• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2017

Wild owls are widespread in Korea, even being common in urban areas due to the presence of hills or small mountains in and around the cities. This results in high levels of contact between owls and domestic animals. This study investigated the prevalence of avian hematozoan parasite infection in 2 common owl species in Chungbuk province of Republic of Korea for 3-year period: the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) and the Brown hawk owl (Ninox scutulata). Peripheral blood smears taken from 56 wild owls were examined by microscopic examination and confirmed by molecular technique. Twenty (36%) of these samples tested positive for the Haemoproteus infection. The infection rate was higher in Brown hawk owls (50%) than in Eurasian eagle owls (33%). These results indicate that the wild owls may act as a reservoir for Haemoproteus infection in susceptible domestic birds.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3191-3193
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• 2016

Background: The human papilloma virus (HPV) is considered as the major risk factor for the development of cervical cancer. This virus is of different genotypes and generally can be classified into high and low risk types. Objective: To determine the rate of high risk HPV genotypes in women with vaginal discharge and lower abdominal pain in Kurdistan region, Iraq. Materials and Methods: Cervical swabs were taken from 104 women. DNA was extracted and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used to determine the presence of high risk genotypes. Results: It was found that 13/104 (12.5%) of the samples were positive for high risk HPV genotypes. Amongst those who were positive, 4/13 (30.7%) were typed as genotype 16 and 7/13 (53.8%) showed mixed genotyping. On the other hand, genotypes 53 and 56 were found in only one sample each. Conclusions: High risk HPV genotypes are not uncommon and further community based study is needed to determine the prevalence of HPV and its genotypes and plan for prevention of infection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.77-87
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of current smoking and the factors that influence current smoking among male high school students in Korea according to school type. Methods: Data were extracted from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (2017) and multiple logistic regression was used based on complex sample analysis. The study sample comprised of 15,777 male high school students: 12,583 from general high schools (GHS) and 3,194 from specialized vocational high schools (SVHS). Results: The prevalence of current smoking was significantly higher in SVHS students (19.6%) compared to GHS students (12.6%). Low academic achievement, depressive symptoms, current drinking, and high household economic status were commonly associated with current smoking in male students from both school types. However, exposure to secondhand smoking at home, non-exposure to anti-smoking advertisement, exposure to tobacco advertisement, participation in smoking prevention or cessation education were related to current smoking in GHS students, while living in rural area was associated with current smoking in SVHS students. Conclusion: To reduce current smoking among male high school students, it is necessary to develop smoking prevention policies reflecting the factors associated with current smoking that are different by school type.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5539-5543
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• 2012

Objective: The smoking prevalence in Malaysia is high, especially among men and adolescents. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors towards cigarette smoking among school teachers in Malaysia. Methodology: This study was a school-based cross-sectional study conducted among 495 secondary school teachers. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of 29 questions categorized into two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and smoking behaviour. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program 13.0. ANOVA; t-tests were used in univariate analysis; multiple linear regression was applied for multivariate analysis. Results: The majority of the participants were female (81.6%), in the age group ranged between 30-39 years (44%), Malay (90.1%), married (89.7%), degree holders (85.1%), with monthly income ranged between 3000-3999 Ringgit Malaysia (33.5%), from urban areas (94.7%), their specialty is social studies (33.9%) and with no family history of cancer (83.6%). The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be 7.8%. Regarding reasons to start smoking among school teachers: the major reason was found to be relaxation (33.3%), followed by stress-relief (28.2%). Univariate analysis showed that sex, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (p<0.001, p=0.004, p=0.031, p=0.010; respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that gender and marital status were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers (p<0.001, p=0.033; respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of smoking among school teachers in Malaysia was found to be relatively low. Sex, marital status, educational status, monthly income and residency were significantly associated with smoking among school teachers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was conducted to explore recent trends in the prevalence of pediatric elevated blood pressure and hypertension (HTN) in Korea and the United States, applying the new HTN reference values for adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed 17 339 (8755 Korean and 8584 American) adolescents aged 10 to 17 who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, respectively, between 2005 and 2016. HTN was defined using percentile-based reference values for non-overweight adolescents from 7 nations, and obesity was defined by body mass index (BMI) based on country-specific growth charts. All analyses were stratified by sex and year-over-year changes were evaluated by calculating the p for trend. Results: Systolic blood pressure showed a statistically meaningful upward trend in Korean boys and girls, while diastolic blood pressure did not show any significant changes. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels declined among United States boys and girls. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure and HTN remained similar in Korean adolescents, but declined in both sexes among United States adolescents. BMI increased in both sexes among Korean adolescents, although the overweight and obesity rates stayed the same. No significant trends were found in any obesity indices among United States adolescents. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure and HTN by obesity level was higher among Korean adolescents than among their United States peers in both sexes, and the gap became higher at more severe levels of obesity. Conclusions: Despite the strong correlation between obesity and HTN, recent trends in the prevalence of HTN and obesity among Korean and United States adolescents were strikingly different. Follow-up studies are necessary to determine why the prevalence of HTN was more than twice as high among Korean adolescents than among their United States counterparts.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1473-1478
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• 2016

Background: Cigarette smoking is as the leading cause of cancer mortality and other chronic diseases in males worldwide. The prevalence of cigarette smoking is different across and within countries by age, education level, occupation, and so on. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cigarette smoking and its relationship with individuals' demographic factors and BMI in adolescent men living in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study involved secondary analysis of the 'Urban Health Equity Assessment and Response Tool-2' survey conducted in Tehran, Iran, among men aged 20+, 2011-2012. Using a multistage sampling method, 45,990 men were included in the study. The cigarette smoking status, BMI and demographic factors measured through a self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square, t-test, and logistic regression model were used to examine the relationships between the independents variables and cigarette smoking behavior, using SPSS software version 21. Results: In the total of 45,990 men, the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking was 14.6% (CI 95%: 14.29-14.94). Age (OR=0.96; CI 95%:0.94-0.98), house ownership (OR=0.68; CI 95%: 0.64-0.72), job status (OR=0.60; CI 95%: 0.46-0.86), marital status (OR=0.42; CI 95%: 0.39-0.47) and educational levels (OR=0.50; CI95%: 0.45-0.54) were associated with the prevalence of cigarette smoking. However, associations with BMI, family size, residency years, and district were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Given the relatively high prevalence of cigarette smoking in the study population, policy interventions are required to address this major public health issue, with a focus on the population demographic influences.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2014

As with humans, overweight or obesity is a major health concern in the companion animal population. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey of dog owners attending primary small animal veterinary practices from different areas in Chuncheon, Kangwon province, Korea was undertaken to explore the relationships between socioeconomic and other relevant risk factors associated with canine obesity. In addition, the author was to estimate the prevalence of obesity compared to published literatures for dogs. Owners were asked about dog age, neuter status, feeding habits, dog exercise, household income and owner age. The body condition score (BCS) of the dogs was also assessed. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between BCS and potential risk factors controlling for confounding variables, using odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 275 dogs (136 males and 139 females) aged 1-12 years (mean age $5.6{\pm}3.7$ years) were surveyed in 2013. Of these, 46.9% of dogs (n = 129) were classed as an ideal body shape (BCS = 3), 30.9% (n = 85) were overweight (BCS = 4), 8.4% (n = 23) were obese (BCS = 5) and 13.8% (n = 38) were underweight (BCS = 1 or 2). Neutered males and spayed females had the highest prevalence of obesity (43.4% and 33.9%); intact females had the lowest prevalence of obesity (31.6%). In univariable model, risk factors associated with canine obesity are multifactorial and include owner income, owner age, age of dog, neuter status, frequency of feeding per day, frequency of snacks and consultation with veterinarian on dog's weight. In final multivariable logistic regression model, dogs whose owners reported no consultation with veterinarians for weight management were significantly more likely to be obesity than ideal (OR = 7.6, 95% CI, 4.2-13.8; p < 0.0001). This study showed a high prevalence of obesity in domestic companion dogs. Since this was a cross-sectional study with small samples, the association of canine obesity with risk factors warrants more research. To the author's best knowledge, this is the first Korean study on dog body condition and obesity.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.219-227
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• 2014

