Earticle

Purpose: To compare the cardiometabolic condition of obesity, blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, dietary sodium and potassium intake, and lifestyle behaviors of persons with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, with those who are disease-free in Korea. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a representative sample of Korean adults. Results: Of 10,906 Korean adults (mean age 43.12 ± 0.24 years, women 50.4%), 9,074 were disease-free and 1,520 had hypertension, 137 stroke, and 175 ischemic heart disease. Compared with the diseasefree group, obesity, BP, and total cholesterol were higher for the hypertensives. 25.5% of ischemic heart disease group were still smoking; 14.9% of hypertensives were heavy alcohol drinkers. Physical activity was lower in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases than disease-free group. No significant association was found between Na/K ratio adequacy and types of cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Conclusion: The cardiometabolic condition varied, with hypertensives having a higher prevalence for obesity, high BP, and cholesterol; poorer adherence to the behavioral recommendations was also noted in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Such variations in cardiovascular risks would provide implications for addressing vulnerability across groups.

Catch-up saccades (CUS) are corrective eye movements indicating vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) impairment. Although video head impulse testing (vHIT)enables objective detection of CUS, data on its prevalence and correlations in the general population are limited. This study analyzed 1,982 Korean adults aged ≥40 years from the 2021 KNHANES. CUS was identified via vHIT. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with CUS, including sex-stratified models. The overall prevalence of CUS was 16.2%, increasing with age from 12.8% in the 40s to 40.2% in those aged ≥80. Older age was the strongest correlate of CUS (OR for ≥80 vs 40s: 6.15, 95% CI: 2.62–14.43). Lower educational attainment was inversely associated with CUS prevalence, particularly in women. Among men, former smoking was inversely associated with CUS (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31–0.81). CUS are common in older Korean adults and exhibit distinct sociodemographic patterns by sex. These findings suggest that vHIT-detected CUS may be useful as a practical screening tool for identifying early vestibular decline, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable groups. Public health efforts aimed at early detection and fall prevention should consider sex- and SES-specific risk factors.

한국원자력연구원 방사성폐기물 저장시설에는 2006년 기준으로 약 1,000 여개(200L 환산)의 폐필터가 저장중이며, 그 발생량은 계속 증가하는 추세에 있다. 현재 저장시설의 저장 공간 확보뿐만 아니라 폐필터의 효율적인 관리를 위하여 비닐 백에 넣어 저장 및 관리되고 있는 폐필터들을 적절한 압축 처리 과정을 거쳐 최종적으로 규격화된 드럼에 포장하려는 계획을 가지고 있다. 이를 위해, 먼저 과거 발생이력을 조사함으로서 저장중인 폐필터들의 분류를 통한 그룹화를 수행하였다. 또한 드럼포장을 위해서는 사전에 핵종평가가 수행되어야 하며, 그 방법으로는 폐필터의 해체 없이 표면선량률을 측정하여 대표시료를 채취하며, 이 시료에 대하여 방사성폐기물 인도규정에서 요구하는 수준의 핵종분석을 수행할 것이다. 그리고 드럼포장을 위해, 방사성폐기물 처리시설에서 개발된 폐필터 처리장치를 이용하여 직육면체 형의 폐필터를 원주형 성형을 함으로서 드럼에 넣은 후, 최종적으로 수직 압축함으로써 폐필터를 처리하고자 한다.

Spent filter wastes of about 1,000 units (200 L) have been stored in the waste storage facility of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute since its operation. At the moment, to secure space in a waste storage facility as well as to efficiently manage spent filter wastes, it is necessary to conduct a compaction treatment of these spent filters, and finally, to repack the compacted spent filters into a 200 liter drum. To do that, the spent filter wastes were first classified according to their generation facilities, their generation date and their surface dose rate by investigating the inventory of the spent filters. In order to repack a compacted spent filter in a 200 liter drum, it is first necessary to conduct a radionuclide assessment of a spent filter before compacting it. Therefore, after taking a representative sample from a spent filter without a dismantlement, the nuclide analysis for it will be conducted. And then, after putting a spent filter into a regular drum by conducting the columnar shaping of the hexahedral form of a spent filter, the compaction treatment of the shaped spent filter will be conducted by vertically compacting it.

