• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.417-433
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• 2010

Purpose: This study evaluated the manpower planning of dental technicians. Methods: Methods : Survey was conducted regarding subject's general characteristics, characteristics of dental technician's occupational view and working conditions, and reason to enter into branches of the public health enter. The survey sample consisted of 323 dental technicians (221 male/ 102 female). Survey was conducted for one month from August 1 to September 1 in 2010. Following results were obtained. Results: 1. Regarding general characteristics of the subjects, there was a slight male predilection with 68.4%. Subjects in their 40s occupied the highest proportion of 32.2%. Majority of subjects worked in the big cities (71.5%). Favored working places were dental laboratory (57.6%) and dental hospital or dental clinic (19.5%). Although no position is available in the public sector such as public health center or health care civil servant, 9.3% preferred working in the public health center. Public sector is more favored than 2-year technical colleges or dental supply and equipment companies. In respect to education, 57% of the subjects graduated college. 67.8% were married. Subjects who specialize in the porcelain or all-ceramic were 57.9%. With regard to current position, head of the dental laboratory was most common. 2. Following occupation characteristics were found. Economic reason took the highest proportion when deciding their occupation (39.9%) followed by gaining social experience (36.5%). Majority of the subjects (76.5%) wanted to work as dental technicians until their retirement. 71.5% pursuit to become a manager of the dental laboratory. 76.1% agreed on opening a dental technician position in the public health center. Regarding an authority to lead developing the dental technician position in the public sector, majority of the subject chose ministry of health and welfare (35.6%) and Korean dental technologist association (34.7%). Employment (average, 30%) and turnover rate (average, 36.5%) of dental technology college graduates ranged from 40% to 60%. Most important factors for the employment were practical experience (41.2%) and competency (34.4%). With regard to job satisfaction, so-so as 46.7% and satisfactory was 42.7% 3. In respect to the reason for opening a position in the public health center, 'It is needed to continue denture rogram for elderly patients' obtained the highest score (4.14 point). 'Institutional devices are required to open a position for dental technicians as a public healthcare provider' received high score (4.11 point). 4. Concerning the working conditions, 'professional knowledge is required' received the highest score (4.23) followed by 'too short maternity and parental leave' (4.21). 5. Relationship between general characteristics of the subjects and favor of working in the public health center was investigated. Significant differences were found according to the current and favored working area, favored occupation, education level, marital status, and specialty. Working in the public health center was favored by following subjects: working in mid- or small-sized cities (4.16 point, p<0.05); PhD degree-holder (4.59 point, p<0.01). 6. Among general characteristics of the subjects, significant difference of working conditions was found in the following factors: gender; working areas; favored working areas; favored working positions, and education level. Majority of subjects favored working in big cities and currently work in big cities although satisfaction was comparatively low (3.75 score). 7. Future plan to work in public health center was evaluated according to occupational characteristics. Subject's intention to work in the public healthcare center was significantly affected by opening of dental technician position, leading authority, average turnover rate, and factors affecting employment. Working in the public health care center was favored by the following subjects: Dental technicians who actively supported opening of the dental technician position (4.34 point, p<0.001); subjects who thought the Korean dental technologist association is responsible for the opening of positions in the public sector (4.26 point, p<0.001); and subjects who thought that attitude and character are important for the employment (p<0.001). 8. Concerning difference of working conditions according to the occupational characteristics, significant difference was demonstrated by factors such as a reason to choose to be a dental technician, work plan, pursuing position, responsible authority, average employment rate, and job satisfaction. High standard of working conditions was required in subjects who selected to be a dental technician for the leisure time after work (s.05 point, p<0.01), who planted to work until their marriage (4.25 point, p<0.001), and who pursuit to be a manager (3.98, p<0.05). 9. In respect to influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.068 and age affected the working condition with significant difference according to the pvalue. 10. Regarding influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.335 and work plan, opening of dental technician position in the public sector, and responsible authority had significant influence over the subject's intention to work in the public health center according to the p-value. 11. With regard to the influence of general characteristics on the advancement to public health centers, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.091 and reason to choose to be a dental technician, work plan, and responsible authority significantly affected subject's working conditions. Conclusion: Korean society is becoming a super-aged society according to several statistics. As aged population is rapidly increasing, national health insurance plans to cover denture for senior citizen over 75 years old from 2012. Therefore, dental technicians are urgently needed in the public health centers all over the nation. Many subjects in this study planed to work until their retirement and recognized dental technician's expertise. Ministry of health and welfare and Korean dental technologist association should co-operate each other to prepare foundation and institutional devices for dental technicians to advance into the public health center. This will improve oral health of the population. This study showed urgency of medical facilities and services which meets increasing number of aged population and welfare of the population.

