The Korea Herald

Health disparity widens between rich and poor: study

Jun 18, 2013

Cancer patients from high-income families have a much higher survival rate than their low-income counterparts, a report showed Tuesday.According to the Korea Institute for Health Affairs, the five-year survival rate of male cancer patients in the top 20 percent income bracket was 37.84 percent, 13.80 percentage points higher than those in the bottom 20 percent. Three-year and one-year survival rates of patients from the two income groups also differed by 14.32 percentage points and 14.69 percent
Diabetes and family history

Jun 13, 2013

Diabetes is not a single disease, but a group of heterogeneous diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels.There are various forms of diabetes, and the family history and its association differ for each type. Diabetes can generally be divided into types 1 and 2. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an absolute deficiency of insulin in the body, and requires insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes has various causes, including insulin resistance, insulin secretory dysfunction, and increased gluconeoge
Saving lives by market intervention

Jun 13, 2013

Market intervention to reduce drug prices is making a crucial contribution to defeating deadly diseases, a senior official from the World Health Organization said.UNITAID, a small organization based within the United Nations’ health arm, funds market intervention to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to produce new drugs at reduced prices for poor countries. “We don’t spend money to buy the products. We put this money into changing how the markets work so that markets work for the advantage of
What are colonic polyps?

Jun 6, 2013

Polyps are lumps (tumors) that protrude from the lining of the colon. They can be categorized into adenomas or hyperplastic polyps. Hyperplastic polyps are generally not associated with colon cancer, and are not causes of concern. The concerning type of polyps are adenomas, which are benign tumors that can become malignant with time and hence become colon cancer.The risk of adenomas depends on the microscopic histology and the size of the polyp. Polyps that are smaller than 1 centimeter have a 1
Job stress blamed for rise in young bipolar patients

Jun 6, 2013

Bipolar disorder is increasingly affecting Korean youths struggling with job-related stress, with patients among workers in their 20s surging 10 percent annually in recent years, study showed. The number of people treated for the mood disorder grew 26.1 percent from 46,000 in 2007 to 58,000 in 2011, according to a report released by the National Health Insurance Service. Over the same period, medical expenses related to psychosomatic illness increased from 55 billion won ($48.6 million) to 77 bi
Work stress increases number of bipolar patients

Jun 2, 2013

The number of bipolar disorder patients in South Korea has surged in recent years, a survey showed on Sunday. According to data released by the National Health Insurance Service, the number of patients who received hospital treatment for bipolar disorder grew by 26 percent, or 12,000, over five years. Some 46,000 patients were found to have the mental illness in 2007, whereas the number climbed to 58,000 in 2011. Medical expenses for bipolar disorder treatment also increased from 55 billion won
Smoking causes 56% of lung cancers: study

May 30, 2013

Smoking causes nearly 56 percent of lung cancer in men, a medical team in Seoul said in its report on Thursday.The study which observed about 14,600 males in Seoul for the last 16 years also revealed that smoking increased the risk of lung cancer by fourfold in comparison to those who didn’t smoke at all.Based on the percentage of male smokers in the Korean population, which is 41 percent, the team estimated that smoking may have caused 55.6 percent of lung cancer cases in men. “These results hi
Living with Parkinson’s

May 30, 2013

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease result from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra, a region of the midbrain.Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement-related; these include shaking, rigidity and slowness of movement. It starts slowly and progresses gradually. Therefore, it is difficult to know the exact onset of the disease. Here, we will look at the e
Korea likely to legalize ‘right to die’

May 23, 2013

Terminally ill patients who have no other medical options but to hang on to life with essential treatment will likely be given the right to die starting next year.A subpanel of the presidential committee on bioethics has reached an agreement to legally allow patients who are dying or their families to decide whether to withdraw treatment that is keeping them alive.According to the subpanel’s advisory report released by the Ministry of Health on Monday, a terminal patient can voluntarily forgo li
Coping with bulimia

May 23, 2013

The urge to eat is not only caused by physiological hunger, but is known to be also affected by emotional status or psychological stress. Bulimia is one of the most common eating disorders along with anorexia nervosa, the opposite condition of not eating enough food. The improving socioeconomic status of Korea and the increasingly popular diet culture is contributing to this eating disorder. Bulimia and anorexia nervosa both commonly occur in young women, and generally start in adolescence. Buli
‘Strengthening lungs key to treating modern diseases’

May 23, 2013

Atopic dermatitis, asthma and rhinitis are often regarded as diseases of modern times with no ultimate cure. A Korean Oriental medicine doctor, however, believes that those incurable illnesses can be cured by increasing lung function through a constant intake of herbal medicine named Pyunkangtang.The herbal medicine, developed by Seo Hyo-seok, head of Pyunkang Oriental Clinic, was based on the oriental medicine principle that strength originates from the lungs. “Pyunkangtang increases the activ
S. Korea reports first human case of tick-born virus

May 21, 2013

South Korea has reported the first confirmed case of a person infected with a tick-borne virus in the country following reports of deaths in China and Japan, the state-run disease control agency said Tuesday.Out of five suspected cases, a 63-year-old woman was found to be infected with the virus transmitted by one species of tick, the Haemaphysalis longicornis, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.The infected patient died in Seoul in August last year and four others w
Couples who sleep in separate rooms

May 16, 2013

In modern society, it is common to see couples who are legally married, but who are not close to each other at heart and have been sleeping in separate rooms for many years. This can lead to decreased enjoyment in life, as well as other physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, a feeling of tightness in the chest, frequent headaches and indigestion. If the relationship within a couple is not good, prolonged depression and sadness, as well as decreased energy and enthusiasm in life can occur.
Planning a weekend trip? Be aware of food poisoning

May 16, 2013

A rise in temperature and sunny weather are forecast for this weekend, raising expectations for one last spring trip out of the city. Health authorities, however, warned Thursday of the growing risk of harmful bacteria, particularly for those who plan to go to the seaside. The Korea Centers for Disease Control said vibrio vulnificus, a type of bacteria that causes necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacteria syndrome, was detected in sea water collected from the country’s southern sea.Vibrio
Cancer is No.1 cause of death in S. Korea

May 16, 2013

Cancer is the No. 1 cause of death among South Koreans, the Korean Medical Association's institute said Thursday, citing data by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).The Research Institute for Healthcare Policy said in a report that for every 100,000 South Koreans, 193.7 died from cancer in 2010. This is less than the 211.6 cancer deaths on average among the 34 member states of the OECD.South Korea ranked as the fifth-lowest country in terms of the cancer mortality ra