• Korean Public Health Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.51-65
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• 2018

Objective : Smoking can increase the risk of secondary conditions for people with disabilities, which can in turn counteract primary disorders and exacerbate existing disorders. More active interventions for smoking cessation are necessary for people with disabilities because the physical condition of people with disabilities is more vulnerable, and risk factors such as smoking, drinking, obesity, and stress can have a decisive influence on people with disabilities compared to non-disabled people. Methods : In this study, the subjects who participated in National Health and Nutrition Survey of 2013 were those aged over 19 and smoker. The final 299 people with disability and 4,260 people without disability were analyzed. Results : Current smoking rate was 21.5% of non-disabled people and 21.4% of disabled people respectively. Factors influencing the current smoking rate of the disabled people were analyzed by type of household, economic status, home ownership, drinking, binge drinking, activity limit. Conclusions : In order to reduce socioeconomic inequalities of smoking and to actively intervene with the disabled, there need a new approach strategy focusing on people with disabilities.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.49 no.sup1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2016

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the concentration of cardiovascular surgical procedures in a metropolitan area and investigate the perception of specialists regarding governmental policies to resolve this imbalance. Methods: From March to May 2015, surveys were distributed to members of the Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Association. The final pool of research subjects consisted of 75 respondents. Subjects were queried regarding the concentration of cardiovascular operations in metropolitan areas, alternatives to the imbalance, and governmental policies to resolve the inequalities. Results: Survey participants responded that South Korea needs governmental policies to alleviate the concentration of cardiovascular surgery patients in large metropolitan hospitals. Participants agreed that the freedom to choose medical institutions and improved accessibility to metropolitan hospitals due to advanced transportation systems were some of the causes for the concentration. A majority (98.7%) of respondents thought establishing thoracic and cardiovascular surgery centers in provinces was an appropriate solution to alleviate the concentration. Thoracic and cardiovascular surgery specialists were ranked as the number one group on which to focus development. Conclusion: Developing and carrying out policies to establish thoracic and cardiovascular surgery centers in provinces will alleviate the regional imbalance in available heart surgery services and an overall improvement in cardiovascular disease treatment in South Korea.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.603-615
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• 2022

Assessing the health of international migrants is crucial in the Republic of Korea, Asia, and even worldwide. We compared the risk factors for non-communicable diseases among Asian migrants in Korea and the Korean population. This cross-sectional (2015) and longitudinal (2009-2015) observational study comprised a population-wide analysis spanning 2009 to 2015. Asian migrants (n=987,214) in Korea and Korean nationals (n=1,693,281) aged ≥20 were included. The Asian migrants were classified as Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, and other. The prevalence of risk factors for non-communicable diseases (current smoking, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension) were analyzed. Regarding the age-adjusted prevalence, direct age standardization was conducted separately by sex using 10-year age bands; the World Standard Population was used as the standard population. Among the participants aged ≥20, the age-adjusted prevalence of current smoking was higher among Chinese and other Asian migrant men than among Korean men and women (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was higher among Chinese, Filipino, and other Asian migrant women than in Korean women (p<0.001, p=0.002, and p<0.001, respectively). Among the participants aged 20-49, the age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension was higher in Filipino migrant women than in Korean women (p=0.009 and p<0.001, respectively). Current rates of smoking and obesity were worse among Asian migrants of specific nationalities than among native Koreans. The health inequalities among Filipino migrant women in Korea, especially those aged 20-49, should be addressed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.59
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• pp.115-150
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the current status of the Dream Start program from the perspective of social investment strategy, and as well as to suggest future directions. The program has become a major government welfare program in korea since it was introduced in 2007 as a demonstration project, following research evidence and a sound rationale about the extensive success of Head Start in the U.S. and Sure Start Programme in the UK. The aim of Dream Start is to provide integrated services for the vulnerable children, aged 0 to 12, and their families who are identified using a national administration data record of disadvantaged families with children. In order to promote the vulnerable child's well-being, to overcome inequalities, and to give every child the best start in life, Dream Start adopted a local, "whole family" approach. Case management services form an essential part of the Dream Start to customize and integrate comprehensive services such as counseling, health care, parenting advice and education, academic tutoring, and after-school activities. Although there has been a general improvement in key factors since its inception, Dream Start has not yet sufficiently shown the strong and hoped-for impact. In the meantime, Dream Start must be given financial expansion and extensive policy supports to get the chance of realizing and evaluating long-term gains for children and their families. More work need to be done to overcome inequalities and to make Dream Start service more accessible for the most disadvantaged families with children in Korea. Practical and policy suggestions for future directions of the Dream Start programs were discussed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.435-445
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• 2017

