Epidemiology and Health

Contents: Editorial department; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):121-122.

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Instruction for authors: Editorial departmen; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):120-120.

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Public affairs reporting: Korean Society of Epidemiology; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):118-119.

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Board and staff listing: Korean Society of Epidemiology; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):117-117.

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List of membership: Korean Society of Epidemiology; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):113-115.

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Articles of association: Korean Society of Epidemiology; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):112-112.

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Epidemiological studies on Japanese B encephalitis in Korea (report I): a serological study on Japanese encephalitis of horses in Seoul, 1980: D.S. Lee, B.H Chung, W.C Lee, T.J Lee, K.J Chang; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):105-111.

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Japanese B Encephalitis Antibody among 442 race horses in Seoul Race Track was assayed by hemagglutination inhibition test. In the pre-epidemic season of 1980, the serological survey was done on race horses imported from Australia, Japan. Canada and U.S.A. and the positive rate was analysed by age and by imported years. The obtained results were as follows: 1. Among the sera of 442 horses, 162 specimens were H-1 Antibody positive and the rate was 36.6%. 2. Antibody positive rate by year of importation are as follows: 1970~1976 : 80.7% (42/52) 1977 : 60.2% (50/83) 1978 : 32.6% (30/92) 1979 : 23.8% (25/105) 1980 : 13.6% (15/110) 3. Antibody positive rate by year of horses examined are as follow: 2-3 years : 0 4 years : 15.6% (18-115) 5 years : 26.3% (25/95) 6 years : 48.6% (37/76) 7 years : 54.5% (30/55) 8 years : 90.0% (27/30) over 9 years : 96.1% (25/26) 4. The hones imported from Australia have stayed H-1 antibody negative for Japanese B encephalitis for 6 months after the importation.; Summary

Complement-fixing antibodies against Cytomegalovirus among volunteer blood donors in Seoul area: Y.G Shim; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):99-104.

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Three hundred sera were titered to examine the presence of complement-fixing (CF) antibodies to the cytomegalovirus (CMV), which were randomly sampled among blood units of 10,241 volunteer donors in Seoul area from February to March 1981. The objective of the study was to identify the frequency and distribution of CMV CF antibody among blood donors in Seoul, of which information has not yet been reported in Korea. The results obtained are as follows ; 1) Two hundred forty-two of 300 donors, aged 16 to 40 years, yielded positive CF test by micro titration technique at titers ranging from 1:4 to 1:32 (positive rate 81%). 2) The positive rate of CMV CF antibody by sex and occupation did not show any statistically significant differences. 3) The percent of CMV CF antibody positive was 87% (104 out of 120) among child-bearing women (16 through 40 of age). Although the results show high incidence of C-F antibodies to CMV, it is difficult to detect the agent for CMV infection efficiently from the blood of infected donors under the current status of knowledge and techniques. Further studies are called for to provide the information necessary for a wise decision to exclude the blood of CMV infeeted donors from use in transfusion.; Summary

An epidemiologic investigation on staphylococcal food poisoning outbreak among the people attended to a wedding ceremony in Choonchun, Korea: Soo Yeon Ahn; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):88-98.

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In November, 1980, an epidemic of food-poisoning has occurred among attendants of a wedding ceremony in Choonchun, Korea. In order to determine cause and transmission route of the outbreak, an epidemiologic investigation including interview survey and microbiological examination was carried out. The results obtained and summerized are as follows; 1. Incidence rate was 69.1% among the attendants studied. Incidence rates by age and sex were not significantly different. 2. Clinical feature of the food poisoning was characterized by diarrhea, abdominal pain, chills, fever, headache, vomiting, nausea； in some severe cases convulsion and loss of consciousness were also observed. 3. Incubation period varied; about 3 hours in 18.4%, 3 to 6 hours in 13.2%, 6 to 12 hours in 31.6%, and over 12 in 36.4%. 4. Pathogenic Staphylococci was isolated from boiled pork and Japchae (noodle mixed with boiled pork and the others) by microbiological test among other foods tested. And that boiled pork was found to be the only responsible food for the food poisoning according to the result of interview survey；the incidence rate was significantly higher (p<0.001) among the group who have eaten the boiled pork when compared with the group not eaten. 5. On the investigation of transmission route it was found that the boiled pork was bought froma neighbour who prepared the meat from the dead hog died of hog cholera; the meat was contaminated by the staphylococci from the infected finger wound of the person who prepared the meat from the dead hog and sold it to the wedding household. 6. Duration of illness showed wide variation; 1 day in 23.7%, 2 to 3 days in 36.8%, 4 to 5 days in 21.0%, and for severe cases with complication such as gastroenteritis and colitis it took over 2 weeks.; Summary

An epidemiologic study of postoperative wound infections: Sung Chong Cho, Joung Soon Kim; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):77-87.

