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An epidemiological study on HBsAg and anti-HBs prevalence in relation to liver function tests among farmers in Korea
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Joung Soon Kim, Won Young Lee, S.W Lee, Hee Sup Yoon, Sook Ja Yang, D.H Lee, H.C. Kim
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Korean J Epidemiol. 1985;7(1):16-27.
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 Abstract
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Abstract
This study was carried out in a rural area for the adult population older than 20 years of age to find out the prevalence of HBsAg and Anti-HBs among the population, and particularly the relationship between the presence of HBsAg and liver function tests during November 1984. Six hundred fourteen persons were interviewed according to structured questionnaire, examined by physician, and blood was drawn for the tests. For the detection of HBsAg and Anti-HBs Eliza method was used. The liver function test including SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin and albumin was done in an university hospital laboratory of clinical pathology.
The results summarized are as followings:
1. The prevalence rate of HBsAg positive was 13.0% and Anti-HBs positive was 43.6% among the population studied. The age adjusted positive rate by sex showed higher rate in males(14.6%) than females(12.7%) for HBsAg, whereas the positive rate was higher in females than males for anti-HBs although these differences by sex were not statistically significant (p〉0.05).
2. The age specific positive rate for both HBsAg and anti-HBs revealed peaks on 30~39 yrs. age group even though the Anti-HBs showed a slight increase for the age group older than 60 years.
3. The HBsAg positive rate was the highest (17.6%) among simple labourers accompanied by the highest positive rate of anti-HBs (58.8%) and then farmers, sales worker, clerical workers showed higher positive rate in order when the positive rates were compared by occupation. Also the lower socioeconomic class revealed higher positive rate.
4. The positive rates of both HBsAg and Anti-HBs were not different statistically between alcohol drinkers and non-drinkers, cigarette smokers and non-smokers, and the group with past history of liver disease and that without the history.
5. The HBsAg positive group when compared with HBsAg and Anti-HBs negative group showed 1.9 times more in family history of liver disease, 1.5 times in surgical operation, 1.4 times in blood transfusion.
6. The abnormal liver function test was found to be much more frequent among persons with past or present history of liver disease than those without; 84.2% versus 17.9%. By each item of the liver function test the HBsAg positive group had 1.6 times more abnormal value of bilirubin, 1.3 times of SGPT, and 1.2 times of SGPT than those who were negative for both HBsAg and Anti-HBs. The SGOT/SGPT ratio was not statistically different between two groups HBsAg positive and negative.
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Summary
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Case-control study on psychosexual impact of vasectomy
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Yong Heo, Joung Soon Kim, Hee Sup Yoon, Sook Ja Yang, In Sook Lee
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Korean J Epidemiol. 1984;6(1):124-136.
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Abstract
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Abstract
The objective of this research is to study psychosexual impacts of vasectomy by means of case-control study in order to provide more valid information on the subject because most of the similar studies have been criticized as having various methodological defects.
In this study one hundred vasectomized men and their wives were randomly selected from a rural and semi-urban communities and matched with non-vasectomized neighbors of the cases to achieve higher validity of the data by isolating the impacts of vasectomy from a set of other possible confounding variables such as age, socioeconomic status and occupation.
The study was carried out from the December 1983 to the January 1984. The most cases were vasectomized during the period between 1972 and 1979 according to the record obtained from the local family planning association.
The information were collected by interviewing husband and wife at the same time but separately to minimize bias that might occur from mutual communication prior to the interview.
The summary of the results obtained are as followings:
1. General characteristics of the subjects studied
1) At the time of vasectomy the mean age was 34.4 years and the average number of children and son was 3.2 and 1.7 respectively. The mean duration of marriage till the vasectomy was 8.9 year. The average number of son at the time of the study was 1.7 for the case group contrast to 1.5 for the control group of which difference was statistically significant (p=0.035) although the total number of children was the same.
2) There was no difference between the case and control groups in the level of education and occupation.
3) The motivation of the sterilization stated by the cases of vasectomy was enough number of children and economic reason in 70.8%. The reason of selecting vasectomy among other contraceptive methods were the simplicity, low failure rate and less complication of the vasectomy in the majority of the cases (85.2%).
2. Psychosexual impacts of vasectomy
1) In psychosexual impacts classified into four categories, i.e. tiredness of sex, sxiness, frequency of coitus and sexual satisfaction, the proportion of husband reporting ‘No Change’ was significantly less at the time of interview than the time 2-3 years right after the vasectomy. On the other hand, in both sexiness and coitus frequency the proportion of husband reporting ‘Decreased’ were significantly higher at the time of interview than the time 2-3 years after the vasectomy.
2) Responses of husband and wife on the husband’s psychosexual change at the time of interview in case and control groups showed that the proportion of couples reporting ‘No Change’ was higher, and reporting 'Decreased' was lower in case group than in control group. Particularly the differences in the sexiness and frequency of coitus between the case and control groups were statistically significant (p=0.005) being decreased more in control group.
3) The proportion of husband reporting 'Decreased’ in sexual activities was positively in proportion to the age whereas the proportion reporting ‘No Change’ was negatively in proportion to the age for both case and control groups.
4) The agreement rate between the responses of husband and wife on the husband’s psychosexual change was low for both case and control couples (overall value of kappa=0.21-0.37).
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