• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2017

Objectives: The accurate measurement of geographic patterns of health care utilization is a prerequisite for the study of geographic variations in health care utilization. While several measures have been developed to measure how accurately geographic units reflect the health care utilization patterns of residents, they have been only applied to hospitalization and need further evaluation. This study aimed to evaluate geographic indices describing health care utilization. Methods: We measured the utilization rate and four health care utilization indices (localization index, outflow index, inflow index, and net patient flow) for eight major procedures (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, surgery after hip fracture, knee replacement surgery, caesarean sections, hysterectomy, computed tomography scans, and magnetic resonance imaging scans) according to three levels of geographic units in Korea. Data were obtained from the National Health Insurance database in Korea. We evaluated the associations among the health care utilization indices and the utilization rates. Results: In higher-level geographic units, the localization index tended to be high, while the inflow index and outflow index were lower. The indices showed different patterns depending on the procedure. A strong negative correlation between the localization index and the outflow index was observed for all procedures. Net patient flow showed a moderate positive correlation with the localization index and the inflow index. Conclusions: Health care utilization indices can be used as a proxy to describe the utilization pattern of a procedure in a geographic unit.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2019

Background: Increasing the establishment of integrated management systems (IMSs) is done with the purpose of leaving traditional management methods and replacing them with modern management methods. Thus, the present study sought to analyze the events and investigate the impact of IMS on health and safety performance indices in an Iranian combined cycle power plants. Methods: This case study was conducted in 2012 in all units of the Yazd Combined Cycle Power Plant on accident victims before and after the implementation of IMS. For data analysis and prediction of indices after the implementation of IMS, descriptive statistics and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Chi-square, linear regression, and Cubic tests were conducted using SPSS software. Results: The number of people employed in the power plant in an 8-year period (2004-2011) was 1,189, and 287 cases of work-related accidents were recorded. The highest accident frequency rate and accident severity rate were in 2004 (32.65) and 2008 (209), respectively. Safe T-score reached to below -3 during 2010-2011. In addition, given the regression results, the relation between all predictor variables with outcomes was significant (p < 0.05), except for the variable $X^1$ belonging to the accident severity rate index. Conclusion: The implementation of safety programs especially that of IMS and its annual audits has had a significant impact on reducing accident indices and improving safety within the study period. Accordingly, health and safety management systems are appropriate tools for reducing accident rate, and the use of regression models and accident indices is also a suitable way for monitoring safety performance.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.63 no.10
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• pp.1328-1336
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• 2014

This paper proposes Power System Health Index(PSHI) newly. The paper describes several kind of power system health indices based on two main categories, which are adequacy and security. In adequacy, four kinds of health indices of Frequency, Voltage, Reserve(Operating Reserve Power and Frequency Regulation Reserve Power) and Overload of lines and transformers are proposed. In security, four kinds of health indices of Voltage(154kV, 345kV and 765kV), Overload of lines and transformers, Power flow constraint among areas and SPS are proposed. All indices are mapped with three domains, which are indicated as Health, Margin and Risk, defined with expert interview. While domains of health, margin and risk is defined similar with the conventional well being analysis of power system. The criterion of the domains is proposed using an interview with expert operators and practical reliability codes in Korea. The several kinds of health index functions, which are linear ratio, piecewise linear ration and reverse ratio function etc. are developed in this paper. It will be expected that the developed health indices can help operators to control power system more successfully and also prevent power system from accident as like as black out in future because operator can make a decision immediately based on more easily visual information of system conditions from too much indices acquisition of complex power system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.3243-3256
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to obtain the relationship between life styles and obesity indices, and to investigate the influence of life styles on obesity indices among adults who examined health checkup in an university hospital. The subjects for this study were 4,112 adults who underwent medical examinations at a health center of a university hospital in Daejeon city from Jan 2012 to Dec 2013. We surveyed the life styles and obesity indices of study subjects from self-recorded questionnaires and medical examination charts after confirmed IRB of the hospital. As a results, the levels of obesity indices of subjects was closely correlated with increasing age, and life styles as alcohol drinking, smoking, regular exercise, overeating, meat consumption. The influence of life styles on obesity indices was incident in female than in male. And the main risk factors were regular exercise factor in obesity indices in both sex.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.83-91
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate utilization of health promotion indices of the 3rd National Health Plan 2011-2020 (HP2020) in the 6th Korean Community Health Plan. Methods: Health promotion indices were defined as a set of indicators on smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, nutrition and obesity used in HP2020. This indices were categorized into essential indicator, accessory indicators and others. Based on chi-square test, we analyzed utilization of health promotion indices in 186 Community Health Plans by regional classifications: four large influence areas (SudoGangwon, Chungcheong, Gyeongsang and HonamJeju) and four regional classification (metropolitan district, city, urban-rural area and rural area) Results: Among total 186 plans, indicator utilization rate were 97.8% in smoking, 71.0% in alcohol drinking, 91.9% in physical activity, 99.5% in nutrition and 72.0% in obesity. Utilization rates of alcohol drinking indicators and essential indicators in alcohol drinking show significantly difference by four large influence areas (p<0.01) and four regional classification (p<0.01). Essential indicators in physical activity show significantly difference by four large influence areas (p<0.01). Conclusions: Central government must provide technical assistance and educate personnel in community health centers and provincial health department about meaning and usefulness of Health Plan 2020 indicators.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.611-619
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• 2016

Objective:This study aims to analyze the relationships between personality factors measured by Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales and the indices of safety and health in the shipbuilding industry. Background: Many researches reported that there were significant relationships between some MMPI subscales and traffic and industrial accidents. Method: This study analyzes 230 male workers in shipyard for their MMPI scores gathered during recruitment process and their safety and health indices from the performance record during their working period. ${\chi}^2-test$ and one-way ANOVA are used for finding the statistical significance for personality factors. The conventional grouping rule for MMPI scales and other grouping criteria considering the attitude of positive answer for the MMPI test during recruitment process are used for analysis. Results: The Hypomania (Ma) and Psychopathic Deviate (Pd) scales of the MMPI are the main factors related to the safety and health related indices for most grouping rules. Depression (D), Psychasthenia (Pt), Hypochondriasis (Hs), Schizophrenia (Sc), and Masculinity and Femininity (Mf) scales are also related to the safety and health indices. Conclusion and Application: The results can be used for understanding the psychological factors in human behaviors and safety and can help professional personnel take the necessary steps in improving safety on the job and also in providing the effective teaching of safe work methods.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.403-410
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• 2010

Objectives: A web-based survey has been administered annually since 2005 throughout Korea to assess the prevalence of adolescent health risk behaviors among middle and high school students. The aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBWS) questionnaire. Methods: A convenience sample of 2298 middle and high school students participated in self-administered questionnaire surveys twice, approximately two weeks apart, in 2008. The percent agreement, kappa statistics, and prevalence rates at the first and second surveys were computed for the core subset of 39 self-reported health risk behavior indices of the KYRBWS. Results: Among 39 indices, seven indices had kappas $\geq$ 0.81 and all of the indices had kappas $\geq$ 0.41. Based on nonoverlapping 95% confidence intervals, three indices had significantly different prevalence rates between the first and second surveys. In the subgroup analyses by school grade and gender, two indices had significantly different reliability estimates between middle and high school students. There were no significantly different reliability estimates between male and female students, except for one index. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the reliability estimates for the KYRBWS questionnaire are varied, but generally reliable over time. The indices with low reliability estimates need to be evaluated further in order to determine whether the indices should be modified or deleted from future versions of the KYRBWS.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.447-454
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• 2006

