Individual-level Associations Between Indicators of Social Capital and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Scores in Communities With High Mortality in Korea / 예방의학회지

Objectives@#This study examined associations among social capital indicators (social participation and generalized trust) at the individual level and alcohol use, which was quantified using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores. @*Methods@#In total, there were 8800 participants in community health interviews, including 220 adults sampled systematically from a resident registration database of each of 40 sub-municipal administrative units of local (city or county) governments. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using polychotomous logistic regression. @*Results@#The aORs for abstainers versus people with AUDIT scores of 0-7, based on 3 questions on generalized trust, in comparison to those with no positive responses, were 1.15 (95% CI, 0.99 to 1.34) for 1 positive response, 1.16 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.37) for 2 positive responses; and 1.39 (95% CI, 1.20 to 1.61) for 3 positive responses. The aORs for abstainers versus people with AUDIT scores of 0-7, in comparison to participation in no organizations, were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.69) for participation only in informal organizations; 2.16 (95% CI, 1.57 to 2.99) for participation only in religious organizations; 2.41 (95% CI, 1.10 to 5.29) for participation only in volunteer organizations; and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.57 to 0.74) for participation in formal organizations. Participants in formal social organizations, regardless of their participation in informal organizations, were more likely to have AUDIT scores of 8-15 (aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.60) or ≥16 (aOR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.23) than to have scores of 0-7. @*Conclusions@#Our findings may have implications for health policy to reduce alcohol problems.

Self-esteem as a Moderator of the Effects of Happiness, Depression, and Hostility on Suicidality Among Early Adolescents in Korea / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of self-esteem as a moderator of the factors influencing suicidality among middle-schoolers. METHODS: Moderated multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the influence of happiness, depression, and hostility on suicidality and to determine the degree to which self-esteem served as a moderator of those relationships. Data were collected from 268 students at a middle school in Busan, Korea, using a self-administered structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Happiness, depression, and hostility had significant direct effects on suicidality. Self-esteem showed no direct effect, but had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between hostility and suicidal behavior. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that various interventions, such as counseling programs, should be designed to alleviate hostility and depression and to enhance happiness and self-esteem among early adolescents.

The Association of Perceived Neighborhood Walkability and Environmental Pollution With Frailty Among Community-dwelling Older Adults in Korean Rural Areas: A Cross-sectional Study / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES@#The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of frailty with perceived neighborhood walkability and environmental pollution among community-dwelling older adults in rural areas.@*METHODS@#The participants were 808 community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years and older in 2 rural towns. Comprehensive information, including demographics, socioeconomic status, grip strength, polypharmacy, perceived neighborhood environment (specifically, walkability and environmental pollution), and frailty, was collected from participants using face-to-face interviews conducted between June and August 2018. Perceived neighborhood walkability was measured using 20 items that were selected and revised from the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, the Neighborhood Walkability Checklist from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Survey. The Kaigo-Yobo Checklist was used to assess participants’ frailty.@*RESULTS@#The overall prevalence of frailty in this community-dwelling population was 35.5%. Sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, grip strength, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with frailty. In the logistic regression analysis, frailty was associated with low perceived neighborhood walkability (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.881; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833 to 0.932; p<0.001) and severe perceived neighborhood environmental pollution (aOR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.017 to 1.087; p=0.003) after adjusting for sex, age, cohabitation status, educational attainment, employment status, monthly income, grip strength, and polypharmacy.@*CONCLUSIONS@#More studies are warranted to establish causal relationships between walkability and environmental pollution and frailty.

Self-esteem as a Moderator of the Effects of Happiness, Depression, and Hostility on Suicidality Among Early Adolescents in Korea / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES@#The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of self-esteem as a moderator of the factors influencing suicidality among middle-schoolers.@*METHODS@#Moderated multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the influence of happiness, depression, and hostility on suicidality and to determine the degree to which self-esteem served as a moderator of those relationships. Data were collected from 268 students at a middle school in Busan, Korea, using a self-administered structured questionnaire.@*RESULTS@#Happiness, depression, and hostility had significant direct effects on suicidality. Self-esteem showed no direct effect, but had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between hostility and suicidal behavior.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These results suggest that various interventions, such as counseling programs, should be designed to alleviate hostility and depression and to enhance happiness and self-esteem among early adolescents.

