other cultural landscape elements in the island. Usually the kinds and the meanings of island's communal shrine and its allocative patternsin island villagescape are composed of set with binary opposition, for example 'Upper shrine(representing 'earth', 'mountain' or 'fire')' and 'Lower Shrine(representing 'sea', 'dragon' or 'water') are those. They are usually located at contrary positions in villagescape each other. That is, they are located at 'the virtical center or visual terminus(Upper shrine at hillside behind the village)' and 'the border or entrance(Lower Shrine at seashore in front of the village)'. Each of these shirines' divinity coincides with each subsystem of island's natural eco-system(earth sphere vs marine sphere) and they also contribute to ecological conservation, bonded with the 'Sacred Forest(usually with another function of windbreak)' or 'Sacred Natural Fountain' nearby them, which are representatives of island's natural resources.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.27-33
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• 2002

Aims: This study was carried out to find the prevalence of human clonorchiasis and to know epidemiological features in a Clonorchis sinensis-endemic area in Korea. Methods and materials: The EHSA was applied for the serodiagnosis of clonorchiasis. A total of 2,591 inhabitants at Soonchang-gun county adjacent to the Sumjin River were screened through the assay. The questionnaire survey was performed for several epidemiological points related to C. sinensis infection. Data from 95 inhabitants were processed for the statistical analysis. Results: The prevalence of human clonorchiasis in Soonchang-gun was 16.1% in average from 33.6% to 7.0% according to the villages of the survey. In the riverside villages to the Sumjin River the prevalences were higher than those in other villages located far from the river. The odd ratio (OR) between men and women was 2.76, indicating that the clonorchiasis was 2.76 times more prevalent in man than woman. The ORs were 2.14 in alcoholic group, 2.40 in the group of raw-eating of fresh-water fishes, 2.44 in the people who thought they were healthy, 5.23 in the people who knew well about the clonorchiasis, and 3.32 in the people who had again raw-eating of the fishes following medication. Conclusions: These results suggested that human clonorchiasis was still highly endemic in riverside area of the Sumjin River and some predisposing factors such as raw-eating of fresh-water fishes were significantly related to the human clonorchiasis.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.3-15
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• 1977

In order to find out health problems among inhabitants in slum areas in Kwanak-Ku, Seoul, a series of health survey was conducted upon 510 households by interview from March to December, 1976. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Employments of householders were unstable; Out of 508 householders, 164(32.3%) were unemployed and 184 (36.2%) were daily or temporary employees. 2. Average number of households per house was 2.0 and average area of residential room per person was $4.0m^2$. 3. 476(93.3%) out of 510 households were supplied with tap water and rest of them made use of ground water as a source of drinking water. 4. Only 279(18.3%) out of 1527 live births were delivered at medical facilities, 496(32.7%) were at home attended by doctors or midwives and 358(25.1%) took prenatal care. The above findings were worse in urban slum area than in other urban area of relatively high economic level, but were better than in rural area of less medical facilities. 5. Initiation of treatment were delayed until their illnesses were advanced in most of the households, 472(92.5%) out 510. In the early stage of the illness, 131(25.6%) of the house-holds sought physicians in their clinics or general hospitals and 250 (40.9%) visited chemists, to toy drugs at first hand. Frequency of visits to physician increased to 52.8% as the disease aggravated in later stages. 6. Cost of medical expenditure per household amounted to 815 won, and was paid to, in the order of chemists, physicians, chinese herb stores, chinese herb doctors. 7. Concerning the health knowledge of the inhabitants, 273(53.9%) out of 506 respondents were aware of the infectivity of pulmonary tuberculosis, and 68(13.4%) of them checked regularly their chest findings by X-ray at least once every two years. 8. As for the family planning, although 448(87.3%) out of 510 respondents were in favor of it, 215 (41.8%) of them were actually practicing contraception. 9. About 40.6% (125 respondents) of them obtained information and knowledge concerning contraception through personal contact with family planning workers. 10. Nutritional status of housewives was generally poor: 49(38.3%) out of 128 housewives were found to be anemic and average serum protein level was $7.5{\pm}0.82g/dl$.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.742-753
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate risk factors of pre-hypertension and hypertension in rural residents. Nine hundred and ninety four subjects aged 40-70 yrs in Chungnam-do participated in this study. The subjects (n = 824) were classified into three groups of hypertensive, pre-hypertensive, and normotensive according to the Joint National Committee (JNC)-7 criteria. The weight, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and serum total protein, albumin, BUN, and triglyceride (TG) were positively correlated with SBP and DBP. After adjusted by age, sex and BMI, the total protein, albumin and TG were significantly correlated with SBP and DBP (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in eating habits according to the level of blood pressure. The serum albumin, creatinine, Glu-FBS, Glu-PP l20, and triglyceride were higher in both prehypertensive and hypertensive group than in the normotensive group. However, mean serum cholesterol was not different among three blood pressure groups. In this study, the common risk factors of pre-hypertension and hyper-tension were male, age of fifties, lower education level, ex-smoking, higher drinking frequency, higher BMI, body fat %, waist circumference, WHR, serum albumin and diabetes, even though the degree of risks in these variables were higher in the hypertensive group. The higher BUN was a risk factor of prehypertension, while the family history, prediabetes, serum total protein, Glu-PP l20 and higher alcohol drinking amount were the risk factors of hypertension. This result suggests that maintaining good health habit and normal range of blood parameters as well as controlling body weight have to be paid attention in order to prevent hypertention, and further reseasch on the relationship of blood pressure and BUN are needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.375-385
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• 2009

