• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.520-534
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• 2018

This study was conducted to understand the conceptual definition and characteristics of health inequality. To accomplish this, we analyzed data collected from 14 participants as well as from available literature regarding health inequality using the hybrid model introduced by Schwartz-Barcott and Kim. We categorized health inequality into nine attributes in three dimensions. These dimensions included "target", "precede", and "result," corresponding to the target, cause and consequence of health inequality, respectively. Specifically, we define health inequality as individuals, families, communities, socio-economic, or geographically distinct demographic groups that are treated unfairly and result in several problems such as loss of quality of life, reduction of survival rate, or aggravation of a disease due to (i) poor treatment by a hospital (ii) irregular meals, (iii) desperate need for work (for money), (iv) expensive medical care costs, (v) qualitative differences in medical care by regional groups (vi) the lack of knowledge regarding disease (vii) and inadequate health care because of lack of time. As a result of this unfair treatment, human rights violation occurs. The major contribution from this paper is that we provide a guideline for establishing strategies to reduce health inequality by identifying the concept of health inequality. Based on this study, we recommend development of an educational program to reduce health inequalities.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.366-375
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• 2016

This study evaluates the degree of the inequality of medical care expenditure and private health insurance benefits and the relation with household income inequality in korea health care system. This study used the 2014 korea Health Panel survey, and study method is Gini coefficient. The main results are as follow. First, average household income in 1st income quartile is 6,290,000won and 10st income quartile is 101,930,000won. And Gini coefficient of Korea household income is 0.3756. In other words, family income inequality is quite serious. Second, the Gini coefficient of the public institution supported medical care expenditure, such as health insurance and public assistance, is 0.0761, and the Gini coefficient of the expenditure of transportation fee and medical materials etc that don't supported is 0878. The inequality in medical care expenditure in public health care system and without public support aren't serious all. Third, Gini coefficient in excluding household medical care expenditure from household income slightly increased. That is, the medical care expenditure of our country household is the factor of aggravating the inequality of household income. Fourth, Gini coefficient of private health insurance benefits is 0.0927. Therefore, the ineqality in private insurance benefits is low. In addition, the Gini coefficient of the sum of private insurance benefits and household income is 0.3672. it decrease from Gini coefficient(0.3756) of household's. Private health insurance perform the functions somewhat weaken household income inequality. However, it is very little improvement.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.129-140
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• 2021

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the mitigating effect of using floss and interdental brushes on periodontal health inequality. Methods: This study was based on data acquired from the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VII; 2016-2018). We included 11,359 participants aged ≥19 years in the final analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed using socioeconomic characteristics, health behavior, health status, and periodontitis status. We analyzed differences in the prevalence of periodontitis according to household income stratified by the use of floss and interdental brush. Results: In the multivariable logistic regression model, the lowest income group had 1.304 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.58) odds ratios for periodontitis than the highest income group. In the interdental brush nonusers or floss nonusers, the lowest income group had significantly higher odds of developing periodontitis. However, we found no significant differences in the periodontitis prevalence between the income groups among the interdental brush users. In the 65-year-old or older group, the same result was observed in the interdental brush and floss users. Conclusions: The results suggest that the use of floss and interdental brushes could alleviate periodontal health inequality.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2017

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the socioeconomic inequality in malnutrition in under-5 children in Iran in order to help policymakers reduce such inequality. Methods: Data on 8443 under-5 children were extracted from the Iran Multiple Indicator Demographic and Health Survey. The wealth index was used as proxy for socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting was calculated using the concentration index. The concentration index was calculated for the whole sample, as well as for subcategories defined in terms of categories such as area of residence (urban and rural) and the sex of children. Results: Stunting was observed to be more prevalent than underweight or wasting. The results of the concentration index at the national level, as well as in rural and urban areas and in terms of children's sex, showed that inequality in stunting and underweight was statistically significant and that children in the lower quintiles were more malnourished. The wasting index was not sensitive to socioeconomic status, and its concentration index value was not statistically significant. Conclusions: This study showed that it can be misleading to assess the mean levels of malnutrition at the national level without knowledge of the distribution of malnutrition among socioeconomic groups. Significant socioeconomic inequalities in stunting and underweight were observed at the national level and in both urban and rural areas. Regarding the influence of nutrition on the health and economic well-being of preschool-aged children, it is necessary for the government to focus on taking targeted measures to reduce malnutrition and to focus on poorer groups within society who bear a greater burden of malnutrition.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the leg length Inequality, habitual posture, and pain in women's college students. Methods: The subjects were 281 students, in 8 women's college in Korea. The tapelines were used for measuring leg length Inequality and questionnaires were used for measuring habitual posture, and pain. The data were collected between August and October 2010 and analyzed using SPSSWIN 11.5. length Inequality(<1 cm). The subjects of 2.8% were the length differences of above 2cm. The worst habitual posture were leaning habits. Especially, the habits of crossing her legs were significantly different to leg length Inequality(F=3.342, $p$=.037). The subjects of 84% were felt a severe pain on the upper body such as waist, back, scapula, neck or shoulder. But there is no difference between pain and leg length Inequality. Habitual posture are related to pain(r=.212, $p$=.001). Conclusion: To protect the severe health problem of musculoskeletal system, this study results will be give aid to health education in women's college students.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.311-318
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• 2019

