The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of pesticide poisoning in South Korea and the relevant epidemiologic characteristics. During the period of 1996-2005, an approximate average of twenty-five hundred fatalities occurred per year due to pesticide poisoning, while age-standardized mortality rates by pesticide poisoning significantly increased from 4.42 to 6.42 per 100,000 population. Intentional self-poisoning was the primary cause of death due to pesticides (84.8% of total pesticide poisoning deaths). The prevalence of non-fatal pesticide poisoning among farmers varied from 5.7% to 86.7%. Paraquat was the leading causative agent for pesticide poisoning, followed by organophosphate insecticides. A variety of work-related factors such as pesticide usage, pesticide application days, hazardous practices and poor personal hygiene were significantly related with pesticide poisoning. The majority of the poisoned were male, elderly individuals possessing low levels of education and residing in rural areas. The number of pesticide poisoning cases was the highest during the growing season of May to August. Further evaluation of the incidence and risk factors of pesticide poisoning at the national level in South Korea is warranted to reduce the number of victims of pesticide poisoning.
Pesticides ; Poisoning aspects ; South Korea ; seconds ; Poisoning

The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of mortality and disease prevalence related to occupational diseases among agricultural workers in Korea. We evaluated the age-standardized mortality rates and the prevalence of chronic diseases and compared them with those of other populations using death registration data from 2004 through 2008 and the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In addition, we conducted a literature review on published articles examining the health status of farmers in Korea. Agricultural workers have a significantly higher mortality of cancer, tuberculosis, chronic respiratory diseases, liver diseases, suicide, motor and non-motor vehicle accidents. Compared to other populations, farmers have higher prevalence rates of arthritis and intervertebral disc disorders. The literature review revealed a number of work-related diseases among farmers, such as musculoskeletal diseases, pesticide poisoning, infections, and respiratory and neurologic diseases. Korean farmers demonstrate a distinct pattern of mortality and disease prevalence compared to other populations. Although lifestyle factors remain important contributors to those deaths and diseases, our study suggests that occupation is a major determinant as well. Intensive programs such as surveillance systems, therefore, should be developed in order to identify and prevent work-related diseases among agricultural workers in Korea.
Agricultural Workers' Diseases/*epidemiology/mortality ; Bacterial Infections/epidemiology/mortality ; Humans ; Life Style ; Musculoskeletal Diseases/epidemiology/mortality ; Mycoses/epidemiology/mortality ; Neoplasms/epidemiology/mortality ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Virus Diseases/epidemiology/mortality

To examine the relationship between birth characteristics and childhood cancer mortality, a retrospective cohort study of Korean children was conducted using data collected by the national birth register between 1995 and 2006, which were then individually linked to death data. A cohort of 6,479,406 children was followed from birth until their death or until December 31, 2006. Poisson regression analyses were used to calculate rate ratios of childhood cancer deaths according to birth characteristics. A total of 1,469 cancer deaths were noted and the childhood cancer mortality rate was found to be 3.43 per 100,000 person-years in Korea during the period of 1995-2006. The birth characteristics examined in this study (i.e. , birth weight, gestational age, multiple births, parental ages, and number of siblings) were generally found to be not significantly associated with childhood cancer mortality, and the associations did not vary meaningfully with gender nor with cancer sites. However, among children aged 5-11 yr, higher birth weight was associated with elevated childhood cancer mortality (rate ratio = 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.58). Our results offer no overall associations between childhood cancer mortality and birth characteristics, but suggest that the association may be specific to age group.
Birth Weight ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cohort Studies ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Multiple Birth Offspring ; Neoplasms/*mortality ; Parents ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Siblings ; Socioeconomic Factors

