• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.149-164
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The economic recession caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic disproportionately affected poor and vulnerable populations globally. Better uunderstanding of vulnerability to shocks in food supply and demand in the Asia Pacific region is needed. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Using secondary data from rapid assessment surveys during the pandemic response (n = 10,420 in mid-2020; n = 6,004 in mid-2021) in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, this study examined the risk factors for reported income reduction or job loss in mid-2021 and the temporal trend in food security status (household food availability, and market availability and affordability of essential items) from mid-2020 to mid-2021. RESULTS: The proportion of job loss/reduced household income was highest in India (60.4%) and lowest in Indonesia (39.0%). Urban residence (odds ratio [OR] range, 2.20-4.11; countries with significant results only), female respondents (OR range, 1.40-1.69), engagement in daily waged labor (OR range, 1.54-1.68), and running a small trade/business (OR range, 1.66-2.71) were significantly associated with income reduction or job loss in three out of 4 countries (all P < 0.05). Food stock availability increased significantly in 2021 compared to 2020 in all four countries (OR range, 1.91-4.45) (all P < 0.05). Availability of all essential items at markets increased in India (OR range, 1.45-3.99) but decreased for basic foods, hygiene items, and medicine in Vietnam (OR range, 0.81-0.86) in 2021 compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). In 2021, the affordability of all essential items significantly improved in India (OR range, 1.18-3.49) while the affordability of rent, health care, and loans deteriorated in Indonesia (OR range, 0.23-0.71) when compared to 2020 (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term social protection programs need to be carefully designed and implemented to address food insecurity among vulnerable groups, considering each country's market conditions, consumer food purchasing behaviors, and financial support capacity.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.21-43
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• 2008

The task network which is formed of different individuals can be recognized as a social network. Therefore, the way to communicate with people inside or outside the network has considerable influence on their outcome. Moreover, the position on which a member stands in a network shows the different effects of the information systems supporting communication with others. In this paper, it is to be studied how personal CMC (computer-mediated communication) tools affect the mission that those who work for a network perform through diverse task networks. Especially, we focused on synchronicity of CMC. On this score, the perspective of Media Synchronicity Theory was taken that had been suggested by criticizing Media Richness Theory. It is the objective, from this perspective, to find which characteristics of networks make the value of IT supporting synchronicity high. In the research trends of social networks, there have been two traditional perspectives to explain the effect of network: embeddedness and diversity ones. These differ from the aspect which type of social network can provide much more economic benefits. As similar studies have been reported by various researchers, these are also divided into the bonding and bridging views which are based on internal and external tie, respectively, Size, density, and centrality were measured as the characteristics of personal task networks. Size means the level of relationship between members. It is the total number of other colleagues who work with a specific member for a certain project. It means, the larger the size of task network, the more the number of coworkers who interact each other through the job. Density is the ratio of the number of relationships arranged actually to the total number of available ones. In an ego-centered network, it is defined as the ratio of the number of relationship made really to the total number of possible ones between members who are actually involved each other. The higher the level of density, the larger the number of projects on which the members collaborate. Centrality means that his/her position is on the exact center of whole network. There are several methods to measure it. In this research, betweenness centrality was adopted among them. It is measured by the position on which one member stands between others in a network. The determinant to raise its level is the shortest geodesic that represents the shortest distance between members. Centrality also indicates the level of role as a broker among others. To verify the hypotheses, we interviewed and surveyed a group of employees of a nationwide financial organization in which a groupware system is used. They were questioned about two CMC applications: MSN with a higher level of synchronicity and email with a lower one. As a result, the larger the size of his/her own task network, the smaller its density and the higher the level of his/her centrality, the higher the level of the effect using the task network with CMC tools. Above all, this positive effect is verified to be much more produced while using CMC applications with higher-level synchronicity. Among the a variety of situations under which the use of CMC gives more benefits, this research is considered as one of rare cases regarding the characteristics of task network as moderators by focusing ITs for the operation of his/her own task network. It is another contribution of this research to prove empirically that the values of information system depend on the social, or comparative, characteristic of time. Though the same amount of time is shared, the social characteristics of users change its value. In addition, it is significant to examine empirically that the ITs with higher-level synchronicity have the positive effect on productivity. Many businesses are worried about the negative effect of synchronous ITs, for their employees are likely to use them for personal social activities. However. this research can help to dismiss the concern against CMC tools.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.164-179