• Korean Public Health Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.99-109
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• 2018

Objective : Health literacy (HL) is, defined as "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions." Being old is one of the main risk factors with limited health literacy. This study aims to adapt Chew's health literacy scale into the Korean language and validate the scale for the use of the elderly. Methods : Data were drawn from the '2016 Seoul Survey on Elderly Health and Functional Assessment, which includes a total of 725 people aged 60 to 79. The sample was randomly divided into two groups for reliability and validity tests of the modified Chew's scale of 8 items. The Korean version of the questionnaire was developed by group translation, expert reviews, and forward-backward translation. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assess and validate the factor structure of the scale. Results : Results suggest the two-factor structure ("Understanding" and "Applying" of HL) with 8 items. Exploratory factor analyses of the first sample (n=400) revealed that the internal reliability of the scale was high (Cronbach's ${\alpha}=.904$). Principal axis factoring extracted two factors ("Understanding" and "Applying" of HL) and explained 78.3% of total variance (KMO=.872, Bartlett's ${\chi}^2=2431.3$, df=28, p<.001). Confirmatory factor analysis of the second sample (n=325) was performed and the two-factor model was supported (GFI=.960, CFI=.979, TLI=.969, RMSEA=0.075). Conclusions : This study provides evidence for adequate criterion and validity of the health literacy scale for the community dwelling elderly in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.199-207
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• 2022

This study was conducted with the purpose of presenting data for preparing elderly work policies and mental health policies by comparing and analyzing the effects of working ability on depression of urban and rural elderly people. Data from the 16th year of the Korea Welfare Panel (2021) were used for the analysis data for this study, and data from 4,838 elderly people aged 65 and over were extracted and used for analysis. For the analysis method, descriptive statistics and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 22.0. As a result of the study, it was found that the depression decreased when the elderly were able to work. It was found that health status and household type had an effect on urban elderly, and health status and education level of rural elderly affected. Therefore, it is necessary to provide local social welfare services that are appropriate for the local characteristics, suitable for the resources and environment of urban and rural areas.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.146-153
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• 2021

Background: Researchers have previously commenced examining the degree of concordance between parent proxy and child self-reports on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of many disease and impairment populations. Objects: To explore the differences between parent proxy and child self-reports on the HRQOL using Korean version of KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires for applying to elementary school children and their parents who participated for a school-based wellness program. Methods: The focus groups were recruited for a school-based wellness program by implementing the following wellness services: 1) referring to a screening session for detecting potential posture-related musculoskeletal problems and 2) recommending home exercise programs. Before a primary field testing for the program, two focus groups were formed with a group of 9 parents and their 9 elementary school children aged 8-10 years of age. The parent proxy and child self-report versions of KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires were administered to both groups after completion of the wellness program. Item level Rasch rating scale analysis was applied to compute logit scales of KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaire. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and scatterplot of item difficulty between two reports were analyzed. Results: For fit statistics of parent proxy report, all items except 4 items (i.e., psychological well-being, mood/emotions, self-perception, parent relation) were found to be acceptable. For fit statistics of child self-report, all items except 3 items (i.e., psychological well-being, autonomy and home life) were acceptable. The relationship between two reports using ICCs were ranging from weak to very strong at p = 0.05 (i.e, ICCs = 0.011 to 0.905). Scatterplot analysis between two reports showed a major disparity on self-perception item at 95% confidence intervals. Conclusion: Both item level analyses and ICC comparisons provided a disparity between parent proxy and child self-reports of the HRQOL on self-perception item after competing a school-based wellness program. Therapist should consider the item as part of the HRQOL assessment.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-40
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• 1999

