OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of hazardous and harmful alcohol use, which are a subthreshold of alcohol related disorders. METHODS: Direct-interview questionnaires to 1,183 rural persons (489 male, 694 female) were conducted in Chungju-city from July 2 to 26, 1998. As a screening instrument, the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT) was used. RESULTS: The prevalence of alcohol use was 41.7%. In males, it was 66.3% and in females, it was 24.4%. The mean of the AUDIT score of males and females was 13.2 and 5.6, respectively. As WHO guideline, the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use in males and females was 80.3% and 20.7%, respectively. This suggests that the prevalence of 'hazardous drinking' and 'harmful drinking' was 45.4% and 29.3% for males and 1.2% and 2.4% for females, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study presented the prevalence of hazardous and harmful drinking of a rural population in Korea and reviewed those health problems. Further evaluation to detect and treat lower alcoholic drinkers is recommended
Alcohol Drinking* ; Alcohol-Related Disorders ; Alcoholics ; Chungcheongbuk-do* ; Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Prevalence* ; Questionnaires ; Rural Population

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the level of self-assessment of life satisfaction and various factors related to the life satisfaction of Korean physicians. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis using the 2016 Korean physician survey Korean Physician Survey(KPS) data collected by the Research Institute for Healthcare Policy of the Korean Medical Association. The member database(DB) of the Korean Medical Association was used for sampling and the target population was formed and surveyed by using stratified quota sampling. A questionnaire was sent by E-mail as an online survey method and was conducted for a total of 7 weeks from November 21, 2016 to January 8, 2017. The final number of respondents was 8,564 (response rate 13.8%). In this study, a total of 7,228 physicians, excluding residents and public health doctors who are currently treating patients directly, were studied. Factors affecting the life satisfaction of physicians were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression analysis. Results: The physical factors positively related to the life satisfaction of physicians were those who were in their 60s, female, and thought they had good health status. As for psychological factors, stress was low.As for economic factors, satisfaction with income was high. As for social factors, the physicians lived with their families and were satisfied with the time they could spend with them. Also, the physicians were satisfied with the social respect they received as a doctors. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, it is thought that a multifaceted approach is needed to increase the life satisfaction of physicians.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the implementation rate and influencing factors of confirmatory tests for women with abnormal cervical cytology results in the Korean nationwide cervical cancer screening program. Methods: The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database was utilized to identify all Korean women who have participated in the Korean nationwide cervical cancer screening program from January 2011 and December 2021 using the NHIS database. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the multivariate odds ratio and evaluate the patients’ characteristics. Results: The rate of abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears showed an initial increase from 2011 to 2015 and subsequently reached a plateau after 2016. When examining specific subcategories, cases of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) increased from 28,546 cases (1.1%) in 2011 to 62,850 cases (1.7%) in 2021. In contrast, cases of HSIL and SCC declined from 3,535 cases (0.14%) to 2,763 cases (0.07%) and from 383 cases (0.01%) to 179 cases (0.005%), respectively. Furthermore, the implementation rate of confirmatory tests for women with abnormal cytology increased from 8,865 cases (21.0%) in 2011 to 39,045 cases (51.2%) in 2021. Regarding the specific subcategory of ASC-US, the number of confirmatory tests exhibited a substantial increase from 4,101 cases (14.4%) in 2011 to 30,482 cases (48.5%) in 2021. For SCC, there was no significant change, with 216 cases (56.4%) in 2011 and 102 cases (57.0%) in 2021. The implementation rate of confirmatory tests was found to be significantly associated with results of abnormal Pap smear, age, and residence. Notably, economic status did not emerge as a significant factor affecting the likelihood of undergoing confirmatory tests. Conclusions The severity of abnormal Pap smear results is a reliable indicator of the probability of undergoing a confirmatory test. Additional endeavors are required to improve the implementation rate among women who have received abnormal Pap smear results.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the implementation rate and influencing factors of confirmatory tests for women with abnormal cervical cytology results in the Korean nationwide cervical cancer screening program. Methods: The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database was utilized to identify all Korean women who have participated in the Korean nationwide cervical cancer screening program from January 2011 and December 2021 using the NHIS database. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the multivariate odds ratio and evaluate the patients’ characteristics. Results: The rate of abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears showed an initial increase from 2011 to 2015 and subsequently reached a plateau after 2016. When examining specific subcategories, cases of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) increased from 28,546 cases (1.1%) in 2011 to 62,850 cases (1.7%) in 2021. In contrast, cases of HSIL and SCC declined from 3,535 cases (0.14%) to 2,763 cases (0.07%) and from 383 cases (0.01%) to 179 cases (0.005%), respectively. Furthermore, the implementation rate of confirmatory tests for women with abnormal cytology increased from 8,865 cases (21.0%) in 2011 to 39,045 cases (51.2%) in 2021. Regarding the specific subcategory of ASC-US, the number of confirmatory tests exhibited a substantial increase from 4,101 cases (14.4%) in 2011 to 30,482 cases (48.5%) in 2021. For SCC, there was no significant change, with 216 cases (56.4%) in 2011 and 102 cases (57.0%) in 2021. The implementation rate of confirmatory tests was found to be significantly associated with results of abnormal Pap smear, age, and residence. Notably, economic status did not emerge as a significant factor affecting the likelihood of undergoing confirmatory tests. Conclusions The severity of abnormal Pap smear results is a reliable indicator of the probability of undergoing a confirmatory test. Additional endeavors are required to improve the implementation rate among women who have received abnormal Pap smear results.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the implementation rate and influencing factors of confirmatory tests for women with abnormal cervical cytology results in the Korean nationwide cervical cancer screening program. Methods: The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database was utilized to identify all Korean women who have participated in the Korean nationwide cervical cancer screening program from January 2011 and December 2021 using the NHIS database. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the multivariate odds ratio and evaluate the patients’ characteristics. Results: The rate of abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears showed an initial increase from 2011 to 2015 and subsequently reached a plateau after 2016. When examining specific subcategories, cases of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) increased from 28,546 cases (1.1%) in 2011 to 62,850 cases (1.7%) in 2021. In contrast, cases of HSIL and SCC declined from 3,535 cases (0.14%) to 2,763 cases (0.07%) and from 383 cases (0.01%) to 179 cases (0.005%), respectively. Furthermore, the implementation rate of confirmatory tests for women with abnormal cytology increased from 8,865 cases (21.0%) in 2011 to 39,045 cases (51.2%) in 2021. Regarding the specific subcategory of ASC-US, the number of confirmatory tests exhibited a substantial increase from 4,101 cases (14.4%) in 2011 to 30,482 cases (48.5%) in 2021. For SCC, there was no significant change, with 216 cases (56.4%) in 2011 and 102 cases (57.0%) in 2021. The implementation rate of confirmatory tests was found to be significantly associated with results of abnormal Pap smear, age, and residence. Notably, economic status did not emerge as a significant factor affecting the likelihood of undergoing confirmatory tests. Conclusions The severity of abnormal Pap smear results is a reliable indicator of the probability of undergoing a confirmatory test. Additional endeavors are required to improve the implementation rate among women who have received abnormal Pap smear results.

