• Title/Summary/Keyword: Health care Inequality

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Regional Factors Affecting the Avoidable Mortality: 2010~2019 (회피가능한 사망에 미치는 지역 영향요인 분석: 2010~2019)

  • Lee, Hyun-Ji;Lee, Kwang-Soo
    • Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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    • v.27 no.1
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    • pp.43-57
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    • 2022
  • Background: Avoidable mortality rate has been widely used as an indicator of the quality of health care and the degree of inequality in health levels. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors affecting the avoidable mortality rate in the region. Methods: The data was MDIS(Microdata Integrated Service) Causes of Death Statistics, and the analysis period was from 2010 to 2019. Panel analysis was performed to identify the influencing factors on the avoidable mortality rate. Findings: Result showed that the current smoking rate had a significant positive effects on the avoidable mortality rate of both men and women. And the smoking cessation trial rate, low salt diet rate, weight control trial rate, annual vaccination rate had a significant negative effect. In the social environment, the divorce rate had a significant positive effect. In the economy environment, financial independence and social welfare budget rate had a significant negative effect. In the physical environment, the factory area rate had a significant positive effect. Practical Implication: Practical implication in order to lower the local avoidable mortality rate, various social determinants of health as well as health care resources should be considered together.

Health Disparity and Health Welfare among Children from Low-Income Families (저소득 가정 아동의 건강불평등과 건강 복지)

  • Kim, Hee-Soon
    • Child Health Nursing Research
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.247-251
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    • 2013
  • Children from low income families are vulnerable to physical problems including obesity, asthma, hypertension and psychological problems including depression, anxiety. This study was done to identify trends in welfare policy for children from low-income families and future direction for solving health disparity problems. Dream Start is a government-sponsored project that offers services for vulnerable children, ages 0 (include pregnant woman) to 12 years and their families. The Korean Government has made an effort to alleviate health disparity through the 'Health Plan' by establishing health objectives. However, in spite of these efforts by the Korean government, health disparity has worsened in Korea. In order to strengthen family function as well as promote growth and development for vulnerable children, experts in child care need to be significantly involved in identifying neglected children in the community.

The Effects of Information Literacy of Social Service Users' on Service Quality and Satisfaction: Based on Elderly Home Care Services (사회서비스 이용자 정보가용성이 서비스 품질 및 만족에 미치는 영향: 재가노인복지서비스를 대상으로)

  • Cho, Han-Ra;Yeo, Yeong Hun
    • Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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    • v.7 no.11
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    • pp.717-725
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    • 2017
  • The purposes of this study are to find the difference in information literacy among the elderly home care service users and to identify the impact of information literacy on service quality and satisfaction among service users. To achieve the goals, this study used 466 responses from the elderly home care service recipients in Jeollabukdo providence, and conducted t-tests, ANOVA and a series of regression analyses. The results showed that there were significant differences in information literacy by gender, household type, residence area, education level and subjective health status among service users. The study also found that service users information literacy had a significant impact on service quality and satisfaction, and it confirms the importance of customized service. This study suggests that information literacy inequality exists among the elderly home care service users, therefore, the way to improve information delivery strategy should be developed for the information-poor elderly.

Geographic distribution analysis of hospital beds by Gini index and Lorenz curve (Gini 계수와 Lorenz 곡선에 의한 지역별 병상분포 양상 분석)

  • An, Byeung-Ki;Park, Jae-Yong;Kim, Key-Hoon
    • Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.1-18
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    • 2011
  • In this study, population census(2005 & 2008) from Statistics Korea and the statistical data of the number of hospital beds by healthcare facilities classification from Ministry of Health and Welfare were used. For analyzing distribution of hospital beds, hospital beds were classified as acute care beds, long-term care beds and all hospital beds, which is including acute and long-term care beds. Regional areas, which are city(si), county(goon) for the study and district(gu) were reclassified as metropolitan city, city(si) and county(goon). Because there were 165 regional areas in 2005 and 2008, 84 and 81 areas were classified as metropolitan city and/or city and county, respectively. Gini index were calculated for hospital beds from each year, and Lorenz curves were drawn. The following summary presents the findings of this study. Compared to the year 2005 and 2008, the Gini index was 0.24472, and hospital bed numbers increased slightly by 0.80% than in 2005. In case of acute care beds, the Gini index was 0.23797(0.13%), and there was no big difference; however, the Gini index for long-term care beds was 0.41091, and there was a 30.25% decrease, which shows improvement to reduce disparities. It might result from an increase in long-term care beds up to 476.2%. For geographical equality of hospital beds, the Gini index and Lorenz curve, which can be compared the degree of inequality in the distribution of hospital beds reasonably and possibly show statistical data, should be used. Through this study, the distribution policy of hospital beds should be established.

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Emerging Currents in Health and Medicine - A Socio-Cultural Critique of Their Discourses and Practices - (건강과 의학의 새로운 흐름 - 담론과 실천 방식에 관한 사회문화적 비평 -)

  • 이종찬
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.10 no.4
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    • pp.1-19
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    • 2000
  • We have witnessed several kinds of new discourses and practices in health and medicine since the 1970s, such as popular concerns with alternative or complementary medicine, inordinate attention to the promotion of 'healthy' living, rapid resurrection of traditional medicine and ecological management of health. Four structural and situational factors are discussed to underlie these new trends:(i) as 'crisis' in health care of the 1970s was translated into health care reform of the 1980s backed up by neo-liberal political philosophy, the state responsibility for nation's health is being transferred to the individual ;(ii) it resulted from the limits of biomedical paradigm in dealing with chronic diseases;(iii) medico-scientific knowledge of disease is transformed into the subjective discourses and technologies of health in postmodern society ; and (iv) it is deeply associated with the considerable increase in environmental risk perception of health and disease. There are some inherent countervailing forces in these new discourses and practices. First, while they derive from lifestyle-oriented behavioral change, medicalization of life and death is still consolidated in the new trends. Second, inasmuch as new tides are reliant upon science, they. are likely to be remote from techne that means not the practical application of theoretical knowing but a special form of practical knowing. Third, as new discourses and activities accomplished'in the name of health'increasingly occupy important strategies in forming the self-identity, they serve as moral apparatus which involves prescriptions about how we should live our lives and conduct our bodies, both individually and collectively. Therefore, two points are suggested to consider seriously whether these streams will succeed in improving the‘healthy’living of all the people. Instead of limiting tile perspective to medicine, healing and health care, a new matrix that interweave welfare, ecology and labor along with them is timely needed for enhancing the health for all. In addition, as the World Health Report fm strongly shows, inequality in health heavily depends upon socio-economic development of a society, and it is not the richest countries that have the best health status, but those that have the smallest income differences between rich and poor.

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A study on the relationship between socioeconomic level and oral health: analysis of data from the Sixth Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (사회경제적 수준과 구강건강과의 관련성 연구: 제6기 국민건강영양조사 자료를 이용하여)

  • Song, Ae-Hee;Youn, Hye-Jeong
    • Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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    • v.19 no.4
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    • pp.565-575
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    • 2019
  • Objectives: In this study, both subjective and objective levels of oral health were used to identify the relationship between oral health inequalities. Methods: Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data from 2013 to 2015 were combined to create an analysis plan. Oral health questions categorized as subjective oral health conditions and oral health-related diseases used dental tissue disease status as data measured by the Community Periodical Index(CPI) and decayed, missing, filled teeth(DMFT) experience. Other data on oral health behaviors such as toothache experience, the frequency of toothbrush use, chewing problems, oral examination status, and unmet dental care needs were classified and analyzed according to the socioeconomic level. Data were analyzed using frequency and cross analyses, and the statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Results: It was found that higher the economic and educational level, better was the subjective oral health, lower the CPI, lower the experience of toothache, higher the frequency of toothbrush use, lower the number of people having chewing problems, and higher the frequency of oral checkups. Conclusions: Oral health inequality exists among social classes. It is suggested that continuous research and efforts be carried out to promote oral health while considering socioeconomic and educational levels. Further, active government efforts will be needed to address polarization by social class.

Conceptual Model for Women s Health (여성건강을 위한 개념적 모형)

  • 이경혜
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.933-942
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    • 1997
  • There has recently been an increased interest in women's health from, various disciplines, with different perspectives presented according to each profession's academic background. This has led to many instances of incorrectly defining, or misinterpretation, of the issues even among professionals. Nurse scholars as well as practitioners who work in women's health care need to have a clear conceptual understanding of women's health in order to build a body of knowledge, delineate curricular activities, and set directions for professional nursing interventions. In addition, a conceptual model that may be directly utilized in practice is needed to maintain and promote women's health issues. The purpose of this study was to apply a Hybrid model, analyzing conceptual definitions and discussions related to women's health gathered from review of the literature. Further to compare analyticals the concepts and properties observed from field work, so as to present a final definition of women's health and, build a conceptual framework for a united comprehensive perspective on the concept as well as on nursing practice. Data collection and analysis consisted of a theoretical stage, field work stage, and final analysis. A heterogeneous group of professionals and lay persons, 39 in all, participated in the field work. Study findings Include several subconcepts under the concept of women's health : a woman's whole life, holistic health, quality of life, awareness of being a woman, individual nursing, self care ability, reproductive health, and family health. Thus, a comprehensive definition was built, 1. e., "Women's health care be defined as improvement in the quality of life of women through attainment of holistic health throughout the life span. With reproductive health at the core, the concept is directly related to family and national health, and includes taking care of one's own health based on awareness of being a woman and utilizing self care activities. Women's health care issues are unique and allow various responses, therefore women's health professionals need to apply individual approaches to reach solutions in attaining holistic health and improving quality of life." The constructual factors of women's health were found to be reproductive functions, diseases more common in woman, self actualization, mental health, women's health policies, sexuality, midlife changes, and marital relations, with each factor having more than three properties. Positive factors affecting women's health were found to be a normal childbearing process, a healthy lifestyle, active health management, health information, support, and resources, and interpersonal relationships. Negative factors were found to be overwhelming role stress, cultural oppression, gender inequality, distorted sexual identity, economic difficulties, misuse and/or abuse of substances, and stress. The model of women's health may be visualized as a balance scale set upon a woman's life, supporting 4 concentric circles. The innermost circle and second circle incorporate conceptual definitions of women's health, and the outer two circles represent the constructional factors and properties of women's health. Each circle has its own color that symbolizes the conceptual meaning. Positive and negative factors are represented as weights at either end of the scale, and are affected by nursing intervention, i. e., health and wellness increase when positive factors are stronger, whereas disease and illness increase when negative factors are stronger. This model is only a preliminary effort and requires much discussion and testing to be further developed. Continuous research is also required.

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The effect of employment status and household equalization income on unmet dental and medical care needs : a study on the application of Korea Medical Panel Data 2018 (종사상 지위와 가구 균등화 소득이 치과 의료 미충족에 미치는 영향 : 2018 한국의료패널 자료를 활용한 분석)

  • Jin-Ha Lee;Gyung-Jae Oh
    • Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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    • v.23 no.2
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    • pp.125-132
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    • 2023
  • Objectives: This study used the 2018 Korea Health Panel Survey data to analyze factors affecting employment status and income relating to unmet dental and medical care needs. Additionally it investigated measures to reduce oral health inequality among various socioeconomic classes. Methods: Descriptive statistics for the subjects' unmet dental and medical care needs were calculated through chi-square test analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify factors affecting the unmet dental and medical care needs. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated for each level. These data were analyzed using STATA 17.0 SE (64-bit) version, and the statistical significance level was set to p<0.05. Results: As a result of unmet dental and medical care needs according to general characteristics, the lower the education level (p<0.001), the higher the age (p<0.001) and the lower the household equalization income (p<0.024) and the smoker status (p<0.003) were, respectively. Factors that have a statistically significant impact on unmet dental and medical care needs were divorce, separation and bereavement (p<0.001) in individuals than in married persons, and being smokers than non-smokers (p<0.009). The frequency of unmet dental and medical care needs were found to be lower in the cases of a high school graduate than an elementary school graduate (p<0.018), and of higher household equalization income (p<0.001) than the lowest household equalization income, respectively. Conclusions: It was found that various factors such as age, education level, household equalization income, employment status, type of working hours type, and smoking status affect unmet dental and medical care needs.

Health Status and Medical Utilization of Women in Rural Area (농촌지역 여성의 건강수준과 의료이용에 대한 연구)

  • Shin, Hyung-Chul;Kang, Ji-Young;Park, Woong-Sub;Kim, Sang-A
    • Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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    • v.34 no.1
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    • pp.67-75
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    • 2009
  • Objectives: This study was conducted to examine health inequality for gender and region in Korea. Especially it focused on health status such as disease prevalence and medical utilization of rural women. Methods: Data from the Korea national health and nutrition survey in 2001 were used. The final sample size was 37,108 individuals with age 20 and over. This study applied the logistic regression for nominal variables such as disease prevalence and unmet care needs and with the regression for continuos variables such as the length and costs of medical services. Results: Rates of disease prevalence and unmet care needs for chronic disease in rural area are higher than those in middle cities and big cities, and regional differences of those for women are more than those for mens with controlling ages. There could be interaction effect with region and sex. Conclusions: This study suggests that health policy maker should take consider of special status of rural women who are in health inequality.

Evolution of Healthcare Service Disparities: A Case Study of Primary Care Services in Korea, 1995-2021 (보건의료 서비스의 공간적 불균등 분포 변이에 대한 연구: 1995년부터 2021년까지 초기진료기관을 대상으로)

  • Hyun Kim;Yena Song
    • Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.289-309
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    • 2023
  • While South Korea's universal healthcare system has garnered attention in public health, the issue of inequality in healthcare service provision among different age groups has incessantly become a significant concern. The focus of this concern is primarily on essential healthcare services, encompassing fundamental aspects of healthcare such as internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatric and adolescent care. This inequality is not limited to differences among age groups (both junior and senior demographics) but also extends to potential disparities in healthcare services based on geographic location, particularly in urban and rural contexts. This paper aims to investigate disparities in primary healthcare service resources in South Korea's evolving economic landscape between 1995 and 2021. We utilize a set of inequality indices with a spatial perspective through geographic cluster analysis. The findings reveal that concerns about inequality have been amplified during various economic events, including the IMF crisis in 1999, the global financial crisis in 2008, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. These years are identified as significant phases that have contributed to manifesting spatial disparities in primary healthcare provisions, with a particular emphasis on the senior-aged population rather than junior or all population groups. Our findings underscore the pressing need to address the unequal distribution of essential healthcare resources as part of preparedness for potential economic impacts, requiring a comprehensive consideration of the interconnected nature of demographic and spatial dimensions in healthcare services.