• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.177-187
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to 1) identify the current management status of the Visiting Health Care Services (VHCS) and 2) to analyze the workload of the staff in the VHCS located in the Public Health Centers (PHCs) in the urban and rural areas. Method: A descriptive research design and a prospective, time and motion research design were used. A total of 18 PHCs in Gangwon Province participated in this study. A questionnaire and semi-structured observational sheet were utilized. A total of 650 self report records of the work load from the VHCS personnel were collected for a 10 day period at each of the 18 PHCs. A descriptive analysis was then done. Results: The major results were as follows. 1) The VHCS staff (nurses and nurse aids) was being assigned additional work such as maternal health care, chronic disease care, mental health care and health promotion on top of their VHCS duties. 2) The average number of home visits per client during the past year was 5.8. More specifically, the clients in the severe dependent group received an average of 27.1 visits, those clients in the moderate dependent group received 14.0 visits those clients in the slightly dependent group received 5.0 visits and those clients in the self-care group received 1.6 visits. 3) The time required for the work duties of the VHCS staff totaled 488 minutes per day. The percentage of time for home visits was only 17.4%, and this didn't include travel time. Conclusion: The main problems of VHCS were identified as a lack of personnel and a lack of time for the home visits. Strategies that are directed at the construction of a better infrastructure for VHCS are needed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.225-231
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• 2021

Unmet healthcare is an important indicator to measure accessibility of healthcare services. To examine the latest status of unmet healthcare needs in South Korea, the four different data which is composed of nationally representative sample of South Korean population were used; the Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNAHANES, 2007-2019), the Community Health Survey (CHS, 2008-2019), the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, 2011-2017), and the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2006-2019). The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs were 5.8% (KNHANES), 5.3% (CHS), and 11.6% (KHP). Annual percentage change (APC) which identifies trend for the follow-up period was -9.5%, -8.0%, and -6.5%, respectively. The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost were 1.1% (KNAHANES), 0.7% (CHS), 2.4% (KHP), and 0.4% (KOWEPS). The APC was -10.5%, -14.2%, -12.2%, and -19.6%, respectively. Compared to last year, the rate of unmet healthcare needs has declined in general. However, the low-income and the elderly population were reporting the highest rate of unmet health care needs, and the disparity between lowest and highest groups were remained. These results suggest that adequate benefit coverage is needed for low-income and elderly population.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 2023

Unmet healthcare is an important indicator for measuring accessibility of healthcare services. We analyzed the following four data from a nationally representative sample of South Korean population: Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2007-2021), Community Health Survey (CHS, 2008-2021), Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, 2011-2019), and Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2006-2021). The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs were 6.0% (KNHANES), 5.1% (CHS), and 13.1% (KHP). Annual percentage change (APC) which identifies trend for the follow-up period was -9.4%, -9.4%, and -5.3%, respectively. The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost were 1.2% (KNAHANES), 0.5% (CHS), 2.7% (KHP), and 0.4% (KOWEPS). The APC was -10.4%, -16.1%, -11.5%, and -19.1%, respectively. Compared to the previous year, the rate of unmet healthcare needs decreased slightly, but the rate of unmet health care needs due to cost tended to increase. Overall, higher rates of unmet healthcare needs were reported in the low-income and the elderly population. Although it was confirmed through the APC that the rate of unmet healthcare experience has decreased over the past decade, it can be seen that there is still a disparity by income level and age. These results suggest the need for an appropriate health benefit coverage policy for the low-income and the elderly.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.379-388
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• 2023

This study aims to propose the implementation of innovative payment models in Korea in order to promote the financial sustainability of the national health insurance system by reviewing the current status of the payment system in Korea and examining other countries' experiences with various innovative payment models. Korea primarily uses a fee-for-service payment system and additionally uses various payment systems such as case payment, per diem, and pay-for-performance. However, each payment system has its limitations. Many OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries have pointed out the limitations of existing payment systems and have been attempting various innovative payment models (e.g., add-on payment, bundled payment, and population-based payment). Therefore, it is essential for Korea to consider innovative payment models, such as a mixed payment model that takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of each payment system, and to design and pilot these models. This process requires stakeholders to work together to build a social consensus on the implementation of innovative payment systems and to refine legal and systematic aspects, develop an integrated health information system, and establish dedicated organizations and committees. These efforts towards innovative payment models will contribute to developing a sustainable health insurance system that ensures the public's health and well-being in Korea.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2009

