Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Won-Ju Park

3 Articles

Is Farming a Risk Occupation for Cardio-cerebrovascular Diseases? A Scoping Review on Cardio-cerebrovascular Disease Risk in Farmers: Hyeonjun Kim, Wongeon Jung, Sunjin Jung, Seunghyeon Cho, Inho Jung, Hansoo Song, Ki-Soo Park, Seong-Yong Yoon, Joo Hyun Sung, Seok-Ju Yoo, Won-Ju Park; J Prev Med Public Health. 2024;57(6):521-529. Published online August 23, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.24.302

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Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material

Objectives
In Korea, cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) is recognized as an occupational disease when sufficient evidence of a work-related burden exists. In 2021, approximately 26.8% of the payments from occupational disease insurance under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act were allocated to CCVDs. However, due to the specific nature of insurance policies for farmers, CCVD is not acknowledged as an occupational disease in their case.
Methods
We reviewed studies on the differences in the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of CCVDs between farmers and the general population or other occupations and described the exposure of farmers to risk factors for CCVDs.
Results
Several studies showed that farming is a high-risk occupation for CCVDs, with the following risk factors: long working hours, night work, lack of holidays, and strenuous physical labor; physical factors (noise, cold, heat, humidity, and vibration); exposure to hazardous gases (diesel exhaust, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, nitrogen oxides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), pesticides, and dust (particulate matter, silica, and organic dust); exposure to a hypoxic environment; and job-related stress. Social isolation and lack of accessible medical facilities also function as additional risk factors by preventing farmers from receiving early interventions.
Conclusions
Farmers are exposed to various risk factors for CCVDs and are an occupation at risk for CCVDs. More studies are needed in the future to elucidate this relationship. This study lays the groundwork for future research to develop guidelines for approving CCVDs as occupational diseases among farmers.

Summary

Korean summary
이 연구는 농업이 뇌심혈관질환과 연관된 고위험 직업임을 입증하는 근거를 검토하였습니다. 농업인은 긴 근무 시간, 격렬한 신체 노동, 유해 가스 및 살충제 노출 등 다양한 위험 요인과 더불어 의료 접근성 부족과 같은 문제에 직면해 있습니다. 이는 뇌심혈관질환을 농업인의 업무 관련 질병으로 인정하기 위한 가이드라인 개발에 중요한 기초를 제공합니다.

Key Message
This study reviewed evidence supporting that farming is a high-risk occupation associated with cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Farmers face various risk factors, including long working hours, strenuous physical labor, exposure to hazardous gases and pesticides, and challenges such as limited access to medical care. This provides an essential foundation for developing guidelines to recognize cardio-cerebrovascular diseases as work-related illnesses among farmers.

Citations

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Leveraging Administrative Health Databases to Address Health Challenges in Farming Populations: Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis (1975-2024)
Pascal Petit, Nicolas Vuillerme
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance.2025; 11: e62939. CrossRef

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Outbreak in the Basic Military Training Camp of the Republic of Korea Air Force: Won-Ju Park, Seok-Ju Yoo, Suk-Ho Lee, Jae-Woo Chung, Keun-Ho Jang, Jai-Dong Moon; J Prev Med Public Health. 2015;48(1):10-17. Published online January 14, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.14.037

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Abstract PDF

Objectives
An outbreak of acute febrile illness occurred in the Republic of Korea Air Force boot camp from May to July 2011. An epidemiological investigation of the causative agent, which was of a highly infective nature, was conducted.
Methods
Throat swabs were carried out and a multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was performed to identify possible causative factors.
Results
The mean age of patients who had febrile illness during the study period was 20.24 years. The multiplex RT-PCR assay identified respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as the causative agent. The main symptoms were sore throat (76.0%), sputum (72.8%), cough (72.1%), tonsillar hypertrophy (67.9%), and rhinorrhea (55.9%). The mean temperature was 38.75°C and the attack rate among the recruits was 15.7% (588 out of 3750 recruits), while the mean duration of fever was 2.3 days. The prognosis was generally favorable with supportive care but recurrent fever occurred in 10.1% of the patients within a month.
Conclusions
This is the first epidemiological study of an RSV outbreak that developed in a healthy young adult group. In the event of an outbreak of an acute febrile illness of a highly infective nature in facilities used by a young adult group, RSV should be considered among the possible causative agents.

Summary

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Respiratory syncytial virus infection and the need for immunization in Korea
Hye Young Kim, Ki Wook Yun, Hee Jin Cheong, Eun Hwa Choi, Hoan Jong Lee
Expert Review of Vaccines.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
COVID-19 outbreak in a military unit in Korea
Chanhee Kim, Young-Man Kim, Namwoo Heo, Eunjung Park, Sojin Choi, Sehyuk Jang, Nayoung Kim, Donghyok Kwon, Young-Joon Park, Byeongseop Choi, Beomman Ha, Kyounghwa Jung, Changbo Park, Sejin Park, Heeyoung Lee
Epidemiology and Health.2021; 43: e2021065. CrossRef

Analysis of the Change of Health Status Among the Republic of Korea Air Force Soldiers During Military Service: Seok-Ju Yoo, Won-Ju Park, Kwan Lee, Hyun-Sul Lim, Hyun-Jin Kim, Suk-Ho Lee; J Prev Med Public Health. 2014;47(4):230-235. Published online July 31, 2014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2014.47.4.230

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Abstract PDF

Objectives
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the health status of Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) soldiers changed after one year of military service. Methods: We selected 483 ROKAF soldiers from the 11 749 recruits who participated in the 2011 physical examination. The selected soldiers underwent another physical examination in 2012 for advancement to senior airman. Data from 2011 and 2012 were merged. To collect data on lifestyle, a questionnaire was sent to all included subjects via the military intranet e-mail service. Results: The percentage of recruits with an abnormal alanine transaminase level (normal range <40 IU/L) decreased from recruitment (13.7%) to the following year (2.7%). Moreover, the percentage of obese soldiers (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) decreased from recruitment (20.5%) to the following year (10.4%). There was a significant change in mean duration of exercise carried out each day before (0.8±1.3 hours) and after (1.0±0.7 hours) joining the ROKAF service. Conclusions: These ROKAF soldiers were generally in good health before and after joining the armed service. After one year of military service, the health status of most soldiers improved, especially with respect to body mass index and alanine transaminase level.

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Behavioral impact of national health campaigns on healthy lifestyle practices among young adults in Singapore: a cross-sectional study
Yong Zhi Khow, Talia Li Yin Lim, Jarret Shoon Phing Ng, Jiaxuan Wu, Chuen Seng Tan, Kee Seng Chia, Nan Luo, Wei Jie Seow
BMC Public Health.2021;[Epub] CrossRef
Strategic Priorities to Improve Effectiveness of Anti-smoking Interventions for the Korean Military: An Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process
Yun-Kyoung Song, Jae Hyun Kim, Boyoon Choi, Nayoung Han, Myeong Gyu Kim, Jeongsam Lee, Handuk Lee, Jieun Yoon, Beom-Jin Lee, Jung Mi Oh
Military Medicine.2018; 183(7-8): e223. CrossRef

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