OBJECTIVES: There was an outbreak of foodborne and waterborne disease among high school students at Okcheon in June, 2018. First attack occurred June 5(th) but seven days later it was notified. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the pathogen of outbreak and cause of delayed notification. METHODS: First, we did a questionnaire survey for 61 cases and 122 controls to find what symptoms they had and whether they ate foods or drank water from June 2(nd) to June 12(th). Second, we investigated the environment of cafeteria and drinking water. Third, we examined specimen of cases and environment to identify bacteria or virus. RESULTS: Attack rate of this outbreak was 7.8%. Drinking water was strongly suspected as a source of infection in questionnaire survey but we could not find the exact time of exposure. Norovirus was identified in specimen of cases (2 students), drinking water (at main building and dormitory) and cafeteria (knife, dishtowel, hand of chef) CONCLUSIONS: We decided norovirus as the pathogen of this outbreak based on the clinical features of cases with diarrhea vomiting, abdominal pain and recovery within 2 or 3 days after onset, outbreak due to drinking water and microbiologic examination, And the cause of delayed notification might be the non-existence of the nurse teacher at that time and the lack of understanding of teachers on immediate notification under the outbreak. To prevent the delayed notification, notification system about outbreak of foodborne and waterborne disease in school is needed to be improved.
Abdominal Pain ; Bacteria ; Diarrhea ; Drinking Water ; Hand ; Humans ; Norovirus* ; Vomiting ; Water ; Waterborne Diseases*