This study was conducted to overcome the limitations of prior research on the equity of medical care performed by identifying simple differences in the use of medical care or using limited medical needs and medical utilization indicators. Specifically, we used activity limits, chronic diseases, and subjective health status as medical needs, and used outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services as medical uses. In addition, we used concentration index, concentration curve, and Le Grand factor to analyze the equity of medical use considering medical needs. The main results are as follows. First, the amount of medical care for the low-income class is higher than that of the high-income class when considering the concentration of medical use. In particular, the number of hospitalization days for low-income households and hospitalization fees were higher than the fees of outpatient medical consultation and emergency room usage. Second, medical needs were concentrated in the low income class. In other words, low-income group is not as healthy as the high-income group. Third, the Le Grand factor was calculated in order to confirm the fairness of the medical uses considering the medical needs. Even if medical needs are taken into consideration, the high-income earners will have a large amount of medical care. In addition, when considering the limitation of activity and the number of chronic diseases, the medical use of the high income class was more frequent. However, when the subjective health condition and the chronic illness were considered, medical use of the low income class was more frequent. This may be due to the underestimation of the medical needs of the low-income earners by neglecting their own health status and perception of chronic diseases.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to discover the changes in obesity prevalence and dietary habits in Korean adults residing in various residential areas during the last 10 years. Methods: Data on Korean adults aged 19 years and above was obtained from the 4th (2007-2009) and the 7th (2016-2018) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The subjects were classified into metropolitan (4th: n=5,977, 7th: n=6,651), urban (4th: n=4,511, 7th: n=5,512) and rural (4th: n=3,566, 7th: n=2,570) based on their residence. The general characteristics, nutrient intake, intake amount, food groups, and healthy dietary factors were analyzed. The association between residential areas and obesity prevalence were analyzed by multiple logistic regression. Results: In urban and rural areas, the obesity rate increased in the 7th survey compared to the 4th survey, excluding the metropolitan area. The carbohydrate intake decreased, and lipid intake increased in the 7th survey compared to the 4th survey. Over the same period, the intake of cereals and vegetables decreased, and the intake of meat and processed foods increased. Rural residents had a higher intake of cereals and vegetables, and a lower intake of milk and processed foods than those in metropolitan areas and urban residents. The proportion of subjects who practiced a healthy diet increased in the 7th survey compared to the 4th survey. In the 4th survey, there was no relationship seen between the prevalence of obesity and the subject's residential area, but in the 7th survey, the odds ratio of obesity was higher in rural areas than in the metropolitan areas, confirming the regional gap (OR: 1.16, 95% CI=1.00-1.36, P=0.044). Conclusions: This study showed that the obesity prevalence increased in rural residents compared to metropolitan residents, indicating a gap between the regions. The nutrient intake and intake of food groups changed in the 10 years under consideration, and there were differences seen between regions. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate a policy that will reduce obesity prevalence and health inequalities between regions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.78-90
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to explore the direction of developing policies for parks and green spaces for inclusive urban planning and regeneration. By reviewing the status, budget, and laws pertaining to urban parks in Korea, as well as assessing the inclusivity of urban parks, this study revealed the problems and limitations in Korea as follows. First, the urban park system, which takes into account indicators such as park area per capita and green space ratio, is focused only on quantitative expansion. Second, the distribution of urban parks is unequal; hence, the higher the number of vulnerable residents, the lower the quality of urban parks and green spaces. Moreover, this study focused on the UK central government, along with the five local governments, including London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, and Liverpool. Through an analysis of the contexts and contents establishing UK park and green space policies that can reduce socioeconomic inequalities while at the same time increase inclusiveness. This study discovered the following. The government's awareness of the necessity of tackling socioeconomic inequalities to make an inclusive society, the change in the urban regeneration policies from physical redevelopment to neighborhood renewal, and the survey and research on the correlation of parks and green spaces, inequality, health, and well-being provided the background for policy establishment. As a result, the creation of an inclusive society has been reflected in the stated goals of the UK's national plan and the strategies for park and green space supply and qualitative improvement. Deprived areas and vulnerable groups have been included in many local governments' park and green space policies. Also, tools for analyzing deficiencies in parks and methods for examining the qualitative evaluation of parks were developed. Besides, for the sustainability of each project, various funding programs have been set up, such as raising funds and fund-matching schemes. Different ways of supporting partnerships have been arranged, such as the establishment of collaborative bodies for government organizations, allowing for the participation of private organizations. The study results suggested five policy schemes, including conducting research on inequality and inclusiveness for parks and green spaces, developing strategies for improving the quality of park services, identifying tools for analyzing policy areas, developing park project models for urban regeneration, and building partnerships and establishing support systems.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.177-217
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• 2018

