• 한국노년학
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.1213-1223
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the health and welfare needs experienced by old parents living with disabled adult children, and to help generate research interest and public policy attention on this critical issue. For the purpose of this study, the survey was conducted with older parents who are living with dependent adult children with physical or mental disability. Among collected data for this study, data for 105 older parents were analyzed. The results showed that older parents have suffered with care responsibilities for their disabled adult children as well as special needs resulted from their old age. And older parents have little or even nothing prepared for later life because of lifetime economic, physical and social difficulties related to their disabled children. Also these difficulties had a significant impact on their idea of health and welfare needs in later life. It showed that older parents had mainly concerned and wanted to have the direct cash benefits and medical provisions but hardly recognised the importance of other services such as leisure activities. Preliminary suggestions of this study therefore may be helpful to improve the public policy approach in order to better serve older parents with disabled adult children in the coming aging society.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.185-191
• /
• 2020

Background: From January 2018, a policy was applied to differentially apply the co-payment for medical expenses of 15,000 won or more from 30% to 10%-30% for each medical fee. This policy lowers the burden on the medical use of the elderly, and it is necessary to analyze the effect of the policy by confirming changes in medical use and supply behavior after 2 years. Methods: The National Health Insurance Service's national medical use database was used. As for the analysis method, first, the medical use and medical supply behavior change over the age of 65 years were confirmed, and second, in order to check the net effect of the policy, the 66-year-old as the experimental group and the 63-year-old as the control group were selected as the control group. The propensity score matching was performed using the variables of age, living alone, income quartile, residence, disability, chronic disease, and co-morbid disease scores, and then it was analyzed using the difference in difference analysis method. Results: The share of the number of treatments under 15,000 won decreased from 37.0% in 2017 to 20.2% in 2018, while the share of the number of treatments under 15,001-20,000 won increased from 8.0% to 22.7%. It was confirmed that the reason for the increase in the cost of treatment per treatment was the result of the increase in the amount of physical therapy and examination. As a result of the policy effect, the burden of co-payment per person was reduced, and as a result, the number of hospital visits per person and the total medical cost per person increased. Conclusion: The self-pay rate differential policy reduced the burden of medical expenses for the elderly and confirmed the increase in medical use. However, the interpretation of the increase in medical use was not able to distinguish whether the unsatisfactory medical care was satisfied or the inducement demand. Efficient allocation of resources is a more important point in the future when the super-aged society is in front. It is necessary to prepare a plan to induce rational medical use within a range that does not impair the medical accessibility of the elderly.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.1721-1731
• /
• 2011

This study was performed to determine the levels of depression symptoms among community elderlies and to reveal its related factors, specifically aimed at revealing social and family supports. The interviews were performed, during the period from July 1, to August 31, 2010, to 412 elderlies in urban areas. As a results, significantly higher level of depression symptoms was laid on those with lower social supports and family supports(p=0.000), and the subjects' depression was a negative correlation with social and family support. On multiple regression analysis, the level of depression symptoms was influenced by the variables of social and family support, with or without disability of visual acuity, sense of satisfaction in daily life, number of friends, educational level, with or without spouse, activity of hobbies and urinary incontinence. In conclusion, the level of depression symptoms was so complicatedly influenced by variable factors as well as socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, health status, social support net-work and social activities. Especially, the level of depression symptoms was more influenced by social supports and family supports.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.14 no.8
• /
• pp.266-276
• /
• 2014

The present study aims to determine the effect of the prevention exercise program of musculoskeletal disorders developed for apple and pear farmers. To achieve this goal, 25 farmers who have subjective symptoms in the musculoskeletal system (Criteria 1 in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) have conducted the prevention exercise program for 12 weeks from April 7, 2011 to July 1, 2011. As a result, the prevention exercise program of the musculoskeletal disorders for farmers in the fruit growing industry have improved physical capability of them (upper extremity endurance, lower extremity endurance, balance and agility) as well as a quality of life effectively. In addition, a quality of life showed a significant correlation with Oswestry Disability Index, and Psychosocial Well-being Index. For the future study, various studies are expected to develop and apply exercise programs in consideration of the characteristics of farming work.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.56-66
• /
• 2014

For maintaining adequate psychometric properties when reducing the number of items from an instrument, item level psychometrics is crucial. Strategies such as low item correlation or factor loadings, using classical test theory, have traditionally been advocated. The purpose of this study is to describe the development of a new short form assessing the impact of low back pain on physical activity. Rasch measurement model has been applied to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Activity Measure (ICF-AM). One hundred and one individuals with low back pain aged 19-89 years (mean age: $48.1{\pm}17.3$) who live in the community were participated in the study. Twenty-seven items of lifting/carrying construct of the ICF-AM were analyzed. Ten items were selected from the construct to create a short form. Item elimination criteria include: 1) high or low mean square (out of the range: .6-1.4 for the fit statistics), 2) similar item calibrations to adjacent items, 3) person separation value, and item-person map for potential gap in person ability continuum. All 10 items of the short form fit to the Rasch model except one item (i.e., carrying toddler on back). Despite its high infit and outfit statistics (1.90/2.17), the item had to be reinstated due to potential gaps at the upper extreme of person ability level. The short form had a slightly better spread of person ability continuum compared to the entire set of item. The created short form separated individuals with low back pain into nearly 4 groups, while the entire set of items separated the individuals into 6 groups. The findings prompted multidimensional models for better explanation of the lifting/carrying domain. The item level psychometrics based on the Rasch model can be useful in developing short forms with rationally retained items.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.120-129
• /
• 2011

