BACKGROUND: Liver disease is an important public health problem in Korea. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibody(anti-HCV) in the adult population of Ulsan and to identify risk factors for HCV infection by case centre study. METHODS: The anti-HCV test was performed in 10,140 adults older than 20 years of age who underwent a general medical checkup in Ulsan University Hospital, Health Promotior Center from January 1997 to November 1997. 33 cases and 99 controls matched for age and sex with a 1: 3 ratio of cases to controls were enrolled. The cases were defined as positive anti-HCV and positive HCV-RNA whereas the controls were negative anti-HCV negative HBsAg and ALT < OR = 40. Exposure data were obtained by self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.3%(95% CI : 1.1-1.5) and the positive predictive value of 3rd generation anti-HCV ELISA was 34%. Thus, true prevalence of HCV infection was 0.45%. Only history of transfusion was significantly associated with anti-HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.3% and true prevalence of HCV infection was 0.45% in the adult population of Ulsan. Transfusion was the major route of transmission of HCV but the risk will likely reduce.
Adult* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hepacivirus* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis C* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Prevalence* ; Public Health ; Risk Factors* ; Ulsan* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used as a effective therapeutic strategy of postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, the studies on HRT are insufficient, particularly in early postmenopausal women in Korea. This study was designed as a community based clinical trial and was conducted for 1 year. METHODS: One hundred and forty early postmenopausal women aged 49 to 54 years who resided in Ulsan in Korea were enrolled in this study. The osteoporosis prone life style and general characteristics of the participants and their measured BMD were investigated. The therapy groups included 45 women who were assigned to one of the following regimens in 28 day cycles for 1 year: (1) conjugate equine estrogen (CEE), 0.625 mg/d daily, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) 2.5 mg/d daily and calcium 500 mg/d daily (2) CEE 0.625 mg/d daily, MPA 10 mg/d for days 1 through 12 and calcium 500 mg/d daily. RESULTS: The women in the therapy groups had an average gain of 5.4%, 4.2%, 2.1%, 4.9% in BMD in the lumbar spine, femur total, femur neck and ward's area, respectively. HRT has significantly influenced the BMD after controlling age, month since menopause, alcohol intake, smoking, calcium intake, exercise, body mass index and baseline BMD. The baseline BMD and the BMI were factors that influenced the effect of HRT in BMD. CONCLUSION: HRT had positively influenced the BMD in Korean women. The baseline BMD and the BMI were predictors of the effect of HRT in BMD change.
Body Mass Index ; Bone Density* ; Calcium ; Estrogens ; Female ; Femur ; Femur Neck ; Hormone Replacement Therapy* ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Medroxyprogesterone Acetate ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spine ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: Although several epidemiologic studies have revealed that our dietary factors, obesity and alcohol are associated with an increased incidence of colon cancer, association of these factors with colorectal polyps is unclear. In this study, we tried to investigate the association between colorectal polyps and lifestyle factors in Korean adults. METHODS: Rectosigmoidoscopy was performed on all subjects from January 2001 to December 2001 at Ulsan University Hospital Health Promotion Center. Self-administered questionnaire for drinking and other life style factors was done. RESULTS: Among the 1,102 cases in which sigmoidoscopy examination was performed by a family physician, the prevalence of colorectal polyps was 17.6%. Smoking and drinking were significant risk factors for colon polyps. After adjusting for age and sex, using multiple logistic regression, the odds ratio of subjects with 20 pack years or more of smoking compared with the non-smoking subjects was 2.503 (95% CI: 1.277-3.299). Compared with non-drinking subjects, adjusted odds ratio in group with 3 or more times of drinking per week group was 2.833 (95% CI: 1.623-4.945). The odds ratio for the highest exercise group, compared with the lowest group was 0.539 (95% CI: 0.336-0.867). Exercise was associated inversely with colon polyps. Obesity was statistically insignificant in this study. CONCLUSION: These results showed that drinking and smoking were positively associated with colorectal polyps, but it was associated inversely with exercise.
