OBJECTIVES: This study examined differences in health behaviors between elderly people living alone and with others; it also investigated whether the effect of living with others differs according to housemate type, namely a spouse and/or younger generations. METHODS: Gender-stratified data from the 2013 Korea Community Health Survey for individuals aged 60 to 74 living in Seoul were analyzed. Logistic regression modeling was conducted to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the outcome variables (smoking, drinking, eating salty foods, inactive lifestyle) for the variables of interest (living alone/with others, housemate type). Models were adjusted for confounding variables including history of medical conditions, employment type, and adjusted household income. RESULTS: Analysis involved 1,814 men and 2,199 women. Risk of smoking was 1.80 times (95% CI, 1.21 to 2.67) higher for men living alone than living with others. Risk of eating salty foods was 0.78 times lower (95% CI, 0.62 to 0.98) for men living with a spouse than a spouse and younger generations. Risk of inactive lifestyle was 1.47 times higher (95% CI, 1.13 to 1.92) for women living alone. Risk of smoking was higher for women living alone (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.92) or with younger generations (OR, 9.12; 95% CI, 2.04 to 40.80) than with a spouse and younger generations. CONCLUSION: Living alone was associated with smoking in men and physical activity in women; housemate type was associated with dietary habits in men and smoking in women. These gender-specific findings can help identify groups of individuals vulnerable to risky health behaviors and to develop policies.
Aged* ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Drinking* ; Eating ; Employment ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Food Habits* ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Motor Activity* ; Odds Ratio ; Seoul ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Spouses

OBJECTIVES: This study examined differences in health behaviors between elderly people living alone and with others; it also investigated whether the effect of living with others differs according to housemate type, namely a spouse and/or younger generations.METHODS: Gender-stratified data from the 2013 Korea Community Health Survey for individuals aged 60 to 74 living in Seoul were analyzed. Logistic regression modeling was conducted to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the outcome variables (smoking, drinking, eating salty foods, inactive lifestyle) for the variables of interest (living alone/with others, housemate type). Models were adjusted for confounding variables including history of medical conditions, employment type, and adjusted household income.RESULTS: Analysis involved 1,814 men and 2,199 women. Risk of smoking was 1.80 times (95% CI, 1.21 to 2.67) higher for men living alone than living with others. Risk of eating salty foods was 0.78 times lower (95% CI, 0.62 to 0.98) for men living with a spouse than a spouse and younger generations. Risk of inactive lifestyle was 1.47 times higher (95% CI, 1.13 to 1.92) for women living alone. Risk of smoking was higher for women living alone (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.92) or with younger generations (OR, 9.12; 95% CI, 2.04 to 40.80) than with a spouse and younger generations.CONCLUSION: Living alone was associated with smoking in men and physical activity in women; housemate type was associated with dietary habits in men and smoking in women. These gender-specific findings can help identify groups of individuals vulnerable to risky health behaviors and to develop policies.
Aged ; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) ; Drinking ; Eating ; Employment ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Food Habits ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Odds Ratio ; Seoul ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spouses

Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication is a leading cause of the variable neuropsychiatric impairment. Despite of widely known central nerve system complications after CO intoxication, peripheral neuropathy due to CO poisoning is rare and has been under-recognized. We report interesting case of a 29-year-old male who suffered from motor weakness and sensory abnormalities in his lower extremity following acute CO intoxication. The patient revealed direct and indirect signs of peripheral neuropathy of the left inferior gluteal and sciatic nerve on magnetic resonance imaging.
Adult ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* ; Poisoning ; Sciatic Nerve ; Sciatic Neuropathy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate concordance in the health behaviors of women and their partners according to age and to investigate whether there was a stronger correlation between the health behaviors of housewives and those of their partners than between the health behaviors of non-housewives and those of their partners. METHODS: We used data obtained from women participants in the 2015 Korea Community Health Survey who were living with their partners. The outcome variables were 4 health behaviors: smoking, drinking, eating salty food, and physical activity. The main independent variables were the partners’ corresponding health behaviors. We categorized age into 4 groups (19-29, 30-49, 50-64, and ≥ 65 years) and utilized multivariate logistic regression analysis, stratifying by age group. Another logistic regression analysis was stratified by whether the participant identified as a housewife. RESULTS: Data from 64 971 women older than 18 years of age were analyzed. Of the 4 health behaviors, the risk of smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.93 to 5.49) was highest when the participant’s partner was also a smoker. Similar results were found for an inactive lifestyle (aOR, 2.56; 95% CI, 2.45 to 2.66), eating salty food (aOR, 2.48; 95% CI, 2.36 to 2.62); and excessive drinking (aOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.80 to 1.98). In comparison to non-housewives, housewives had higher odds of eating salty food. CONCLUSIONS: The health behaviors of women were positively correlated with those of their partners. The magnitude of the concordance differed by age group.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drinking ; Eating ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Motor Activity ; Odds Ratio ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spouses ; Women's Health

OBJECTIVES: To investigate concordance in the health behaviors of women and their partners according to age and to investigate whether there was a stronger correlation between the health behaviors of housewives and those of their partners than between the health behaviors of non-housewives and those of their partners. METHODS: We used data obtained from women participants in the 2015 Korea Community Health Survey who were living with their partners. The outcome variables were 4 health behaviors: smoking, drinking, eating salty food, and physical activity. The main independent variables were the partners’ corresponding health behaviors. We categorized age into 4 groups (19-29, 30-49, 50-64, and ≥ 65 years) and utilized multivariate logistic regression analysis, stratifying by age group. Another logistic regression analysis was stratified by whether the participant identified as a housewife. RESULTS: Data from 64 971 women older than 18 years of age were analyzed. Of the 4 health behaviors, the risk of smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.93 to 5.49) was highest when the participant’s partner was also a smoker. Similar results were found for an inactive lifestyle (aOR, 2.56; 95% CI, 2.45 to 2.66), eating salty food (aOR, 2.48; 95% CI, 2.36 to 2.62); and excessive drinking (aOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.80 to 1.98). In comparison to non-housewives, housewives had higher odds of eating salty food. CONCLUSIONS The health behaviors of women were positively correlated with those of their partners. The magnitude of the concordance differed by age group.

Although Toxocara canis is known to cross the blood-brain barrier, central nervous system involvement is uncommon. Clinical manifestations vary and include cerebral infarction, meningoencephalitis, myelitis, vasculitis or seizure. However cerebral infarction and meningoencephalitis rarely occur simultaneously. We report a case of multiple cerebral infarction combined with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in a patient with neurotoxocariasis. After control of increased intracranial pressure and treatment with albendazole and steroid, the patient’s clinical symptoms improved markedly.

No abstract available.
Autoimmune Diseases/*diagnosis/drug therapy/immunology ; Azathioprine/therapeutic use ; Common Bile Duct/pathology ; Emphysema ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use ; Lung/*radiography ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/immunology ; Stents ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

It is unclear whether specific agent groups are associated with outcomes in cases of poisoning-induced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (P-OHCA). The study population comprised cases of confirmed P-OHCA drawn from the national out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) registry (2008–2013). Exposures were categorized into five groups according to the International Classification of Disease, 10th version: group 1, prescribed drugs; group 2, vapors and gases; group 3, pesticides; group 4, alcohol and organic solvents; and group 5, other poisons. The outcome was survival to discharge and good neurological recovery. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to test the association between specific groups and outcomes. A total of 2,083 patients were analyzed; group 1 (10.3%), group 2 (23.6%), group 3 (52.9%), group 4 (1.4%), and group 5 (13.2%). The survival to discharge and good neurological recovery rates were 3.3%/1.3% for all patients, 10.3%/5.6% (group 1), 6.9%/3.4% (group 2), 2.4%/0.4% (group 3), 2.2%/1.0% (group 4), and 3.3%/2.4% (group 5) (all P < 0.001). The aORs (95% CIs) of groups 2–5 compared with group 1 for survival to discharge were 0.47 (0.09–2.51), 0.34 (0.17–0.68), 0.33 (0.14–0.77), and 0.31 (0.13–0.77), respectively. The odds ratios (95% CIs) for good neurological recovery were significant only in group 1, the pesticides group (0.07 [0.02–0.26]) and were not significant in the other groups. P-OHCA outcomes differed significantly among the poisoning agent groups. The pesticides group showed the worst outcomes, followed by the group of vapors or gases.
Classification ; Gases ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Odds Ratio ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* ; Pesticides ; Poisoning ; Poisons ; Solvents

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the mediating effect of subjective unmet healthcare needs on poor health. The mediating effect of unmet needs on health outcomes was estimated. METHODS: Cross-sectional research method was used to analyze Korea Health Panel data from 2011 to 2015, investigating the mediating effect for each annual dataset and lagged dependent variables. RESULTS: The magnitude of the effect of low income on poor health and the mediating effect of unmet needs were estimated using age, sex, education level, employment status, healthcare insurance status, disability, and chronic disease as control variables and self-rated health as the dependent variable. The mediating effect of unmet needs due to financial reasons was between 14.7% to 32.9% of the total marginal effect, and 7.2% to 18.7% in lagged model. CONCLUSIONS: The fixed-effect logit model demonstrated that the existence of unmet needs raised the likelihood of poor self-rated health. However, only a small proportion of the effects of low income on health was mediated by unmet needs, and the results varied annually. Further studies are necessary to search for ways to explain the varying results in the Korea Health Panel data, as well as to consider a time series analysis of the mediating effect. The results of this study present the clear implication that even though it is crucial to address the unmet needs, but it is not enough to tackle the income related health inequalities.
Chronic Disease ; Dataset ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Employment ; Healthcare Disparities ; Insurance Coverage ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Methods ; Needs Assessment ; Negotiating ; Socioeconomic Factors

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of injuries of school-aged children transported via emergency medical services (EMS) that occurred in schools by comparing with injuries that occurred outside of school. METHODS: Data from the 119 EMS from 2012 to 2014 were analyzed. School and non-school injuries were analyzed in children 6 to 17 years of age. The epidemiologic characteristics were assessed according to school-age groups; low-grade primary (6–8 years), high-grade primary (9–13 years), middle (13–15 years) and high (15–17 years) school. Gender-stratified multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the risks of school injury in each age group. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 167,104 children with injury were transported via 119 ambulances. Of these injuries, 13.3% occurred at schools. Boys accounted for 76.9% of school injuries and middle school children accounted for a significantly greater proportion (39.6%) of school injuries (P < 0.001). The most frequent mechanisms of injury at school were falls (43.8%). The peak times for school injury occurrence were lunch time (13:00–13:59) in all age groups. Multivariate regression identified the risky age groups as high-grade primary (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09–1.20) and middle school-aged boys (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.74–1.90) and middle school-aged girls (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.21–1.40). CONCLUSION: Notable epidemiologic differences exist between in- and out-of-school injuries. The age groups at risk for school injuries differ by gender.
Accidental Falls ; Ambulances ; Child ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services* ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Logistic Models ; Lunch