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of urologic complications requiring a urologic procedure during the perioperative period and compare the differences between abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) and laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH). Methods: We identified all Korean women who underwent radical hysterectomy (RH) between January 2006 and December 2019 using the National Health Insurance Service database. Complications requiring surgical intervention-based urologic procedures between ARH and LRH were investigated. Results: A total of 12,068 patients were classified into the ARH group and 8,837 patients were classified into the LRH group. Urologic complications requiring urologic procedures occurred in 1,546 of 20,905 patients (7.40%) who underwent RH. The most common urologic procedure was double-J insertion (R326, 5.18%), followed by bladder repair (R3550, 0.90%). There was no significant difference in urologic complications requiring urologic procedures between the ARH and LRH groups (odds ratio [OR]=1.027; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.925–1.141; p=0.612). The incidence of bladder repair (R3550) was significantly higher in patients who underwent LRH (OR=1.620; 95% CI=1.220–2.171; p<0.001). Urologic complications requiring urologic procedures were statistically higher in the LRH group during the first half (OR=1.446; 95% CI=1.240–1.685; p<0.001), but more in the ARH group during the second half (OR=0.696; 95% CI=0.602–0.804; p<0.001) of the study period. Conclusion There was no difference of urologic complications between ARH and LRH with regard to urologic procedures. The incidence of urologic procedures decreases with time in patients who underwent LRH.

Purpose: This study analyzed educational needs of home care nurses to improve the quality of home care service and identify priority educational subjects. Methods: This study analyzed the training priorities of 54 home care nurses working at community service centers or public health centers in Seoul, Korea, using the Borich Needs Assessment and the Locus of Focus model. The home care nurses’ tasks were categorized into 21 tasks and 85 task elements. Results: Six priority educational subjects were identified: 1) health assessment and monitoring, 2) nursing records and information management, 3) health education and counseling techniques, 4) home care supplies management, 5) recipient identification and communication skills, and 6) care recipient classification and management. Activities related to one-on-one health management, such as health screening, measurements, and disease management counseling, were found to be high priorities. In contrast, small group program planning and operation were rated as a low priority. Conclusion This study underscores the importance of incorporating identified educational needs into training curricula for home care nurses. Regular assessment and integration of these needs into educational programs are crucial for enhancing nursing competence and service quality.

OBJECTIVES: Aggressive driving behavior is a significant predictor of traffic accidents. In particular, the driving behavior of taxi drivers is a critical issue that can impact the safety of both drivers and passengers. This study explored the sleep, cognitive, and psychological factors associated with taxi drivers’ aggressive driving behavior. METHODS: In this descriptive study, a self-report questionnaire was distributed to taxi drivers in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province from August 22, 2022 to December 30, 2022. In all, 992 respondents were analyzed using negative binomial regression. RESULTS: The mean score for aggressive driving behavior among taxi drivers was 13.76±11.47, with sub-scores of 3.46±3.48 for lapse, 3.31±3.16 for error, and 6.99±5.76 for violation. Contributing factors included sleep disorders, cognitive decline, and psychological factors. A higher score for aggressive driving behavior was associated with an increased severity of insomnia and daytime sleepiness, higher rates of cognitive failure, and elevated levels of depression and stress. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the importance of addressing the sleep, cognitive, and psychological factors associated with aggressive driving behaviors among taxi drivers. Further study is needed to evaluate the causal relationship. In addition, it is imperative to develop educational programs and interventions to manage these issues effectively.

Purpose: This study analyzed educational needs of home care nurses to improve the quality of home care service and identify priority educational subjects. Methods: This study analyzed the training priorities of 54 home care nurses working at community service centers or public health centers in Seoul, Korea, using the Borich Needs Assessment and the Locus of Focus model. The home care nurses’ tasks were categorized into 21 tasks and 85 task elements. Results: Six priority educational subjects were identified: 1) health assessment and monitoring, 2) nursing records and information management, 3) health education and counseling techniques, 4) home care supplies management, 5) recipient identification and communication skills, and 6) care recipient classification and management. Activities related to one-on-one health management, such as health screening, measurements, and disease management counseling, were found to be high priorities. In contrast, small group program planning and operation were rated as a low priority. Conclusion This study underscores the importance of incorporating identified educational needs into training curricula for home care nurses. Regular assessment and integration of these needs into educational programs are crucial for enhancing nursing competence and service quality.