• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.367-377
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• 2021

Objectives: Taxi drivers are exposed to various hazards, such as long periods of sedentary work and traffic-related air pollutants. However, studies on the health effects among taxi drivers in South Korea are insufficient. Methods: To assess subclinical hematologic change related to cardiovascular disease among male taxi drivers, we analyzed data from the second Korean National Environmental Health Survey. Fifty-nine taxi drivers and 1,912 controls were included in the analysis. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for age, body mass index, and urinary cotinine. A total of 295 subjects were matched with 59 taxi drivers. Leukocyte count, platelet count, hematocrit, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol land total IgE of the taxi drivers were compared with the control groups. Results: Taxi drivers showed significantly elevated blood leukocytes and platelets. Serum total IgE was significantly reduced in taxi drivers. However, blood leukocytes, platelets, and serum total IgE were not significantly correlated with work period among taxi drivers. Conclusions: Regarding the change of the blood leukocyte count, platelet count, and serum total IgE, taxi driving has the possibility to be associated with peripheral inflammation, humoral immunity and cardiovascular risk.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.11-27
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• 2006

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a tailored program based on the Transtheoretical Model to smoking cessation in high school girls. Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was used in this study. The participants were 35 industrial high school girls who have been smoking. The girls were allocated to an experimental group(18) and a control group(17) by randomization. For intervention, the experimental group received the group smoking cessation program and individual program which tailored according to the stage of change. A common group smoking cessation program was given to the control group. Data were collected before the program, immediately after and 4 weeks after the program was completed and were analyzed with repeated measure ANOVA. Result: In the experimental group, the daily smoking amount, nicotine dependency and decisional balance(Pros) score were significantly decreased and the self-efficacy score were significantly increased at one month after the intervention in comparison with before and immediately after it. The decisional balance(Cons) and processes of change score of the experimental group were significantly increased at immediately after the intervention and one month after it in comparison with before it, and at one month after it in comparison with immediately after it. A significant difference in the daily smoking amount, urine cotinine, nicotine dependency, decisional balance(Pros, Cons) and processes of change score between the both groups was found after one month of intervention. Conclusions: The tailored smoking cessation program was more effective, compared to the common smoking cessation program on smoking behavior, self-efficacy, decisional balance, processes of change. This program can be used for favorable changes in high school girl's smoking behavior.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2004

Objectives : This study was carried out to understand the prevalence and risk factors of green tobacco sickness (GTS) among Korean tobacco harvesters. Methods : The authors conducted a questionnaire among the tobacco harvesters (1,064 persons from 555 out of 723 tobacco harvesting households) in Cheongsong-gun for 4 days from May 7 to 10, 2002. Results : The study subjects were 550 males and 514 females. The recognition and experience of GTS up until 2001 were 96.4% and 61.9%, respectively. The prevalence of GTS in 2001 was 42.5%, and was significantly higher in females than in males (59.0% vs. 26.6%, p<0.01). The incidence density of GTS according to the number of workdays in 2001 was 12.3 spells/100 person..days. The GTS symptoms reported by the tobacco harvesters in 2001 were dizziness in 441 cases (97.6%), nausea in 414 (91.6%), headache in 349 (77.2%) and vomiting in 343 (75.9%). The use of gloves, hat and wristlets, sweating at work and the number of working hours significantly increased the prevalence of GTS (p<0.05). Multiple logistic re- gression analysis was used to determine the factors significantly associated with GTS. Odds ratios for smoking, working over 10 hours and sweating at work were 0.26 (95% CI:0.19-0.35), 1.64 (95% CI:1.26-2.14) and 1.60 (95% CI:1.14-2.25), respectively. Of those who reported GTS in 2001, 311 cases (68.8%) underwent treatment from their local medical facilities. Conclusions : In Korea, there are many tobacco-harvesting households, and most may be stricken with GTS. More extensive epidemiological studies, including the incidence and associated risk factors, are expected and a surveillance system including measurements of cotinine in urine should be conducted.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.53-56
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• 2007

Nicotine poisoning arising from the use of nicotine patches is rare. However, because nicotine patches are classified as an OTC drug, the risk of misuse or abuse is increasing. Nicotine poisoning using nicotine patches shows an unusual clinical presentation compared to that from oral ingestion of multiple doses of nicotine. We present a case of misused nicotine patches that cause a nicotine poisoning. A thirty-nine year-old healthy man visited the ER with complaints of an intermittent cramping abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting. Upon physical examination, there were no specific findings except increased bowel sounds, and the patient's initial laboratory findings were also unremarkable except for an increased bilirubin level. CT revealed a mild degree of fatty liver. The patient's symptoms did not improve any further with conservative management. During his ED stay, we meticulously took his history again, and we discovered that he had used nicotine patches for three days, six days before admission, and had misused the nicotine patches as NSAID patches. The patient's diagnosis of nicotine poisoning was confirmed by a urine cotinine level ten times the normal value. After a 12-hour stay in the ED, his symptoms disappeared without any specific management.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.311-322
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• 2012

Objective: The effect of lead on blood pressure remains controversial in spite of the numerous studies which have been conducted in the recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exposure to lead on blood pressure among non-smokers. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 1416 male and female non-smokers were enrolled, aged 20 years or older, from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008. Blood pressure, blood lead levels (BLLs), height, weight, and cotinine level were measured for all subjects. Results: Geometric mean BLLs of the participants was 2.20 ${\mu}g$/dl. BLLs were higher in the older, male, and lower education groups than the younger, female and higher education groups. After adjusting for age, sex, education and BMI through multiple regression analysis, a significant positive association between systolic blood pressure (p = 0.0357), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.0111) and BLLs. Also, among the normal BMI group (18.5 kg/$m^2$ < BMI < 25 kg/$m^2$), we also found a significant positive association between diastolic blood pressure and BLLs (p = 0.0370). Conclusion: The present study showed that blood lead serves as a good predictor of blood pressure changes and that there was a statistically significant association between blood lead and blood pressure, especially diastolic blood pressure.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2020

Objective: Bidi is an inexpensive, low-processed, hand-rolled tobacco product. In Bangladesh, especially in Rangpur, tobacco farming and bidi processing are common. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of bidi making on children working in bidi factories. Methods: This qualitative(walk-through survey) and quantitative(questionnaire-based survey and a urine cotinine level quantitation) study was conducted in Rangpur, Bangladesh in 2017. Study population included child-workers aged ≤14 years who were regularly employed as bidi makers. Findings: The results of the walk-through survey revealed hazardous working environments at bidi factories. For the quantitative survey, 171 child-workers were categorized into "less-working"(<5 hours/day) and "more-working"(≥5 hours/day) groups; additionally, "forced-working"(forced into work by parents) and "voluntary-working"(working voluntarily) groups were delineated within the same population. In the logistic regression analysis, odds ratios(ORs) of respiratory symptoms and unusual absence(absent ≥5 days/month) were higher in the "more-working" group than in the "less-working" group(unusual absence: OR, 2.91; 95% confidence interval[CI], 1.43-5.94), and this association became higher in the "forced-working" group with longer working hours(OR, 5.68, 95%CI 2.30-14.00). Conclusions: Cheap, hand-rolled tobacco(bidi) is harmful to the health of bidi-making child-workers. Children in poverty bow to the demands of cheap labor and poverty and jeopardize their health and future prospects by working in bidi factories. Tobacco control policies should consider the social effects of tobacco beyond its biological effects.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.185-194
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess health-related behavior of pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by investigating relevant risk factors. Methods: Data of 10,396 women (age 19 to 49 years) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey report from 2007 to 2012 was used to analyze factors associated with health-related behavior. The subjects were divided into pregnant women; breastfeeding mothers; and non-pregnant women. Bottle feeding mothers were excluded. Results: Current smoking rate including self-reported smoker and/or positive cotinine urine test were lower for pregnant or breast-feeding group than non-pregnant group. Heavy-drinking was not different among groups while monthly drinking rate was higher in non-pregnant group. Rate of stress recognition was lower in pregnant and breast-feeding group than non-pregnant group. Rate of experience for depressive symptoms and rate of suicidal ideation were not different among groups. Conclusion: Pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers maintain a good pattern of health- related behavior compared to non-pregnant women. However, substantial proportion of pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers continue to drink and smoke. This shows the need for a plan that will modify health-related behavior.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.115-129
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• 2015

