Causes of Death of Prisoners of War during the Korean War (1950-1953)

PURPOSE: This study aimed at analyzing the causes of death of prisoners of war (POWs) during the Korean War (1950-1953) who fought for the Communist side (North Korea and the People's Republic of China). In 1998, the United States Department of Defense released new information about the prisoners including, 7,614 deaths of the POW during the Korean War. The data on the causes of death of the POWs during the Korean War provides valuable information on the both the public health and history of the conflict. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To analyze the causes of death of the POWs, we classified the clinical diagnosis and findings on 7,614 deaths into 22 chapters, as outlined in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems-10th Revision (ICD-10). Second, we traced changes in the monthly death totals of POWs as well as deaths caused by common infectious diseases and external causes of death including injury over time from August 1950 to September 1953. RESULTS: The most common category of causes of deaths of POWs was infectious disease, 5,013 (65.8%) out of 7,614 deaths, followed by external causes including injury, 817 (10.7%). Overall, tuberculosis and dysentery/diarrhea were the most common causes of death. Deaths caused by acute and chronic infection, or external causes showed different patterns of increases and decline over time during the Korean War. CONCLUSION: The information and data on POWs' deaths during the Korean War reflects the critical impact of the POWs' living conditions and the effect of public health measures implemented in POW camps during the war.

Implementation of the Bangkok Charter's health promotion strategies in Korean health promotion efforts at the municipality level

To address effectively health determinants and challenges in the rapidly changing global context of the 21st century, the Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion was adopted at the Sixth Global Conference for Health Promotion in 2005. According to the Bangkok Charter, all sectors and settings of society are required to implement five strategies for health promotion: they must be advocates for health and health promotion, make strategic investments in their policies and programs, build capacity, regulate and enact appropriate legislation, and build partner alliances with other actors for health promotion. The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which Korea has implemented the health promotion strategies of the Bangkok Charter. To facilitate more effective approaches to promote health in Korea, we sent survey questionnaires to 224 local public health centers throughout the country. We received responses from 384 professionals in 145 of these public health centers. Our analysis of these surveys indicates that basic concepts of health promotion as well as important approaches and health promotion strategies have not been effectively utilized in the Korean context. This is particularly true of efforts to regulate and legislate in the public health field, and to partner and build alliances for health promotion. Efforts in these areas have been inadequate and not given enough priority within the field as a whole. With a concerted effort to implement these strategies for health promotion in all sectors and all settings of Korean society, we can expect more effective interventions and approaches for promoting health and to achieve a higher level of overall societal health.

Developmental assets and the reduction of health risk behaviors among Korean adolescents

This study assessed the extent to which developmental assets predict or contribute to the reduction of health risk behaviors among Korean adolescents. The concept of developmental assets was introduced by Benson and his colleagues as building blocks for healthy child and adolescent's development. Their framework of 40 developmental assets encompasses positive external environmental factors and internal personal qualities which strongly influence adolescents' quality of life. We analyzed data from our 'Korean Youth Health Related Behaviors and Developmental Assets Survey.' The survey was based on self-reported questionnaires we distributed to 3,739 grade 9 students at eight schools across two cities in South Korea in 2001. The 40 developmental assets were measured by using 5-point Likert scales, and health risk behaviors were measured in terms of the prevalence or the experience rate. We identified the predictors of each health risk behavior among the 40 developmental assets using multiple logistic regression analyses. We found that the assets of 'restraint', 'positive peer influence', and 'time at home' were commonly the most important predictors associated with decreased reports of most health risk behaviors except depression. 'Self-esteem' was the most important predictor of decreased reports of depression and suicide. Other internal and external developmental assets were identified as important predictors to specific behaviors. We concluded that the positive asset promotion approach would be more effective and important than the risk factor approach in preventing effectively health risk behaviors among adolescents, and that intervention programs should include more comprehensive and adolescent-based strategies to promote adolescents' health and quality of life by a multi-level multi-dimensional approach.

Using the Precaution Adoption Process Model to Assess Cancer Screening Behavior among Korean Adults

BACKGROUND: Cancer screening for early detection of cancer is essential in the reduction of cancer mortality, but it cannot be successful without the general public's active participation in performing the screening tests. The aim of this study was to examine the stage of readiness for cancer screening among Korean adults by using one of the stage theories, the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM). METHODS: We developed a survey instrument to assess cancer screening behavior by applying the stages of the PAPM. A total of 1,057 adults participated across four municipalities from two metropolitan cities (Incheon and Busan) and two provinces (Kyeonggi-Do and Kyeongsangnam-Do) in Korea. The individuals were classified according to their stage of readiness to perform cancer screening tests regardless of the specific site of cancer. RESULTS: Overall, 28.6% of the participants surveyed had been screened for cancer in the two years prior to our survey. Among those who had not been screened, some had never heard of or had not thought about cancer screening (28.6%). Others were considering the possibility of performing cancer screening tests (29.8%) or had decided to perform them but had not yet acted (11.6%), while a few had decided not to perform them (1.5%). The most significant factors influencing whether or not cancer screening was performed were family experience with cancer screening, sex, age, marital status, region, and financial resources. CONCLUSION: In order to promote cancer screening in the general population, we should make adequate and appropriate interventions (including information, education, financial supports, etc.) to improve individuals' readiness to perform cancer screening.

Theoretical approaches to facilitate health promotion practice in primary health care setting

As a result of cumulative experience in the fields of health education and health promotion, theories related to health behavior have made remarkable progress over the last two decades. In addition to examining the impact of psychological and behavioral factors on health, the field now recognizes the importance of how social, economic, cultural, and political factors influence health behaviors. Health promotion activities now combine educational and ecological supports for promoting actions and conditions conductive to good health. Theoretical approaches to health promotion facilitate the planning and evaluation of health programs. Effective program requires a systematic, comprehensive, ecological approach and population-based planning as well as an evaluation of program objectives. This paper discuss how theories can contribute to health promotion practices in primary health care settings and suggests ways in which physicians can improve the health of their patients. Physicians today must broaden their role and cannot simply deliver health information which has become accessible through the media and internet. Health promotion theories benefit patient education, physician training, and organization for health promotion. Many physicians are not familiar with theories of health behavior based on strategies and methods developed from social science as well as health science. But thes can easily be rectified through a greater awareness of the contribution theories can makd to the field, and through additional educational supports which can allow physicians to make use of theories in their health pormotion practices.

A clinical study of at Kangwon-Do infertility / 대한산부인과학회잡지

No abstract available.