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and exposure to rural environments. Studies were identified through OVID MEDLINE and EMBASE search up to September 2013 using as keywords rural residence, farmers, and pesticide exposure. Twenty-two studies were included for this meta-analysis. Summary odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using random effect model by type of exposure index, and subgroup analyses were conducted according to study design, gender, region, case ascertainment, and exposure assessment. The risk of ALS was significantly increased with pesticide exposure (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.22-1.70) and with farmers (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.17-1.73), but was not significant with rural residence (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.84-1.87). The risk estimates for subgroup analysis between pesticide exposure and ALS indicated a significant positive association with men (OR, 1.96), and in studies using El Escorial criteria for ALS definition (OR, 1.63) and expert judgment for pesticide exposure (OR, 2.04) as well. No significant publication bias was observed. Our findings support the association of pesticide exposure and an increased risk for ALS, stressing that the use of more specific exposure information resulted in more significant associations.
Age Distribution ; Agriculture/*statistics & numerical data ; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/*epidemiology ; Environmental Exposure/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology ; Pesticides/*analysis ; *Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate the burden of acute pesticide poisoning and to determine its trend with recently implemented pesticide regulations. METHODS: Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to acute pesticide poisoning using the methods of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The values of YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs were stratified by sex, age groups, intentionality of poisoning, and causative agents. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2014, DALYs decreased by 69% (from 69,550 to 21,742). The decreasing tendency of DALYs was especially marked from 2011. The total burden of acute pesticide poisoning was mainly caused by YLLs and intentional pesticide poisoning. The highest DALYs due to acute pesticide poisoning occurred in those in their 40s and 50s; however, the decreased rates of DALYs were higher in those aged 10–49 years than in those aged more than 50 years. Herbicides including paraquat contributed to the largest proportion of total DALYs. CONCLUSION: As this is the first study to quantify the burden of acute pesticide poisoning using DALYs, our results provide comprehensive evidence of the importance of using strict regulations to prevent public health hazards due to acute pesticide poisoning.
Agrochemicals ; Cost of Illness ; Herbicides ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea* ; Paraquat ; Poisoning* ; Public Health ; Social Control, Formal ; Suicide

PURPOSE: The flipped classroom has been suggested as a method for efficient teaching in medical education. However, its feasibility and effectiveness in the educational environment are often overlooked. The authors redesigned an epidemiology course applying the flipped classroom method under a traditional curriculum consisting of heavily scheduled classroom hours and explored its feasibility and effectiveness. METHODS: In the fall semester of 2017, we flipped the ‘practice of epidemiology’ course for third-year medical students at Korea University College of Medicine. We provided online lectures and assigned readings as pre-class materials, and substituted group discussions and communicative activities for traditional lectures. We conducted pre- and post-course surveys to review students' perceptions. We also analyzed the pre-test results and final exam scores for quantitative comparison. RESULTS: Ninety-seven students out of 120 completed the course. Most students made use of the online lectures, but not the reading materials. Lack of time was the most frequently cited reason for under-preparedness. We observed improvements in preparedness, participation, and effectiveness at the end of the course, while changes in satisfaction were unclear. Students' perceptions of course relevance and difficulty were predictive of pre-test outcomes, but the effects of preparedness and length of materials were insignificant. The authors found no evidence of differing test scores before and after the course. CONCLUSION: This study supports the feasibility of the flipped classroom model even under a traditional, heavily scheduled medical curriculum. To encourage self-directed learning and achieve better learning outcomes, restructuring pre-existing curricular components should also be considered in parallel with new instructional methods.
Curriculum ; Education, Medical ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Lectures ; Methods ; Preventive Medicine ; Reading ; Students, Medical

PURPOSE: The flipped classroom has been suggested as a method for efficient teaching in medical education. However, its feasibility and effectiveness in the educational environment are often overlooked. The authors redesigned an epidemiology course applying the flipped classroom method under a traditional curriculum consisting of heavily scheduled classroom hours and explored its feasibility and effectiveness. METHODS: In the fall semester of 2017, we flipped the ‘practice of epidemiology’ course for third-year medical students at Korea University College of Medicine. We provided online lectures and assigned readings as pre-class materials, and substituted group discussions and communicative activities for traditional lectures. We conducted pre- and post-course surveys to review students' perceptions. We also analyzed the pre-test results and final exam scores for quantitative comparison. RESULTS: Ninety-seven students out of 120 completed the course. Most students made use of the online lectures, but not the reading materials. Lack of time was the most frequently cited reason for under-preparedness. We observed improvements in preparedness, participation, and effectiveness at the end of the course, while changes in satisfaction were unclear. Students' perceptions of course relevance and difficulty were predictive of pre-test outcomes, but the effects of preparedness and length of materials were insignificant. The authors found no evidence of differing test scores before and after the course. CONCLUSION This study supports the feasibility of the flipped classroom model even under a traditional, heavily scheduled medical curriculum. To encourage self-directed learning and achieve better learning outcomes, restructuring pre-existing curricular components should also be considered in parallel with new instructional methods.

OBJECTIVES: Exposure assessment is a major challenge faced by studies that evaluate the association between pesticide exposure and adverse health outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate the reliability of information that farmers self-report regarding their pesticide use. METHODS: Twenty five items based upon existing questionnaires were designed to focus on pesticide exposure. In 2009 a self-administrated survey was conducted on two occasions four weeks apart among 205 farmers residing in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. For a reliability measure, we calculated the percentage agreement, the kappa statistics and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the two reports according to the characteristics of the subjects. RESULTS: Agreement for ever-never use of any pesticide was 96.4% (kappa 0.61). For both 'years used' and 'age at the first use' of overall pesticides, high agreement was obtained (ICC: 0.88 and, 0.78, respectively), whereas those of 'days used' and 'hours used' were relatively low (ICC: 0.42 and, 0.66, respectively). The kappa value for the use of personal protective equipment ranged from 0.46 to 0.59, and hygiene activities came out at 0.19 to 0.37. The agreement for individual pesticide use ranged widely and there was relatively low agreement due to the low response rates. The reliability scores did not significantly vary according to gender, age, the education level, the types of crop or the years of farming. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support that carefully designed, self-reported information on ever-never pesticide use among farmers is reliable. However, the reliability of data on individual pesticide exposure may be unstable due to low response rates and needs to be refined.
Adult ; Agriculture/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure/prevention & control/*statistics & numerical data ; *Pesticides ; Protective Clothing ; Self Report

PURPOSE: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) grafted from HLA-matched parents. METHODS: Seven children with acute leukemia (4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 3 acute myeloid leukemia) in first complete remission received allogeneic HSCT from their respective parents at the St. Marys Hospital between April, 1999 and October, 2005. The median age of patients at transplantation was 5 years (range, 1-11 years; 2 male, 5 female) and the median age of donors was 35 years (range, 30-41 years; 5 male, 2 female). We investigated the clinical outcomes such as engraftment, acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), transplant-related morbidity and mortality, relapse and survival. RESULTS: Median time from transplantation to last follow-up was 69.5 months (range, 18.8-96.5 months). All patients were successfully engrafted, with a median time of 11 days (range, 10-16 days) and 26 days (range, 13-39 days) for neutrophil and platelet recovery, respectively. Grade II acute GVHD occurred in 3, and grade III acute GVHD in 1 of 7 recipients. Extensive chronic GVHD developed in 2, and limited chronic GVHD in 1 of 7 recipients. Death from transplant-related complications occurred in 1, and relapse occurred in 1 of 7 recipients. Estimated 5-year overall survival was 83+/-15%. CONCLUSION: The clinical outcomes of recipients who underwent HSCT from HLA-matched parents were comparable to those of patients who received HSCT grafted from HLA-matched sibling donors in childhood leukemia. HLA typing of parents, as well as siblings will increase the likelihood of finding an HLA-matched family donor for patients who need HSCT.
Blood Platelets ; Child ; Follow-Up Studies ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Histocompatibility Testing ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Male ; Neutrophils ; Parents ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Siblings ; Tissue Donors ; Transplants