• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.76-91
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• 2017

Background: Agricultural work is physically demanding and is associated with a high frequency of musculoskeletal disorders. It is challenging to comprehensively understand the present status of work-related diseases and injuries among farmers in underdeveloped countries. Objects: This study aimed to elucidate the current status of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in local farmers in Tigray, Ethiopia, and identify the agricultural factors associated work-related musculoskeletal pain (AFWMP) and healthy living and healthy behavior factors associated work-related musculoskeletal pain (HFWMP). Methods: The Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development at Yonsei University conducted a survey of 126 households in Tigray, Ethiopia in 2014. A total of 116 individuals (73 men, 43 women) representing each household answered the questionnaires. Results: 1) Work-related musculoskeletal pain (WMSP) most commonly occurred when performing heavy lifting and most frequently occurred in the lower back. 2) Age, self-perceived labor intensity, and months of farming work were significantly higher in the pain group than those in the non-pain group. 3) Overall work-related musculoskeletal pain intensity (WPI) showed positive and negative correlations with years of farming experience and self-perceived health status, respectively. 4) In binary logistic regression, the occurrence of WMSP showed significant associations with self-perceived labor intensity. 5) On multiple linear regression analysis, age, months of farming work, and self-perceived health status had a significant impact on overall WPI. Conclusion: The WMSP of farmers in Tigray, Ethiopia was related to the characteristics of farm working and health status. Furthermore, HFWMP and AFWMP were the chief factors affecting the occurrence of WMSP in farmers in Tigray. Therefore, both HFWMP and AFWMP should be considered for clinical health assessments of farmers with WMSP in underdeveloped African countries.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2004

Chronic and acute musculoskeletal disorders associated with aging are a challenges to the physical therapy. An understanding of the pathophysiology of normal and pathological aging is imperative for making effective clinical decisions. The foundation for understanding the aging musculoskeletal system is understanding the sequence of normal musculoskeletal development, which begins prenatally

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The level of serum albumin is an index of nourishment care and management. However, the distribution and correlates of serum albumin levels among individuals with motor disorders have not been reported until now. Therefore, we examined the distribution and correlates of serum albumin levels among individuals with motor disorders. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional study on 249 individuals with motor disabilities (144 men, mean age: 51.4 years; 105 women, mean age: 51.4 years) was conducted at five institutions in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan in 2008. The results were compared with data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey. RESULTS: The mean serum albumin levels were $4.0{\pm}0.4g/dL$ for men and $3.8{\pm}0.5g/dL$ for women. Overall, 17 (11.8%) men and 25 (23.8%) women had hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin level ${\leq}3.5g/dL$); these proportions were greater than those among healthy Japanese adults (${\leq}1%$). Low serum albumin level was related with female sex, older age, low calf circumference, low relative daily energy intake, low hemoglobin (Hb), low blood platelet count, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low $HbA_{1c}$, and high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The strongest correlates, based on standardized betas, were Hb (0.321), CRP (-0.279), and HDL-C (0.279) levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the prevalence of hypoalbuminemia is higher in individuals with motor disabilities than in healthy individuals and that inflammation is a strong negative correlate of serum albumin levels. Therefore, inflammation should be examined for the assessment of hypoalbuminemia among institutionalized individuals with motor disabilities.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.55-62
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• 2015