This study examines the case of living lab applied in the R&D initiatives for solving societal problems and challenges. It discusses how to use the living lab in national R&D projects. The analyzed cases are 'Develop portable fundus camera for eye disease screening test to resolve health inequalities' and 'Auto-sensing integrated system development in rural pedestrian crosswalk'. As a result of the analysis, both cases were designed as a user participatory R&D structure by utilizing living lab. In other words, living lab has operated as a system that evolves technology-products-services into an infrastructure. It can realize final demand specification, product, service improvement and demonstration through continuous interaction of end users. As a result of the case analysis, the following policy tasks can be derived. First, living lab is a new concept and it is in the early stage of implementation in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and evaluate living lab experiments and build suitable models for Korean society by sharing cases and achievements. Second, the strategic niche management are necessary for the introduction of living lab. Third, living lab can be used as a tool to transform the existing technology acquisition centered innovation policy to the policy for customer needs and problem solving. Fourth, there is a need for flexibility and adaptability in strategy and system to correct errors that appear in the living lab processes.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.57-77
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• 2001

The Honam region has been recognized as one of the most lagging regions in Korea. Drawing upon some decompositions oi Gross Regional Domestic Product(GRDP) per head and labor productivity, the overall trend of inequalities in Korea has been revealed and the trajectory of the Honam region's economic change has been identified by examining how the region's economic performance changed relative to that of Korea in the 1990s. There are some findings. First of all, Korea is characterized by strong divergence in the development of its region economies, in terms o\ulcorner per capita GRDP, which relies upon productivity differentials rather than differences in employment rates. Second, the Honam region has displayed poor economic performances in terms of GRDP per head except for Jeonnam. Third, the dramatic fall in cumulative population growth relative to the national average has been an important factor in the Jeonnam's overwhelming economic performance measured by per capita GRDP. Fourth, the decline in the relative productivity of the Honam region is mostly explained by falling relative regional productivity growth in construction, transport and manufacturing, although it should be noted that the latter sector has made positive contribution to raising relative regional productivity of Jeonnam. Fifth, overall the shift in employment to service sector, especially to social, personal, public, health, education, other services other than distribution, hotels, catering has tended to support relative regional productivities, along with the positive contribution being made oi agriculture, forestry and fishing to relative regional productivity growth in the Honam region.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.21-51
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• 2018

This article takes several approaches in explaining recent developments in Vietnam. First, it draws upon an array of sources that idealize Vietnam's embrace of capitalism and integration into the global market in order to sketch out its economy's progress in 2017. Second, it observes, evaluates, and diagnoses recent changes in the Vietnamese economy in the medium to long term by incorporating conflicting perspectives on Vietnam's performance as a capitalist country. Third, this article traces the power shifts that have risen from internal struggles in the Communist Party over political and social issues. Fourth, it elaborates on the aforementioned impact that foreign relations have had on socio-political developments in Vietnam, as well as the government's response. In so doing, it also attempts to evaluate, however briefly, the significance of the 25th anniversary of South Korea-Vietnam relations. Finally, it examines the public's reaction to the post-reform transitions in light of recent sociocultural changes. 2017 was a memorable year for Vietnam: a continuous march toward capitalism; the resulting expansion of the Vietnamese people's demands; political controversies and government control; the looming instability of United States-China relations and various attempts to address the situation. These events will inevitably replicate themselves in the future as the ostensibly socialist Vietnam adopts a capitalist model. The problem is that it is unclear whether these experiences will continue with the consent of the people of socialist Vietnam or engender resistance. It is difficult to achieve meaningful consent in the status quo of worsening inequalities, widespread corruption, monopoly on power, and sustained use of unskilled low-wage workers. In other words, when concerns such as welfare, public health, and the environment are set aside in favor of economic development and commercialization as they have been, discontent, rather than consent, will prevail. It is thus important to keep a watchful eye on the viability of the nominal economic growth, surface-level political stability, and strategic responses to foreign relations that took place in 2017.