Patient's Cognitive Function and Attitudes towards Family Involvement in Cancer Treatment Decision Making: A Patient-Family Caregiver Dyadic Analysis / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Older patient populations commonly have cognitive impairment, which might impact decisional capacity. We examined patients and family caregivers preferences for family involvement in treatment decision making assuming different level of cognitive impairment, and sought to explore the factors associated with the preferences and the degree to which patients and family members agree on preferences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 358 elderly cancer patient and caregiver dyads were recruited from the 11 cancer centers in Korea andwere asked to express their preferences forfamily involvement in treatment decision making using hypothetical scenarios with three different levels of cognitive status (intact, mild impairment, and severe impairment). RESULTS: Both patients and family caregivers preferred greater family dominance in treatment decision makingwith the increasing the level of cognitive impairment (39.7%, 60.9%, and 86.6% for patients and 45.0%, 66.2%, and 89.7% for caregivers in each scenarios). Patient and family caregiver concordance in decisional control preference was small for all three scenarios (weighted κ=0.32, κ=0.26, and κ=0.36, respectively). Higher patient education was associated with preference for patient dominance in treatment decision in conditions of both mild and severe cognitive impairment. The association of higher patient education and patient-caregiver preference concordance was positive with intact cognition, while it was negative with severe cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Decision control preferences were affected by hypothesized cognitive status of the patients. Findings from our study would be helpful to develop effective strategy for optimizing family involvement in cancer treatment decision in the context of deteriorating cognitive function of the patients.

Associations of Generalized Trust and Social Participation at the Individual Level with Unmet Healthcare Needs in Communities with High Mortality

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether generalized trust and/or social participation at an individual level have negative associations with unmet healthcare needs. METHODS: Door-to-door interviews were conducted by trained interviewers to collect information. The 8,800 study participants included 220 adults sampled systematically using the resident registration database from 40 sub-municipal-level administrative units in Korea. Unmet healthcare needs were measured subjectively by the following question: “During the past 12 months, was there ever a time when you felt that you needed healthcare (excluding dental care) but did not receive it?” The responses were classified as either “yes” or “no.” RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for unmet healthcare needs based on one positive response, two positive responses, and three positive responses to the three items of generalized trust compared to no positive responses were 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77–1.09), 0.90 (95% CI, 0.74–1.09), and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.61–0.87), respectively. The adjusted ORs for unmet healthcare needs based on social participation only in informal organizations, only in formal organizations, and in both informal and formal organizations compared to no social participation were 0.83 (95% CI, 0.71–0.98), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.77–1.21), and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.82–1.15), respectively. The covariates included in the multiple logistic regression were sociodemographic variables (gender, age, marital status, educational level, occupation, food security, and administrative unit), self-rated health, and perceived stress. CONCLUSION: Therefore, generalized trust and social participation in informal organizations can decrease the incidence of unmet healthcare needs.

Oral Impact on Daily Performance and Happiness related to Orthodontic Treatment of Some Middle and High School Students with Malocclusion / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether the impacts of orthodontic treatment of malocclusion on oral health-related quality of life and happiness are positive with middle and high school students. METHODS: Subjects were 157 orthodontic patients and 83 non-orthodontic in malocclusion patients. Questionnaires were collected with the self-administered method, and consisted of the general characteristics, self-esteem, social support appraisal scale(friends, family, teacher), Oral Impact on Daily Performance (OIDP) and oxford happiness questionnaire (OHQ). RESULTS: A physical factor was lower in the orthodontic treatment group (5.8±2.48) than in the non-orthodontic treatment group (7.7±2.10)(p<0.001), and OIDP was lower in the orthodontic treatment group (7.0±1.79) than in the non-orthodontic treatment group (7.8±1.80)(p=0.002). A feeling of happiness was higher in the orthodontic treatment group(4.6±0.81) than in the orthodontic treatment group (4.3±0.89) (p=0.009). As results of multiple regression analysis, OIDP was affected of orthodontic treatment(β=−0.0222, p=0.001) and OHP was affected of orthodontic treatment(β=0.087, p=0.030) and OIDP(β=0.116, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic treatment of malocclusion may positively affects happiness in teenager. Support policy for orthodontic treatment of malocclusion is necessary for adolescents.

Population-Based Regional Cancer Incidence in Korea: Comparison between Urban and Rural Areas / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in organ-specific cancer incidence according to the region and population size in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the data of the cancer registration program of Gyeongnam Regional Cancer Center between 2008 and 2011. Age-standardized rates of cancer incidence were analyzed according to population size of the region and administrative zone. RESULTS: Incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing rapidly in both urban and rural areas. However, the thyroid cancer incidence was much lower in rural areas than in urban areas and megalopolis such as Seoul. Gastric cancer was relatively more common in rural areas, in megalopolis near the sea (Ulsan, Busan, and Incheon), and other southern provinces (Chungcheongnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do). A detailed analysis in Gyeongsangnam-do revealed that rural areas have relatively low incidence of thyroid and colorectal cancer, and relatively high incidence of gastric and lung cancer compared to urban areas. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there are some differences in cancer incidence by population size. Thyroid and colorectal cancer incidence was increasing, and gastric and lung cancer was slightly decreasing in urban areas, whereas gastric and lung cancer incidence still remains high in rural areas.

The Mid-Term Outcome Evaluation of Community Organization: Three-year Experience of Health Plus Happiness Plus Projects in Gyeongsangnam-Do / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to explore the effectiveness of community organization as a strategy for health promotion. METHODS: We used data from community health interviews from 6 administrative sections (eup, myeon, or dong) with high mortality from August to October, conducted once in both 2010 and 2013 as part of the Health Plus Happiness Plus Projects based on the concept of community empowerment in Gyeongsangnam-do Province. For 2010, the study subjects comprised a systematic sampling of 220 adults from each of the six sections for a total of 1320 subjects, and for 2013, 200 from each section for a total of 1200 subjects. We compared main health behavior indicators and empowerment score between these two years. RESULTS: Smoking prevalence in men was 47.4% in 2013, and 47.7% in 2010, respectively. Prevalence of walking 5 days or more per week was 35.6% in 2013, significantly lower than 46.2% in 2010. Also, during that period, both biennial health examination rate and biennial gastric cancer screening rate among those 40 years of age and over significantly increased from 57.7% to 63.6% and from 49.3% to 55.0%, respectively. Mean empowerment score at the community level significantly increased from 12.6 to 14.0. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the three-year implementation of community organization might have helped to increase the participation rate of biennial health examinations including cancer screenings in the community. However, this was not the case for smoking cessation and walking. Further studies are needed for evidence-based health promotion.

The Effects of Health Promotion Initiatives with Community Participation and Parterships: The Case of Sabong-Myeon in Jinju City / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify the effects of area-based health promotion initiatives with community participation and partnerships conducted in Sabong-Myeon, Jinju City for three years. METHODS: We used data from the '2008 Sabong-Myeon Health Survey' and the '2011 Health Plus Happiness Plus Community Health Survey'. The study comprised 520 systematically sampled individuals, composed of 300 adults in 2008 and 200 adults in 2011. We compared some health behavior and mental health indicators as well as social capital levels between these two surveys. RESULTS: The prevalences of smoking and walking exercise in 2011 were significantly higher than those in 2008. The prevalences of high risk alcohol consumption in men, stress perception, depressive symptoms experience, and suicide ideation were significantly lower than those in 2008. The proportion of people having a high level of social capital in 2011 was significantly higher than that in 2008, regardless of sex or marital status. However, the difference in the proportion was not statistically significant among people with a high educational background. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the 3 years' implementation of area-based health promotion initiatives conducted in Sabong-Myeon might help to improve the mental health and social capital level of this community. The long-term health effects of area-based health promotion initiatives with community participation and partnerships need to be studied further, and lessons from these initiatives can be obtained by adapting proper evaluation methods.