Purpose: The aims of this study were to evaluate the differences in subjective symptoms, clinical characteristics, distribution according to Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) subgroup, psychological profile of TMD patients, and to identify the prevalence and trend according to age. Methods: A total of 1,052 patients (261 men and 791 women; mean age, $34.40{\pm}15.73$ years) who visited the Orofacial Pain Clinic of the Department of Oral Medicine, Seoul National University Dental Hospital complaining of TMD symptoms of were evaluated. All patients were questioned for medical history, clinical symptoms and contributing factors. Clinical examination and patient grouping based on RDC/TMD was conducted. Radiographies were taken. The Korean version of RDC/TMD axis II and Symptom Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-90-R) were administered to evaluate pain-related disability level and psychological status of the patients. Results: Prevalence peaked in the 20-year-old age group. There were more women than men in all groups. The highest T-score among SCL-90-R dimensions was somatization in each group, except for teenagers who showed the highest T-score in interpersonal sensitivity. The 30-year-old age group showed the highest distribution of high disability based on the graded chronic pain scale. Age was positively associated with pain intensity (r=0.100), number of positive muscles on palpation (r=0.137) and negatively associated with maximum mouth opening (r=-0.168). Conclusions: Subjective symptoms and clinical characteristics of TMD patients show distinct tendencies according to different age groups. Treatment should be customized and personalized according to age for efficient symptom resolution and patient satisfaction.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2024

Background: As social distancing persists and interest in work-life balance grows, more companies are adopting flexible work policies. While there have been studies on sleep disorders associated with different types of work, such as shift work, research exploring the relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders is still limited, particularly among Korean workers. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey, focusing on 31,243 paid workers out of a total of 50,538 participants. We defined flexible workers as those who set their own working hours. Sleep disorders were divided into three categories: 'difficulty falling asleep,' 'frequent waking during sleep,' and 'waking up feeling exhausted and fatigued.' Using scores derived from three specific symptoms, the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS) was calculated to assess the prevalence of insomnia. We used chi-square tests to analyze demographic and job-related differences. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify any relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders. Results: Significant differences were found between flexible and non-flexible workers regarding age, income level, education level, and job type. Flexible workers reported sleep-related symptoms significantly more often. The odds ratio for insomnia was 1.40 (95% CI 1.21-1.61). For males, the odds ratio was 1.68 (1.36-2.08). Conclusion: This study establishes a correlation between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders among Korean salaried workers. Potential causes could include changes in circadian rhythm, increased work demands, and extended working hours. To precisely determine causality and associated diseases, further research is required.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.79-102
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• 2023

Objective : Autistic Spectrum Disorders(ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by atypical sensory adaptation, communication problem, stereotyped behavior, and feeding disorders. The reasons for ASD feeding disorders are oral sensory motor, cognitive, behavioral, and social problems. Major symptoms include picky eating, selective eating, food refusal, food neophobia, limited food variety, and food aversion. ASD feeding disorders could be accompanied by various problems such as health and nutrition intake problems, feeding development, eating-related sociability, and family and caregiver stress. Feeding problems and disorders in ASD can present from birth. However, ASD is diagnosed by the age of 3, and there might be an appropriate treatment gap. Usually, symptoms of feeding disorders tend to decrease with age. However, the symptoms often remain, so early evaluation, intervention, and periodic checking are necessary. In this study, the general information about the feeding disorder characteristics of ASD, influencing factors, and intervention were described through a literature review. Conclusion : Sensory-based therapy and behavior-based therapies are generally used for feeding disorders in ASD. Sensory-based therapy is effective for food sensitivity and behavior-based therapy for food selection. As the symptoms of feeding disorders in ASD are diverse, a comprehensive approach includes play and participation, oral motor exercise, diet, and daily life. However, appropriate evaluation, intervention protocol, and guidelines for the treatment of feeding disorders in ASD are limited. Therefore, a complex approach based on a more systematic understanding is needed. Feeding rehabilitation specialists, such as occupational therapists, should provide appropriate evaluation and intervention.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.83 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2020

Aging is often viewed as a progressive decline in fitness due to cumulative deleterious alterations of biological functions in the living system. Recently, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying aging biology has significantly advanced. Interestingly, many of the pivotal molecular features of aging biology are also found to contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic lung disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, for which advanced age is the most crucial risk factor. Thus, an enhanced understanding of how molecular features of aging biology are intertwined with the pathobiology of these aging-related lung disorders has paramount significance and may provide an opportunity for the development of novel therapeutics for these major unmet medical needs. To serve the purpose of integrating molecular understanding of aging biology with pulmonary medicine, in this review, recent findings obtained from the studies of aging-associated lung disorders are summarized and interpreted through the perspective of molecular biology of aging.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.43-48
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• 2024

