We investigated the cold reaction of fingers in cold water as a criterion of peripheral resistance to frostbite in order to obtain elementary data to improve farmers' health. Experiments were carried out on 81 farmers and 64 urbanites at 20±2°C, 55±5% RH with sitting position on the floor. The finger skin temperatures of the subjects were measured while the left middle finger of each subject was immersed in cold water or 0°C for 30 minutes and recorded once every one minute with the thermistor. We also compiled statistics on the following items: mean finger skin temperature (MST), finger skin temperature at initial rising after immersion (TFR), time for the appearance of initial rising after immersion (TTR), cold resistance index (RI), etc. The results were as follows RI was higher in farmers than in urbanites, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. In men, RI was lower in farmers than in urbanites, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. By contrast, in women, TFR and RI were significantly higher in farmers than in urbanites. MST was significantly higer in women than in men, but RI was no statistically significant difference. By age, the men in their 30's showed significantly the highest MST and the shortest TFR. RI was significantly higher in the men in their 30's than others. In women, however, the difference in RI was of no statistical significance. By region, MST was the highest in Seoul dwellers. RI was the highest in Okku dwellers, but there was no statistically significant difference among regions.
These results indicated that farmers tended to be higher than urbanites in cold resistance index.

To collect the basic data for the health management of Korean farmers, we investigated physique factors, physical fitness, and cold resistance (by digital vascular hunting reaction during finger immersion in cold water), and examined their correlations in 74 subjects. In men, the stronger the digital vascular hunting reaction was the higher the physical fitness levels. For women, however, the motility of those who showed stronger digital vascular hunting reactions appeared worse. The correlation between physique and hunting reaction appeared weak in men but in women the hunting reaction of obese subjects was stronger than that of slender subjects. Agewise, men in their 30s, 40s and 50s who were short and slim appeared to have better cold-resistance. The men in their 60s who were broad-hipped had better cold-resistance, and the relation between physical fitness and hunting reaction appeared to be negative. In contrast, the women in their 30s whose subcutaneous fat was thinner showed positive hunting reaction, but in their 40s and 50s the correlation among physique, physical fitness, and hunting reaction appeared rather weak. The body fat content in the women aged 60 to 69 was high compared to that in other age groups. Among them, those who had less fat and better physical fitness showed more favorable hunting reactions.

Darier's diseaae is relatively rare dyskeratotic and inheritable dermatoses of an. autosomal irregular dominant gene. The authors observed one case of typical Dariers disease with the family hietory of three generatian of autoaomal daminant trait. 22 year-oid patient we observed has had the generalized pruritus and dark dirty and warty patehes distribnted almost on the whole skin surface especially on trunk, back and face for about 10 years. Histopathologically, the lesion showed lacunae, corps ronds and grains which are compatible with typical Dariers disease.
Edible Grain ; Darier Disease* ; Genes, Dominant ; Humans ; Pruritus ; Skin ; Skin Diseases

Verrucous hemangioma is congenital hemangioma, which is structural varients of capillary or cavernous hemangioma. And it is vascular malformation, in which reactive epidermal acanthosis, papillomatosis, hyperkeratosis develope secondarily. Though foreign anthors have reported some cases of this disease, it is rare hemangioma and it never has been reported in Korea. This 13 year-old, healthy female patient has erythematous patchs on her left knee at birth. It grew become coin to egg sized. Because of verrcous iuflammatory reaction of irregular verrucous surfaced plague, the lesion become necrotic thick crusty plague with severe offensive odor and patient complained of severe pain & motion limitation on her left knee. Urinalysis, C B C, chest PA were within normal limit. PPD test was negative. Lt. knee AP & lat. revealed. Marked destroyed soft tissue on anterior portion of Lt. knee and no bony pathological changes were demonstrable. Histopathologica.11y, hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, papillomatosis in the epidermis and numerous capillary lumina, capillary dilatation, proliferation of endothelial cells and mild infiltration of inflammatory cells in the Dermis. And fibrosis in the Dermis & Subcutaneous tissue are seen.
Adolescent ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Dilatation ; Endothelial Cells ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Hemangioma* ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Humans ; Knee ; Korea ; Numismatics ; Odors ; Ovum ; Papilloma ; Parakeratosis ; Parturition ; Plague ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Thorax ; Urinalysis ; Vascular Malformations

Juvenile Xan anuloma is granulomatous, benign disseminated Xanthomatous disease, which i r cytosis of unknown origin, due to lipid, metabolism disturbance. Spontaneous remi. is possible authors have reported some cases of JXG involving only skin or combii extracutaneous lesions, In our country, cases involving onIy skin have bcen reported. This I-year-old norered healthy male baby has yellowish brown coloxed pinhead to rice sizeci gers of well defined. round, dome shaped smooth surface in face, trunk, lower abdomen without any subjective symptomes. Serum lipid level i iid chest p-A,urinalysis, CBC, L.F.T. are normal. Family history showed ific finding and physical examina.tion shows nothing remarkable except for skeen lesions. EIistopathologically, hi;tiocyte, lymphocyte, eosinophile, foam cell, foreign body giant cell, typical Toutor giant cell are seen.
Abdomen ; Eosinophils ; Foam Cells ; Giant Cells ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Metabolism ; Skin ; Thorax ; Xanthogranuloma, Juvenile*