Dying alone is an emerging social problem in South Korea. It is reported that most cases of dying alone showed various and chronic health problems. Despite of this situation, there existed neither medical support nor welfare services when dying. It indicated severe health inequality problems. With this background, the purpose of this study was to examine health inequality issue among dying alone cases by using news paper articles during the past three years(2016-2018). Content analysis was employed for 89 dying alone cases. Characteristics of dying alone cases, types of illness and health problems, and unmet medical services were analyzed. Based on the findings, future directions were addressed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.263-287
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• 2021

Researches on inequality in Korean society has been sporadically conducted in various areas. In this study, research trend related to inequality was analyzed through basic statistical analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and main path analysis using articles related to inequality from Korea citation index. In basic statistical analysis, key authors, journals, and articles are identified. In co-occurrence analysis, income inequality, educational inequality, welfare inequality, and policy on inequality were identified as main topics. Main path analysis showed two research trends after 2004. One was research trend on economic inequality, and the other was on health inequality and social structural inequality.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.275-282
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• 2009

Objectives : This study aimed to verify the association between wealth or income level and health status after adjusting for other socio-economic position (SEP) indicators among Korean adults aged 45 and over. Methods : Data were obtained from the 1st wave of Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (households: 6,171, persons: 10,254). We used self-rated health status and activities of daily living (ADLs) as dependent variables. Explanatory variables included both net wealth measured by savings, immovables, the other valuated assets and total income including pay, transfer, property and so on. Binary logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationships. Also, in order to determine the relative health inequality across economic groups, we estimated the relative index of inequality (RII). Results : The inequality of health status was evident among various wealth and income groups. The wealthiest group (5th quintile) was much healthier than the poorest group, and this differential increased with age. Likewise, higher income was associated with better health status among the elderly. However, these effects, as measured by the odds ratio and RII, showed that wealth was more important in determining health status of elderly people. Conclusions : This study suggests that economic capability plays a significant role in determining the health status and other health-related problems among the elderly. Particularly, our results show that health status of the aged is related more closely to the individual s wealth than income.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.381-387
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• 2007

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to determine how the association between socioeconomic position(SEP) and health status changes with age among Seoul residents aged 25 and over. Methods: We utilized the 2001 and 2005 Seoul Citizens Health Indicators Surveys. We used self-rated 'poor' health status as an outcome variable, and family income as an indicator of SEP. In order to characterize the differential effects of socioeconomic position on health by age, we conducted separate multivariate analyses by 10-year age groups, controlling for sociodemographic covariates. In order to assess the relative health inequality across socioeconomic groups, we estimated the Relative Index of Inequality (RII). Results: The risk of 'poor health' is significantly high in low family income groups, and this increased risk is seen at all ages. However, the magnitude of relative socioeconomic inequality in health, as measured by the odds ratio and RII, is not identical across age groups. The difference in health across income groups is small in early adulthood (ages 25-34), but increases with age until relatively late in life (ages 35-64). It then decreases among the elderly population (ages more than 65). When the RII reported in 2005 is compared to that reported in 2001, RII can be seen to have increased across all ages, with the exception of individuals aged 25-34. Conclusions: The magnitude of health inequality is the greatest during mid- to late adulthood (ages 45-64). In addition, health inequalities have worsened between 2001 and 2005 across all age groups after economic crisis.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.110-143
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to assess the extent of inequality in health outcomes and the distribution of health services according to health need under National Health Insurance System in Korea. For the empirical analysis, data were collected through an interview survey during one month of October, 1994. Interview were conducted with a total of 10, 875 of the employees and the self-employed selected through cluster, systematic sampling. The major findings of this research are as follows: 1. The analysis of the differentials in morbidity rates by socio-economic group showed that health inequality in the pro-higher groups existed in all self-reported morbidity indicators. 2. The findings of the conventional use measures showed that the lower socio-economic groups had more ambulatory and inpatient services than the higher groups. In contrast to the level of the medical care utilization, however, the higher socio-economic groups were more likely to use the high-quality source of care in terms of their treatment place compared to the lower groups. 3. By using the need-based use measures, the results were different from each use-disability ration indicator. Using the use-disability ration measured by physician visits per 100 restricted-activity days in the population, it was found that there was no evidence favoring the higher socio-economic groups. In contrast, the use-disability ration based on physician visits per a chronic patient in one year displayed that there was remarkable relative difference by income group as well as the evidence of the pro-higher income groups. 4. The results of logistic regression analysis and two-stage estimation method indicated that although the utilization is significantly affected by type and duration of insurance coverage, the use or nonuse of service and the volume of physician care consumed is determined by health need and demographic characteristics rater than economic status. In sum, these findings suggest that physician service is equitably distributed according to health need under national health insurance system in Korea. As there were some evidences of inequality including the differential in physician visits of chronic patients by income group, however, the government should strengthen the activities to guarantee the equity of health services utilization.