• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.156-162
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• 2024

Background: This study aimed to explore the relationship between frailty and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) among older adults in Korea. Methods: We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2014 to 2019, focusing on individuals aged 65 years and older. Frailty was assessed using Fried phenotype of frailty criteria. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between frailty and ADI adjusted for all covariates. Results: Among 9,825 older adults, those who lived in an area with a high ADI had a 1.2-fold higher risk of frailty compared to those who lived in an area with a low ADI (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.37). Particularly, married individuals living in areas with a high ADI had an approximately 1.4-fold higher risk of frailty compared to those living in areas with a low ADI (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16-1.57). Conclusion: This study reveal a significant relationship between frailty and the ADI among older adults. In particular, married individuals who live in areas with a high ADI were found more vulnerable to frailty than those who live in areas with a low ADI. Therefore, policy intervention should be implemented to reduce health inequalities among older people, especially those living in the most deprived areas groups.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.29-63
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze the process of changes in regional science and technology policies in Korea and to seek future development directions. In Korea, regional science and technology policies have been implemented since the introduction of the local autonomy system. Since then, it has been implemented in earnest with the establishment of a central government-level plan. The regional science and technology policies have been developed to this day by interacting with national science and technology policies and regional development policies. Nevertheless, due to the path dependence and lock-in effect in the accumulated process, the regional science and technology policies are still subordinate to central government policies. Thus, the establishment of an independent ecosystem for local science and technology is still insufficient. Furthermore, the gap between regions is deepening, such as the growing of aging population, population decline due to low birth rates, job losses due to the recession of local key industry, and the concentration of the youth population in the metropolitan area. The transformation path such as digital transformation and carbon neutrality paradigm is expected to further widen regional disparities. In order to address a comprehensive problem, the implementing system of regional science and technology policies need to be newly established. A framework for reinvention of regional science and technology policy needed in the era of grand societal challenges have to be developed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aimed to explore whether there are differences in smoking status between two regions of Wonju-City and Chuncheon-City, Gangwon State, and to determine whether the experience of smoking cessation programs in the region affects quit attempts. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional study in which adults aged 19 and older living in two cities were surveyed using a pre-developed mobile app to investigate social capital for smoking cessation, and a total of 600 citizens were participated, including 310 in Wonju-City and 290 in Chuncheon-City. The statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Results: Wonju-City had a higher prevalence of current smoking than Chuncheon-City. Among smoking cessation programs operated by local public health centers, Wonju-City had a lower odds ratio for experience with smoking cessation education than Chuncheon-City (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.33 to 0.81). When examining the effect of smoking cessation program experience on quit attempts, in Wonju-City, citizens who had completed smoking cessation education and used a smoking cessation clinic were more likely to attempt to quit than those who had not (OR=2.31 and OR=2.29, respectively). In Chuncheon-City, citizens who were aware of smoking cessation support services were 2.26 times more likely to attempt to quit smoking than those who were not, but statistical significance was not reached due to the small sample size. Conclusion: Therefore, healthcare organizations in both regions should develop more practical intervention strategies to increase smokers' quit attempts, reduce smoking rates in the community, and address regional disparities.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.78-86
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• 2024

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the specialty hospital system by comparing the medical use of inpatients who had artificial joint replacement surgery in specialty hospitals and non-specialty hospitals. Methods: This study utilized 2021-2022 healthcare benefit claims data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The dependent variable is inpatient medical use which is measured in terms of charges per case and length of stay. The independent variable was whether the hospital was designated as a specialty hospital, and the control variables were patient-level variables (age, gender, insurer type, surgery type, and Charlson comorbidity index) and medical institution-level variables (establishment type, classification, location, number of orthopedic surgeons, and number of nurses). Results: The results of the multiple regression analysis between charges per case and whether a hospital is designated as a specialty hospital showed a statistically significant negative relationship between charges per case and whether a hospital is designated as a specialty hospital. This suggests a