• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.13-23
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects experienced by cancer survivors through the forest therapy, and to provide evidence for applying the forest therapy program. Nineteen cancer survivors who participated in the forest therapy program hosted by K University were targeted, and qualitative data were collected through three focus group interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed and analyzed by subject-specific content analysis method. According to the research results, the attributes of forest therapy experienced by cancer survivors were 'Escape from bondage', 'Time to empty and fill the mind', 'Healing from positive forest stimulation', 'Self met in a space of rest', 'Initiative for life'. Five themes and fifteen sub-themes of 'recovery' were derived. These research results revealed a healing experience of feeling comfortable and physically relaxed through communication with the forest, discovering the self, and regaining initiative in life. It can be seen that the forest therapy is helpful in overcoming the physical, emotional, and psycho-social discomforts of cancer survivors.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.sup1
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• pp.147-159
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Complementary and alternative medicines can be used to alleviate climacteric symptoms that significantly affect the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Isoflavones are the most common plant-based therapies for postmenopausal changes, but the results of previous studies have been controversial. MATERIALS/METHODS: To investigate whether isoflavones would affect menopausal symptoms as well as ovarian hormones, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were used to perform the systematic search. Included studies were limited to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the impact of isoflavone supplementation on menopausal symptoms. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included for the final quantitative assessment. Isoflavone intervention was varied between 49.3 and 135 mg of isoflavones per day for 12 wk-2 yrs. The meta-analysis showed that supplementation of isoflavones significantly increased the estradiol levels (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.615, P = 0.035) and Kupperman index (SMD = 3.121, P = 0.003) but had no significant effect on hot flashes, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. However, both estradiol and the Kupperman index showed significant heterogeneity among studies (I² = 94.7%, P < 0.001 and I² = 98.1%, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although the results showed a significant SMD in estradiol and the Kupperman index, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the high heterogeneity. Further validation with a larger RCT will be necessary. Overall, isoflavone supplementation has distinct effects on the climacteric symptoms and hormonal changes in postmenopausal women.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to assess hand grip strength and femoral neck bone mineral density levels among Korean fishery workers and investigate their association. Methods: Hand grip strength and femoral neck bone mineral density were measured in a survey and health examination conducted in 2021 among fishery workers in a southern region of South Korea. Covariates including gender, age, education level, income level, smoking behavior, drinking behavior, family history of hip fractures, use of calcium and vitamin D supplements, hypertension, diabetes, regular exercise, and body mass index were investigated. Multiple regression analysis was employed to assess the association between hand grip strength and femoral neck bone mineral density. Results: Among 147 fishery workers, 8.16% exhibited low hand grip strength levels indicative of possible sarcopenia, and a significant association was found between low hand grip strength and decreased femoral neck bone mineral density (β = -89.14, 95% CI = -160.50, -17.78). Additionally, factors such as women gender, advanced age, family history of hip fractures, and a body mass index below 25 kg/m² were associated with decreased femoral neck bone mineral density. In the subgroup analysis by gender, a correlation between low hand grip strength and decreased femoral neck bone mineral density was observed only in men. Conclusions: Further research is needed to explore various determinants and intervention strategies to prevent musculoskeletal disorders among fishery workers, ultimately enhancing their quality of life and well-being.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.138-147
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• 2024

Objectives: Fine particulate matter pollution has emerged as a significant life-threatening issue in Thailand. Recognizing the importance of environmental health literacy (EHL) in disease prevention is crucial for protecting public health. This study investigated EHL levels and aimed to identify associated factors among village health volunteers (VHVs) in the upper northern region of Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from 710 VHVs using the EHL assessment tool developed by the Department of Health, Thailand. Results: The overall EHL score was moderate (mean, 3.28 out of a possible 5.0), with the highest and lowest domain-specific mean score for the ability to make decisions (3.52) and the ability to access (3.03). Multiple linear regression revealed that the factors associated with EHL score were area of residence (urban areas in Chiang Mai: B=0.254; urban areas in Lampang: B=0.274; and rural areas in Lampang: B=0.250 compared to rural areas in Chiang Mai), higher education levels (senior high school: B=0.212; diploma/high vocational certificate: B=0.350; bachelor's degree or above: B=0.528 compared to elementary school or lower), having annual health checkups compared to not having annual health check-ups (B=0.142), monthly family income (B=0.004), and individuals frequently facing air pollution issues around their residence (B=0.199) compared to those who reported no such issues. Conclusions: The VHVs exhibited moderate EHL associated with residence area, education, health check-ups, family income, and residential air pollution. Considering these factors is vital for enhancing VHVs' EHL through strategic interventions.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-27
