Analysis of Drinking Behavior According to Household Type: Using Data from the 6th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have revealed an association between health behavior and household type; moreover, there have been debates on the relation between drinking behavior and household type. Therefore, we examined drinking behavior of one-person households and compared the differences with multi-person households.METHODS: This study analyzed 8,966 participants, aged 19 years or older, in the 6th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013, 2015). All participants were categorized into one- and multi-person households. The general characteristics were extracted using a chi-square test, and the risk of drinking behavior of one-person households was analyzed via multiple logistic regression.RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the drinking behavior of men by household type. However, the risks of binge and problem drinking were 3.242 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.624–6.471) and 2.488 times (95% CI, 1.097–5.642) higher, respectively, in one-person household women than in multi-person household members aged between 19 and 39 years. Furthermore, the risk of problem drinking was 2.266 times (95% CI, 1.126–4.561) higher in one-person household women than in multi-person household members aged between 40 and 64 years.CONCLUSION: Considering the increasing trend of one-person households, follow-up studies on drinking behavior of one-person households are needed; the findings of these studies need to be used to prevent alcohol-related diseases and socio-economic problems.

Association of Metabolic Syndrome with Whole Milk and Low Fat Milk: Using Data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2015

BACKGROUND: Korean milk consumption and low-fat milk sales are steadily increasing. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of metabolic syndrome according to the type of milk. METHODS: The subjects included 5,553 persons who aged 19 to 64 years, from the data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2013–2015. All subjects were divided by intake of type of milk that are ‘whole milk intake group’, ‘low-fat milk intake group’ and ‘no milk intake grou’p. And the subects were classified as 19-39 years old and 40-64 years old. In order to check differences of demo-sociographic characteristics and metabolic risk factors in three groups, the data was analyzed by chi-square test, t-test and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: For subjects aged 40–64, whole milk intake group had lower relevance with metabolic syndrome than no milk intake group (odds ratio [OR] 0.807, P=0.035, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.660–0.985). But low fat milk intake group was't relevant (OR 0.879, P=0.350, 95% CI 0.670–1.152). Looking at the 19-39 year-old subjects, whole milk and low fat milk intake group were not associated with metaboic syndrome (OR 1.023, P=0.911, 95% CI 0.686–1.525; OR 1.547, P=0.103, 95% CI 0.915–2.617). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that whole milk intake is less relevant to the metabolic syndrome than no milk intake. Low fat milk intake was not relevant. More researches are needed to determine the effects of low fat milk and whole milk on metabolic syndrome.

Reference line-pair values of panoramic radiographs using an arch-form phantom stand to assess clinical image quality

PURPOSE: This study was performed to suggest reference line-pair values of panoramic images with clinically desirable qualities using an arch-form phantom stand. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The line-pair test phantom was chosen. A real skull model was selected for setting the arch-form model of the phantom stand. The phantom stand had slits in four regions (incisor, premolar, molar, TMJ). Four raw images of the test phantom in each region and one raw image of the real skull were converted into 50 test phantom images and 50 skull phantom images with various line-pair values. 50 post-processed real skull phantom images were divided into 4 groups and were randomly submitted to 14 evaluators. Image quality was graded on a 4 point scale (1. good, 2. normal, 3. poor but interpretable, and 4. not interpretable). The reference line pair was determined as the first line-pair value scored less than 2 points. RESULT: The mean scores tended to decrease as the line-pair values increased. The reference line-pair values were 3.19 LP/mm in the incisor, 2.32 LP/mm in the premolar and TMJ, and 1.88 LP/mm in the molar region. CONCLUSION: Image quality evaluation methods and criteria should be able to assess various regions considering the characteristics of panoramic systems. This study suggested overall and regional reference line-pair values and established a set of standard values for them.

Clinical image quality evaluation for panoramic radiography in Korean dental clinics

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of clinical image quality of panoramic radiographs and to analyze the parameters that influence the overall image quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Korean dental clinics were asked to provide three randomly selected panoramic radiographs. An oral and maxillofacial radiology specialist evaluated those images using our self-developed Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart. Three evaluators classified the overall image quality of the panoramic radiographs and evaluated the causes of imaging errors. RESULTS: A total of 297 panoramic radiographs were collected from 99 dental hospitals and clinics. The mean of the scores according to the Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart was 79.9. In the classification of the overall image quality, 17 images were deemed 'optimal for obtaining diagnostic information,' 153 were 'adequate for diagnosis,' 109 were 'poor but diagnosable,' and nine were 'unrecognizable and too poor for diagnosis'. The results of the analysis of the causes of the errors in all the images are as follows: 139 errors in the positioning, 135 in the processing, 50 from the radiographic unit, and 13 due to anatomic abnormality. CONCLUSION: Panoramic radiographs taken at local dental clinics generally have a normal or higher-level image quality. Principal factors affecting image quality were positioning of the patient and image density, sharpness, and contrast. Therefore, when images are taken, the patient position should be adjusted with great care. Also, standardizing objective criteria of image density, sharpness, and contrast is required to evaluate image quality effectively.

Patterns of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies in Patients with Chronic Fatigue or Pain / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: It is well-known that patients with chronic fatigue or frequent pain seek complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAT) in Western countries. We conducted this study to determine the pattern of CAT use and the factors related to CAT use in patients with chronic fatigue or pain in Korea. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. The participants (n = 143) with chronic fatigue or pain completed a self-reported questionnaire including demographic characteristics and lifestyle as well as disease-related and CAT-related items. RESULTS: The frequency of CAT use was 51.0& and 39.2& over the past 10 years and 1 year, respectively. The most common type of CAT used was herbal medicine. The therapeutic effects of the CAT were similar to physicians' prescriptions. CAT were most often used in combination with conventional medicine rather than alone. More than 70.0& of subjects did not consult their physicians for the use of CAT. The duration of illness, severity of fatigue and pain was signifi cantly related to the use of CAT. CONCLUSION: Many patients with chronic fatigue or pain use CAT. Most of these patients do not consult their physicians regarding CAT use.

Radiographic features of desmoplastic ameloblastoma: Report of 3 cases / 대한구강악안면방사선학회지

Desmoplastic ameloblastoma is a rare histologic variant of ameloblastoma. It shows important differences in anatomic distribution, histologic appearance, and radiographic findings compared with the general type of ameloblastoma. It is histologically characterized by an abundance of densely collagenous stroma and radiographically a mixed radiolucent-radiopaque lesion. We present three cases of desmoplastic ameloblastoma. All the patients complained on buccal swelling with or without pain and the sites of occurrence were the anterior and the premolar region. Plain radiographs showed mixed radiopaque-radiolucent lesion with ill-defined or diffuse sclerotic margin and no external root resorption. Additionally, CT scans revealed buccal expansion and relatively well-defined margin of the lesions. The clinical and radiographic features of the presented cases were compared with those of the desmoplastic ameloblastoma in the previous literatures.

The Relationship between Health Risk Appraisal and Health-related Quality of Life among Middle-aged Men

BACKGROUND: Recently, several health risk appraisal programs have been developed to suit Korean character which is currently implemented. This study was conducted to find out the correlation with health age and health-related quality of life through health risk appraisal. METHODS: From March 1, 2004 to July 30, 2004, 107 male patients aged 30 to 59 who visited the family medicine clinic in a university hospital and had agreed to participate in the study have been assessed to determine the correlation between health age and health-related quality of life by measuring tools of health risk appraisal, CMCHS V1.0 questionnaire and Yangseng measurement questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the total 107 subjects, 3 were excluded because of incomplete questionnaire. There were 28 people aged in their thirties, 36 in forties, and 40 in fifties. The health age and health-related quality of life showed a negative correlation. The correlation in men in their fift showed the strongest. Indexes between the health age and health perception, changes in health, vitality, morality Yangseng, diet Yangseng, sleep Yangseng and active and rest Yangseng have shown a strong negative correlation (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The lower the health age is, the better health-related quality of life in several domains of CMCHS V1.0 and Yangseng in middle aged Korean men.