No abstract available.

No abstract available.

To investigate the gender difference of early symptoms appearing before the onset of the psychotic symptoms in patients with first-episode schizophrenia, we reviewed the medical records of 63 patients (38 males, 25 females), who were hospitalized for first-episode schizophrenia. The frequency and duration of prodromal and psychotic symptoms, Clinical Global Impression scale scores, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale scores at admission, and other clinical characteristics were recorded for all patients. Overall, the most common prodromal symptoms were attenuated positive symptoms (89%), followed by mood symptoms (86%). Negative symptoms were the most common in male patients (97.4%), whereas attenuated positive symptoms were the most common in female patients (84%). Male patients demonstrated more frequent negative, cognitive, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms than female patients did and also showed a tendency of having negative symptoms for the longer period. Correlational analysis showed a significant negative correlation between the duration of negative symptoms and GAF scores at admission in male patients. Our findings suggest that different patterns of prodromal symptoms between male and female begin before the onset of the psychosis. Further prospective studies should be needed.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age of Onset ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Schizophrenia/diagnosis/*physiopathology ; Sex Factors ; Young Adult

Background: It is well known that the prevalence of obesity in Korea is increasing over time, however it is not known how the trends among occupational groups and sex differ in such increasing trends. This study was designed to provide recent trends of obesity among workers in Korea and to identify whether there were differences among occupational groups. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Phases I to VI (1998–2015), to analyze trends in the prevalence of obesity in adult Korean workers. Obesity was defined as a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or higher. Occupations were classified into 3 groups: (a) nonmanual workers, (b) service/sales workers, and (c) manual workers. Results: During the period of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Phases I to VI, the prevalence of obesity in male workers increased in all occupations (31.1% to 39.5% in manual workers, 32.3% to 38.2% in service/sales workers, and 25.3% to 39.7% in manual workers). However, female workers did not show any particular tendency toward obesity, except for a significant decrease in the prevalence rate in service/sales workers (30.8% to 23.9%, p for trend = 0.0048). Conclusion The trends of obesity prevalence by sex and occupation were different. For male manual workers, the prevalence rate increased steadily during the data period, while it decreased steadily in female sales/service workers.

As a solution about many problems of pharmacotherapy for Korean patients with major psychiatric disorders, Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Major Psychiatric Disorders (KMAP) was launched. Recently, a medication algorithm for schizophrenic patients was developed and distributed. This review article showed the designs, processes and methods for developing this algorithm. Also we compared the development of Korean algorithm for schizophrenics with other foreign representative algorithms or clinical practice guidelines. We hope that this review elicit the productive criticism about the rigour, the system of development and the objectivity of content. The limitations and problems of Korean algorithm are also discussed in this review.
Drug Therapy ; Hope ; Humans ; Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Business owners in the Republic of Korea must take part in the workers' general health examination. However, there have been few formal analyses of the uptake of this examination by employees. In the present study, we examined the rates of participation in medical examinations according to age group, health insurance type, and enterprise size, and then compared these results with those of the national general health screening. Furthermore, we determined the distribution of patients with abnormal results for diabetes and hypertension, and outlined the significance and history of domestic health examinations. METHODS: We started by comparing participation rates extracted from the among health examination data of the National Health Insurance Service from 2006–2013 by sex, age, insurance type, and enterprise size of workplace health insurance beneficiaries (i.e., those whose insurance is provided by their workplace). In addition, we analyzed the prevalence rates of abnormal results for hypertension and diabetes, and explored the history and significance of health examinations in the Republic of Korea. RESULTS: The overall participation rate in the primary health examination in 2006 was 56%, and this increased to 72% in 2013. However, the rates of the secondary screening did not increase much. Among workplace policyholders (i.e., those whose insurance is provided by their workplace), the participation rates of workers in enterprises with less than 50 employees were lower than were those in enterprises with 50 or more employees. Notably, the rates and odds ratios of patients with abnormal results for diabetes and hypertension were relatively high, particularly among those working in smaller enterprises. CONCLUSIONS: Although the workers' general health examination has been replaced with the national general health screening, it remains necessary to ensure uniform health management services among all workers in the Republic of Korea. This can, in turn, promote occupational health and improve working conditions throughout the Republic of Korea.
Clothing ; Commerce ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Insurance ; Insurance, Health ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; National Health Programs ; Occupational Health ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies*

BACKGROUND: We examined the current status of specialized agencies for occupational health management (SAs) and their workforce. Furthermore, we aimed to clarify the current practice status of SA healthcare professionals and factors that influence their performance. METHODS: To examine the current SA workforce, we analyzed data from the 2014 Survey of Current Status of SA and their Workforce from the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL). Furthermore, we mailed out an original questionnaire to SA professionals to determine their current health management status and factors that affect their performance. Data from the respondents (N = 384) were analyzed. RESULTS: In 2014, the workforce performing health management in SAs comprised 232 physicians, 507 nurses, and 312 occupational hygienists, with no significant regional differences in the distribution of physicians and nurses. According to the findings of the questionnaire, the average daily number of worker consultations by physicians and nurses was 22.8, while the average time taken for health management ranged from 74.3 to 104.3 min, depending on the size of the firm. Most of the respondents (41.5%) answered that they were following-up on more than 80% of individuals with illnesses. Among health management tasks, performance scores of “consultations for general diseases” and “consultations for lifestyle habits” were relatively high, whereas health promotion activities at workplaces were relatively low. There was a significant correlation between the utilization of general and special health examination results and task performance. CONCLUSION: Among health management tasks, follow-up management of individuals with illnesses and consultations for disease/lifestyle habits were relatively well performed, whereas health promotion activities at workplaces were not performed well. Among factors that positively influenced SA performance at workplaces, only the utilization of health examination results had significant effects. Therefore, to accomplish health management goals and perform effective health management at workplaces, there is a need to establish a comprehensive system of occupational health service outsourcing integrating health examinations and health management services. Furthermore, the current task system, which focuses on follow-up management, should be expanded to incorporate preventive and health promotion functions—the fundamental functions of occupational health services (OHS).
Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Delivery of Health Care ; Employment ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Life Style ; Occupational Health Services ; Occupational Health* ; Outsourced Services ; Postal Service ; Referral and Consultation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Task Performance and Analysis ; Work Performance

BACKGROUND: Health examinations are performed so that diseases can be identified and treated earlier. Several studies have evaluated the determinants of participation in health examinations including cancer screening, but few have evaluated the relationship between the size of the enterprise and their participation in Workers' General Health Examinations (WGHE). The aim of the present study was to estimate the association of WGHE participation with the size of the enterprise and the type of policyholder. METHODS: The eligible population from 2006 through 2013 was extracted from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. The population size ranged from 14–17 million. After adjustment for age and gender, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratios of participating in the WGHE (by age group) based on the type of policyholder (reference: public officers) and the size of the enterprise (reference: enterprise size ≥300 employees), respectively. RESULTS: Workers employed at enterprises with <50 persons were less likely to participate in WGHEs than those employed at enterprises with ≥300 persons. After policyholders were stratified by type (non-office workers vs. public officers), a disparity in the WGHE participation rate was found between the different types of policyholders at enterprises with <50 employees (reference: those employed at enterprises with ≥300 employees); the odds ratios for subjects in their 40s and 50s were 0.2–0.3 for non-office workers vs. 0.8–2.0 for public officers. CONCLUSION: Workplace policyholders at small enterprises comprised a vulnerable group less likely to participate in WGHEs. Efforts should be made to raise the WGHE participation rate among the vulnerable employees belonging to small enterprises, as well as among their dependents.
Early Detection of Cancer ; Healthcare Disparities ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; National Health Programs ; Odds Ratio ; Population Density ; Socioeconomic Factors*

BACKGROUND: Our study evaluated the effectiveness of the Workers' General Health Examination by health examination period and compliance. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of the health examination participants in 2006 (baseline year: N = 6,527,045) was used. We identified newly occurring cardio-cerebrovascular disease over 7 years (from 2007 to 2013). After stratification by age, sex, and national health insurance type, we identified 7 years' cumulative incidence of cardio-cerebrovascular disease by health examination compliance and estimated its relative risk by health examination period and compliance. RESULTS: The compliant group presented a lower cumulative incidence of cardio-cerebrovascular disease than the non-compliant group; this result was consistent across sex, working age (40s and 50s), and workplace policyholder. Relative risk of cardio-cerebrovascular disease by health examination period (1 and 2 years) showed statistically significant results in ischemic heart disease for male participants. Of men in their 40s, office workers (over a 2-year period) presented statistically higher relative risk of ischemic heart disease than non-office workers (over a 1-year period: 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.03). However, there were no consistent results in ischemic cerebrovascular disease and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease for men or cardio-cerebrovascular disease for women. CONCLUSION: A 1-year period of Workers' General Health Examinations in non-office workers had a more significant prevention effect on ischemic heart disease than a 2-year period in office workers among working age (40s–50s) men. It is, however, necessary to consider that prevention of cardio-cerebrovascular disease can be partially explained by their occupational characteristics rather than by health examination period.
Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Cohort Studies* ; Compliance* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; National Health Programs ; Retrospective Studies*

BACKGROUND: An unhealthy lifestyle is the most important cause of lifestyle-induced illness (diabetes, hypertension, liver enzyme abnormality, dyslipidemia etc.). This study was carried out to evaluate that relation between employees' lifestyle and their health status in a Korean electronic research and development company. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. 3,041 consecutive workers in a Korean R&D company were enrolled in this study. A checkup list for the health examination (from the National Health Insurance Coperation), which contained the information on the lifestyle, and the results of the health examination, which contained information on the body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and liver function tests (LFT, AST, ALT, gamma-GTP) and cholesterol profiles (total cholesterol, TG, HDL, LDL) were done for all the subjects. We evaluated the health profile as normal or abnormal. Statistical analysis of the health profiles and the lifestyle of the employees' was performing by using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of 'excessive alcohol drinking' was 52.9% (n=1,610), that for 'lack of exercise' was 86.2% (n=2,662), that for 'meat eating' 12.2% (n=370) and that for 'current smoker' was 31.3% (n=952). According to results of health examination, the prevalence of obesity was 27.1% (n=824), hypertension was 7.1% (n=215), diabetes was 1.0% (n=30), abnormal LFT was 15.4% (n=469) and dyslipidemia was 18.7% (n=569). On multiple logistic regression analysis of the health profile and lifestyle, 'meat eating' was related to obesity, hypertension, abnormal LFT (ALT, gamma-GTP), dyslipidemia (LDL). 'Excessive alcohol drinking' was related to obesity, hypertension, abnormal LFT (gamma-GTP). 'Lack of exercise' was related to dyslipidemia (HDL). 'Current smoker' was related to obesity, diabetes, abnormal LFT (ALT, gamma-GTP), and dyslipidemia (TG, HDL) with statistically significance. CONCLUSIONS: For workers in the R&D company, an unhealthy lifestyle (such as diet, alcohol drinking, lack of exercise and smoking) were related to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, abnormal LFT and dyslipidemia. Therefore health promotion is necessary for the young employees of an Korean R&D company.
Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Cholesterol ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet ; Dyslipidemias ; Electronics ; Electrons ; Health Promotion ; Hypertension ; Life Style ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Logistic Models ; National Health Programs ; Obesity ; Prevalence