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• 1987

It is widely recognized that primary health care in the community is one of the most important and effective health measures in these days. However, it is reality that unsatisfactory health care system, ineffective utilization of health care by the community people in the rural area are hampering better understanding for primary health care. Therefore promoting health for the rural people and increasing understanding about primary health care, the baseline survey in the community focused in examination for safe community water supply was carried out. The survey was conducted through August 25-31, 1986 in order to find out health problems and relevant factors and to define the demographic characteristics of $^*$Sanpuk village, Kumsa-Myun, Yuju-Gun, Kyunggi-Do, Korea. Household survey was carried out for every home by trained interviewers. The major results are found out as follows : 1) 84.2%(400 houses) of total households were surveyed because 15.8%(75 houses) were unable to survey due to either refusal against interview or absence of family. These 400 households were composed of 1,697 residents(male:830, female 867). Educational level of respondents showed 34.1% as elementary school graduated. Religion distribution showed Buddism(23.8%) as the most dominant. 50.7% of respondents married in the area. 2) Most households(91.5%) have lived in their own house in Sanpuk area. Average family size showed 4.3. More than half of residents(64.2%) have used public supplied water tap. Only 1.5% of the households had a flush toliet. The rest of households have still used primitive insanitary latrines. 3) 32.5% of residents have used gas burner for cooking and for heating in the house, and the coal briquet were used for boiler. Lack of convenient public transportation was the chief complaint for their day life. 4) Each household occupied 1,990 pyungs of rice paddy and 1,170 pyungs of ordinary field in average. Beside farming products, mushroom was the highest product. 5) Sixth percent of households in the survey area regularly participated in community meeting one hand and on the other hand 39.5% never participated. Most of respondents closely contacted with their neighbours and they seemed very friendly each other. 6) The prevalence rate of illness and injury during recent 15 days showed 48.3 per 1,000. The prevalence rate of chronic illnesses during the past one year showed 74 per 1,000. Injury and accident lead the higher portion(22.0%) in the former and in the latter pain(arthritis, back-pain) showed 27.0% as the dominant sickness. 87.8% of the ill residents in the former received medical treatment. As the most frequently utilized medical facility, the clinic or hospital were counted. Among the residents suffering from chronic illnesses, 77.3% in Sanpuk area get some kind of medical treatments and they rarely utilized the clinic or hospital. The reason why the patient did not receive any medical care was found out the fact that symptoms of illness was light or mild and economic problems was serious. 7) Average age of marriage showed 21.6 years old in the women and the average duration of marital period was shown for 15.1 years. The married woman in reproductive age in Sanpuk area had experienced pregnancies 4 times in the aver-age including 0.7 time of pregnancy in average were interrupted by induced abortion and 0.3 time by spontaneous abortion respectively. The practicing rate of the family planning of the married woman during reproductive ages showed 70.7% and the tuballigation was found out as the most frequently used contraceptives. 8) Among woman who has children under 2 years old, 70.0% had received the prenatal care for the last pregnancy. However, the average number of prenatal care visitis per woman showed 3.3 times. Fifty-two % of woman who received the postnatal care for the last delivery showed only 37.5%. 9) Immunization rate of the children under 2 years old showed relatively high and looked successful. The breast feeding for these children showed dominantly in the most. Most of the mothers in Sanpuk area had started the supplementary diet during weaning period of their infants of 6th and 7th month after birth. * : Sanpuk area is a demstration area for community development which has been supported by the Community Development Foundation during the part 10 years. The village is relatively closer to urban area such as Seoul, However, it has a similar characteristics shown as a remote village because of geographical location and inconvenient transportation at present.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.417-427
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a Korean version of the Participatory Action Oriented Training (PAOT) program and training materials for improvement of agricultural working environments. Methods: The PAOT manual and checklist were developed on the basis of the original English version of the training materials, a questionnaire survey of agricultural health and safety professionals, and a brainstorming conference. Good example pictures were collected through visits to agricultural workers' houses, and an easily understandable picture was drawn by an animation specialist. A PAOT action manual and five types of action checklists were developed for use in different agricultural environments. Each action checklist contained six categories and 38 items of agricultural health and safety principles; the six categories were material storage and handling, work stations and tools, machine safety, physical environment, working schedule and organization, and basic health and safety management. Incorporating these training materials, a one-day Korean PAOT program was developed. Results: Among 307 candidate agricultural workers from four rural Korean villages, 94 workers (59 males, 35 females) participated in a PAOT from July 2007 to Oct 2008. The PAOT program was successful and the mean self-estimated satisfaction score of the participants was greater than 90%. Conclusions: A Korean PAOT program and training materials were successfully developed and applied to Korean agricultural workers. Although more studies are needed, it is expected that PAOT will greatly contribute to the improvement of agricultural working conditions and health and safety through the use of agricultural workers' self initiatives.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.109-121
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• 1991

To investigate the period prevalence rate and therapeutic practic for low back pain (LBP) in the adult population of rural area, a personal interview was conducted for 2.024 persons or 20-59 years old in Seohu Myon, Andong County, Kyungpook Province between 1st and 20th of April, 1991. The period prevalence rate (l February 1990-31 January 1991) of LBP for 1,106 adults who were interviewed was $47.9\%$. The age adjusted period prevalence rate for males was $43.7\%$ and that for females was $52.3\%$ and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.005). Clinical course of th LBP was acute in $14.1\%$ of males and $9.0\%$ of females, recurrent in $57.0\%$ and $55.2\%$, and chronic in $28.9\%$ and $35.8\%$, respectively. Common causes of the LBP were insidious on set with aging without known cause$(48.1\%)$, heavy work $(15.1\%)$, and trauma $(11.3\%)$. Due to LBP $12.5\%$ of the patients were not able to stand or walk for more than an hour and $2.5\%$ were bed-ridden or unable to carry out daily routine. To have the LBP diagnosed $10.2\%$ of the patients utilized a oriental medical clinic or hospital, $31.3\%$ visited a clinic or hospital, and $56.6\%$ hat not utilized any medical facility. Main reason for not having the LBP diagnosed was that the LBP was tolerable. The most popular therapeutic method that the LBP patients chose at the first was drug and physical therapy. Herb medicine was most commonly used when the first therapeutic method was not effective and the acupuncture was the most popular choice of therapy when the second therapeutic method failed. Folk medicine was utilized in $15.5\%$ of the LBP patients and it included 36 regimens such as tincture of motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus), boiled chicken with liquor, etc. It was revealed by this survey that the LBP is a serious health problem in the rural area and many of the LBP patients do not utilize a clinic or hospital but take non-scientific folk remedy. To prevent the economic waste and side effects of the folk remedy, public health education is needed for tile rational therapy of LBP.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.2 s.22
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• pp.352-361
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• 1987

During the period of May 10 to June 6, 1987, we have conducted the survey about the number of the food daily taken and the intake of nutrition of the 83 pregnant women who have registered at Sudong Myun and Mikum-myun, Yangchu-gun which are demonstration area of the public health and medicine of the College of Medicine, Ewha Women's University, and of the 100 pregnant women who have been to the University Hospital attached to the above School. The result of the survery is as follows: 1) Among the above pregnant women, primigravida constituted 91 women and multigravida 92 women. As for the month of pregnancy, those who have been pregnant for ten months numbered 43 women (23.5%), which was the highest number. As for age, those who were 25 to 29 years old constituted 63.9% , which was the highest in percentage. 2) As for the level of education, those who graduated from high school constituted 49.2%, which was the highest in percentage. As for occuptation, those who were entirely in charge of household affairs as housewives were 89.6% , which comprised most of the jobs held by the above women. 3) As for the composition of a family in environmental food and nutrition, one generation was 68.3%, and two member family was 42.6% which was the highest. As for those taking rare of cooking and serving meals, housewives constituted 95.1%. 4) As for the economic situation of dietary life, those who were in the highest level (A level), were 47.0% in an urban area and 41.0% in a rural area, which were the highest in percentage. 5) The food which the above people selected after being pregnant was fruit not only in an urban area, but also in a rural area. And in terms of the percentage of fruit, an urban area and a rural area showed 44.0% and 54.2% respectively. As for milk, and urban area and a rural area showed 28.0% and 8.4% respecitively, which disclosed that the rate of a rural area was much lower than that of an urban area. 6) As for the number of food intake, 10-14 was 54.0% in an urban area, which was the highest. And 5-9 was 73.5% in a rural area, which was the highest. 7) As for the composition of food taken according to the number of food taken, meat showed the lowest rate in 5-9 group. (p<0.05) As the number of food taken increased, the rate of food taken (points) increased (2.4). Milk and milk products showed a low rate in 5-9 group and 15-19 group (p<0.05). Fruit intake showed a similar rate in all groups. As for vegetables, the rate of intake was high, as the number of food taken increased. Cereals showed a similar rate in all groups. Ans the points of intake was high. As for fat, the rate of intake was high, as the number of food taken increased. 8) In 5-9 group in the number of food intake, energy was 79.9% of RDA, protein was 64.9%, fat was 90.0%, carbohydrate was 81.6%, iron was 83.0%, calcium was 71.1%, vitamin A was 94.3%, vitamin $B_1$ was 77.8%, vitamin $B_2$ was 79.2%, and vitamin C was 88.2%, so that it showed the lowest sufficiency rate RDA. 15-19 group maintained the balance in energy and all nutrients nealy. In 20-24 group, fat was 142.4%, vitamin $B_2$ was 105.6% and vitamin C was 102.2%, so that it exceeded RDA.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 1997

Backgrounds : There has been many studies investigating the causes of farmers' syndrome. In some studies, psychologic stress is related to farmer's syndrome. And the diagnostic criteria of farmer's syndrome is similar to those of generalized anxiety disorder. So we carried out this study to investigate the psychiatric causes of farmers' syndrome. Methods : This study was done in some rural and urban areas of Kyoungsangnam Province, July, August, October and November of 1996. Those who came to free medical service and completed interview, medical examination and laboratory examination and 20-59 years old were 150 persons. And those who came to health center for health examination and completed only interview and 20-59 years old were 94 persons. The questionnaire was composed of sociodemographic factors, health risk factors, farmer's syndrome, work load, BEPSI(inventory to measure stress), Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory, self-rating depression scale. To examine statistical significance, we used X2-test, Mantel-Haenszel test for linear association, t-test, ANCOVA, correlation, multiple regression, logistic regression. Results : The prevalence of farmer's syndrome, adjusted for age and sex with population of Kyungsangnam Province of 1993 was 208 per 1,000(90 per 1,000 in men and 329 per 1,000 in women). In bivariate analysis, farmer's syndrome was significantly related to age, sex, job, income, smoking, alcohol drinking, work load, BEPSI, state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression, body mass index, Hwa-Byung, hypertension, anemia. However, when age and sex were adjusted, job was not significantly related to farmer's syndrome. The score of farmer's syndrome was significantly related to age, sex, work load, BEPSI, trait anxiety by multiple regression. Farmer's syndrome was significantly related to increasing age(odd ratio 1.079, 95% C.I. 1.060 - 1.099), sex(odds ratio of male 0.434, 95% C.I. 0.349 - 0.540), and BEPSI(odds ratio 1.231, 95% C.I. 1.148 - 1.320) by logistic regression. Results of logistic regression analysis of the component symptoms of farmer's syndrome were as follows. Shoulder stiffness was significantly related to increasing age, female sex and BEPSI. Lumbago was significantly related to increasing age, female sex and trait anxiety. Numb limbs and nocturia was significantly related to increasing age and female sex. Breathlessness was significantly related to work load, sleeplessness was significantly related to depression, dizziness was significantly related to job and state anxiety, and abdominal fullness was significantly related to female sex. Conclusion : Farmers' syndrome was related to work load, but was more related to psychiatric factors such as BEPSI and trait anxiety. And the occupation was not risk factor of farmers' syndrome in this study, so further study is needed to investigate the cause of farmers' syndrome.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.1 s.56
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• pp.17-29
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• 1997

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and to determine associated risk factors, a population-based seroepidemiologic study was carried out. In 1993, a health examination survey of the population was carried out in rural area known to have a high incidence of liver cancer. The study population were those who volunteered to participate in a health survey over 10 years of age. Examinees were interviewed by specially trained staffs. Sera from 1,033 study subjects were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by .everse passive hemagglutinin (RPHA) estimation and for hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV) by 2nd generation passive hemagglutinin (PHA) estimation. The age and sex standardized prevalence of HBsAg was 6.3% which was similar to national average, but that of anti-HCV was 5.1% which was 4 to 5 times higher than that of blood donors or other health examinees in Korea. In a multivariate analysis, transfusion history, surgical operative history, and acupuncture history were not associated with HBsAg positivity. In contrast, acupuncture history (adjusted odds ratio[OR]=2.2 : 95% Confidence interval[CI] 1.0-4.7) and surgical operative history(adjusted OR=2.0 : 95% CI 1.0-4.1) were associated with anti-HCV positivity. The present study suggest that there is an highly endemic area of HCV infection in Korea and probably this endemicity is associated with a parenteral source of HCV infection other than blood transfusion.