Air pollution, climate change, and reduced biodiversity are major threats to human health with detrimental effects on a variety of chronic noncommunicable diseases in particular respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The extent of air pollution both outdoor and indoor air pollution and climate change including global warming is increasing-to alarming proportions particularly in the developing world especially rapidly industrializing countries worldwide. In recent years, Asia has experienced rapid economic growth and a deteriorating environment and increase in allergic diseases to epidemic proportions. Air pollutant levels in many Asian countries especially in China and India are substantially higher than are those in developed countries. Moreover, industrial, traffic-related, and household biomass combustion, indoor pollutants from chemicals and tobacco are major sources of air pollutants, with increasing burden on respiratory allergies. Here we highlight the major components of outdoor and indoor air pollutants and their impacts on respiratory allergies associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in the Asia-Pacific region. With Asia-Pacific comprising more than half of the world's population there is an urgent need to increase public awareness, highlight targets for interventions, public advocacy and a call to action to policy makers to implement policy changes towards reducing air pollution with interventions at a population-based level.
Administrative Personnel ; Air Pollutants ; Air Pollution ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Allergy and Immunology ; Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma ; Biodiversity ; Biomass ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; China ; Climate Change ; Climate ; Consumer Advocacy ; Developed Countries ; Economic Development ; Family Characteristics ; Global Warming ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; India ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Tobacco

Kawasaki disease is a form of vasculitis, mainly in small and medium arteries of unknown origin, occurring frequently in childhood. It is the leading form of childhood-onset acquired heart disease in developed countries and leads to complications of coronary artery aneurysms in approximately 25% of cases if left untreated. Although more than half a century has passed since Professor Tomisaku Kawasaki's first report in 1957, the cause is not yet clear. Currently, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy has been established as the standard treatment for Kawasaki disease. Various treatment strategies are still being studied under the slogan, “Ending powerful inflammation in the acute phase as early as possible and minimizing the incidence of coronary artery lesions,” as the goal of acute phase treatments for Kawasaki disease. Currently, in addition to immunoglobulin therapy, steroid therapy, therapy using infliximab, biological products, suppression of elastase secretion inside and outside the neutrophils, inactivated ulinastatin therapy and cyclosporine therapy, plasma exchange, etc. are performed. This chapter outlines the history and transition of the acute phase treatment for Kawasaki disease.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Biological Products ; Coronary Vessels ; Cyclosporine ; Developed Countries ; Heart Diseases ; Immunization, Passive ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Infliximab ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome ; Neutrophils ; Pancreatic Elastase ; Plasma Exchange ; Prednisolone ; Vasculitis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Globally, it has been projected that there will be 2 billion overweight and 1 billion obese individuals by 2030. In Korea, the prevalence of adult obesity (BMI>25) increased from 29.7% in 2009 to 32.4% in 2015. Moreover, childhood obesity, which leads to adulthood obesity, has increasingly become a social problem. The purpose of this review is to summarize the scientific basis for the development of effective models and policies aimed at preventing obesity over a lifetime based on research modeling obesogenic environments. MATERIALS/METHODS: The review focuses on the characteristics of obesity prevalence and trends in 3P analysis (papers, patents, and products) as well as government-funded projects in Korean obesity obesogenic environments over the last 10 years. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: As a result of the 3P analysis, studies on obesity risk factors were frequently carried out, according to two data bases RISS (4.9%) and PubMed (24.7%). Since there were only 17% patents related to the mechanism of preventing obesity in 7,951 Korean patents related to obesity, new paradigms of technologies to dominate the global obesity markets are needed. After government-funded projects were analyzed, communication and cooperation in multi-governmental departments were suggested to elucidate the characteristics of Korean obesity. Government should also produce short- and long-term road maps to develop a practical, successful outcome. Although the rate of obesity in Korea is currently lower than in other developed countries according to WHO criteria, without adequate governmental intervention, obesity rates will approach those of the top countries with high incidence rates of obesity within the next 10 years.
Adult ; Developed Countries ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Pediatric Obesity ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Social Problems