Objectives: Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders in adolescents and seem to occur the earliest among all forms of psychopathology. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of anxiety severity with health risk behaviors and mental health in adolescents. Methods: Data from the 2020 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey were analyzed. A total of 54948 adolescents responded to the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) for the assessment of their anxiety severity as well as to the mental health and health risk behavior survey. Logistic regression analysis, t tests, and variance analysis of a complex sample general linear model were used to examine the association of anxiety severity with health behaviors and mental health. Results: After statistical adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, the subjects in the severe anxiety group were significantly more likely to be current smokers (odds ratio [OR]: 2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.72-2.50), current drinkers (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.67-2.19), experience habitual substance use (OR: 10.89, 95% CI: 8.22-14.42), have sexual intercourse (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.76-2.51), and have unprotected intercourse (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.67-2.92) than those in the normal group. Anxiety severity negatively correlated with sleep satisfaction and happiness, but positively correlated with stress perception, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and suicidality. Conclusion: Adolescent anxiety is associated with health risk behaviors and poor mental health. Thus, early screening and intervention for anxiety in adolescents could contribute to the management and coping of youth health risk behaviors in the community.

Objectives: In recent years, multiple studies have investigated the issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Korea. However, most of those studies have focused on IPV against women, while overlooking the problem of men IPV victimization. Considering this, the current study identified risk and protective factors for IPV and examined their influence on IPV victimization among Korean men. Methods: We used a nationally representative sample of 1668 Korean men from the 2013 Korea National Survey on Domestic Violence. The associations between potential IPV risk factors and different types of IPV were investigated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Specifically, separate analyses were conducted of 5 types of IPV (neglect, controlling behaviors, emotional violence, economic violence, and physical violence). Results: The prevalence of IPV among Korean men and women showed only marginal gender differences. Controlling behaviors (men, 23.3%; women, 23.9%) and emotional violence (men, 16.5%; women, 18.8%) were the most common types of IPV reported, followed by neglect (men, 11.2%; women, 11.7%). Separate logistic regression analyses for the 5 subtypes of IPV revealed that mutual IPV was a strong predictor of IPV. Men who abused their wives were more likely to experience neglect (odds ratio [OR], 29.24; p<0.01), controlling behaviors (OR, 36.61; p<0.01), emotional violence (OR, 58.07; p<0.01), economic violence (OR, 18.78; p<0.01), and physical violence (OR, 38.09; p<0.01). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that IPV intervention strategies should particularly focus on couples whose relationship is characterized by patterns of bidirectional violence.

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the population prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), including unreported infections, through a Korea Seroprevalence Study of Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Retention and Transmission (K-SEROSMART) in 258 communities throughout Korea. METHODS: In August 2022, a survey was conducted among 10,000 household members aged 5 years and older, in households selected through two stage probability random sampling. During face-to-face household interviews, participants self-reported their health status, COVID-19 diagnosis and vaccination history, and general characteristics. Subsequently, participants visited a community health center or medical clinic for blood sampling. Blood samples were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to spike proteins (anti-S) and antibodies to nucleocapsid proteins (anti-N) SARS-CoV-2 proteins using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. To estimate the population prevalence, the PROC SURVEYMEANS statistical procedure was employed, with weighting to reflect demographic data from July 2022. RESULTS: In total, 9,945 individuals from 5,041 households were surveyed across 258 communities, representing all basic local governments in Korea. The overall population-adjusted prevalence rates of anti-S and anti-N were 97.6% and 57.1%, respectively. Since the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has reported a cumulative incidence of confirmed cases of 37.8% through July 31, 2022, the proportion of unreported infections among all COVID-19 infection was suggested to be 33.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The K-SEROSMART represents the first nationwide, community-based seroepidemiologic survey of COVID-19, confirming that most individuals possess antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and that a significant number of unreported cases existed. Furthermore, this study lays the foundation for a surveillance system to continuously monitor transmission at the community level and the response to COVID-19.

Objectives: This study analyzed the incidence and characteristics of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in Korea based on a sample group of patients that is representative of the population. Methods: The incidence of IHCA in adults was extracted from HIRA-NIS-2009, a sample of all patients using medical services in Korea. IHCA patients were analyzed according to gender, age, type of medical institute, and classification under the 6th revision of the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases (KCD-6). In addition, to assess the differences arising from the size of medical institutes, the IHCA incidence was analyzed in relation to the number of inpatient beds. Results: Based on the sample data, the total incidence of IHCA in Korea was found to be 2.46 per 1,000 admissions (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.37?2.55). A higher incidence was found among men at 3.18 (95% CI, 3.03?3.33), compared to women at 1.84 (95% CI, 1.74?1.94). The incidence of IHCA was also higher in hospitals that had more than 600 inpatients beds at 5.40 (95% CI, 5.16?5.66) in comparison to those that had less than 600 inpatients beds at 4.09 (95% CI, 3.76?4.36) (p < 0.001). By primary disease, the incidence was the highest for infectious diseases. Conclusions: We demonstrated that the IHCA incidence based on gender, age, diagnostic group, and number of beds could be analyzed using the insurance claim data from a national representative sample.