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• 1991

Korean agriculture has encountered two problems. One is internal income disparity between rural and urbarn area and the other is external Uruguay Round trade problems as an abolition of direct and indirect import barriers, reduction in export subsidies and to reduce internal price supports. These problems will be brought severe farm problems such as decreasing farm household income and repressing agricultural growth in the near future. Considering the above inevitable facts Korean government has implemented several development projects such as rural industrial area development project, rural special production area development project, leisuresight seeing farm development project, traditional food development project, unskilled labor training project for off-farm employment and so on, to increase farm household income through off-farm income increase. This study was mainly concentrated on the identification of operational problems and post evaluation of the rural special production area development projects which aimed at increasing non-farm incomes and giving employment opportunity for rural farmers in small factories processing regional special farm products and mine products. The main findings and problems to be solved for the successful project implementation are as followed ; 1. Total number of the special production area development projects as of the end of 1991 was amount to 138, and total number of farm household participated were estimated at 2,079, and total amount of off-farm income per farm household was reached to 3,011 thousand won. 2. The total number of processed special products have increased from 21 items in 1981 to 56 items in 1991. On the other hand the total number of farm household participated in the projects have decreased from 2,518 to 2,079 during same period. 3. Total amount of investment for the projects has increased from 1,429 million won in 1981 to 24,760 million won in 1991 but the rate of G'T loan of the total investment has reduced from 24.5% to 5.2% during same period. 4. 138 special production area development project are classified into 6 kinds of commodity groups such as 19 of general industrial good production areas, 52 of folks-industrial art objects production areas, 39 of food processing areas, 9 of fiber and texstile processing areas, 18 of agricultural and fishery inputs processing areas and 1 of stone processing area. 5. The total production value in 1990 was estimated 20,169 million won of which export was amount to 2,627 million won. 6. The finacial rate of return of the UNGOK KUGIJA Tea processing Project operated by UNGOK coops and BAKSAN ginseng tea processing project were estimated at 45.4% (B/C Ratio=1.17, NPV=152.5 million won) and 17.7% (B/C Ratio=1.12, NPV=120.2 million won) respectively. 7. More favorite terms and condition of the loan including collateral problems have to be given to farmers participated. Heavy investment and G'T subsidy policies should be started for the successful project implementation anf farm household income increase. 8. To expand market demand of the rural special goods G'T have to provide special program of TV or other mass media for commodity propaganda and the total cost concerned must be supported by G'T subsidy. 9. The special farm products as GUGUJA,MOSI'Ramie', Ginseng. SOGOKJU,HEMP,Mushroom.DUGYUNJU and Chesnut processing projects have to be propelled and expanded for off-farm income increase in Chung Nam Province. 10. Direct operational pattern of the special production area by coops is more favorable to farmers and recommendable considering with off-farm income increase and market demand creation throughout Korea. 11. In rural area, special organizations for project appraisal are not exist. Accordingly special training program, project appraisal, formulation and preparation for civil servants concerned have to be prepared for project selection and sound implementation under limited budget and financial support.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.53-75
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• 2004

