• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.3993-4003
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• 2013

Scientific evidence for the primary prevention of cancer caused by physical activity of regular moderate-intensity or greater is rapidly accumulating in this field. About 300 epidemiologic studies on the association between physical activity and cancer risk have been conducted worldwide. The objectives of this paper were three-fold: (i) to describe briefly the components of physical activity and its quantification; (ii) to summarize the most important conclusions available from comprehensive reports, and reviews of the epidemiologic individual and intervention studies on a role physical activity in cancer prevention; (iii) to present proposed biological mechanisms accounting for effects of activity on cancer risk. The evidence of causal linked physical activity and cancer risk is found to be strong for colon cancer - convincing; weaker for postmenopausal breast and endometrium cancers - probable; and limited suggestive for premenopausal breast, lung, prostate, ovary, gastric and pancreatic cancers. The average risk reductions were reported to be 20-30%. The protective effects of physical activity on cancer risk are hypothesized to be through multiple interrelated pathways: decrease in adiposity, decrease in sexual and metabolic hormones, changes in biomarkers and insulin resistance, improvement of immune function, and reduction of inflammation. As there are several gaps in the literature for associations between activity and cancer risk, additional studies are needed. Future research should include studies dealing with limitations in precise estimates of physical activity and of a lack of consensus on what defines sedentary behavior of individuals and those linked with the proposed biomarkers to cancer risk and controlled exercise intervention trials.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.320-325
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• 2018

Objectives: This pilot study tested the effectiveness of a brief alcohol-related intervention delivered by the social media app WeChat to teach about ethanol-induced facial flushing and increase the willingness of students who see another student flushing to suggest that he or she should reduce or stop drinking. In the context of Chinese drinking culture, it is sometimes socially difficult to refuse a drink, even when experiencing physical discomfort, such as flushing. Methods: Classrooms of students in a medical university in China were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Students in the intervention group were invited to view 3 alcohol education lessons on WeChat during a 2-week period. A pretest and posttest before and after the 2-week period assessed changes in students' willingness to intervene if they saw someone flush while drinking. Data were collected about students' alcohol use and their ratings of the lessons. Results: Mixed-design analysis of variance yielded a significant time-by-treatment interaction effect on the variable of willingness to suggest that a flushing person stop or slow down their drinking, and the change was significant between the intervention and control groups. One-way analysis of covariance yielded a significant treatment effect at the posttest, after controlling for the pretest score. Students rated the lessons above the midpoint of the scale for being informative, interesting, and useful. Conclusions: The pilot study showed that a brief alcohol-related intervention delivered by WeChat could produce a measurable positive change in the willingness of university students to suggest that a student who flushes should stop drinking. This pilot study also suggested improvements for future lessons and evaluation design.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.41-61
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• 2018

Purpose: Falls are one of the most frequent health events in medical institutions, however, they can be predicted and prevented. The Quality Improvement Nurse Society clinical practice guideline Steering Committee developed the Clinical Practice Guideline for the assessment and prevention of falls in adult people. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors for falls in adults aged 19 years and older, to present an evidence for preventing falls, formulate a recommendations, and indicators for applying the recommendations. Methods: This clinical practice guideline was developed using a 23-step adaptation method according to the Handbook for clinical practice guideline developer (version 1.0) by National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. Evidence levels and recommendation ratings were established in accordance to SIGN 2011 (The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network). Results: The final 15 recommendations from four domains were derived from experts' advice; 1) assessment of risk factor for falls in adult 2) preventing falls and reducing the risks of falls or falls-related injury 3) management and reassessment after a person falls 4) leadership and culture. Conclusion: This clinical practice guideline can be used as a basis for evaluation and prevention of fall risk factors for adults, to formulate recommendations for fall risk assessment and fall prevention, and to present monitoring indicators for applying the recommendations.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.429-439
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• 2022

Background: The risk observatory (RO) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) provides strategic support to the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions (GSAII) in proactive prevention. It does so by identifying future challenges and opportunities for occupational safety and health (OSH) resulting from new trends and developments that affect employees as well as children in elementary education, pupils, and students. Methods: The core of the RO is an online survey that relies on a pool of new trends and developments identified via internet and literature research. 865 prevention experts of the GSAII and the DGUV participated in the survey. They rated trends and developments regarding their sector-specific risks and opportunities for OSH in the 5 years to come. Results: Sector-specific and over-all results show that besides well-known OSH risks such as musculoskeletal stress and noise, developments relevant for OSH come to the fore that do not have their origin in work itself, but are strongly influenced by political, social, economic, environmental, or technical developments that accident insurance can only peripherally influence. Shortage of skilled staff was identified as a threat to OSH in almost all sectors. Conclusions: Prevention must find ways to address repercussions of such OSH risks. Cooperation and political awareness are therefore gaining in importance. Also, implementing a prevention culture in society and strengthening individuals' health and safety literacy, e.g., by target-group-specific communication and sensitization, as well as early safety and health education, help to counteract those OSH risks.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.179-185
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• 2006

