Risks of Circulatory Diseases among Korean Radiation Workers Exposed to Low-dose Radiation.

High-dose radiation has been widely recognized as a risk factor for circulatory diseases. There is increasing evidence for risk of circulatory diseases in response to low and moderate radiation doses in recent years, but the results are not always consistent. We aimed to evaluate the associations between low-dose radiation exposure (<0.

Non-cancer disease prevalence and association with occupational radiation exposure among Korean radiation workers.

Radiation-induced cancer risks have known stochastic effects; however, regarding non-cancer diseases, evidence of risk at low radiation doses remains unclear. We aimed to identify underlying characteristics concerning non-cancer disease prevalence and determine associations with radiation dose among Korean radiation workers. Using a nationwide baseline survey, 20,608 workers were enrolled.

Cancer Risk After Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Hyperthyroidism: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Whether radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy for hyperthyroidism can increase cancer risk remains a controversial issue in medicine and public health.

Objectives: To examine site-specific cancer incidence and mortality and to evaluate the radiation dose-response association after RAI treatment for hyperthyroidism.

Data Sources: The Medline and Cochrane Library electronic databases, using the Medical Subject Headings terms and text keywords, and Embase, using Emtree, were screened up to October 2020.

Increased Incidence of Thyroid Cancer in Occupational Radiation Epidemiology: Attribution to Screening among Radiation Workers.

In most studies on radiation workers, the incidence of thyroid cancer was determined to be higher than among the general population; this is generally assumed to be due to overdiagnosis through thyroid screening. However, there is a lack of evidence on the association between thyroid screening and increased thyroid cancer incidence in most occupational studies. In this study, we compared thyroid cancer screening rates between the general population and radiation workers with various occupations and examined the relationship between these rates and thyroid cancer incidence.

Risk of Hematologic Malignant Neoplasms From Abdominopelvic Computed Tomographic Radiation in Patients Who Underwent Appendectomy.

Importance: Whether computed tomography (CT) radiation is truly carcinogenic remains controversial. Large epidemiological studies that purportedly showed an association between CT radiation and carcinogenesis were limited by confounding by indication and reverse causation, because the reasons for CT examination were unknown.

Objective: To measure the risk of hematologic malignant neoplasms associated with perioperative abdominopelvic CT radiation among patients who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis.

Lifetime cancer risks from occupational radiation exposure among workers at interventional radiology departments.

Purpose: Interventional medical radiation workers represent an under-studied population worldwide, although they receive relatively high occupational radiation doses. This study aimed to estimate the lifetime cancer risk from occupational radiation exposure among workers at interventional radiology departments.

Methods: A field survey of interventional medical workers in nationwide branches of the Korean Society of Interventional Radiology was conducted in 2017.

Radiation exposure and fluoroscopically-guided interventional procedures among orthopedic surgeons in South Korea.

Background: The use of fluoroscopically-guided interventional (FGI) procedures by orthopedic surgeons has been increasing. This study aimed to investigate the occupational radiation exposure among orthopedic surgeons in South Korea.

Methods: A nationwide survey of orthopedic surgeons was conducted in South Korea in October 2017.

Occupational radiation exposure and morbidity of circulatory disease among diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea.

Objectives: We investigated the association between low-dose external occupational radiation exposure and circulatory disease morbidity among diagnostic medical radiation workers.

Methods: A cohort of 11 500 diagnostic medical radiation workers was linked with the National Dosimetry Registry data and the National Health Insurance Service data. Relative risks (RRs) were calculated to explore the association between occupational factors and circulatory disease morbidity, and excess relative risks per 100 milligray (ERR/100 mGy) were estimated to quantify the radiation dose-response relationship.

OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROCEDURES AND DOSES AMONG NURSES IN SOUTH KOREA.

This study investigated occupational radiation procedures and radiation exposures among nurses in South Korea. A total of 530 nurses were surveyed from 2012 to 2013, and the survey data were linked with the dosimetry data. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with radiation dose.

Prevalence and clinical aspects of hearing loss among the South Korean adolescent: Data from a population-based study.

Objectives: Slight/mild hearing loss is detrimental to communication and academic achievements. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of hearing loss, and to investigate the factors related to noise-induced hearing loss among South Korean adolescent.

Methods: As a population-based retrospective study, 1845 South Korean adolescents aged from 12 to 19 years were analyzed using the data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (KNHANES V, 2010-2012).

The flipped classroom model for an undergraduate epidemiology course.

Purpose: The flipped classroom has been suggested as a method for efficient teaching in medical education. However, its feasibility and effectiveness in the educational environment are often overlooked. The authors redesigned an epidemiology course applying the flipped classroom method under a traditional curriculum consisting of heavily scheduled classroom hours and explored its feasibility and effectiveness.

Thyroid cancer risks among medical radiation workers in South Korea, 1996-2015.

Background: Thyroid cancer rates, especially among children, are known to be increased by radiation exposure. However, little is known about the impact of chronic low-dose radiation exposure on thyroid cancer risk in adulthood. This study examined radiation effects on thyroid cancer rates as well as an overall evaluation of thyroid cancer risk among medical radiation workers.

Projected lifetime cancer risks from occupational radiation exposure among diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea.

Background: Timely assessment of cancer risk from current radiation exposure among medical radiation workers can contribute to the development of strategies to prevent excessive occupational radiation exposure. The purpose of the present study is to estimate the lifetime risk of cancers induced by occupational radiation exposure among medical radiation workers.

Methods: Using estimated organ doses and the RadRAT risk assessment tool, the lifetime cancer risk was estimated among medical radiation workers who were enrolled in the Korean National Dose Registry from 1996 to 2011.

The Burden of Acute Pesticide Poisoning and Pesticide Regulation in Korea.

Background: This study aimed to estimate the burden of acute pesticide poisoning and to determine its trend with recently implemented pesticide regulations.

Methods: Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to acute pesticide poisoning using the methods of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The values of YLLs, YLDs, and DALYs were stratified by sex, age groups, intentionality of poisoning, and causative agents.

Mortality among diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea, 1996-2015.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk for all-cause and cause-specific mortality in diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea.

Methods: The study population included all diagnostic medical radiation workers enrolled in the National Dosimetry Registry (NDR) between 1996 and 2011. NDR data were linked with mortality data obtained from national registries through 2015.

Assessing the health effects associated with occupational radiation exposure in Korean radiation workers: protocol for a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The cancer risk of radiation exposure in the moderate-to-high dose range has been well established. However, the risk remains unclear at low-dose ranges with protracted low-dose rate exposure, which is typical of occupational exposure. Several epidemiological studies of Korean radiation workers have been conducted, but the data were analysed retrospectively in most cases.

ESTIMATION OF ORGAN DOSES AMONG DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL RADIATION WORKERS IN SOUTH KOREA.

This study aimed to estimate the radiation organ doses from occupational exposure in 94 396 Korean medical radiation workers. Data on badge doses (i.e.