title: A study of the awareness of chronic liver diseases among Korean adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic liver disease is closely associated with lifestyle, and public enlightenment of the lifestyle factors is important in reducing prevalence of chronic liver disease. The KASL (Korean Association for the Study of the Liver) conducted a survey of basic information and epidemiological data regarding chronic liver diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of chronic liver disease involving a total of 2,794 respondents was conducted. The respondents included patients and their guardians, visitors for health check-ups, and online pollees who completed a questionnaire on the awareness of fatty liver or chronic liver disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the entire cohort, 854 (39.7%) said they have had or still have fatty liver or an elevated transaminase level (>40 IU/L), but only 23.4% of the respondents had visited a hospital. It was found that 35% of healthy subjects and 45% of patients and their guardians misunderstood hepatitis B as the hereditary disesase. Furthermore, 26% of the subjects responded that patients with inactive hepatitis B do not require regular follow-up. While 17.9% answered that it is not too late to test for liver cancer when symptoms arise, 38.8% believed that liver transplant in liver cancer patients has a low success rate and is thus not recommended.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the inundation of information and widespread media advertising, the awareness of chronic liver disease is unsatisfactory among Korean adults. Systematic nationwide studies are needed to obtain data and information regarding the prevalence of chronic liver disease and patterns of use of the health-care system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Yong Kyun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Chang Hyeong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Ryul
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Eun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000453:epidemiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires