Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional Indonesian Medicine: A Comparative Review of Herbal Medicines Restricted in Pregnancy / 中国结合医学杂志

The decline in birth rates has become a very serious problem in various parts of the world. Many countries have implemented national programs for increasing birth rates, one of which involves the use of traditional medicine as an alternative solution. Among the fast-growing traditional medicines, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and traditional Indonesian medicine (TIM) have attracted a lot of demand globally. Here, we analyzed and compared the herbal medicines from TCM and TIM that must be avoided by pregnant women for preventing miscarriage and maintaining safety during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This review uses data from official reports from the respective government and national and international electronic databases for analysis. Although TCM and TIM have their own characteristics of treatment, they also have some similarities in concept and treatment, especially those related to herbal medicines. This review can be used as a reference base to help pregnant women consume herbal medicines at appropriate conditions and doses.

The Rehabilitation Services Utilization of People with Disabilities in a Rural Area / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the utilization and its determinants of rehabilitation services of people with disabilities in a rural area. METHODS: From March 2 to April 1, 2011, we interviewed 101 disabled people with either physical disabilities or brain lesions. The subjects completed questionnaires about the utilization of rehabilitation services, general characteristics (age, sex, marital status, education level, economic status, health insurance, housing, and employment) and disability characteristics (type, level, comorbidity, reason for the occurrence of the disability, self-rated degree of disability, and daily life care giver). Frequency, Pearson's chi-square test, and a multiple logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: This study showed that 70.3% of the people in this rural area with disabilities were using rehabilitation services. The two most common reasons for not using the services were "doubt about the effectiveness of the service" and "no facilities nearby." The facilities that the disabled people were currently using, in the order of most used to least, were general hospitals or clinics, rehabilitation centers, oriental medicine clinics, and public health centers. Only 19.7% of those who received rehabilitation responded that they were satisfied with the service. Significant factors in the utilization of rehabilitation services were sex, employment, self-rated economic status, and the reason for the occurrence of the disability. Women, people who were currently working, people who were of middle or higher economic status, or people who had acquired a disability were significantly more likely to use the services. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of people with disabilities in a rural area use rehabilitation services at present, but accessibility and satisfaction were low. Quantitatively and qualitatively, rehabilitation services for disabled people in a rural area should be centered around Community-based Rehabilitation (CBR). Effective strategies, for example reaching those who have not used the rehabilitation services, will be needed to improve services in rural areas.

Study on Factors Related to of Clonorchiasis Infection among the Inhabitants in the Nakdong Riverside Area

PURPOSE: This study investigated the factors of C. sinensis infection among the residents in vicinity of the Nakdong River and the infection status of fishes in the stream with C. sinensis maetacercaria. METHODS: Selected five regions of the Nakdong River and collected freshwater fishes from the stream to examine their metacercarial infections; and studied the status and causes of C. sinensis infection in 552 residents living within 5 kilometers from the river. RESULTS: Among the 552 residents studied, 13.8% were infected with C. sinensis, and among 379 freshwater fishes of 20 species collected from the five regions, 41 fishes of 8 species were infected with C. sinensis metacercaria. CONCLUSION: In order to prevent human C. sinensis infection and transition to chronic liver ions, we need to develop and apply good programs such as continuous health education, personal hygiene improvement, active medical treatment for those infected with C. sinensis, and residents' voluntarily stop of eating freshwater fishes in the raw state.

Comparisons of Life Quality between Chronic and Episodic Migraine Patients

BACKGROUND: In this study, the quality of life of patients with chronic and episodic migraine was compared using quality of life assessments tools, which included the MIDAS (migraine disability assessment) questionnaire and MSQoL (migraine-specific quality of life) questionnaire. METHODS: The investigation occurred from November 2005 to April 2006 for patients who visited the neurology department of hospital in because of headache. The patients for the question investigation consisted of 34 patients with chronic migraine (CM) and 48 patients with episodic migraine (EM). The diagnosis of migraines was obtained by the migraine criteria of the International Headache Society (IHS). RESULTS: In the comparisons of the MIDAS score in patients with CM and EM, the second question (reduced effectiveness at work/school), the fourth question (reduced effectiveness in housework), total scores (28+/-19.7 versus 12.0+/-10.1, p<.01), and the question A were higher in CM patients (51.2+/-20.1 versus 15.5+/-13.1, p<.01). MIDAS grade of CM patients were also higher than EM patients. In MSQoL score comparisons of CM and EM patients, three parts of life qualities, which are role-function restrictive, role-function preventive, and emotional function due to headache, and total score (61.9+/-11.7 versus 73.7+/-13.9, p<.01) was less in CM patients than EM patients. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that life qualities of the patients with CM were significantly lower than of the patients with EM.

