• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.242-248
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• 2011

Objectives: Busan is reported to have the highest mortality rate among 16 provinces in Korea, as well as considerable health inequality across its districts. This study sought to examine overall and cause-specific mortality and deprivation at the town level in Busan, thereby identifying towns and causes of deaths to be targeted for improving overall health and alleviating health inequality. Methods: Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for all-cause and four specific leading causes of death were calculated at the town level in Busan for the years 2005 through 2008. To construct a deprivation index, principal components and factor analysis were adopted, using 10% sample data from the 2005 census. Geographic information system (GIS) mapping techniques were applied to compare spatial distributions between the deprivation index and SMRs. We fitted the Gaussian conditional autoregressive model (CAR) to estimate the relative risks of mortality by deprivation level, controlling for both the heterogeneity effect and spatial autocorrelation. Results: The SMRs of towns in Busan averaged 100.3, ranging from 70.7 to 139.8. In old inner cities and towns reclaimed for replaced households, the deprivation index and SMRs were relatively high. CAR modeling showed that gaps in SMRs for heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and physical injury were particularly high. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that more deprived towns are likely to have higher mortality, in particular from cardiovascular disease and physical injury. To improve overall health status and address health inequality, such deprived towns should be targeted.

• Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.289-298
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• 2018

Objectives: To describe the distribution of social factors, lifestyle habits and anthropometric measurements according to hypertension and Type-2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gaza City, Palestine that included 379 patients (20-60 years) who had hypertension and/or diabetes. Three groups of patients were involved; 106 hypertensive (HT), 109 diabetic (T2DM) and 164 hypertensive diabetics (HT + T2DM). Results: The HT + T2DM group were older and had a higher body mass index compared to HT and T2DM groups. There were 62.3% patients who were female, 49.2% were highly educated HT patients, and 49.3% patients had a low level of education and were HT + T2DM. There were 55.8% patients who lived in large families. Patients who were passive smokers or never smoked before were mostly HT + T2DM, while active smokers and past smokers had T2DM. There were 48.2% patients who were highly physically active who had HT, 40.9% whom were moderately active had T2DM, and 53.8% of patients who had a low level of activity were HT + T2DM. Multivariate linear regression showed that having a diseased mother, living in a large family, being a past or passive smoker, or never having smoked, having a low or moderate level of activity, and having HT or HT + T2DM, were significantly associated with an increased body mass index. Conclusion: Parental health/disease conditions and environmental factors (social network and lifestyle habits) played the greatest role in the development of obesity and disease.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.179-187
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• 2019

Objectives: In the USA, certain races and ethnicities have a disproportionately higher gastric cancer burden. Selective screening might allow for earlier detection and curative resection. Among a USA-based multiracial and ethnic cohort diagnosed with non-cardia gastric cancer (NCGC), we aimed to identify factors associated with curable stage disease at diagnosis. Methods: We retrospectively identified endoscopically diagnosed and histologically confirmed cases of NCGC at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Demographic, clinical, endoscopic and histologic factors, as well as grade/stage of NCGC at diagnosis were documented. The primary outcome was the frequency of curable-stage NCGC (stage 0-1a) at diagnosis in patients with versus without an endoscopy negative for malignancy prior to their index exam diagnosing NCGC. Additional factors associated with curable-stage disease at diagnosis were determined. Results: A total of 103 racially and ethnically diverse patients were included. Nearly 38% of NCGC were stage 0-Ia, 34% stage Ib-III, and 20.3% stage IV at diagnosis. A significantly higher frequency of NCGC was diagnosed in curable stages among patients who had undergone an endoscopy that was negative for malignancy prior to their index endoscopy that diagnosed NCGC, compared to patients without a negative endoscopy prior to their index exam (69.6% vs. 28.6%, p=0.003). A prior negative endoscopy was associated with 94.0% higher likelihood of diagnosing curable-stage NCGC (p=0.003). No other factors analyzed were associated with curablestage NCGC at diagnosis. Conclusions: Endoscopic screening and surveillance in select high-risk populations might increase diagnoses of curable-stage NCGC. These findings warrant confirmation in larger, prospective studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.459-466
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• 2014

An index was developed that estimates cardiovascular health degree with easily available physiological information such as survey and noninvasive measurement. The survey score was calculated by utilizing questions related to personal disease history, self-feeling, and management state. The measurement score was calculated using physiological parameters such as blood pressure, accelerated plethysmograph(APG), and heart rate variability(HRV), and augmentation index(AI). In order to evaluate effectiveness of the cardiovascular index and modify weighting factors used in each item, a clinical trial was done in a general hospital. The cardiovascular index showed a clear correlation of 0.685 with the doctor's score on the cardiovascular health degree. The correlation between the self-estimated score and doctor's score was as low as 0.217. The large gap between these two scores demonstrated necessity of more objective tools like the cardiovascular index. The cardiovascular score showed a significant difference between normal persons and patients suffering hypertension or diabetes. (p=0.000).

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.38-56
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• 2021

Objective This study was devised to create a new diagnosis and an assessment index by Soeumin's Ordinary Symptoms. Method First, a Working Committee and an Advisory Committee were formed for development, and the development goals were set. Then, the Soeumin's disease diagnosis indicators were extracted from the previous Clinical Practice Guidelines for Sasang Constitutional Medicine. To increase the clinical applicability, the extracted diagnosis indicators were focused on ordinary symptoms, and translated into Korean. The translated diagnosis and assessment indicators for Soeumin were surveyed to the Advisory Committee using the Delphi technique, and the inclusion, importance, and validity of each indicator were investigated accordingly. Result The translated diagnosis and assessment indicators were finally revised based on the surveyed inclusion and translation validity opinions, and the weight of each indicator was set based on the investigated importance, and a draft of the diagnosis and assessment index was developed. Conclusion This developed index can help to make effective diagnose about Soeumin's diseases by clinical doctor. In the future, a clinical study of this index can be conducted to consider the reliability, validity, and cut-point, and through this process, the actual clinical applicability will be improved.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2010

Purpose: The study sought to identify the differences in chronic diseases and physical activity in elderly women by BMI. Method: The subjects of this study were 644 elderly women 60-80-years-of-age living at home. The research instruments were physical activity levels and chronic diseases. Subjects were given a self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the SPSS win program. Result: Hypertension, prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia were significantly different in the subjects according to body mass index, being higher in obese subjects than in non-obese subjects. Physical activity in each of the body mass index groups did not differ significantly. Conclusion: Obesity increases the risk of chronic diseases. This knowledge could help elderly women control their weight, reduce chronic diseases, and ultimately, gain better health.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.130-138
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• 2021

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a huge impact on human life. The World Bank group (WBG) has stated that 2020 is the worst year since World War II for economic growth. An epidemic of an infectious disease such as COVID-19 is classified as a "social disaster" by law. The social disaster caused by COVID-19 puts certain industries, occupations and vulnerable groups at risk of exclusion and isolation. This paper intends to examine the fluctuations in the consumer price index in the cultural, sports and tourism sector before and after the onset of COVID-19. In addition, it predicts the consumer price index by sector until December 2021 and reveals its implications.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.117-127
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• 2006

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disease associated with aging in the human population. This disease is characterized by the following 4 structural changes : Atrophy of the Cortex, Parasympathetic, and other neural cells, the existence of Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and the accumulation of Senile plaques. NFTs and Senile plaques is known to be the index of this disease. Senile plaques disturbs the neutro transmission and depletes of Acetylcholine. So, Recovery of Acetylcholine is the primal objective for treating Alzheimer's disease. So, Inhibiting the activity of Acetylcholine Esterase (AChE), which causes the hydrolysus of acetylcholine into choline and acetate, can be seen as a key role for treating Alzheimer's disease. Increasing body of evidence has been demonstrated that Bee Venom Acupuncture (BV) could compete with complex protein involving in multiple step of $NF-_{\kappa}B$ activation and exert the anti-inflammatory potential of combined inhibition of the prostanoid and nitric oxide synthesis systems by inhibition of IKK and $NF-_{\kappa}B$. BV dose-dependently attenuated Scopolamine-induced Acetylcholine esterase activities in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the mice brain. This study therefore suggests that BV acupuncture method may be useful for prevention of development or progression of AD.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.129-140
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to compare the burden of disease in Korea with other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries using the OECD health statistics from 1985 to 2020. Methods: We analyzed potential years of life lost (YLL) per 100,000 population using the Positive value for relative comparison (PARC) index, trend test, and average annual percentage change (AAPC) with logistic regression analysis. Results: The relative disease burden was good for many diseases, but the disease burden was severe for a few diseases in Korea. Diseases with a high relative burden of disease in Korea are as follows; intentional self-harm (YLL2020 575.6, AAPCYLL 2.6%; PARC2020 -1.000, AAPCPARC -15.8%), malignant neoplasms of the liver (YLL2020 136.6, AAPCYLL -3.9%; PARC2020 -1.000, AAPCPARC 0.0%), malignant neoplasms of the stomach (YLL2020 9.0, AAPCYLL 3.2%; PARC2020 -0.556, AAPCPARC -22.9%), Parkinson's disease (YLL2020 575.6, AAPCYLL 2.6%; PARC2020 -1.000, AAPCPARC -15.8%). Conclusion: Diseases with a high burden of disease are needed to be prioritized in the planning and execution of healthcare policies that can contribute to the efficient use of healthcare resources.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.225-237
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• 2006

This paper proposes a method of modelling the informative dropouts with QoL(quality of life) in survival analysis. QoL is the index to measure the health related quality of life of a patient who got some treatments for a disease. Dropouts are prevalent occurrences on longitudinal study They are commonly dependent to the QoL of patients, that is, severe disease or death and called informative dropouts. Modelling the mechanism of dropouts could achieve the more accurate inference for survival analysis. A likelihood method is proposed to estimate the survival parameter and test the patterns of dropouts.