In recent years, reductions in infant mortality have mainly been accomplished by improving the survival of premature and low birth weight infants, however premature infants still remain at great risk. The purpose of this study was to review the maternal child health service related to premature infants and to provide a future direction for improving maternal child health (MCH) in Korea. We reviewed two MCH services which are directly related to premature infants: 1) a registry and financial support program for families with a premature infant, and 2) financial support to build neonatal intensive care units in rural public hospitals. Suggestions are made for the development of a national vital signs record system to identify high risk infants and to monitor the trends in infant mortality due to prematurity. Prevention efforts and preconception care for childbearing women is also an important strategy to reduce the rate of preterm births. Finally, we need consider long-term follow-up plans for premature infants for a successful transit to the special education system. Developing MCH policy related to premature infants that decreases the occurrence of premature may decrease infant mortality, and also improve maternal and child health services.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.4
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• pp.41-52
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to identify the domestic research results related to the outcomes of home care services for 1981-1996. 12 studies were analized by the characteristics of the subjects, home care services provided, and outcome variables and tools during the period of Apirl-June, 1997. The results were as follows: the subjects of 8 studies conducted before 1993 were discharged patients comparing to early discharged patients of 2 studies conducted after 1994. The main home care service delivered to the clients and their families were education before 1993. The outcome variables were used the level of sat. isfaction of home care services, quality of care, cost-effectveness, health status, quality of life, and self -care ability. A variable, health status, were mainly measured by the global outcome measures such as quality of life, health hehelief, health perception, activity of daily living, health management pattern but also foused outcome measures that could be specified by the medical diagnoses.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.131-152
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• 2001

Public health system and public health practice have changed over the past decades as the result of social and epidemiologic changes. New public health concept emphasizes leadership, strategical thinking, systematic planning and effective performance to identify and solve complex health problem In Korea, the role of Health Center has been expanded rapidly. However there is strong suspicion that Health Center can achieve their mission. This paper aims at understanding what is the needed functions of Health Center and which of its aspects needs improvement. The main results of this study are summarizes as follows. District Health Law does not address the core functions of Health Center. The staffs of Health Center have difficulties in prioritizing their services. The recent attempt to restructure Health Center and change delivery pattern of public health services ended with only limited success. To effectively confront threats to the public's health, the three major function of Health Center must be ${\circled}1$ modifying individual behavior and lifestyle, ${\circled}2$ improving social and economic conditions, and ${\circled}3$ reforming health policies. Better results do not come from setting new functions only; they come from understanding and improving the processes that will then leads to better outcome. We recommend that policy-makers focus economic evaluation of public health programs, building and spreading of the scientific evidence of programs, linkage of public health research and public health program. The criteria of delegation of public health service to private sector is urgently needed. Making community health information data available on a routine basis to providers, managers and researchers of public health services helps promote the efficiency of the overall operation of public health system.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.379-386
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• 2022

Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are at high risk for adverse mental health outcomes during disease outbreaks. To support the development of evidence-informed mitigation strategies, we conducted a scoping review to identify the extent of research pertaining to EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks and summarized key factors associated with mental health outcomes. We systematically searched three databases for articles containing keywords within three concepts: EMS personnel, disease outbreaks, and mental health. We screened and retained original peer-reviewed articles that discussed, in English, EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks. Where inferential statistics were reported, the associations between individual and work-related factors and mental health outcomes were synthesized. Twenty-five articles were eligible for data extraction. Our findings suggest that many of the contributing factors for adverse mental health outcomes are related to inadequacies in fulfilling EMS personnel's basic safety and informational needs. In preparation for future disease outbreaks, resources should be prioritized toward ensuring adequate provisions of personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control training. This scoping review serves as a launching pad for further research and intervention development.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.77-94
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• 2011

Since the general quality of life has been improving, people have become interested in "well-being." The widespread acceptance of the importance of "well-being" to quality of life has encouraged people to take more interest in getting health information online when they need it. Expansive use of online health information suggests that individual characteristics (i.e., gender and other traits), Website features, and perceived trust are related to the primary concern for many online health information consumers. This study examines whether familiarity, perceived security, and reputation of health information on various Websites influence the relationship of trust and intention to use by gender. These research results will contribute to the adoption of online health information by gender and, moreover, will provide companies with an understanding of key characteristics of consumers who use emoticons and provide useful implications for marketing strategies to current and future consumers.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 1995

Health sub-centers, which have been established at myon areas by government policy, have provided a basic health care services for unfavorable rural conditions. Health sub-centers would be expected to serve for dweller's fundamental needs of primary health care services. But to accomplish it's function and role, the quality of physical facility should be enhanced as well as staff and financial resources. In this research, through the field survey of rural health sub-centers, the problems of facility planning and design were revealed. And then the basic data for architectural planning and design of health sub-centers were provided.