This study was to identify various personal characteristics between those having a helper and those not having a helper for ADL and IADL performance in noninstitutionalized elders. Secondary analysis was done with the data collected in 1994 national survey of aged householders. Of the elders with ADL limitations $47.8\%$ had no helper. while $26.2\%$ of those with IADL limitations had no helper. Those elders with a helper experienced more limitations in ADL and in IADL than those with no helper. Most of the helpers were family members. whereas very few had a formal helper. Age period and subjective economic status were significantly different between the groups with a helper and with no helper for both ADL and IADL. Compared to the elders with a helper. those elders with no helper had fewer children living together. whereas they had more grandchildren. They also had more contacts with friends or neighbors. Health status. in general. was worse in those elders with a helper than those with no helper. Logistic regression analysis revealed that ADL and IADL limitations had largest influence on having an ADL helper. The odds ratios for low levels of subjective economic status were very high. As for having an IADL helper. IADL score was the most important predictor. In particular. ADL limitations had a negative effect on having an IADL helper. This finding may indicate the urgency of ADL needs. which leads to the lack of an IADL helper when both ADL and IADL limitations are present. Considering the nature of ADL. those disabled elders with low economic status need public support for their daily activities and for home visiting nursing services. There should be studies of examining the adequacy of help in satisfying basic needs for performing ADL and IADL in elders.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.429-440
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• 2019

The proportion of people aged 65 or older in the world's major advanced nations is increasing to a significant extent. Aging population causes various socioeconomic problems. One of the most important issues is the welfare of the elderly. Advanced foreign countries that have already experienced aging early are investing a lot of money or legal system to provide welfare services necessary for old age such as income security system for the elderly, health care service for the elderly, and long-term protection problems. The contents of the social welfare legislation including the welfare of the elderly are closely related to the society, politics, economy, and culture of each country. Both Korea and Japan are actively intervening in the social security of the nation based on the constitutional ideology. The elderly welfare Act is a time when more careful diagnosis is needed because it is in the process of establishing the basic direction based on human dignity and pursuing the most efficient way to achieve it in such an ideology and reality. Therefore, in this study, based on the Elderly Welfare Act of Japan, which is the selection country of aging, I would like to examine the implications for the Elderly Welfare Act in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.369-378
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• 2007

This study purposed to examine elderly welfare facilities by type, to analyze their local variations, and ultimately to contribute to the expansion of elderly welfare infrastructure. The results are expected to help inspect elderly welfare infrastructure for providing the aged with social services before the execution of 'the insurance for elderly long term care' and establish welfare facilities by area in the future. For these purposes, we used the national data "The Current State of Elderly Welfare Facilities in 2007" produced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. We digitized elderly welfare facilities in 163 cities and counties by type and analyzed them by area. We also examined the differences in the local distribution of representative elderly welfare facilities such as elderly welfare centers, home based facilities (home helper centers), asylums for the aged and elderly care facilities in 16 cities and provinces. Furthermore, we analyzed differences and problems in their local distribution urban areas, mixed areas of urban and rural communities, and rural areas. In addition, we studied the current state of institutionalized care and home based care, which are two major directions of current elderly welfare policies, based on the local distribution of facilities and analyzed differences in the trends according to area. According to these results, the urban had more home based care facilities than the rural. However, the rural had more institutionalized care facilities than urban. Also, each local self-governing body showed unique characteristics. Therefore, these results suggest that we need to establish elderly welfare policies based on the distribution of facility types by area.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.10-22
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• 2010

Purpose: Through a thorough examination of the CCSC (Community Comprehensive Support Center) system in Japan, this study suggests a scheme to provide community-based preventive health care services for the elderly in Korea. Methods: The study inquired into the applicability of the Japanese model by reviewing the data related to the CCSC project, aided by both in-depth interviews with staff in the field and consultations with specialists. Results: Rearrangement of the Visiting Health Management Project system is needed to manage the collective or individual visiting care management for frailty prevention of the elderly in communities. The delegated service system for preventive care in the community, including direct management by one of the public health centers, also needs to be reviewed and the application of stricter standards for the selection of the agency or corporation to run the delegated service is necessary. Long-Term Care Insurance, along with national and local grants, is to be considered as a financial resource for the community-based preventive health care model for the elderly. By making active use of education rooms at district offices, senior citizen centers in neighborhoods for the elderly with easy access can be created. The project needs to raise active supports from communities, develop programs which can be absorbed into particular local cultures, and promote the understanding of the preventive project in local communities. The preventive program should focus on first solving the problems of depression, seclusion, and lack of mobility of the elderly. Second, the program should instruct physical self-management for exercise-nutrition-dental maintenance, and third, the program should strengthen the cognitive abilities of the elderly. In addition, it is necessary to systematize and implement counter-plans of the family and community to protect the elderly who has mental and cognitive problems. Finally, by establishing a network of public health welfare resources based upon research on a community level, assessment and planning for the health of the elderly should be one with their family, and comprehensive consultation and recommendations should be provided to the family. Conclusion: Taking into consideration the experience Japan has had with respect to a similar project, it is appropriate to develop and implement a service system which would combine the Visiting Health Management Project system which has already been established and a preventive health care model for the elderly on a community level.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.307-319
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of tele-physical therapy of health and non-health majors. It can provide basic research data for the provision of medical services in the future by identifying the level of awareness of the need for tele-physical therapy and the factors that affect it. Methods: The subjects were adults aged 20 to 29 in Korea, with 199 participants consisting of 83 health majors and 116 non-health majors. The survey was conducted over a period of 14 days. The survey comprised 19 questions, including 10 questions about general characteristics and 9 questions about tele-physical therapy recognition. The results were statistically analyzed using a statistical package program. Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups regarding the recognition of tele-physical therapy, with an average of 2.64 points in health majors and an average of 1.71 points in non-health majors, showing a low overall score. There was no significant difference in perception of the necessity of tele-physical therapy, with an average of 3.71 points in health majors and an average of 3.49 points in non-health majors, showing a high score, which was defined as a score of 3 or higher. Conclusion: Health and non-health majors showed low awareness of tele-physical therapy. A high level of perceived necessity for tele-physical therapy was shown. In the perception of tele-physical therapy in health majors, 'awareness', 'health improvement', and 'convenience' affect the perception of the necessity of tele-physical therapy. In non-health majors, 'knowledge and skills', 'health improvement', 'expected treatment satisfaction', and 'resolving restrictions on hospital visits' affect the perception of the necessity of tele-physical therapy.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1995