Objectives : To determine obesity for the screening of individuals at high risk of coronary heart disease in urban areas. Methods : Data were obtained from 4,137 adults between 19 and 85 years of age (2,372 males, 1,765 females), not recognized as taking medicines for cardiovascular diseases, who underwent a health check-up at the health promotion center of university hospitals in cities between Jan. 2003 and Dec. 2004. The variables studied were divided into two broad categories, and their relationships examined. obesity indices and risk factors for coronary heart disease. To reveal the relation between each of the obesity indices and the proportion of individuals at risk of coronary heart disease, the obesity indices were stratified and odds ratios obtained after age adjustment. Results : From a gender comparison of anthropometric measures, men were found to have significantly greater heights, weights, and waist and hip circumferences than women. From a gender comparison by the obesity indices, women were found to have significantly higher BMI, %Fat, waist to hip and waist to stature ratios than men. As obesity indices, the waist to stature ratio and the waist circumference were strongly correlated with coronary risk factors, both in men and women. The age-adjusted odds ratio of coronary risk factors increased significantly with increasing waist circumference, BMI, %fat, waist to hip and waist to stature ratios, and were highest specifically for the waist to stature ratio and the waist circumference. Conclusions : The study results showed that the waist to stature ratio and the waist circumference, as obesity indices, were most closely correlated with coronary risk factors. It is suggested that the waist to stature ratio and, specifically, the waist circumference can be effectively used in the field of health management for screening those with high levels of coronary risk factors.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2016

This study was to evaluate the effects of oral health education conducted on air force personnel according to the use of disclosing solution. They were divided into 3 groups: Group A: oral health education was not conducted, Group B: oral health education was conducted without using disclosing solution, and Group C: oral health education was conducted using disclosing solution. The subjects who had not participated in the education at least once were excluded, and the remaining 83 subjects received oral health education four times and one time each week. The probing depth, plaque index, gingival index, and bleeding on probing were measured one week before the implementation of the first oral health education and one week after the implementation of the fourth oral health education. The results of verifying the homogeneity of the clinical indices before the oral health education showed statistically significant differences in bleeding on probing among the three groups. The results of comparing the clinical indices among the three groups after the oral health education exhibited statistically significant differences in the plaque and gingival indices among the three groups. Groups B and C showed lower values than Group A. The comparison of the clinical indices before and after the oral health education showed statistically significant improvements in all clinical indices after the education in Group C. The results suggested that the oral health education using disclosing solution could maximize that visual effects and encourage self-motivation, consequently improve the oral hygiene of the patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was performed to consider the association between Internet using time for non-educational purposes and adolescent health, and to examine how health status differs between Internet users and non-users. Methods: We analyzed 2009 data from the Korea Adolescent Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey, conducted on a nationally representative sample of students in grades 7 to 12. A total of 75 066 adolescents were categorized into four groups according to their Internet using time excluding using for educational purposes: non-Internet users (NIUs), occasional Internet users (OIUs) (<1 h/d), moderate Internet users (MIUs) (${\geq}1$ and <2 h/d), and heavy Internet users (HIUs) (${\geq}2$ h/d). Health factors included eight health risk behavior indices, four mental health indices and six physical health indices. Results: The distribution of Internet use was as follows: NIUs 17.4%, OIUs 68.1%, MIUs 12.7%, and HIUs 1.7%. In multivariate analysis, using OIUs as a reference, U- or J-shaped associations were observed for five health risk behavior indices (current smoking, current drinking, drug abuse, sexual intercourse, sedentary behavior on weekdays) and four mental health indices (stressed, depressed, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide) in both genders. After removing confounding effects, including age, region, school type, subjective school record, subjective economic status, presence of parents, living with family, and sedentary behavior, these associations were still observed. Conclusions: Health professionals should consider both Internet non-users (for non-educational purposes) and heavy users to be high-risk groups in terms of health status. Also, more well-designed studies are needed to clarify what factors are working in these nonlinear associations.