Jun Yim

Effects of Chronic Disease Management Based on Clinics for Blood Pressure or Glycemic Control in Patients with Hypertension or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of chronic disease management program based on clinics for blood pressure control or glycemic control in patients with hypertension or type 2 diabetes mellitus in Incheon. Methods: An observational follow up study was done on 11,501 patients registrated at clinics from January 1st to December 31st, 2010 in Incheon. Experience of education and mandatory laboratory tests were assessed with the registration data and income status was identified by National Health Insurance data. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were derived from logistic regression models. Results: The experience of education has a positive effect for blood pressure control in the non-control group with hypertension at the time of registration (Odds ratio 1.357, confidence intervals: 1.112~1.655). The experience of mandatory laboratory tests has a positive effect for blood pressure control in the control group with hypertension at the time of registration (Odds ratio 1.738, confidence intervals: 1.387~2.178). But the effects of the experience of education and mandatory laboratory test in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were not identified. Conclusions: This study revealed the relationship between the experience of education or mandatory laboratory testing and blood pressure control in patients with hypertension.

Differences in Incidence of Lower Back Pain according to Fire Fighters` Duty Type

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of fire fighters` duty type on occurrence and severity of low back pain. Data were collected with questionnaire to 450 fire fighters working at 119 safety center and rescue unit of 30 fire stations in Gyeonggi-do. Finally the study was analyzed for 360 persons among them. The risk of experiencing of lower back pain occurred in the order of Rescue[odds ratio(OR) 3.36, 95% confidence interval(95% CI) 1.18-9.52], Vehicle operation(OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.26-5.50), First aid(OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.03-4.59), and Putting out a fire. The risk on severity of lower back pain occurred in the order of Vehicle operation(OR 4.00, 95% CI 1.57-9.80), First aid(OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.00-4.81), Putting out a fire, and Rescue. These result suggest that duty type of fire fighters may be a prognostic factor for occurrence and severity of low back pain. The potential implications of these findings are discussed about different approach for primary and secondary prevention by duty type of fire fighters.

The Effects of Adherence on Hypertension Control among Newly Diagnosed Hypertension Patients

Background: This study is to research on how hypertension control is associated with adherence in newly diagnosed hypertension patients. Methods: The study is based on 255,916 patients who were diagnosed with hypertension in 2009 and didn`t have any previous medical history of hypertension or associated complication for the past year using data collected by National Health Insurance Corporation. Newly diagnosed hypertension patients are divided into two group by visiting medical center numbers (more than 300 days was adherence group, if not non-adherence group). Patients are considered to have successfully controlled their hypertension based on blood pressure measured by health examination. Chi-square test and logistic regression, repeated measured analysis of variance was used to analyze. Results: The relations between adherence and hypertension control show that 1.12 times of patients in adherence group was able to control their hypertension. The additional analysis proves that adherence group are more decreased level of blood pressure than non-adherence group except for patients who are over 70. Comparison of the average of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure between adherence and non-adherence groups shows that the blood pressure has been significantly among the adherence group. Conclusion: The study proves that constant treatment for hypertension could control the blood pressure and encourages patients to put more effort for persistent treatment. It also shows that hypertension treatment are more effective in younger patients than the elderly and strategies of approaching are different depending on age.

Association of Cigarette Prices with the Prevalence of Smoking in Korean University Students: Analysis of Effects of the Tobacco Control Policy.

BACKGROUND Increased pricing of cigarettes might be one of the most effective approaches for reducing the prevalence of smoking. This study aimed to investigate the effects of increasing cigarette prices through taxation by a tobacco intervention policy on the changes in smoking prevalence in Korean university students. MATERIALS AND METHODS The participants in this study were 23,047 healthy university students aged 18-29 years from a health examination in 2011-2015. We investigated the adjusted prevalence of daily and occasional smoking before and after increasing cigarette prices through taxation. RESULTS The prevalence of occasional smoking was significantly decreased in 2015 from 2014 in both male (from 10.7% in 2014 to 5.4%) and female (from 3.6% to 1.1%) students, but the prevalence of daily smoking did not decrease significantly. The frequency of individuals who had attempted smoking cessation during the past year was significantly higher among occasional smokers in male students (90.2%) compared with daily smokers (64.9%). For female students, there were no differences in experience of smoking cessation, willingness for smoking cessation, or E-cigarette experience between daily and occasional smokers. CONCLUSIONS We found that a policy of increasing cigarette prices through taxation is associated with decreases in the prevalence of occasional smokers, who have relatively lower nicotine dependence compared with individuals who smoke daily. The results of our study suggest that social support and direct intervention for smoking cessation at the community level are needed for university students alongside the pricing policy.

The Effect of a Clinic Based Incentive Program on Medication Adherence among Patients with Hypertension or Diabetes Mellitus in Incheon

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the factors affecting adherence in patients with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus before and after a clinic based patient incentive program in Incheon. Methods: An observational follow-up study was done for 28,355 patients in one registered group and 245,598 patients in a non-registered group from March 16th 2009 to December 31th 2010 in Incheon. The registration, mandatory laboratory tests and number of clinic visits were collected by merging the Incheon Chronic Disease Management System data and the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) data. As a measure of patient adherence, we used a variable of prescription days from the NHIC and defined above 80% of average prescription days as an appropriate patient adherence. Repeated measures analysis of variance and logistic regression were used to analyze the differences in patient adherence and factors affecting adherence. Results: The changes in prescription days for the registered group are larger than for the non-registered group. In the logistic regression model, including the variables with sex, age, income status and number of clinic visits, the registered group exhibited a higher Odds ratio in the patient adherence. Conclusion: This study revealed the association between registration and appropriate patient adherence in patients with hypertension or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Effects of Adherence and Hypertension Control on Complication among Newly Diagnosed Hypertension Patients

Background: This study aimed to research on how adherence and blood control could make a difference when it comes to develop complications. Methods: The study’s subjects were 255,916 patients who were newly diagnosed with hypertension in 2009 using data collected by National Health Insurance Cooperation. Patients are considered as a group under adherence if visit days and prescription days are more than 300 days. Patients are considered to have successfully controled their hypertension based on actual value measured by National Health Insurance Cooperation and the study takes a look at whether they were diagnosed with complications of cerebrocardiovascular disease in 2012. Chi-square test and logistic regression was used to analyze. Results: Patients who were able to control their hypertension show 0.80 times chance of developing cerebrovascular disease, and 0.89 times chance of developing cardiocerebrovascular disease. The group of adherence shows lower chance of developing complication in general than the group of non-adherence. Conclusion: The study revealed that hypertension’s constant treatment could control the blood pressure and prevent complications. It is important that encourages patients to effort for persistent treatment for reducing complication.