• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the EMG characteristics of driver's upper extremity and driving performance for manipulating brake and accelerator pedal by using left and right hand control devices during simulated driving. The people with disabilities in the lower limb have problems in operation of the motor vehicle because of functional loss for manipulating brake and accelerator pedal. Therefore, if hand control device is used for adaptive driving controls in people with lower limb impairments, the disabled people can improve their quality of life by driving a motor vehicle. Six subjects were participated in this study to evaluate driving performance and muscle activities for operating brake and accelerator pedal by using two different hand controls (steering column mounted hand control and floor mounted hand control) in driving simulator. We measured EMG activities of six muscles (posterior deltoid, middle deltoid, triceps, biceps, flexor carpi radialis, and extensor carpi radialis) during pushing and pulling movement with different hand controls for acceleration and braking. STISim Drive 3 software was used for the performance test of different hand control devices in straight lane course for time to reach target speed and brake reaction time. While pulling the hand control lever toward the driver, normalized EMG activities of middle deltoid, triceps and flexor carpi radialis in subjects with disabilities were significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to the normal subjects. It was also found that muscle responses of posterior deltoid were significantly increased (p < 0.05) when using the right hand control than left hand control. While pushing the hand control lever forward away from the driver, normalized EMG activities of posterior deltoid, middle deltoid and extensor carpi radialis in subjects with disability were significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to the normal subjects. It was shown that muscle responses of middle deltoid, biceps and extensor carpi radialis were significantly increased when using the right hand control than left hand control. Brake reaction time and time to reach target speed in subjects with disability was increased by 12% and 11.3% on average compared to normal subjects. The subjects with physical disabilities showed a tendency to relatively slow acceleration at the straight lane course.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2012

Objective : The aim of the study was to investigate the job satisfaction of occupational therapists(OTs) who work in sensory integration treatment setting, and to analysis for factors influencing the satisfaction. Methods : Data were obtained from 62 OTs who had registered Korean Academy of sensory integration through a survey. Results 1 : Job satisfaction according to general characters: OTs who were above 35 years old and take the treatment course for sensory integration felt the highest total job satisfaction. OTs who are above 35 years old and have clinical experience under 12 month felt the highest salary satisfaction. OTs who are under 25 years old felt the highest promotion satisfaction. Female OTs felt higher colleagues relationship satisfaction than male OTs. 2. Job satisfaction according to work environment: OTs who work with 5 to 10 colleagues and work at private clinic felt the highest total job satisfaction. OTs who spend time treating patients more than 45 hours per week and work at private clinic. OTs who work with 5 to 10 colleagues felt the highest promotion and institute satisfaction. OTs who work at the disabled children care center considered change their job more than others. Conclusions : To improve job satisfaction of OTs, we need to consider size of organization, type of institutes. And we have to define role and specialty of OTs who work in various sensory integration treatment setting.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.351-356
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• 2018

Changes in vocal cords due to aging can change the frequency of speech, and the speech signals of the elderly can be automatically distinguished from normal speech signals through various analyzes. The purpose of this study is to provide a tool that can be easily accessed by the elderly and disabled people who can be excluded from the rapidly changing technological society and to improve the voice recognition performance. In the study, the gender of the subjects was reported as sex analysis, and the number of female and male voice samples was used equally. In addition, the gender analysis was applied to set the voices of the elderly without using voices of all ages. Finally, we applied a review methodology of standards and reference models to reduce gender difference. 10 Korean women and 10 men aged 70 to 80 years old are used in this study. Comparing the F0 value extracted directly with the waveform and the F0 extracted with TF32 and the Wavesufer speech analysis program, Wavesufer analyzed the F0 of the elderly voice better than TF32. However, there is a need for a voice analysis program for elderly people. In conclusions, analyzing the voice of the elderly will improve speech recognition and synthesis capabilities of existing smart medical systems.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.161-187
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• 2009

Disability Discrimination Act(DDA) is generally recognized as the institutional frame to realize social model of disability. However social model is not automatically realized via the enactment of DDA. The realization of social model is influenced by various factors among which the definition of disability in DDA is very important factor. Paradoxically definitions of disability based on social model may push DDA into contradictory situation. This is caused by the fact that on the one hand definitions of based on social model exclude impairment and on the other hand they mixes characteristics and treatment. Because of these, when definitions of disability based on social model is reflected into definitions of disability in DDA, they may not be helpful to realize social model against original intention of advocates of the model. We can consider two approaches to resolve this paradox; one is to partially reform current definition of disability in DDA, the other is to totally amend current definition of disability. The former may pragmatic and worth to pursue but it cannot solve fundamental problems and may cause some new problems. The most consistent resolution with social model is to amend current definitions of disability into radically new one which excludes substantial limits and definition of disabled person from definition of disability. This new definition may called characteristics based definition or impairment based definition. Some people may think this new definition as one based on medical model but it is not. What we need is not to carve definition of disability based on social model into DDA but to make institutional frame for DDA to operate without contradictions and to develop social model of both impairment and disability. This model which does not exclude impairment could takes part in realization of the social model disability.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.389-399
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to explore the domestic and overseas home modification policies, and review the direction of domestic home modification policies to enable 'Aging In Place; AIP' and the competencies required of occupational therapist as and expert in home modification. In order to expand occupational therapy for domestic home modification and strengthen occupational therapist competency, it is required to establish a clear and practical home modification process that reflects the design and intervention of occupational therapy. Appropriate selection and standardization of the evaluation tools that identifies the needs of the elderly and reflects the characteristics of domestic housing types are also required. In addition, it is necessary to understand policies and systems, and endeavour to establish a relevant knowledge base for communication and cooperation with experts in other fields. In terms of the policy, there is a need for the home modification support system that allows the elderly to adapt to their aging regardless of their income level, beyond the existing support system, which was implemented mainly for low-income people and disabled. In addition, as in overseas cases, the efforts need to be made to provide various and efficient measures, such as support for barrier-free housing, expansion of the scope of support through cooperation between the national government and local governments, low-interest loans and tax reductions, and establishment of governance with organizations and institutions related to home modification services.

• 재활복지
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.63-88
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• 2017

This study evaluated the actual status of special needs of the hearing-impaired person for disaster response. The analysis revealed a significant level of unmet needs in disaster response for hearing-impaired person. The 5 special needs in disaster response include: 1) communication needs, which involve securing the means to make an emergency rescue request and communicating information during the rescue process; 2) transportation needs, which indicate the effective evacuation capacity and the level of training; 3) medical needs, which address the degree of preparedness for physical and mental emergency measures and the delivery of health information for rescue and first aid process; 4) maintaining functional independence needs, which refer to the level of self-preparedness to minimize damage in disaster situations, and; 5) supervision needs, which correspond to a personalized support system provided to disaster-vulnerable groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2019

Background: Due to the diversification and advancement of research, researchers have become to deal with a variety of chemical and biological harmful materials in the laboratories of universities and research institutes and the risk has increased as well. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the social safety net for laboratory accidents by strengthening the compensation to the level comparable to that of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, when the researchers become physically disabled by laboratory accidents. The purpose of this study is to secure researchers' health rights and to create a research environment where researchers can work with confidence by strengthening the compensation to the level comparable to that of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service. Method: We analyzed the laboratory accidents by year, injury type, severity of accident and disability grade with the 6 year data from 2011 to 2016, provided by Laboratory Safety Insurance. Based on the analysis result, we predicted the financial impact on Laboratory Safety Insurance if we introduce a compensation annuity by disability grade which is similar to Injury-Disease Compensation Annuity of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service. Result :As of 2011, the insured number of Laboratory Safety Insurance was approximately 700,000. The Average premium per insured was KRW 3,339 and there were 158 claims. Total claim amount was KRW 130 million, whereas the premium was about KRW 2.3 billion. The loss ratio was very low at 5.75%. If we introduce a compensation annuity by disability grade similar to Injury-Disease Compensation Annuity of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, the expected benefit amount for 1 case of disability grade 1 would be KRW 1.6 billion, assuming 2% of interest rate. Given current premium, the loss ratio, the ratio of premium income to claim payment, is expected 41.4% in 2017 and 151.6% in 2026. The increased loss ratio due to the introduce of the compensation annuity by disability grade is estimated to be 11.0% in 2017 and 40.4% in 2026. Conclusion: Currently, laboratories can purchase insurance companies' laboratory safety insurance that meets the standards prescribed by Act on the Establishment of Safe Laboratory Environment. However, if a compensation annuity is introduced, it would be difficult for insurance companies to operate the laboratory safety insurance due to financial losses from a large-scale accident. Therefore, it is desirable that one or designated entities operate laboratory safety insurance. We think that it is more desirable for laboratory safety insurance to be operated by a public entity rather than private entities.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.125-144
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to present a legal improvement plan for health protection of the health-vulnerable class in our society in the 'COVID-19'. The contents of the first study examined the meaning of the existing (social) vulnerable class, and then critically considered the health-vulnerable class as an expanded concept in connection with the social risk of health. The term "vulnerable class" tends to have both meaning as the traditionally marginalized class such as the elderly, the disabled, and women, as well as the condition of having no ability to live due to low income, such as the low-income class. The concept of the health-vulnerable class is meaningful in that it appears as a recently expanded concept as it is linked to the concept of the vulnerable class and social risks such as health threats. The content of the second study looked at the problems that appeared when the health-vulnerable class was used together with the health care-vulnerable class in laws. Due to the laws used in both terms, there was a problem that the social security system related to health and health care could create blind spots. The contents of the third study suggested legal improvement directions for social security measures for health for the underprivileged.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2012