The Relationship between Coronary Risk Factors and Coronary Calcium Score Detected by Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography in Korean Middle Aged Men / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between coronary artery calcification and risk factors of cardiovascular disease with multidetector computed tomography. METHODS: Data were collected from 5,899 males between 30 and 59 years old by interview, survey, physical examination, blood test, and multidetector computed tomography in the university hospital from January 2010 to December 2011. We confirmed the coronary artery calcium scores of subjects by multidetector computed tomography and identified risk factors of cardiovascular disorders. We investigated the relationship between coronary artery calcification and risk factors of cardiovascular disorders. RESULTS: Mean calcium score of the coronary arteries in 5,899 participants was 8.20, and 773 participants (13.1%) exhibited coronary artery calcification. The presence of coronary artery calcification was correlated to risk factors of cardiovascular disease (age, blood pressure, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, glucose, Apolipoprotein A-1, Apolipoprotein B, body mass index, waist circumference) and risk assessment tools of cardiovascular disorders. Significant predicted factors of coronary artery calcification had different patterns in each age group (30-39, 40-49, 50-59 years old). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the relationship between coronary artery calcification and either typical risk factors of cardiovascular disease or risk assessment tools of cardiovascular disease. In addition, we also observed that the pattern of these factors varied according to age. Therefore, age-related variation needs to be considered in management strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Associations of Social Participation and Trust with Suicidal Ideation and Attempt in Communities with High Mortality / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to identify the associations of social capital with suicidal thoughts and attempts in Korean communities with poor health. METHODS: We used the data from community health interviews conducted at 40 administrative sections (dong, eup, or myeon) with high mortality from August to October in 2010, 2011, and 2012 as part of the Health Plus Happiness Plus Projects in Gyeongsangnam-do Province. The 8,800 study subjects composed of 220 adults systematically sampled from each administrative section were asked if they had thought about suicide or had attempted suicide within 1 year. The social participation was measured with 'participation in formal and/or informal group' and trust using responses to three questions about trust of others. RESULTS: The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt within 1 year were 10.4% and 0.8%, respectively. The logistic regression analysis revealed that those who participated in only informal groups, or had highest trust level reported less suicidal ideation, or attempt after adjusting for socio-demographic factors (sex, age, marital status, occupation, and food affordability), self-rated health, and health behaviors (smoking, alcohol drinking, and exercise). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested social capital such as social participation and trust was associated with less suicide ideation and attempt. More studies are warranted for the association of social capital with suicidal behavior.

The relationship between depressive symptoms among female workers and job stress and sleep quality

OBJECTIVE: Recently, workers' mental health has become important focus in the field of occupational health management. Depression is a psychiatric illness with a high prevalence. The association between job stress and depressive symptoms has been demonstrated in many studies. Recently, studies about the association between sleep quality and depressive symptoms have been reported, but there has been no large-scaled study in Korean female workers. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between job stress and sleep quality, and depressive symptoms in female workers. METHODS: From Mar 2011 to Aug 2011, 4,833 female workers in the manufacturing, finance, and service fields at 16 workplaces in Yeungnam province participated in this study, conducted in combination with a worksite-based health checkup initiated by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). In this study, a questionnaire survey was carried out using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form(KOSS-SF), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale(CES-D). The collected data was entered in the system and analyzed using the PASW (version 18.0) program. A correlation analysis, cross analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Among the 4,883 subjects, 978 subjects (20.0%) were in the depression group. Job stress(OR=3.58, 95% CI=3.06-4.21) and sleep quality(OR=3.81, 95% CI=3.18-4.56) were strongly associated with depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that job stress displayed explanatory powers of 15.6% on depression while sleep quality displayed explanatory powers of 16.2%, showing that job stress and sleep quality had a closer relationship with depressive symptoms, compared to the other factors. The multivariate logistic regression analysis yielded odds ratios between the 7 subscales of job stress and depressive symptoms in the range of 1.30-2.72 and the odds ratio for the lack of reward was the highest(OR=2.72, 95% CI=2.32-3.19). In the partial correlation analysis between each of the 7 subscales of sleep quality (PSQI) and depressive symptoms, the correlation coefficient of subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction were 0.352 and 0.362, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the depressive symptoms of female workers are closely related to their job stress and sleep quality. In particular, the lack of reward and subjective sleep factors are the greatest contributors to depression. In the future, a large-scale study should be performed to augment the current study and to reflect all age groups in a balanced manner. The findings on job stress, sleep, and depression can be utilized as source data to establish standards for mental health management of the ever increasing numbers of female members of the workplace.

