This study investigated the changes in the health-related behaviors of adult women in Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Data from the eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019- 2020) were analyzed. The participants were 4,848 women aged 19 to 64 years in 2019 and 2020. Data analysis using the complex sampling design was performed using SPSS 20.1. Results: Positive changes during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic in Korean adult women were found for improved subjective oral health perceptions (odds ratio [OR], 1.77; p<.001), increased moderate-intensity exercise in work and leisure activities (OR, 1.75; p<.001 and OR; 1.29, p=.004), and a decrease in secondhand smoke exposure at the workplace and in public places (OR, 0.64; p=.004 and OR, 0.60; p<.001). However, the following negative health behavior changes were found: decreased frequency of walking 5 days a week (OR, 0.81; p=.011) and an increase in unhealthy daytime sleep durations (OR, 1.40; p=006). Conclusion: Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, Korean adult women perceived their subjective dental health more positively during the COVID-19 pandemic, decreased their exposure to secondhand smoke at work and in public places, decreased walking, and increased sleep duration during the week. Since this study only compared data between 1 year before and after the start of the pandemic, it is necessary to investigate a longer period of time in the future. A future study should attempt to identify the factors related to changes in health behaviors caused by the pandemic.

Chronic diseases as well as a growing population of older adults are currently the leading cause of ill health and economic burden worldwide. Managing those diseases in one-on-one medical consultations poses substantial challenges due to limited time and resources in the current health care system. Various approaches have been taken to manage these conditions, most with limited success. Shared medical appointments (SMAs) are an innovative care delivery option to make the testing of alternative care modalities a prime concern. SMAs are individual medical consultations carried out in a group of patients with similar diseases by providing education, medication management, and disease monitoring. SMAs, since their initial conceptualization in 1998, have gained much popularity and adopted as one of the standard processes in many countries. Accumulated evidence-based studies show outcomes for increasing access to care, behavioral change facilitated through self-management education, maintained/better outcomes, physician productivity, and enhanced resource management. This review summarizes current evidence regarding the existing status of SMAs abroad. An extensive literature search was conducted on major electronic databases including PubMed and Google Scholar. This study suggests to explore and exploit the SMAs which have unique potential as a healthcare delivery innovation in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric outpatient anesthesia is beneficial because it is more comfortable to children and more convenient for families, but delayed discharge causes distress for parents and children and increases health care personnel workload. Therefore, we examined past medical records to evaluate factors affecting discharge time in pediatric outpatient anesthesia. METHODS: We reviewed the anesthetic and post-anesthetic care records of 119 children who required ventilation tube insertion for ambulatory surgery, and who were anesthetized and monitored by an anesthesiologist between June 2001 and February 2004. Data were classified according to the anesthetic technique and agents used, duration of operation and anesthesia, and complications in the recovery room. We then examined the relationships between these factors and discharge time. RESULTS: Compared to intravenous anesthesia, endotracheal anesthesia increased anesthesia time (P <0.05), but not discharge time. Ketamine dosage was found to be closely correlated with discharge time (P <0.01), and complications in the recovery room delayed discharge time (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: We conclude that excessive ketamine use and postoperative complications delay discharge in pediatric outpatient anesthesia. More attention should be paid to minimize ketamine use and reduce postoperative complications so as not to delay discharge in pediatric outpatient anesthesia.
Ambulatory Surgical Procedures ; Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Child* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Ear, Middle* ; Humans ; Ketamine ; Medical Records ; Middle Ear Ventilation* ; Outpatients* ; Parents ; Postoperative Complications ; Recovery Room ; Ventilation

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of job insecurity on job related depression and anxiety in large- and small-sized company employees. METHODS: Data of the third Korean Working Condition Survey in 2011 were used. Subjects were 2,050 large-sized company employees and 18,924 small-sized company workers. χ² test and multiple logistic regression using SAS 9.2 were conducted. RESULTS: Large- and small-sized company employees showed significant differences in terms of demographic, health-related, and job-related characteristics. From the bivariate analysis, gender, income, self-rated health, occupation, working hours per week, job-related stress, workplace violence, and job insecurity were significantly related to job-related depression/anxiety in large-sized company employees. From the multivariate analysis, higher income (AOR: 0.22, 95%CI: 0.07~0.71), better health perception (AOR: 0.05, 95%CL: 0.01~0.18), 40 or more working hours per week (AOR: 0.20, 95%CI: 0.05~0.79) showed lower risk for job-related depression/anxiety. From the bivariate and multivariate analysis, better health perception (AOR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.20~0.53), higher job-related stress (AOR: 2.57, 95%CI: 1.68~3.93, workplace violence experience (AOR: 4.26; 95%CI: 2.88~6.30), and job insecurity experience (AOR: 1.90, 95%CI: 1.18~3.05) were significantly related to job-related depression/anxiety in small-sized company employees. CONCLUSION: Results of this study suggest that job insecurity experience was significantly related to job-related depression/anxiety in small-sized company employees but not in large-sized company employees. Therefore, small-sized company workers who have experienced feeling of job insecurity are vulnerable population in terms of job-related depression/anxiety.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Occupations ; Vulnerable Populations ; Workplace Violence

