In 2004, this study was carried out at 5 commune health stations at Van Son, Ngoc Hai, Ngoc Xuyen, Van Huong wards and Bang La commune. The results revealed that only the health station of Bang La commune met the national standard for commune health with 90.5 points. Most communes had not achieved standard III (on disease diagnosis and medical treatment and rehabilitation activities), standard IV (on facilities and medical equipment) and standard VI (on traditional medicine). Factors causing drawbacks at these commune health stations include shortage of human resource, material facilities and equipments.
Public Facilities ; Health ; Epidemiology ; Health Facilities

BACKGROUND: The anti-smoking policy in Korea has been recently focusing on reducing the harmful effects of tobacco smoke pollution by establishing smoking bans or restrictions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in opinions between smokers and non-smokers regarding this current policy. METHODS: A telephone survey was conducted by Gallup Korea involving 1,200 adult residents (older than 19 years) of the Daejeon Metropolitan Area. The number of respondents included in the assessment was 1,013 people (sampling error: +/-3.1% in 95% confidence interval). The questionnaire consisted of 4 main categories-general characteristics, knowledge and attitude of tobacco smoke pollution, agreement on non-smoking area designation of 9 public facilities, and opinions for imposing smoking fines. We conducted the Pearson's chi-square test to identify the different opinions between smokers and non-smokers. All statistical assessments were performed using the SPSS 18.0K. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the level of knowledge regarding the risks of tobacco smoke pollution between the two groups. However, smokers (79.0%) were less likely to recognize the seriousness of tobacco smoke pollution than non-smokers (94.7%) (P<0.001). In regard to their opinions for designating outdoor non-smoking areas, both groups agreed that designating non-smoking zones for children is the most important. Lastly, regarding the imposing of smoking fines, smokers were less supportive (58.3%) of the policy than non-smokers (92.2%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of our survey, establishing non-smoking zones for children is the top priority of all non-smoking public areas, followed by restaurants, bus stops, and parks. For a successful non-smoking policy in public facilities, the cooperation and participation of smokers is required. Therefore, we should make every effort to educate smokers focusing on public relations to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco smoke pollution.
Adult ; Child ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Korea ; Public Facilities ; Public Relations ; Restaurants ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sulfones ; Telephone ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution

BACKGROUND: The anti-smoking policy in Korea has been recently focusing on reducing the harmful effects of tobacco smoke pollution by establishing smoking bans or restrictions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in opinions between smokers and non-smokers regarding this current policy. METHODS: A telephone survey was conducted by Gallup Korea involving 1,200 adult residents (older than 19 years) of the Daejeon Metropolitan Area. The number of respondents included in the assessment was 1,013 people (sampling error: +/-3.1% in 95% confidence interval). The questionnaire consisted of 4 main categories-general characteristics, knowledge and attitude of tobacco smoke pollution, agreement on non-smoking area designation of 9 public facilities, and opinions for imposing smoking fines. We conducted the Pearson's chi-square test to identify the different opinions between smokers and non-smokers. All statistical assessments were performed using the SPSS 18.0K. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the level of knowledge regarding the risks of tobacco smoke pollution between the two groups. However, smokers (79.0%) were less likely to recognize the seriousness of tobacco smoke pollution than non-smokers (94.7%) (P<0.001). In regard to their opinions for designating outdoor non-smoking areas, both groups agreed that designating non-smoking zones for children is the most important. Lastly, regarding the imposing of smoking fines, smokers were less supportive (58.3%) of the policy than non-smokers (92.2%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of our survey, establishing non-smoking zones for children is the top priority of all non-smoking public areas, followed by restaurants, bus stops, and parks. For a successful non-smoking policy in public facilities, the cooperation and participation of smokers is required. Therefore, we should make every effort to educate smokers focusing on public relations to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco smoke pollution.
Adult ; Child ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Humans ; Korea ; Public Facilities ; Public Relations ; Restaurants ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Sulfones ; Telephone ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution

PURPOSE: As a part of analysis of home-based cancer patients management of public health centers, regional cancer center, and hospice institution in Jeju, this study was undertaken to establish their role. METHODS: We investigated current status of hospice palliative care, especially home-based cancer patients management and summary demand of public health centers. RESULTS: Services provided through the home-based cancer patients management project included physical, emotional, spiritual and education/informative services, even though there was little difference between them. The result showed that in the view of patients there was little relationship between public health centers, regional cancer center and hospice palliative institution. CONCLUSION: The relationship between home-based cancer patients management and institutions should be reinforced. Patients in acute state and difficulty care of patients should be referred to regional cancer center whereas maintenance state of patients should be referred to public health center.
Cancer Care Facilities ; Home Care Services, Hospital-Based ; Hospices ; Humans ; Palliative Care ; Public Health ; United States Public Health Service