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Postoperative wound infection has been frequent complications in surgical operations. The prevention of the infection in emergency and elective surgical wounds is the most important issue and problems for surgeons. The wound infection is still troublesome matter to surgeons despite the development of antiseptic technique and prophylaxis with antibiotics. Furthermore, the infection has become more serious problem in hospital practice throughout the country since antibiotic resistant bacteriae in hospital environment have increased. This study was carried out in order to understand epidemiologic characteristic of postoperative wound infections on cases of various surgical operation in a provincial hospital. All wounds were examined and followed up to about 7 days after operation by one surgeon. All purulent exudates of infected surgical wounds were cultured by swabbing the wound and then bacteriae were isolated. All specimens collected from nasal cavity, throat and skin of patients and surgical team members were also cultured for species identification. The results were matched with the bacterial species isolated from the surgical wound to assume source of the wound infection. The results obtained are as followings: 1. The overall wound infection rate was 10.5%, which was similar to other studies on postoperative wound infection reported. 2. The wound infection rate was about two times higher for the emergency operation than for the elective operation. 3. The wound infection rate by sex was similar and the rate is highest for the age group of 50’s among all age groups. 4. The wound infection by degree of contamination was 2.9% for clean operative wound, 12.4% for clean-contaminated operative wound, 22.4% for contaminated operative wound and 27.3% for dirty operative wound. 5. In the wound infection by preoperative hospitalization, it was found that the longer the duration of preoperative hospitalization, the more likely to develop wound infection. 6. In the wound infection by duration of operation the infection rate increased proportionately to the length of operation up to 3 hours, then slightly decreased thereafter. 7. By type of operation the infection rate varied; the operation of gastrointestinal tract revealed much higher infection rate due to fecal contamination compared with the clean operation such as thyroidectomy, herniorrhaphy or mastectomy. 8. Coagulase positive staphylococcus was most prevalent pathogen among bacterial species isolated from the infected wounds. 9. Bacteriological survey of surgical team members and patients to identify presumptive source of infection revealed that surgical team carried staphylococcus in 11.8%, streptococcus in 10.7%. The carrier rate was lower in scrub nurses and higher in patients among all subjects surveyed. 10. The most frequent suspected source of postoperative wound infection was surgical specimen, and 1.8% of the infection was from the skin of the patient himself. 11. The most prevalent bacterial species of airborne postoperative wound infection was coagulase positive staphylococcus. 12. The cleaning of operation room by using Ultraviolet ray, Helmet aspiration system, suction system or laminar air flow system and also surgical plastic drap may be used to reduce the wound infection.; Summary

Hospital deaths during admission by insured and non-insured patients in a university hospital: Seung Hum Yu, Woo Hyun Cho; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):71-76.

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In order to discover differences that may exist in death rate and utilization pattern of the deaths during hospital admission between insured and non-insured patients, records for all hospital deaths discharged between January 1978 to December 1980 from a university hospital were examined. The major findings were as follows； 1. Total number of deaths in the hospital showed no difference by year, however, the percentage of insured patients was increased year by year. 2. The death rate during hospital admission was higher among non-insured patients and statistically significant. Age specific death rates were higher among non-insured patients and statistically significant except the age group 1-4. 3. The case mix among the hospital deaths was different between the insured and the non-insured. 4. Length of stay was statistically significantly longer among the insured. However, surgical operation rate and the period from surgical operation to death showed no difference between the two groups. 5. The non-insured patients were admitted more through the emergency room than insured patients.; Summary

Mortality in Kang Wha county, 1975-1980: Yong Ho Lee, Hee Choul Oh, Il Soon Kim; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):65-70.

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To identify mortality pattern of a rural community, the total death, 711 occurred in three townships (Sunwon, Naega, Buleon Myuns) in Kang Wha County during 1975-1980 were studied. All death was reported weekly to health workers by 37 family health workers of villages. Causes of death was identified by one public health nurse & three public physicians using questionnaries. This study focuses on death rates & causes of death. The following is brief summary of results of the study. 1) Crude death rates The trend in the crude death rates showed slowly downward tendency & especially male. 5-year (1976-1980) average crude death rates was 7.9 per 1,000 and 8.6 in male & 7.2 in female. 2) Age-specific death rates revealed a U-shape & similiar patterns were shown during the study period. 3) The trend in the infant death rates showed also downward tendency. 5-year average infant death rate was 12.9 per 1,000 live births and the neonatal death rate 18.8. The most common cause of neonatal deaths was prematurity. 4) Proportional Mortality Indicators ranged between 71%-83%. 5) The most common cause of deaths was cerebrovascular diseases (180.8 per 100,000) and was followed by malignant neoplasms (94.5 per 100,000). The death due to pulmonay tuberculosis ranked 5 with a death rate of 47.2 per 100,000 and the death due to pneumonia & respiratory diseases ranked 10 with a death rates of 11.5 per 100,000.; Summary

Epidemiology of cancer in Koreans in Japan: Yoon Shin Kim; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):55-64.