This study is aimed at identifying the national economic value of the irrigation facilities by reviewing the existing papers on economic values of the irrigation facilities and presenting current status of dual O & M problems of the irrigation facilities. This study suggested the unified O & M system rather than continuing the existing dual O & M system of irrigation facilities based on the surveyed results of the activities of irrigation fraternities in Chungnam Province. The findings and proposals for the successful unified and mono O & M system of the irrigation facilities are as follows: (1) Total number of irrigation facilities in the nation accounts for 67,582, while the total length of irrigation and drainage canals amounted to about 174,259km. On account of the total length of structural canals was estimated at 31%, much losses of water and much O & M costs have been inevitable for the full irrigation rice culture. In spite of the past heavy investment for irrigation facilities, the ratio of rain-fed and partially irrigated paddy fields accounts for 23% in 2003. Both Korea Agricultural and Rural Infrastructure Corporation (KARICO) and the city and Gun Governments have managed the irrigation facilities separately by irrigation fraternities. The KARICO have commanded 59% of irrigation paddy area with 18% of the total irrigation facilities, while the city and Gun governments covered 41% of irrigation paddy area with 82% of the existing number of irrigation facilities representing small and medium scale. (2) The 1999 demand prices of irrigation water per ton expressed in 2000 constant market price was estimated at 388 won, the supply price was amounted to 184 won per ton. Considering the supply and demand curve of the irrigation water, the existing irrigation facilities could not satisfy the demand of irrigation water. (3) In 1999, total present added value of the irrigation facilities during the economic life accounted for 48 trillion won, while total supply cost was 44.7 trillion won. The marginal benefit and cost ratio of irrigation water was 1.08. (4) The total O & M cost per year amounting to 681.1 billion won have been required to maintain and repair the existing irrigation facilities in Korea. For the successful unified O & M of irrigation facilities covering whole irrigated paddy field in Korea, 950 billion won of O & M costs are required to keep up the marginal benefit of irrigation water as 2,800 billion won per year. The total O & M cost as 950 billion won should be allocated 40%, 380 billion won for O & M costs of irrigation facilities and 60%, 570 billion won for improvement of irrigation facilities. (5) The study investigated and reviewed the present O & M status of the irrigation facilities by small and medium irrigation fraternities. Most of the farmers belong to the irrigation fraternities preferred not only unified O & M but also KARICO take-over of the whole O & M activities of the irrigation facilities. The prevailing O & M cost per 10a expended by the Corporation was amounted to 104,890 won, while that of city and Gun governments was only amounted to 4,600 won per 10a. regarding the small amount of O & M cost expended by city and Gun governments, it is evident that the existing irrigation system have been managed ineffectively and deteriorated the facilities comparing that of KARICO. In conclusion, the Government could not satisfied the demand of irrigation water by suppling water with existing irrigation facilities. Therefore new additional investment and financial support for irrigation water development should be made to convert rain-fed and partially irrigated paddy fields into fully irrigated ones. The operation and maintenance cost should be supported to keep the marginal values of rice production of existing irrigation facilities in the national economy and to modernize the obsolete irrigation facilities. By unifying the existing dual O & M systems, all the farmers belong to the irrigated paddy fields have to be equally benefited and could be increased their farm income and be stabilized their rural lives.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.1-39
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• 2013

Considering the relationship between state-owned enterprise (SOE) CEOs and political circles, this study examines the performance impacts of CEO's succession type, board chair separation, and industry expertise and finance expertise of CEOs and outside directors. I propose the definition of political independence in SOE CEOs based on the independence in appearance that might affect general people's perception. It means that there are no relationships or circumstances that might affect SOE CEO's judgment, activity, and report. The definition is able to overcome the limitations of the prior research that could not discover the CEOs who were affiliated to political circles because the research just distinguished the CEOs following their pre-jobs. This study focused on the performance impacts of political independence impaired CEO as well as the CEO's impacts on the relationship between the performance and other corporate governance variables. I selected as dependent variables the average return on asset as operating income divided by total assets and the average customer satisfaction rate evaluated by Korean government during the first three years following the year of the events of explanatory variables. My theory and evidence from the various CEO's personal background and financial information from SOEs in Lee Myung-bak Administration and Rho Moo-hyun Administration suggest the following important things. First, the analysis based on whether or not a SOE CEO keeps political independence shows that a political independence impaired CEO made a significantly negative impact on customer satisfaction rate. Second, the separation between a board chair and a CEO in SOEs introduced by Korean Act on Management of Public Institutions made a significantly positive impact on customer satisfaction rate. However, the positive impact of the board chair separation was removed in a political independence impaired CEO's SOE. Third, outside director's industry expertise made a significantly positive impact on return on asset. However, the positive impact of the outside director's industry expertise was removed in a political independence impaired CEO's SOE. Fourth, the comparison between Lee Myung-bak Administration and Roh Moo-hyun Administration on the corporate governance and performance of SOEs shows that the ratio of political independence impaired CEO was significantly higher in Lee Administration and the ratio of outside director's industry expertise and finance expertise were respectively significantly higher in Roh Administration. Based on these results, I suggested a few policy alternatives for CEO's improved political independence and requirements for executive's expertise in SOEs.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.27-47
