• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2016

Objectives : This study investigated the health care utilization patterns of workers' compensation insurance(WCI) pneumoconiosis patients with excessively long hospital stays. Methods : The discharge summary data of 3,094 WCI pneumoconiosis patients were analyzed. The study sample was divided into 3 groups based on the length of stay(LOS). Health care utilization patterns were compared among the groups with logistic regression analysis, and the LOS determinants were identified with linear regression analysis. Results : The average LOS of the 222 long stay group patients was 1,448 days. Patients in this group tended to use private general hospitals, were admitted through the emergency room and discharged without the consent of a doctor. Conclusions : Many of the long LOS patients will maintain their inpatient status for the rest of their lives. For quality of life and efficient use of health care resources, policy makers need to establish a policy that enables patients to receive outpatient care in appropriate living conditions outside the hospital.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.83-89
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• 2002

Purpose: To analyze the postoperative functional and radiographic follow-up results in patients who underwent percutaneous radiofrequency ablation therapy after the diagnosis of osteoid osteoma. Materials and Methods: Seven patients, who were clinically and radiographically diagnosed with osteoid osteoma from July 1999 to January 2001, and received percutaneous radiofrequency ablation therapy. The average follow-up period was 15.5 months(range, 8~25 months). For the diagnosis and accurate localization of the lesion, simple radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) were performed preoperatively. Simple radiographs and MRI were taken periodically for the follow-up studies. Results: In all 7 patients, symptoms completely disappeared within 3 days after the operation. The average period of hospitalization was 2.4 days, excluding 1 patient who needed an additional burn treatment. The average postoperative night and day pain scores were 1.8 and 1.3, respectively. The average vocational and recreational activity scores were 1 and 0.6, respectively. Conclusions: Satisfactory functional results were obtained with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation therapy for the elimination of osteoid osteoma. Compared to conventional treatment, the advantages of this therapy were short hospitalization period, no internal fixation and bone graft for preventing fracture, and no limitation of joint motion by long fixation period.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.161-167
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was performed to describe the clinical manifestations of hospitalized children due to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection Methods: This study included 40 children who were hospitalized for varicella or herpes zoster at Seoul National University Children's Hospital, 2009-2012. Diagnosis of VZV infection was confirmed by VZV PCR or culture from vesicular fluid. Medical records were reviewed to collect clinical features and outcome, antiviral treatment, history of varicella vaccination, and underlying diseases. Results: Sixteen patients with varicella and 24 patients with herpes zoster were included. Their median age was 10.5 years (16 days-19 years). Thirty-five (87.5%) patients had underlying diseases. Among 24 patients with herpes zoster, 11 patients had previous history of varicella and 1 had herpes zoster. Twenty patients (50%) had a history of varicella vaccination, and 19 immunocompromised patients had VZV infection despite of vaccination. Most (95%) patients were treated by intravenous or oral acyclovir, and no treatment failure of intravenous acyclovir was found. The median duration of fever was 4.4 days (1-10 days), and that of antiviral treatment was 12 days (7-23 days) in immunocompromised patients. Immunocompromised patients received longer duration of antiviral treatment than imunocompetent patients (P=0.014). Eleven (27.5 %) immunocompromised patients had postherpetic neuralgia, 2 (5%) had proven co-infection by Streptococcus pyogenes and Klebsiella oxytoca, and 1 (2.5%) complicated with pneumonia. Conclusion: Immunocompromised children require longer duration of treatment and are at risk of severe complication associated with VZV infection. Early initiation of antiviral therapy and close monitoring are necessary for those in immunocompromised conditions.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.119-127
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• 2017

This paper convergent examined caregiver burden, depressive symptoms and health related quality of life of 226 caregivers of stroke patients, who had been hospitalized in 7 general hospitals located in Cheongju and Daejeon Metropolitan city. The quality of life was measured using SF-8, which is a short version of HRQoL. According to Multiple regression Analysis, dependence of a patient were important factors in the physical related quality of life. These results suggest that in order to improve the quality of life related to the physical health of the stroke patient's caregiver, the elderly long-term care insurance system and the caregiver system and the ward of the Ministry of Health and Welfare are expanded ward without a caregiver. There is a need to raise expectations for recovery through education and family support groups.

• 재활복지
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2017

We investigated the improvement of cognitive functions, activity of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QoL) after hemorrhagic stroke and identified associated factors. For this research, twenty-five patients with a hemorrhagic stroke were enrolled. We measured cognitive function, activity of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QoL) from 7 days to 12 months after onset of stroke. Then we analyzed the correlation between cognitive function and other risk factors. According to results, cognitive functions improved during 12 months with statistically significant differences. Other functions were similar to cognitive functions. Improvement of cognitive functions were correlated with age, the type of hemorrhagic stroke and Glasgow coma scale at 7 days after stroke. Overall, cognitive function in patients with hemorrhagic stroke recovered from acute to 12 months after onset of stroke. And, improvement of cognitive function at this phase were associated with age, the type of hemorrhagic stroke and GCS score at 7 days. These results would provide us an information to plan cognitive rehabilitation in patients with hemorrhagic stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 1998

A 12-year-old girl with a 6 year history of childhood-onset schizophrenia required 2 hospitalizations and long-term clozapine trial due to inadequate responses to combinations of typical neuroleptics and traditional treatments of schizophrenic disorder. On admission, she had continuous auditory and visual hallucinations, persecutory delusion, emotional instability, regression of behaviors including temper tantrums as well as specific developmental delays in learning, language, and motor coordination. The clozapine trial significantly reduced most of the positive symptoms, and facilitated in successful discharge from the hospital. During the 4 year clozapine treatment, no significant adverse reactions were noted, and she returned to a structured school setting with minimal degrees of schizophrenic symptoms. From this clinical experience, we suggest that clozapine might be safe and effective in treating treatment-refractory schizophrenic children.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.660-668
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• 1999

Background: Lung cancer continues to increase and one half of all cases of lung cancer occur in patients age 65 years and older. However, it seems that lung cancer is less treatable in elderly patients because of co-morbid illness or poor tolerance of surgery and chemotherapy. The intention of this study is to seek an adequate treatment approach for lung cancer in the elderly through an understanding of its characteristics. Method: The clinical data of 207 patients who were diagnosed with histologically proven lung cancer at the department of internal medicine in Seoul Municipal Boramae Hospital between September 1994 and August 1998 were retrospectively analyzed according to their age groups; group I$\geq$65 years(n=122) and group II<65 years(n=85). Results: The peak incidence of age was 7th decade(36.2%) and male age 65 years and older were 42% of all patients. Although dyspnea was more common in group I(26%) than in group II(11%)(p=.0l), there were no significant difference in other symptoms, stage, and histologic type between two groups. Group I significantly had more patients with poor performance(ECOG 3&4) than group II(35.2% vs.12.9%, p=.000). The percentage of patients with non-small cell carcinoma received supportive care only was significantly higher in group I than in group I(74% vs. 35%, p=.000). However, survival of patients who had curative intent treatment was similar between two groups(median survival 11.3 mos vs. 23 mos, p>.05). The histologic subtype, stage and performance status were significant prognostic factors affecting survival, but age itself was not. Conclusion : Lung cancer is prevalent in the elderly and aggressive diagnosis and treatment should be considered in elderly patients with good performance status.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.173-179
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• 2021

Background: In Korea, the length of stay and medical expenses incurred by medical aid patients are increasing at a rate faster than the national health insurance. Therefore, there is a need to create a management strategy for each type of hospitalization to manage the length of stay of medical aid patients. Methods: The study used data from the 2019 National Health Insurance Claims. We analyzed the factors that affect the length of stay for 186,576 medical aid patients who were hospitalized for more than 31 days, with a focus on the type of hospitalization in long-term care hospitals. Results: The study found a significant correlation between gender, age, medical aid type, chronic disease ratio, long-term care hospital patient classification, and hospitalization type variables as factors that affect the length of hospital stay. The analysis of the differences in the length of stay for each type of hospitalization showed that the average length of stay is 291.4 days for type 1, 192.9 days for type 2, and 157.0 days for type 3, and that the difference is significant (p<0.0001). When type 3 was 0, type 1 significantly increased by 99.4 days, and type 2 by 36.6 days (p<0.0001). Conclusion: A model that can comprehensively view factors, such as provider factors and institutional factors, needs to be designed. In addition, to reduce long stays for medical aid patients, a mechanism to establish an early discharge plan should be prepared and concerns about underutilization should be simultaneously addressed.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2020

Objectives: Dehospitalization of long-term inpatients with schizophrenia can be difficult because of complex factors such as chronic symptoms and low family and social support. The aim of this study was to identify factors related to dehospitalization and readmission of long-term inpatients with schizophrenia. Methods: This retrospective study reviewed the medical records of patients discharged from a psychiatric hospital in Yongin, South Korea, from February 1, 2016, to July 31, 2017. Patients who were hospitalized for over 3 months were divided into two groups: readmission (n=47) and dehospitalization (n=55). Differences in sociodemographic and clinical factors were analyzed between the two groups. Results: Regarding sociodemographic characteristics, female sex, familylessness, discharge to nursing homes, and discharge after symptom improvement were more prevalent in the dehospitalization group, whereas male sex, having a sibling as next of kin, and discharge because of other problems were more prevalent in the readmission group. Among clinical characteristics, hospital stay was longer in the readmission group. Conclusion: In this study, patients without a family showed a tendency to not be readmitted when they were discharged to nursing homes after symptom improvement. Expansion of social welfare support may encourage dehospitalization of long-term inpatients with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.66-73
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the effectiveness of long-term psychosocial intervention in reducing the disabling period of patients with major psychiatric disorders by their rehospitalization rate. Methods: Of the 210 patients with major psychiatric disorders received psychosocial interventions in a Mental Health and Welfare Center, 192 patients (147 with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 45 with mood disorders) who received interventions more than 6 months were selected. Review of case management records was conducted to obtain information. Results: The number and length of hospitalization and the hospital days per year significantly decreased after psychosocial intervention. Additional analysis of 102 patients followed up for more than 5 years suggested that the effectiveness of the intervention persisted for a sufficient period. However, no significant difference was observed in the number of rehospitalization in 45 patients with mood disorders, though the length of hospitalization significantly decreased. In addition, the hospital days per year of 21 patients with mood disorder followed up for more than 5 years also showed no significant decrease. Conclusion: Long-term psychosocial intervention had a significant effect on reducing the number and length of hospitalization for patients with major psychiatric disorder and the effectiveness maintained for more than 5 years.