Based on the questionnaires sent to 270 nurses of public health centers in kyungnam during the period of March 19 to April 11 in 1992, this study was written for the of finding out the grade of satisfaction, obstacles in carrying out duties concerned with nursing services and the change of nurses role needed according to the change of the local public health administration. The first-ranking tasks carried by nurses of public health center are believed to have been family planning activities before the 1970's, nursing services during the 1970's, mother-child health activities during the 1980's, and nursing services during the period of 1990 to 1992. As far as the priority order of all the family planning activities is concerned, the counseling of the insertion of intrauterine contraceptive device, the use of oral pill or the distribution of condom was placed emphasis on before 1970, and publicity activities of family planning after that time. The first priority order of mother-child health activities has been put on the registration of pregnant women since 1970, with prenatal examination and vaccination ranking next to it. The priority order for activities against tuberculosis was laid on finding out and registration of new T.B. patients every year, with patients' control, and medication or injection ranking next to it. As for the priority order of nursing services, traveling medical examination and treatment ranked the first-stressed activity before 1970, with medication and injection ranking next to it. The first priority order management activity of communicable diseases was put on vaccination before 1970, with medication and injection. ranking next. And consultation and education ranked second to it during 1990 to 1992. As for the health services of the aged, traveling examination and treatment ranked the order, with the assistance of medical examination ranking next to it. As far as troubles and obstacles shown in case of family planning, the rate of residents' lack understanding was 28.8%, that of lacking budget 13.6%, and the imperfection of public health administration system 11.9%. In the case of tuberculosis control, residents' lacking understanding was 32.5%, the deficiency of public health administration system 18.2%, over-duty(shortage of hands) 15.6%, and the insufficiency skill and know-how 13.0%. In the case of nursing services, the deficiency of public health administration system was 18.2%, each over-duty(the shortage of hands) and the shortage of facilities and equipment 15.6% respective, and residents' lacking understanding 13.0%. The rate of dissatisfaction with the chance or possibility of promotion for his or her career or capability was shown to be 49.2%, and 65.9% of the health nurses expressed their complaints of the deficiency of the chance of the promotion to a professional or expert. when the public health nurses were asked in the questionably whether they were satisfied or not with current state of equipment and facilities needed for public health service, 49.6% of them answered in the negative. The grade of the satisfaction with the current individual position was shown to be low as much as the status of his or her position was now. 37.6% of those asked in the research answered to have the readiness to switch jobs for the reasons of dissatisfaction and so on with lacking promotion chance as well as bad working condition. Significant correlation between the grade of job satisfaction and the current status of the po as found to be in this research, which showed that the lower the status of position was, the lower the grade of job satisfaction was. But little correlation between the grade of job satisfaction and his or her schooling and career was found. In order to carry out primary health care successfully, it can be said that more education and publicity activities to make public health nurses and residents see it in a new light are requested. In addition to it, it is suggested that the improvement of promotion system for public health nurses and the enlargement of job province should also be taken in consideration of the high dissatisfaction with and complaints of the chance of promotion and the system of position. In order words, it is important that considerations for system improvement enough to make nursing services pleasant and satisfactory should be taken into.