Hae-Joon Kim

Carbon Disulfide Poisoning in Korea with Social and Historical Background

Carbon Disulfide Poisoning in Korea with Social and Historical Background: Eunil Lee, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute for Environmental Health, College of Medicine, Korea University—In Korea, carbon disulfide was used mostly in a viscose rayon factory which was established in 1962 and was closed in 1993. About 550 workers were diagnosed and compensated for CS2 poisoning from 1987, to June 1995, and more workers will be diagnosed and compensated. There was no pertinent environmental monitoring or periodic medical examination for the workers exposed to CS2 until 1986. The first cases of CS2 poisoning reported in May, 1987 were 4 retired workers who were very sick. It became possible tor them to be diagnosed and compensated because a democratic movements pervaded all the country after the end of military rule in Korea. After they were compensated, many other retired workers also requested to be diagnosed and compensated for CS2 poisoning. Many radicals and radical doctors joined them against the government and company. The government promised that retired workers could be diagnosed by Compensation Insurance organization for Workers Injury managed by the Ministry of Labor. The rayon company also promised reparation for retired workers who had CS2 poisoning. The diagnosis of CS2 poisoning for retired workers was carried out by the commitee of doctors half of whom were appointed by the company and the remaining half by the workers. There were conflicts between conservative doctors and radical doctors in the diagnosis of CS2 poisoning even after the establishment of legal diagnostic criteria for CS2 poisoning. Workers pressured doctors and the goverment to bring about a change in the diagnostic criteria, and they succeeded. The important findings of CS2 poisoning among Korean workers were as follows: retinal microaneurysm, polyneuropathy, cerebrovascular infarction and intercapillary glomerulosclerosis.

Factors Affecting Diabetic Screening Behavior of Korean Adults: A Multilevel Analysis

PURPOSE We investigated the role of individual and community level factors on diabetes screening test behavior. METHODS We used individual-level data from 170,193 adults aged 30 years or older who were not diagnosed with diabetes and participated in the 2009 community health survey. Community-level data includes 253 communities and were collected from various national statistics. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS The rate of diabetes screening within the year prior to this study was 53.2%. Community variance of Model I, Model II and Model III was 0.236, 0.252 and 0.238, respectively. The proportional change in variance of Model II and Model III was -6.8% and -1.2%. The odds ratio for participation of diabetic screening of areas with bottom financial independence compared to areas with top was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.74-0.96); the odds ratio of areas with top internist compared to areas with bottom was 1.15 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.31). CONCLUSION This study identified a contextual effect influencing the participation of Korean adults in diabetes screening. It is necessary to develop specific policies that consider not only individual factors, but also community factors relating to individual behaviors to increase the likelihood of diabetes screening.

Association between perceived stress, alcohol consumption levels and obesity in Koreans.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Coping with stress often leads to unhealthy behaviors that can have an impact on the development of obesity. Therefore, this study is investigate the effect of perceived stress level on alcohol consumption habits, as well as the effect of the interaction between alcohol consumption habits and stress level on obesity in Koreans. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN We analyzed perceived stress, alcohol consumption habits (alcohol consumption status, quantity, and alcohol use disorders identification test) and the anthropometrics of 6,229 subjects from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The gender-based differences of the effect of the perceived level of stress on alcohol consumption habits and anthropometric measurements, as well as the interaction of the perceived level of stress and alcohol consumption habits on prevalence or ORs of obesity were analyzed. RESULTS The subjects with high perceived stress showed higher proportions for unhealthy alcohol consumption habits than those with low perceived stress [ORs (95% CIs)=1.35 (1.19-1.54), 1.95 (1.68-2.26), and 1.87 (1.60-2.19) for alcohol consumption status, alcohol consumption quantity, and alcohol use disorders identification test, respectively]. Men showed significant interactions between the perceived stress and all alcohol consumption habits with respect to obesity [ORs (95% CIs)=1.28 (1.06-1.55), 1.81 (1.52-2.16), and 1.40 (1.17-1.68) for alcohol consumption status, alcohol consumption quantity, and alcohol use disorders identification test, respectively]. Among women, interactions between the perceived stress and alcohol consumption status [ORs (95% CIs)=0.70 (0.60-0.83)] and alcohol consumption quantity [ORs (95% CIs)=0.93 (0.54-1.36)] in relation to obesity were found to be significant. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated that the perceived stress influenced alcohol consumption habits that may have impacted obesity.

Hazard Classification of Household Chemical Products in Korea according to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and labeling of Chemicals

ObjectivesThis study was conducted to review the validity of the need for the application of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) to household chemical products in Korea. The study also aimed to assess the severity of health and environmental hazards of household chemical products using the GHS.Methods135 products were classified as ‘cleaning agents and polishing agents’ and 98 products were classified as ‘bleaches, disinfectants, and germicides.’ The current status of carcinogenic classification of GHS and carcinogenicity was examined for 272 chemical substances contained in household chemical products by selecting the top 11 products for each of the product categories. In addition, the degree of toxicity was assessed through analysis of whether the standard of the Republic of Korea’s regulations on household chemical products had been exceeded or not.ResultsAccording to GHS health and environmental hazards, “acute toxicity (oral)” was found to be the highest for two product groups, ‘cleaning agents and polishing agents’, and ‘bleaches, disinfectants, and germicides’ (result of classification of 233 household chemical products) at 37.8% and 52.0% respectively. In an analysis of carcinogenicity assuming a threshold of IARC 2B for the substances in household chemical products, we found ‘cleaning agents and polishing agents’ to contain 12 chemical substances and ‘bleaches, disinfectants, and germicides’ 11 chemical substances.ConclusionSome of the household chemical products were found to have a high hazard level including acute toxicity and germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive toxicity. Establishing a hazard information delivery system including the application of GHS to household chemical products in Korea is urgent as well.

Effects of health and safety problem recognition on small business facility investment

ObjectivesThis study involved a survey of the facility investment experiences, which was designed to recognize the importance of health and safety problems, and industrial accident prevention. Ultimately, we hope that small scale industries will create effective industrial accident prevention programs and facility investments.MethodsAn individual survey of businesses’ present physical conditions, recognition of the importance of the health and safety problems, and facility investment experiences for preventing industrial accidents was conducted. The survey involved 1,145 business operators or management workers in small business places with fewer than 50 workers in six industrial complexes.ResultsRegarding the importance of occupational health and safety problems (OHS), 54.1% said it was “very important”. Received technical and financial support, and industrial accidents that occurred during the past three years were recognized as highly important for OHS. In an investigation regarding facility investment experiences for industrial accident prevention, the largest factors were business size, greater numbers of industrial accidents, greater technical and financial support received, and greater recognition of the importance of the OHS. The related variables that decided facility investment for industry accident prevention in a logistic regression analysis were the experiences of business facilities where industrial accidents occurred during the past three years, received technical and financial support, and recognition of the OHS. Those considered very important were shown to be highly significant.ConclusionsRecognition of health and safety issues was higher when small businesses had experienced industrial accidents or received financial support. The investment in industrial accidents was greater when health and safety issues were recognized as important. Therefore, the goal of small business health and safety projects is to prioritize health and safety issues in terms of business management and recognition of importance. Therefore, currently various support projects are being conducted. However, there are issues regarding the limitations of the target businesses and inadequacies in maintenance and follow-up. Overall, it is necessary to provide various incentives for onsite participation that can lead to increased recognition of health and safety issues and practical investments, while perfecting maintenance and follow up measures by thoroughly revising existing operating systems.