PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.17 No.2, January 11, 2024 Article TypeOriginal ArticlesQuickStatsSurveillance Reports

• Original Articles 2024-01-11

  0 65 41

  Pregnant Women, Fetuses, and Infants Linked to Certain Health Effects after Heatwave: an Absolute and Relative Concept

  Youngrin Kwag , Jongmin Oh, Whanhee Lee, Eunji Kim, Joyce Mary Kim, Jieun Min, Ji-Young Lee, Eunhee Ha

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(2): 33-45 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.2.1

  

  

  Abstract

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  An increasing number of people have been suffering from abnormal weather caused by climate change and the health effect is more prominent in vulnerable population such as pregnant women, infants, and the elderly. To minimize these impacts, there is a need for focused research on climate change and its health effects targeting vulnerable populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of extreme ambient high temperature during pregnancy and birth outcomes such as stillbirth, low birth weight, fast weight gain in babies and preterm birth using the absolute and relative definition of heatwave. We first reviewed national and international literature related to heatwave alerts. Then, we investigated the association between exposure to high temperature during pregnant and health outcome of pregnant women, infants, and fetuses and compared the estimates by altering the thresholds of heatwave definition. Main findings regarding the impact of ambient high temperature on the health of pregnant women, infants, and fetuses were presented to determine the significant effects on their development. The results showed that exposure to high temperatures and various heat index values had a significant impact on the health of pregnant women. Additionally, the study investigated an association between high temperature and health effects on infants and toddlers under the age of 5, including diseases such as heat-related illnesses, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, and pneumonia, correlating with various heat indicators. This research provides the groundwork for further research on the health implications of ambient higher temperatures on pregnant women, infants, and fetuses.

• Surveillance Reports 2024-01-11

  0 100 78

  Health Behavior and Chronic Disease Management Status of Residents in the Honam Region

  Sun A Kim, Jung-Eun Lee

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(2): 46-60 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.2.2

  Abstract

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  The prevalence of chronic diseases is increasing worldwide, and in Republic of Korea (ROK), deaths due to chronic diseases account for approximately 80% of all deaths. In ROK, since the enactment of the Regional Health Act, it has been mandatory for local governments to establish health project plans, and it is important to understand regional characteristics for effective project planning and promotion. Therefore, we would like to provide information on regional health care indicators and health gaps in the Honam region. Using “Korea Community Health at a Glance 2022,” 27 major health indicators were selected and analyzed. The monthly drinking rate in Gwangju in 2022 increased by 4.1 percentage points compared to 2021. Jeonbuk’s walking practice rate in 2022 increased by 10.1 percentage points compared to 2021, but the gap within the region increased by 18.4 percentage points compared to five years ago. Jeonnam’s blood sugar awareness rate in 2022 increased by 6.9 percentage points compared to 2021, but the gap within the region also increased by 21.4 percentage points. In Jeju, the treatment rate of people diagnosed with diabetes in 2022 decreased by 8.4 percentage points compared to 2021, and the gap within the region also increased by 18.2 percentage points. This analysis reaffirmed the need for awareness and management of health behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and chronic diseases in the Honam region. We hope that the results of this analysis will be used as basic data for determining project directions to improve the health of residents in the Honam region.

• Surveillance Reports 2024-01-11

  1 256 98

  Status of Diagnostic X-ray Equipment in the Republic of Korea, 2022

  Jonghun Won, Seungki Song, Jongwon Gil, Eunok Bahng

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(2): 61-71 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.2.3

  

  

  Abstract

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  With the continuous development of medical industry, diagnostic X-ray machines have also made a lot of progress. It is used as an essential means of diagnosing diseases. The installation status of X-ray machines is also on the rise nationwide. Therefore, the need for safety management is also increasing proportionally. A continuous increase has been observed in the number of diagnostic X-ray machines in the Republic of Korea, from 94,187 in 2020 to 101,646 in 2022. Classification based on the types of X-ray equipment showed that the portion of general equipment with an integrated tube-high voltage (HV) generator used in radiography or fluoroscopy accounted for the largest proportion (23,611, 23.2%), followed by general equipment with separate tube-HV generator (21,847, 21.5%), intra-oral equipment (17,283, 17.0%), equipment for panoramic imaging (6,731, 6.6%), dental computed tomography (15,987, 15.7%), equipment for bone mineral densitometry (9,727, 9.6%), mammography equipment (3,868, 3.8%), and whole body CT (2,592, 2.6%). District-based categorization revealed that Gyeonggi had the largest number of diagnostic X-ray machines (23,229, 22.9%), while Sejong had the smallest number (590, 0.6%). Based on the period of use, 35.1% of total equipment (n=35,648) had been used for equal or less than 5 years. As the number of diagnostic X-ray equipment increases, the importance of safety management in medical radiation will also increase and more effort will be required for using radiation safely.

• QuickStats 2024-01-11

  0 77 103

  The 2013–2022 Trends in Skipping Breakfast among Korean People

  Public Health Weekly Report 2024; 17(2): 72-73 https://doi.org/10.56786/PHWR.2024.17.2.4

  

  

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