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*

In this study the population data at seven STR loci on the Y chromosome, DYS19, DYS388, DYS389, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392 and DYS393 are described for 1054 Koreans. In each locus, 6-22 alleles were noted, and allelic distribution patterns were found to be different from those of other populations. The PD was 0.28-0.886 and no interallele was noted. In 388 father-son pairs, 9 cases of mutation, one in DYS19 locus, one in DYS388, two in DYS389, three in DYS391, one in DYS392 and one in DYS393 locus were noted. In total 563 different haplotypes were noted. 630 cases shared the same haplotype with someone among 1054 object studied. Even in case which showed different haplotypes, many cases showed differences only in one locus and genotypes in the remaining seven loci were the same. The discrimination between mutation and different haplotypes seems to be problematic in these situations. Experiences for the large scale haplotype data base in Koreans were described.
Alleles ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Genotype ; Haplotypes* ; Y Chromosome*

In this study the population data at seven STR loci on the Y chromosome, DYS19, DYS388, DYS389, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392 and DYS393 are described for 1054 Koreans. In each locus, 6-22 alleles were noted, and allelic distribution patterns were found to be different from those of other populations. The PD was 0.28-0.886 and no interallele was noted. In 388 father-son pairs, 9 cases of mutation, one in DYS19 locus, one in DYS388, two in DYS389, three in DYS391, one in DYS392 and one in DYS393 locus were noted. In total 563 different haplotypes were noted. 630 cases shared the same haplotype with someone among 1054 object studied. Even in case which showed different haplotypes, many cases showed differences only in one locus and genotypes in the remaining seven loci were the same. The discrimination between mutation and different haplotypes seems to be problematic in these situations. Experiences for the large scale haplotype data base in Koreans were described.
Alleles ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Genotype ; Haplotypes* ; Y Chromosome*

Adenomatoid tumors arising in the parenchyma of the testes are extremely rare neoplasms, and they uniformly behave in a benign fashion. The long reorted history of these tumors and the absence of distant metastasis suggest a benign nature. Thus, the treatment is surgical excision. We report here on a case of an adenomatoid tumor of the testis. Radical orchiectomy was performed, and this revealed an adenomatoid tumor of the parenchyma of the testis.
Neoplasm Metastasis

Adenomatoid tumors arising in the parenchyma of the testes are extremely rare neoplasms, and they uniformly behave in a benign fashion. The long reorted history of these tumors and the absence of distant metastasis suggest a benign nature. Thus, the treatment is surgical excision. We report here on a case of an adenomatoid tumor of the testis. Radical orchiectomy was performed, and this revealed an adenomatoid tumor of the parenchyma of the testis.
Neoplasm Metastasis

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