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Migrant studies can be seen to be important in distinguishing between the influences of genetic and environmental factors. An attempt was made to identify the patterns of cancer mortality in Koreans in Japan. Cancer mortality rates of Koreans in Japan in 1975 was examined comparing with those for Korea and Japan. In comparing with the death rates of cancer among Koreans in Japan and Korea, and Japanese, the rates of Koreans in Japan, however, tend to higher than those for Koreans in Korea and Japanese. Stomach cancer mortality showed commonly the highest rate among those of cancer sites in the two Korean populations and Japanese. The rate of stomach cancer mortality of Koreans in Japan while lower than those prevailing in Japan, still exceeded those of Koreans in Korea. In comparison of stomach cancer mortality among Koreans in Japan, China, and Korea, Koreans in Japan showed the highest rate followed by Koreans in China, and Korea. A review of other comparative studies between in home and host countries indicated that the only risk factors uniformly consistent with the stomach cancer mortality in the two countries were dietary factor. These results suggest that Koreans in Japan of high stomach cancer risk continue to display high rates for this site, influenced by the environmental changes introduced in Japan and that the modification of characteristic dietary customs and habits of Koreans in Japan might be one of the factors responsible for this situation. An epidemiological study of cancer in Korean migrants in Japan compared with Koreans living in Korea provided the opportunity to study factors possibly responsible for the high rates in Japan as compared with Korea.; Summary

A follow-up study of a community hypertension control program in a Korean rural area (I): Ki Soon Kim, Chang Up Park, Haeng Hoon Lee, Sung Ok Chung; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):45-54.

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For Hypertension patients registered in Yongjin Community Hypertension Control Program from Nov. 1979 until Oct. 1980, a follow-up investigation on treatment rate, change of blood pressure, incidence of stroke and case fatality rate during last one year was conducted. The Results were as follows: 1. Total number of patients registered in Yongjin Community Hypertension Control Program until Oct. 1981 was 324, 7.2% of target population 30 years or above in age. 2. Before registration 46.3% of registered knew that they were hypertensive and 64% among those who knew that they were hypertensive were not treated for their hypertension. 3. Eighty six percent of registered contacted with a team member of Yongjin Community Hypertension Control Program, but 27% sought medical care from the team for the disease during last one year. 4. Those who have diastolic hypertension sought mdhical care more frequently among hypertensive patents and those who have subjective symptoms due to hypertension sought the care twice as much double rate of treatment than those who didn’t have subjective symptoms. 5. Mean blood pressure at rescreening during Nov. 1981 was slightly lower than mean blood pressure at registration time, but the difference was not significant statistically. 6. The mean blood pressure of both groups illiterates and literate hypertensive patients decreased at rescreening time in the same degree. 7. Incidence rate of stroke among registered hypertensives was 7.2% and case fatality rate due to stroke was 68.4% during last one year. 8. Mean blood pressure of those who experienced stroke was significantly higher than those of who didn’t have experience of stroke, and 25% among those who have 160/95 mmHg or above blood pressure experienced stroke already or died of stroke.; Summary

Study of risk factors for hypertension in a rural adult population: Il Soon Kim, Il Suh, Hee Chul Oh, Yong Ho Lee, Dae Kyu Oh; Korean J Epidemiol. 1981;3(1):37-43.

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Arterial blood pressures, height, weight, skinfold thickness, blood pressure, 2 lead ECG, serum cholesterol of 1169 voluntary participants whose age were between 40-64 were examined in a rural community Korea in order to identify risk factors in developing CVD. The influences of 19 enables on the blood pressure were examined and their independent association with blood pressure was analyzed by means of multiple regression analysis. The most important factors influencing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were: age, weight, height and cholesterol. The following factors were identified significantly correlated with blood pressure： pulse rate, hemoglobin and triglyceride. All 19 variables including modified variable from weight, height and age (Ponderal index, Quetelet index, age2, age3, weight2, weight3) could explain 14.4% of total variation of systolic blood pressure and 20.5% of total variation of diastolic blood pressure. Among 25 variables the most important factors influencing systolic blood pressure were: Ponderai index, age, Quetelet index, cholesterol and pulse rate. With these 5 variables 13% of total variation of systolic blood pressure could be explained. The most important factors influencing diastolic blood pressure were: weight, cholesterol, ponderal index, hemoglobin and triglyceride. With these 5 variables 16% of total variation of diastolic blood pressure could be explained.; Summary

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