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• 2018

In this study, we examine how land use zoning affects the land price controlling other variables such as road-facing condition of the land, land form, land age after its development and land size. We employ geographically weighted regression analysis which reflects spatial dependency as methodology with a data sample of land transaction price data of Jangyu, a new town, in Korea. The results of our empirical analysis show that the respective coefficients of traditional regression and geographically weighted regression are not significantly different. However, after calculating Moran's Index with residuals of both OLS and GWR models, we find that Moran's Index of GWR decreases around 26% compared to that of OLS model, thus improving the problem of spatial autoregression of residuals considerably. Unlike our expectation, though, in both traditional regression and geographically weighted regression where residential exclusive area is used as a reference variable, the dummy variable of the residential land for both housing and shops shows a negative sign. This may be because the residential land for both housing and shops is usually located in the level area while the residential exclusive area is located at the foot of a mountain or on a gentle hill where the residents can have good quality air and scenery. Although the utility of the residential land for both housing and shops is higher than its counterpart's since it has higher floor area ratio, amenity which can be explained as high quality of air and scenery in this study seems to have higher impact in purchase of land for housing. On the other hand, land for neighbourhood living facility seems to be valued higher than any other land zonings used in this research since it has much higher floor area ratio than the two land zonings above and can have a building with up to 5 stories constructed on it. With regard to road-facing condition, land buyers seem to prefer land which faces a medium-width road as expected. Land facing a wide-width road may have some disadvantage in that it can be exposed to noise and exhaust gas from cars and that entrance may not be easy due to the high speed traffic of the road. In contrast, land facing a narrow road can be free of noise or fume from cars and have privacy protected while it has some inconvenience in that entrance may be blocked by cars parked in both sides of the narrow road. Finally, land age variable shows a negative sign, which means that the price of land declines over time. This may be because decline of the land price of Jangyu was bigger than that of other regions in Gimhae where Jangyu, a new town, also belong, during the global financial crisis of 2008.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.4
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• pp.21-41
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• 2003

The purposes of this study were to ; first, investigate High School Teachers health promotion behavior types; second, explore the effects High School Teachers perceived benefits and perceived barriers have on their health promotion behavior ; third, suggest a desirable course that will increase teachers health. To this end, this researcher conducted a survey on health promotion behavior, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers to 329 High School teachers working in Goyang-si, Gyonggi-do. The results of the survey are as follows: Health Promotion Behavior A closer look at high school teachers health promotion behavior shows that male teachers, compared with female teachers, more actively promote their health. However, female teachers are more aware of their personal hygiene and disease risks. Older teachers, rather than younger teachers, are more willing to promote their health through better eating habits and more frequent exercise. A comparison between married and single teachers revealed that married teachers promote their health through better eating habits, and single teachers receive less stress and are better at managing their stress. Teachers working in technical high schools are better at managing their stress and personal hygiene than academic high schools teachers. Teachers working after 8 o'clock show better health promotion behavior through proper eating habits, stress management, regular exercise, disease prevention: however, teachers working before 7:30 are poor at managing their stress. Teachers not teaching supplementary lessons and not supervising night self-study are better at managing their stress, exercise schedule, and disease prevention than teachers who are. Perceived Benefits, Perceived Barriers, and Health Promotion Behavior A Comparison between male and female teachers shows that female teachers firmly believe improved eating habits and regular exercises would greatly enhance their health. However, female teachers felt more discomfort in their working environment and in utilizing medical institutes. Teachers in the 20s and 40s perceived health benefits through regular lifestyle and exercise. Teachers with less experience feel more pressure from their work environment. Teachers below their 30s feel more dissatisfaction towards using medical facilities. Teachers working in Technical High Schools are more aware of promoting their health through regular health checkups, exercise, and lifestyle ; however, teachers from Academic High Schools feel more pressure from their work environment. Teachers not performing supplementary lessons and supervising night self-study sessions are more willing to go through regular health checkups than those performing them. Also, teachers with supplementary lessons and night self-study supervisions claimed lack of leisure time, pressure from work environment, and inconvenience in using medical facilities a deterrent to promoting their health behavior. The Relationship between Health Promotion Behavior, Perceived Benefits, and Perceived Barriers The correlation ratio between Health Promotion Behavior and Perceived Benefits shows a positive relationship. The results show that High School teachers believed regular health checkups are necessary in maintaining their health. This research shows that teachers consider the following factors important in the order shown ; regular lifestyle and exercise, prevention of geriatric diseases, improving ones eating habits. In short, teachers who are more aware of the importance of regular health checkups are also more aware of the importance of promoting their health. The correlation ratio between Health Promotion Behavior and Perceived Barriers shows negative relationship. High School Teachers believe that lack of leisure activity, pressure from work environment, familys financial burden, fear of diseases, inconvenience in using medical facilities are a deterrent in promoting their health behavior. In other words, teachers with less leisure time and negative pressures from their work environment were less active in promoting their health behavior. This study shows that High School teachers will be able to promote their health behavior by maintaining regular health checkups, lifestyle, exercise, and preventing geriatric diseases. However, teachers believed that insufficient leisure time and negative pressure from their work environment acted as a deterrent to maintaining their health behavior. Most High School teachers believe they are at present healthy, and they were actively engaged in Preventative Health Promotion. The result of this study demonstrates that External factors have a large impact on teachers, which in turn acts negatively on their Health Promotion Behavior. In order to guarantee teachers health promotion behavior, systematic health checkups and increased leisure time, improvement in their work environment are necessary. Teachers also need to take a more active interest in their health.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.65-82
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• 2021

Stock market investors are generally split into foreign investors, institutional investors, and individual investors. Compared to individual investor groups, professional investor groups such as foreign investors have an advantage in information and financial power and, as a result, foreign investors are known to show good investment performance among market participants. The purpose of this study is to propose an investment strategy that combines investor-specific transaction information and machine learning, and to analyze the portfolio investment performance of the proposed model using actual stock price and investor-specific transaction data. The Korea Exchange offers daily information on the volume of purchase and sale of each investor to securities firms. We developed a data collection program in C# programming language using an API provided by Daishin Securities Cybosplus, and collected 151 out of 200 KOSPI stocks with daily opening price, closing price and investor-specific net purchase data from January 2, 2007 to July 31, 2017. The self-organizing map model is an artificial neural network that performs clustering by unsupervised learning and has been introduced by Teuvo Kohonen since 1984. We implement competition among intra-surface artificial neurons, and all connections are non-recursive artificial neural networks that go from bottom to top. It can also be expanded to multiple layers, although many fault layers are commonly used. Linear functions are used by active functions of artificial nerve cells, and learning rules use Instar rules as well as general competitive learning. The core of the backpropagation model is the model that performs classification by supervised learning as an artificial neural network. We grouped and transformed investor-specific transaction volume data to learn backpropagation models through the self-organizing map model of artificial neural networks. As a result of the estimation of verification data through training, the portfolios were rebalanced monthly. For performance analysis, a passive portfolio was designated and the KOSPI 200 and KOSPI index returns for proxies on market returns were also obtained. Performance analysis was conducted using the equally-weighted portfolio return, compound interest rate, annual return, Maximum Draw Down, standard deviation, and Sharpe Ratio. Buy and hold returns of the top 10 market capitalization stocks are designated as a benchmark. Buy and hold strategy is the best strategy under the efficient market hypothesis. The prediction rate of learning data using backpropagation model was significantly high at 96.61%, while the prediction rate of verification data was also relatively high in the results of the 57.1% verification data. The performance evaluation of self-organizing map grouping can be determined as a result of a backpropagation model. This is because if the grouping results of the self-organizing map model had been poor, the learning results of the backpropagation model would have been poor. In this way, the performance assessment of machine learning is judged to be better learned than previous studies. Our portfolio doubled the return on the benchmark and performed better than the market returns on the KOSPI and KOSPI 200 indexes. In contrast to the benchmark, the MDD and standard deviation for portfolio risk indicators also showed better results. The Sharpe Ratio performed higher than benchmarks and stock market indexes. Through this, we presented the direction of portfolio composition program using machine learning and investor-specific transaction information and showed that it can be used to develop programs for real stock investment. The return is the result of monthly portfolio composition and asset rebalancing to the same proportion. Better outcomes are predicted when forming a monthly portfolio if the system is enforced by rebalancing the suggested stocks continuously without selling and re-buying it. Therefore, real transactions appear to be relevant.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.48-58
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• 2024

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between external medical service use and the characteristics of Chungcheongnam-do patients. We aimed to provide evidence of external medical service use enhance the healthcare delivery system in Chungcheongnam-do. Methods: We used the Health Insurance Cohort DB 2.0 of 2016-2019, and 2,570,439 patients were included in the study. Multivariate logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify the association between external medical service use and each patient characteristic. Generalized linear model was used to identify the association between medical costs and external medical service use area. Results: During the study period, 32.2% of inpatients and 12.5% of outpatients had external medical service use in Chungcheongnam-do. In comparison to patients living in Cheonan and Asan, the odds ratio (OR) for external medical services use was higher across all regions. Specifically, hospitalized patients from Gyeryong, Nonsan, and Geumsan (OR, 116.817) and Gongju, Buyeo, and Cheongyang (OR, 72.931) demonstrated extremely high likelihood of external medical service use in the Daejeon area. Furthermore, compared to medical expenses incurred within Chungcheongnam-do, patients with external medical service use in the capitol area (outpatient=17.01%, inpatients=22.11%) and Daejeon area (outpatient=16.63%, inpatients=15.41%) spent more on healthcare services. Conclusion: This study found the evidence of external medical service use among Chungcheongnam-do patients. Further study should be conducted taking into account variables including satisfaction of local medical services, different types of patient diseases, and others. The study's findings may serve as a foundation for policy proposals aimed at ensuring the financial stability of our health insurance system, ensuring the efficient delivery of medical care, and localization of medical care.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.271-281
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• 2024

Background: The unmet healthcare needs (UHNs) of people with disabilities (PWD) are not only detrimental to their quality of life but also can lead to serious health outcomes including death. A variety of factors including socioeconomic, personal, and environmental factors affect UHNs for PWD. Previous studies focused on individual socioeconomic and disability characteristics as influencing factors. Our studies included environmental factors that have a significant impact on the use of healthcare service by PWD. Methods: We analyzed the UHNs status and influencing factors among 4,326 adults with disabilities using the Korea Disability Life Data. Chisquare analysis identified differences in UHNs by general, disability, and environmental characteristics. Logistic regression determined factors affecting UHNs. Results: Those with low educational level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.229; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.024-1.475), those with low income level (aOR, 1.416; 95% CI, 1.015-1.976), those who enrolled in private insurance (aOR, 1.234; 95% CI, 1.018-1.496), those who need help with daily living (aOR, 1.298; 95% CI, 1.059-1.592), those who did not go out (OR, 1.566; 95% CI, 1.274-1.924), those who use taxis (aOR, 1.407; 95% CI, 1.047-1.891) or call taxi for people with disabilities when going to the hospital (aOR, 1.370; 95% CI, 1.001-1.875), the communication disabled (aOR, 1.304; 95% CI, 1.029-1.651), those with poor subjective health status (aOR, 1.248; 95% CI, 1.043-1.494), those who felt the explanation of treatment results was insufficient (aOR, 4.035; 95% CI, 1.365-11.927), hose dissatisfied with healthcare services (aOR, 3.515; 95% CI, 2.741-4.508) were more likely to experience UHNs. Conclusion: Effective healthcare service provision for PWD requires not only financial assistance but also social support, along with education for healthcare staff, policies that consider the characteristics of disabilities.