OBJECTIVES: The current survey environment is changing and participation rates in national nutrition surveys are decreasing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop strategies for improving the nutrition survey system in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: To develop an alternative system for conducting the KNHANES nutritional survey, we conducted focus group interviews with stakeholders of the survey, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, and expert reviews. In addition, spatial analysis of potential sites for conducting surveys instead of relying on household visits was performed, and the perception of nutritional surveys in the population eligible for KNHANES was evaluated. RESULTS: Based on the results of the focus group interviews, SWOT analysis, and expert reviews, we propose two options for survey sites: vehicles specifically prepared for nutritional surveys and public facilities such as community service centers or public health centers. Among public facilities, community service centers were found to be more appropriate sites than public health centers because they were considered more accessible. About 90% of respondents would participate in the survey in public facilities and about 74% would in vehicles. CONCLUSIONS: Conducting national nutrition surveys in specially designed vehicles and public facilities could be a viable alternative to home visits. Next, the validity of these newly proposed nutrition survey methods needs to be compared to the results of the current national nutrition survey.
Family Characteristics ; Focus Groups ; House Calls ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys ; Public Facilities ; Public Health ; Social Welfare ; Spatial Analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: The current survey environment is changing and participation rates in national nutrition surveys are decreasing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop strategies for improving the nutrition survey system in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: To develop an alternative system for conducting the KNHANES nutritional survey, we conducted focus group interviews with stakeholders of the survey, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, and expert reviews. In addition, spatial analysis of potential sites for conducting surveys instead of relying on household visits was performed, and the perception of nutritional surveys in the population eligible for KNHANES was evaluated. RESULTS: Based on the results of the focus group interviews, SWOT analysis, and expert reviews, we propose two options for survey sites: vehicles specifically prepared for nutritional surveys and public facilities such as community service centers or public health centers. Among public facilities, community service centers were found to be more appropriate sites than public health centers because they were considered more accessible. About 90% of respondents would participate in the survey in public facilities and about 74% would in vehicles. CONCLUSIONS: Conducting national nutrition surveys in specially designed vehicles and public facilities could be a viable alternative to home visits. Next, the validity of these newly proposed nutrition survey methods needs to be compared to the results of the current national nutrition survey.
Family Characteristics ; Focus Groups ; House Calls ; Korea ; Nutrition Surveys ; Public Facilities ; Public Health ; Social Welfare ; Spatial Analysis ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: We wanted to evaluate the public's ability to perform basic life support (BLS) in public facilities. METHODS: We collected the information and results of BLS from the public in parks and civil defense education centers. The enrolled subjects performed the CPR sequence and the foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) sequence on manikins. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty people were enrolled and 186 (52%) of them knew about BLS by the media. Also, 257 (71%) of them answered that the media was important when they were asked about the priority of the education methods for BLS. On the results of the tests, 111 (30%) were not confident performing BLS and as a result, only 9 persons correctly performed the sequence of BLS and 2 persons correctly performed the sequency of FBAO. 189(57%) of them were contacted any cases of resuscitation education just by media and 250(74%) were evaluated in having affinity to media educations. Self-satisfaction was revealed almost at 50~80 points. CONCLUSION: Almost all public persons did not correctly perform the sequence of BLS. We expected that the media will have a large role to teach and effectively spread the techniques of BLS to the public.
Airway Obstruction ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Civil Defense ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Mass Media ; Public Facilities ; Resuscitation

PURPOSE: Our country has seen a rapid increase in economic growth, national land development and planning. As a consequence, cities were enlarged and became densely populated. Public facilities were also increased to adequately serve the increasing population. Within the past 10 years, a lot of accidents in public facilities have occurred but the legal foundations for emergency medical care and systems for these public facilities may be lacking. METHODS: From the current domestic laws, we defined the public facilities and the enrolled laws that govern these facilities. Adequacy of the enrolled laws were then analyzed using 7 reference points: education for all employees, education for security employees, education for customers, arrangement of medical persons, arrangement of security person, equipment for emergency care and penalty. RESULTS: There were 17 enrolled laws and only 'Juvenile Activity Promotion Act' fulfilled most of the reference points except for 2; the arrangement of medical persons and penalty. Fifteen of the enrolled laws fulfilled less than 3 reference points. CONCLUSION: In the current domestic laws governing public facilities, almost all of them practically lacked policies addressing emergency care and systems.
Economic Development ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Foundations ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Public Facilities

OBJECTIVETo study the levels of pollutions caused by fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) in the public places and investigate the possible influencing factors.

METHODSA total of 20 public places in four types such as rest room in bath center, restaurant, karaoke bars and cyber cafe in Tongzhou district in Beijing were chosen in this study; indoor and outdoor PM(2.5) was monitored by TSI sidepak AM510. Data under varying conditions were collected and analyzed, such as doors or windows or mechanical ventilation devices being opened, rooms cramped with people and smoking.

