• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.477-484
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was to identify the relationship between stress, social support and depression in the elderly. Method: The subjects were 283 elderly adults over 60 in Seoul. Data was collected by questionnaire surveys using convenience sampling. The instruments used in this study are the ELSI developed by Aldwin(1990), the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List developed by Cohen & Hoberman (1983), and the Geriatric Depression Scale by Yesavage & Brink(l982). Data was analyzed by the SAS program, using descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, t-test, ANOVA and progressed Multiple Regression. Result: The relationship between stress and depression had a positive correlation (r=0.33), but the relationship between stress and social support had no significant correlations. The relationship between social support and depression had a negative correlation (r=-0.38). The most powerful predictor of depression was the economic status and then a combination of stress, and social support account for 39% of the variance in depression in the elderly. Conclusion: These results suggested that stress and social support deficits can be potential risk factors in old age depression. Therefore, these findings give useful information for constructing an intervention program focused on depression in the elderly.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.91-116
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• 2007

Under the strong support of the government, nanotechnology(NT) has been expanded rapidly in Korea. Korea was one of the countries that followed the National Nanotechnology Initiative(NNI) of the US very soon and set up their own policies for NT. This paper argues that the main rationale of the Korean version of NNI was so called 'catch-up strategy' by entering at the early stage of new technology. It stimulated scientists and engineers from various disciplines to do researches and to establish new education programs in NT. Unlike IT and BT, however, such fast and big investment in NT was approved by the public in the sense that there has been few criticism on the governmental NT policies and potential harness of NT. With the relative uninterestedness of the civil society and competititveness seeking policy in NT, ELSI in NT was not included in the Korean version of NNI and the results of technology assessments on NT were not introduced to the public at all.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-85
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• 2014

This study aims to highlight the social aspects of genetic discrimination as another shadow that biotechnology can influence on social life. To do so, the definition of "genetic discrimination" and three perspectives (exceptionalism, expressivism, and human right discourse) were reviewed. In addition, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of the United States and the Bioethics and Safety Act of Korea were analyzed. Several social implications for establishing the research and policies of genetic discrimination based on the existing research results of perceived genetic discrimination (the experiences, fears, and coping strategies of genetic discrimination) were suggested. These included public consensus on the definition of genetic discrimination and emphasis on a human rights approach against genetic discrimination; concerns regarding genetic discrimination in both the personal and public domains; raising the consciousness of both health care providers and the public regarding genetic discrimination; and developing psycho-social coping strategies for decreasing the fear of discrimination of asymptomatic people (hereditary carriers).

• Survey Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-29
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• 2003

Telephone surveys miss, among other people, those who live in homes without telephones, people who are away from home at the time of interview and people who refuse to be interviewed. Recently, mobile phone survey has emerged as “A replacement technology” to the old telephone survey method. Mobile survey enables us to do many things we could not do or could not afford to do before, and reatly enhance the efficiency if the opinion surveys. Very specifically, the mobile survey enables us to control respondent's accessability, interviewer bias and to do incredibly fast and at a affordable costs. The authors analyze the results of mobile-phone local election polls and ELSI bio-technology attitude survey. The authors describe their results, the methods they used, including the use of demographic and propensity weighting to correct for substantial biases in the raw, unweighted data. The results show that mobile survey can predict the election outcomes with approximately equal accuracy to that of the telephone poll after weighting. This paper also cautions readers not to assume that mobile survey can be used with equal success in other elections and emphasizes the need for continuing research to improve mobile survey methods in the future.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.139-175
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• 2014

For the past 20 years, expert groups and citizens in Korea have debated on the usefulness of personalized medicine. These debates were mainly focussed on the possibility of the promise - people mainly discussed whether it was a probable future or if it was just a hype. Following Hedgecoe and Tutton(2002) who argue that it is only a 'rhetorial device', we will analyze about 9,000 news media coverages that deal with personalized medicine. With these data, we will show that the same terminology of personalized medicine have been used very differently according to the time and people who use it. Our research will show that this term has both diachronic heterogeneity and synchronic equivocality. This has happened because of the innate lack that exists in our symbolic system. Policy and governance regarding new technology is important because they provide quilting point to those slippery term/signifiant. Also we would like to carefully suggest that we might be able to call this phenomena as signifiant-politics.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.237-264
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• 2017

With the onset of the Human Genome Project, social concerns about 'genetic information discrimination' have been raised, but the problem has not yet been highlighted in Korea. However, non-medical institutions' genetic testing which is related to disease prevention could be partially allowed under the revised "Bioethics and Safety Act" from June 30, 2016. In the case of one domestic insurance company, DTC genetic testing was provided for the new customer of cancer insurance as a complimentary service, which made the social changes related to the recognition of the genetic testing. At a time when precision medicine is becoming a new standard for medical care, discipline on genetic information discrimination has become a problem that can not be delayed anymore. Article 46 and 67 of the Bioethics Act stipulate the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of genetic information and penalties for its violation. However, these broad principles alone can not solve the problems in specific genetic information utilization areas such as insurance and employment. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany have different regulations that prohibit genetic information based discrimination. In the United States, Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act takes a form that adds to the existing law about the prohibition of genetic information discrimination. In addition, the range of genetic information includes the results of genetic tests of individuals and their families, including "family history". Canada has recently enacted legislation in 2017, expanding coverage to general transactions of goods or services in addition to insurance and employment. The United Kingdom deals only with 'predictive genetic testing results of individuals'. In the case of insurance, the UK government and Association of British Insurers (ABI) agree to abide by a policy framework ('Concordat') for cooperation that provides that insurers' use of genetic information is transparent, fair and subject to regular reviews; and remain committed to the voluntary Moratorium on insurers' use of predictive genetic test results until 1 November 2019, and a review of the Concordat in 2016. In the case of employment, The ICO's 'Employment Practices Code (2011)' is used as a guideline. In Germany, Human Genetic Examination Act(Gesetz ${\ddot{u}}ber$ genetische Untersuchungen bei Menschen) stipulates a principle ban on the demand for genetic testing and the submission of results in employment and insurance. The evaluation of the effectiveness of regulatory framework, as well as the form and scope of the discipline is different from country to country. In light of this, it would be desirable for the issue of genetic information discrimination in Korea to be addressed based on the review of related regulations, the participation of experts, and the cooperation of stakeholders.