Background
: Hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease is well known. Our aim of this study was to demonstrate positive association between elevated homocysteine levels and cerebrovascular diseases in Koreans.

Methods : With a case-control design, 186 stroke (infarction 134, hemorrhage 52) patients, diagnosed by brain CT or MRI and 359 control patients were evaluated. We used multiple logistic regression analyses conditioned on the matching variables (sex, age, hypertension, DM, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hyperhomocysteinemia) and calculated odds ratio and 95% CIs.

Results : Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (OR) for cerebrovascular diseases associated with hypertension compared with normal blood pressure were 2.45 (95% CI, 1.16 to 5.15) in prehypertension and 3.33 (95% CI, 1.56 to 7.10) in stage 1 hypertension and 3.77 (95% CI, 1.32 to 10.74) in stage 2 hypertension. OR for cerebrovascular diseases associated with hyperhomocysteinemia compared with ＜10μmol/L were 2.06 (95% CI, 1.09 to 3.91) in 13.0 to 16.9μmol/L and 3.17 (95% CI, 1.70 to 5.90) in ≥17μmol/L.

Conclusion : Not only hypertension but also hyperhomocysteinemia was a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases in Koreans.

Background
: Herpes zoster is a significant and troublesome disease. The pain of acute herpes zoster may be severs, but is usually transitory. Some patients, especially the elderly at particular risk, go on to develop neuralgia. Unfortunately, neuralgia is often severe and refractory to most forms of treatment. The purpose of this study was to estimate improved rates of neuralgia according to associated factors.

Methods : We observed the improved rates of neuralgia in 123 patients who had herpes zoster with severe pain and treated with antiviral therapy after admission. Also, we compared them by age group, dermatomal distribution, and initiating day of antiviral therapy.

Results : At 4 weeks of treatment, the improved rates of neuralgia according to age younger group was high and older group was low. the improved rates of neuralgia according to the starting day of treatment was high 100% in 1 day, 76.5% in 2, 65.0% in 3days, and 18.2% in 7 days after skin eruption.

Conclusion : In herpes zoster with severe pain, age and initiation of antiviral therapy are significant predictors of neuralgia.

Background
: Korea Academy of Family Medicine recommands HBsAb and HBsAb test in youth health promotion program. Adequate management are necessary for prevention of vertical transmission at perinatal period. especially girls' high school students as a future's conceivable woman. Health examination program for the first grade students of high school which was established by the Educational Ministry has been acted since 1998. So, throught the students health examination we'd like to find an adequate method of prevention and management in hepatitis B.

Methods : Our study examines HBs Ag/Ab about girl's high school students at two high schools in an city. According to the results of hepatitis B, active intervention in carrier group, passive intervention in candidate were done. And then a year later, hepatitis B management was investigated through the questionnaire.

Results : In active intervention group, regular check up of hepatitis B is 21.4%, hepatitis B blood test in family is 39.3% and in passive intervention group, hepatitis B vaccination rate after health examiantion is 9.1%.

Conclusion : More active intervention such as mass vaccination are required in health examination for the purpose of hepatitis B management at youth.

Background
: Recently, the apartment complex is rapidly increasing as a new type of housing in a large city. So the purpose of the this survey is to research the experience rate of young children's allergic disease in an area of the apartment complex of a large city and to help the family medical doctor to diagnose and treat the young patients.

Methods : The experience rate of atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, food allergy was surveyed on June 1999 at an elementary school in a large apartment complex in Kwang-ju. The survey group were 832 students attending elementary school from the second to sixth grade. Also this survey was used to elicit information about the relationship between allergic disease and factors such as age, sex, birth history, family history, and home environment. For analysis of our finding, we have been used chi-square test.

Results : The survey shows that the experience rate of allergic disease is 40.4%. The experience rate of allergic disease was not related with sex, but the more ages the less experience rate. Allergic disease was not related with birth weight, gestational age, feeding method, use of carpet, breeding of pet, smoker in home, and the previous housing type. But experience rate of allergic disease was increased with positive family history.

Conclusion : General facts of allergic disease in elementary school children had no differentiation between large city and the other region. The experience rate of allergic disease is 40.4%.

Background
: Although the demand for the role of trained family physician has increased in primary care unit, the rate in which family physicians is relatively very low for the number of all the doctors in Korea. So we have carried out a research about the attractability of in-terns and public health practician who are going to choose spciality for training, in order to help decide proper way to which curriculums of family practice should go.
Method: From June 1st to August 31th 1995, 162 interns and public health practician in 10 hospitals including university hospital and public health practician in Chollanamdo and Cholla-bukdo were selected. And we carried out the research by the written questionnaire about the attractability of intern and public health practician the traning for family physician. In this survey, it was divided into two group that it is in favor of family practice training, or that think family practice training as an alternative, and another is the group without affinity on family practice training. We use χ² test to prove the significance among these three groups.

Results : There were significant differences according to the size of the hospital in which they were engaged(p<0.05) and gender(p<0.05), but the difference among ages, motives for choice, marital states were not significant. Interns working in smaller hospital had more affin-ity than those in university hospital, woman doctors were more favorable for the family prac-tice as a speciality.

Conclusion : In the viewpoint of high attractability of interns working in mid-sized hospital, there should be comprehensive plan for them to make proper choice.