Status and Needs for the Return to School of Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors / 임상소아혈액종양

Background@#As the treatment effects for childhood and adolescent cancer continue to improve, the survivor group is gradually growing and their age is increasing. This study aimed to determine the perceptions toward childhood and adolescent cancer survivors and assess the current situation regarding their return to school, to undertake policy development to help them grow into healthy members of society. @*Methods@#From December 2019, for about 4 months, a structured questionnaire was used to conduct one-on-one interviews with childhood and adolescent cancer survivors and their parents, as well as with parents of healthy children and adolescents. @*Results@#The participants included 79 survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer, 186 parents of cancer survivors, and 661 general parents; their mean age was 21.8, 13.9, and 12.5 years, respectively. After completing their cancer treatment, 77.2% of the cancer survivors returned to school, with the majority returning to regular schools in the same grade as their peers. Reasons for not returning to school (20.3%) included concerns about health management (43.8%), concerns about psychological and emotional adjustment (12.5%), and poor school attendance (12.5%). Among the parents of cancer survivors, 48.9% stated that they were “satisfied” with their children’s school life; a better health status in children was associated with a higher level of satisfaction (P=0.0071). In addition, they stated that national-level support was needed in the following areas for a successful return to school: a continuous health management system (36.1%) and understanding homeroom teachers who enable flexible participation in classes and school events (29.5%). @*Conclusion@#For survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer to successfully return to school and society, nationwide awareness-raising activities should be expanded, in addition to services that are tailored to the survivors’ needs and characteristics such as management of physical and mental health and educating homeroom teachers and peers.

Association between Sleep Duration and Obesity in Young Korean Adults

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between number of sleep hours and obesity based on body mass index (BMI) after adjusting for socioeconomic position, health behaviors, and clinical factors. METHODS: Data from subjects aged 20-64 years (n=12,688) in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2007-2009 was analyzed. Subjects were divided into two groups according to age: 20-44 (young adults) and 45-64 years (middle-aged adults). With respect to sleep time, subjects were classified as short sleepers (<6 hr/day), long sleepers (≥9 hr/day), and normal sleepers (6-8.9 hr/day). Obesity was defined as a BMI ≥25. RESULTS: The proportion of patients who were obese was 27.8%. The distribution of short sleepers, long sleepers, and normal sleepers was 6.4%, 13.7%, and 79.9%, respectively. The adjusted short sleeper and long sleeper odds ratios (OR) for obesity in young adults were significantly different from that in middle-aged adults after adjustment for confounding factors. In women, the adjusted short sleeper OR for obesity was 1.56 (95% CI, 1.02-2.37). CONCLUSION: This community-based random sample of Korean adults showed that women with short sleep duration may be at significant risk of obesity.

Determinants of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity and Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity in Healthy Koreans

The aim of this study was to determine the normal value of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) according to age group, gender, and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors in healthy Koreans, and to investigate the association between PWV and risk factors such as prehypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, and obesity. We measured an arterial stiffness in 110 normal subjects who were 20 to 69 yr-old with no evidence of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular accident or diabetes mellitus. The mean values of baPWV and cfPWV were 12.6 (+/-2.27) m/sec (13.1+/-1.85 in men, 12.1+/-2.51 in women; P=0.019) and 8.70 (+/-1.99) m/sec (9.34+/-2.13 in men, 8.15+/-1.69 in women; P=0.001), respectively. The distribution of baPWV (P<0.001) and cfPWV (P=0.006) by age group and gender showed an increase in the mean value with age. Men had higher baPWV and cfPWV than women (P<0.001). There was a difference in baPWV and cfPWV by age group on prehypertension, dyslipidemia, current smoking, or obesity (P<0.001). In multiple linear regression, age and prehypertension were highly associated with baPWV and cfPWV after adjustment for confounding factors (P<0.001). The present study showed that baPWV and cfPWV are associated with age, gender, and prehypertension in healthy Koreans.

Comparison of Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Peripheral Artery Disease and Coronary Artery Disease in the Korean Population

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to analyze and compare risk factors for peripheral artery disease (PAD) and coronary artery disease (CAD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample included 7936 Korean patients aged > or =20 years who were hospitalized from 1994 to 2004. Of the 7936 subjects, PAD (n=415), CAD (n=3686), and normal controls (Control) (n=3835) were examined at the Health Promotion Center, Samsung Medical Center. RESULTS: The mean age (years) of PAD subjects was 64.4 (+/-9.3), while CAD subjects was 61.2 (+/-9.9), and Control subjects was 59.9 (+/-9.1) (p<0.01). The proportion of males was 90.6% for PAD, 71.4% for CAD, and 75.5% for Control subjects (p<0.01). The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease were significantly higher in subjects with PAD or CAD compared to those in Control. However, the ORs for high density lipoprotein, being overweight, and being obese were significantly lower in PAD subjects compared to those in Control. CONCLUSION: We found that cardiovascular risk factors were in fact risk factors for both PAD and CAD.