The Strategies to Address Regional Health Inequalities in Gyeongsangnam-Do: Health Plus Happiness Plus Projects / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to implement Health Plus Happiness Plus projects in Gyeongsangnam-Do and assess the policy implications of initiatives to address regional health inequalities. METHODS: Health Plus Happiness Plus projects were started as strategies to address regional health inequalities in Gyeongsangnam-Do. The principles of these projects are taken from the Health Action Zones initiatives in England: participation, partnership, resource concentration in project areas. The time period for these projects is from 2010 to 2017, and the total budget is 5.6 billion won. In 2010, a 6.8 hundred million won total budget was invested in 17 project areas. Such investments fell into four broad categories: establishment of the means and local framework; survey development to analyze the health determinants; development of an education and training center; and establishment of a technical support center. RESULTS: Education and training programs for practitioners and coordinators were provided, and project teams and project promotion committees were established in project areas. Health survey result briefing meetings were held, and 17 health committees were established in project areas. CONCLUSIONS: Health Plus Happiness Plus projects have some problems in relation to participation and partnerships, however, if these principled projects are performed continuously, they will contribute to a reduction of standardized mortality rate and regional health inequalities in Gyeongsangnam-Do and the improvement of residents' well-being in project areas.

The Associations of Empowerment and Social Capital with Self-Rated Health in Communities with Poor Health / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to identify the associations of empowerment and social capital (such as social participation and trust) with self-rated health in Korean communities with poor health. METHODS: This study used the data from community health interviews conducted at 29 administrative sections (dong, eup, or myeon) with high mortality from August to October in both 2010 and 2011 as part of the Health Plus Happiness Plus Projects in Gyeongsangnam-do Province. The study subjects comprised 6,383 individuals composed of approximately 220 adults randomly sampled from each administrative section. The empowerment was measured with five-point Likert scale responses to seven perceived control questions (two at the individual level, five at the community level). The social participation was measured with 'participation in formal and/or informal group' and trust using responses to three questions about trust of others. RESULTS: The high empowerment scores at both individual and community levels, social participation in informal groups, and high trust level had independent and significant associations with good self-rated health after adjusting for socio-demographic factors (sex, age, marital status, occupation, and food affordability) and health behaviors (smoking, alcohol drinking, and exercise) in the logistic regressions. There were weak but significant associations among empowerment, social participation, and trust levels. CONCLUSIONS: Empowerment, social participation, and trust were weakly inter-related and significantly associated with self-rated health. More studies are warranted for empowerment and other social capital indices in health promotion.

The Relationship between Fish Consumption and Blood Mercury Levels in Residents of Busan Metropolitan City and Gyeongnam Province / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between fish consumption and blood mercury levels in a sample of adult Koreans. METHODS: The study subjects were 299 residents of Busan (male: 65, female: 234) and 185 residents of Namhae (male: 69, female: 116), South Korea. Demographic characteristics, current smoking, current drinking, fish consumption per week, past history of amalgam treatment, and residential district were recorded by trained interviewers in June and July, 2009. We considered a portion of fish to be equivalent to 70 gm weight, and calculated amounts of fish consumed per week. Using chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis, we estimated the relationships between blood mercury levels and amount of fish consumed per week and other factors. RESULTS: The mean blood mercury level of our subjects was 6.61 microgram/L, higher than the criterion defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (5.8 microgram/L). In multiple linear regression analysis, residential district and amount of fish consumed per week were associated with blood mercury levels. However, marital status, current drinking, and gender, and age were not associated with blood mercury levels. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we suggest the implementation of systematic and periodic population-based studies to decrease the risks of mercury poisoning among South Koreans who consume fish as a regular part of the diet.

Applications of the Participatory Learning Process in Health Promotion / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to develop a participatory learning process and apply it to community empowerment for health promotion. METHODS: The participatory learning sessions were composed of three stages according to the modified Freirean model of empowerment education. Stage 1 of generating themes (listening stage) was replaced with a community health forum. Stage 2 of problem-posing was executed via a two-session small group brainstorming discussion for selecting priority community health problems and strategies to solve them. Stage 3 of act-reflect-act, the implementation of the chosen strategies, is ongoing. We tested the feasibility of the participatory learning processes in the pilot programs for health education. Then, 14 Myeon (or Dong) Health Committee members used them in Health Plus Happiness Plus projects for community empowerment to achieve health equity in Gyeongsangnam-Do, Korea. RESULTS: In the pilot program for feasibility, more than 80% of the 95 participants gave positive responses to evaluation questionnaires after three or four participatory learning sessions. Health Committee members successfully selected various strategies relevant to their communities with facilitation, but without any teaching from outside professionals. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully applied the participatory learning process to health promotion. However, more studies are warranted to evaluate its long-term applicability.