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic obesity on the components of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in adolescents. METHODS: This study used the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2010 to 2011. The study included 859 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. Descriptive statistics and simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using SAS 9.2. RESULTS: Based on the results, adolescents with sarcopenic obesity had a higher risk of central obesity (AOR: 23.41, 95% CI: 12.76–43.97), high triglyceride (OR: 4.58, 95% CI: 2.69–7.79), low HDL-cholesterol (AOR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.74–4.05), high blood pressure (AOR: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.37–8.68), and high fasting glucose (AOR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.13–4.96) than their normal counterparts. Adolescents with non-sarcopenic obesity had a higher risk of central obesity (AOR: 19.75, 95% CI: 9.73–44.67), high triglyceride (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.22–7.81), and low HDL-cholesterol (AOR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.37–5.45) than normal youths, and these were not significantly related to high blood pressure and fasting glucose. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenic obesity was more related to the components of MetS than non-sarcopenic obesity. Since adolescents with sarcopenic obesity are a more vulnerable population, a prevention and management program for MetS and cardiovascular risk should be implemented in this population.
Adolescent* ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity* ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Sarcopenia ; Triglycerides ; Vulnerable Populations

Kimura's disease is a chronic inflammatory soft tissue disorder with peripheral eosinophila and high serum IgE. It might be associated with nephrotic syndrome. We report a 6-year-old boy with Kimura's disease and the concurrent steroid dependant minimal change nephrotic syndrome. With levamisole treatment fot 24 months, tumor progression and relapse of the associated nephrotic syndrome were not observed.
Child ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Levamisole ; Nephrosis, Lipoid ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and satisfaction with volunteer work in a population of health care center volunteers. Ultimately, the results from this study would help to find ways to keep volunteers continuing their work. METHODS: The participants of this study were 179 volunteers who were affiliated with three health care centers located in Gyeonggi-do. Descriptive statistics and multi-stage regression were conducted to analyze data. RESULTS: Self-esteem was significantly associated with the satisfaction with volunteer activity. In addition, the relationship with clients rather than volunteers' general characteristics was also significantly related to the satisfaction with volunteer work. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it is necessary to increase a volunteer's self-esteem so that the volunteer can keep continuing his or her volunteering activities. Also, in order to promote good relationships between the volunteers and the clients, it will be important to teach communication skills to volunteers.
Delivery of Health Care ; Public Health

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of shift work and hours of sleep on metabolic syndrome in Korean workers. METHODS: This study used the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data of 2014. The study included 1,579 Korean workers aged over 20. χ2 test, t-test, and hierarchical multiple logistic regression were used for statistical analysis of data. RESULTS: From the univariate analysis, hours of sleep, regular work, occupational group, sex, age, marital status, education, smoking, and self-rated health were significantly related to metabolic syndrome. After adjusting demographic, occupational, and health-related variables, workers with under 6 hours/day of sleep showed higher risk for metabolic syndrome (AOR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.01~2.44), and shift work was not significantly related to metabolic syndrome. Male laborers and workers aged 40 or older also showed higher risk for metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Results of this study suggest that workers with under 6 hours of sleep, male laborers and workers aged 40 or older are the risk groups of metabolic syndrome. Therefore, prevention and management program for metabolic syndrome should be implemented for this population.
Education ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Nutrition Surveys ; Occupational Groups ; Smoke ; Smoking

Since 2012, outbreaks of the Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been reported, including the Republic of Korea. To date, most of the people infected with the virus are adults. Herein we describe the clinical characteristics of cases of MERS-CoV infection among children. As of October 29, 2015, MERS-CoV has caused 34 pediatric infections, which accounts for 2.1% of all cases. The median age was 13 years (range 9 months to 17 years) and where gender has been reported (n=33), 57.6% cases were male. About half of the patients were asymptomatic and the majority of the symptomatic patients had respiratory symptoms. In general, the clinical outcome in children was favorable. Among the four patients who died of progressive pneumonia, three had documented comorbidities. MERS-CoV infection in children has a lower incidence and mortality compared to adults.
Adult ; Child* ; Comorbidity ; Coronavirus Infections* ; Coronavirus* ; Disease Outbreaks ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Male ; Middle East* ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Republic of Korea

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the problem of bone health and potential influencing factors of bone mineral density (BMD) for women across the life cycle of menopause. METHODS: Complex sampling design data analysis was performed on the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010 in order to identify the problems with bone health, BMD and its influencing factors in 3,499 women who answered the menopausal status. Women's life cycle was categorized by premenopausal, postmenopausal, and elderly. RESULTS: 35.1% of premenopausal women, 73.3% of postmenopausal women, and 96.0% of elderly women had problems with bone health that were related to low BMD. Influencing factors of BMD were residential area, alcohol drinking, and body mass index (BMI) for premenopausal women; age, residential area, education, marital status, income, and BMI for postmenopausal women; and age, education, and BMI for elderly women. CONCLUSION: Problems with bone health required to be considered as a major health problem in all women regardless their life cycle. Interventions to maximize BMD need to be developed by considering its influencingfactors across the women's life cycle.
Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density* ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Cycle Stages* ; Marital Status ; Menopause ; Nutrition Surveys ; Statistics as Topic