OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between cigarette smoking, alcohol and cancer mortality in men in the Kangwha cohort after 12 years and 10 months of follow up. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 2,681 men in the Kangwha cohort aged over 55 in 1985. Number of deaths and the time to death from all cancers and other cause were measured and the data for the smoking and drinking habits were obtained from the baseline survey data in 1985. All subjects were categorized into four groups according to their smoking habits: non-smokers, ex-smokers, moderate-smokers (1-19 cigarettes per day), heavy-smokers (> or =20 cigarettes per day). In addition, they were also categorized according to their drinking habits: non-drinkers, light-drinkers (< or =1 drink per week), moderate-drinkers (<3 drinks per day), heavy-drinkers (> or =3 drinks per day). The cancer specific death rates were calculated according to their smoking and drinking status. The adjusted risk ratio for all cancer deaths according to their smoking and drinking status were estimated using the Cox's proportional hazard regression model. RESULTS: Using nonsmokers as the reference category, the adjusted risk ratio for all cancer deaths were 1.573(95% CI=1.003-2.468) for heavy-smokers. For lung cancer deaths, the adjusted risk ratios were 3.540(95% CI=1.251-10.018) for moderate-smoker and 4.114(95% CI=1.275-13.271) for heavy-smokers. Compared to non-drinkers, the adjusted risk ratio for stomach cancer was 2.204(95% CI=1.114-4.361) for light-drinkers. CONCLUSION: Smoking is the most significant risk factor for cancer deaths particularly lung cancer.
Alcohols ; Cohort Studies* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Drinking ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Male ; Mortality* ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking* ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Tobacco Products*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hospital utilization of cancer patients in Inchon and to assess the feasibility of Inchon Cancer Registry (ICR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used two data sources from Korean Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) and Korean Medical Insurance (KMI) for analysis. RESULTS: KCCR data analysis showed that 50.8% of cancer patients visited hospitals in Seoul, 46% visited hospitals in Inchon, and 2.6% in other areas at first visit. The analysis of KMI data showed that 43% of cancer patients visited hospital in Seoul, 38.5% visited hospitals in Inchon, and 18.5% in other areas at first visit. From these results, we found many cancer patients visited hospitals located in Seoul. We estimated that 52.1% would be missed when we performed cancer registry project in Inchon area alone from the KCCR data analysis. On the other hand, 60% would be missed from the KMI data. However, if we used registration data at the nation-wide level and actively registered cancer patient data in Inchan, expected unregistration rates would be 5%. CONCLUSION: Even though registration rate to KCCR was relatively low (74%) in Inhon and many patients were treated in other area, we are convinced that almast all cancer patients would be registered because most cancer patients visited at least one of the cancer registry hospitals at the nation-wide level. Therefore, if ICR used KCCR and encouraged the hospitals in Inchon to actively participate in cancer registration, the population-based cancer registration in Inchon would be possible.
Information Storage and Retrieval ; Hand ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Insurance ; Seoul ; Statistics as Topic

Cognitive impairment and depression are the most common symptoms affecting the elderly on physical and mental states. Studies have shown that these symptoms in mild cases are improved by psychosocial intervention, emphasizing the importance of therapeutic intervention provided in the community. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the psychosocial program at a geriatric day care service has any therapeutic effect on the cognitive function and depressive symptoms in the elderly and whether such effect can be maintained. The experimental group was composed of 37 elderly patients attending the day care service at the mental health center located in Kwangju county, Kyonggi province. The control group was composed of 22 elderly patients who either refused intervention or who dropped out of the program. Cognitive function was assessed with the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Exam(MMSE-K) and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Short-form Geriatric Depression Scale(SGDS) The experimental group and the control group were compared on the score of on each test, which was administered before and after the program and 10 weeks after discontinuation of program. In the experimental group, the scores acquired immediately after the program and at 10 weeks of follow-up were also compared. The results showed that psychosocial intervention at a geriatric day care service was significantly associated with the change in SGDS scores dependent on time but not significantly associated with the change in MMSE-K scores. In the experimental group whose follow-up assessment was possible, it was further shown that 43% of patients had increased SGDS scores 10 weeks after the program ended, indicating that depressive symptoms had worsened. This study suggests that psychosocial therapeutic intervention in the geriatric day care service improve depressive symptoms but not cognitive functions in the elderly. In addition, for a considerable percentage of subjects in the experimental group, the improvements in depressive symptoms were not sustained after the intervention was withdrawn. These findings proposes a need of strengthening therapeutic intervention to maintain such effect.
Aged* ; Day Care, Medical* ; Depression* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gwangju ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Mental Health

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the learning achievement and satisfaction levels for the Field Epidemiology Specialist Training Program (FESTP), on infectious disease control between March 19 and October 31, 2002. METHODS: The FESTP was designed as a set of 84 hours curricula including lectures, discussions, self-studies, and field practicals, and organized both centrally and locally by the Division of Communicable Disease Control of the National Institute of Health and 11 universities. Before and after the program, a questionnaire survey on the educational need (49 items) and satisfaction (15 items) was conducted on 484 trainees, who were responsible for communicable disease control and immunization at 242 regional health centers. The data were analyzed with paired t-tests for comparison of the educational needs between the pre and post scores. RESULTS: The average score for satisfaction was 3.06 out of 5.0; with relatively higher scores for sincerity (4.10) and professionalism (4.01) of the tutors, adequacy (3.54) and clearness (3.51) of the evaluation criteria, usefulness (3.54) and fitness (3.52) of the contents, but with relatively lower satisfaction for schedule (2.96) and self-studies (2.91). The average for requirement for education improved, as shown by the decrease from 2.72 to 2.22 (p< .0001) with the biggest decrease in the outbreak investigation from 2.60 to 2.08. CONCLUSION: The FESTP was evaluated as being effective, the trainees showed moderate satisfaction and decrease educational needs. However, the actual schedules and self-studies should be rearranged to improve the satisfaction level.
Appointments and Schedules ; Communicable Disease Control ; Communicable Diseases ; Curriculum ; Education* ; Epidemiology* ; Immunization ; Learning ; Lectures ; Professionalism ; Specialization*