PHWR Public Health Weekly Report

Vol.14 No.47, November 18, 2021 Article TypeEpidemiology and SurveillanceOriginal Articles

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-11-18

  0 234 127

  Results of the water- and foodborne disease surveillance during the summer of 2021

  Jaeeun Lee, Soonryu Seo, Yoomi Noh, Hyungjun Kim, Donghan Lee

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(47): 3320-3328

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  The "Enhanced Surveillance of Water- and Foodborne Disease Outbreaks”, is an intensified monitoring system that can respond quickly to mass outbreaks. The surveillance is used to prevent water- and foodborne diseases when temperatures are expected to increase in the summer. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) operates the “Enhanced Surveillance of Water- and Foodborne Disease Outbreaks” based on reports of municipal, provincial, city, and district health centers nationwide from May 1 to September 30 every year to manage mass outbreaks. To do so, the central government maintains a 24-hour work system, and local governments work from 9 AM to 8 PM on weekdays, and from 9 AM to 4 PM on weekends and holidays.
  A total of 215 outbreak cases of water- and foodborne disease were reported during the operation of 2021 surveillance system. Notably, there were 45.6% more new cases than at the same point last year. There were 51 cases (23.7%) in May, 50 cases (23.3%) in June, 39 cases (18.1%) in July, 45 cases (20.9%) in August, and 30 cases (14.0%) in September. The outbreak occurred the most in Gyeonggi (44 cases), and Chungnam (26 cases), Gyeongnam (21 cases) respectively. This is because there were mass outbreaks in gimbap restaurants in Gyeonggi, and in wheat noodles restaurants in Busan. Most outbreaks occurred in restaurants (86 cases), followed by daycare centers (59 cases), and school facilities including kindergartens (26 cases).
  By the results of the operation of the “Enhanced Surveillance of Water- and Foodborne Disease Outbreaks“, it is expected to identify the trend and cause of Water- and foodborne infectious diseases and use it to improve strategic planning.

• Epidemiology and Surveillance 2021-11-18

  0 395 98

  Status of Diagnostic X-ray Equipment in the Republic of Korea, 2020

  Hyun Ji Kim, Jongwon Gil, Byeongyoung Lee, Hyunkoo Lee

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(47): 3329-3336

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  Since X-ray was discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895, it has been an essential means to diagnose diseases. For this reason, the number of X-ray machines used in the medical field has increased continuously in the Republic of Korea (ROK) to 89,955 in 2019. The objective of this audit was to report on the status of diagnostic x-ray equipment in the ROK in 2020. In accordance with Article 16, Paragraph 4 of the Rules for Safety Management of Diagnostic Radiation Generators, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) receives 'Diagnostic Radiation Safety Management Status' from local governments every March and reports the summarized data as the appendix of “Annual Report: Occupational Radiation Exposure in Diagnostic Radiology.” This audit provided further analysis of this data according to the population of each province, type of equipment and period of use. District-based categorization revealed that Seoul had the largest number of diagnostic X-ray machines (21,823, 23.2%), while Sejong had the smallest number (478, 0.5%). Classification based on the types of X-ray equipment showed that the portion of general equipment with an integrated tube-high voltage (HV) generator accounted for the largest proportion (24%, 22,850), followed by general equipment with a separate tube-HV generator used in radiography or fluoroscopy (22%, 21,114), intra-oral equipment (15%, 14,174), dental computed tomography (14%, 13,363), equipment for bone mineral densitometry (9%, 8,658), equipment for panoramic imaging (9%, 8,039), mammography equipment (4%, 3,565), and whole body CT (3%, 2,424). Based on the period of use, the average period of use was reported as 11.76 years and 39.3% (33,608) of the total pieces of equipment had been used for equal or less than five years. This report suggested that, with the increased patient radiation dose by increased use of diagnostic X-ray equipment, management of radiological techniques and machinery in medicine must be strengthened to ensure patient safety.

• Original Articles 2021-11-18

  0 344 125

  A Study on the perception regarding risk of smoking and media for smoking cessation

  Do-Yeon Lee, Kyoungin Na, Hopyeong Hwang, Jiyeon Yang, Shervin Hashemi, Wonseok Han, Yoojin Song, Youngwook Lim, Jungin Yoon

  Public Health Weekly Report 2021; 14(47): 3337-3349

  

  

  Abstract

  Full Text Cite Share

  To encourage smoking cessation and to prevent second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS) and third-hand tobacco smoke (THS), risk awareness levels must be raised. Consequently, a perception survey was conducted to find out the perception level of smoking risk, SHS, THS and media which smokers, smoking cessation partners, and adolescents prefer. The survey was conducted online nationwide from May 13 to May 26, 2021. The survey participants included 400 smokers (Two groups of 200 smokers with high and low smoking cessation intention), 100 nonsmokers who were helping at least one smoker aim for cessation (smoking cessation partners), and 100 adolescents.
  The survey results showed that, the perception level of smoking risk was over 6-points for all subjects based on a total 7-point Likert scale. Notably, adolescents perceived the highest level of smoking risk (P<0.05). The risk of SHS was perceived by 90% of all participants. Despite this high level of perception, 25% of smokers with low smoking cessation intention and adolescents responded 'Knowing nothing at all' about the risk of THS (P=0.057). Smokers who highly perceived the "risk of SHS & THS" also had a higher smoking cessation intention. Regarding the experience related to smoking cessation information, "Harmful content about diseases caused by smoking" was the most common, and "About the health of non-smokers" was the least common. In addition, findings indicated that there is a need to produce and deliver appropriate content to each target because "Not suitable for smokers’ smoking status" was selected the most common experienced information on smoking cessation. Meanwhile, it was found that all subjects wanted to receive "The way to minimize the effects of SHS & THS" and "Effects of diseases caused by SHS" as information on secondhand smoke.