Background: Obesity is a risk factor for the development of breast cancer, which can be examined to assess the association between abdominal fat distribution through computed tomography (CT) and risk of breast cancer by hormone receptor (HR) status in women. Methods: We examined 234 cases of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and 211 controls consisting of health examinees in the Republic of Korea. The abdominal body fat distribution was measured by CT scan. The subjects’ medical information, obtained from electronic medical records (EMR), were analyzed to verify the association between visceral fat and the type of breast cancer by HRs. Results: While visceral obesity increased the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women by 1.50 (95% CI, 0.75–2.98), the effect was not observed in pre-menopausal women 0.86 (95% CI, 0.44–1.62). Also, histological grade was associated with visceral fat, which higher histological grade score (≥2) showed a slightly increased mortality rate (r=0.15, P=0.07). Patients with negative progesterone receptors tended to have a higher abdominal fat ratio than patients with positive progesterone receptors. Especially in pre-menopausal women, higher distribution of abdominal fat ratio in breast cancer patients had somewhat more of an effect on negative than positive HRs [estrogen receptor (ER), P=0.12; progesterone receptor (PR), P=0.06; human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), P=0.43]. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the clear association between breast cancer and distribution of abdominal fat, and the abdominal fat ratio, are useful indicators for risk factors for breast cancer as well as malignancy.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased the global demand for disinfection services. Disinfection work involves specialized expertise in the use of chemicals and equipment. However, many studies have not illuminated the essential knowledge and practices of disinfection workers. This study aims to investigate factors influencing disinfection practices to enhance the quality and safety of infection-control measures. A cross-sectional descriptive study among 215 disinfection workers in South Korea was undertaken. The survey questionnaire was designed to collect information on demographic characteristics, disinfection methods, knowledge of COVID-19 disinfectants and their application, and the use of personal protective equipment. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26. Participants who received COVID-19 disinfection training had more knowledge regarding disinfectant products, demonstrated greater adherence to disinfection guidelines, and used more disposable PPE items. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that being female, completing prior training on COVID-19 disinfection, obtaining disinfectant information through official education, and possessing a subjective awareness of COVID-19 disinfectants and disinfectant knowledge were associated with increased compliance with guidelines for disinfection. This study revealed a gap between perceived compliance and actual knowledge between groups. These findings highlight the importance of retraining disinfection workers, enhancing their qualifications, and promoting responsible disinfection practices.