Stress management and mind-body medicine: focusing on relaxation and meditation

Stress management is important and various stress management methods are required in the area of clinical preventive services. Although defining stress is somewhat complicated, stress can usually be divided into two concepts, stressors and the stress reaction. Stressors are stimuli that arouse the stress reaction. Examples are disasters, life events requiring changes, and everyday hassles. The stress reaction is often called the 'fight or flight reaction' and is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system and various hormones, including cortisol and catecholamine. Stress is closely related with health behaviors and several chronic diseases. Stress is measured using biological tests or self report, including questionnaires and interviews. Psychosocial Wellbeing Index-Short Form, Brief Ecounter PsychoSocial Instrument-Korean version, Global Assessment of Recent Stress Scale, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised are examples of questionnaires that are widely used in Korea. Stress coping methods are categorized into stimuli-oriented methods, cognitive-behavioral methods, and mind-body interventions. Relaxation and meditation are widely used mind-body medical interventions. Relaxation Response and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction are two of the most widely used meditative programs in the Western mainstream medical system. Abdominal breathing, Progressive Muscular Relaxation, relaxing imagery, Autogenic Training, and biofeedback are other well-known techniques for relaxation and stress management. Relaxation and meditation are effective in improving health behaviors and quality of life, and complement the treatment methods of various chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders and cancer. Relaxation and meditation also seem to be effective methods for use in clinical preventive services. Program development, standardization, and further study are necessary for more widespread use of mind-body interventions in the area of clinical preventive services.

The Levels of Psychosocial Stress, Job Stress and Related Factors of Medical Doctors Practicing at Local Clinics / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the levels of psychosocial stress, job stress and their related factors among medical doctors practicing at local clinics. METHODS: A survey using a self administered questionnaire was administered to 1,456 doctors practicing at private clinics via post for 2 months (2006. 1 - 2006. 3). Psychosocial stress, job stress,demographic factors, job related factors and health related behaviors were investigated. Among the eligible study population, the respondents were 428 doctors (29.4%). RESULTS: The average scores of psychosocial stress and job stress were 2.19 and 3.13, respectively. The levels of psychosocial stress and job stress were statistically lower in older respondents, those who worked shorter or who were more satisfied with their job, and those with higher socioeconomic status. The level of psychosocial stress was related with smoking status, drinking status and exercise. The level of job stress was related with smoking status and exercise. In multiple linear regression analysis using psychosocial stress as a dependent variable, age, working hours per day, job satisfaction and perception on socioeconomic status were significant independent variables. In analysis using job stress as a dependent variable, age, working hours per day and job satisfaction were significant independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: Stress affects the doctor-patient relationship, productivity and overall health level of people. Therefore, it is important to manage and relieve the stress of doctors. It is suggested that more advanced studies on stress level and related factors and ways to improve the stress and health related behaviors of medical doctors should be conducted.

A Rat Model of Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis Induced by Staphylococcus Aureus / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An experimental model of bacterial rhinosinusitis is essential to study the pathogenesis of rhinosinusitis. To our knowledge, there hasn't been an experimental model using rats for bacterial rhinosinusitis, where Staphylococcus aureus is directly inoculated to the rat nose. Staphylococcus aureus is also a predominantly isolated bacterial pathogen in the episode of acute rhinosinusitis. The aim of this study was to develop a rat model of rhinosinusitis induced by Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 25923. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The infected Sprague-Dawley rats (4-6 week-old male) were applied intranasally with 40 microliter of Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC 25923, which corresponds to 108 colony-forming units per milliliter, which in turn corresponds to a No. 1 McFarland turbidity by spectrophotometer (VITEK, USA). After the 2nd, 5th, and 14th day, the rats were killed respectively. RESULTS: Nasal sinuses were then observed at low power field (x40) for changes in the amount of inflammatory cell clusters in the sinus cavity. There were significant differences in the number of inflammatory cell clusters between the infected and control rats (p<0.05). The infected rats killed at the 5th day had significantly more inflammatory cell clusters within the sinus cavities (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Staphylococcus aureus induces acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in rats as measured by increased inflammatory cell clusters. This study demonstrates the efficacy of a rat model of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis.