Sangchul Roh

[The association of central obesity with type 2 diabetes among Koreans according to the serum gamma-glutamyltransferase level: Korean genome and epidemiology study].

OBJECTIVES This cross-sectional study was performed to examine if the serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level that is within its normal range is associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes and if the association between the waist hip ratio (WHR) and type 2 diabetes is different depending on the serum GGT levels. METHODS The study subjects were 23,436 persons aged 40 years or older and who participated in regular health check-ups at 11 hospitals (males: 5,821, females: 17,615). The gender-specific quintiles of the serum GGT and WHR were used to examine the associations with type 2 diabetes. RESULTS The serum GGT levels within their normal range were positively associated with type 2 diabetes only in women. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 1.0, 1.0, 1.4, 2.1, and 2.5 according to the quintiles of the serum GGT (p(trend)<0.01). The WHR was more strongly associated with the prevalence of diabetes among the women with a high-normal serum GGT level as compared with those with a low-normal serum GGT level (p for interaction=0.02). For example, the adjusted ORs for women with a low normal serum GGT level were 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 2.2, and 2.4 according to the quintiles of the WHR, while those figures were 1.0, 2.4, 3.6, 5.0, and 8.3 among the women with a high normal serum GGT level. However, in men, the serum GGT was very weakly associated with type 2 diabetes and the association between the WHR and type 2 diabetes was not different depending on the serum GGT level. CONCLUSIONS Serum GGT within its normal range was positively associated with type 2 diabetes, and central obesity was more strongly associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes when the serum GGT level was high-normal. However, these associations were observed only in women, which is different from the previous findings. The stronger relation between central obesity and type 2 diabetes among women with a high-normal serum GGT level can be useful for selecting a group that is at high risk for type 2 diabetes irregardless of whatever the underlying mechanism is.

Study on the Health Status of the Residents near Military Airbases in Pyeongtaek City

OBJECTIVES We conducted an epidemiologic survey to evaluate the effect of the aircraft noise exposure on the health of the residents near the military airbases in Pyeongtaek City. METHODS The evaluation of environmental noise level, questionnaire survey, and health examination were performed for 917 residents. The study population consisted of four groups: subjects who lived in the village close to the fighter airbase (high exposure), subjects who lived along the course of fighters (intermediate exposure), and subjects near a helicopter airbase, and the control group. RESULTS The prevalence of the aircraft noise related accident and irritable bowel syndrome in the exposure groups were higher than that of the control group. The risks of noise induced hearing loss, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. The prevalence of anxiety disorder and primary insomnia were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. Prevalence odd ratios of the risk for primary insomnia after adjusting age, sex, agricultural noise, and occupation were 4.03 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.56-10.47] for the subject near the helicopter airbase, 1.23 (95% CI 0.40-3.76) for those intermediately exposed to fighter noise, and 4.99 (95% CI 2.14-11.64) for those highly exposed to fighter noise. CONCLUSIONS The results of the present study suggest that the aircraft noise may have adverse effects on hearing function, cardiovascular health and mental health. Therefore, it seems to be needed to take proper measures including the control of the aircraft noise and the management of the exposed peoples health.

Exposure Assessment of Heavy Metals using Exposure Biomarkers among Residents Living Near a Chungcheongnam-do Province Industrial Complex Area

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the level of physical exposure to heavy metals among residents who live around a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex and to provide baseline data on the effects and harms of heavy metals on the human body by comparing their exposure levels to those of people from control regions. Methods: We measured blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury and chromium levels and conducted a survey among 559 residents from the affected area and 347 residents of other areas. Results: Blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury levels were significantly higher in the case region than among those in the control region (p=0.013, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the thermoelectric power plant area, blood cadmium and urine mercury levels were significantly higher than in the control region (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the steel mill and petrochemical industry areas, blood cadmium level was significantly higher than that in the control region (p<0.001). Dividing groups by the reference level of blood cadmium (2 μg/L), the odds ratios between the case and control regions were 2.56 (95% CI=1.83-3.58), 3.11 (95% CI=2.06-4.71) for the thermoelectric power plant area, 1.78 (95% CI=1.19-2.65) for the steel mill area and 4.07 (95% CI=2.40-6.89) for petrochemical industry area. Conclusion: This study showed that the levels of exposure to heavy metals among residents living near a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex were significantly higher than those in the control region. This seems to be attributable to exposure to heavy metals emissions from the industrial complex. Further research and safety measures are required to protect residents’ health.