Objective : This study aims to review clinical studies evaluating effectiveness of Korean medicine for smoking cessation. It also aims to critically analyze study design of the studies and suggest strategies for future clinical studies on smoking cessation. Method : Only domestic databases such as RISS, KISS, DBPIA, NDSL, and OASIS were searched from August to November 2011 for clinical studies on smoking cessation. There was no limitation on study design, period, and language. The studies were qualitatively analyzed focusing on study design including participants, intervention, and outcome measurements. Results : Out of 537 studies searched, 27 studies were included in the analysis. 56% of the studies were observational studies, 33% were quasi-experimental studies, and 11% were randomized controlled studies. 44% and 32% of the studies were conducted at educational institutions and hospitals, respectively. The average number of the participants were 182, which ranged from 15 to 1,056. Most of the participants were male. Intervention used were mostly auricular acupuncture, and the most frequently used acupoints were Lung, Shinmun, Endocrine, Pharynx & Larynx, and Inner nose. The average length of treatment period was four weeks, and the treatment was provided twice per week. The outcomes were measured at the end of the treatment and only 26% of the studies conducted follow-up measurements. 26% of the studies utilized questionnaires of which validity was evaluated and only 15% used objective measurements such as exhaled Carbon monoxide and Cotinine test. Conclusion : Though many clinical studies on effectiveness of Korean medicine for smoking cessation were conducted, there are still debates on quality of evidence. Recently, guidelines have been developed for clinical trials evaluating effectiveness of smoking cessation program. Thus, in the future, clinical studies should be developed based on these guidelines and designed to improve validity and reliability.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4963-4968
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• 2014

Background: We evaluated whether providing health risk appraisal for Koreans (KHRA) in terms of 'health age' during smoking cessation program would effectively help smokers quit smoking or not. Materials and Methods: A total of 332 male smokers aged between 30-65 years old, registered for a smoking cessation program in a public health center in a city, were recruited and underwent a baseline survey from January 2010 to February 2011. They were then prospectively randomized to a conventional counseling group (n=165) or a KHRA group (n=167), and received conventional counseling or KHRA-based counseling for six months. Abstinence rates were identified through carbon monoxide measurement (at the $4^{th}$ and $24^{th}$ weeks) or urinary cotinine level (at the $12^th$ week). Results: The abstinence rate confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide was significantly higher in the KHRA group (61.1%) than the control group (49.1%) at the $4^{th}$ week (absolute difference 12.0%, 95% CI: 1.4%-22.6%). However, there was no difference in abstinence rates between the two groups at the 12th and 24th weeks. The predicting factors of 24 week's smoking cessation success were age, older than 50 years old (OR 2.02, 95% CI: 1.16-3.52), lower Fagerstr$\ddot{o}$m Test for Nicotine Dependence score less than 4 (OR 1.84, 95% CI: 1.03-3.29), and higher Self Efficacy/Temptation score (OR 1.79, 95% CI: 1.05-3.06). Conclusions: Smoking cessation counseling with KHRA could be effective compared to conventional counseling in the short period of smoking cessation. Further study is needed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of KHRA in tobacco dependence treatment and to establish the indication and target population of this tool.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.525-536
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• 2014

Although tobacco use has been known as one of the biggest risk factors on periodontal health, little is known about the effect of smoking cessation on it. The aim of this study was to investigate the change of concentration of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, MMP-9 and interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of 11 quit-smokers for 1 year after smoking cessation. Eleven male subjects to maintain quit-smoking for 1 year participated the oral examination, GCF and saliva collection without periodontal treatments at baseline, after 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 1 year. To confirm quit-smoking, nicotine and cotinine concentrations in saliva were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. MMP-8, MMP-9 and IL-$1{\beta}$ concentrations in GCF of upper anterior teeth area were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Change of MMP-8 in GCF during smoking cessation showed fluctuation with decrease (5 subjects) or increase (2 subjects) or maintenance tendency (4 subjects). Changes of MMP-9 were decrease (6 subjects), or increase (2 subjects), or maintenance (3 subjects). Change of IL-$1{\beta}$ also showed fluctuation with decrease (5 subjects) or increase (3 subjects) or maintenance tendency (3 subjects). The subjects with increase tendency had the relatively smaller amount concentration of MMP-8 and MMP-9 at the baseline. It was unclear smoking cessation without periodontal treatment could affect MMP-8, MMP-9, and IL-$1{\beta}$ in GCF. Fluctuation of periodontal biomarkers during smoking cessation might result from feedback interaction between environmental factors and periodontal cells.