RESULTSThe average concentration of indoor PM(2.5) in 20 public places was (334.6 +/- 386.3) microg/m(3), ranging from 6 microg/m(3) to 1956 microg/m(3); while in bath center, restaurant, karaoke bars and cyber cafe were (116.9 +/- 100.1)microg/m(3), (317.9 +/- 235.3) microg/m(3), (750.6 +/- 521.6)microg/m(3) and (157.5 +/- 98.5) microg/m(3) respectively. The concentrations of PM(2.5) in restaurant (compared with bath center: Z = -10.785, P < 0.01; compared with karaoke bars: Z = -10.488, P < 0.01; compared with cyber cafe: Z = -7.547, P < 0.01) and karaoke bars (compared with bath center: Z = -16.670, P < 0.01; compared with cyber cafe: Z = -15.682, P < 0.01) were much higher than those in other two places. Single-factor analysis revealed that the average concentration of indoor PM(2.5) in 20 public places was associated with the number of smokers per cube meters(9.13 x 10(-3); r = 0.772, F = 26.579, P < 0.01) and ventilation score [(2.5 +/- 1.5) points; r = 0.667, F = 14.442, P < 0.01], and there were significant correlation between the average indoor and outdoor levels in restaurant [(317.9 +/- 235.3) microg/m(3), (67.8 +/- 78.9) microg/m(3); r = 0.918, F = 16.013, P = 0.028] and cyber cafe [(157.5 +/- 98.5) microg/m(3), (67.7 +/- 43.7) microg/m(3); r = 0.955, F = 30.785, P = 0.012]. Furthermore, significant correlation was observed between the average concentration of indoor PM(2.5) [(157.5 +/- 98.5) microg/m(3)]and the number of people per cube meters (288.7 x 10(-3)) in cyber cafe (r = 0.891, F = 11.615, P = 0.042). Multiple regression analysis showed that smoking (b' = 0.581, t = 3.542, P = 0.003) and ventilation (b' = -0.348, t = -2.122, P = 0.049) were the major factors that may influence the concentration of indoor PM(2.5) in four public places. With cluster analysis, the results showed that the major factors that influence the concentration of indoor PM(2.5) was the outdoor PM(2.5) levels [(49.6 +/- 39.5) microg/m(3); b = 1.556, t = 3.760, P = 0.007] when ventilation (score > 2) was relatively good. The number of smokers per cube meters (14.7 x 10(-3)) became the major influence factor when the ventilation score

CONCLUSIONThis study indicated that smoking was the main source of indoor PM(2.5) in public places. Outdoor PM(2.5) should be correlated with indoor PM(2.5) concentration under drafty situation.

Air Pollution, Indoor ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Particulate Matter ; analysis ; Public Facilities ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate thirdhand smoke (THS) pollution in certain places of Nanjing, as well as to analyze its distribution characteristics.

METHODSFrom March to May, 2014, we selected 3 types of places (residencies, public places and transportation vehicles) that were close to people's living in Jianye,Yuhua,Jiangning,Xuanwu,Gulou and Pukou districts of Nanjing city.For each of the above 3 types of places, 2-3 smoking and non-smoking (smoking ban) locations were investigated, totally 51 locations, 9-10 samples were collected each location, totally 477 samples. The surface wipe sampling method in conjunction with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was utilized to quantify the levels of nicotine that served as the tracer of THS pollution.One-way ANOVA and t-tests were employed to compare the levels of nicotine collected at different places and locations.

RESULTSTotally 477 samples were collected in this study, of which 27.0% was from residencies (129/477), 61.0% (291/477) from public places and 11.9% (57/477) from transportations. The levels of indoor surface nicotine in smoking residences, public places and transportations were (214 ± 55),(1 408 ± 177) and (1 511 ± 785) µg/m(2), respectively, which were all higher than those in the corresponding non-smoking places ((23 ± 9),(62 ± 11), and (46 ± 15) µg/m(2); t values were 13.79, 13.15, 3.45, respectively. P values were <0.001, <0.001 and 0.006, respectively).In the smoking places, the levels of surface nicotine on walls, desks, sofas, cabinets, door backsides and air conditioning openings were (171 ± 62),(232 ± 38),(373 ± 151),(903 ± 239), (978 ± 212), (1 721 ± 517) µg/m(2) (F = 7.06, P = 0.009).In the smoking condition, the levels of surface nicotine collected from public places were higher (F = 9.25, P = 0.024), while under non-smoking (smoking ban) conditions, the levels of surface nicotine collected from residences were lower (F = 7.88, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONTHS pollution was widespread in public places, residences and transportations in Nanjing city, which was more serious in the smoking environments than non-smoking (smoking ban) environments; the contamination was less serious in non-smoking (smoking ban) private residences; in the smoking condition, the levels of surface nicotine were relatively high at locations close to air conditioning openings, door backsides and cabinets.

Air Conditioning ; China ; Housing ; Humans ; Nicotine ; Public Facilities ; Smoking ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Tobacco Smoke Pollution ; Transportation