• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.514-524
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between working poverty and health status among Korean workers. Methods: This study is secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2018 Community Health Survey. For the present analysis, 23,575 of the working poor whose household disposable income is below 50.0% of the national median and 111,443 of the working nonpoor were selected. Based on existing literature, a set of variables were chosen from the Community Health Survey. Health status was measured using self-rated health status measure, Patient health Questionnire-9, and EuroQol-5dimension. Results: The proportion of subjective unhealthy status, depressive symptoms, and poor quality of life were significantly higher among the working poor than among the working nonpoor. After adjusting for general characteristics and health behavior factors, the working poverty was a significant predictor of subjective unhealthy status (AOR=1.32, 95% CI=1.25~1.40), depressive symptoms (AOR=1.61, 95% CI=1.38~1.88]), and poor quality of life (β=-0.02, p<.001). Conclusion: The current study confirmed the health disparities between the working poor and the working nonpoor. Therefore, health care programs and policies are required for reducing the health inequalities among the workers.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.346-355
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was aimed to examine the effect of employment status upon the subjective health status. Methods: The data of the study were from the 11th Korean Labor Panel Data, obtained by using a face to face interview method. These data were analyzed by ANOVA, t-test and multiple regression using the SPSS program. Results: There was a significant, statistical difference on the subjective health status according to employment status. The subjective health status of non-regular workers was lower than that of the regular workers. The significant predictors of the subjective health status of all subjects were economic status, age, gender, education, marital status, drinking, employment status, and egular work time. The significant predictors of the subjective health status of workers were age, economic status, gender, and education. The significant predictors of the subjective health status of non-regular workers were age, economic status, marital status, gender, education, and regular work time. Conclusion: These results indicate an association between the subjective health status and employment status. The subjective health status may be affected by instability of temporary employment. The additional research to clarify the role of employment instability is recommended. Research on social policy to resolve health inequalities is recommended.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.168-174
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• 2021

Korea is ranked as the world's No. 1 country in its aging rate. While the interest and demand for health is rapidly increasing, the health status of the elderly is in the lowest among OECD members. Increased chronic diseases, the burden of medical costs and digital/untact changes of societies after COVID-19 have caused the direction of healthcare to be changed from treatment oriented to health care and prevention oriented, along with increased income levels and a desire for a healthy life. Amid this paradigm of change, the gap in health standards and health inequality for the elderly according to local structure and social conditions affects not only socio-economic but also the quality of life for individual senior citizen. Utilizing prior data of Aging Research Panel Survey, this study aims to compare and analyze health conditions and regional gaps which are significant influences on the satisfaction of the life of the elderly, and to suggest direction of studies for health care to provide solutions for health inequalities. The findings are intended to be a basic data for researching models of the New Normal Smart Healthcare System that bridge the health gap between the elderly and enhance life satisfaction with health care models suitable for regional characteristics in aging society.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.337-346
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• 2019

This study aimed to assess trends in the prevalence, treatment, and control of diabetes according to the socio-economic level in Korean adults aged ${\geq}30$ years, using the 2007-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Socio-economic status was assessed based on the household income. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive margins were used to evaluate the adjusted proportion of diabetes prevalence, awareness, treatment, and adequate glycemic control. During 2007-2017, the socio-economic inequalities on diabetes prevalence were observed in both men and women. However, the gradient of inequality increased only in men (p for interaction=0.034). Diabetes awareness, treatment, and control did not show socio-economic inequalities or increasing gradients in both sexes. Monitoring of these trends should be continued, and further research on effective interventions is needed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2021

Background: This study purposed to analyze the relationship between extinction risk regions and amenable mortality. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on the statistics of 2018 which was extracted from the 228 administrative districts in Korea. Cause of death statistics on each region in 2018 was used to produce the age-adjusted amenable mortality. Regional characteristics were measured by demographic factors, health behavior factors, socioeconomic factors, and medical resources factors. Multiple linear regression model was applied to test their relationship. Results: Results showed that extinction risk regions, crude divorce rates, national cancer screening rates, and independent rate of finance were significantly related to the amenable mortality. Conclusion: The study demonstrated differences in health status by the extinction risks of regions. This study suggests that the use of customized community care program can provide integrated services such as housing, health care or the use of information and communications technology which can make early diagnosis.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.140-149
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify activities of daily living, depression and self-rated health and related factors for Korean Elderly. Methods: Data from the survey for the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging in 2010 were used. The data were analyzed using frequencies, weighted proportions, and hierarchical multiple logistic regression. Results: Significant difference was observed in health status induced by socioeconomic status between men and women, but not among age groups. Socioeconomic status was strongly associated with self-rated health among male and female elders. Being unschooled and low net family asset were significantly related with dependency in activities of daily living and depressive symptoms among men. Only low net family asset was significantly related with depressive symptoms among women. Family support provides a slight decrease to the negative relationship between socioeconomic status and health status, especially depressive symptoms. Conclusion: This study suggests that interventions to reduce health inequalities should target elderly with lower socioeconomic status and with poor family support, using a gender-specific approach.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.94-103
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• 2014

