• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2012

Objectives: Asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) have increased globally over the decades, causing an economic burden and increased health care costs. It is difficult to predict the risk of development of ARDs and of respiratory disability among workers with a history of asbestos exposure. Blood based biomarkers have been reported as promising tools for the early detection of malignant mesothelioma. This study investigated whether serum soluble mesothelin-related peptide (SMRP) would reflect severity of disablement in compensable ARDs. Methods: SMRP levels were measured in a cohort of 514 asbestos-exposed subjects. Severity of ARDs was assessed by a Medical Authority comprising four specially qualified respiratory physicians. Severity of ARDs and SMRP levels were compared. Results: Mean (standard deviation) serum SMRP level in the population with compensable ARDs (n = 150) was 0.95 (0.65) nmol/L, and was positively associated with disability assessment (p = 0.01). Mean SMRP level in healthy asbestos-exposed subjects was significantly lower than those with pleural plaques (p < 0.0001) and in subjects with ARDs who received compensation (p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study indicates that serum SMRP levels correlate with severity of compensable ARDs. Serum SMRP could potentially be applied to monitor progress of ARDs. Further prospective work is needed to confirm the relationship between SMRP and disability assessment in this population.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2022

Disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) estimates may vary according to factors such as the standard life expectancy, age weighting, time preference and discount rate, calculation of disability weights, and selection of the estimation method. DALY estimation methods are divided into the following 3 approaches: the incidence-based approach, the pure prevalence-based approach, and the hybrid approach. These 3 DALY estimation approaches each reflect different perspectives on the burden of disease using unique characteristics, based on which the selection of a suitable approach may vary by the purpose of the study. The Global Burden of Disease studies, which previously estimated DALYs using the incidence-based approach, switched to using the hybrid approach in 2010, while the National Burden of Disease studies in Korea still mainly apply the incidence-based approach. In order to increase comparability with other international burden of disease studies, more DALY studies using the prevalence-based approach need to be conducted in Korea. However, with the limitations of the hybrid approach in mind, it is necessary to conduct more research using a disease classification system suitable for Korea. Furthermore, more detailed and valid data sources should be established before conducting studies using a broader variety of DALY estimation approaches. This review study will help researchers on burden of disease use an appropriate DALY estimation approach and will contribute to enhancing researchers' ability to critically interpret burden of disease studies.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.7501-7507
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• 2015

This study analyzed the rate of unmet dental care service for the disabled who were judged to require the dentistry due to oral health-related problems and those reasons, and also examined the oral health status according to the unmet dentistry. 375 subjects, who were 19 years or older and completed oral health examination and a survey, among 444 responded positive of disability registration after participation in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES), were analyzed. Disability type was classified into 6 kinds(physical disability, brain lesions, sensory defect, developmental disability, mental disorder, endocrine disorder). Participants had 128 of their dental care needs unmet when it was required. 'Financial burden' was the main reason, with the subject of 49.2%, followed by 'lower on the priority scale' were 18.0%. The high frequency and progression permanent teeth caries experiencs and periodontal status of their dental disease were confirmed. In availability aspect of dentistry resources, it is required for using dentistry service smoothly through providing sufficient proper dental care service comparing with the number of the disabled.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the degree of pain belief in musculoskeletal patients, and to identify the correlation with chronic pain, pain coping and pain disability. Methods: A total of 203 inpatients or outpatients with chronic pain in orthopedics agreed voluntarily to participate in this study and answer a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and simple linear regression. Results: The degree of pain belief in this study showed statistically significant differences depending on their age, education, job, health status, and pain duration. Among the variables correlating with pain belief in this study, there were positive correlations between pain and pain disability, pain and passive coping, pain belief and passive coping, pain belief and pain, pain belief and pain disability. The strongest correlation was passive coping and pain disability. Conclusion: From the results of this study, we concluded that it is necessary to develop the nursing intervention which can help reducing negative pain belief in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Also we need to enhance the ways of coping to active or chronic pains for controlling them effectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

An index that evaluates the health level of a population group considering both death and loss of function due to disease is called a summary measure of population health (SMPH). SMPHs are broadly divided into life year indices and life expectancy indices, the latter of which comprise healthy life expectancy (HLE). HLE is included as a policy target in various national and regional level healthcare plans, and the term "HLE" is commonly used in academia and by the public. However, the overall level of understanding of HLE-such as the precise definition of HLE and methods of calculating HLE-still seems to be low. As discussed in this study, the types of HLE are classified into disability-free life expectancy, disease-free life expectancy, quality-adjusted life expectancy, self-rated HLE, and disability-adjusted life expectancy. Their characteristics are examined to facilitate a correct understanding and appropriate utilization of HLE. In addition, the Sullivan method, as a representative method for calculating HLE, is presented in detail, and major issues in the process of calculating HLE, such as selection of the population group and age group, estimation of death probability, calculation of life years, and incorporation of health weights, are reviewed. This study will help researchers to select an appropriate HLE type and evaluate the validity of HLE research results, and it is expected to contribute to the vitalization of HLE research.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.85-111
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• 2016

This study aims to analyse major changes of Mental Health Promotion and Welfare Service Support Act(MHPWSSA) and critically discuss these changes based on the major discourses on Mental Health Act revision. For this purposes this study reviewed literatures and government reports to understand human rights discourses, welfare discourses, and prevention discourses. Secondly, the major changes of MHPWSSA were analysed and discussed based on those discourses. This study found that MHPWSSA defined the concept of people with mental disorders narrowly, tightened the involuntary admission procedures, introduced welfare service support provisions and mental health promotion provisions. But this study shows that the new legislation may well be criticised due to neglect of the concept of disability and people with psychiatric disability, involuntary admission without mental capacity assessment, neglect of the basic values and principles of self determination and independent living common in welfare of the persons with disability. And the new legislation may be criticised due to overuse of the concept of mental health promotion as encompassing promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.51-77
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• 2012

This study examines the scale of occurrence of Catastrophic Health Expenditure, and identifies the factors influencing Catastrophic Health Expenditure among disabled elderly households. Catastrophic Health Expenditure is defined by when the households' health care spending out of ability to pay exceeds 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. This study used the 2008, 2009, and 2010 surveys of the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled(PSED) to explore how gender, age, spouse, the level of education, the degree of disability, the type of disability, disability duration, subjective health status, chronic disease, the number of household members, the proportion of disabled households, the proportion of working households, the proportion of aged households, the type of poverty, household income, net asset, determine Catastrophic Health Expenditure among disabled elderly households. The study examines the frequency of Catastrophic Health Expenditure with 726 households, and conducted the panel logit model. The empirical results show that Catastrophic Health Expenditures are significantly related to age, spouse, the type of disability, subjective health status, chronic disease, the number of households, the proportion of disabled households, the proportion of aged households, the type of poverty. This study showed that the health care safety net in South Korea was insufficient for disabled elderly households and that a policy should be established in ordered to protect disabled elderly households from occurrence of Catastrophic Health Expenditure.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.83-95
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the acceptance of disabilities among adults with acquired disabilities based on ecological theory, utilizing raw data from the 4th Disability and Life Dynamics Panel in 2021. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that individual factors such as 'gender,' 'type of disability,' 'severity of disability,' 'marital status,' 'education,' 'employment status,' 'depression,' 'self-esteem,' and 'overall health in the past six months,' interpersonal factors like 'emotional support and assistance,' and organizational and environmental factors including the 'level of difficulty in using disability-related services' and 'overall satisfaction with disability welfare services' were found to impact the acceptance of disabilities among adults with acquired disabilities. Based on these research findings, it is suggested that efforts in the community to enhance the acceptance of disabilities among adults with acquired disabilities should go beyond individual dimensions, increasing opportunities for social interactions and fostering a disability-friendly environment.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1125-1134
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was comparing the disability awareness of occupational therapists and none therapists, and investigating the disability awareness according to the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The questionnaire was distributed through the online with a questionnaire based on social network service, and analyzed 62 responses of none therapists and 60 responses of occupational therapists. In results, disability awareness was not significantly different between occupational therapists and none therapists(p>.05). But, in subscale of disability awareness item 4 and 7, occupational therapists were significantly higher than none therapists(p<.05). In all respondents, disability awareness was more positive in males than females(p<.05). Also, there was no difference in disability awareness according to presence of disabled persons among family members or relatives(p>.05). However, All respondents who answered 'Yes' in the presence of disabled persons among family members or relatives in responders were significantly higher than those who answered 'No' in item 4(p<.05). There was no correlation between age and disability awareness(p>.05). The authors discussed suggestions in results of this study.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 1997

The study aimed at investigating the living time as well as disability degree of the elderly based on daily living acting capability and living activity degree. The survey was conducted through the home-visit interview during half month at july, 1996 by the students of nursing department who were previously trained. The survey targeted the elderly aged 65 years or more living at home in rural area. The study tried to utilize Activity Inventory(AI) made for examing health and disease, disability degree, and living acting degree of the elderly. Among the AI's, there are Physical Activity of Daily Living(PADL), Instrumental Activity of Daily Living(IADL), maximum daily activity scope, and physical and mental activity level of the elderly. The daily living time is surveyed physiologic time(sleeping, eating and grooming), labor time(occupation, housekeeping and farming) and leisure time(reading, sport hobby-life). Results of the study show that social activity degree of the elderly is found to be lower than that PADL, LADL, and daily living scope. It seems that the elderly suffer from inability in daily life with lower social activity degree. But the labour time of the daily living time is the most amount time in the targeted 361 elderlys through random sampling. Therefore postponement of the disability of aging should be devised to encourage the labour activity of the elderly.