significant low in charges per case when a hospital is designated as a specialty hospital compared to a non-specialty hospital, indicating that there is a difference in medical use outcomes between specialty hospitals and non-specialty hospitals inpatients. Conclusion: The practical implications of this study are as follows. First, the criteria for designating specialty hospitals should be alleviated. In our study, the results show that specialty hospitals have significantly lower per-case costs than non-specialty hospitals. Despite the cost-effectiveness of specialty hospitals, the high barriers to be designated for specialty hospitals have gathered the specialty hospitals in metropolitan and major cities. To address the regional imbalance of specialty hospitals, it is believed that ease the criteria for designating specialty hospitals in non-metropolitan areas, such as introducing "semi-specialty hospitals (tentative name)," will lead to a reduction in health disparities between regions and reduce medical costs. Second, it is necessary to determine the appropriateness of the size of hospitals' medical staff. The study found that the number of orthopedic surgeons and nurses varied in charges per case. Therefore, it is believed that appropriately allocating hospital medical staff can maximize the cost-effectiveness of medical services and ultimately reduce medical costs.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.312-323
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• 2003

This writer absolutely agrees with the government that regional disequilibrium is severe enough to consider moving the administrative capital. Pursuing this course solely to establish a balanced development, however, is not a convincing enough reason. The capital city is directly related to not only the social and economic situation but, much more importantly, to the domestic political situation as well. In the mid-1970s, the proposal by the Third Republic to move the capital city temporarily was based completely on security reasons. At e time, the then opposition leader Kim, Dae-jung said that establishing a safe distance from the demilitarized zone(DMZ) reflected a typically military decision. His view was that retaining the capital city close to the DMZ would show more consideration for the will of the people to defend their own country. In fact, independent Pakistan moved its capital city from Karachi to Islamabad, situated dose to Kashmir the subject of hot territorial dispute with India. It is regrettable that no consideration has been given to the urgent political situation in the Korean peninsula, which is presently enveloped in a dense nuclear fog. As a person requires health to pursue his/her dream, a country must have security to implement a balanced territorial development. According to current urban theories, the fate of a country depends on its major cities. A negligently guarded capital city runs the risk of becoming hostage and bringing ruin to the whole country. In this vein, North Koreas undoubted main target of attack in the armed communist reunification of Korea is Seoul. For the preservation of our state, therefore, it is only right that Seoul must be shielded to prevent becoming hostage to North Korea. The location of the US Armed Forces to the north of the capital city is based on the judgment that defense of Seoul is of absolute importance. At the same time, regardless of their different standpoints, South and North Korea agree that division of the Korean people into two separate countries is abnormal. Reunification, which so far has defied all predictions, may be realized earlier than anyone expects. The day of reunification seems to be the best day for the relocation of the capital city. Building a proper capital city would take at least twenty years, and a capital city cannot be dragged from one place to another. On the day of a free and democratic reunification, a national agreement will be reached naturally to find a nationally symbolic city as in Brazil or Australia. Even if security does not pose a problem, the governments way of thinking would not greatly contribute to the balanced development of the country. The Chungcheon region, which is earmarked as the new location of the capital city, has been the greatest beneficiary of its proximity to the capital region. Not being a disadvantaged region, locating the capital city there would not help alleviate regional disparity. If it is absolutely necessary to find a candidate region at present, considering security, balanced regional development and post-reunification scenario of the future, Cheolwon area located in the middle of the Korean peninsula may be a plausible choice. Even if the transfer of capital is delayed in consideration of the present political conflict between the South and the North Koreas, there is a definite shortcut to realizing a balanced regional development. It can be found not in the geographical dispersal of the central government, but in the decentralization of power to the provinces. If the government has surplus money to build a new symbolic capital city, it is only right that it should improve, for instance, the quality of drinking water which now everyone eschews, and to help the regional subway authority whose chronic deficit state resoled in a recent disastrous accident. And it is proper to time the transfer of capital city to coincide with that of the reunification of Korea whenever Providence intends.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.19-32
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence factors of the university level centering on the entrepreneurial performance of the university students and full-time faculties in the situation of increasing interest in entrepreneurial university. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, a panel data was established from 2015 to 2018 on the basis of the university notification data. The panel data included universities with data on the number of university students and full-time faculty founders for at least two years. Through this, four year data from 154 universities were used for analysis. As an analysis method, frequency analysis and descriptive statistics were conducted to understand the characteristics of the university. Since then, panel negative binomial regression analysis has been conducted in consideration of the longitudinal features and distribution of the data. Also, based on the Hausman test results, the results were interpreted based on random effect model. The results of this study are as follows. First, as a result of the analysis of the entrepreneurial performance and the change trend of the domestic university from 2015 to 2018, the entrepreneurial performance of the university has been steadily increasing in the last four years, and the increase in the number of university student entrepreneurs was relatively higher than the full-time faculties. Second, economic and educational approaches need to be combined to promote university students' start-ups. The university factors that promote the start-up of university students were found to be scholarships, start-up grants, startup lectures, and startup clubs. Third, the openness and regional characteristics of the univeristy can promote the establishment of university students. Fourth, the establishment of a research environment and support for start-ups for full-time faculty members can enhance their start-up performance. The university factors that promote the start-up of full-time faculty were research funds and staffes who support start-up. The conclusions drawn from these findings are as follows. First, overall efforts are needed to develop into an entrepreneurial university. Second, in order to change into an entrepreneurial university, direct support for entrepreneurship is needed. Third, as an entrepreneurial university, it is necessary to find a way to bridge the gap by university according to region and size. Fourth, it is necessary to reinforce the support for linking the research results of universities to start-ups. Fifth, it is necessary to improve the atmosphere for full-time faculty members to be entrepreneur.

• Korean Journal of Child Education & Care
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.85-102
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to determine the working conditions and demands of the assistant workforce at childcare centers, and to provide suggestions on policies for childcare teachers. To achieve the purpose of the study, a total of 190 assistant teachers, nursing helpers, alternative teachers and others were surveyed online during the month of August 2017. The survey examined the employment route and working motives, working conditions and environment, job and educational difficulties for analyzing the work conditions and demands of ancillary staff. For the analysis method, SPSS 12.0 was used to analyze frequency and difference. The main findings are as follows. First, childcare center assistants were able to work at their respective times, making it mandatory for them to enter the workforce, and making job openings for ancillary teachers. Second, 73.7% said the daily working hours were '4 hours to 8 hours' under the conditions and 57.9% said 'More than 510,000 won to less than 1 million won.' Average amount of rest time per day was about 30 minutes, and 17% had no rest periods. Third, based on the job and education status, ancillary personnel performed "infant and child guidance and interaction", "Cleaning and cleanliness related tasks" most actively, and "care for cleaning and cleanliness" and "care for morning and night care". Fourth, in the job trouble and difficulty, ancillary staff found it difficult to satisfy with wage related complaints and job insecurity, and the reason for agreeing to the non-regular workforce becoming a regular worker was found to be due to the stability of employment. Lastly, the most urgent tasks to solve the problem of non-regular workers were to fill the wage gap between regular and irregular workers, shorten the working hours and improve the working conditions. The policy implications are presented based on the above findings.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.451-458
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine pervasive trends in oral cancer in different countries in an effort to discuss what to do to prevent cancer and drop a death rate. The materials of the study were selected from among articles of oral cancer by searching risk factor and epidemiology at a website (www.oraloncology.com). As a result of analyzing the selected literature, it's found that in our country, the percentage of oral cancer in total cancer dropped but the number of oral cancer patients was on the rise every year. In foreign countries, the number of oral cancer patients was on the increase as well, whereas the lethality dropped. In terms of demographic characteristics, the incidence rate of oral cancer was higher among men than women overall. The incidence rate of oral cancer was larger among older people. The major causes of oral cancer were smoking and drinking. To reduce the incidence rate of oral cancer, every possible institutional, administrative and legal measure should be taken to ensure of anti-smoking policies, and publicity of moderation in and abstinence from drinking should be reinforced. The additional causes of oral cancer were demographic characteristics by country and region. The incidence of oral cancer was under the influence of that was affected when the level of personal economy and education was low. Therefore it's important to redress social imbalance within a country and among countries to remove socioeconomic divide. As the oral cancer patients has increased every year, the incidence rate of it should accurately be grasped, and sustained research efforts should be made in consideration of demographic characteristics. Early diagnosis, public oral health education and preventive policies are all required to decrease the incidence rate of oral cancer.

• Journal of Christian Education in Korea
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• v.66
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• pp.243-272
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• 2021

Corona 19 brought about a major shift in the Korean church's pastoral style. Contact and non-contact ministry styles using the Internet and media devices are being held together. The elderly, who have been classified as digital vulnerable, need to see whether they are properly adapting to these changes and they have any difficulties in their religious lives. This study is to organize the current status of Corona 19 related to Korean churches, look at the current state of church programs for Christian elderly people, look at how important the religious life is to their lives, and to suggest educational pastoral methods for their religious lives based on the theory of Maria Harris' educational ministry. First, in terms of Koinonia, it was suggested that the heritage, beliefs, values and ways of life held by the Christian elderly be shared with people inside and outside the church in order to entertain and embrace everyone without alienation. Second, from the perspective of Leiturgia, educational ministry was proposed to expand prayer life from a personal area to a public area to become a life of practicing prayer and justice by providing public prayer content with media that can be used by the elderly to perform spirituality. Third, it was suggested that in terms of Didache, it should be required that the elderly should be educated to be familiar with the changing technologies, that teaching environment should be extended from church to online, and that the educational content of tradition and new forms should be dealt with extensively. Fourth, from the perspective of Kerigma, Christian elderly people who have suffered in various life environments, both personally and socially, should listen to the words again and gain the power to overcome the corona crisis through the God's words, so that they can be melted into the curriculum of koinonia, leiturgia, didache, and diakonia. Fifth, it was suggested that senior citizens should switch their consciousness to become subjects of service, not objects of service, and that digital literacy education should be provided individually at eye level to narrow the digital gap for Diakonia curriculum.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.1083-1093
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between students' beverage preference and dietitians' perception in elementary school lunch program. This study was conducted in three phases: (1) questionnaire development and survey administration to elementary school students (2) survey administration to dietitians who were in charge of the elementary school food service, and (3) comparison of beverage preferences between elementary school students and dietitians. In phase I, 703 elementary school students in Seoul were surveyed from July 11 to July 19. In Phase II, 100 school food service dietitians in Seoul participated by mail survey from September 15 to October 30, 2006. Based on the results, elementary school students tended to show a neutral milk preference (mean=3.04), whereas dietitians perceived that elementary school students had lower milk preference (mean=2.67). Also dietitians perceived higher yogurt preference (mean=4.27) than the real elementary school students' preference (mean=4.02). T-test results showed the gender difference on milk and yogurt preference. Male students had higher milk preference (t=4.912, p<0.001) and yogurt preference (t=3.621, p<0.001) than female students. Elementary school students showed high fruit juice preference (mean=4.34); however, dietitians perceived lower fruit juice preference of students (mean=3.92). There was no gender difference on fruit juice preference. Though elementary school students had higher fruit juice preference, the frequency of fruit juice served in school lunch was quite low. Over half of the dietitians reported that they served fruit juice less than once a semester. The results of this study indicated the existence of distinctive difference between students' fruit juice preference and school lunch menu offerings.