No abstract available.
Anemia, Aplastic* ; Preleukemia*

This study was conducted to understand health status by general characteristic, and to find out relationship between social support and worker's health status. Health status was measured using SF-36(Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36), a 36 item self administered Instrument. The finding of this study were as follow; Mean scores of health status by sex were higher in male. The younger worker reported good health on physical functioning and role limitation-physical than did the older worker, but the older worker reported good health on social functioning and mental health. Mean scores of health status were higher in high income and white worker. When the relationship between social support and health status, social functioning, role limitation-emotion, mental health, vitality, general health were significantly related. Therefore we reviewed the evidence that socio-economic condition are associated with health status in this study, and that the strength of the social support was a important to maintain health.
Humans ; Male ; Mental Health ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care)

No abstract available.
alpha-Fetoproteins* ; Infant, Newborn ; Jaundice, Neonatal* ; Plasma*

Background: This study aims to figure out the gaps in health status by estimating amenable mortality rate by region, reflecting the characteristics of Korea, and estimating the years of life lost (YLL) per capita by disease. Methods: People who died from amenable diseases between 2008 and 2018 were extracted from the cause of death statistics provided by Statistics Korea. The age-standardized amenable mortality rates were estimated to compare the health status of 229 regions. YLL per capita was calculated to compute the burden of diseases caused by treatable deaths by region. The YLL per capita by region was calculated to identify the burden of disease caused by amenable deaths. Results: First, while the annual amenable mortality rate in Korea is on a steady decline, but there is still a considerable gap between urban and rural areas when comparing the mortality rates of 229 areas. Second, YLL per capita due to the amenable deaths is approximately 14 person-years during the analysis period (2008–2018). Conclusion Although the health status of Koreans has continuously improved, there is still a gap in health status region by region in terms of amenable mortality rates. Amenable death accounts for a loss of life equivalent to 14 person-years per year. Since the amenable mortality rate is an indicator that can measure the performance of the health care system, efforts at each local area are required to lower it.

Background: This study aims to figure out the gaps in health status by estimating amenable mortality rate by region, reflecting the characteristics of Korea, and estimating the years of life lost (YLL) per capita by disease. Methods: People who died from amenable diseases between 2008 and 2018 were extracted from the cause of death statistics provided by Statistics Korea. The age-standardized amenable mortality rates were estimated to compare the health status of 229 regions. YLL per capita was calculated to compute the burden of diseases caused by treatable deaths by region. The YLL per capita by region was calculated to identify the burden of disease caused by amenable deaths. Results: First, while the annual amenable mortality rate in Korea is on a steady decline, but there is still a considerable gap between urban and rural areas when comparing the mortality rates of 229 areas. Second, YLL per capita due to the amenable deaths is approximately 14 person-years during the analysis period (2008–2018). Conclusion Although the health status of Koreans has continuously improved, there is still a gap in health status region by region in terms of amenable mortality rates. Amenable death accounts for a loss of life equivalent to 14 person-years per year. Since the amenable mortality rate is an indicator that can measure the performance of the health care system, efforts at each local area are required to lower it.

A growing body of literature has documented that job stress is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanism of this association remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationship between job stress, heart rate variability, and metabolic syndrome. The study design was cross-sectional, and a total of 169 industrial workers were recruited. A structured-questionnaire was used to assess the general characteristics and job characteristics (work demand, decision latitude). Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded using SA-2000 (medi-core), and was assessed by time-domain and by frequency-domain analyses. Time domain analysis was performed using SDNN (Standard Deviation of normal to normal interval), and spectral analysis using low-frequency (LF), high-frequency (HF), and total frequency power. Metabolic syndrome was defined on the basis of risk factors being clustered when three or more of the following cardiovascular risk factors were included in the fifth quintile: glucose, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bottom quintile), triglyceride, and waist-hip ratio. The results showed that job characteristics were not associated with cardiovascular risk factors. Compared to the lower strain group (low strain+passive+active group), the high strain group had a less favorable cardiovascular risk profile with higher levels of blood pressure, glucose, homocysteine, and clotting factor, but the difference was not statistically significant. The SDNN of HRV was significantly lower in the high strain group than in the low strain group. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the lower strain group and high strain group was 13.2% and 23.8%, respectively. In the high strain group, the metabolic syndrome was significantly related to a decreased SDNN. However, we could not find a significant association in LF/HF ratio. This result suggests that decreased HRV found in the high-strain group are not a direct indicator of disease. However, it can induce cardiovascular abnormalities or dysfunctions related to the onset of heart disease among high risk groups.
Adult ; Aged ; *Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases/*physiopathology ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Stress, Psychological/*physiopathology

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether cumulative chronic stress influences the immune status, and to verify the effect of social support on the relationship between these two dimensions in male manufacturing workers. METHODS: A total of 39 workers were recruited for this study. A structured-questionnaire was used to assess general characteristics, job characteristics (work demand and decision latitude), psychosocial distress, and social support. The serum levels of CD4 and CD8 were measured as immune markers, and were collected between 8:00 and 10:00am in order to standardize the markers. Nonparametric statistics were used to estimate the differences between job characteristics and the immune markers. RESUJLTS: General characteristics, and health-related behaviors, were not associated with CD4, CD8 or CD4/CD8. No relationships were found between job characteristics and the mean levels of immune reactivity. These results were consistent, even after controlling for social support. Social support failed to modify the relationship toward work demand, decision latitude or psychosocial distress to CD4, CD8, and CD4/CD8. CONCLUSION: Cumulative chronic life stress might not influence the immune status, and the effects of social support on the immune function under chronic stress, may not play a crucial role in modifying the relationships. This implication supports that the effect of stress on the immune function may be determined by the characteristics of that stress. Further research should effectively considers the type, magnitude and timing of a stress event, and modifiable factors, such as personality traits, coping style, and hormone excretion levels, on the alteration of immune status.
Biomarkers ; Humans ; Immune System* ; Male* ; Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether cumulative chronic stress influences the immune status, and to verify the effect of social support on the relationship between these two dimensions in male manufacturing workers. METHODS: A total of 39 workers were recruited for this study. A structured-questionnaire was used to assess general characteristics, job characteristics (work demand and decision latitude), psychosocial distress, and social support. The serum levels of CD4 and CD8 were measured as immune markers, and were collected between 8:00 and 10:00am in order to standardize the markers. Nonparametric statistics were used to estimate the differences between job characteristics and the immune markers. RESUJLTS: General characteristics, and health-related behaviors, were not associated with CD4, CD8 or CD4/CD8. No relationships were found between job characteristics and the mean levels of immune reactivity. These results were consistent, even after controlling for social support. Social support failed to modify the relationship toward work demand, decision latitude or psychosocial distress to CD4, CD8, and CD4/CD8. CONCLUSION: Cumulative chronic life stress might not influence the immune status, and the effects of social support on the immune function under chronic stress, may not play a crucial role in modifying the relationships. This implication supports that the effect of stress on the immune function may be determined by the characteristics of that stress. Further research should effectively considers the type, magnitude and timing of a stress event, and modifiable factors, such as personality traits, coping style, and hormone excretion levels, on the alteration of immune status.
Biomarkers ; Humans ; Immune System* ; Male* ; Stress, Psychological

In order to test scaling assumption, and to assess the validity, reliability, and acceptability of the Short Form 36(SF-36) health survey questionnaire, we conducted a survey. Samples were 296 workers who had been employed in small sized companies. All scale passed for item internal consistency(100% sucess rate) and item discriminant validity(100% success rate). Reliability coefficients were ranged from a low of 0.51 to a high of 0.85. For 87.5% of the total workers, inconsistent responses were not observed. Only 3.0% of the total workers failed two or more checks. Factor analysis was performed using principal axis factor method and quartimax rotation. In this survey, the SF-36 retained available psychometric properties even when used in a generally healthy worker group. But further study with some consideration to develope health status measurement is expected ; first, the definition of health status should be rationalized. Second, the measurement of outcome is an important consideration in evaluations of quality of care. But ambiguities hinder understanding of this important topic. Third, internal consistency should be interpreted with caution as an indication reliability because it ignores potentially important sources of variation that can occur over time.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Health Surveys ; Psychometrics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Reproducibility of Results*

Although stroke is a great public health challenge in Korea, there have have been few epidemiologic studies of the risk factors stroke. A case-control study was performed to evaluate the risk factors for hemorrhagic stroke in Wonju, Korea. Ninety-five subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and 102 intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients aged 21-86 years, and 267 controls were recruited among the inpatients of Wonju Christian Hospital during 1994-1995. Information was gathered through interview and examinations. After adjustment for age and sex, family and past history of hypertension, drinking habits, age of menarche, height, weight, body mass index, waist and hip circumference, earlobe crease, prothrombin time, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, and total cholesterol were all found to be significantly associated with both SAH and ICH. The risk factor significantly associated only with ICH was smoking habits. In multiple logistics analyses, the independent risk factors for SAH and ICH were the same. Those included family and past history of hypertension, age of menarche, earlobe crease, prothrombin time, white blood cell count, hemoglobin and total cholesterol. In general, the risk factors for SAH and ICH were similar with each other, except smoking habits. Risk factors found in this study congruent with previous studies were family and past history of hypertension, drinking habits, body mass index, prothrombin time, white blood cell count, and hemoglobin. Those incongruent or rather newly found were age of menarche, a big physique, earlobe crease, and total cholesterol.
Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Hemorrhage/etiology* ; Cerebrovascular Disorders/etiology* ; Female ; Human ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Age ; Risk Factors ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/etiology*