• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.556-559
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate the levels of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) in water and rice samples taken from five sites on a stream used for agricultural water in the Jeon-buk area, Korea. The water samples were randomly collected by the recommendations of the World Health Organization, and rice samples were randomly collected from rice paddy. The water and rice samples were analyzed by the recommendations of Food Code of Korea and using inductively coupled plasma spectrometer. Although there was variation between sampling sites, the levels of the metals in rice were on average much higher than those in water. The ratios of metal levels of rice to water were: $8.0{\sim}35.4\;for\;Cd;\;2.2{\sim}7.2\;for\;Cu;\;5.9{\sim}18.3\;for\;Pb;\;and\;10.6{\sim}75.7$ for Zn. These results suggest that there were transfer and bioaccumulation of the metals from the water to the rice taken place.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4733-4738
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• 2012

Background: Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases. The objectives of the study were to determine the percentage of annual income used to purchase tobacco-related products and treat tobacco-related illnesses, and assess the characteristics of smokers and their awareness of the health-related risks of smoking. Method: Stratified and snowball sampling methods were used to obtain information (via a 17-item, close-ended questionnaire) from 85 adult respondents (49 males and 36 females). The instrument comprised of demographic characteristics, smoking behavioural/lifestyle, health, and micro socio-economics. Results: There were no significant differences between individuals who were affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) (14.1%) and cardiovascular disease (18.8%). It was found that respondents spend 30-39% of their annual income on tobacco-related products. Forty percent (40.0%) and 41.7% of respondents with lung cancer and COPD respectively spend more than 50% of their annual income to treat these diseases. The majority (80%) of those who continues to consume tobacco-related products were uncertain as to why they were doing it. Not all the smokers were aware of the dangers of tobacco consumption despite their level of education. Conclusion: The majority of the respondents who had tobacco-related illnesses such as lung cancer and COPD spend a significant amount of their income on their health care. Not all the smokers were aware of the dangers of tobacco consumption despite their level of education. This suggests the need for increase public awareness where both smokers and non smokers are being fully or adequately informed about the dangers or health risks of tobacco consumption.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.311-325
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• 2020

Background: Health statistics of pharmaceutical use and expenditure are essential to make and implement evidence-based pharmaceutical policy. This study aims to demonstrate the methods and results of pharmaceutical consumption and sales in 2018 according to the sources and methods given by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Methods: The medication list contains 39,346 medicines both reimbursed and non-reimbursed by the National Health Insurance in 2018. We used the therapeutic categories based on Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical Classification of World Health Organization. This study analyzed National Health Insurance claims data and supply data generated from wholesalers to health care facilities. The indicators are defined daily dose (DDD), per 1,000 inhabitants per day and US$ per capita. Results: In South Korea, the number of medications to which DDD were assigned was 18,055 and it was 45.9% of the total number of medications on the list. The consumption in anti-infective for systemic use (J) and musculo-skeletal system (M) was higher than the mean consumption among the OECD countries. The pharmaceutical sales per person in Korea was also higher than the mean sales per person across the OECD countries. Conclusion: We sought to explain the methods to produce pharmaceutical consumption and sales statistics which we had submitted annually to OECD. Considering the characteristics of pharmaceutical statistics, a direct comparison should be approached with caution. Since the growth in pharmaceutical spending has greatly increased over the past decade, we need to monitor pharmaceutical consumption and expenditure consistently.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.151-157
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• 2020

Objectives: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the main public health challenges currently facing the world. Because of its high transmissibility, COVID-19 has already caused extensive morbidity and mortality in many countries throughout the world. An accurate estimation of the basic reproduction number (R₀) of COVID-19 would be beneficial for prevention programs. In light of discrepancies in original research on this issue, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled R₀ for COVID-19 in the current outbreak. Methods: International databases (including Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus) were searched to identify studies conducted regarding the R₀ of COVID-19. Articles were searched using the following keywords: "COVID-19" and "basic reproduction number" or "R₀." The heterogeneity among studies was assessed using the I² index, the Cochran Q test, and T². A random-effects model was used to estimate R₀ in this study. Results: The mean reported R₀ in the identified articles was 3.38±1.40, with a range of 1.90 to 6.49. According to the results of the random-effects model, the pooled R₀ for COVID-19 was estimated as 3.32 (95% confidence interval, 2.81 to 3.82). According to the results of the meta-regression analysis, the type of model used to estimate R₀ did not have a significant effect on heterogeneity among studies (p=0.81). Conclusions: Considering the estimated R₀ for COVID-19, reducing the number of contacts within the population is a necessary step to control the epidemic. The estimated overall R₀ was higher than the World Health Organization estimate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.84-91
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• 2008

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that cancer killed 7.6 million people in the world in 2005, and that 40% of all cancer deaths can be prevented. According to the WHO Global Action Plan Against Cancer (GAPAC), monitoring of cancer patients is the essential part of cancer control, and should be conducted through cancer registration. Originally, cancer registries were primarily concerned with the description of cancer patterns, trends of cancer occurrence, and etiology of cancer. In the last 20 years, cancer registries provided not only information on the incidence and characteristics of specific cancers, but also supplied the source of cancer control planning and evaluation and the care of individual cancer patients with survival. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5) presents incidence data from populations all over the world every five year. Volume IX in the series (data for 1998-2002) has recently (November 2007) been published online at International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Nine data from Korea Central Cancer Registry (National data), Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Incheon, Daejeon, Usan, Jejudo regional cancer registries were included in that volume. In this paper, the editorial process, the characteristics of national data, and quality indices in CI5 IX are being described. In addition, cancer control activities related to cancer registration in some selected countries are also presented.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.397-414
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• 2021

The steady growth in population has led to an enhanced water demand and immense pressure on water resources. Pharmaceutical residues (PRs) are unused or non-assimilated medicines found in water supplies that originate from the human and animal consumption of antibiotics, antipyretics, analgesics etc. These have been detected recently in sewage effluents, surface water, ground water and even in drinking water. Due to their toxicity and potential hazard to the environment, humans and aquatic life, PRs are now categorized as the emerging contaminants (ECs). India figures in the top five manufacturers of medicines in the world and every third pill consumed in the world is produced in India. Present day conventional wastewater treatment methods are ineffective and don't eliminate them completely. The use of nanotechnology via advanced oxidation processes (AOP) is one of the most effective methods for the removal of these PRs. Present study is aimed at reviewing the presence of various PRs in water supplies and also to describe the process of AOP to overcome their threat. This study is also very important in view of World Health Organization report confirming more than 30 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide. This will lead to an alleviated use of antibiotics, antipyretics etc. and their subsequent occurrence in water bodies. Need of the hour is to devise a proper treatment strategy and a decision thereof by the policymakers to overcome the possible threat to the environment and health of humans and aquatic life.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.93-110
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• 2008

Objectives: The study aimed at reviewing the organizational values, structures, and activities of the health promotion foundation model as a recently recommended by the World Health Organization, and exploring adequate suggestions to administer the funds in Korea. Methods: The study materials were collected from web-sites and visiting, the ThaiHealth, VicHealth, Healthway, and Health Promotion Switzerland were reviewed as the representative cases of health promotion foundation model. Results: According to the review, the health promotion foundation established based on relevant legal acts had the comprehensive and professional organizational structure with boards and committees as governing and supporting bodies. The foundations had clearly defined vision, mission, and purpose, and pursuit health promotion purpose, independent and professional decision making process, strategies and priorities to initiate broad health promotion activities, balanced funds distribution to various areas and sectors, and networking and collaborating with partners. Conclusions: Health promotion foundation is a recommendable model to lead more effective and efficient health promotion activities and to collaborate with other sectors or other countries. Expanded usages of health promotion fund into the diverse health promotion settings such as communities, work places and schools and health activities including sponsorships as well as health promotion programs need to be considered.

• 한국방재학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.02a
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• pp.375-376
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• 2008

Recently the increase of natural disaster and man-made disaster, newly emerging infectious diseases and bioterrorism attack changed the world in many aspects. So the Ministry of Health and Welfare and other related agencies are trying to solve the problems with disasters. We discussed these problems in the following eleven categories. (1) emergency medicine (2) communicable disease control, (3) food safety control, (4) public facilities safety, (5) social welfare facilities safety, (6) bioterrorism control, (7) geriatric health care, (8) insurance support, (9) overseas disaster victim support, (10) national organization protection, (11) fire fighter safety in forest fire. Through the reviews on the various kinds of disaster, we proposed the disaster control measure for the near future.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.185-196
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• 2018

Based on World Health Organization (WHO) children and adults have a problem with their oral health, such as Dental cavities and periodontal disease. It is not easy to obtain the high convince level of result of the dental and periodontal diseases. Because each of them have different degrees of uncertainty and there have several discounting factors (error rates) in different of survey. To solve this problem we propose the Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) for efficient combination of uncertain, imprecise and highly conflicting sources of information. Moreover, we apply the SEFP as a context reasoning. Finally, we make the simulation by using 12 surveys and compare Propotional Conflict Redistribution 5 (PCR5) and Dempster-Shafer Theory (DST) to show the belief or probability for the low, a heavy, high and ultra-high risk situation.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.118.1-118.1
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• 2003

A growing body of scientific research indicates that man-made chemicals (xenobiotics) may interfere with the normal functioning of endocrine, or hormone systems. These endocrine disruptors may cause a variety of problems with development, behavior, and reproduction. Amongst the xenobiotics the World Health Organization classed 2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD as a "known" human carcinogen. (omitted)