Size-Specific Dose Estimation In the Korean Lung Cancer Screening Project: Does a 32-cm Diameter Phantom Represent a Standard-Sized Patient in Korean Population?

Objective: The purposes of this study were to evaluate size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) of low-dose CT (LDCT) in the Korean Lung Cancer Screening (K-LUCAS) project and to determine whether CT protocols from Western countries are appropriate for lung cancer screening in Korea.

Materials And Methods: For participants (n = 256, four institutions) of K-LUCAS pilot study, volume CT dose index (CTDI) using a 32-cm diameter reference phantom was compared with SSDE, which was recalculated from CTDI using size-dependent conversion factor (f-size) based on the body size, as described in the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Report 204. This comparison was subsequently assessed by body mass index (BMI) levels (underweight/normal vs.

Effect of Coffee Consumption on the Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Prediabetic Individuals.

Background: A previous large-scale cohort study investigated the relationship between coffee intake and the progression of diabetes mellitus in the United States. However, studies on the effects of coffee on diabetes are rare in South Korea. Therefore, this study assessed the amount and method of coffee intake in Koreans in order to determine if coffee intake has a prophylactic effect on diabetes progression.

The Effects of Alcohol on Quality of Sleep.

Background: Alcohol is traditionally known to have a relaxing effect. However, persons who consume alcohol in excessive amounts suffer from poor sleep quality and patients with alcohol use disorders commonly report insomnia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of alcohol use on sleep quality.

The relationship between the social network of community-living elders and their health-related quality of life in Korean province.

Objectives: This study aimed to collect information that will help enhance the social networks and improve the quality of life among elderly people by observing the relationship between their social network and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and by analyzing social network factors affecting HRQoL.

Methods: This study was based on the 2008 Community Health Survey in Yeoncheon County. Three hundred elders were included in the study population.

Factors affecting public prejudice and social distance on mental illness: analysis of contextual effect by multi-level analysis.

Objectives: While there have been many quantitative studies on the public's attitude towards mental illnesses, it is hard to find quantitative study which focused on the contextual effect on the public's attitude. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that affect the public's beliefs and attitudes including contextual effects.

Methods: We analyzed survey on the public's beliefs and attitudes towards mental illness in Korea with multi-level analysis.