Journal of Korean medical science
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2016
The Risk for Insulin Resistance according to the Degree of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Korean Men.
Insulin resistance (IR) plays a significant role in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the natural course of insulin sensitivity under NAFLD remained unclear. Accordingly, this study was designed to investigate the effect of NAFLD on insulin resistance. ⋯ IR was more potentially associated with the more progressive NAFLD than normal and milder state. In addition, NAFLD was the independent risk factor of the development of IR. These results suggest the potential availability of NAFLD as a predictor of IR.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2016
The Experience of Human Milk Banking for 8 Years: Korean Perspective.
Human milk banks are a solution for mothers who cannot supply their own breast milk to their sick or hospitalized infants; premature infants, in particular, are unable to receive a full volume of breast milk for numerous reasons. As of December 2015, there was only one milk bank in a university hospital in Korea. We reviewed the basic characteristics of donors and recipients, and the amounts and contamination of breast milk donated at the Human Milk Bank in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong in Korea from 2008 to 2015. ⋯ There was an increase in the percentage of preterm infants among new infant recipients in 2015 (93.1%) compared to 2008 (8.5%). Based on the number of premature infants in Korea, the number of potential recipients is not likely to diminish anytime soon, despite efforts to improve the breastfeeding rate. Sustainability and quality improvement of the milk bank need long-term financial support by health authorities and a nationwide network similar to blood banking will further contribute to the progress of milk banking.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2016
Disability-Adjusted Life Years for Maternal, Neonatal, and Nutritional Disorders in Korea.
Maternal and child health is an important issue throughout the world. Given their impact on maternal and child health, nutritional issues need to be carefully addressed. Accordingly, the effect of maternal, child, and nutritional disorders on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) should be calculated. ⋯ The total DALYs per 100,000 population were 376 in maternal disorders, 64 in neonatal disorders, and 58 in nutritional deficiencies. The leading causes of DALYs were abortion in maternal disorders, preterm birth complications in neonatal disorders, and iron-deficiency anemia in nutritional deficiencies. Our findings shed light on the considerable burden of maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions, emphasizing the need for health care policies that can reduce morbidity and mortality.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2016
Disability-adjusted Life Years for 313 Diseases and Injuries: the 2012 Korean Burden of Disease Study.
This study is part of a 5-year research project on the national burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors in Korea. Using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a metric introduced by the 1990 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project, we performed a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the magnitude and distribution of both fatal and non-fatal health problems in the Korean population. The concept and general approach were consistent with the original GBD study, with some methodological modifications to make the study more suitable for Korea. ⋯ Of the total DALYs, 88.67% were from years lived with disability and 11.32% were from years of life lost due to premature mortality. Diabetes mellitus was the leading cause of DALYs, followed by low back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, cirrhosis of the liver, falls, osteoarthritis, motorized vehicle with three or more wheels, and self-harm. The results reported here identify key health challenges and opportunities for future health interventions and policy changes, and provide information that will help assess the major public health issues in Korea, a nation faced with one of the world's most rapidly ageing populations.
-
J. Korean Med. Sci. · Nov 2016
Disability Weights Measurement for 228 Causes of Disease in the Korean Burden of Disease Study 2012.
Disability weight for each disease plays a key role in combining years lived with disability and years of life lost in disability adjusted life year. For the Korean Burden of Disease 2012 study, we have conducted a re-estimation of disability weights for causes of disease by adapting the methodology of a recent Global Burden of Disease study. Our study was conducted through a self-administered web-based survey using a paired comparison (PC) as the main valuation method. ⋯ There was a fairly high correlation between the disability weights of overlapping causes of disease from this study and a previous South Korean study despite the differences in valuation methods and time periods. In conclusion, we have shown that disability weights can be estimated based on a PC by including 'full health' and 'being dead' as anchor points without resorting to a person trade-off. Through developments in the methodology of disability weights estimation from this study, disability weights can be easily estimated and continuously revised.