• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.830-838
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• 1996

The purpose of this study were to : a) examine the current foodservice management practices by different types of elder-care sites, b)evaluate the attitudes of recipients of meal service programs, and c) provide feedback for the efficient and effective foodservice management of elder-care sites in Korea. A total of 91 elderly congregate sites was analyzed in Survey 1 and opinons of 190 recipients were surveyed in Survey 2. According to the result of meal cost analysis, the meal cost per a day was ranged from ￦728 to ￦5,500. Only 16.5% elder-care sites had one dietitian due to the lack of budges and the isolated geographical location of sites. These results suggested that financial and dystematical supports by the government would be very necessary to meet the goal of nutritional-balanced meal services at congregate sites. The survey results of recipients at sites, the mean of meal satisfaction score was rated 3.63 at the five-point scales. Significante differences were found between dependent variables(food, convenience, atmospere, menu, facility, and service) and independent variables(site type, gender, living years at sites, and health status). Thus, foodservice managers must consider characteristics of participants for menu planning, service, and distribution.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.146-159
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• 1994

The conecpt of hospice care for the terminally ill is a development of relatively modern times, although it has its origins in antiquity. The hospice will be able to handle progressively more and more patient, to the limit of its resources. The purposes of this study were to review of demand and issues of the hospice care programes and to recommand the hospice care approaches in south Korea that using the book-review method. At this point, although at present there is a general unawareness of hospice throughout Korean society, the public will become gradually aware of hospice. This will thus aid the development of hospices. Awareness will come about because of the educational efforts of medical schools, nursing schools, allied health training programs, practicing hospice care giver, universities, and others interested in hospice education. At present, there are many issues of the hospice care program that are hospice resources problems of manpower, facilities, finances, and cost of hospice services, quality of care, and ethics. Additional studies are needed to determine the most efficacious organizational hospice models for varying conditions. They will insist upon reasonable regulatory agency regulations that will promote the hospice idea and. permit adequate remuneration for services provided. More research is needed on health professionals', patients', and others' attitudes towards death.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.82-90
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• 2008

Recent shortening of hospitalization has partly led to the transition of health care services from hospitals to communities in cardiovascular (CVD) care. Home healthcare nursing is an alternative modality of care for chronically ill CVD patients. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been redefined as a "secondary prevention center", consisting of: patient assessment; nutritional counseling; blood pressure and diabetes management; tobacco cessation; psychosocial management; and physical activity counseling. Improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a major goal of the CR that integrates physical, psychological and social dimensions of care. The review of evidence on effects of CR on HRQOL may allow home healthcare nurses to provide better comprehensive care for CVD patients. There is evidence on beneficial effects of CR on HRQOL in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) as well as patients with chronic heart failure. Specifically, home-based CR, which is more cost-effective than hospital-based CR, has been reported to produce comparable improvements in HRQOL with hospital-based CR in MI patients. In conclusion, a newly-designed, home-based CR may be required to be applied to Korean home healthcare nursing system for improving HRQOL.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine and compare satisfaction with Korean health care services for Americans, Chinese and Russians who resided in Korea. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 252 participants (81 Americans, 89 Chinese, 82 Russians). Three focus group interviews were subsequently conducted in order to obtain a greater understanding of participants' experience and perspectives. Results: The average satisfaction score was 3.09, with Americans and Russians showing significantly higher scores than Chinese. Overall, participants reported higher satisfaction in 'Facility', 'Quality of care' and 'Nursing services' as opposed to 'Information/education'. 'Care with cultural respect' as well as communication related services. Data from the focus group interviews were categorized into 12 sub-categories, 7 categories and 2 themes. The two themes were common experience and contrasting experience. Common experience included 4 categories, 'Quality of care', 'Hospital facility and health care system', 'Language barrier' and 'Information and education'. Contrasting experience included 3 categories, 'Medical cost', 'Health care personnel' and 'Accessibility'. Conclusion: Results of this study provide basic knowledge on foreign residents' satisfaction and experience with Korean health care services. Further research is needed with foreigners from different cultural backgrounds. Administrative and educational efforts are required to improve communication skills and cultural competency.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.444-455
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• 2002

Purpose: This study was performed to develop the case management program that can provide the qualitative health care service to satisfy the increasing needs for health care elderly and prevent the increase in medical cost cased by prolonged and repetitive hospitalization. Method: The survey was completed as follows. First, 290 elderly patients who would be soon discharged in 4 hospitals are participated in the survey on needs of nursing care and case management programs. Second, 70 professionals working at 5 hospitals including doctors, nurses, social workers and so on are participated in the survey on the case management team operation. Result: Level of needs to Nursing care and case management programs showed so high. Professionals suggested on the case management team operation. Finally, based on the survey and literature review, the case management program was developed. Conclusion: In this study, the specific models for the five case management services were suggested. It is thought that the service provision by the case management team based on the multi-disciplinary case management program model suggested in this study would be suggested as a constituent of the effective health care delivery system for the hospitalized elderly patients.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.4 s.28
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• pp.542-554
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• 1989

The skyrocketing inflation of medical costs has become a major health problem among most developed countries. Korea, which recently covered the entire population with National Health Insurance, is facing the same problem. The proportion of health expenditure to GNP has increased from 3% to 4.8% during the last decade. This was remarkable, if we consider the rapid economic growth during that time. A few policy analysts began to raise cost containment as an agenda, after recognizing the importance of medical cost inflation. In order to Prepare an appropriate alternative for the agenda, it is necessary to find out reasons for the cost inflation. Then, we should focus on the reasons which are controllable, and those whose control are socially desirable. This study is designed to articulate the theory of medical cost inflation through literature reviews, to find out reasons for cost inflation, by analyzing aggregated data with a deterministic model. Finally to identify determinants of changes in both medical demand and service intensity which are major reasons for cost inflation. The reasons for cost inflation are classified into cost push inflation and demand pull inflation, The former consists of increases in price and intensity of services, while the latter is made of consumer derived demand and supplier induced demand. We used a time series (1983-1987), and cross sectional (over regions) data of health insurance. The deterministic model reveals, that an increase in service intensity is a major cause of inflation in the case of inpatient care, while, more utilization, is a primary attribute in the case of physician visits. Multiple regression analysis shows that an increase in hospital beds is a leading explanatory variable for the increase in hospital care. It also reveals, that an introduction of a deductible clause, an increase in hospital beds and degree of urbanization, are statistically significant variables explaining physician visits. The results are consistent with the existing theory, The magnitude of service intensity is influenced by the level of co-payment, the proportion of old age and an increase in co-payment. In short, an increase in co-payment reduced the utilization, but it induced more intensities or services. We can conclude that the strict fee regulation or increase in the level of co-payment can not be an effective measure for cost containment under the fee for service system. Because the provider can react against the regulation by inducing more services.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.29-46
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• 2006

Purpose: Since 1994, Asian Health Services, the Korean American Community Advisory Board, and the Center for Family and Community Health (University of California at Berkeley) have conducted periodic, population-based surveys on Korean American community health in Alameda County, California. The present study examines changes in health care access and utilization between 1994 and 2002 among Korean American adults in Alameda County, California. Method: We reanalyzed data from the 1994 and 2002 Korean Health Surveys. The primary variables of interest, health care access and utilization, were operationalized in terms of health insurance coverage, routine check-ups, a usual source of health care and reported barriers to health care. The frequency distribution of each indicator was calculated and its standard error was estimated using SUDAAN. The differences between 1994 and 2002 were examined with chi-square test. Results: Compared to 1994, Korean Americans in Alameda County were more likely to have health insurance coverage in 2002 (74.0% vs. 82.7%). Korean Americans in Alameda County were more likely to have received a recent (prior two years) routine health checkup in 2002 (50.4% vs. 57.2%). Health checkups increased over time for males, for adults with more than 12 years of education, and for employed adults. Also, compared to 1994, employed adults were more likely to have a usual source of health care in 2002 (66.5% vs. 78.4%). In both 1994 and 2002, high cost (58.0% vs. 47.8%) was the most commonly cited barrier to health care, and the next most frequently cited barriers were language (29.2% vs. 27.7%) and no time (29.2% vs. 30.3%). Conclusion: To improve health care utilization and health conditions, it is important to investigate factors related to health care and to monitor changing trends. Ongoing surveillance of health-related factors can contribute to the development of health education programs to reduce morbidity and mortality due to chronic disease, and thereby lead to improvements in health status among Korean Americans.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.36-46
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to find a way to effectively introduce accreditation for ambulatory health care organization by identifying the physicians' attitude for accreditation and characteristics that affect thei r attitude. Methods: A web survey was conducted from February 15 to March 4, 2011 for 183 physicians who work in ambulatory health care organizations throughout the nation. Self-reported questionnaire was used for this study. SPSS WIN(version 12.0) was utilized for statistical analysis. Results: Physician's attitude towards accreditation for ambulatory health care organization was positive(25.7%), moderate(39.3%), and negative(35.0%). Clinics that practice as a group or which treat more patients per day showed more positive attitude(p<0.05). The result of ordinal regression analysis indicates the groups with daily patients over 100 showed 36.3 times more positive attitude than the one under 75(p<0.05). Conclusion: The accreditation for ambulatory health care organization has not been throughly discussed yet. Many physicians did not have knowledge about accreditation. Clinics that see more patients per day had more positive attitude for accreditation. It indicates the cost may play important role in voluntary participation in accreditation.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was to ascertain whether there are differences in health care utilization and expenditure for Type I Medical Aid Beneficiaries before and after applying Copayment. Methods: This study was one-group pretest posttest design study using secondary data analysis. Data for pretest group were collected from claims data of the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation and data for posttest group were collected through door to-door interviews using a structured questionnaire. A total of 1,364 subjects were sampled systematically from medical aid beneficiaries who had applied for copayment during the period from December 12, 2007 to September 25, 2008. Results: There was no negative effect of copayment on accessibility to medical services, medication adherence (p=.94), and quality of life (p=.25). Some of the subjects' health behaviors even increased preferably after applying for copayment including flu prevention (p<.001), health care examination (p=.035), and cancer screening (p=.002). However, significant suppressive effects of copayment were found on outpatient hospital visiting days (p<.001) and outpatient medical expenditure (p<.001). Conclusion: Copayment does not seem to be a great influencing factor on beneficiaries' accessibility to medical services and their health behavior even though it has suppressive effects on outpatients' use of health care.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.101-110
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• 2011

Objectives: Screening for colorectal cancer is considered cost effective, but is underutilized in the U.S. Information on the efficiency of "tailored interventions" to promote colorectal cancer screening in primary care settings is limited. The paper reports the results of a cost effectiveness analysis that compared a survey-only control group to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) web-based intervention (screen for life) and to a tailored interactive computer-based intervention. Methods: A randomized controlled trial of people 50 and over, was conducted to test the interventions. The sample was 1224 partcipants 50-70 years of age, recruited from Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, a large multi-specialty clinic in Houston, Texas. Screening status was obtained by medical chart review after a 12-month follow-up period. An "intention to treat" analysis and micro costing from the patient and provider perspectives were used to estimate the costs and effects. Analysis of statistical uncertainty was conducted using nonparametric bootstrapping. Results: The estimated cost of implementing the web-based intervention was $40 per person and the cost of the tailored intervention was $45 per person. The additional cost per person screened for the web-based intervention compared to no intervention was $2602 and the tailored intervention was no more effective than the web-based strategy. Conclusions: The tailored intervention was less cost-effective than the web-based intervention for colorectal cancer screening promotion. The web-based intervention was less cost-effective than previous studies of in-reach colorectal cancer screening promotion. Researchers need to continue developing and evaluating the effectiveness and costeffectiveness of interventions to increase colorectal cancer screening.