Jong Hak Chung

Morbidity pattern of residents in urban poor area by health screening

The purpose of the this study was to assess the morbidity pattern of urban residents in the poor area by health screening for the community diagnosis. The items of health screening were history taking and physical examination by medical doctor and hearing test, check blood pressure, test for hematocrit, liver function(sGOT, sGPT), urine sugar and protein, and chest X-ray. The examinee in health screening were 437 persons and they occupied 16.9% of total residents in the poor area. Male examinee were 129 persons(9.9% of total residents) and female examinee were 308 persons(23.9% of total residents). Age group of above sixty years old, 42.0% of total residents in the poor area were participated, but only 5.9% were participated in age group of 10 to 19 years old. Among the 437 examinee, 191 persons(43.7%) had one or more abnormal findings in health screening. In male 38.7% had abnormal findings, and some what lower than that of female(45.8%). Age group of above sixty years had most high rate of abnormal findings(69.8%), in contrast to age group of 10 to 19 years old (10.9%). Diseases of the digestive system was the most common and which occupies 23.7% of total abnormal findings. And diseases of the circulatory system occupied 19.7%. Low hematocrit(14.6% of total participants of 437 persons) occupies the most common abnormal findings for screening test(hematocrit, blood pressure, hearing test, sGOT/sGPT, urine protein and urine sugar, chest X-ray) and high blood pressure(10.1%) occupied second, third; hearing impairment (5.5%), fourth ; abnormal liver function (4.1%), fifth ; sugar in urine (2.3%), sixth ; protein in urine(1.4%) and lastly abnormal chest X-ray (0.9%). The positive rate of abnormal findings in health screening was very high compared with morbidity rate by health interview. It is supposed that some portion of this high rate is by selection bias in examinee in health screening specially high participating rate in older age, and the other portion is due to the low socioecomic status and bad environment of the residents of the poor area. These findings will be good information for the research and development of health care system in the urban poor area.

A study on physical growth of primary school student in the rural area

In order to assess the physical growth of primary school student in the rural area, body height, weight, chest circumference and sitting height of 923 students(469 males, 454 females) in the town of Angang, Kyungpook province, Korea, were measured from April to May, 1988. The most growth age of body height was 10-11 years old in both sex and the growth curves were crossed at 9-11 years old. The most rapid growth age of body weight was 10-11 years old and growth curves were crossed at 9-11 years old. The most rapid growth age of chest circumference was 10-11 years old in female, whereupon female outgrows male by contrast with males slow and linear growth. The most rapid growth age of sitting height was 10-11 years old and the growth curves were crossed at 9-10 years old. The Rother index was 1.17-1.30 in male, 1.16-1.29 in female, and males index was in general superior to females.

Physico-chemical and Microbiological Analysis of Tap Water in the Apartment in Taegu City

The drinking water in the apartment is stored in reservior tank and thereafter supplied each household. In case the drinking water is stored too long or insanitary, tap water might change in quality. This study was carried out to evaluate the physico-chemical and microbiological conditions of 36 samples of tap water of apartments compared to 18 samples of tap water of independence houses in Taegu City from May to October, 1987. Main findings are summarized as follows : PH values were within normal range in all samples. Samples less than 0.2ppm in residual chlorine accounted for 16.7% in the appartment and 5.6% in the independence house. Nitrite nitrogen was detected 2.8% of apartment samples only. Among the total of 54 samples, 11.1% of the apartment and independence samples were over the normal value in standard plate count. Samples more than 1.8 of most probable number(MPN) accounted for 27.8% in the apartment and 33.3% in the independence house. In result of test for residual chlorine, nitrite nitrogen, standard plate count, and MPN, the proportion of the samples revealed inappropriated in respect of drinking water standards. In case of all sorts of tests was 2.7% in apartment and nothing in independence houses, in case of 3 sorts of tests was 2.7% in apartment and 5.6% in independence houses, in case of 2 sorts of tests was 8.3% in apartment and 5.6% in independence houses, and in case of only 1 test was 25.0% in apartment and 22.2% in independence houses. Correlation between residual chlorine and standard plate count, and between standard plate count and MPN were observed. It was found that the more years since construction of apartment were, the worse tap water was in quality.

Hemoglobin Concentration in Female Workers of Occupational Exposure to Lead

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lead on the incidence of anemia and to find cases with lead poisoning early among female workers who have been exposed to lead occupationally, for one year from August, 1985. The level of blood lead and hemoglobin concentration were observed for 284 female lead workers and 123 female non-lead workers of industries in the Gumi industrial complex in Kyungpook Province. The average age was years and years in lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. The average working duration was months in lead workers. The mean value of blood lead was and in lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. There were significant differences between two groups. The mean value of hemoglobin concentration was and in lead workers and non-lead workers, respectively. Anemia cases were not observed at Hb concentration below 12g/100ml. The percentages of lead workers at Hb concentration ranged 12.0~13.0g/100ml were 4.5%. There was no dose-response relationship between blood lead level and the incidence of anemia. There were no remarkable differences between age and blood lead level as well as Hb concentration, and between working duration and the level of blood lead and hemoglobin.

Evaluation of the Mental Health Status of the Aged by Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale

The authors studied on anxiety, using Zungs self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), on the subjects of 329 men and 522 women of 60 years old and older. This study was carried out for 8 months from November 1983 to June 1984 in the area of Seoul, Taegu and Kyungsan Gun, Kyungpook province. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the means of total anxiety scores between the two groups of men and women. The anxiety scores in items of sweating, apprehension, dyspnea, restlessness and insomnia were relatively high in both groups. The scores of faintness, panic, fear, tremor and facial flushing were low in both groups. Among 329 men, 48(14.6%) showed rather serious anxiety level of score 50 or higher, while 153 of 522 women (29.4%) showed the same score. Among these psychosocial factors, suppoter, living place, religion and security system are significantly related with anxiety scores in both groups (p