Objectives: The present study examined relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity and body mass index (BMI) as well as the effects of health-related behavioral and psychological factors on the relationships. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted on Korean adults aged 20 to 79 years using data from the 2001, 2005, and 2007 to 2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariate logistic and linear regression models were used to estimate odds ratios of obesity and mean differences in BMI, respectively, across SES levels after controlling for health-related behavioral and psychological factors. Results: We observed significant gender-specific relationships of SES with obesity and BMI after adjusting for all covariates. In men, income, but not education, showed a slightly positive association with BMI (p<0.05 in 2001 and 2005). In women, education, but not income, was inversely associated with both obesity and BMI (p<0.0001 in all datasets). These relationships were attenuated with adjusting for health-related behavioral factors, not for psychological factors. Conclusions: Results confirmed gender-specific disparities in the associations of SES with obesity and BMI among adult Korean population. Focusing on intervention for health-related behaviors may be effective to reduce social inequalities in obesity.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.779-791
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• 2010

This study was to examine the differential impacts of social experiences and conditions on health among men and women aged 65 years or older, using data of the "2004 Survey on living Status of the Korean Elderly". The outcome variables were any disability, self-rated health, multiple morbidity, and self-rated quality of life. Multiple Classification Analysis was used to test the differential exposure to social factors contributes to gender difference in health. Gender differences in vulnerability of each individual socioeconomic, psycho-social, and behavioral factors for health were assessed by comparing logit coefficients in men and women. I found that gender difference in exposure to social factors contribute to inequalities in health between older men and women, however, gender inequalities remained after controlling for differential exposure except in case of quality of life. In addition, gender differences in health were further explained by differential vulnerabilities to social factors between men and women. Findings of this study may affirm the importance of further and deeper investigation of gender differences in health in later life. Gender sensitive approach in health planning and polices for the elderly is also suggested.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.214-223
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• 2019

Objectives: Equity in financial protection against healthcare expenditures is one the primary functions of health systems worldwide. This study aimed to quantify socioeconomic inequality in facing catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHE) and to identify the main factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. Methods: A total of 37 860 households were drawn from the Households Income and Expenditure Survey, conducted by the Statistical Center of Iran in 2017. The prevalence of CHE was measured using a cut-off of spending at least 40% of the capacity to pay on healthcare services. The concentration curve and concentration index (C) were used to illustrate and measure the extent of socioeconomic inequality in CHE among Iranian households. The C was decomposed to identify the main factors explaining the observed socioeconomic inequality in CHE in Iran. Results: The prevalence of CHE among Iranian households in 2017 was 5.26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.04 to 5.49). The value of C was -0.17 (95% CI, -0.19 to -0.13), suggesting that CHE was mainly concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged households in Iran. The decomposition analysis highlighted the household wealth index as explaining 71.7% of the concentration of CHE among the poor in Iran. Conclusions: This study revealed that CHE is disproportionately concentrated among poor households in Iran. Health policies to reduce socioeconomic inequality in facing CHE in Iran should focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged households.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.505-511
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• 2007

Objectives : While cervical cancer is one of the leading cancers among women worldwide, there are a number of effective early detection tests available. However, the participation rates in cervical cancer screening among Korean women remain low. After the nationwide efforts in 1988 and thereafter to encourage participation in cervical cancer screening, few studies have investigated the effects of socioeconomic inequality on participation in cervical cancer screening. The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) the level of socioeconomic disparities in receiving cervical cancer screening by age group and 2) if there was an improvement in reducing these disparities between 1995 and 2001. Methods : Using data from the Korean National Health Status, Health Behavior and Belief Survey in 1995, the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1998 and 2001 (sample sizes of 2,297, 3,738, and 3,283), age-standardized participation rates were calculated according to education level, equivalized household income, and job status. Odds ratios and the relative inequality index (RII) were also calculated after controlling for age. Results : Women with lower education levels were less likely to attend the screening test, and the disparities by education level were most pronounced among women aged 60 years and older. The RIIs among women 60 years and older were 3.64, 4.46, and 8.64 in 1995, 1998, and 2001, respectively. Higher rates of participation were reported among those in the highest income category, which was more notable among the middle aged women (40s and 50s). An inconsistent trend in the rate of participation in cervical cancer screening by occupational level was found. Conclusions : Indicators of socioeconomic position seem to have varying impacts on the inequalities in the rates of participation in cervical cancer screening according to age group. These results demonstrate the need for more aggressive and age-based interventions and policy programs to eliminate the remaining inequalities.