Public health concerns and risk perceptions in Korea: Focusing on the residents of the metropolitan cities

This study aimed to measure the variation in the levels of risk perception associated with various health risk factors. We analyzed the variables of psychological paradigms that may affect such risk perception levels. According to the perception survey results, the perception of the risk of medical malpractice appeared to be at the highest level compared to other risk factors. According to the analysis of differences in psychological paradigms of health risk factors between genders, the known extent of hazard that medical malpractice, medicines side effects, vaccination accidents, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and food poisoning was much high in female than in male. According to the evaluation of the severity of the risk to future generations, it appeared that women believed that vaccination accidents, AIDS, chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, smoking, and drinking would have a greater effect on the risk to future generations than did men. The significance of this study is that the psychological paradigm affecting the perception level of health risk factors and the risk perceptions themselves have been analyzed by a survey of adults from the general population of Korea.

The Effect of Exposure Factors on the Concentration of Heavy Metals in Residents Near Abandoned Metal Mines / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the factors that have an influence on the residents exposed to heavy metals, and we utilized the findings to establish the proper management of abandoned metal mines in the future. METHODS: For a total of 258 residents who lived close to abandoned mines in Gangwon-province and Gyeonggi-province, the exposure factors and biomarkers in their blood and urine were comparatively analyzed via multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The blood levels of lead and mercury and the cadmium levels in urine were found to be higher in the study group than that in the average Korean. For the blood levels of heavy metals according to each exposure factor, all of them were found to be significantly higher in both of the group residing for a longer period of time and the group living closer to the source of pollutants. Multiple regression analysis disclosed that all the heavy metals, except lead, in their blood were significantly reduced in proportion to the increased distance of inhabitancy from the mines. Their other biomarkers were within the normal ranges. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the distance between the residential village and the mines was a factor that affects the blood level of heavy metals in the villagers. This finding could be an important factor when developing a management model for the areas that surround abandoned metal mines. (ED note: I much like this important study.)