Objectives: While there have recently been efforts to improve public health service at a governmental level, there is actually insufficient research on awareness of the roles related to public health service among hospital employees. This study examined role perception and function performance related to public health service among the medical staff in a national hospital. Methods: 15% were randomly sampled from each type of occupation among the medical staff in a national university hospital, a survey was conducted in 323 persons, and there were a total of 265 participants (80.2%): 103 doctors(38.9%), 98 nurses (37.0%), and 64 others (24.1%). Results: The hospital employees had insufficient awareness of their roles as public health service providers in terms of six required items for public health service: 1) services for supporting establishment, implementation, and assessment of public health service policies, 2) participation in the health service activities and support services by central or local governments, 3) technological support and educational services for private health service institutions, 4) health service for unprivileged brackets, 5) health service that requires association with other areas dealing with geriatric, disabled, and mentally-disordered people, and 6) health service for children and mothers. Conclusions: In general, since the hospital employees had insufficient awareness of their roles and responsibilities as public health service providers, it is necessary to secure manpower exclusively in charge of public health service and provide education about strategic public health service.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.15-41
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• 2001

Since medical clients and the community they live in are expected to be center of future public health and medical care system, new service programs must be developed with patients focused on in line with widening public access of information and social participation. Patients- focused service shall mean the area- oriented provision of public health service. In this study, health officers working at public health centers, public health sub- centers and medical offices in Jeonbuk- do area were taken for population in order to investigate their attitudes toward and knowledge about the service area assigning system under the public health programs. Findings from the survey to 260 health officers, divided by general category, are as follows : Government officers at public health organizations appeared to have high grade of understanding to the service area assigning system and also great appreciation for the necessity of it. Regarding the timing for the system to be introduced, they support the gradual implementation and, as for the type of service to be provided, they preferred home nursing and treatment of chronic diseases. Highly positive responses were centered on the health classes under the health promotion projects, and as far as health projects for the old are concerned, services for home nursing, for the disabled and for home- alone people are favored most. On the other hand, budgeting, manpower and reorganization are rated as prerequisite to establishment of the service area assigning system. From the viewpoint of system side, the improvement of working conditions is rendered as most urgent, while the information system for establishing the service area assigning system is conceived far from satisfactory. Proper assignment of specialists was noted as mostly important to establish the delivery system for medical service through the service area assigning system by team. As merits of the service area assigning system, it is pointed out that, through the system, health clients can better be managed and the nursing quality will be improved thank to the enhanced specialization. It is also perceived that the district health service is not well prepared to respond to the increased and diversified needs of community people and, furthermore, service programs of health centers have not been fully developed. The most serious problem standing in the way to expansion of health projects is, it is noted, uniformity (formality) of the project. Based on the results of the survey which suggest time has ripen to introduce the service area assigning system, following strategies are proposed to anchor down the system as soon as possible: First, we should introduce the system gradually, starting from the area selected, and in consideration of area specialities, refraining from the hitherto stereotyped way of providing health service. Second, we should seek to properly assign the specialists and improve the working conditions of the assigned officers by securing sufficient budget, since it is a most urgent step to lay foundation for the service area assigning system. Third, best service program should be developed to meet the satisfaction of community people by responding to their needs and solidifying the management of medical clients. Fourth, wide scope of study should further be conducted in order to help this system take roots in the central living of community residents since pilot project on the experimental base attended by specialists only can not win popularity among the masses.