• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4323-4326
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• 2016

Background: The cancer mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) has been established as an important measure of health disparities in local and global circumstances. Past work has corroborated a linkage between the colorectal cancer MIR and the World Health Organization (WHO) Health System ranking. The literature further documents many Asian countries having incomplete cancer registries and a lack of comprehensive colorectal cancer screening guidelines. Materials and Methods: The colorectal cancer MIR values for 23 Asian countries were calculated from data obtained from the 2012 GLOBOCAN database. The 2000 World Health Organization (WHO) Health System rankings were used as a proxy for health system infrastructure and responsiveness. A regression equation was calculated with the MIR as the dependent variable and the WHO Health System ranking as the independent variable. Predicted MIR values were next calculated based on the regression results. Actual MIR values that exceeded 0.20 from the predicted MIR were removed as 'divergent' points. The regression equation was then re-plotted. Goodness-of-fit for both regressions was assessed by the R-squared test. Results: Asian countries have a relatively wide colorectal cancer MIR range, from a minimum of 0.24 to a maximum of 0.86. For the full dataset, the adjusted R-squared value for this regression was 0.53. The equation was then used to calculate a predicted MIR, whereby two data points were identified as 'divergent' and removed. The adjusted R-squared for the edited dataset increased to 0.66. Conclusions: Asian countries have a marked range in their colorectal cancer MIR values and there is a strong correlationwith the WHO Health System ranking. These results corroborate the contribution of the MIR as a potentially robust tool in monitoring changes in colorectal cancer care for Asian nations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5935-5939
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• 2013

Our study is to determine the presence of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) in endometrial biopsy specimens classified by the 1994 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for endometrial hyperplasia. Endometrial biopsy specimens that were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) were examined and categorized by the WHO 1994 criteria and for the presence of EIN as defined by the International Endometrial Collaborative Group. ${\beta}$-catenin expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. A total of 474 cases of HE stained endometrial biopsy tissues were reviewed. There were 379 cases of simple endometrial hyperplasia, 16 with simple atypical endometrial hyperplasia, 48 with complex endometrial hyperplasia, and 31 with complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia. Among the 474 endometrial hyperplasia cases, there were 46 (9.7%) that were classified as EIN. Of these 46 cases, 11(2.9%) were classified as simple endometrial hyperplasia, 1 (6.3%) as simple atypical endometrial hyperplasia, 6 (12.5%) as complex endometrial hyperplasia, and 28 (90.3%) as complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia. EIN was associated with a higher rate of ${\beta}$-catenin positivity than endometrium classified as benign hyperplasia (72% vs. 22.5%, respectively, P<0.001), but a lower rate than endometrial adenocarcinoma (72% vs. 96.2%, respectively, P<0.001). In benign endometrial hyperplasia, high ${\beta}$-catenin expression was noted in the cell membranes, whereas in EIN and endometrial adenocarcinoma high expression was noted in the cytoplasm. In conclusion, EIN is more accurate than the WHO classification for the diagnosis of precancerous lesions of the endometrium.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.73-86
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• 1988

In order to determine the content levels of trace metals in common salts, 64 bay salt samples were collected from three producing districts and 33 bay salt samples, 32 remade salt samples and 5 fine salt samples were collected from 7 major cities in Korea, from August to September 1987. These were analysed for content levels of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Mn using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results were as follows: 1. Lead contents in three type salts were N.D. - 1081.9 $\mu$g/kg and fourteen percent of the 114 samples exceeded the World Health Organization(WHO) criteria of 100$\mu$g/kg. Cadmium contents of samples were N.D.- 382C.5 $\mu$g/kg and five percent of the 114 samples were over the Spanish criteria of 500 $\mu$g/kg. Copper contents of samples were 8,9-214.9 $\mu$g/kg and there was not a sample over the World Health Organization(WHO) criteria of 500 $\mu$g/kg. Zinc contents ranged N.D. - 342.9 $\mu$g/kg and Manganese contents ranged N.D.- 8.31 mg/kg. 2. The comparison of heavy metal contents among the bay salts from three producing districts was significantly different in Pb, Cd and Cu contents. 3. The comparison of heavy metal contents between the bay salts and remade salts was not significantly different in Pb, Cd and Cu contents. 4. The contents of Pb, Cd, Zn and Mn in fine salts were much lower than those of bay salts and remade salts.

• 건강소식
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.40-41
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• 2013

젊은 층의 암 발생률이 증가하는 추세다. 최근 위암 토병 중이던 울랄라세션 임윤택의 사망 소속이 전해지면서 경각심이 고조된 상황이다. 32세의 한창 나이였기 때문이다. 암 환자의 연령대가 낮아지고 있는 이유는 무엇일까. 3월 21일, WHO(World Health Organization)가 정한 세계 암 예방의 날을 맞아 그 이유와 예방법을 알아봤다.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2011

Objectives: Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe the WHO-CHOICE(World Health Organization- CHOosing Interventions that are Cost-Effective) programme, and to consider the application of WHO-CHOICE programme in Korea, especially on the health promotion policy. Methods: Literature review was conducted on the contents of WHO-CHOICE programme in the previous studies, guidebook, and software. We also contacted WHO-CHOICE team at WHO to identify the contents not clearly presented in the documents. Results: The WHO-CHOICE programme is a standardized tool for analyzing and comparing the cost effectiveness of health promotion policies. It is composed of PopMod to measure the health effect of intervention and of CostIt to measure the cost. The cost of tobacco control policy in Korea was analyzed with the cooperation of WHO-CHOICE team preliminary, and the results were different with the results of tobacco control policy on western pacific region of WHO. Conclusions: The cost effectiveness study based on WHO-CHOICE programme could help decide a priority of health promotion policy for settings with limited resources. For the improvement of health, the future work on WHO-CHOICE programme need to be considered.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 2017

Despite progress made in tuberculosis control worldwide, the disease burden and treatment outcome of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients have remained virtually unchanged. In 2016, the World Health Organization released new guidelines for the management of MDR-TB. The guidelines are intended to improve detection rate and treatment outcome for MDR-TB through novel, rapid molecular testing and shorter treatment regimens. Key changes include the introduction of a new, shorter MDR-TB treatment regimen, a new classification of medicines and updated recommendations for the conventional MDR-TB regimen. This paper will review these key changes and discuss the potential issues with regard to the implementation of these guidelines in South Korea.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.103-106
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• 2024

Palliative care is a comprehensive approach aimed at improving the quality of life for patients and their families. The symptom burden and care needs of patients with end-stage, non-malignant diseases are similar to those experienced by patients with advanced cancer. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the expansion of palliative care to encompass a broad spectrum of diseases. However, in Korea, the adoption of palliative care for non-malignant conditions remains markedly low, presenting numerous challenges that differ from those associated with cancer. Key barriers to implementing hospice care for non-malignant diseases include the difficulty in predicting end-of-life and a general lack of awareness about hospice palliative care among healthcare providers, patients, and their families. Additionally, there is a risk that suggesting palliative care to patients with non-malignant diseases might be misinterpreted as an endorsement by healthcare providers to cease treatment or abandon the patient. This article explores strategies to broaden the scope of hospice and palliative care for patients with non-malignant diseases.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.107-116
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• 2002

Arsenic (As) is a ubiquitous element found in several forms in foods and water. Although certain foods, such as marine fish, contain substantial levels of organic arsenic forms, they are relatively low in toxicity compared to inorganic forms. in contrast, arsenic in drinking water is predominantly inorganic and highly toxic. Chronic ingestion of arsenic-contaminated drinking water is therefore the major pathway posing potential risk to human hearth. since the early 1990s in Bangladesh ozone, arsenic exposure has caused more than 7,000 deaths and uncounted thousands shout symptoms of long-term arsenic poisoning. Significant portion of world populations are exposed to low to moderate levels of arsenic of parts per billion (ppb) to hundreds of ppb. As a consequence, the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. environmental health agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made arsenic their highest priority. Recently, the WHO, European Union (EU), and US. EPA lowered an acceptable level of 10 ppb for arsenic in drinking water In this article, various health effects of arsenic in drinking water were reviewed and the current status for risk assessment to regulate arsenic in drinking water was discussed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.95-108
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• 1991

The World Health Organization and its member states, in 1978, declared that primary health care is a key to attain the goal of Health for All by the goal of Health for All by the yeas 2000. As a member state of WHO, the Republic of Korea has participated in the declaration of ALMA-ATA and committed to put national efforts for devedoping and implementing primary health care approach with the spirit and content of this Declaration. Since 1978, to translate the spirit of the Declaration into realization, Korean goverment has developed a new category of health manpower such as Community Health Practitioners serving people living in remote rural areas and Village Health Workers serving voluntarily their own village, strengthened the function of Health Centers and Health Subcenters through their reorientation and improved the infrastructure by their new construction or renovation. While primary health care is viewed as an essential health care in Korea, there are some circles who follow a narrow definition in referring to the health care at the periphey of a health system, which is erroneous. Considering the PHC is accepted as the best alternative approach to health care to solve problems that modern health systems are facing, we propose the followings as desirable health policy directions that modern health systems are facing, we propose the followings as desirable health policy directions which might translate the persopective into action at the national level after reviewing past and current PHC approach in Korea : 1. To improve the equity through the reduction of gaps between those who have access to health care and those who have not. 2. To reinforce multisectoral approach and intersectoral coordination through the re- establishment of the National Health Council or establishment of equivalent organization at the central level. 3. To stengthen community participation through lacal people's empowerment by leadership training, changing planning process from the top-down approach to bottom-up and giving the priority to human resources rater than technology, 4. To reinforce the Ministries of Health and Social Affairs through upgrading its role and function to Coordinate Ministries which involve human welfare policies, and creating a Division which is in charge of PHC in the Ministry.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.6160-6168
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• 2015

Hand hygiene(HH)of the health care personnels(HCPs) was the most effective method to prevent the transmission of healthcare associated infections. This study was conducted to measure and analysis the status of the HH compliance of HCPs. Data were collected by the direct observation methods of the World Health Organizations(WHO) using WHO's HH monitoring tool kits from 25th October to 31th December, 2010. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, cross analysis, multiple logistic analysis using the SPSS/PC 21 program. A total of 8,644 opportunities for HH were observed, and the overall HH compliance rate was 94.1%. HH rates of physicians was lowest(83.4%; OR: 0.209, 95%CI:0.174-0.252). HH rates were statistically different by the job titles(p<0.001), WHO's 5 moments(p<0.001). HH rates in registered nurses(p=0.003), and medical technicians(p<0.001) were statistically different by the WHO 5Moments. Jobs specific HH strategies and WHO 5Moments should be developed to increase the HH compliances of the HCPs.