• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.131-152
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• 2001

Public health system and public health practice have changed over the past decades as the result of social and epidemiologic changes. New public health concept emphasizes leadership, strategical thinking, systematic planning and effective performance to identify and solve complex health problem In Korea, the role of Health Center has been expanded rapidly. However there is strong suspicion that Health Center can achieve their mission. This paper aims at understanding what is the needed functions of Health Center and which of its aspects needs improvement. The main results of this study are summarizes as follows. District Health Law does not address the core functions of Health Center. The staffs of Health Center have difficulties in prioritizing their services. The recent attempt to restructure Health Center and change delivery pattern of public health services ended with only limited success. To effectively confront threats to the public's health, the three major function of Health Center must be ${\circled}1$ modifying individual behavior and lifestyle, ${\circled}2$ improving social and economic conditions, and ${\circled}3$ reforming health policies. Better results do not come from setting new functions only; they come from understanding and improving the processes that will then leads to better outcome. We recommend that policy-makers focus economic evaluation of public health programs, building and spreading of the scientific evidence of programs, linkage of public health research and public health program. The criteria of delegation of public health service to private sector is urgently needed. Making community health information data available on a routine basis to providers, managers and researchers of public health services helps promote the efficiency of the overall operation of public health system.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.276-288
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• 1999

Objectives: This study was performed to determine the relationships among health concern, health practice and health status of the disabled. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey was carried out for 1,662 disabled persons in Taegu city from April to July, 1997. Results: Health concern had a significant and positive relationship with health practice(p<0.05) and health practice also had a significant and positive relationship with self-rated health status(p<0.05) in men and women. To determine the structural model of the Health concern, health practice, health status and sociodemographic variables, the covariance structural analysis was used. In men, age, economic status, medical security type, educational level and type of disability had significant direct effects on Health concern(T>2.0). Educational level and type of disability had significant direct effects on health practice(T>2.0). And Economic status, medical security type and job status had significant direct effects on health status(T>2.0). In women, economic status and educational level had significant direct effects on Health concern(T>2.0). However there was no variable which had a significant direct effect on health practice. Job status had a significant direct effect or health status(T>2.0). In men and women, health practice was significantly increased with increasing health concern and the more health practice, the higher health status(T>2.0). Conclusions: It is recommended that the institutional approach which improve the economic status of the disabled with understanding their behavior and attitude should be established to increase health status, in addition, the health policy for encouraging the disabled, such as health education, consulting and health promotion program, should be done.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.69-82
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between general characteristics and oral health behavior, oral health knowledge, and oral health literacy for adult workers. Methods: This study chose some adult workers located D City by convenience sampling method, and accepted those who understood the purpose of the study and agreed with a survey as subjects. The final study subjects were 297 except 24 with unsound questionnaires among a total of 321 questionnaires. The contents of a survey were demographic characteristics, oral health behavior, oral health knowledge, and oral literacy, and the survey was done by a self-administered questionnaire. Results: In the verbal oral health literacy distribution based on REALM standard of the subjects, a scale of 7-8, 45-60 points by score was the highest with 62.0%. In average monthly household income and oral health knowledge level of general characteristics, oral health literacy was statistically significant, and was statistically significant according to oral health literacy, monthly income of house hold, and marital status as well, and was statistically significant in oral health knowledge and oral health literacy level according to oral health behavior and in the oral health knowledge level depending on a regular checkup. And In experience existence and nonexistence of oral health education and understanding and misunderstanding of dentistry and dental health education, and main body of the decision of dental treatment, verbal oral health literacy of oral health knowledge and oral health literacy was significant. It can be seen that based on correlation among general characteristics, oral health knowledge level, verbal oral health literacy, and functional oral health literacy, there is a correlation among gender and education level, age and average monthly income, and age and marital status. Conclusions: This study presented the need for oral health literacy along with the oral health knowledge of oral health behavior affecting adult workers' oral health, and tried to establish the connection among them. Accordingly, it is thought that an improvement plan of oral health literacy for the prevention and promotion of adult workers' dental disease in the future.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.74-90
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• 2021

Background: It is getting important to improve the oral health status of the elderly because oral health status may affect their health status of the whole body. In this respect, we aimed to explore the association of oral health status and behavior factors with self-rated health status by sex. Methods: Using the data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for health surveys and oral examinations (2016-2018), we analyzed a total of 3,070 people aged 65 or older (men: 1,329; women: 1,741). Our dependent variable, self-rated health status, was divided into two groups: not good (bad and very bad) and good (very good, good, and fair), whereas our independent variables of interest were oral health status and behavior factors. In addition to descriptive analysis and the Rao-Scott chi-square test, reflecting survey characteristics, we conducted hierarchical multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for socio-demographics and health status and behavior factors. All analyses were stratified by sex. Results: The proportion of people having 'not good' self-rated health was 36.5% in women but 24.5% in men. In a model adjusted for all covariates, the self-rated health status showed significant association with the self-rated oral health status. For example, in men, the risk of having 'not good' self-rated health was high in people having 'poor' (odds ratio [OR], 5.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.34-12.03) self-rated oral health status and in those having 'fair' (OR, 4.03; 95% CI, 1.68-9.70) in comparison with those having 'good' self-rated oral health status. Dental status regarding speaking difficulty seemed to be very important in influencing self-rated health status. For instance, in women, compared to people having 'no discomfort' speaking difficulty, the risk of having 'not good' self-rated health was high in people having 'not bad' (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.14-2.24) and 'discomfort' (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.30-2.47) speaking difficulty. The covariates significantly associated with the risk of having 'not good' self-rated health were: physical activity, chronic disease, stress, and body mass index in both sexes; health insurance type and drinking only in men; and economic activity only in women. Conclusion: Oral health status and behavioral factors were associated with self-rated health status among the elderly, differently by sex. This suggests that public health policies toward better health in the elderly should take their oral health status and oral health behaviors into account in a sex-specific way.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.125-125
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• 2003

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.22-33
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• 1991

The Korean people are all the beneficiaries of medical insurance or medical aid. It is important and needful to develop the preventive health program such as health examination and health education for disease prevention and health promotion of the beneficiaries. This paper diagnoses the status and problems of the current preventive health services to the beneficiaries and recommends how to develop the preventive health program in the medical insurance. This paper suggests that the government should strengthen the political support and supervision in order to develop the preventive health program in the medical insurance. In addition to the above suggestion, the following are recommended ; 1) to designate the large number of qualified hospitals for health examination. 2) to use the supplementary methods such as the health questionnaires in order to give the accurate health examination services. 3) to combine the health examinations by both laws of medical insurance and industrial health. 4) to arrange the manpower in charge of health education and to establish the health promotion centers. 5) to develop the effective mass media and materials for health education by use of TV, radio, VTR and slide projector.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.204-213
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop the school health indicator system for the health promotion of school children. Methods: Logic model was adopted for developing conceptual framework of school health indicator system and reviewed school health indicators developed by WHO, CDC, MEST and KCDC. Results: School health contents were classified into five area; school health policy, health promotion of school children, school health education, physical environment and community linkage. School health indicator system was developed for each area based on the logic model. Conclusion: Conceptual framework of school health indicator system was developed and school health indicator system was suggested according to the five school health areas.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.265-270
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• 2016

Public health system for more prevention-oriented health promotion rather than hospital-based curative service, focusing population rather than individual, and comprehensive health management in the local community strongly needs to be constructed to solve major issues on efficiencies and equity problems which Korean healthcare system is facing nowadays. Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and play. Medical care tries to cure those who have diseases, but public health tries not to become ill and not to be injured. Debates on how we build or rebuild public health system, which is contrasted with medical care system, are needed in Korea, focusing how needs for healthy community and right to health are fulfilled. Public health specialists for practising population health at local community level should be systematically recruited, the function of public health centers should be strengthened, and new government organization should be established for place-based health management.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.29-38
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• 2012

Objectives: This paper aims to suggest some ways we could improve the efficiency and equity in health promotion programs in the public sector. Methods: Reports published by the Minister of Health and Welfare and web-site information were reviewed. And, the empirical results and theoretical considerations provided in this study could be used in making future direction for health promotion programs in the public sector. Results and conclusion: The public sector should play a leading role in health promotion programs. The role of public sector in health promotion program is to establish the health promotion plan based on the health survey, to develop the scientific programs, to provide the free health services, and to maintain a cooperative relationship with the private sector. In order to activate the health promotion programs in the public sector, establishing the role of the public sector, changing the operation of health promotion fund, block grants for health promotion, local health promotion fund, and integration of health statistics were suggested.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.17-21
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• 2010

Objectives: This paper reviews the activities of health education specialist in public sector and the professional skills needed to perform the role. Results and Conclusion: Health education specialist is professional who educates individual, group, and community to practice voluntarily deeds beneficial to health and promotes to make healthy environment. Health education specialist works in public health center, hospital, workplace, and school to solve health problems. And also he can serve in health departments at central and local government. To do this, in addition to the basic skills health case management and health counseling skills are required. Health education specialist conducts health assessments on all aspects of life, and if necessary professional skills makes the connection. Ultimately, the main roles of health education specialist are primary health counseling related to living healthy lives and health coordinator.