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A Statistical Standard for Detecting Epidemic of Notifiable Acute Communicable Diseases in Korea.
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Yong Gyu Park, Eui Chul Shin, Kwang Ho Meng
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Korean J Epidemiol. 1997;19(1):73-80.
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Abstract
Many problems have been stated in the surveillance system of notifiable acute communicable diseases in Korea. Lack of objective tools for detecting epidemic is one of the most fundamental. We propose a statistical standard for detecting epidemic of those diseases that could be easily and promptly applicable to the existing data. Suggested standard measure is computed from the median and the spread of upper and lower hinge(spr(H)) which is robust to the assumption of normal distribution, so frequently used in exploratory data analysis as a measure of variation, and the results are compared with those of existing method using recent 3 years from January 1994 to December 1996 of monthly data of 8 notifiable acute communicable diseases in Korea. Monthly pattern of statistical epidemic between the proposed (median) and existing(mean) methods is similar. Therefore, we propose that the statistical epidemic should be defined when the current occurrence exeeds the standards of both methods. When the data collection is made weekly than monthly, the proposed method of determining the time of epidemic will be much helpful for the management of notifiable diseases.
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Communicable Disease Surveillance System and Sentinel Surveillance.
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Eui Chul Shin, Kwang Ho Meng
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Korean J Epidemiol. 1997;19(1):14-21.
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Abstract
Surveillance is the ongoing and systematic collection, analysis of disease related data and dissemination of the information to the people who need it, and application of it to disease prevention and control. So, it is composed of reportable disease; system of data collection, analysis, distribution; coorporation of medical institution with public health organization and effective control. The most dynamic and important part of surveillance is the feedback mechanism. As for positive ways of feedback, there are dissemination of collected and analysed information and reimbursement to the reporters. Legal punishment is the negative way of feedback. The common systems that the developed countries use for communicable disease surveillance are notifiable disease surveillance, sentinel surveillance, and laboratory surveillance systems.
Notifiable disease surveillance is for the diseases that their impact is serious to the community when epidemic occurs even though the number of cases is small. Most countries have this type of surveillance, but they suffer from low reporting rate. Sentinel surveillance is for the disease which is mild or whose trend is to be traced for the evaluation of the public health programs. Sampled reporters notifies the disease information voluntarily not by law.
Laboratory surveillance is to support the notifiable and sentinel surveillance. It provides laboratory information on the microorganism and antibody level of the disease.
Surveillance of communicable diseases in Korea is totally dependent on the notifiable disease reporting system, and there are many problems involved. To improve the surveillance of communicable diseases, it is strongly recommended that the sentinel and laboratory surveillance systems be adopted.
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Smoking habits and the related characteristics of male students of a medical college in Seoul.
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Kwang Ho Meng, Eui Chul Shin
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Korean J Epidemiol. ;15(1):96-104.
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Abstract
Smoking habits and several selected characteristics of male students of a medical college surveyed to examine the status of smoking habits of male medical students and obtain the baseline information for future antismoking education in medical collge.
Two hundred and sixty five randomly selected students were asked to enter the answers on a structured simple questionnair that included personal characteristics and variables related to their smoking habits.
Major findings obtained from the study are as follows：
1. Smoking rate of male medical students was 54.0%. Those who had experience of failing the entrance examination showed statistically significant higher smoking rate (60.0%) than others.
2. More than half (57.3%) of the smoking students started their smoking after age of 20.44% of smoking premed students had smoked for less than 1 year and 63.0% were smoking less than 10 cigarettes a day.
3. 51.8% of smoking students stated that they started the smoking because of their friend’s recommendation and 44.0%, because of curiosity. 63.6% of smoking students had intention of quiting the smoking in the future. The intention was stronger as the graed increased.
4. 81.8% of smoking students agreed that smoking is harmful to health of their own and others as well. In fact, 73.4% of smoking students were worrying about their health because of their smoking habits.
5. 43.3% of currently non-smoking students stated that had experience of smoking and 13.9% of the non-smoking students stated that they might smoke in the future. This rate was much higher among ex-smokers than other.
This study results suggests that prevalence of smoking among Korean male medical students is very much high compared to that in other coumtries, and the antismoking campaign in medical school should be focused on students in lower grades particularly on those in premedical course.
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