Gyeongsangbuk-do), mercury contents from shark meat distributed in this region have not been assessed yet. Thus, this study aims to identify the hazard by evaluating the mercury contents of the shark meat sold in the traditional market of Gyeongsangbuk-do.METHODS: The shark meat in the form of muscle meat was obtained from 15 traditional markets of Gyeongsangbuk-do in the summer and winter of 2013. Out of 105 samples in total, 49 were collected in the summer and 56 in the winter. The total mercury concentration was measured by the combustion-gold amalgamation method using an automatic mercury analyzer (Milestone DMA-80, Milestone).RESULTS: The average mercury concentration of shark meat was 2.29 ± 1.77 µg/g, ranging between 0.06–8.93 µg/g with a geometric mean of 1.44 µg/g, which is higher than those reported in many countries. The mercury concentration in 77 of 105 shark meat samples exceeded 1 µg/g. Mercury concentration ranged between 0.09–8.93 µg/g (geometric mean: 1.45) in the summer and 0.06–6.73 µg/g (geometric mean: 1.48) in the winter.CONCLUSIONS: Shark meat sold in the market contained a substantial amount of mercury. This suggests that it is difficult to reduce mercury intake by simply strengthening the standard level of mercury concentration in shark meat. Therefore, it is need to communication and awareness programs with consumers about hazardous effects of mercury inherent in shark meat.]]>
Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Korea ; Meat ; Methods ; Sharks

Endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a procedure performed widely to induce locoregional tumor control by the transfer of thermal energy to the lesion and subsequent tumor necrosis. A 72-year-old male with a prior history of acute calculous cholangitis and perforated cholecystitis was admitted to the Kyungpook National University Hospital complaining of fever and nausea. He had an indwelling percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) catheter from the previous episode of perforated cholecystitis. An abdominal CT scan showed marked dilation of both the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. Common bile duct cancer was confirmed histologically after an endobiliary biopsy. A surgical resection was considered to be the initial treatment option. During open surgery, multiple metastatic nodules were present in the small bowel mesentery and anterior abdominal wall. Resection of the tumor was not feasible, so endobiliary RFA was performed prior to biliary stenting. Cholecystectomy was required for the removal of the PTGBD catheter, but the surgical procedure could not be performed due to a cystic ductal invasion of the tumor. Instead, chemical ablation of the gallbladder (GB) with pure ethanol was performed to breakdown the GB mucosa. Palliative treatment for a biliary obstruction was achieved successfully using these procedures. In addition, a PTGBD catheter was removed successfully without significant side effects. As a result, an improvement in the patient's quality of life was accomplished.
Abdominal Wall ; Aged ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Biopsy ; Catheter Ablation ; Catheters ; Cholangiocarcinoma ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholangitis ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Common Bile Duct ; Cystic Duct ; Drainage ; Ethanol ; Fever ; Gallbladder ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Male ; Mesentery ; Mucous Membrane ; Nausea ; Necrosis ; Palliative Care ; Quality of Life ; Stents ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND: Since 2003, Korea has consistently shown the highest suicide rate among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, and suicide remains the major cause of death. In particular, men are 2–3 times more likely to commit suicide than women, which called the ‘gender paradox of suicide.’ The areas with frequent suicide have spatially clustered patterns because suicide with a social contagion spreads around the neighborhood. The purpose of this study was twofold. The first was to estimate the hotspot areas of age-standardized male suicide mortality from 2008 to 2015. The second was to analyze the relationship between the hotspot areas and the regional characteristics for study years. METHODS: The data was collected through the Korean Statistical Information Service. The study areas were 227 si · gun · gu administrative districts in Korea. The hotspot area was used as a dependent variable. Socio-demographic variables (number of marriages per 1,000 population, number of divorces per 1,000 population, and urbanization rate), financial variables (financial independence and social security budget), and health behaviors (EuroQol-5 dimension [EQ-5D], and depression experience rate) were used as independents variables. RESULTS: The hotspot areas were commonly located in Gangwon-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Chungceongbuk-do. According to the results of panel logit regression, the number of divorces per 1,000 population, social security budget, and EQ-5D were statistically significant variables. CONCLUSION: The results of hotspot analysis showed the need for establishing a prevention zone of suicide using hotspot areas. Also, medical resources could be considered to be preferentially placed in the prevention zone of suicide. This study could be used as basic data for health policymakers to establish a suicide-related policy.
Budgets ; Cause of Death ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Depression ; Divorce ; Female ; Gangwon-do ; Geographic Information Systems ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Information Services ; Korea ; Male ; Marriage ; Mortality ; Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development ; Residence Characteristics ; Social Security ; Suicide ; Urbanization

