OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship of serum uric acid to cardiovascular risk factors in Korean male workers. METHODS: We screened 522 male workers at an electrical manufacturing company by a periodic health examination and a questionnaire survey in 2000. We collected data relating to age, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, serum lipid, fasting blood glucose and serum uric acid. The data were analyzed using a variety of methods, including ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multivariate regression analyses, to examine the association between uric acid and cardiovascular risk factors with a cross-sectional study design. RESULTS: The concentration of serum uric acid showed positive associations with BMI, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol; it was also significantly correlated to systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Life-style characteristics, such as smoking and alcohol drinking showed no significant association. From the multivariate regression analyses, BMI, total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose levels were found to be independent positive predictors of uric acid; while age, blood pressure and smoking status give no independent contribution explaining the variability of serum uric acid levels. Conclusions : This study demonstrates that serum uric acid level have a significant association with cardiovascular risk factors, such as BMI, total cholesterol and blood glucose in some Korean male workers.
Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Fasting ; Humans ; Male* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Uric Acid*

This study conducted to evaluate the association of work posture with cervical spine abnormality toward 106 microwave-oven assemblers. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain a general characteristics and a work history of workers. The posture of neck and shoulder joint of workers were measured with video tape recording and the simple X-ray of cervical spine was checked-up to observe the X-ray abnormality including degenerative change, curvature abnormality, disc space narrowing or disc canal narrowing. The result were as follows. 1. The prevalence of degenerative change among cervicobrachial disorder workers was 44.3%(47 persons), curvature abnormality was 43.4%(46 persons), disc space narrowing was 21.7%(23 persons), and disc canal narrowing was 21.7%(23 persons). 2. The prevalence of degenerative change at cervical spine was increased with the degree of neck flexion(flexed versus neutral; odds ratio (OR)=2.7), the total work posture of neck(mild or severe awkward versus neutral; OR=1.2, 3.4). 3. The prevalence of degenerative change at cervical spine was increased with the degree of the right shoulder flexion, the heaviness of the materials carried by the right hand and the degree of awkwardness at the total work posture of right shoulder(p<0.05). 4. There was no evidence of association between curvature abnormality, disc space narrowing, disc canal narrowing and work posture. In conclusion the awkward work posture was related with degenerative change of cervical spine among microwave oven assembling workers and the further study in these field must be made to prove the association objectively.
Hand ; Microwaves ; Neck ; Odds Ratio ; Posture* ; Prevalence ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Joint ; Spine* ; Videotape Recording

BACKGROUND: Korea Academy of Family Medicine recommands HBsAb and HBsAb test in youth health promotion program. Adequate management are necessary for prevention of vertical transmission at perinatal period, especially girls' high school students as a future's conceivable woman. Health examination program for the first grade students of high school which was established by the Educational Ministry has been acted since 1998. So, through the students health examination we'd like to find an adequate method of prevention and management in hepatitis B. METHODS: Our study examines HBs Ag/Ab about girls' high school students at two high schools in a city. According to the results of hepatitis B, active intervention in carrier group, passive intervention in candidate were done. And then a year later, hepatitis B management was investigated through the questionnaire. RESULTS: In active intervention group, regular check up of hepatitis B is 21.4%, hepatitis B blood test in family is 39.3% and in passive intervention group, hepatitis B vaccination rate after health examiantion is 9.1%. CONCLUSION: More active intervention such as mass vaccination are required in health examination for the purpose of hepatitis B management at youth.
Adolescent ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Hematologic Tests ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Vaccination ; Vaccination ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Recently, the apartment complex is rapidly increasing as a new type of housing in a large city. So the purpose of the this survey is to research the experience rate of young children's allergic disease in an area of the apartment complex of a large city and to help the family medical doctor to diagnose and treat the young patients. METHODS: The experience rate of atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, food allergy was surveyed on June 1999 at an elementary school in a large apartment complex in Kwang ju. The survey group were 832 students attending elementary school from the second to sixth grade. Also this survey was used to elicit information about the relationship between allergic disease and factors such as age, sex, birth history, family history, and home environment. For analysis of our finding, we have been used chi square test. RESULTS: The survey shows that the experience rate of allergic disease is 40.4%. The experience rate of allergic disease was not related with sex, but the more ages the less experience rate. Allergic disease was not related with birth weight, gestational age, feeding method, use of carpet, breeding of pet, smoker in home, and the previous housing type. But experience rate of allergic disease was increased with positive family history. CONCLUSION: General facts of allergic disease in elementary school children had no differentiation between large city and the other region. The experience rate of allergic disease is 40.4%.
Asthma ; Birth Weight ; Breeding ; Child* ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Feeding Methods ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Gestational Age ; Gwangju ; Housing ; Humans ; Reproductive History ; Rhinitis

This paper evaluates the current state of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of Korean farmers. Korean farmers are exposed to a multitude of ergonomic risk factors, and have high rates of musculoskeletal disorders such as backpain and knee osteoarthritis, while hip osteoarthritis is relatively low. As of 2010, the average age of Korean farmers is 62.3, and the average period of their work in agriculture is 33.3 years. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish the influence of natural aging and farm work on the development of musculoskeletal disorders. It is necessary to conduct research on a correlation between specific diagnosis such as rotator cuff syndrome, and farm work in general because farmers complain of a great deal of pain.
Aging ; Agriculture ; Back Pain ; Osteoarthritis, Hip ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; Risk Factors ; Rotator Cuff

This study was performed to find the prevalence and the associated risk factors with low back pain(LBP) of the staffs in a university at Kwang-ju city. The data were collected by a questionnaire including SDS(Self-rating depression Scale) battery from September 1st to October 15th, 1996. The results were as follows; 1. The prevalence rate of LBP during lifetime was 73.1%, 53.1% for the last one year, and 23.6% for the last one week. 2. Statistically significant factors related to LBP during lifetime were sex and satisfaction with job. Sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, occupation, work posture, forward bending of trunk and satisfaction with job were selected as significant factors related to LBP during the last one year. The significant determinants related with LBP during the last one week were sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, occupation, forward bending of trunk and satisfaction with job. 3. Through the analysis of self-rating depression scores according to LBP during lifetime were selected to be female(OR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.08~6.40), dissatisfaction with job(OR=2.16, 95% CI: 1.16~4.15), those for the last one year were chosen to be female(OR=2.30, 95% CI: 1.03~5.12), forward bending of trunk(OR=2.18, 95% CI: 1.26~3.79), dissatisfaction with job(OR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.06~3.21), and those for the last one week were female(OR=3.00, 95% CI: 1.17~7.69), forward bending of trunk(OR=2.85, 95% CI: 1.38~5.88). In conclusion, for effective prevention of the LBP at work site, appropriate improvement of work posture and various psychological factors should be considered.
Alcohol Drinking ; Depression ; Gwangju ; Low Back Pain* ; Occupations ; Posture ; Prevalence ; Psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Workplace

No abstract available.
Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic

Working postures in 116 microwave-oven assemblers were measured and analysed using postural load scores of body parts in 137 workers complaining the cervicobrachial syndrome (CBS). The relationship between postural load scores of body parts and the grades of CBS was observed. Results were summarized as follows. 1. The height of work-table and work-seat, the thumb tip reach, the shoulder angle, the elbow angle and the forward bending angle of body trunk exceeded the recommended level and therefore they seemed to impose increased static postural loads on muscles of neck and shoulder as well as static and/or dynamic load on arm and hand muscles. 2. The postural load score of shoulder in grade II was significantly lower than that in grade III-2 and IV and those of elbow, neck+shoulder, elbow+wrist and upper extremity were significantly lower in grade II than in grade Iv. These results suggested that the awkward working postures were associated with the occurrence of CBS as well as the severity of CBS.
Arm ; Elbow ; Hand ; Human Body ; Muscles ; Neck ; Posture* ; Shoulder ; Thumb ; Upper Extremity

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to assess the association between the social support and blood pressure(BP) in a rural community. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey, comprising a health examination including BP, height and weight and a questionnaire-based interview which investigated social support, demographic factors, smoking, drinking, and etc. was performed between February 10th and March 5th, 1998. The survey included 318 persons who were over than 30-year-old in the rural community of Kwangju, Republic of Korea. We excluded persons who taking antihypertensive medications or who provided incomplete information; we subsequently analyzed the data from 284 persons. In order to test the hypothesis of an association between BP and social support controlling confounders such as age, educational level, working time, body mass index, smoking and drinking, the data was analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The subjects were composed of 109(38.4%) males and 175(61.6%) females with mean ages of 62.0 years and 61.1 years, respectively. The hypertension prevalence was 41.3% among males and 45.1% among females. In the correlation analysis, higher total social support scores correlated significantly with lower systolic BP in both males and females. The hypertension prevalence increased significantly with the decreasing of the social support in males. In multiple regression analysis, systolic and diastolic blood pressure showed a negative association with social support in both males and females, although this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Larger and broader studies are required in the future in order to identify the association between the social support and BP.
Adult ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Mass Index ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Demography ; Drinking ; Female ; Gwangju ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Linear Models ; Male ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Rural Population ; Smoke ; Smoking

OBJECTIVES: The investigation of the degree of the relationship according to body part between occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck, shoulder, elbow, and hands of workers performing computer tasks. METHODS: In August and September 2009, we conducted a survey of 529 public office workers employed by the National Health Insurance Corporation using structured questionnaires in order to find demographic factors, work related factors, job stress, physical computer task load and musculoskeletal symptoms. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire, Quick DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score), and the Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire were all used to evaluate their musculoskeletal symptoms. The presence of symptoms segregated by body part determined the dependent variables. The degree of job stress and other confounder variables determined the independent variables. We calculated the odds ratio employing multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS: A score of > or =5 in the VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) 10-point scale and the presence of symptoms lasting at least 1 week determined the musculoskeletal symptom group in regards to the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. The neck pain odds ratio was adjusted by sex, age, work hours, employment duration, physical computer task load and depression. It was determined to be 2.92 (95% CI 1.76~4.84) in the higher to lower occupational stress group. The shoulder pain odds ratio was 1.96 (95% CI 1.18~3.24), elbow pain 0.55 (95% CI 0.21~1.43), and hand pain 1.71 (95% CI 0.99~2.95). A score of > or =10 in the 100-unit scale determined the musculoskeletal symptom group in regards to the Northwick Park neck pain questionnaire and the Quick DASH. The neck symptom odds ratio was 2.73 (95% CI 1.66~4.49) and the upper extremity symptom figure was 2.18 (95% CI 1.29~3.68). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the relevance between neck and shoulder symptoms and occupational stress was obvious, however the relevance between elbow and hand pain and job stress was not as clear or ambiguous.
Arm ; Demography ; Depression ; Elbow ; Employment ; Hand ; Musculoskeletal Diseases ; National Health Programs ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Odds Ratio ; Questionnaires ; Shoulder ; Shoulder Pain ; Upper Extremity