• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.128-136
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• 2011

This study was carried out to investigate the factors of food service satisfaction of the elderly in Busan. The survey was conducted from September 1 to October 15, 2009 by questionnaires and data analyzed by SPSS program. Fifty point nine percent of the subjects lived alone and the source of living expenses of 70.5% of the subjects was subsidy from government. The most important reason for the elderly to participate in meal service was 'economic difficulty' and 'to meet friend'. The subjects had various chronic degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiac disease. Sixty-six point eight percent of the subjects needed diet therapy for their diseases, but 87.1% of them don't want to pay the extra fee. Thirty six point five percent of the subjects attained information about lunch program because it was 'close to home' but 20.7% was 'from public officials'. The reasons for the use of the meal service were 'economic difficulty' (40.0%), 'to meet friends' (22.6%), and 'bother to prepare meal' (16.50%). The services provided by welfare center were health care, physical exam and haircut. The score given by the subjects on the satisfaction of meal service was 3.84 on the 5-point maximum scale. Higher satisfaction on kindness of staff, satisfaction of social support and awareness of support resulted in higher satisfaction of food service. It would be effective to provide food service models that meet specific needs of the elderly according to social welfare service and social community activities.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.421-450
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• 2013

One of the challenging tasks of the National Health Insurance Corporation(NHIC). the only public insurance institution administrating the Korea's compulsory national health insurance(NHI) system, is to make those NHI beneficiaries who fail to make a scheduled monthly premium payment to pay. For this purpose, the NHIC has been using a measure known as 'Benefit Limit Measure(BLM)' in which those who miss premium payment for six or more month's in total are classified as 'late payer' and are sent warnings and late payer status notices. If the late payers fail to make a full payment of missed premiums even after receiving the written notices, the NHIC can order a temporary seizure of the late payer's property until all missed premiums plus interest are paid. Recently, the BLM has been criticized by the public of its cruel nature, and its effectiveness has been questioned because no empirical evidence has been collected. In this study, the authors using the NHIC data set attempted to analyze the effectiveness of the BLM. Those late payers for whom the BLM was administered were compared to those not in terms of the likelihood of paying missed premium payments with a series of logistic regression analyses models. Data analyses results showed that the likelihood of paying one or more month's unpaid premium of the former group was 14 to 46 times higher than the latter. It, however, was also found that the BLM was only effective to make no more than 12% of the late payers to pay at all. Based on the study findings, the authors made a few recommendations regarding the BLM.

• Journal of Teachers' Pension
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• v.3
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• pp.69-105
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• 2018

저출산과 고령화 이슈는 우리사회의 경제적 문제뿐만 아니라 공적연금의 재정지속가능성 여부와도 맞물려 있다. 실제로 우리나라 모든 공적연금은 사회보험역설(social insurance paradox)이 지속되기 힘든 새로운 도전에 직면하였다. 즉, 재정지속가능성은 제도 내적 연금개혁 혹은 제도 외적 재정지원이 없다면 항시적 수지불균형 상태가 누적될 것으로 예측된다. 이에 정부는 직접 고용과 관련된 공무원연금과 군인연금에 대해서만 연금충당부채를 산출하도록 규정하고 있다. 발생주의회계를 채택한 국제회계기준(종업원급여)을 참조하여 연금충당부채 산출을 위한 연금회계준칙(2011.8.3. 제정; 2011.1.1. 시행) 그리고 '연금회계 평가 및 공시 지침(2011.8.3. 고시 : 이하 편의상 연금회계지침이라 함)'을 신설하였다. 사학연금에 적용성 여부 논의에 앞서, 이들의 산출방법상의 문제점을 먼저 살펴보았다. 첫째, 공적연금은 공통적으로 세대 간 합의에 의해 운영되는 사회계약에 해당하므로 제도의 연속성을 전제로 한다. 하지만 연금회계준칙 및 지침은 제도의 청산을 전제로 현재 가입자(연금 미수령자, 연금 수령자)에 대해서 연금충당부채를 산출하는 폐쇄형측정(closed group valuation)을 채택하고 있다. 즉, 폐쇄형은 제도의 연속성 속성을 반영하고 있지 못하고 있어 기본 전제와 모순된다. 둘째, 공무원연금과 군인연금은 이미 기금 소진(최소한의 유동성기금만 보유함)이 되었고 정부의 보전금에 의해 수지 균형이 유지되는 순수부과방식 체계로 전환되었다. 따라서 연금충당부채는 해당 적립기금의 과소 여부를 판정하는 재정상태 기준 값에 해당하므로 기금소진이 진행된 현 상황에서는 산출의 목적, 필요성을 찾기가 힘들다. 부언하면, 제도 외적 재정지원(보전금)에 의한 수지균형방식이라면 발생주의회계보다는 현금주의회계가 회계의 목적적합성이 높다. 마지막으로 연금충당부채 산출에 있어 가장 민감한 할인율 설정 권한을 기재부장관에게 위임한 내용은 산출의 객관성, 일관성을 확보하기 힘들다고 판단된다. 이를 해소하기 위한 방안으로 본 연구에서는 5년마다 실시하고 있는 장기재정계산에서 예측된 명목 기금투자수익률을 연도별로 적용할 것을 권고하고 있다. 현행 정부회계기준을 사학연금제도에 그대로 적용하기에는 상당한 무리가 있다. 그 이유와 공시방안에 대해 살펴본다. 현재 사학연금은 기금소진 이슈로부터 상당부분 벗어나기 위해 2015년 연금개혁을 단행한 바가 있고 이를 통해 상당기간 부분적립방식 체계가 유지될 것이다. 물론 제도 외적 재정지원은 사학연금법 제53조의7에서 정부지원의 가능성만을 열어 놓은 상태이므로 미래기금소진의 가능성은 상존한다고 볼 수 있다. 먼 미래에는 순수부과방식 체계로 전환될 개연성이 높다. 이러한 재정의 양면성을 본 연구에서는 이중재정방식(dual financing system)이라고 한다. 이러한 속성을 고려하여 연금충당부채(연금채무라는 표현이 적합할 것으로 사료됨)를 산출하고 공시하여야 한다. 그 주요 연구 결과는 다음과 같이 요약된다. 먼저 현행 부분적립방식의 재정상태 검증을 위해 연금채무를 산정할 필요성이 있다. 이를 위해 본 연구에서는 기발생주의(예측단위방식 적용)에 근거한 폐쇄형 측정I(제도 종료를 전제로 현 가입자의 잠재연금채무(IPD) 산출에 초점을 둠) 그리고 미래발생주의(가입연령방식 적용)에 근거한 폐쇄형 측정II(추가적으로 현 가입자의 일정기간 급여 및 기여 발생 허용)을 제안하고 있다. 이를 통해 미적립채무의 규모 그리고 이를 해소하기 위한 상각부담률을 산출할 수 있다. 최종적으로 미래 가입자들까지 포함하고 기금소진 가능성까지 고려하는 개방형측정(open group valuation)을 다루고 있다. 단, 본 연구에서는 공무원연금처럼 기금부족분에 대해서 향후 정부보전금이 있다는 가정 하에 공시 방법을 제시하고 있다. 요약하면, 현행 사학연금제도는 현재와 미래의 재정 양면성을 모두 고려하여 연금채무 및 미적립채무를 공시하여야 한다. 부언하면, 현재 부분적립방식 재정상태를 반영하는 연금채무는 발생주의회계를 적용하고 미래에 도래할 순수부과방식 재정상태는 현금주의회계를 적용할 것을 최종 결론으로 도출하고 있다. 마지막으로 본 연구의 한계는 정부보전금의 가능성에 대한 법률적 해석과 병행하여 책임준비금 범위의 안정적 확대를 전제로 한 공시 논의 그리고 보전금의 책임한도 범위에 따른 공시 논의 등은 다루고 있지 않다는 점이다. 이러한 논의 사항은 향후 연구과제로 두고자 한다.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2024