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the status of Scrub typhus, Leptospirosis and HFRS(hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome) among farmers with febrile illness. METHODS: We involved a total of 841 farmers who had febrile illness(508 and 333 village residents were, respectively, three and four district of Gyeongju city) selected during autumn of 2014 and 2015. Data were collected by survey questionnaires and blood sample examination. RESULTS: Serum response rate for Scrub typhus and Leptospirosis was 1.5% each and 1.9% for HFRS. Serum response rate for Scrub typhus was significantly higher for tick-bite cases(38.5%), while Leptospirosis was significantly higher for those who were in fruit–planting work(23.1%). Similarly, serum response rate was significantly higher for HFRS who were working in venyl green house work(25.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Government authority should develop effective and efficient preventive strategies to create awareness of infectious diseases among farmers. Extending information, education and communication be reached to farmers that could change their perception and help early diagnosis and treatment and reduce the disease burden and its complication.
Communicable Diseases ; Early Diagnosis ; Education ; Farmers ; Fever ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Leptospirosis ; Risk Factors ; Scrub Typhus

Brucellosis is one of the zoonoses, and it is a disease that is almost eliminated in South Korea. This disease is also known as a representative disease of one health. We would like to introduce brucellosis found by one health in this study. One Health means an approach in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes. The Gyeongbuk Agricultural Safety and Health Center established a cooperation system between a Veterinary Service Laboratory and a Public Health Center, and found a case of human brucellosis in a farm with cattle brucellosis. Through this case, to be effective control of zoonoses as above case, epidemiological investigation for cattle and human should be concurrently conducted. And we once again recognized the need for multi-sectoral cooperation in prevention and management of zoonoses.
Agriculture ; Animals ; Brucellosis ; Cattle ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Public Health ; Zoonoses

In 2016 and 2017, there were earthquakes greater than 5.0 in magnitude on the Korean Peninsula, which has previously been considered an earthquake-free zone. Patients with chronic kidney disease are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, as the term “renal disaster” suggests. In the event of a major earthquake, patients on hemodialysis face the risk of losing maintenance dialysis due to infrastructure disruption. In this review, we share the experience of an earthquake in Pohang that posed a serious risk to patients on hemodialysis. We review the disaster response system in Japan and propose a disaster preparedness plan with respect to hemodialysis. Korean nephrologists and staff in dialysis facilities should be trained in emergency response to mitigate risk from natural disasters. Dialysis staff should be familiar with the action plan for natural disaster events that disrupt hemodialysis, such as outages and water treatment system failures caused by earthquakes. Patients on hemodialysis also need to be educated about disaster preparedness. In the event of a disaster situation that results in dialysis failure, patients need to know what to do. At the local and national government level, long-term preparations should be made to handle renal disaster and patient safety logistics. Moreover, Korean nephrologists should also be prepared to manage cardiovascular disease and diabetes in disaster situations. Further evaluation and management of social and national disaster preparedness of hemodialysis units to earthquakes in Korea are needed.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dialysis ; Disasters ; Earthquakes ; Emergencies ; Federal Government ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Organization and Administration ; Patient Safety ; Renal Dialysis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Water Purification

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to analyze the effect that oral health literacy of adults has on perceived oral health state and to identify the factors that affect perceived oral health status. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was distributed to 554 adults who lived in the Daegu or Gyeongbuk areas and visited dental institutions located in the Daegu area. For adults who were 60 years old or older, direct interviews were conducted. Statistical analysis was performed with t-tests, analysis of variance, and multiple regression using SPSS RESULTS: Between oral health literacy and perceived oral health status, a significant positive correlation was revealed (r=0.142, P<0.01). A significant positive correlation was revealed between oral health literacy and knowledge (r=0.397, P<0.01). A significant but weakly positive correlation was revealed between oral health knowledge and perceived oral health status (r=0.086, P<0.05). To identify factors affecting perceived oral health status, multiple regression analysis was conducted, and the result showed that oral health literacy was a statistically significant factor (β=0.105, p<0.05). Among general characteristics, age was a statistically significant negatively affecting factor, as it showed a negative relationship with perceived oral health status (β=−0.140, P=0.001, adjusted R2=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: When these study results are taken into consideration, oral health literacy is a factor affecting perceived oral health status, and as such, oral health literacy of the research targets should be taken into consideration when implementing oral health education to promote oral health.
Adult ; Daegu ; Education ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Literacy ; Humans ; Literacy ; Oral Health

Wischnewski spots (WS) are multiple black spots observed in the gastric mucosa at autopsy that are considered a reliable and important feature of hypothermia. Nonetheless, the frequency of WS varies widely. WS were discovered in 20 cases out of 3,493 autopsies (0.57%) conducted between 2001 and 2017 in the Department of Forensic Medicine of the School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University in Korea. This study aimed to investigate the distribution and size of WS in these cases and analyze the respective causes of death. Nine cases that occurred in winter were the same as the nine cases with hypothermia as the cause of death or contributory cause. The post-mortem blood alcohol test was positive in eight cases, with acute or chronic alcoholism determined as the cause of death in two of these cases. There were two cases of acute poisoning by pesticides. Putrefaction was noted in six cases (30%). WS presented in various sizes ranging from pinpoint to more than 5 mm in diameter, and the number of WS varied from 5 to 100. WS distribution was diffuse in four cases (20%) and localized in 13 cases (65%). Microscopic examination showed brown to black pigmentation but no neutrophil infiltration or vital reactions in the WS. Thus, WS are associated with hypothermia and are considered post-mortem alterations with variable appearance, size, and distribution. Hypothermia is an exclusive diagnosis at autopsy that should result from a combined assessment of toxicological tests, circumstance of death, and autopsy findings.
Alcoholism ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Diagnosis ; Forensic Medicine ; Gastric Mucosa ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; Korea ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Pesticides ; Pigmentation ; Poisoning

Hesitation wounds are tentative, superficial incised wounds around the fatal wound(s). This study aimed to investigate the frequency and characteristic features of hesitation wounds including ordinary incised wounds and knife tip injuries as hesitation marks from the autopsy cases of suicides using sharp force instruments. The subjects were 478 cases out of 3,131 suicide cases autopsied at the Department of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University in Daegu, from August, 2001 to 2013. 48 cases (approximately 10%) were suicides using sharp force instruments. In 27 cases (56.3%), the sharp force was successfully applied causing suicide; 17 cases (35.4%) were so called complex suicide cases, in which two or more different methods including sharp force injury were used; and the 4 remaining cases were suicides caused by other reasons. Overall hesitation wounds had a high frequency of 33/48 cases (68.8%). The frequency of cases in which knife tip injuries were found was lower, appearing in 13/33 cases (39.3%). The most preferred sites of knife tip injuries were the abdomen (9 cases), neck (4 cases), chest (3 cases), and face (1 case) in these 13 cases, including several overlapped cases. The average number of knife tip injuries was 14.6. A total of 88.2% of knife tip injuries was found near the incised hesitation wounds or fatal wounds. In conclusion, knife tip injuries may be a significant factor in identifying hesitation wounds, and they should be precisely examined and evaluated during autopsies to determine the manner of death.
Abdomen ; Autopsy ; Daegu ; Forensic Medicine ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Neck ; Suicide ; Thorax ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: This study was designed to allow a student at School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University (KNUSOM) to self-assess how well they had achieved competency and to analyze the differences and trends of the scores by year. Furthermore, students are asked to evaluate the need for curriculum improvement by competency, the tendency of the score is analyzed by year, and the results are reflected in the improvement of the curriculum. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey for fourth-year students of KNUSOM who took medical education classes from 2015 to 2018. Questionnaire items were evaluated on the basis of their current achievement of 30 subordinate competencies of competency and the degree of necessity with respect to revising the curriculum. One-way analysis of variance was performed for the yearly difference analysis. RESULTS: The students' scores on the graduation competency were 2.03 to 4.06. In the yearly difference analysis, there was no significant difference in the average of 30 total competencies, but 16 of the sub-competencies showed significant year-to-year differences. The scores for the 30 graduation competencies were different for each year, but the competencies showing high scores and low scores were found to be similar each year. CONCLUSION: We found that the achievement level of the students was approximately 60% to 70%. We were able to confirm the contents of the education that the students continuously demand. The curriculum trend graphs for each year showed that the students' scores improved when the curriculum was being revised. We found that it is necessary to accept the students' self-evaluation reliable as the students indicated that the contents of the curriculum should be added to the areas where the contents were lacking in the present curriculum.
Curriculum ; Diagnostic Self Evaluation ; Education ; Education, Medical ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Self-Assessment