The purposes of this study were to measure health related quality of life (HRQOL) of persons disabled by stroke dwelling in Gyeongju-si using EQ-5D and to estimate total QALYs loss of persons disabled by stroke in Korea. The eligible subjects were 982 persons with stroke aged 50 and over in Gyeongju-si disabled registry, as of March, 2008. Interviewers measured HRQOL of study subjects using EQ-5D. EQ-5D index, utility weight, was derived from the Korean valuation set. In order to compare the results of this study, we selected two comparison groups representing Korean healthy population and general population of Korean using the 4th Korean National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey. Finally, after age and gender standardization, we estimated the total QALYs losses of persons disabled by stroke in Korea. Of 982 eligible subjects, 566 persons participated in the survey (response rate: 57.6%). In both of female and male, utility weights in the 70s or 80s were lower than those of the 50s or 60s. Utility weights differences among persons with disability, general population, and healthy population in male were larger than those differences in female. Total estimated QALY losses of persons disabled by stroke were 67,011.6 QALYs lower than healthy control group and 54,167.1 QALYs lower than general population, respectively.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.99-106
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting depression according to the causes of suicidal ideation. The data used the 2021 Community Health Survey data. The participants of the study were 5,328 adults between the ages of 20 and 60 who responded that they had suicidal thoughts in the past year. For the analysis of the data, a composite sample analysis was performed using the SPSS 25.0 program. The results of the study are as follows. 1) In the economic difficulties group, age, gender, education level, economic activity, job change due to COVID-19, life satisfaction, subjective health status, stress, sleep time, and annual unmet medical care were the main factors related to depression. 2) In the interpersonal problem group, age, gender, education level, economic activity, life satisfaction, subjective health status, smoking, drinking, stress, and sleeping time were the main factors associated with depression. 3) In the disease and disability group, age, marital status, education level, life satisfaction, smoking, stress, sleep time, and annual unmet medical care were the main influencing factors of depression. Therefore, in order to reduce the rate of suicide and prevent depression, it is necessary to establish various strategies according to the causes of suicidal ideation and the influencing factors of depression.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.4067-4076
• /
• 2015

This study aims to examine the trend in household catastrophic medical expenditure according to the healthcare coverage types and its associated factors based on the raw data of the Korean Health Panel over the years 2008 to 2011. Correspondence analysis was used to investigate the trend in the incidence rates of annual catastrophic medical expenditure and generalized estimating equation to examine the factors influencing the incidence of catastrophic medical expenditure. The annual mean incidence rates of household catastrophic medical expenditure were 25.1%, 15.4%, 10.1%, 5.4% and 3.2% in the threshold levels of 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, and 40% respectively. The incidence rate of household catastrophic medical expenditure was higher when the total annual household income was lower, the education level of the householder was lower, the healthcare coverage type was National Health Insurance, the householder had disability, the age of the householder was older, the number of household members was smaller, the subjective health status of household members was lower, and the prevalence rate of the chronic disease of the household was higher(p<0.05). Therefore, a policy for vulnerable households with older or patient members of chronic diseases should be established.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.153-161
• /
• 2008

Objectives : To investigate therapeutic outcomes of back pain modalities in patients with disc hemiation; Korean medical treatments(Herbal medicine, chuna therapy, acupuncture, bee-venom acupuncture.). Methods : Operation(OP) recommended 20 patients with lumbar disc hemiation were treated with chuna therapy, acupuncture, bee-venom acupuncture one times a week and took herbal medicine after a meal two times daily. The patients' symptoms were assessed 1 week, 2 week, 4 week, 6 week, 8 week by Visual analogue scale(VAS), Oswestry disability index(ODI), 36-Item short-form health survey(SF-36). Results : 1. VAS(LBP and Sciatica) score was significantly improved after 8 weeks (P<0.05). 2. ODI, SF-36 score was significantly improved after 8 weeks (P<0.05). 3 There were significant changes in physical functioning(PF), bodily pain(BP), social functioning(SF), role emotinal(RE), mental health(MH) score of SF-36 after 8 weeks (P<0.05). Conclusions : This study suggests that Korean medical treatment(Herbal medicine, chuna therapy, acupuncture, bee-venom acupuncture) can be applicable to improve symptoms in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.49-58
• /
• 2020

Background: This study aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness of treatment of Korean medicine on superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions. Methods: A total of 55 inpatients diagnosed with SLAP lesions by magnetic resonance imaging, were investigated from May 1^st, 2014 to May 31^st, 2019 at Haeundae Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine. The patients were sorted by gender, age, causing factor, illness duration, period of hospitalization, SLAP lesion type, complications, and treatments. Treatments included acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, Chuna therapy, herbal treatment, and physiotherapy. After treatment, the Numeric Rating Scale, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and European Quality of Life 5-Dimension questionnaire were used to evaluate treatment effect. Results: There were more males than females in this study (1:0.83). Patients were more likely to be in their 50s (38.18%), have an unknown etiology (70.91%), and be in the subacute disease stage (41.82%). According to the SLAP lesion type, most of the inpatients had Type 2 lesions (69.09%). For inpatients diagnosed with SLAP lesions, the mean shoulder numeric rating scale score decreased from 5.55 ± 0.90, to 4.07 ± 1.18 (p < 0.001), the mean Shoulder Pain and Disability Index score decreased from 50.35 ± 18.36, to 39.90 ± 19.34 (p < 0.001), and the mean European quality of life 5-dimension index increased from 0.70 ± 0.16, to 0.75 ± 0.13 (p < 0.01) after treatment. Conclusion: Treatment of Korean medicine effectively decreased pain and increased the quality of life of the patients with SLAP lesions in this study.