Tae-Yoon Hwang

Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome and Relative Importance of Five Components as a Predictor of Metabolic Syndrome: 5-Year Follow-up Study in Korea

The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of metabolic syndrome and to identify five components as metabolic syndrome predictors. The final study included 1,095 subjects enrolled in a rural part of Daegu Metropolitan City, Korea for a cohort study in 2003. Of these, 762 (69.6%) subjects had participated in the repeat survey. During the five-year follow-up, incidence density was significantly higher for women than for men (men, 30.0/1,000 person-years; women, 46.4/1,000 person-years). In both men and women, incidence of metabolic syndrome showed a significant increase with increasing number of metabolic syndrome components at baseline. Compared with individuals presenting none of components at baseline, relative risks were increased 1.22 (men; 95% CI, 0.43-3.51), 2.21 (women; 95% CI, 0.98-4.97) times more for individuals with one component of metabolic syndrome and 5.30 (men; 95% CI, 2.31-12.13), 5.53 (women; 95% CI, 2.78-11.01) times more for those who had two components. In multivariate analysis, the most powerful risk factor for metabolic syndrome was abdominal obesity in men and low HDL-cholesterol in women (adjusted relative risk, 3.28, 2.53, respectively). Consequently, finding a high risk group for metabolic syndrome according to gender and prevention of metabolic syndrome through lifestyle modification are essential.

Drinking and Its Relationship with Smoking among University Students

Objectives: This study examines the drinking behaviors and the relationship between drinking and smoking behaviors among some Korean university students. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in May, 2006. A total of 1,163 students(715 male and 448 female) completed questionnaires, who were randomly selected in a university in Gyeongsangbuk-Do, Korea. Results: The overall drinking and smoking rates for male subjects were 88.7% and 37.2%, and those for females were 83.5% and 2.2%, respectively. Among the male drinkers 39.9% smoked, while 16.0% of the male non-drinkers were smokers. As male drinkers drink more often, heavier amount per drinking episode, even on a binge, their smoking rate was high. The subjects reported there was positive reinforcement between drinking and smoking behaviors. Conclusions: The drinking rate of students was relatively high, especially for male students drinking behavior was strongly correlated with smoking behavior. Health promotion programs should be targeted at university students considering drinking and smoking behaviors simultaneously.

Oral health related quality of life and it’s related factors of stroke patients at home in Korea

OBJECTIVE Due to physical impairments of stroke patients oral health tends to deteriorate, which may have an impact on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the OHRQoL and analyze its related factors among stroke patients cared for at home in Korea. METHODS OHRQoL of 549 stroke patients aged over 50 who received care at home was assessed by Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) in a City, Korea, from May to June 2009. Trained researchers and five nurses conducted interviews with patients or caregivers in their homes using structured questionnaires. Demographic, general health, stroke, and oral health related variables were surveyed. Statistically, t-test, an analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between OHRQoL and various covariates. RESULTS Mean of total OHIP-14 score was 35.7 ± 10.0. Age, activity of daily living (ADL) (p<0.001), subjective general and oral health status (p<0.001), degree of disability (p<0.001), frequency of tooth brushing (p<0.001), use of dental floss (p<0.01), missing teeth, and use of denture (p<0.001) showed significant association with the OHIP-14 scores. In multiple regression analyses, ADL, frequency of tooth brushing per day, subjective general status, and oral health status were identified as significant factors with the OHIP-14 scores in stroke patients who received care at home. CONCLUSION Among strong patients who received care at home, participants who had more severe physical disability, poorer oral hygiene and more missing teeth showed poorer OHRQoL.

Evaluation of reliability of computerized neurobehavioral tests in Korean children.

Neurobehavioral tests are among the most efficient methods of identifying the adverse health effects of neurotoxicants. The reliability of neurobehavioral tests may be affected by racial or cultural backgrounds, but the widely used computerized neurobehavioral tests have been developed and standardized for Western children. It is thus necessary to assess the reliability of the existing computerized neurobehavioral tests for Korean children. For this reason, 254 healthy 7- to 8-year-old Korean children completed a neurobehavioral test-retest, with the test and retest held two months apart. Six neurobehavioral test items adapted from Korean Computerized Neurobehavioral Tests (KCNT) and modified to match the childrens ability levels: Simple Reaction Time, Choice Reaction Time, Color Word Vigilance, Addition, Symbol Digit, and Finger Tapping Speed. The test reliability was assessed using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The ICCs ranged from 0.46 to 0.84 and were very similar to the Pearson coefficients. High reliability was detected in Symbol Digit (r=0.84, ICC=0.83), followed by the Finger Tapping Speed of the dominant hand (r=0.67, ICC=0.67) and of the non-dominant hand (r=0.65, ICC=0.65). The study findings suggest that the reliability of most computerized neurobehavioral tests is appropriate for epidemiological researches on Korean children, and that Symbol Digit and Finger Tapping Speed are more satisfactory bases for the periodic examination of neurobehavioral performance. These findings can also be useful in the future assembly of a neurobehavioral test battery, by providing more stable neurobehavioral test items for Korean children.

Cultural Competence of Health Care Providers in Daegu and Satisfaction on Health Care Services of Chinese Medical Tourists

Background: This study aims at making a survey on health care service providers’ cultural competence and making an appraisal of Chinese medical tourists on service quality, health care service providers’ cultural competence, perceived value, and satisfaction. Methods: The data was collected from August until November, 2014 and 150 health care service providers and 65 Chinese medical tourists from 12 medical institutions in Daegu were enrolled in analysis. Results: The results showed that health care service provider’s knowledge on Chinese culture was very low with 33.5% of correct answer. Health care service providers were found to get 3.82 point on a 5 point-scale in cultural perception, 3.53 points in cultural sensitivity, and 2.85 points in cultural skills. Chinese medical tourists were analyzed to give 4.08 points on a 5-point scale to satisfaction on health care service, followed by 4.01 points to health care service quality, 4.00 points to perceived value of health care service, and last 3.85 points to a health care service providers’ cultural skills. However, there was a difference in points in cultural skills between health care service providers and Chinese medical tourists. Chinese medical tourists’ satisfaction with health care service in Daegu was found to be comparatively high, but in relation to satisfaction with communication, it was found to be relatively low. Conclusion: Through this research, health care service providers’ knowledge level of Chinese culture and cultural skills were low while they seemed to take a half-hearted attitude towards educational experience for building up cultural competence and foreign patient service response.

Trend analysis of diabetic prevalence and incidence in a rural area of South Korea between 2003–2008

Aims/Introduction:  This study determined the change in prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes over a period of 5 years in South Korea. The incidence of diabetes and prediabetes and risk factors associated with the development of diabetes were also investigated.

Apolipoprotein E Polymorphism and Cognitive Function Change of the Elderly in a Rural Area, Korea

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to examine the cognitive function change related to aging, the incidence of cognitive impairment, and the association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and cognitive impairment through a follow-up of the elderly with normal cognitive ability at baseline. METHODS Two hundred and fifteen subjects aged 65 and over were surveyed in February, 1998 (baseline survey), and their cognitive function was assessed again in 2003 (1st follow-up) and the once again in 2006 (2nd follow-up). Ninety one subjects completed all surveys up through the 2nd follow-up and their cognitive function scores using MMSE-K (Korean Version of the Mini-Mental State Examination) and the distribution of apolipoprotein E allele were analyzed. RESULTS The cognitive function scores decreased with aging and the difference between baseline and the 2nd follow-up scores of the study increased with the age group. The incidence rate of cognitive impairment through an 8-year follow-up was 38.5% and higher in older age groups. Age was the only significant factor for incidence of cognitive impairment, but there was no significant association between apolipoprotein E genotype and incidence of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS The cognition of the elderly decreased with aging and the association of apolipoprotein E genotype with incidence of cognitive impairment was not significant in this study. To confirm the association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and incidence of cognitive impairment further studies will be needed.

Knowledge, Health Belief, and Vaccination Behavior on Hepatitis A among University Students

대학생의 A형 간염에 대한 지식, 건강신념 및 예방접종 행태* 김경자, 황태윤, 이경수 영남대학교병원, 영남대학교 환경보건대학원 영남대학교 의과대학 예방의학교실 Knowledge, Health Belief, and Vaccination Behavior on Hepatitis A among University Students Kyung-Ja Kim, Tae-Yoon Hwang, Kyeong-Soo Lee Yeungnam Univsersity Hospital Department of Health, Graduate School of Environment & Public Health Studies, Yeungnam University, Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University

Effect of Exercise Program of a Public Health Subcenter for Middle and Old Aged Women in an Urban Area

Objectives: This study was to identify the changes of body fat, blood pressure, blood glucose and serum lipid of middle and old aged women after participation in exercise program which includes aerobic(dance sports) and anaerobic(dumbbell gymnastics) exercises. Methods: One hundred women aged from 55 to 72 were surveyed before and after an exercise program. The exercise program was provided to the subjects performed during 6 months from July, 2007 to December, 2007 at a public health subcenter in Gumi City. Questionnaire survey for general characteristics, anthropometric measurement and blood test were taken before starting the program and anthropometric measurement and blood test after completing the program. Results: Body Weight, body fat and blood pressure showed significant change after the exercise program(p0.05). Waite circumference decreased, however did not show statistically significant difference. Conclusions: It was effective to participate in dance sports and dumbbell gymnastics exercise regularly. All of the positive changes through the study showed that there should be the program for middle and old aged women to exercise actively and also the middle and old aged women need have a active exercise habits as regular as possible. Additional studies confirming the results of this study are needed to compare the effects of the dance sports and dumbbell gymnastics exercise on the other age groups.