A Model Study on Medical Utilization of Workers with Non-Occupational Diseases : An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to examine the factors influencing the behavioral intention and behavior of workers with non-occupational diseases when utilizing medical facilities, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). METHODS: The first TPB questionnaire was administered to 3,116 subjects during workers'periodic health examinations at one health examination institute, between September and December in 2000. An investigation of the medical facilities utilization was also conducted by administering a second survey to the 354 subjects (11.4%) adjudged to be workers with non-occupational diseases from the results of the health examination. RESULTS: The medical utilization rate within one month was 41.5%. To investigate the overall relationship between variables, the authors conducted a linear structural equation model analysis, based on the theory of planned behavior. The attitude toward behavior and the subjective norm both positively influenced the behavioral intention (T> or = 2.0). The perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention both positively influenced the behavior (T> or = 2.0) CONCLUSIONS: To improve the medical utilization by workers found to have diseases as a result of their health examination, the implementation of an intervention program will be necessary to increase the behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control, and care givers must pay more attention to eventually converting behavioral intention into actual behaviors.

Drug Abuse Status and Its Determinants of Male High School Students in Taegu / 예방의학회지

To identify the drug abuse status and its determinant factors in high school boys in Taegu, the study was performed from April to May, 1995. Study population were selected by cluster sampling method and total 5,665 students replied to the self-administered questionnaire survey(2,207 in academic high school, 3,458 in business high school). The major findings were as follows; The proportion of drinking, smoking experience was 55.0%, 45.8%, respectively, and the proportion of current drinker, current smoker was 27.2%, 27.5%. The drinking, smoking experience rate of second grade students was higher than first grade and it was higher in business high school boys. The proportion of a stimulant, a hallucinogen, hemp leaf cigarets experience was 3.2%, 1.6%, 0.1%, respectively. Drug abuse had significant association with home environment(lower economic status, frequent move, death of father or mother, apart from family), parents environment(parents' indifference, parents' drinking and smoking, etc.), school life(lower school grades, intimate friend's drug abuse, etc.), generous attitude to drug abuse, higher level of stress. Students who replied that the law prohibited immature person(students) from drinking and smoking showed lower drug abuse rate. In multiple logistic regression analysis, second grade students, business high school students, parents' indifference, lower school grades, intimate friend's drug abuse, no recognition of the fact that the law prohibits high school students from drinking and smoking, generous attitude to drug abuse, higher level of stress were significantly related with alcohol abuse and smoking. Other drugs abuse were related with above factors. On consideration of above findings, to prevent students from drug abuse, we have to try together in house, school, and society.

Health Care Utilization and Its Determinants of Workers with Non-occupational Diseases / 대한산업의학회지

This study was conducted to analyse medical facilities utilization based on predisposing factors, enabling factors and need factors, and effect of these factors on medieal facilities utilization, by applying Anderson's medical care service behavioral model as the most well known medical demand model to 163 available for interview among 246 workers who, as the result of health examination in 1994, were evaluated as the non occupational diseases. The results of this study were summarized as follows. Among variables of predisposing factors, knowledge for disease showed significant relations with the medical utilization, other variables of predisposing factors, such as sex, age, marital status, educational level, number of family members, type of occupation, attitude toward the disease, were not related with the medical utilization. The medical utilization was not related with variables of enabling factors. Among variables of need factors, medical advice of health personnel was significant variable for medical utilization. With multiple logistic regression analysis, the significant variables haying an effect on the medical facllities utilization were the type of occupation and knowledge for the disease among predisposing factors, ana seriousness for the disease and medical advice of health personnel among need factors. In case of the production job, the medical facilitles utilization was higher for the persons with more knowledge for disease and experience of medical treatment guidance. The number of non-occupational diseases detected, but untreated person was 76 (46.6%) of total subjects, mainly because the non-occupational diseases seemed to be a slight disease (55.3%). On consideration of above findings, health education for workers and adequate medical advice by health personnel would be needed for health management of workers with non occupational diseases.