• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.112-116
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• 2022

Background/Aims: The Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS) is a large-scale longitudinal study of occupational safety and health data (covering Work Environment Monitoring, Workers' Health Surveillance, and Occupational Health Service) conducted by the Gachon University Gil Medical Center (GUGMC) in Incheon, Republic of Korea. We conducted GROCS to identify the health effects of workers' occupational risks, behavior, socioeconomic status, and life style. Methods: The GROCS includes data from Work Environment Monitoring, Workers' Health Surveillance, and Occupational Health Service. The baseline year for all data collection was 2018. Work Environment Monitoring was conducted in 240 companies located in Incheon. General Health Examination and Special Health Examination were performed on 32,725 and 9,504 workers, respectively. Occupational Health Services were provided to 16,883 workers in 171 companies. These data have been collected and operated at an external data management institution and were provided as a retrospective cohort after removing personal identification information. Results: In 2018, the total number of companies was 2,854, among which which 488 special Health Examination, 171 Work Environment Monitoring, and 240 Occupational Health Service. The proportion of companies undergoing Special Health Examination was 17.1%, the proportion of companies undergoing Work Environment Monitoring was 8.4%, and the proportion of Companies undergoing Occupational Health Service was 6.0%. Conclusion: GROCS expects researchers to utilize its useful and reliable resource for occupational health and surveillance with for academic or political purposes to lead to improved workers' health and working environment.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.32-45
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• 1992

An important role of community health nurses in health centers is to solve community health problems found through data collection methodology which has been used to identify the health needs of the community, diagnose the health problems and to plan health programs suitable for the health problems. Also community health nurses must be prepared to know the community health needs and to participate in the planning process. Since 1956 when the health center law was established, community health nurses have really implemented only the services which the government has asked them to do. This has kept them busy enough. But these days as society is in rapid change, community health nurses should have the flexibility to deal with the social change and demands that are unique to their community each which has different health needs and demands. So community health nurses need to identify what community health problems exist in their particular communities. The purposes of this study were as follows. 1) To explore the suitability of the health programs which the government has asked the community health nurses to do for their own communities and if these programs are not suitable, to explore the reasons why. 2) To explore the degree to which the community health nurses have the ability to identify health problems in their own communities and activate the community diagnostic process. 3) To identify the degree that the community health nurses have the ability to implement plans related to community diagnosis. 4) To find out how much data related to community health problems, the community health nurses have and how they are utilizing it. 5) To measure the community health nurses self-confidence concerning diagnostic activities for community health. The study subjects were 454 Community Health Nurses working in Health Centers in Seoul, Korea. The period of data collection was 6 days(Nov. 9th 1991-Nov. 15th 1991). A questionnaire used for data collection was composed of three different items; general characteristics, community health diagnostic activities and self-confidence in performing diagnostic activities. The results of the study are as follows. First, over one third of the respondents replied that the government required activities for their communities are not appropriate. Of these activities the most frequent reply $(51.2\%)$ indicated that many of the activities in the community were inappropriate to the actual situation. Further, $25\%$ of the replies indicated that many activities were only administratively oriented and as such not appropriate. Second, $49.8\%$ of the respondents replied that they had done general assessments and had a general idea of the health problems of their community. Effective solutions to health problems could be found with an increase in health personnel and management ability according to $41.5\%$ of the respondents. Third, to the question as to whether they had ever independently implemented a plan towards solving community diagnosed problems, $52\%$ of nurses replied 'never', $40\%$ 'occasionally' but only $7.5\%$ replied that they did it frequently. Actually there was very little done even in the basic work of collecting the necessary data. Fourth, when asked how much of basic information they had collected that might be used in community diagnosis activity, of 26 items in 5 areas, there was hardly one for which complete data had been collected. Fifteen percent did have data on the geographical aspects of their area, housing distribution and types of housing, while $17.8\%$ knew the frequency with which the health center was used. Concerning community resources, even with a list of community resources, only $12.3\%$ had data on any of these resources, and this data was incomplete. Further, information about social work institutions, and facilities was also incomplete, only $14.2\%$ of the respondents had any data and even it was incomplete; that is, in general, the nurses did not have this information. Fifth, concerning the confidence of the community health nurse in their ability to carry out community diagnoses activities, $60\%$ replied that they were very or at least nominally confident, indicating that although they were not doing community diagnostic activities they felt they could do so, as they were carrying out home visits and program planning as part of their official duties. The following recommendations are made based on the results of this study. First; since the community health nurses have a high perception of the need for community diagnostic activities and. high confidence in their ability to carry out this activity and high percentage of respondents replied that with a little training they could do this even better it is recommended that community diagnostic activity training be included in the continuing education program for community health nurses. Second, in order for the Community Health Nurses to successfully solve the health problems of their respective community they reported to a need to increase the number of health personnel, improve the facilities and the system of managing their work. Considering this, it is recommended that ways be sought to remedy these deficits.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6163-6168
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• 2012