This narrative review discusses the changes in the masticatory system due to the physiologic aging process in humans and how these changes should be considered when diagnosing and managing temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in older adults. Age-related changes in the masticatory system, specifically the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and masticatory muscles, are associated with an increased prevalence of degenerative TMJ osteoarthritis in older adults, changes in muscle function and often affect masticatory function. Considering older adults' physiologic changes and comorbidities and their quality of life, diagnosing and managing TMDs in older adults needs a more comprehensive approach than in younger adults. Managing TMDs in older adults can improve orofacial function, such as mastication, leading to improved physical function and quality of life by reducing the risk of frailty.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2004

The frequency of abnormality at birth is average 1-1.5%, and of these, cleft lip & palate is known to be the most frequent congenital abnormality, Cleft is considered to be due to multi-factorial heredity correlated with genetic and environmental factors, Cleft patients require the collaborative treatment with several medical departments, Clinics for Maxillo-Oral Disorders of Tohoku University Dental Hospital performs the total managements related to such as occlusion and language for the patients with congenital maxilla-facial abnormality, This study examined the patients with cleft lip and/or palate who came to the Clinics for Maxilla-Oral Disorders of Tohoku University Dental Hospital for the past 17 years from Jan. 1987 to Dec, 2002, and had the results as follows, 1. Annual mean number of patients The annual mean number of the patients for 17 years from Jan, 1987 to Dec, 2002 was 91 patients, ranging from 63 minimum to 116 maximum, 2, Gender and types of cleft There were 747(51%) males and 709(49%) females, with a male to female ratio 1,05:1. CLP was the most frequent cleft type as shown in 616 patients, and other patients manifested different complaints such as CL, CP, SMCP and MC in order. 3. The laterality in cleft type The lip cleft was frequently expressed orderly on left, right and both sides of CL patients while orderly being shown on left, both and right sides of CLP patients. Accordingly, lip cleft was most commonly found on the left side. 4. Address at first visit Of 1,456 subjects, 850(58.4%) patients were residing in Miyagi Prefecture, where this hospital is located. 5. Age at first visit 615(42.2%) patients came to the hospital at their age younger than 1 year old, comprising 282(19.4%) patients age younger than 2 months old and 333(22.9%) patients age between 2 month old and 1 year old. 6. Mother's age at birth For the mother's age at birth, 526(39.9%) patients were at the age of 25 to 30 years old, and 17(1.3%) patients were over 40 years old. 7. Birth weight 34.3%(443 patients) had a birth weight of 2500-3000gm and 56.0%(724 patients) had a 3000-4000gm. It was also found that 7.9%(102 patients) had a birth weight of less than 2500gm. 8. Familial expression The frequency of familial expression was 6.5%(94 patients).

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-148
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• 2015

Objective : This study examined benzodiazepine prescription patterns of outpatients visiting the psychiatry department in a single general hospital in Korea. Methods : A retrospective descriptive analysis of benzodiazepine prescriptions was performed on a database from 2014 in a general hospital in Korea. We analyzed the following factors of adult outpatients: demographic factors such as sex and age, amount of benzodiazepine prescribed, treatment duration, and diagnosis based on the ICD-10. Results : In 2014, benzodiazepines were prescribed to 46.4% of the outpatients. Percentage of benzodiazepine prescription increased with age and was highest in the age group 40-59 years. Prescription was more prevalent in women and the prescription percentage increased by treatment duration. Patients with the F4 diagnosis (neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders) were the most highly prescribed group. For all diagnosis groups, prescription was more prevalent in females or similar for both sexes except for patients with F5 diagnosis (behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors), with males being more predominant. Conclusion : Despite the concern regarding the rate of benzodiazepine prescription and administration to geriatric patients, long-term prescription and usage among older patients is still prevalent.