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced in 2001 that the overall amount of paddy land set aside for rice will be cut down by 12% by 2005, decreasing from 1.08 million to 953,000 hectares. When evaluating the value of paddy rice systems, the multi-function of paddy systems in the monsoon climate is vital importance. The main functions of paddy rice systems are to conserve biodiversity and maintain sustainability. Some crucial environmental benefits of the paddy rice systems include: flood prevention, recharge of water resources, water purification, soil erosion and landslide prevention, soil purification, landscape preservation and air purification. The paddy rice systems in Korea, which are more diverse than upland crop systems, are known to be composed of 14 orders, 36 families and 134 species. The sustain ability of paddy rice production systems can never be overestimated. Rice is part of the culture and even the heart of spiritual life in the area under the monsoon climate. Therefore paddy rice systems should be preserved with the highest priority being the enhancement of the systems' multi-function. As an outlook to future research, the need of joint and interdisciplinary research projects between economists and natural scientists at inland as well as international levels were emphasized in establishing the development of counter-measure logic through actual proofed analysis.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.57-67
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore coordination strategy through reviewing policies, action plans and acts related to diet, nutrition and obesity from many sectors in Korea, and to develop a possible multi-sectoral approach. Methods: Literature reviews and empirical findings for ongoing international and domestic policies/programs on diet, nutrition and obesity in Korea. Results: Central and local governments have various policies/programs and related acts to improve nutrition and to reduce obesity. Meanwhile, those governments' activities are frequently criticized to be more coordinated in order to achieve their aims. Activities on nutrition and obesity prevention have interdepartmental characteristics but are scattered through six Ministries (including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Culture and Sports, and Ministry of Food/Drug Safety) and 27 Acts such as 'Nutrition Management Act', 'Health Promotion Act', 'Diet Education Support Act'. As a result, a number of areas, especially dietary guidance, nationwide surveys, education programs seem to overlap. Conclusions: Inter-ministerial coordination mechanism should be established to enforce multi-sectoral engagement and cooperation in implementing policies/programs on nutrition and obesity prevention. Furthermore, functions of the Ministries should be reorganized and coordinated in reference to other countries' experiences.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2009

Purpose: This study developed and evaluated a systematic intervention among medical ICU nurses for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (hereafter VAP). Methods: A VAP prevention program was proposed based on a literature review, revised to fit the target situation, and validated. It was composed of one-time interventions including education, pamphlets, hand cultures, and a quiz event, as well as repeated interventions such as posters, reminders, posting hand culture results, and performance feedback. A simulated control group pretest-posttest design was used to verify the effectiveness of the VAP control program. The incidence of VAP among ICU patients was measured both during 3 months before (n=80) and during 3 months after (n=75) intervention. Results: The VAP prevention program's effectiveness, with a pre-intervention VAP rate of 17.38 and post-intervention rate of 11.04 per 1,000 ventilator days, showed a clinical tendency to decrease, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=.750). Conclusion: A VAP prevention program of multiple interventions can be useful in decreasing the VAP rate. Given that the monthly decrease in the VAP rate was not considered statistically significant, long-term research needs to be done. Additionally, since this study targeted only nurses, it is suggested that future research targets other health care workers who can influence VAP rates.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.4955-4958
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• 2015

Background: Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide. It has an increasing trend. This study investigated the epidemiological trend and morphological changes in skin cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was done using existing data, extracted from the National Cancer Registry System and the Disease Management Center of Iranian Ministry of Health between 2003 and 2008. Data on epidemiologic trend was analyzed using Joinpoint software package. Results: The incidence of skin cancer is increasing in Iran, and more in men than women. There was a declining trend for basal cell carcinoma. Basal squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma had an increasing trend. The increase of skin cancer was related to squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the increase of skin cancer was attributed to squamous cell carcinoma. It is necessary to be planning for the control and prevention of this disease as a priority for health policy makers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.561-568
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• 2014

Background: The skin is the largest body organ that regulates excretion of metabolic waste products, temperature, and plays an important role in body protection against environmental physical and chemical, as well as biological factors. These include agents that may act as oxidants or catalysts of reactions producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and other oxidants in skin cells. An increased amount of the oxidants, exceeding the antioxidant defense system capacity is called oxidative stress, leading to chronic inflammation, which, in turn, can cause collagen fragmentation and disorganization of collagen fibers and skin cell functions, and thus contribute to skin diseases including cancer. Moreover, research suggests that oxidative stress participates in all stages of carcinogenesis. We report here a summary of the present state of knowledge on the role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of dermatologic diseases, defensive systems against ROS/RNS, and discuss how physical activity may modulate skin diseases through effects on oxidative stress. The data show duality of physical activity actions: regular moderate activity protects against ROS/RNS damage, and endurance exercise with a lack of training mediates oxidative stress. These findings indicate that the redox balance should be considered in the development of new antioxidant strategies linked to the prevention and therapy of skin diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3101-3103
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• 2013

In Easter Island, population is composed by original habitants, the Rapa Nui culture and introduced people, mainly from continental Chile, who have a different ethnic origin. The aim of this research was to describe cancer frequency in resident population in Easter Island, and secondarily compare the findings with other islands of Polynesia and continental Chile. We reviewed the statistics of patients treated in Hanga Roa Hospital during the period 2006-2010, finding a total of 49 patients with cancer during the study. The most frequent cancers in Easter Island's people were breast cancer (8 cases), skin (8 cases), cervical (8 cases), lung (5 cases) and gastric (4 cases). According to gender, in females the most frequent cancer was breast, followed by skin and cervical, while in men, lung, prostate and hematopoietic cancers were the most frequent. Most cases of cervical cancer occurred in women of Rapa Nui ethnicity, while most skin cancers were found in non-Rapa Nui people. In case of the most common cancer in Easter Island, education (e.g. Papanicolaou and mammography screening) and prevention in the community (e.g. use sun block, avoid cigarettes) should be useful tools to reduce incidence.