• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.145-155
• /
• 2019

Purpose: Amendment to the Act on Decisions on Life-sustaining Treatment was recently enacted to designate long-term care hospitals as providers of hospice and palliative care. Despite its benefit of providing improved accessibility to end-of-life care, the amendment has raised concerns about its effect on quality of service. This study aimed to use information obtained from an expert group interview and previous studies to compare how cancer patients, family caregivers, physicians, and the general Korean population perceive the potential benefits and risks of this amendment. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study from July to October 2016. The included participants answered a structured questionnaire regarding the extent to which they agree or disagree with the questionnaire items indicating the potential benefits and risks of the amendment. Chi-square tests and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Compared with the general population, physicians agreed more that long-term care hospitals are currently not adequately equipped to provide quality hospice and palliative care. Family caregivers found improved access to long-term care hospitals more favorable but were more likely to agree that these hospitals might prioritize profits, thereby threatening the philosophy of hospice care, and that families might cease to fulfill filial responsibilities. Compared with the general population, cancer patients were more concerned about the potentially decreased service quality in this setting. Conclusion: Although potential service beneficiaries and providers expected improved accessibility of hospice and palliative care services, they were also concerned whether the system can provide adequate quality of end-of-life care.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.17-28
• /
• 2004

Purpose: Even though there have been various efforts for the dying with dignity of terminal patients, no researches focused on the public attitudes. Methods: In February 2004, we sampled 1,055 persons over 20 years of age from the sixteen cities and local districts of Korea through the quota sampling method according to their gender, age, and location. We conducted a telephone survey with a structured questionnaire on the attitudes toward dying with dignity and hospice palliative care. Results: The most important conditions for the dying with dignity on the patients' views were 'removing burdens for other people' (27.8%). Over the half of the samples chose their home as a preference for place of death (54.8%). 82.3% of the respondents agreed to the idea of withdrawing the medically futile life-sustaining treatment. Fifty seven percents of the answered public said that they intended to use the hospice service in case of terminal illness. Eighty percents thought that health care insurance should cover hospice service, and 80.9% gave positive response to the necessity of advance directives. Respondents emphasized 'the financial support for the terminal patients' (29.8%), 'covering hospice service with health insurance' (16.5%), and 'the education and public relation for settlement of desirable dying culture and hospice service' (15.9%) as the roles and responsibilities of the government for the dying with dignity. Conclusion: This study shows that there is a possibility of significant consensus on hospice and palliative care system for the dying with dignity of patients and reduction of the suffering for their families among the general public.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.8-18
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to better understand the illness experiences and palliative care needs in community-dwelling persons with cardiometabolic diseases. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 11 patients (and three family members) among 28 patients contacted. Interviews were led by the principal investigator in her office or at participants' home depending on their preference. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed by a research assistant. The interviews were analyzed by two independent researchers using a conventional method. Results: Participants' ages ranged from 42 to 82 years (nine men and two women). Three themes were identified: (1) same disease, but different illness experiences; (2) I am in charge of my disease(s); (3) preparation for disease progression. Participants were informed of the name of their disease when they were diagnosed, but not provided with explanation of the diagnosis or meant or how to do self-care to delay the disease progression, which increased the feelings of uncertainty, hopelessness and anxiety. Taking medication was considered to be the primary treatment option and self-care a supplemental one. Advanced care plans were considered when they felt the progression of their disease(s) while refraining from sharing it with their family or health care professionals to save their concerns. All participants were willing to withhold life-sustaining treatment without making any preparation in writing. Conclusion: Education on self-care and advanced care planning should be provided to community-dwelling persons with cardiometabolic diseases. A patient-centered education program needs to be developed for this population.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.59-63
• /
• 2019

Purpose The motion due to respiration of patients undergoing PET/CT is a cause of artifacts in image and registration error between PET and CT images. The degree of displacement and distortion for tumor, which affects the measurement of Standard Uptake Value (SUV) and lesion volume, is especially higher for tumors that is small or located at the base of lungs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of prone position in the correction of image distortion due to respiration of patients in PET/CT. Materials and Methods The imaging equipment used in this study was PET/CT Discovery 600 (GE Healthcare, MI, USA). 20 patients whose lesions were identified in the middle and lower lungs from May to August 2018 were enrolled in this study. After acquiring whole body image in the supine position, additional images of the lesion area were obtained in the prone position with the same conditions. SUVmax, SUVmean, and volume of the lesion were measured for each image, and the displacement of the lesion on PET and CT images were measured, compared, and analyzed. Results The SUVmax, SUVmean, and volume, and displacement of the lesion were $4.72{\pm}2.04$, $3.10{\pm}1.38$, $4.68{\pm}3.20$, and $4.64{\pm}1.88$, respectively for image acquired in the supine position and $5.89{\pm}2.42$, $3.97{\pm}1.65$, $2.13{\pm}1.09$, and $2.24{\pm}0.84$, respectively for image acquired in the prone position, indicating that, for all the lesions imaged, SUVmax and SUVmean were higher and volume and displacement were smaller in the images acquired in prone position compared to those acquired in supine one(p<0.05). Conclusion These results showed that the prone position PET/CT imaging improves the quality of the image by increasing the SUV of the lesion and reducing the respiratory artifacts caused by registration error between PET and CT images. It is considered that the PET/CT imaging in the prone position is helpful in the diagnosis of the disease as an economical and efficient methods that correct registration error for the lesions in basal lung and reduce artifacts.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.131-137
• /
• 2008

This study generally was examined and grasped the working environment of dental hygienist working dental hospitals(clinics) located in the Gwangju area. The findings of the research were listed in the following: First, regarding the total work experience of subjects, less than 36 month accounted for the most percentage(39.9%). According to a working place, more than 61 month accounted for 50.0% in general hospitals, less than 36 month for 51.3% in dental hospitals and less than 36 month for 39.9% in dental clinics(p < 0.001). Secondly, regarding working day by working place, 5 days accounted for 95.0% in general hospitals and for 82.1% in dental hospitals and more than 6 days for 97.7% in dental clinics. Regarding a working hour, more than 9 hours accounted for 85.0% in general hospitals, 92.1% in dental hospitals, and 63.2% in dental clinics(p < 0.001). Thirdly, regarding special and differential treatment for long-term workers by working place, giving an allowance accounted for 50.0% in general hospitals, opportunities for holiday, travel and promotion opportunity for 56.4% in dental hospitals, and no special and differential treatment for 56.8% in dental clinics(p < 0.001). Fourthly, regarding monthly net pay associated with the total working years, less than 1.10 million won accounted for 60.6% in less than 36 month, 1.31~1.60 million won for 41.5% in 37~60 month, 1.31~1.60 million won for 42.0% in more than 61 month(p < 0.001).

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.653-663
• /
• 2018

This study is a descriptive survey to examine the dementia related attitudes and dementia preventive behaviors in middle aged and to determine the relationships between the both sides. In this study, between October 1st and 9th, 2017, data were collected from the middle aged people in their 40s~60s in Korea through online questionnaires. Finally, 220 questionnaires were analyzed by t-test One way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and etc. The results of the study are as follows. First, 52.7% of the subjects were interested in prevention of dementia, but only 5.9% of them had experience of receiving education related to dementia. Second, fear of dementia was higher than cancer, cerebrovascular disease, and cardiovascular disease, but confidence in coping with the disease, expectation of the possibility of maintaining the daily life, expectation of the help of the family and the surrounding people, expectation of the national medical and economic support were significantly lower. Third, as the dementia preventive behaviors were implemented, the confidence in overcoming the disease, the expectation of the possibility of maintaining the daily life, the expectation of the help of the family and the surrounding people, the expectation of the medical and economic support of the country increased and the burden of the treatment cost was lowered. As a result, it is thought that this personal and social effort will improve the quality of life of the people by reducing physical, psychological, social and economic problems caused by dementia.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.1220-1228
• /
• 2012

This study was carried out in order to offer medical service in good quality by enhancing dental hygienists' job satisfaction and to arrange basic data necessary for individual development and health promotion in dental hygienists through grasping the job stress level and job satisfaction of being experienced by dental hygienists, and the correlation. The self-administered questionnaire was surveyed and collected from August 1-12 of 2011 targeting 210 dental hygienists of general hospitals, dental hospitals, and dental clinics nationwide(Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daegu, Pohang).The analysis was made on 205 people. The collected data was analyzed by using SPSS WIN 15.0 program. As a result, out of job stress, the average was indicated to be the highest with 2.71 in 'job demand.' As a result of examining about sphere-based relationship between health perception level and job stress related to building in dental hygienists, the central nervous system manifestation showed statistically significant positive correlation with physical environment(r=.281, p<.001), job demand(r=.281, p<.001), relational conflict(r=.163, p<.05), organizational system(r=.166, p<.05), compensation inappropriateness(r=.267, p<.001), and job stress(r=.311, p<.001). Overall, the building-related health perception level showed statistically significant correlation with physical environment(r=.259, p<.001), job demand(r=.311, p<.001), relational conflict(r=.172, p<.05), organizational system(r=.158, p<.05), compensation inappropriateness(r=.197, p<.01), and job stress(r=.275, p<.001). They need to improve their quality of life and life and mental health by developing proper air conditioning system and using one in their work place. if so, they could contribute to better quality of oral cavity service for everyone.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.71-77
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge of dental hygienists about the elderly and their attitude toward them as dental hygienists played vital roles in oral health care for elderly patients. It's ultimately meant to help improve their right understanding of the elderly to provide quality oral health care service to the elderly population in preparation for an aging society. The subjects in this study were 241 dental hygienists, on whom a self-administered survey was implemented. After the collected data were analyzed, the following findings were given: They got a mean of $12.40{\pm}2.99$ out of possible 22 points on knowledge of the elderly. Their general characteristics and characteristics related to the elderly made no statistically significant differences to their knowledge. As for attitude toward the elderly, they got a mean of $3.13{\pm}0.28$. Concerning links between their general characteristics and attitude toward the elderly, the better-educated dental hygienists took a more favorable attitude to the elderly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.27 no.2 s.46
• /
• pp.366-376
• /
• 1994

Patients' evaluation of hospital care is one of the most important aspects of quality assessment. Survey allows patients to judge sujectively the events that occur during their hospital visit if performed properly. This study describes the result of a research effort to develop outpatient questionnaire that has sufficient validity and reliability to be used to measure patients' perception of satisfaction in Korea and to investigate influencing factors on patients' satisfaction. Self-administered questionnaire was developed for outpatient and the survey was conducted covering 827 outpatients in a tertiary hospital. It was confirmed by factor analysis that patients evaluate several components of ambulatory care distinctly ; hospital environment, administration and ancillary services, and medical care. We found strong evidence of construct validity and internal consistency for the above three dimensions of hospital process. On the contrary, reliability of overall outcome measures was low. It suggests that three items concerning overall outcome measures have some different meanings in patients' perception. Using logistic regression analysis it was found that previous health status, cost evaluation, and improvement in health status have significant influences on the level of patients' overall satisfaction and that patient's sex, experience of previous visit, expectation for improvement, cost evaluation, and improvement in health status are strongly related with intention to recommend hospital. In spite of some limitations the results of this study can be used helpfully as baseline informations for developing self-administered questionnaire and for exploring the influencing factors on patients' satisfaction. Further comprehensive research efforts should be made on the measurement of ambulatory patients' satisfaction and its related factors in current Korean situation.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.13-25
• /
• 2016

High-speed railway (Korea Train Express) has had a deep impact on the regional economy of Korea. Current high-speed rail research is mostly theoretical, there is a lack of quantitative research using a precise algorithm to study the effect of high-speed railway on the regional economy. This paper analyses the influence of high-speed rail on the regional economy, with a focus on the Daegu area. Quantitative analysis using department store indexes and regional medical records is performed to calculate the economic influence of high-speed rail. The result shows that high-speed railway effects the regional economy though regional consumption growth and medical care trends.