This study was attempted to help in explore new direction about classification of the severity of the pediatric patients visiting emergency center. Data were collected from 276 patients who visited emergency center of E University Hospital during 3 months period from March 1, to May 31,1999. The results were as follows: 1. The degree of severity of the pediatric patients visiting emergency center shown ranged 0-18 and averaged .87. 2. With the respect to the severity of the pediatric patients visiting emergency center, there were statiscally significant difference in patients' visiting time(F=2.607, p=.025), disease classification(F=9.606, p=.000), consciousness level(F=71.499, p=.000), period of symptom manifestation (F=2.262, p=.030), pediatric patients protector's thinking about pediatric patients state (F=16.833, p=.000), treatment outcome (t=5.362, p=.000), duration of stay at emergency center(F=23.944, p=.000).
Classification ; Consciousness ; Emergencies* ; Humans ; Thinking ; Treatment Outcome ; Child Health

Tatbion is a tripeptide, reduced form of Glutathione(GSH or p-glutamyl-cysteiny1 -glycine). Glutathione(SH compound)is believed to inhibit melanin formation by combining witb the copper in tyrnsinase whicb is essential in the conversion of tyrosine to DOPA (3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) and DOPA to DOPA-quinone or by forming cornplex with the intermediate in the tyrosine-to-melaa.in reaction. The effect of Tathion in the treatment of melasma has not been reported in Korea. We have observed the effect of Tatbion in 150 patients with melasma. After the average duration of Gwks of treatment(50-100mg tree tirnes/daily), we were abIe to grade the results as follow. Excellent(Pigmentation almost disappeared): 17. 4 % Good (Pigmentation markedly improved): 56. 7% Fair (Pigmentation slightly improved: 7. 3% None (No effect) : 18.6% The result showed relatively good effects of Tathion in the treatment of 122pts (81.4%) with melasma in total. The brief review of literature on the treatment of melasma was undertaken.
Copper ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Korea ; Melanins ; Melanosis* ; Tyrosine

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore ways to define the concept of health inequality. METHODS: The concept analysis process by Walker and Avant was used to clarify the meaning of health inequality. RESULTS: Defining attributes of health inequality included differences in health status between individuals or groups, infringement of fundamental rights to health, unfair use of medical services, and social discrimination. The antecedents of health inequality included differences in demographic characteristics (age, gender, education, occupation, residential location), limitations in accessibility to health care, and social exclusion. Consequences of health inequality were increased costs for medical care, decreased health-related quality of life, and lack of ability to cope with health problems resulting in crisis situations, increases in morbidity and mortality, and shortening of life span. The concept was clarified through presentation of model, borderline, related, and contrary cases. CONCLUSION: Results of this study can be used to guide the direction of future studies through concept analysis in which conceptual attributes in the context of health inequality are examined. Also, based on the result of this study, development of standardized tools to measure health inequality is recommended as well as development of educational programs to reduce health inequalities.
Delivery of Health Care ; Education ; Human Rights ; Mortality ; Occupations ; Quality of Life ; Social Discrimination ; Socioeconomic Factors*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to evaluate stress in elderly patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD) and to examine validity and reliability of the scale. METHODS: The development process for the preliminary scale included construction of a conceptual framework and initial items, verification of content analysis, sentence correction, and pilot study. This study was conducted using a questionnaire survey with one-to-one interviews during January and February, 2012. Participants were 240 elderly patients with CAD. Data were analyzed using item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency. RESULTS: The developed scale consisted of 32 items and 6 factors - aging and disease (7 items), family relations (5 items), anxiety and withdrawal (9 items), management of daily living (3 items), compliance of medical regimen (4 items), poverty and finance (4 items), and explained 68.5% of total variance. The scale had significantly positive correlation with the Korean Perceived Stress Scale (KPSS). Cronbach's alpha was .96, and Guttman split half coefficient was .91. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the Stress Scale for Elderly Patients with CAD has validity and reliability, and is a suitable scale in health care settings to assess stress in elderly patients with CAD.
Adaptation, Physiological ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anxiety ; Coronary Artery Disease/*psychology ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Program Development ; Questionnaires ; Socioeconomic Factors ; *Stress, Psychological

PURPOSE: This study was done to investigate compliance with health behaviors among patients who are hypertensive. METHOD: The participants in this study were 121 outpatients with hypertension. Compliance with health behaviors was measured using a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test and chi-square test. RESULTS: According to the general characteristics of the participants, compliance with medication and diet was higher among women than men, among high school graduates than middle school graduates or those with lower academic qualifications, and among those who were unemployed compared to those who were employed. Compliance with alcohol abstinence or not smoking was higher among women than men, and among those who were unemployed compared to those who were employed. According to the risk factors of hypertension, compliance with health behaviors was significantly higher in those who had associated diseases. The participants in the group with a hypertension morbidity period longer than 10 years did exercise more than 3 times a week and regularly weighed themselves once or more a week. The item showing highest compliance concerning medication and diet was "Take prescribed drugs regularly", while the one showing lowest was "Take drugs with knowledge about their side effects".
Alcohol Abstinence ; Compliance* ; Diet ; Female ; Health Behavior* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Outpatients ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking