Comparison and analysis of the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection by region in the Republic of Korea during 2005-2012

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study compared the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the Republic of Korea and estimated the high-risk regions and towns. METHODS: National Health Insurance Service data for 8 years from 2005 to 2012 were used. The subjects of the study had visited medical facilities and been diagnosed with or received treatment for acute or chronic HCV as a primary or secondary disease according to ICD-10 codes of B17.1 or B18.2, respectively. Any patient who received treatment for the same disease multiple times during 1 year was counted as one patient in that year. To correct for the effect of the age structure of the population by year and region, the age-adjusted prevalence was calculated using the direct method based on the registered population in 2010. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of HCV infection among Korean adults (>20 years old) increased from 0.14% in 2005 to 0.18% in 2012. The sex-, age-, and region-adjusted prevalence in 2012 was 0.18%. The prevalence was highest in Busan, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam, and there were towns with noticeably higher prevalences within these regions: Jindo (0.97%) in Jeonnam, Namhae (0.90%) in Gyeongnam, and Seo-gu (0.86%) in Busan. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HCV infection differs by regions as well as towns in the Republic of Korea, and is highest in Busan, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam. The reasons for the high prevalence in these specific regions should be identified, since this could help prevent HCV infections in the future. In addition, active surveillance and treatment policies should be introduced to stop any further spread of infection in these high-prevalence regions.

Monitoring of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and the metabolites in Workers using Coal tar Paints / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the exposure levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene(1-OHP) were surveyed among the workers using coal tar paint. METHOD: The study subjects for the exposed group were 107 male coal tar workers in 10 factories, and for the comparison group were 201 male clerk workers who had never been exposed to coal tar paint. Ambient PAHs, and pre-shift and end-shift urinary 1-OHP were sample and 16 PAHs were analysed. Smoking history was recorded during the survey day. RESULTS: The geometric mean of ambient concentration of total PAHs was 120.17 microgram/m3. Naphthalene had the highest level among the 16 PAHs. The pre-shift 1-OHP in the exposed group (8.89 micro mol/mol creatinine) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0.29 micro mol/mol creatinine). The end-shift 1-OHP in the exposed group (19.02 micro mol/mol creatinine) was significantly higher than that in the pre-shift (8.89 micro mol/mol creatinine) (Ed- confirm). 1-OHP of smokers was significantly higher than that of non-smokers in both groups. The difference between pre-shift and end-shift 1-OHP in smokers (12.40 micro mol/mol creatinine) was twice as high as that in non-smokers (6.06 micro mol/mol creatinine). The difference of 1-OHP between smokers and nonsmokers was 7.59 micro mol/mol creatinine in pre-shift and 13.96 micro mol/mol creatinine in end-shift. Thus, the effect of smoking and exposure to PAHs on 1-OHP may not be additive. In regression analysis for 1-OHP, the significant independent variables were pre-shift 1-OHP and PAHs. The direction of these variables was positive. When the analysis was performed in workers exposed to higher PAHs, smoking was significant independent variable. CONCLUSION: The above results suggest that not only ambient PAHs but also smoking, one of the most important non-occupational PAHs source, influenced the level of 1-OHP. Moreover, the effect of smoking to 1-OHP changed according to the exposure level of PAHs.

Study on activities of some occupational health nurses in Kyungnam area / 예방의학회지

Authors purposed to observe activities of occupational health nurses and it's related factors, and to suggest the way that induct better occupational health nurses' activities with questionnaire to 87 occupational health nurses who individually work as health manager in the plant. The questionnaire included type of plant and number of workers, general characteristics, work conditions, activities, etc. Major findings are as follows. 1. 82.8% of occupational health nurses were third decade 93.1% graduated junior college or college. And 82.8% were not married. 2. General work conditions: 40.2% were belonged to safety-health section, 98.85% were mere clerks. 60.9% worked less than weekly 44 hours, and an annual salary of 50.6% was between 10million and 14 million won. 3. work condition related to health manager work: there was separated health care room in 94. 3%, working period as health manager(occupational health nurse) was less than 5 years in 70.1%, 49.4% had the out-of-health manager work. In 87.4%, occupational physician was appointed, only 6.9% of them were full time, 52.9% of them worked little in the plants The problems related to workers' health were discussed with industrial nurses in 88.5%. 4. Attitude for their work: 88.5% were thought that their work is important for workers' health care, 57.5% satisfied to work as health manager. In 51.7%, motive to being industrial nurse were the appropriate aptitude. 5. Activities: General medical care in 100 % were carried out, in 97 7% works related to general health examination, in l00% works related to special health examination were carried. But works related to use of protective apparatus were carried out in 20.8%. 6. Factors related to level of activities: In cases who solved the health related problems by themselves, the level of activities was significantly higher than in others. In cases there w ere full time occupational physician, the level of activities was significantly lower. 7. Occupational health nurse's needs: 100% wanted regular education, 89.7% wanted the qualifying examination. As the results, author suggests that the right of self-control is given to occupational health nurses and the work of occupational physician is clearly defined for the induction of the better activities of occupational health nurses.

Comparison of environmental and personal exposure concentration of dust / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

Urinary Hippuric Acid Excretion in Toluene Exposed Workers / 예방의학회지

In order to prepare the fundamental data for preventing the hazardous effects at toluene exposure in many kinds of industry, the authors determined the level of urinary hippuric acid on 592 toluene exposed women(exposed group) and 102 unexposed women(control group) in Pusan area, from April 1 to October 31, 1986. Hippuric acid was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The results were summarized as follows; 1. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was 0.44+/-0.21g/l(0.11-0.89g/l). The distribution of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the control group was not fit to the normal distribution. 2. The mean value of urinary hippuric acid concentration of the exposed group was 1.56+/-0.95g/l(0.44-4.57g/l). The distribution of urinary hippuric acid concentration of control group was not fit to the normal distribution. 3. The urinary hippuric acid concentration by age group was not statistically significant in the control group, but in the exposed the urinary hippuric acid concentration was highest in women between 20-29 years old(1.71+/-0.95g/l) and was statistically significant(p0.1).