Objectives : This study aims to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly residents in the relatively stable rural areas of Jeju and to examine the relationships between levels of depression, sociodemographic factors, and health habits. Methods : The study site was within rural Jeju, where elderly individuals aged 65 and older were randomly selected from the 'Agricultural Cohort' registered at the Centers for Farmers' Safety and Health Center. Trained interviewers conducted surveys using the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (sGDS-K), defining those with scores of 6 or above as experiencing depressive symptoms for the analysis. Other variables such as sex, age, educational level, marital status, annual income, subjective health status, underlying disease, perceived stress levels, smoking, and drinking status were also recorded Results : Out of 533 subjects, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 35.3%, with 28.5% in male and 45.6% in female (p<0.001). Factors significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms included marital status (p=0.014), educational level (p<0.001), annual income (p=0.034), subjective health status (p<0.001), perceived stress level (p<0.001), feeling of despair (p<0.001) and suicidal ideas (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that subjective health status, perceived stress level, and feelings of despair were associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusions : The high prevalence of depressive symptoms among the rural elderly in Jeju highlights the need for targeted mental health interventions. Addressing sociocultural factors and improving early detection and intervention strategies can help reduce the socioeconomic impact of depression in this population.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this master's thesis is to utilize basic data in order to improve the quality of life of cancer patients who received radiation therapy after analysing related factors that influence patient's quality of life and obtaining information about physical, mental problems of patients. Materials and Methods: By using a structured questionnaire about various characteristics and forms of support, I carried out a survey targeting 107 patients that experienced radiation therapy at a university hospital in the Daejeon metropolitan area from July 15 to August 15, 2010 and analysed the factors influencing quality of life. Results: In case of pain due to disease, 65.15 and painless 81.87 showed a high grade quality of life. As body weight decreases, the quality of life become lower. When the grade of quality of life according to economic characteristics was compared, all items except treatment period showed a difference (P=0.000). When the score of social support, family support, medical support and self-esteem was low, the mark of quality of life showed respectively 61.71, 68.77, 71.31, and 69.39 on the basis of 128 points. When the score of support form was high, the mark of quality of life showed 90.47, 83.29, 90.40, and 90.36 (P<0.05). When analyzing the correlation between social support, family support, medical support and self-esteem and the degree of quality of life, social support was 0.768, family support 0.596, medical support 0.434, self-esteem 0.516. They indicated the correlation of meaningful quantity statistically (P<0.01). The factors that improved the quality of life were married state, having a job and painless status. As monthly income increases, the quality of life was also much improved (P<0.05). Among the factors related to quality of life, social support and medical support and higher self-esteem scores of the quality of life score increased 0.979 point, 0.508 points and 1.667 point, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, the quality of life of cancer patients that received radiation treatment is related to social support, medical support and self esteem. Self-esteem is an important factor that influenced quality of life, so if government offers works that doesn't affect patient's health, they are a useful method that maximize self-esteem and lessen their financial burden at the same time. Along with these policies, the developments of the attention of medical and the program for cancer patient's family are needed for the purpose of improving quality of life of cancer patients. Lastly, medical team, patients and family have to cooperate in harmony to overcome difficulties of cancer patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 1999

Purpose : Cancer, one of the major causes of death in Korea, tends to become chronic due to the rapid development of diagnostic and therapeutic methods. As a result, the number of home-based cancer patients is in the increasing trend. However, on account of the insufficiency of continuous and comprehensive cancer patient management system, a number of cancer patients are left in a defenseless state. This study was designed for need assessment of home-based cancer patient to establish the community-based health care system for the comprehensive and continuous health care service to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and reduce rare burdens of their families. Methods : Through making a survey for needs assessment toward the health care service, the 455 respondents among home-based cancer patients answered the given enquetes to analyze the management status and problems of home-based cancer patients Results : 1) Unsatisfaction rates of pain control is 25.5 percent for mild cases, 46.5 percent for severe cases. 2) According to the needs assessment of home-based cancer patients, most of the respondents want to receive economical support, alleviation for the pain and symptoms, and the information of health care and consultation. So these needs account for the main contents of the home-based cancer patient management plan. 3) In the aspect of the satisfaction rate for basic care need, most items account for $20{\sim}30%$ of satisfaction. And the proportion of need for special case is under 5%, satisfaction rate for special care need is about 50% of satisfaction. So the home-based cancer patients are not being cared sufficiently. Conclusion : According to the result of need assessment, many home-based cancer patients received inadequate pain and symptom management. And Satisfaction rate for basic and special care need is low. So development of comprehensive and continuous health care service to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and reduce care burdens of their families is very necessary.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.39-57
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• 2012

Analysis of the economic impact on Korean bioindustry companies was approached after Korea access to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity (hereinafter 'the Protocol') enters into force. Cost analysis of the economic impact is based on the size of bioindustry market, dependency ratio on genetic resources abroad, ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing) ratio for royalty ratio. Korean bioindustry companies would have had to pay extra ABS cost around 1.3-6.0 billion won for using genetic resources abroad, if the Protocol had entered into force in 2009. And this cost is estimated to be around 13.6 - 63.9 billion won in 2015. All ABS costs account only about less than 0.01% of total Korean bioindustry volume of target years. These show us that joining the Protocol will not significantly impact the bioindustry market in Korea. If the Protocol enters into force, genetic resources users have to pay PIC (Prior Informed Consent) and MAT (Mutually Agreed Terms) cost before accessing the genetic resources outside of their country, regardless of the accession status of the country. This ABS costs and terms on provided genetic resources will be determined by compliance between genetic resources users and providers. As a genetic resources provider, Korean bioindustry companies will have advantage over technology transfer agreements, royalties, licensing agreements, and taxes on profits from patents including traditional knowledge. Also, Korean bioindustry companies are expected to get various socio-economic benefits such as patent litigation and regulatory proceedings as a genetic resources provider. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of the Protocol that Korean bioindustry companies will face together, the socio-economic impact of the Nagoya Protocol on Korean bioindustry companies is negligible regardless of the accession status of Korea to the Nagoya Protocol.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.37
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• pp.89-118
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• 1999

The goal of this paper is to define the distinguishing characteristics of Korea's National Pension Scheme compared to the National Pension types of other countries and sees if those characteristics are significant enough in order to warrant calling these the "Korean Model". Also, another point to consider is, if this "Korean Model" does indeed exist, whether it is a 'sustainable' model or not. The National Pension Scheme, which was implemented in 1988, is similar to the public pension system formerly used in Japan. The National Pension Scheme broke away from this 'Japanese Model' in 1995 with implementation of the Farmers and Fishermen Pension, and the unique "Korean Model National Pension" was completed in 1998 with revision of the National Pension Law. The characteristics of the Korean National Pension can be defined as being balanced equally on ability and equality, possessing strong intergenerational income redistribution, having a nationally integrated structure, an incomplete funded method financial neutralism of the government and also as being a Monroe-oriented pension system. There are several limits to the sustainable development of this Korean Model National Pension, though. Even though the precondition of "the income determination problem of self-employed persons", which has strong intra-generational income redistribution. in actuality there are still many policy issues to be confronted such as the structure which 'transfers the burden to the future generation', the 'inter-generational inequity' of the incomplete funded system, persons excluded from coverage under the national integrated structure, 'compulsory loaning of the public sector by the National Pension Fund' under the government's principle of finance neutralism, the separate existence of the 'Monroe-oriented National Pension' from other pensions, etc.,. Therefore, it need to reform of NPS once again to sustainable development of KMNP.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.79-89
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• 2004

This study carried a comparative analysis of quality of living perceived by cancer and hospiece patients who received radiotheraphy, and influential factors in order to provide basic data for nursing goals and establishment of strategy. The subjects of the study were 50 cancer patients who were more than twenty years old and was receiving radiotheraphy in therapeutic radiology department of C university hospital, and fourteen hospiece patients who were in J hospital in Gwangju. They were conveniently sampled according to the selection standard, and researchers personally interviewed them using questionnaire and patient scripts to obtain necessary data. The results were presented as follows: 1. When cancer and hospiece patients were examined demographically, the number of 60 year-old patients were the most. The subjects whose marriage period was more than thirty-one years were the most. In medical expense, more than $70.0\%$ of the patients bore their expenses themselves. 2. When disease-related characteristics of the cancer and pospiece patients were exmained, more than $75\%$ of the patients had experience of being in hospital, and more than $60.0\%$ experienced operation. However, for prevalence period, $57.5\%$ of the cancer patients had less than six months, and $64.3\%$ of the hospiece patients had more than two years. 3. For physical symptoms of cancer patients, $77.5\%$ had fatigue, $60.0\%$ had loss of appetite, and $52.5\%$ had loss of weight while for the hospiece patients, $100\%$ had loss of weight, and $92.9\%$ had fatigue and loss of appetite. For the cancer patients, $0.0\%$ had swelling, and $7.5\%$ had bleeding, For the hospiece patients, $7.1\%$ had change in skin, and $14.3\%$ had diarrhea. 4. Mean score of the cancer subjects were as follows: family support, social support, emotional and spiritual support, physical symptoms, and periods were 3.87, 2.88, 3.10, 2.80, and 2.94 respectively. Those of the hospiece patients were 3.80, 1.96, 1.58, 2.64 and 3.24 respectively. 5. Mean score of family support of both patients were almost identical, but in character, a considerable difference was found: 3.10 and 1.58. In qualify of living, the mean score of hospiece patients was slightly lower.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.5-35
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• 2004

This research is about the change of the occupation and the income of the subscriber of the medical expenditure due to the economic influence on them. The data of this study are based on 4,215 of medical cost payers among respondents of the survey on "Health and Retirement", which was the fourth additional research of Korea Labor and Income Panel Survey. The main findings of this study are as follows: First, the average medical cost is 5.5% of the income. The ratio of the medical cost to an earned income is highly different between low-income group and high income group. For the low income group, the medical cost reaches up to 1/3 of the total family income. That proves that the medical cost si a heavy burden on them. The group with the high medical expenditure seems to be supported by their own private property and other family members whenever it is needed. But it doesn't show the exact sources of the property, which includes the fund from the interests and real estates. On the other hand, only 14.4% of the subscribers changed their job status on the 5th year, and 85.6% of those kept their job status until the 5th year from the 4th year. This shows that the amount of the medical cost could be the important factor for them to change their job; for example, it is crucial whether the medical expenditure is over the average rate or not. Furthermore, the change of the occupation caused by the medical cost has the negative influence on the gross income. It makes the economic conditions of the family get worse. Therefore, the health insurance in Korea is lack of the compensational function, which substitutes the family income reduced by the change of the job status due to the high medical cost.