The purposes of this study were to investigate the perception of community nutrition programs and the conditions to carry them out, for 32 directors of health centers where public health nutritionists are not employed. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. Nutrition intervention programs were not carried out actively except those for infants but the health center directors strongly felt the necessity of carrying out various nutrition programs. The factors that affect the selecting and priotizing of nutrition programs were the need of community residents, the perception of the local congressmen, and the head of the local government. The most urgent and important problem to be solved in order to intervene nutrition programs was employing public health nutritionists on a tenure basis. Other were securing necessary revenue, precise guidance, political support, hardwares, etc. These results showed the importance of employing public health nutritionists for intervening appropriate nutrition programs and improving the perception of nutrition services for health center directors, local congressmen and personnels in charge of formulating nutrition policies.
Head ; Humans ; Infant ; Local Government ; Nutrition Policy ; Nutritionists* ; Public Health*

Page 31. The size of conidia of Alternatia brassicicola should be 20~80x8~25 microm instead of 20~120x8~30 microm.
Alternaria* ; Korea* ; Spores, Fungal

The taxonomy of the Alternaria spp. has been a subject, of controversy because of their high variability in conidial morphology and polymorphism displayed even in pure cultures. The published Korean literature on the genus Alternaria is scattered and fragmentary, and pertains to about 25 species with special emphasis on occurrence and pathogenicity, but mycological studies on this group of fungi are insufficient. This is the first series of detailed and consolidated account of Korean species of Alternaria, which includes 11 species; viz., Alternaria brassicae, A. brassicicola, A. cinerariae, A. dauci, A. dianthi, A. dianthicola, A. helianthi, A. helianthinffciens, A. iridicola, A. japonica and A. protenta. Detailed diagnostic descriptions, specific characterizations, taxonomic discussions and illustrations for each species are presented.
Alternaria* ; Brassica ; Classification ; Fungi ; Korea* ; Virulence

No abstract available.
Female ; Humans ; Hysterosalpingography*

OBJECTIVES: Studies that reported the association between diet quality/nutritional intake status and mortality have rarely used long-term follow-up data in Asian countries, including Korea. This study investigated the association between the risk of mortality (all-cause and cause-specific) and the diet quality/nutritional intake status using follow-up 12-year mortality data from a nationally representative sample of South Koreans. METHODS: 8,941 individuals who participated in 1998 and 2001 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were linked to mortality data from death certificates. Of those individuals, 1,083 (12.1%) had died as of December, 2012. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the relative risks of mortality according to the level of diet quality and intakes of major nutrients. Indicators for diet quality index and nutritional intake status were assessed using MAR (mean adequacy ratio) and energy and protein intake level compared with the 2010 Korean DRI. RESULTS: Higher diet quality/nutritional intake status were associated with lower mortality; the mortality risk (95% confidence interval) from all-cause of lowest MAR group vs highest was 1.66 (1.27 to 2.18) among ≥ 30 year old, and 1.98 (1.36 to 2.86) among 30~64 year old individuals. Those with below 75% of energy and protein intake of Korean DRI had higher mortality risks of all-cause mortality compared to the reference group. Diet quality/nutritional intake status was inversely associated with mortality from cardiovascular diseases and cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Poor Diet quality/nutritional intake status were associated with a higher risk of mortality from all-cause and mortality from cardiovascular diseases and cancer among South Korean adults.
Adult* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Death Certificates ; Diet* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Korea ; Mortality* ; Proportional Hazards Models