OBJECTIVES: Different factors are responsible for the silent epidemic of diabetes mellitus in developing and developed countries. This study aimed to determine the role of demographic factors, lipid profile, family history (the estimation of genetic association) and anthropometric factors on diabetes onset. METHODS: Data from the enrolment phase of the Tabari Cohort study was applied for this study and included 10,255 participants aged between 35–70 years. Anthropometric variables were measured by trained staff using standard tools. Blood specimens were collected for lipid profile and blood glucose measurements. Data analyses were performed using SPSS version 24, with univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was estimated to be 17.2% in the cohort population, 15.6% in men, and 18.3% in women. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for age groups 40–49, 50–59 and over 60 were 2.58 (2.20–3.69), 5.80 (4.51–7.48) and 8.72 (6.67–11.39), respectively. In addition, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for 2 (or more), and 1 affected family member were 4.12 (3.55–4.90) and 2.34 (2.07–2.65), respectively. Triglyceride concentrations more than 500, and abnormal high-density lipoprotein levels increased the odds of diabetes mellitus by 3.29- and 1.18-fold, respectively. CONCLUSION: The current study showed that old age and a family history were strong predictors for diabetes mellitus.
Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Cohort Studies ; Demography ; Developed Countries ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Statistics as Topic ; Triglycerides

Early childhood caries is a global healthcare concern in developing and industrialized countries. If left untreated, it leads to immediate and long-term complications that affect the well-being and quality of life of concerned families. Therefore, many preventive and treatment approaches are available to the healthcare provider to curb this virulent form of caries. After behavioral interventions, general anesthesia is used in specific settings when a young patient presents with extensive teeth damage and exhibits a lack of cooperation that is incompatible with conventional dental office care. However, without proper follow-up, any positive results might be lost over time.
Anesthesia, General ; Child, Preschool ; Delivery of Health Care ; Dental Caries ; Dental Offices ; Developed Countries ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Oral Health ; Quality of Life ; Tooth

Japan and Korea follow a unique trend in which, despite reporting two of the highest life expectancies (LEs) among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, the proportion of people with good self-rated health (SRH) is disproportionately low. We sought to explain this high-LE-low-SRH paradox by examining associations among LE, the prevalence of good SRH, and healthcare utilization. Our hypothesis was that countries with more frequent healthcare use would demonstrate poorer SRH and that SRH would not show a meaningful association with LE among developed countries. This study extracted data from Health at a Glance 2017 by the OECD for 26 countries with valid and comparable information on LE, SRH, and the number of doctor consultations per capita. Correlations among LE, good SRH, and number of doctor consultations per capita were analyzed. The number of annual doctor consultations per capita and the prevalence of good SRH were closely correlated (correlation coefficient=−0.610); excluding outliers produced a higher correlation coefficient (−0.839). Similar patterns were observed when we replaced good SRH with poor SRH. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficient between annual per capita doctor consultations and LE was quite low (−0.216). Although good SRH is closely related to better LE at the individual level, this was not true at the national level. Frequent use of healthcare in Japan and Korea was strongly correlated with poorer SRH, without any meaningful correlation with LE.
Delivery of Health Care ; Developed Countries ; Japan ; Korea ; Life Expectancy ; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development ; Prevalence ; Referral and Consultation ; Republic of Korea

Cysticercosis, a parasitic disease caused by Taenia solium metacestode (TsM), has a major global public health impact in terms of disability-adjusted life years. The parasite preferentially infects subcutaneous tissue, but may invade the central nervous system, resulting in neurocysticercosis (NC). NC is an important neglected tropical disease and an emerging disease in industrialized countries due to immigration from endemic areas. The prevalence of taeniasis in Korea declined from 0.3%–12.7% during the 1970s to below 0.02% since the 2000s. A survey conducted from 1993 to 2006 revealed that the percentage of tested samples with high levels of specific anti-TsM antibody declined from 8.3% to 2.2%, suggesting the continuing occurrence of NC in Korea. Modern imaging modalities have substantially improved the diagnostic accuracy of NC, and recent advances in the molecular biochemical characterization of the TsM cyst fluid proteome also significantly strengthened NC serodiagnosis. Two glycoproteins of 150 and 120 kDa that induce strong antibody responses against sera from patients with active-stage NC have been elucidated. The 150 kDa protein showed hydrophobic-ligand binding activities and might be critically involved in the acquisition of host-derived lipid molecules. Fasciclin and endophilin B1, both of which play roles in the homeostatic functions of TsM, showed fairly high antibody responses against calcified NC cases. NC is now controllable and manageable. Further studies should focus on controlling late-onset intractable seizures and serological diagnosis of NC patients infected with few worms. This article briefly overviews diagnostic approaches and discusses current issues relating to NC serodiagnosis.
Antibody Formation ; Central Nervous System ; Cyst Fluid ; Cysticercosis ; Developed Countries ; Diagnosis ; Emigration and Immigration ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Immunologic Tests ; Korea ; Neurocysticercosis ; Parasites ; Parasitic Diseases ; Prevalence ; Proteome ; Public Health ; Republic of Korea ; Seizures ; Serologic Tests ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Taenia solium ; Taenia ; Taeniasis

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to explore the enabling factors associated with readiness in Electronic Health Record (EHR) implementation and to identify the barriers related to readiness regarding the situation of primary health cares in developed and developing countries. METHODS: A narrative review of open-source literature was conducted using the ProQuest, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, and PMC databases to identify the enabling factors and barriers to EHR readiness. The keywords applied were ‘electronic health record’, ‘readiness’, ‘primary health care’, and ‘primary care’. RESULTS: Some barriers were found that may affect readiness, specifically individual barriers and organizational barriers. In developing countries, organizational barriers such as a lack of skilled manpower, insufficient senior management, and a lack of interaction among team members were the common barriers, while in developed countries individual barriers such as unfamiliarity with new systems and a lack of time to use computers were frequently found as barriers to readiness. CONCLUSIONS: This study summarized the enabling factors and barriers with regard to EHR readiness in developed and developing countries.
Causality ; Developed Countries ; Developing Countries ; Electronic Health Records ; Primary Health Care

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the current overall preventable trauma death rate (PTDR) in Korea and identify factors associated with preventable trauma death (PTD). METHODS: The target sample size for review was designed to be 1,131 deaths in 60 emergency medical institutions nationwide. The panels for the review comprised trauma specialists working at the regional trauma centers (RTCs); a total of 10 teams were formed. The PTDR and factors associated with PTD were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Of the target cases, 943 were able to undergo panel review and be analyzed statistically. The PTDR was 30.5% (6.1% preventable and 24.4% possibly preventable). Those treated at a RTC showed a significantly lower PTDR than did those who were not (21.9% vs. 33.9%; P = 0.002). The PTDR was higher when patients were transferred from other hospitals than when they directly visited the last hospital (58.9% vs. 28.4%; P = 0.058; borderline significant). The PTDR increased gradually as the time from accident to death increased; a time of more than one day had a PTDR 14.99 times higher than when transferred within one hour (95% confidence interval, 4.68 to 47.98). CONCLUSION: Although the PTDR in Korea is still high compared to that in developed countries, it was lower when the time spent from the accident to the death was shorter and the final destined institution was the RTC. To reduce PTDR, it is necessary to make an effort to transfer trauma patients to RTCs directly within an appropriate time.
Developed Countries ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Korea ; Mortality ; Sample Size ; Specialization ; Trauma Centers ; Wounds and Injuries

There remains a misperception that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are predominantly an issue for developed countries and are not major public health problems in low-income countries. North Korea is also often considered as a country with a disease structure that is typical of a low-income country. Infectious diseases and nutritional problems, including tuberculosis and pneumonia, are still major sources of medical discussion. The authors challenge this misperception by reviewing empirical data on epidemiologic and demographic transitions of North Korea and show that the current NCD burden is the main public health issue in North Korea. In result, it can be said that epidemiologic transition and demographic transition of North Korea preceded prior to economic hardship. It is necessary for the international community, including South Korea, to advance in a new direction of medical support for North Korea.
Communicable Diseases ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Developed Countries ; Korea ; Pneumonia ; Population Dynamics ; Public Health ; Tuberculosis