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the association of food intake with bio-physiological indicators: blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR), cholesterol and urine sugar among rural people. Methods: The subjects were 890 inhabitants from 14 towns of G County in Honam province. Data were collected by interview and self-reported with structured questionnaires from April 6th to 30th 2005. Data were analyzed with the frequency, percentage, t-test, $x^2$-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test and ANCOVA using SPSS 12.0 program. Results: Pre-hypertensive and hypertensive group was 27.0%, overweight and obese 27.1%, more than 0.90 in WHR 42.0%, more than 201 mg/dl of cholesterol 23.9%, and positive urine sugar was 8.7% in general. Among eleven food groups, fruit intakes were more effective in normotensive group than in the others. Vegetables, liquors, and milk products were 0.90 WHR more effective than the others. Milk products and liquors in BMI, and grains, beans and seaweed in low cholesterol group were more effective than the others. Conclusions: Bio-physiological indicators are related significantly only with fruits, milk products, meats, cereal and liquors among eleven food categories. Further study on the relationship between food intake, physical activities, smoking, drinking and lifestyle with bio-physiological indicators are suggested.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2005

The present study is designed to provide basic data for the future health promotion projects to be aimed at improving quality of life for the elderly people in the increasingly aging society of Korea by investigating factors related to the yangseng of old people in rural areas. The results of this study are intended to serve as fundamental for efficient approach toward health promotion projects for the elderly in rural communities. For this purpose, a survey by questionnaires was conducted to rural inhabitants from May to June 2004. The replies were analyzed from the perspective of Oriental medicine for yangseng. 1. The average points of health care appeared to be 3.24. In details by sub-areas, morality was 3.79, followed by 3.74 for activities and rest, 3.73 for sleeping, 3.29 for diet, 3.25 for mind, 2.88 for season, 2.12 for exercise and 1.95 for sexual life in sequence, showing that the yangseng of morality was scored highest while the area of sexual life were rated lowest. 2. As for the extent of health care depending on the characters of the subjects, spoused ones, married couples living alone, while the higher educated and the more leisure is utilized, the more the care is paid for yangseng. 3. Concerning the extent of yangseng depending on the general characters of the subjects, men showed more yangseng in activities and rest. The group aged 70 to 74 acquired the highest points in mind yangseng. The group with spouse featured higher concern for yangseng in the categories of morality, diet, activities and rest, sleeping and sexual life. Married couples who are living with no other family members recorded the highest points in the areas of morality, diet, sleeping and sexual life(P<0.05). 4. In terms of socioeconomic characters, the more one is educated, the more he/she is tended to take yangseng in the exercise, sleeping and sexual life. The group with occupation is inclined to take more yangseng in the activities and rest and sleeping. When people have to work for their keep, they usually showed to have highest yangseng for sleeping. People who enjoy leisure showed higher yangseng in all areas except for morality. In case man has religion, he showed more yangseng in the activities and rest, exercise and sleeping(P<0.05). 5. Those who reply they are confident with health showed higher yangseng. No significant difference was found in all areas except for sexual life in which high care is taken for yangseng, as far as one has no disease. Those who are confident with health had highest yangseng in all areas except for season yangseng(P<0.05). As seen above, extents of yangseng by the old people in the rural area are found to have difference depending on the individual and socioeconomic characters, factors which should be seriously considered in the local health promotion projects and projects for the health of the elderly. Particularly important is to launch health promotion programs and to analyze their effects to promote health care particularly in the areas of sexual life, exercise and season yangseng that turned out to be lowest by taking into account of yangseng in each sub-area.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.32-41