Although much health services research has been conducted using national health insurance claims data in Korea, the validity of this method has not been ascertained. The objective of this study was to validate the use of claims data for health services research by comparing incidence rate of cancers found using insurance claims data against rates of the national cancer registry of Korea. An algorithm to estimate incidence rates using claims data was developed and applied. The claims data from 2005-2008 were acquired and the patients admitted to hospitals due to cancer in 2008 without admission to hospital from 2005-2007 by the same diagnosis code were regarded as incident cases. The acquired results were compared with the values from the National Cancer Registry of Korea. The incidence rate of all cancers found using claims data was 363.1 per 100,000 people, which is very similar to the 361.9 per 100,000 rate of the national cancer registry. Also the age-, gender- and disease-specific rates between the two data sources were similar. Therefore, national health insurance claims data may be a worthwhile resource for health services research if appropriate algorithms are applied, especially considering the cost effectiveness of this method.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.118-128
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to investigate the affecting factors according to gender in older adults by using the 2012 Korea Health Panel data. Methods: The Korea Health Panel data 2012 were collected from February to August 2012 by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and National Health Insurance Corporation and the number of respondents were 1,921. The data were analyzed by t-test, chi-square, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression using SPSS/WIN program. Results: The limitation of activity was the most influential factor for health-related quality of life of both male and female. For male, the affecting factors on HRQoL were hearing problems and frustration. For female, the affecting factors on HRQoL were eating problems, depression and suicidal impulses. Drinking, moderate physical activities, vision problems and stress had a significant effect on HRQoL for both male and female. Conclusion: Health care providers should consider the differences between male and female when they design a program in order to improve HRQoL of older people.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.335-345
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• 2013

Objectives: As the suspicion was raised that 'Agent Orange' was reclaimed 30 years ago at Camp Carol, located in Waegwan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the government conducted an investigation of the influence of environmental and health effects around Camp Carol through a public-private joint investigation team. As part of the investigation of population health effects, this study was carried out in order to observe changes and regional differences in diseases, particularly cancer, by year. Methods: We authors conducted an analysis of secondary health data, such as cancer registration data, mortality data, and health insurance data. We drew an age standardized incidence ratio (SIR), death rate (SDR), mortality ratio (SMR), and health care utilization rate using these data. Results: For gastric cancer in women, and other cancers in men, a significant increase in incidence was observed compared to the control area. For biliary tract cancer, gallbladder cancer, and thyroid cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men, a significant decrease in incidence was observed compared to the control area. In the national statistical analysis of data, such as health insurance data and mortality data, we did not observe a significant increase at the Waegwan region compared to other regions. Conclusions: We must consider the limitations of this study. Because thirty years have passed from the time of the estimated landfill of 'Agent Orange', recent national statistical data may not reflect the past real situation. Therefore, the monitoring of secondary data for health effects at the municipal level should be carried out continuously.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.132-141
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to supply basic data for a health promoting program and to elevate the level of it by examining whether university students' health promoting behaviors were related to health perception, health concept, self- esteem, perceived benefits of action, perceived barriers of action, perceived self-efficacy, activity-related affect, social support, preference, prior related behavior, and a plan for action. Method: Subjects were 192 university students in K city. Data collection method was a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and stepwise multiple regression. Result: The most powerful predictor was previous related behavior (36%). Altogether previous related behavior, health status, a plan for action, perceived self-efficacy and number of admissions were proven to account for 57% of health promoting behaviors. Conclusion: It suggested that prior related behavior, health status, a plan for action, perceived self-efficacy, and number of admissions should be considered when developing a students' health promoting program.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.414-425
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of psychosocial wellbeing status and self efficacy on health-promoting behavior of nursing students, and to explore the experiences related to health-promoting behavior. Methods: For this study, an explanatory sequential mixed method design approach was used with survey data collected from 148 nursing students. In addition, qualitative data for exploration of health-promoting behavior experience were collected from three focus-group interviews of 17 participants. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 25.0 and qualitative data were analyzed by making contents analysis with Nvivo 12.0. Results: The results showed that psychosocial wellbeing status, self efficacy, grade, and regularity meal explained 43.0% of the variance in health-promoting behavior. And seven themes from the collected significant statements about experience of health-promoting behavior included the daily life going on without delay; changes in body which is felt; recognizing the necessity of health care; making efforts to increase physical activities; revising eating habit; looking for the way to relieve stress; and attempting to divert my thoughts. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to develop and verify health program in order to improve nursing students' health-promoting behavior. And university authorities and government should make an effort to improve nursing students' health-promoting behavior.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changing process of work activities of community health practitioners in medically vulnerable areas. Methods: For the study an historical research method was used, based on literature data and collected literature data related to the work of community health practitioners from 1940 to 2013. Results: There were 45 records according to the literature data about the work activities of the practitioners. Analysis of the process of work activities by time period was based on the historical records: first, the introduction period (1940~1980) saw the "community health practitioners begin their work activities"; second, the development period (1981~1997) involved "provision of comprehensive health and medical service"; third, the stagnation period (1998~2005) characterized by "attempts at new role changes in a crisis"; fourth, the expansion period (2006~2011) "focused on the work of health promotion"; and finally, the stable period (2012~the present) observed "work activities of community health practitioners recognized." Conclusion: Results showed five topics in the process of work activities of community health practitioners by time period. The results offer basic data to investigate work activities of these practitioners and enable discussions about the future of community healthcare.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.137-146
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive function decline by socio-demographic and health-related characteristics (health behaviors and health status) using 5th Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging panel data. Methods: The subjects were 4,440 community-dwelling people aged over 57 years. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, χ²-test, and binary logistic regression analysis using SPSS ver. 25.0. Results: The findings revealed that socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, area of residence, educational level, marital status, number of children, number of grand-children) and health-related characteristics (smoking, drinking, regular exercise, weight category by body mass index, hypertension and diabetes mellitus) were factors that influenced cognitive function decline (p<.05). Conclusions: Cognitive function decline was closely related to health behaviors and disease types. Future studies must examine related constructs to accurately determine these relationships among various populations. The present study could be used as a tool for the development and implementation of health promotion and prevention strategies.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.246-249
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• 2017

Health-care workers are at risk of exposure to occupational infections with subsequent risk of contracting diseases, disability, and even death. A systematic collection of occupational disease data is useful for monitoring current trends in work situations and disease exposures; however, these data are usually limited due to under-reporting. The objective of this study was to review literature related to knowledge, risk perceptions, and practices regarding occupational exposures to infectious diseases in Malaysian health-care settings, in particular regarding blood-borne infections, universal precautions, use of personal protective equipment, and clinical waste management. The data are useful for determining improvements in knowledge and risk perceptions among health-care workers with developments of health policies and essential interventions for prevention and control of occupational diseases.