Risk factors associated with depression and suicidal ideation in a rural population

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors associated with depression and suicidal ideation in a rural population. Methods A survey was conducted with 543 farmers from Chungcheongnam-do Province using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) for depression, Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) for social support, Swedish Q16 for neurotoxicity symptoms and a survey tool for farmer’s syndrome. Results After adjusting for socioeconomic factors using logistic regression analysis, poor self-rated health, low social support and neurotoxicity were positively associated with the risk of depression (odds ratio [OR], 15.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.11 to 81.97; OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 1.26 to 7.82; and OR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.08 to 12.57, respectively). The risk of suicidal ideation significantly increased with low social support, neurotoxicity and farmer’s syndrome (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.18 to 4.40; OR, 6.17; 95% CI, 2.85 to 13.34; and OR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.51 to 9.07, respectively). Conclusions Given the overall results of this study, there is a need to establish programs which can improve the health and social relationships of farmers. Also, when farmers have neurological symptoms from pesticide exposure and characteristic symptoms of farmer’s syndrome, a monitoring system for depression and suicide must be made available.Conclusions: Given the overall results of this study, there is a need to establish programs which can improve the health and social relationships of farmers. Also, when farmers have neurological symptoms from pesticide exposure and characteristic symptoms of farmers syndrome, a monitoring system for depression and suicide must be made available.

The relationship between spontaneous abortion and female workers in the semiconductor industry

BackgroundThis study investigated the relationship between job type and the risk for spontaneous abortion to assess the reproductive toxicity of female workers in the semiconductor industry.MethodsA questionnaire survey was administered to current female workers of two semiconductor manufacturing plants in Korea. We included female workers who became pregnant at least 6 months after the start of their employment with the company. The pregnancy outcomes of 2,242 female workers who experienced 4,037 pregnancies were investigated. Personnel records were used to assign the subjects to one of three groups: fabrication process workers, packaging process workers, and clerical workers. To adjust for within-person correlations between pregnancies, a generalized estimating equation was used. The logistic regression analysis was limited to the first pregnancy after joining the company to satisfy the assumption of independence among pregnancies. Moreover, we stratified the analysis by time period (pregnancy in the years prior to 2008 vs. after 2009) to reflect differences in occupational exposure based on semiconductor production periods.ResultsThe risk for spontaneous abortion in female semiconductor workers was not significantly higher for fabrication and packaging process workers than for clerical workers. However, when we stratified by time period, the odds ratio for spontaneous abortion was significantly higher for packaging process workers who became pregnant prior to 2008 when compared with clerical workers (odds ratio: 2.21; 95% confidence interval: 1.01–4.81).ConclusionsWhen examining the pregnancies of female semiconductor workers that occurred prior to 2008, packaging process workers showed a significantly higher risk for spontaneous abortions than did clerical workers. The two semiconductor production periods in our study (prior to 2008 vs. after 2009) had different automated processes, chemical exposure levels, and working environments. Thus, the conditions prior to 2008 may have increased the risk for spontaneous abortions in packaging process workers in the semiconductor industry.

Relationship between residential district and health-related quality of life in Chungnam industrial complex area

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between residential district of people, such as power plant, steel-mill and petrochemical industries, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, we randomly recruited participants for our study from industrial areas (thermoelectric power plant, steel-mill, petrochemical industry) and rural areas. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the relationships between Euro quality of life-5 dimension (EQ-5D) scores and living region, while controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Results In adjusted model, quality of life decreased with increasing category of age and were lower for females than males. EQ-5D scores of people living in the vicinity of thermoelectric power plant were significant lower than those of people living the vicinity of comparison region (odds ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 2.53). Conclusions Living region of thermoelectric power plant, was strongly associated with scores on the EQ-5D. More research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms which makes the relationship with the living regions and HRQoL.