• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.183-201
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• 2010

Objective : To explore and describe chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients' experience of acupuncture treatment Methods : Eleven patients with cLBP who agreed and completed the informed consent to take part in this qualitative study were interviewed thoroughly and tape-recorded. Transcribed data were read independently by 4 researchers and analysed thematically with ground theory. Results : All participants chose acupuncture treatment for their cLBP because either they preferred, other people recommended, or felt conventional treatment being more comfortable. Most of the participants experienced improvement during acupuncture treatment and continued treatment motivated by mere expectations. Participants also expressed the specific physical responses/sensations to the effect of acupuncture; various adverse effects during the course of acupuncture treatment. Economic burden was another concern when combined with other therapies in Korean Medicine hospitals. It is considered as a specifically important to those who give acupuncture treatment to obtain a full treatment effect. Conclusions : The emotional facts that Korean patients with cLBP receiving acupuncture treatment benefited by the treatment and considering specific sensations from doctor-patient relationship were turned out to be important to have the maximum treatment effect. Findings from this study should be considered in both acupuncture research and practice.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.347-350
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• 2005

As a new way of stabilizing the housing for the urban poor, the Korean government proposed 'Dagagu' Housing Purchase and Pubic Rental Program (DPPRP) and implemented a pilot program in 2004. The purpose of this study is to fine out whether DPPRP can be an alternative measure to solve the housing problems facing the urban poor. Physical aspects and community conditions of 'Dagagu' housing purchased by the government will be evaluated. The changes in the tenants' perception of the quality of housing after moving in the current dwellings will be studied. 46 households were temporarily selected, who moved in the purchased public rental housing in 5 districts (DPPRP pilot area). And among them, 32 households were designated as the final subjects, which could do the interview. The surveyors made door-to-door visits to tenant's houses and conducted in-depth interview by using a questionnaire The effects of 'Dagagu' Housing Purchase and Public Rental Program can be summarized according to housing environment aspects and economic aspects as follows: After moving in the public rental housing, the respondents saw improvements in overall housing environment and were satisfied with the current housing. According to a survey on the rental fee before and after moving in public rental housing, the rental fee of the latter has greatly declined. Given that the quality of previous housing is inferior to the current housing, the lessened rental burden is very meaningful.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.23 no.3 s.75
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• pp.25-33
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• 2005

This study examines socio-demographic characteristics of married couples and their desire for a second child. Questionnaires were completed by 355 married men and women who have only one child currently. The participants were classified into four groups by their desire, or a lack thereof, for a second child. Group I consisted of married people who wanted to have another child, and whose spouse wanted the same. Members of Group II were in a marriage where only the wife wanted to have another child. Members of Group III were in a marriage where only the husband wanted a second child. Group IV consisted of participants who did not want another child, and whose spouse agreed with thor The research questions were (1) how different those four groups are in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, (2) what are the reasons to stop having children and to have another child, and (3) what are the perceptions of the current low fertility rate in Korea, and the policies designed to increase birth rata The results indicate that wife' age, husband's educational level, expectant level of household economy, age at marriage, marriage duration and the time length between marriage and birth of the first child were significantly different among the four groups. The reasons to stop having children were expected constraint of privacy and time, physical and psychological burden and economic pressure. The most pronounced reason for wanting another child was the desire to give their first child a sibling. Group III had more serious disagreement about having another child than did Group II. There were significant differences among the four groups in the perceptions of possible consequences of the low birth rate. These perceptions included: undermined competitiveness of the nation and weakened family ties.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.27
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• pp.6.1-6.8
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• 2012

Objectives: Childhood allergic diseases are a major concern because they lead to a heavy economic burden and poor quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of childhood atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and the comorbidity of allergic diseases in Seoul, Korea. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey between May and October 2010 to evaluate the prevalence of childhood allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis, using a questionnaire from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood group. Each questionnaire was completed by the parent or guardian of a child. Results: In the 31,201 children studied, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis symptoms in the past 12 months was 19.3% in children 0 to 3 years of age, 19.7% in children 4 to 6 years of age, 16.7% in children 7 to 9 years of age, and 14.5% in children 10 to 13 years of age (p for trend < 0.001). The prevalence of asthma in these age groups was 16.5%, 9.8%, 6.5%, and 5.4%, respectively (p for trend < 0.001). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis in these age groups was 28.5%, 38.0%, 38.5%, and 35.9%, respectively (p for trend = 0.043). The percentage of subjects with both atopic dermatitis and asthma, both asthma and allergic rhinitis, or both atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis was 2.5%, 4.7%, and 8.7%, respectively. The prevalence of comorbid allergic diseases decreased with age (p for trend < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study revealed that the prevalence of some allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and asthma, was relatively high in very young children and that all of the principal allergic diseases in children often co-exist.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.29-38
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• 2017

This study suggests optimal policy options for collection of used diapers through benchmarking of foreign countries and perception surveys. By conducting a survey, this study can identify the actual problems involved in the collection process and enhance the social acceptance toward diaper recycling policies. As a perception survey result, the economic burden of emission bags and sanitary issues were most important for the collection pilot test. Respondents thought that twice-a-week collection frequency was appropriate and that free emission bags might be preferable to participants. Currently municipal wastes are subject to waste management laws, which are applied by local governments. Diaper waste is categorized with municipal waste, so it seems to be treated by municipal waste systems. In terms of connection with government, possible alternatives were suggested to identify the relevant local government. Useful data could be obtained, to determine the economical viability of any future diaper recycling system implementation in the entire Seoul metropolis and adjacent areas of dense population.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.395-405
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• 2019

Korea is undergoing a change in its population structure, due to economic development, falling birth rates and the development of health care. As the population ages, the number of elderly people who have difficulty in daily life such as dementia and paralysis increases every day. The growth of nuclear families and the increased participation of women in society make it difficult to take care of elderly people who need long-term care at home. As the social problems resulting from this have emerged as serious problems, the government enacted and implemented the Long Term Care Insurance Act to improve the quality of life for the elderly subject to long-term care and to ease the burden of family support in order to solve such problems. Therefore, the present study explores ways to improve legal and institutional aspects, and seek mental and psychological measures for the stability of old life as well as the physical health of welfare.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.499-504
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• 2019

Head-lice infestation, pediculosis capitis, remains a public-health burden in many countries. The widely used first-line pediculicides and alternative treatments are often too costly for use in poor socio-economic settings. Ivermectin has been considered an alternate treatment for field practice. This study was composed of 2 parts, a cross-sectional survey and an intervention study. The main objectives were to determine the prevalence and potential factors associated with head-lice infestation, and to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral ivermectin administration. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 890 villagers in rural areas along Thai-Myanmar border. Females with infestations were eligible for the intervention study, and 181 participated in the intervention study. A post-treatment survey was conducted to assess acceptance of ivermectin as a treatment choice. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and a generalized-estimation-equation model adjusted for cluster effect. The study revealed the prevalence of head-lice infestation was 50% among females and only 3% among males. Age stratification showed a high prevalence among females aged <20 years, and among 50% of female school-children. The prevalence was persistent among those with a history of infestation. The major risk factors were residing in a setting with other infected cases, and sharing a hair comb. The study also confirmed that ivermectin was safe and effective for field-based practice. It was considered a preferable treatment option. In conclusion, behavior-change communication should be implemented to reduce the observed high prevalence of head-lice infestation. Ivermectin may be an alternative choice for head-lice treatment, especially in remote areas.

• The Journal of Health Technology Assessment
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2018

Objectives: Maternal morbidity and mortality are important healthcare issues. However there have been few studies on cost of illness (COI) from maternal disorders. This study aimed to estimate the COI due to maternal disorders in Korea. Methods: By reviewing previous studies and consulting expert we determined the scope of maternal disorders. We operationally defined maternal disorders as maternal hemorrhage, maternal sepsis, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, obstructed labor, and abortion for maternal disorders. The reference period of this study is the year 2015. Main source of data were the National Health Insurance Service claims data, cause of death statistics from the Korea National Statistical Office, and the Korea Health Panel study. We classified the total costs into direct and indirect costs. The direct costs cover healthcare costs and non-healthcare costs. The indirect costs consist of productivity losses due to morbidity and premature death. Results: The cost of maternal disorders in 2015 was 229.7 billion won. The direct and indirect costs of maternal disorders were 165.2 billion won and 64.5 billion won respectively. The largest cost item for maternal disorders was healthcare cost (138.3 billion won, 60.2%). By age groups, the COI in 30-39 years old women were the highest (165.1 billion won, 71.9%). Abortion was the disorder with the highest COI among maternal disorders (71.9 billion won, 31.3%). Conclusion: The COI due to maternal disorders in Korea is quite substantial. Economic burden of maternal disorder increased when being compared with the year 2012 data despite the continued low birth rate in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor the social costs of the maternal disorders in Korea.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Excessive sugar consumption may increase the risk for development of several diseases. Although average dietary sugar intake of Koreans is within the recommended level, an increasing trend has been found in all age groups. This study aimed to evaluate the population attributable fractions (PAF) to dietary sugar for disease and death in Korea, and to estimate the socioeconomic effects of a reduction in dietary sugar. MATERIALS/METHODS: The prevalence of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) overconsumption (${\geq}20g$ of sugar from beverages) was analyzed using the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015. Disease-specific relative risks of excessive SSB consumption were obtained through reviewing previous studies. Using the prevalence of SSB overconsumption and each relative risk, PAFs for morbidity and mortality were calculated. Socioeconomic costs of diseases and death attributable to SSB overconsumption were estimated by using representative data on national medical expenditures, health insurance statistics, employment information, and previous reports. RESULTS: Disease-specific PAF to SSB consumption ranged from 3.11% for stroke to 9.05% for obesity and dental caries, respectively. Costs from disease caused by SSB overconsumption was estimated at 594 billion won in 2015. About 39 billion won was estimated to be from SSB consumption-related deaths, and a total of 633 billion won was predicted to have been saved through preventing SSB overconsumption. CONCLUSIONS: Sugars overconsumption causes considerable public burdens, although the cost estimates do not include any informal expenditure. Information on these socioeconomic effects helps both health professionals and policy makers to create and to implement programs for reducing sugar consumption.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2019

Backgrounds: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) increased prevalence and economic burden. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate drug use pattern in IBD patients in a real world. Methods: National Health Insurance claim data from 2010 to 2014 were used in this population-based study. All IBD patients diagnosed during study period were enrolled. IBD medications included 5-aminosalicylic acid (ASA), glucocorticoid, immunomodulator and anti-tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ agent(anti TNF-${\alpha}$). Growth rate of IBD prevalence, prescribed drug classes, duration of drug therapy and medication cost were analyzed. Number and percentage of patients for categorical variables, and mean and median for continuous variables were presented. Results: Total numbers of patients were 131,158 and 57,286 during 5 years, and their annual growth rate were 3.2 and 5.7% for UC and CD. UC and CD were prevalent in the 40-50 (41.2%) and 20-30 age groups (36.0%). About 60% of IBD patients was prescribed any of medications. 5-ASA was the most frequently prescribed, followed by corticosteroid and immunomodulator. Anti TNF-${\alpha}$ use was the lowest, but 5 times higher than UC in CD. Combination therapies with different class of drugs were in 29% for UC and 62% for CD. Mean prescription days per patient per year were 306 and 378, and the median medication cost per patient per year was KRW 420,000 (USD 383) and KRW 830,000 (USD755), for UC and CD, respectively. Conclusions: Increasing prevalence of IBD requires further studies to contribute to achieve better clinical outcomes of drug therapy.