Embitterment is an emotional reaction to negative life events that are perceived to be unjust and unfair. However, the influence of experiencing diverse negative life events has not been empirically examined as a trigger of embitterment. In this study, we investigated whether embitterment is affected by the frequency with which individuals experience negative life events. A nationwide online survey of 2,024 adult South Koreans was conducted to collect data concerning embitterment, 16 types of negative life events experienced, and social demographics. The standardized Korean version of a self-rating scale for post-traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) was used. The average of the individual self-ratings was subjected to multiple regression analysis. The level of embitterment varied according to the quantitative intensity of negative life events wherein experience of more negative events was associated with higher levels of embitterment. Respondents who did not own a house and had lower levels of income and education showed higher levels of embitterment. Political orientation almost reached the level of statistical significance in that Korean conservatives expressed a higher level of embitterment. Our findings substantiate the concept of embitterment as an emotional state to negative life events. Also, the existence of varying levels of embitterment manifestation can be explained by the association between frequencies of experiencing negative life events and the level of embitterment found in the present study.

본 논문은 계통표집법의 장점 중 거의 주목되지 못하고 있는 한 가지 장점을 다룬다. 특정한 확률표집법에 의해 표본이 추출되었을 때 추출된 표본이 모집단을 잘 반영하고 있는지의 여부는 매우 중요한 문제이다. 따라서 표집법을 평가할 때 모집단을 잘 대표하지 못하는 바람직하지 않은 표본이 추출될 가능성을 살피는 것이 필요하다. 모의실험을 통해 모집단이 순서모집단에 가까울수록 계통표집법은 무작위표집법에 비해 바람직하지 못한 표본을 추출할 확률을 적게 하는 표집법이라는 사실을 보인다.

In this paper we point out another advantage of systematic sampling over simple random sampling, which have not yet been spelled out in the literature. After a single sample is drawn by a sampling scheme, it is important to check whether the achived sample represents the population well or not. Therefore. a sampling scheme which avoids the possibility of selecting non-preferred samples is desirable. The simulation results are given to illustrate that, in the ordered population, the possibility of selecting non-preferred sample by systematic sampling is lower than that by simple random sampling.

Despite the public health importance of injury and poisoning in terms of its high mortality and incidence, epidemiologic information to be utilized are scarce in Korea. This study was carried out in 1990 on a representative sample population (about 55,000 persons) along with the 6th National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey in order to estimate the magnitude of injury and poisoning occurrence and to identify its epidemiologic characteristics which can be aided for establishing preventive strategy. Pre-tested and structured Questionnaire was used by trained interviewer to collect data including general information of the person, various information on the injury and poisoning during the past one year such as time and place of its occurrence, its nature and external causes, type of medical institute attended, duration of treatment and outcome of the accident occured. In analysis of the data collected incidence rates per 1000 persons by sex, age group and its nature as well as external causes, and relative frequencies were calculated. The result obtained are as followings; 1. The incidence rate per 1000 was 30 for both sexes, 39 for male and 22 for female, male being 1.8 times more frequent than female. Age adjusted incidences were not much different from the crude rates. Age group specific rate curve showed bimodal shape in both sexes, small peaks in preschool children and higher peaks in older ages. The incidence rate per 1000 people by area was highest in Jeon-bug province (57/1000) and the lowest in Daegu city(11/1000). 2. The place where the injuries occured were road in 46%, within the boundary of house in 25%, and working place in 12% The injuries and poisoning had occured more frequently during the months from March to August of the year than other months. 3. The relatively frequent injuries by its nature were contusion with intact skin surface (19%), fracture of upper limb (13%), open wound of head, neck and trunk (12%) and fracture of lower limb (11%) among males; contusion with intact skin surface (28%), sprains and strains of joints and adjacent muscle (14%), fracture of upper limb (10%) and fracture of lower limb (9%) among females. Higher incidence rate among males than females were fracture of skull (4.5 times), open wound and fractures of limbs ($2{\sim}3$ times). Age specific rate of injuries and poisoning by its nature showed increasing pattern by age in fractures of upper and lower limbs and sprains & strains of joints whereas the age group of 30's showed highest incidence in open wounds of upper limb. Fractures of radius and ulna in upper limb, fractures of tibia & fibula and ankle in lower limb were most frequent among fractures of upper and lower limbs. The frequent injuries among sprains and strains of joints and adjacent muscles were that of ankle, foot and back, and among open wound were that of head and fingers. 4. Relative frequency of injuries and poisoning by external causes showed following order : other accidents (25%), accidental falls (23%), motor vehicle accident (22%) and other road vehicle accident (14%) among males and accidental falls (37%), motor vehicle accident (24%) and other accident (18%) among females. The external causes revealing higher incidences among males than females, were other road vehicle accident (4.8 times), vehicle accident not elsewhere classifiable (4.4 times), accidental poisoning (4.4 times), accidents due to natural and environmental factors (2.8 times), and sucide & self-inflicted injuries (2.8 times). Age specific incidence by external causes for frequent injuries showed that incidence of other accident steadily increased from 10's till age 50's; motor vehicle traffic accident increased from age 20's and dropped after age 60's; on the other hand accidental fall increased strikingly by age. The most frequent external causes among motor vehicle traffic accidents was motor vehicle traffic accident involving collision with pedstrain (69%), pedal cycle accident

본 연구는 한국인이 가지고 있는 사생관의 정도를 실증적으로 탐색하고, 사생관의 주요 차원들인 내세관, 죽음불안, 죽음관여도, 자살억제의지 사이의 구조적 관계를 제시하며, 사생관의 각 차원에 영향을 미치는 요인들을 분석하는 데 그 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 전국 18세 이상의 남녀를 대상으로 수집된 2009년 한국종합사회조사(KGSS) 자료를 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 첫째, 여성이 남성보다 내세지향성과 죽음관여도가 높았다. 둘째, 연령은 현세회귀성, 죽음불안, 죽음관여도, 자살억제의지 등 내세지향성을 제외한 모든 사생관 항목에 영향을 미쳤다. 즉 연령이 높아질수록 현세회귀성과 죽음불안은 낮아지는 반면, 죽음관여도와 자살억제의지는 높아진다. 셋째, 한국인의 사생관의 형성과 가장 밀접히 관련이 있는 요인은 종교이다. 불교를 믿는 사람은 현세회귀성이 높고 개신교를 믿는 사람은 현세회귀성이 낮았다. 내세지향성과 관련해, 종교를 가진 사람이 그렇지 않은 사람에 비해 전반적으로 높은 내세지향성을 보였다. 특히 개신교를 믿는 사람들의 내세지향성이 두드러진다. 또한 개신교를 믿는 사람들은 높은 죽음불안 수준도 가지고 있었다. 넷째, 행복감과 사회적 관계는 죽음관여도와 자살억제의지에만 영향을 미쳤다. 즉 행복하다고 자주 느끼고 풍부한 사회적 연결망을 소유하고 있는 사람일수록 죽음에 대해 덜 생각하고 자살의 위험에 덜 노출되어 있었다. 본 연구는 마지막으로 향후 죽음이라는 개인적이면서 동시에 사회적인 현상을 올바로 이해하기 위해서는 사생관에 대한 보다 포괄적인 접근과 타당화된 도구의 개발을 통해 사생관차원간의 인과적인 관계를 밝혀낼 수 있는 연구설계가 필요함을 강조하였다.

The purpose of this study is to measure Koreans' views on the life and death and to illuminate the structural relationship between their subscales. The subscales are composed of afterlife views, death anxiety, death concern, will of suicide inhibition. Data drawn from Korean General Social Survey(KGSS) collected in 2009 were analyzed. The findings show that favorable attitude towards afterlife has positive relationship with favorable attitude towards returning to this life. The favorable attitude towards returning to the present life has positive relationship with death anxiety while it has negative relationship with will of suicide inhibition. The favorable attitude towards afterlife has positive relationship with death concern and will of suicide inhibition. Social support and happiness have negative impact on death concern while they are positively associated with will of suicide inhibition. These findings indicate that all subscales of views on life and death are significantly related to themselves and are also correlated with socio-demographic factors, which means that we have to comprehensively look inside the views on the life and death in order to understand the increasing suicide among Koreans. Further studies need approaching Koreans' views on the life and death by using more validated tools to capture their holistics picture.