BACKGROUND: Health illiteracy is a problem often unrecognized by health care providers. It influences medical costs and the health status of adults. The purposes of this study were to determine the level of health literacy in community-dwelling adults and to identify the factors influencing it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chungcheong province. A total of 420 adults aged 18 or older were interviewed by trained nursing students between November 1 to December 30, 2011. Health literacy was measured using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 program. RESULTS: The mean score of health literacy was 50.64+/-19.18. In the multiple linear regression analysis, health literacy was significantly associated with education (beta=0.17, P=0.001), alcohol use (beta=-0.12, P=0.010), and perceived health status (beta=0.11, P=0.029). These factors accounted for about 7% of health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Health literacy is a very important public health issue. Our findings showed that educational level, alcohol use and perceived health status should be considered when assessing this issue in patients. Furthermore, the development of a standardized Korean assessment tool for health literacy and specified interventions for enhancing health literacy are needed to improve health outcomes.
Adult* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Education ; Gyeonggi-do ; Health Literacy* ; Health Personnel ; Health Status ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Literacy ; Primary Prevention ; Public Health ; Seoul ; Students, Nursing

BACKGROUND: Gray hair naturally develops in the process of human aging. Many people with gray hair periodically dye their hair. Hair dyeing products are widely used and they can cause adverse effects. Therefore, the user's knowledge and recognition about hair dyeing and related side effects are important. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to lay the foundation for understanding, preventing and treating side effects caused by hair coloring products. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey for adult males and females aged over 20 who had gray hair. A total of 500 subjects were included in this study and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: Large numbers of the people who had experience with hair dye (233 out of 319 people, 73.0%) did not know about the exact brand name of the hair dye product that they were using. Of 319 hair dye users, 23.8% (76 out of 319) people stated that they experienced side effects. Despite the occurrence of side effects from hair dyeing products, it seems they did not realize the seriousness of the side effects or the need for treatment. CONCLUSION: It is advisable to introduce a system that enables users to become aware of the ingredients and side effects of hair coloring products and give opportunities for users to become aware of the side effects of hair coloring through education, publicity and publication of an informational booklet.
Adult ; Aged ; Aging ; Androsterone ; Female ; Hair ; Hair Color ; Hair Dyes ; Humans ; Male ; Pamphlets ; Publications ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Pseudopelade of Brocq is a rare, idiopathic, slowly progressive hair disorder that results in cicatricial alopecia. It is characterized by multiple, small, discrete, asymmetrical, smooth alopecic patches that show little clinical inflammation. Mild pruritus and diminished lesional sensation may also be present. In addition, mild perifollicular erythema may be detected. Seborrheic dermatitis presents as chronic, papular, scaly lesion of skin, and this can be seen on the scalp. Clinically, this disease is characterized by oily, erythematous, scaly lesion. Although both diseases originally have different clinical characteristics, the early and mild scalp lesions of both diseases sometimes mimic each other. Herein, we report on 3 cases of pseudopelade of Brocq that were misdiagnosed and treated as seborrheic dermatitis.
Alopecia ; Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Erythema ; Hair ; Hydrazines ; Inflammation ; Pruritus ; Scalp ; Sensation ; Skin

We experienced a case of occupational lead poisoning employed in a secondary lead smelting plant for 12 years. The patient was 39-year-old male and had been felt dizziness, recent memory impairment and intermittent severe abdominal pain for 2 years. On admission, blood lead level was 92.9 microgram/dl, urinary lead level was 19,9 microgram/l and zinc protoporphyrin level was 226.0 microgram/dl. On the blood test, hemoglobin was 10.6 g/dl and showed normocytic normochromic anemia. There were no abnormal findings in the biochemical and hormonal tests. Decrease of I.Q. and use of words in speaking were found in the psychiatric and psychologic examinations. We observed the finding of motor polyneuropathy in the nerve conduction velocity test. Computed tomographic finding showed calcification lesions in the basal ganglia, dentate nuclei, caudate nuclei, and especially characteristic multiple calcifications were located in the subcortical white matter.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Anemia ; Basal Ganglia ; Brain* ; Dizziness ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Lead Poisoning* ; Male ; Memory ; Neural Conduction ; Osmeriformes ; Plants ; Polyneuropathies ; Zinc

No abstract available.
Bone Matrix* ; DNA* ; Gelatin* ; Osteoblasts*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the usefulness of the modified lateral pillar classification as a prognostic factor in Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD). METHODS: Thirty nine patients diagnosed with lateral pillar C in LCPD from May, 1977, to October, 2001 were reviewed, and their skeletal maturity was followed. The mean follow up duration was 12 years and 7 months (4 years, 6 months to 24 years, 9 months). Lateral pillar C classification was divided into C1 (50-75% collapse of the lateral pillar) and C2 (> 75%). All radiological and clinical prognostic factors were evaluated. The final results were evaluated according to the Stulberg classification. RESULTS: Twenty one and 18 of the affected hips were in groups C1 and C2, respectively. According to the Stulberg classification, the final results of group C1 were better than those of C2 (p = 0.002). Patients with more head-at-risk signs had significantly poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The modified lateral pillar classification has significant value for predicting the prognosis of LCPD.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Femur Head/*pathology/radiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip Joint/*pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Legg-Perthes Disease/*classification/*pathology/radiography/therapy ; Male ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Animals ; Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Mesangial Cells* ; Rats*

PURPOSE: In bladder cancer screening, many methods such as urinary cytology, bladder tumor antigen, and nuclear matrix protein-22 are well known. To learn the value of urinary melanoma antigen gene expression (MAGE) in bladder cancer screening, we compared the urinary MAGE test with irrigated urinary cytology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2000 to July 2007, a total of 142 patients were enrolled in this study. We divided these patients into 2 groups. Eighty-eight patients with bladder cancer were included in group I. Group II consisted of 54 patients who had been treated for bladder cancer and had no evidence of tumor by cystoscopy and irrigated urinary cytology. Urinary cytology, urinary MAGE test, and cystoscopy were performed in all patients. The urinary MAGE test was done by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Sensitivity and specificity were investigated according to cancer grade and stage. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity of the urinary MAGE test and urinary cytology was 69.3% (61/88) and 53.4% (47/88), respectively (p=0.03). The specificity of the urinary MAGE test and urinary cytology was 75.9% (41/54) and 83.3% (45/54), respectively (p=0.34). The sensitivity of each test in superficial tumors (Ta, T1) was 65.5% (38/58) and 46.6% (27/58), respectively (p=0.04). In advanced disease (> or =T2), the sensitivity of the tests was 76.7% (23/30) and 66.7% (20/30), respectively (p=0.39). The sensitivity of the urinary MAGE test in grade 1 tumors (60.5%, 23/38) was significantly higher (p=0.01) than that of urinary cytology (31.6%, 12/38). CONCLUSIONS: The urinary MAGE test was more sensitive than urinary cytology in bladder cancer screening. We consider the urinary MAGE test to possibly be a valuable test together with urinary cytology, especially for Grade 1 and Ta, T1 bladder cancer.
Cystoscopy ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Melanoma ; Nuclear Matrix ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms

Glucosamine is commonly taken by the elderly without prescription as a nutritional supplement to attenuate the progression or symptoms of osteoarthritis. Previous studies demonstrated that glucosamine shows anti-inflammatory effects in tissues such as blood vessels and the heart. However, there have been few reports about the effects of glucosamine on oral inflammatory diseases. Therefore, in this study, the effects of glucosamine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses were investigated using human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs). HPDLFs were incubated in the presence and absence of glucosamine (10 mM) for 24 h, followed by treatment with E. coli LPS (100 ng/ml) or vehicle. Quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA results showed that LPS exposure significantly increased the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA and protein, while the effect was significantly suppressed by glucosamine treatment. Glucosamine did not attenuate, but slightly increased, the LPS-induced activation of mitogen activated kinases (ERK, p38, JNK). However, it suppressed the LPS-induced increase in the DNA binding affinity and transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB. These results suggest that glucosamine exerts anti-inflammatory effects on HPDLFs exposed to LPS via inhibition of NF-kappaB activity, necessitating further studies using animal periodontitis models.
Aged ; Animals ; Blood Vessels ; DNA ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibroblasts* ; Glucosamine* ; Heart ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; NF-kappa B ; Osteoarthritis ; Periodontal Ligament* ; Periodontitis ; Phosphotransferases ; Prescriptions ; RNA, Messenger

The expression of two intermediate filaments, nestin and vimentin, was studied in spinal cord injury (SCI) to elucidate their roles in the formation of glial scars. Rats were sacrificed 1, 4, and 7 days after induction of compression injury of the spinal cord using an aneurysm clip. The affected spinal cords were studied using antibodies against nestin and vimentin intermediate filaments. One day after spinal cord injury, some clusters of nestin-positive vessels were detected in the center of the injury, but few were seen in other cell types. Vimentin immunostaining was detected in some glial cells in the center and its level of immunoreactivity was enhanced in the ependymal cells of the central canal. On days 4 and 7 after spinal cord injury, astrocytes and some ependymal cells in the central canal were stained positively for nestin and increased expression of nestin was observed in vessels. Vimentin was detected in some macrophages and astrocytes in the lesions. Nestin was co-localized with glial fibrillary acidic protein in some glial cells in SCI. These findings imply that spinal cord cells in adult animals have embryonic capacity, and these cells are activated after injury, which in turn contributes to repair of spinal cord injury through formation of a glial scar.
Animals ; Cicatrix/pathology ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/analysis ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intermediate Filament Proteins/analysis ; Intermediate Filaments/*physiology ; *Nerve Tissue Proteins ; Neuroglia/*pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Injuries/*pathology ; Vimentin/analysis