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• 2009

Places such as famous urban sights and foreign settlements have recently been created in Korea, which reflects the increase in social and cultural exchanges and the number of place-making and landscape-planning projects. Understanding place identity is required in environmental design and planning. This paper examined the components of the identity of place through comparison of perceptions of "placeness" between residents and visitors of Seo-Rae Village, Seoul, Korea. More than 40% of French nationals in Korea reside in the village, which many Koreans visit as an urban sightseeing place. Twenty-five French inhabitants and forty-one Korean visitors were surveyed. Insideness of Seo-Rae Village was formed by limited activities and needs of the residents, primarily children's education and food purchases. Residents mentioned that the physical environment, especially buildings, lacked theauthenticity of French style. The symbolic meaning of the French village influenced the visitors' activities. The authenticity of French style, however, did not affect the perception of visitors and outsideness of the place. Visitors' activities and cognitive meanings of the place were formed mainly by the commercial environment established by Korean investments. Commercialization of the place and related activities played an important role in establishing insideness of the place. The village shows the phenomenon of the reversal of insideness and outsideness. The "placeness" of Seo-Rae village has been shaped by visitors' tastes rather than the true experience of insideness. Mass identity formed by mass media using French characteristics influenced this phenomenon. Insideness formed by inhabitants appeared to be a pseudo-place, which was created by the French tastes of visitors and lacked French authenticity. Seo-Rae Villagerepresents a superficial cloak.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.151-164
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• 2010

Objective:Korea has 3,170 islands with about 188,000 inhabitants. These inhabitants' needs for health services might go unmet because of geographic isolation, slimmer availability of health services, and higher proportion of the elderly compared with the mainland population. Unmet health service needs might result in serious health problems for these island residents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate their unmet health service needs and related factors from population of Nowha island. Methods: The survey was conducted from July 30 to August 1 by trained interviewers. Target population were residents in Nohwa island and the sampling method was incomplete quota sampling. General characteristics, socioeconomic status, utilization of health service, and unmet medical service needs were investigated. First univariate and then multivariate logistic analyses were done for the statistical analysis. Results: 324 residents were surveyed and the proportion of unmet health services needs was 26.5%. People living alone and of female sex had increased health services needs based on univariable analysis. From the multivariate analysis, those living alone increased the health services needs. Self-determined low socioeconomic status and medical aid increased the proportion of unmet medical needs, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion:In Nowha island, those who are elder, and of lower socioeconomic status had much higher unmet medical needs. The results suggest the need for more social support by qualified health services to solve this unmet medical needs problem.