• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1984

In order to know about the utilization of health subcenter in a Korean rural community, a study was carried out through analyzing the records on the outpatients in Su-Dong Health Subcenter during 5 years from 1978 to 1982, and the following results were obtained. 1. The annual utilization rate of health subcenter of Su-Dong Myun showed decreasing tendency such as 946.6 in 1978, 886.4 in 1979, 736.5 in 1980, 708.3 in 1981 and 609.1 in 1982 per 1,000 people. 2. In terms of annual utilization rate of health subcenter by sex, utilization rate of female was higher than that of male such as in 1978 (male 908.6, female 986.3), 1979 (male 819.2, female 956.7) and 1981 (male 686.0, female 731.5) except 1980(male 790.0, female 683.3) and 1982(male 632.7, female 585.0). 3. Every year the 5 major diseases of the new patients cared in health subcenter were the same as follows; Diseases of the Respiratory System, Diseases of the Digestive System, Diseases of the Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue, Accident Poisoning and Violence, and Diseases of the Nervous System and Sensory Organ. 4. In terms of annual utilization rate of health subcenter by age, utilization rate of $0{\sim}4$ year group was highest every year such as 3,666.0 in 1978, 3,232.5 in 1979, 2,819.0 in 1980, 2,361.4 in 1981 and 2408.7 in 1982 per 1,000 people. 5. The average visiting times per case to health subcenter were not much different every year such as 1.75 times in 1978, 1.79 times in 1979, 1.69 times in 1980, 1.79 times in 1981, and 1.80 times in 1982. 6. The monthly utilization rates per 1,000 people of health subcenter had two peaks in February(40.9 in 1980 and 86.4 in 1981) and July(84.6 in 1980 and 72.1 in 1981) except 1982. 7. The distribution of new patients by the source of medical fee payment was follows; community health organization member 86.9%, medicaid program 6.5%, and medical insurance 6.6% in 1980 and community health organization member 76.8%, medicaid program 11.4%, and medical insurance 11.8% in 1981 and community health organization member 78.2%, medicaid program 14.8% and medical insurance 13.2% in 1982.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2020

Objectives: Using the annual data from the 2016 Korean Health Panel, this study aims to identify the factors that affect the dental utilization and expenditure of patients with chronic diseases, and to provide basic data to explain the inequality gap in dental utilization. Methods: The dental utilization and expenditure of 3,557 patients with chronic diseases were analyzedfor frequency using the SPSS Windows version 23.0 (SPSS Inc. IL, USA). Analysis of the factors that affect dental utilization and expenditure were performed using a multiple regression analysis. The level of statistical significance was 0.05. Results: The frequency of dental utilization in patients with chronic diseases was high for subjects who were younger than 65 years and those whose education level was below high school. The frequency of dental utilization was relatively lower for subjects who did not have disabilities and those with healthier subjective health status. The dental expenditure of patients with chronic diseases was higher in subjects who were younger than 65 years and those with greater household income. Conclusions: The above findings suggest that a plan is needed to control dental utilization by efficiently managing chronic diseases, and that a policy-based plan is needed to devise ways to supplement the uninsured medical expenses of dental care.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.207-218
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• 2016

Background: This study was performed to identify factors associated with the utilization of tests for diabetes complication and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) among diabetes patients in Jeollanam-do, Korea. Methods: The study subjects were 2,310 diabetes patients participated in 2014 community health survey in Jeollanam-do, Korea. Dependent variables were the utilizations of fundus examination, microalbuminuria test, and HbA1c test. The used statistical analysis methods were chi-square test and hierarchical regression analysis with weight in consideration of complex sample design. Results: The utilization rates of fundus examination, microalbuminuria test, and HbA1c test were 25.8%, 27.4%, and 12.3%, respectively. In the results of hierarchical regression, fundus examination was significantly related to age, education level in predisposing factors, residential area in enabling factors and recognition of blood sugar, drug therapy, and subjective health status in need factors. Microalbuminuria examination was significantly related to monthly income, residential area in predisposing and health screening, recognition of blood sugar, drug therapy, diabetic education, number of chronic disease, and subjective health status in need factors. HbA1c examination was significantly related to age, education level, marital status in predisposing factors, residential area in enabling factors and drinking, recognition of blood sugar, drug therapy, and diabetic education in need factors. Conclusion: The results of this study were shown that perception of their disease seriousness, education about diabetes management, and accessibility of tests were important to utilization of test for diabetes complication and HbA1c. It might be necessary to the develop and strength strategies for enhancing the utilization of tests for diabetes complication and management in diabetes patients.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2024