Background: Current trends in Korea population aging with advances in public health and clinical medicine foretell rises in the prevalence of not only chronic diseases but also patients with multimorbidity. One important aspect in analyzing multimorbidity is to define the list of chronic diseases included when calculating multimorbidity index. The objective of this study is to describing the effect of multimorbidity on healthcare cost in Korea using US Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) list. Methods: We analyzed the Korea Health Panel Data representing non-institutionalized Korean adult populations aged 20 and more. We calculated multimorbidity index based on OASH list and estimated the prevalence and healthcare cost for each OASH chronic disease. Results: In 2011, 15.2 million (39.6%) Koreans aged 20 and more were living with chronic condition. The health care cost due to chronic diseases, accounted for 80.2% of the overall healthcare costs and the prevalence of chronic conditions, the prevalence of multimorbidity and healthcare cost increased with ages. In the analysis using OASH list, 40% of the adult population over the age of 20 and 66.7% of the population over the age of 65 was affected with multimorbidity. In most of diseases in OASH list, prevalence of mulitmorbidity was high and healthcare cost increased with multimorbidity. Conclusion: OASH chronic disease list that accounts for 72.4% of prevalence and 86.7% of healthcare cost of persons with chronic conditions in Korea. OASH chronic disease list would be a useful and representative indicator for studying multimorbidity.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.251-258
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• 2011

This study was performed to determine the prevalence of Theileria sergenti (T. sergenti) in cattle reared in eastern areas of Gyeongbuk province by PCR. Among 443 samples collected from 42 cattle farms, 96 (21.7%) samples from 13 (31.0%) farms were positive for T. sergenti. By regions, 87 (26.6%) out of 327 cattle in Gyeongju, 8 (9.5%) out of 84 cattle in Pohang, and 1 (3.1%) out of 32 cattle in Ulleung were positive for T. sergenti. T. sergenti infection in dairy cattle (27.9%) was significantly higher than that in Korean cattle (9.4%, P<0.0001). Accordingly, Korean cattle were more resistant to T. sergenti infection. Prevalence of T. sergenti in cattle was increased with age (P<0.0001). The infection rate in cows (23.3%) was significantly higher than that in bulls (5.0%, P<0.01). Seasonally, prevalence of T. sergenti in cattle was highest in autumn (32.7%, P<0.01). Prevalence of T. sergenti in grazing cattle (66.7%) was significantly higher than that in non-grazing cattle (15.8%, P<0.0001). Since prevalence of T. sergenti infection is high in cattle reared in eastern areas of Gyeongbuk province, survey on other hemoparasites and appropriate control programs need to be established in this region.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.282-292
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and factors related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in university students. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using a self-report structured questionnaire with 420 university students. Data collection was done during May and June, 2017. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a t-test, $x^2$ test, and binary logistic regression analysis with IBM SPSS/WIN 22.0 program. Results: The prevalence for IBS was 24% among Korean university students. Family history of IBS (OR=2.98, 95% CI=1.32~6.70), history of stomach and intestinal disease (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.36~3.77), sleep quality (OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.16~3.48), mild anxiety (OR=2.75, 95% CI=1.19~6.33) and more than moderate anxiety (OR=2.02, 95% CI=1.02~4.00) were found to be factors related to IBS. Conclusion: The prevalence of IBS was high among university students, and sleep quality and anxiety significantly influenced prevalence of IBS in these students. Therefore, interventions to decrease symptom of IBS must focus on management of sleep quality and anxiety.