The purpose of this study is to estimate cesarean section rate in Korea and analyze the socioeconomic variables and health resources which affect regional variation in the rate. Samples were drawn from the record of vaginal and cesarean section deliveries based upon insurance claim bills which have been submitted to the National Federation of Medical Insurance for the first three months, January through March, 1991. The results are obtained as follows: It was found that, cesarean section rate was increasing rapidly up to 23.1% in 1991. Cesarean section per 10 thousand insured people was 4.8 and the number of cesarean section per 10 thousand insured eligible(15-49 years old) female was 7.6. The fee for normal delivery was 109,489 won and that for cesarean section was 390,024 won. The average days of hospitalization in normal delivery was 2.3 days, and those in cesarean section was 7.6 days. On the average cesarean section has a longer of stay as much as by 4.3 days and cost 3.6 times more than normal deliveries. Cesarean section rates vary among medical facilities: 19.8% at clinics 37.6% in small-scale hospitals, and 29.1% in general hospitals. The regional variation of cesarean section rates was also fairly prominent. The South Cheju Gun has the highest rate of cesarean section, 56.2%. Meanwhile no cesarean section cases has been reported in Sunchang Gun during the period of this study. The variation is noted among provinces. The rate for Cheju province has been 3.4 times higher than that for Chunnam. The number of cesarean section per 10 thousand insured people vary greatly among regions, too. This study has found that there exists significant regional variations among various geographic units in terms of average length of stay, average cost, number of obsretricians and number of beds. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify factors explaining the regional variance of various cesarean section rates: In the urban areas, no significant explaining variables were noted except the number of beds for the dependent variable of cesarean section cases per 10 thousand insured eligible females. The smaller the number of bed, the more cases of cesarean section was noted for an urban area. The is mostly because the rate of cesarean section is higher in medium-size hospitals than in large general hospitals. In the rural areas, the factor of education has been found significant for all three dependent variables. The higher the educational level, the rate of cesarean section is most likely to rise. An income variable measured by the amount of monthly insurance contribution has been identified a powerful predictor in explaining the variance of cesarean section rates. The same has been noted for the number of obstetricians. Similar findings are observed for the country as a whole. The income level has been found as the most powerful explaining factor in the regional variance of cesarean section rates. In general the rate is higher in the urban areas, and lower in the area with more small hospitals. As this is the initial attempt to identify the factors relevant to the regional difference in the rates of cesarean section, more elaborated study is urgently required.
Cesarean Section* ; Education ; Fees and Charges ; Female ; Health Resources ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Insurance ; Jeju-do ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Hydronephrosis* ; Turner Syndrome*

The neurotoxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in rodents was investigated by measuring the locomotor activity and the changes of brain biogenic amines in MPTP-treated C57BL/6 mice. The mice showed a typical curved spine posture 24 hours after MPTP treatment. Total locomotor activity was reduced and the ratios of stereotyped activity/total locomotor activity were increased 24 hours after MPTP treatment. However no significant changes were observed 7 days after MPTP treatment. MPTP-induced changes of biogenic amines were evident only in corpus striatum, not in frontal lobe, midbrain and hippocampus; the levels of dopamine, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were reduced by 94%, 76.3% and 60.2% after 24 hours, and 81.9%, 61.3% and 26.1% after 6 days compared to control values respectively. The ratios of DOPAC/dopamine, HVA/dopamine and HVA/DOPAC were increased 24 hours and 7 day after MPTP treatment compared to control valuse in corpus striatum, but the degree of the 7 days was less than the 24 hours. The ratios of 5-HIAA/5-HT were incresed 24 hours and 7 days after MPTP treatment in corpus striatum, but there were no significant changes in the levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and 5-hydroxtryptamine (5-HT). In conclusion, MPTP produced parkinsonism-like behavioral and biochemical changes in C57BL/ 6 mice.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine* ; Animals ; Biogenic Amines* ; Brain ; Corpus Striatum ; Dopamine ; Frontal Lobe ; Hippocampus ; Homovanillic Acid ; Mesencephalon ; Mice* ; Motor Activity* ; Posture ; Rodentia ; Spine

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify health literacy levels of Asian immigrant women in Korea and factors related with health literacy in them among other sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: Data were drawn from 671 immigrant women who came from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other Asian countries (M age=28.1+/-5.89) using REALM-R, which consisted of 8 medical words and was translated into Korean (score range: 0~8). Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 20.0 program for descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test and multiple regression. RESULTS: The average score of health literacy was 5.0+/-2.61. Time since immigration, country of origin, education level, and Korean language proficiency significantly predicted levels of health literacy in Asian immigrant women (adjusted R square=.200, p<.001). CONCLUSION: When health care professionals provide health care services and health education, they should consider levels of health literacy and factors related with health literacy in Asian immigrant women.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; China ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Emigration and Immigration ; Female ; Health Education ; Health Literacy* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Philippines ; Vietnam

PURPOSE: Cancer patients require emotional, financial and practical support as well as information/advice regarding their illness. This study aims to explore opportunities and barriers for the provision of the social support services in Australia and Korea. METHODS: The survey was carried out by an email questionnaire for social workers in Australia and Korea, and collected data were analyzed using a thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. RESULTS: In Australia and Korea, various types of social support were available for cancer patients. However, social support for cancer patients should be better understood first in Korea, and more personalized support is needed in Australia. CONCLUSION: These findings will ultimately help to improve social support services for cancer patients in Korea an Australia, through grasping the current state and making up for the weak points.
Australia ; Electronic Mail ; Hand Strength ; Hospice Care ; Humans ; Korea ; Social Workers