Adult* ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Drinking ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Incidence ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Physicians, Family ; Polyps* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors* ; Sigmoidoscopy ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Ulsan ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Sigmoidoscopy reduce colorectal cancer mortality by identifying both cancer and adenomatous polyp for treatment. However, this screening technique, sigmoidoscopy is extremely limited to family physician. We performed sigmoidoscopy and attemped to analyze colon polyps. METHODS: The authors performed rectosigmoidoscopy from January 2000 to January 2001 at ulsan university hospital health promotion center. We reviewed and analyzed all subjects at which time all polyps were biopsied. RESULTS: In total, 1107 case sigmidoscopy examination were performed without complication. Polyps were found in 11.5%. 44.5% were neoplastic adenoma and 33.6% were hyperplastic polyps. Cancer was detected in 2 subjects. All case of neoplastic polyps were refered to colonoscopist. The difference of polyp incidence rate was significant in age and sex group. (p<0.01) CONCLUSION: The prevalence of colon polyps was 11.5%. This data is simillar to colonoscopist's data. These results suggest that screening sigmoidoscopy can be performed usefully by family physicians.
Adenoma ; Adenomatous Polyps ; Colon ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mass Screening ; Mortality ; Physicians, Family* ; Polyps* ; Prevalence* ; Sigmoidoscopy* ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: The results of previous epidemiologic studies showed that dietary and life style factors are associated with colon polyps. Despite the high prevalence of colon polyps, little is known about its risk factors in Korean adults. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between physical activity and the presence of colorectal polyps. METHODS: In 859 subjects, rectosigmoidoscopy was performed at Ulsan University Hospital Health Promotion Center from January 2002 to October 2002. Drinking, smoking and other confounding factors were assessed by self-administered questionnaire in 161 subjects with colon polyps and 698 controls. RESULTS: Among the total of 859 cases the prevalence of colorectal adenomatous polyps was 18.7%. After adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, obesity, calcium and total energy intake,using multiple logistic regression, decreasing risk of colorectal polyps were observed with increasing level of physical activities. The odds ratio for 3 to 4 hours per week exercise group was 0.460 (CI=0.262~0.089). The frequency and intensity of exercise also had an inverse association with colon polyps (4~5 times/ week group: OR=0.428, CI=0.220~0.832. vigorous exercise group: OR=0.454, CI=0.298~0.693). CONCLUSION: Physical activities were inversely associated with colorectal polyps in Korean adults.
Adenomatous Polyps ; Adult ; Calcium ; Colon ; Drinking ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Motor Activity* ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Polyps* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Ulsan ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No Abstract Available.
Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy* ; Humans ; Life Style* ; Osteoporosis*

BACKGROUND: The decisive factors influencing the eradication of H. pylori still remain unclear. It was our aim to assess H.pylori eradication rate with proton pump inhibitor based triple therapy and investigate the clinical characteristics and endoscopic factors. METHODS: We investigated 106 male patients with H.pylori- positive peptic ulcer. The patients were treated with a 1-week regimen composed of omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin. THe success of the treatment was evaluated by histology at least 4 weeks after completion of therapy. Endoscopic factor and clinical factors influencing H.pylori eradication were assessed. RESULTS: The overall eradication of H.pylori was successful in 87 of 106 patients (82%). The eradication rate was higher in those who drink or smoke, with gastric ulcer, less than 50 years old but these factors did not significantly influence the outcome of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: H.pylori eradication rate with omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin did not differ from other studies. These results suggest that factors such as smoking, drinking, age and ulcer site did not influence the eradication rate of H.pylpori.
Amoxicillin ; Clarithromycin ; Drinking ; Helicobacter pylori* ; Helicobacter* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Omeprazole ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Proton Pumps ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach Ulcer ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND: The increase of smoking prevalence in adolescents Is serious problem because of physical and psychological influences furthermore, fixation of smoking habit. This study is aimed at providing applicable basic information to setting up the education programs and strategies to prevent smoking among high school students by analysing smoking behavior and its related factors. METHODS: 835 students from one senior high school in Taegu completed a self administerd questionnaire during school hours in May, 1996. 813 questionnaires with adequate responses were analyzed using SPSS/PC program. All students were asked class years, school satisfaction, school performance score, number of their three best friends who smoke, smoking status of their fathers, religion, allowance, alcoholic drinks, addicting drug use, Zung's self-rating depression scale(SDS) and Zung's self-rating anxiety scale(SAS), Smokers were asked amount of smoking, motives for smoking, when they started smoking, Fagerstrom score. RESULTS: Of the 813 students in the sample 135(16.6%) were current smokers. About the amount of smoking, 59.3% smoked less than 5 cigarettes/day. About the motives of smoking, 34.8% started smoking through the solicitation by friends or for making friends. About when they started smoking, 52.6% started smoking before entrance into senior high school. The related factor with smoking Included class years, school satisfaction, school performance score, numbers of three best friends who smoke, allowance, alcoholic drinking, addicting drug use, SDS. Predictor of smoking were number of three best friends who smoke, number of alcoholic drinking, and allowance. The related factors of nicotine dependency were amount of smoking, allowance, when they started smoking. Predictor of nicotine dependency were amount of smoking, number of three best friends who smoke. CONCLUSIONS: The related factors with smoking included class years, school satisfaction, school performance score, number of three best friends who smoke, allowance, alcoholic drinking, addicting drug use, and SDS. Predictors of smoking were number of three best friends who smoke, number of alcoholic drinking, and allowance.
Adolescent ; Alcoholics ; Anxiety ; Daegu* ; Depression ; Drinking ; Education ; Fathers ; Friends ; Humans ; Male* ; Nicotine ; Prevalence ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: This study was done to examine the relationship between distorted self-perception of body weight and some sociodemographic factors in Korean adults. METHODS: This study was conducted among 14,621 adults (men 10,833, women 3,788), who visited Ulsan University Hospital Health Promotion Center to take a routine health examination. The objective body weight status was classified as underweight, normal, overweight, and obesity by body mass index. We compared the self- perception of body weight with in objective body weight status. We used multiple logistic regression to assess the odds ratio for distorted self-perception of body weight by age, marital status, monthly income, and level of education. RESULTS: Among the total 72.8% of obese men had a distorted self-perception of being slightly excess, 48% of overweight men considered themselves as just about right, and 39.5% of men with normal body weight as underweight. In women, 36.5% with normal body weight had a distorted self-perception of being slightly excess or very excess. In both men and women who were overweight or obesity, the distorted self-perception of being just about right was increased with higher age and lower education. The odds ratio of distorted self-perception in normal as being slightly excess or very excess was higher in women with higher income and higher education. CONCLUSION: In both men and women, many people had a distorted self-perception of Body weight. Some sociodemographic factors were found to be related to the self- perception of body weight.
Adult* ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight* ; Education ; Female ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Ideal Body Weight ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Overweight ; Self Concept* ; Thinness ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: Insufficient physical activity is well known to increase benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). However, only few studies have been conducted on the relationship between occupational physical activity and BPH. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational physical activities and BPH in South Korea.METHODS: The study subjects included 4,102 workers who visited the health promotion center at Ulsan University Hospital and underwent transrectal ultrasonography between January 2016 and December 2017. The subjects were divided into two groups according to occupational physical activity (manual or non-manual workers). BPH was defined as a prostate volume of >25 mL. We performed a multivariate regression analysis to investigate the associations between the occupational groups and BPH. In addition, we divided the subgroups according to age and body mass index and analyzed the relationship between occupational physical activities and BPH in each subgroup.RESULTS: The risk of BPH was significantly higher in the non-manual workers than in the manual workers. This result was consistent after adjusting for other risk factors of BPH (odds ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–1.51). Likewise, in the subgroup analysis according to age and body mass index, the non-manual workers had higher BPH risk than the manual workers.CONCLUSION: The risk of BPH was significantly higher in the non-manual workers than in the manual workers. To prevent BPH, more attention should be paid to the physical activities and education of non-manual workers.
Body Mass Index ; Education ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Korea ; Motor Activity ; Occupational Groups ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Risk Factors ; Ulsan ; Ultrasonography