This study explores the development, roles, and key initiatives of the Regional Environmental Health Centers in Korea, detailing their evolution through four distinct phases and their impact on environmental health policy and local governance. It chronicles the establishment and transformation of these centers from their inception in May 2007, through four developmental stages. Originally named Environmental Disease Research Centers, they were subsequently renamed Environmental Health Centers following legislative changes. The analysis includes the expansion in the number of centers, the transfer of responsibilities to local governments, and the launch of significant projects such as the Korean Children’s Environmental Health Study (Ko-CHENS ). During the initial phase (May 2007–February 2009), the 10 centers concentrated on research-driven activities, shifting from a media-centered to a receptor-centered approach. In the second phase, prompted by the enactment of the Environmental Health Act, six additional centers were established, broadening their scope to address national environmental health issues. The third phase introduced Ko-CHENS, a 20-year national cohort project designed to influence environmental health policy by integrating research findings into policy frameworks. The fourth phase marked a decentralization of authority, empowering local governments and redefining the centers' roles to focus on regional environmental health challenges. The Regional Environmental Health Centers have significantly evolved and now play a crucial role in addressing local environmental health issues and supporting local government policies. Their capacity to adapt and respond to region-specific challenges is essential for the effective implementation of environmental health policies, reflecting geographical, socioeconomic, and demographic differences.
, Heisook Lee This review aims to highlight the importance of research on structural, functional, molecular-biological, and disease-specific sex differences in the brain, and to examine current bibliometric indicators related to research on sex differences. The Web of Science Core Collection was searched for related articles from 2010 to 2023. Structural and functional brain differences according to sex, including variations in communication patterns between hemispheres, may play a role in mental disorders. Sex differences in neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and γ-aminobutyric acid contribute to disparities in mental health, addiction, and neurodevelopmental conditions. Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia exhibit sex-based differences in prevalence, symptoms, brain changes, and neurotransmitter disruptions under hormonal influence. There is a growing body of research on depression, adolescence, the hippocampus, the amygdala, and cognition, highlighting the importance of considering sex/gender factors. Recent studies on sex differences in brain diseases have identified variations in brain structure, function, and neurophysiological substances, as well as in hormones and genes between the sexes. The incidence of psychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly being linked to sex differences, and the need for research into the mechanisms underlying these differences is gaining recognition. However, there remains a significant gap in sex-specific neuroscience research related to the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and management of these conditions. Advancing inclusive research will require comprehensive training, a consensus on methodology, diverse perspectives through collaborative frameworks, governmental/institutional support, and dedicated funding to create suitable research environments and implementation strategies.
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, Jongmin Oh, Eun Mee Kim, Ji Hyen Lee, Minah Kang, Miju Kim, Seok Hyang Kim, Jae Jin Han, Hae Soon Kim, Oran Kwon, Hunjoo Ha, Harris Hyun-soo Kim, Hye Won Chung, Eunshil Kim, Young Ju Kim, Yuri Kim, Younhee Kang, Eunhee Ha To conduct a comparative study of children’s health in South Korea versus North Korea focusing on air pollution.
We used annual mortality rate, prevalence, and environmental indicators data from the World Bank and World Health Organizations (WHO). Trend analysis of the two Koreas was conducted to evaluate changes in health status over time. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to find out the correlation between environmental indicators and children’s health status.
We found a distinct gap in children’s health status between the two Koreas. While North Korea reported a higher death rate of children than South Korea, both showed a decreasing trend with the gap narrowing from 2000 to 2017. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased and that of thinness decreased in both Koreas. Except PM2.5 exposure, South Korea reported higher figures in most indicators of air pollutant emissions (South Korea, mean (SD)=28.3 (2.0); North Korea, mean (SD)=36.5 (2.8), P-value=0.002).
This study empirically discovered the gaps and patterns of children’s health between South Korea and North Korea. North Korean children experienced more severe health outcomes than children in South Korea. These findings imply that epigenetic modification caused by environmental stressors affect children’s health in the two Koreas despite similar genetic characteristics. Considering the gaps in children’s health between the two Koreas, more attention and resources need to be directed towards North Korea because the necessary commodities and services to improve children’s health are lacking in North Korea.
, Eunkyo Park, Jungeun Shin, Eun-Hee Ha The accumulated evidence shows that adult disease may have origins during the fetal period and maternal environmental exposure may affect fetus and infant health. To assess the environmental health of fetus and infants and examine women's concerns about environmental health, we designed and conducted an environmental health survey in reproductive-aged women in 2011.
A stratified multi-stage design was adopted for our survey, and 1,000 reproductive-aged women aged 25 to 39 years participated. The participants were asked to complete an electronic questionnaire using the computer-assisted web interviewing method. All the participants were married woman, and 80% had experienced pregnancy before completing the survey.
In the study, 86.3% of the participants responded that they are worried about the environmental problems that may affect the fetus and infant. The participants responded that they were most worried about global warming and climate change (36.2%), electromagnetic waves (31.4%), and endocrine disrupting chemicals (25.1%). Moreover, participants responded that environmental problem can cause children's allergic disease, such as atopic dermatitis, metabolic syndrome and growth development.
We found reproductive-aged women have high awareness of children's environmental health. We also recommended that additional surveys on mother and child environmental health be conducted to make a health policy for women, fetus and infant.
This study purported to evaluate the factor structure of the Korean Family Mental Health test(K-FMHT), which was a self-report questionnaire composed of 67 items and developed for measuring the degree of mental health and psychopathological traits of the families by the comprehensive dimensions.
K-FMHT was administered to 476 married women subjects from normal families. A factor analysis revealed the 10 factor structure to be appropriate which determined by clinical, logical and statistical basis that included the pretest items expected empircally.
1) It was founded that the 10 factors item composition of K-FMHT satisfied the content validity through factor analysis and explained 50.1% of total variances.
2) 10 factors of K-FMHT have sufficient eigenvalues respectably and the factor loadings of total items were significantly high.
3) Factor 1 explainded 18.8% of variance and the other factors 6.4-2.4% of variance.
4) Factor namings were determinded which based the examination of the item contents : factor 1-open heartedness within family, factor 2 - family relationship of emotional disharmony, factor 3 - conflict relationship with mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, factor 4 - sexual relationship of couple, factor 5 - the filial devotion toward parent, factor 6 - openness toward community, factor 7 - patriarchic family, factor 8 - living together of family members, factor 9 - parent attachment toward children, factor 10 -parent unconditional love toward children.
5) Some limitation and future requirements are discussed to increase the validity of the K-FMHT.
It was suggested that factor 5, 10 need to dupplement more items for increasing the validity of K-FMHT though the complimentary work.
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