Objectives: The demand for dental care is expected to increase as the population ages. This study aimed to predict the utilization of dental implant care following the expansion of national health insurance benefits for dental implants. Methods: Multiple linear regression analysis was performed on HIRA big data open portal data and DNN-based artificial intelligence models to forecast the utilization of dental care in relation to the national health insurance coverage for dental implants. Results: National health insurance coverage of dental implants was found to be associated with the number of patients using dental implant services and demonstrated a statistical significance. The dental implant services utilization increased with the increased dental implant health insurance benefits for the elderly population, increased mean by region, increased number of dental institutions by region, and increased health insurance coverage rate for dental implants. However, the dental implant services utilization decreased with the increased number of older people living alone and increased size of dental institutions. Conclusions: With the expansion of the national health insurance coverage for dental implants, it is predicted that the utilization of dental implant medical services will increase in the future.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.27-80
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• 1993

It is widely known that patients' utilization pattern for medical care facilities and the patientflow are influenced by multi-factors, such as demographic characteristics, structural characteristics of society, socio-psychological characteristics(value, attitude, norms, culture, health behavior, etc.), economic characteristics(income, medical price, relative price, physician induced demand, etc.), geographical accessibility, systematic characteristics(health care delivery system, payment methods for physician fees, form of health care security, etc.), and characteristics of medical facilities(reliability, quality of medical care, convenience, kindness, tec.). This study was conducted to research the mechanism of patient-flow according to changes of health care system(implementation of national health insurance, health care referral system and regionalization of health care utilization, etc.) and characteristics of medical facilities(ownership of hospital, characteristics of medical services, non-medical characteristics, etc.). In this study, the fact could be ascertained that the patient-flow had been influenced by changes of health care system and characteristics of medical facilities.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2012

Objectives: Several practice guidelines recommended both medication and behavior modification to control hypertension. The objective of this study was to analyze ambulatory care utilization pattern and related factors. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 45,267 new users who initiated treatment with hypertensive drugs in 2003. Korean National Health Insurance Claims Data was used to study the medical care utilization behavior and related factors after treatment initiation for up to four years. Taking prescription was considered as medical care utilization. Results: More than 20% of patients discontinued visiting physicians for prescription after initiating antihypertensive drug therapy. The average number of institutions visited by patients was about 1.3 annually. Clinic was the most frequently visited institution by patients. In GEE analysis, probability of continuous visit one institution after initiating antihypertensive drug treatment increased in patients who were women, old, have comorbidity, visited clinic or hospital mainly in previous year. Conclusions: Young hypertensive male patients who have no major comorbidity showed high possibility to discontinue medical service utilization. It is necessary to educate these targeted patients about importance of hypertension management in early stage after treatment initiation.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.97-108
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• 2011

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the utilization of Oriental medical services and its determinants among the elderly. Method: Data from a Korean longitudinal study of aging was used. Regression analysis was used to find the determinants of the utilization of medical care. Results: People with low education and low income were more likely to use Oriental medical services. Determinants of using Oriental health service were sex, marriage, income, subjective health condition, activity restriction due to pain, and chronic disease. Among them, only subjective health condition and activity restriction due to pain were significant determinants of frequency of and expenditure on Oriental medical services. Especially, activity restriction due to pain was a significant factor in the use of Oriental medical services, but not in the use of Western medical services. Conclusion: Treatment related to pain was closely associated with Oriental medical services. These treatments need to be developed with scientific and clinical evidence.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.116-135
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• 1991

Few studies have been conducted on the detailed routes of medical care utilization under the National Health Insurance. This study was undertaken to identify the utilization patte군 of health care facilities among industrial workers and their dependents. One of the largest health insurance association was purposively chosen for this objective. The association had 345, 757 members as of 31 December, 1990. The study sample of 297, 948 subjects have been drawn from the membership pool on the basis of their continuous membership status during 1 January through 31 December 1990. This study has tried to identify differential utilization patterns between acute and chronic conditions, and among standard income classes. All the diagnoses were recoded in a manner to achieve the objective of this study. As for acute diseases, most age group had used one medical facility as much as by 60% except the age group of 1-4, This young age group had used over three different health facilities as much as by 10.9-15.8%. The finding suggests that some policy measures by sought for remedying the excessive/inappropriate use of services. In addition, mid-income classes(between 17 and 48) were more likely to use multiple sources of care than lower income classes(between 1 and 16) and upper income classes(above 49). This study has revealed that chronic cases are more likely to pursue multiple sources of care, however those with chronic conditions tend to use single health facility more than those with acute conditions(67.9% versus 52.4%). As many as 12.2% have visited more than three health facilities in chronic conditions, but 5.9% for acute conditions. The most likely source of care was primary clinics for both acute and chronic conditions. Compared with the role of general hospital, small-size hospitals found to play a minimal role in the care and referral of patients. This indicates the need of strengthening the function of small-size hospitals. While a minor cross utilization of western medicine and pharmacy was noted, no significant boundary crossing was identified between western medicine and oriental medicine, or between pharmacy and oriental medicine. It is too early to confirm that whether there is substitutability or cross utilization among these alternative sources of care. A further study is needed to identify these relationship.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.2 s.53
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• pp.311-329
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• 1996

This study was designed to compare the level of medical utilization between the urban and rural areas of Korea and to explain the differences between the two regions. Data from the National Health Interview Survey performed by the Korean Institute of Health & Social Affairs in 1992 were used for this study utilizing a sample size of 21,841 people. The level of medical utilization such as the number of physician visits and the number of hospital admissions was compared between the regions with ANOVA. Various determinants for medical use were also compared by univariate analysis. Statistical models which included enabling factors, predisposing factors, need factors and region were constructed for bivariate analysis in order to further elucidate the level of medical utilization. The results were as follows: 1. There was greater medical use, both in terms of physician visits and inpatient care in the rural areas in spite of insufficient health resources. The particular reasons for higher medical utilization in rural areas were attributed to a higher number of initial physician visits as well as a longer the length of stay per hospital admission. Therefore, indicators representing the degree of met need (utilization/need) showed no significant difference between rural and urban areas in spite of the fact that the medical need is larger in rural areas. 2. Use of public health facilities received a significant portion of physician visits in the rural area. The government's effort to enhance primary health care through health centers, health subcenters and the nurse practitioner's post in rural areas has contributed to the increase of access to medical care in the rural areas. 3. There were some differences in the socio-demographic characteristics between two regions ; There were more elderly people over the age of 65: unstable marital status, less education and lower incomes also characterized the rural areas. Therefore, among rural people, there were more predisposing factors for medical use. Additionaly, need factors such as poor self-reported health status and high morbidity level were also high in the rural area. 4. In contrast it was learned that, the supply of health resources was mostly concentrated in the urban areas except for public health facilities. Therefore, geographical access to medical care was lower in the rural area both in terms travel time and travel cost. 5. The coefficient of the region variable was insignificant in the regression model which controlled the supply factor only. However, utilization was significantly higher in urban areas if the model included predisposing factors and need factors in addition to the supply factor. The results were interpreted as rural people have greater medical needs.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to identify a gap between consumer characteristics and utilization of health information on the Internet. Methods: A telephone survey of nationally representative samples was conducted using structured questionnaires, and 1,000 of the 1,189 responses obtained were included in our analysis. The following variables were included in the analysis as potential predictors of health information use on the Internet: predisposing factors such as gender, age, and education status; enabling factors such as region and monthly household income; consumer need for health information; and attitude to health. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between utilization rate and the potential predictors. Results: Thirty-nine percent of consumers had obtained health information on the Internet over a one-year period. The utilization rates were higher for consumers who were young, educated, worked in the office setting, had higher incomes, wanted health information, and were able to use the Internet. The utilization rate was 5.35 times higher in the younger group (20-30 years) than in the elderly group (95% CI=2.21-12.97); 2.21 times higher for office workers than for manual workers (95% CI=1.16-4.20); 3.61 times higher for college graduates than for middle school graduates and below (95% CI=1.07-11.59); 1.99 times higher for people with monthly household incomes over 3,000,000 won than for those with monthly household incomes below 1,500,000 won (95% CI=1.01-3.92). Conclusions: There needs to be a paradigm shift, with consideration of not only Internet accessibility in the digital age, but also consumer ability and attitudes toward utilization of health information.