• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.311-325
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• 2020

Background: Health statistics of pharmaceutical use and expenditure are essential to make and implement evidence-based pharmaceutical policy. This study aims to demonstrate the methods and results of pharmaceutical consumption and sales in 2018 according to the sources and methods given by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Methods: The medication list contains 39,346 medicines both reimbursed and non-reimbursed by the National Health Insurance in 2018. We used the therapeutic categories based on Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical Classification of World Health Organization. This study analyzed National Health Insurance claims data and supply data generated from wholesalers to health care facilities. The indicators are defined daily dose (DDD), per 1,000 inhabitants per day and US$ per capita. Results: In South Korea, the number of medications to which DDD were assigned was 18,055 and it was 45.9% of the total number of medications on the list. The consumption in anti-infective for systemic use (J) and musculo-skeletal system (M) was higher than the mean consumption among the OECD countries. The pharmaceutical sales per person in Korea was also higher than the mean sales per person across the OECD countries. Conclusion: We sought to explain the methods to produce pharmaceutical consumption and sales statistics which we had submitted annually to OECD. Considering the characteristics of pharmaceutical statistics, a direct comparison should be approached with caution. Since the growth in pharmaceutical spending has greatly increased over the past decade, we need to monitor pharmaceutical consumption and expenditure consistently.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.316-326
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine teenagers' Internet addiction and to find factors influencing it. Methods: Data were collected from 596 middle and high school students between June 1 and June 20, 2009 with a self-rating questionnaire. The data were processed with SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: (1) 20.3% of the students were spending over three hours a day in Internet use. The percentages of mild and serious Internet addiction were 22.3 and 2.1, respectively. (2) The stronger Internet addiction was, the higher stress was and the lower social support was. There was a negative correlation between stress and social support (r=-.296, p<.01). There was also a positive correlation between Internet addiction and stress (r=.264, p<.01) while a negative correlation between Internet addiction and social support (r=-.127, p<.01). (3) Among the subjects' characteristics, sex, school and family type, frequency of processed food intake, average daily Internet use hour and sleeping hour, subjective health perception, and satisfaction level with parents and family made difference in the Internet addiction level. Conclusion: The result of this study will provide useful background data for the selection of target population, stress management and social support promotion programs to prevent teenagers' Internet addiction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.135-145
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• 2018

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the factors associated with long hours of smartphone usage and to identify the characteristics of the high-risk group among female middle school students in South Korea. Methods: The study analyzed the data of 13,648 female middle school students using their own smartphone extracted from the 13th Youth Health Behavior Online Survey (2017). The factors related to using smartphones for a long time was analyzed by binomial logistic regression. The characteristics of the high-risk group was defined by a decision tree analysis. Results: The average hours spent on smartphone usage was 269.54 minutes per day. The significant factors associated with the long hours of smartphone usage were grade, living with parents, perceived household economic status, perceived academic achievement, stress, sadness and hopelessness, the main purpose of smartphone usage, drinking, body mass index, breakfast, and satisfaction with sleep quality. The subjects showing low academic performance and having breakfast four times a week or less were more likely to use their smartphone for a long time. Conclusion: Based on the results of the research, we need to establish intervention strategies focusing on the factors influencing long-time usage of smartphone. Particularly, the subjects who show poor academic performance and skip breakfast frequently should be considered as the high-risk group for spending long hours on smartphone usage.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.98-105
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• 2022

Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common chronic condition among sedentary workers that causes long-term productivity loss. This study aimed to identify the relationships of individual and occupational factors with LBP among Bangladeshi online professionals. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 468 full-time online professionals who usually worked in a sitting position. One-month LBP complaints were assessed using a musculoskeletal subscale of subjective health complaints. The chi-square test was used to measure associations between categorical predictors and LBP, and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the variables significantly associated with LBP. Results: LBP within the last month was reported by 65.6% of participants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that age >30 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23 to 0.70) and being married (aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.97) had significant negative associations with LBP. Significant positive associations were found for spending >50 hours weekly on average working in a sitting position (aOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.49), being overweight and obese (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.99), sleeping on a soft mattress (aOR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.06 to 3.80), and ex-smoking status (aOR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.41 to 7.87). Conclusions: A high prevalence of LBP was found among full-time online professionals. Long working hours in a sitting position showed a significant association with developing LBP. Smoking history, body mass index, and sleeping arrangements should also be considered while considering solutions for LBP prevalence among online professionals.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.51-70
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• 2009

Background : Previous studies have reported that enhanced continuity of care prevented a sudden worsening in progress among chronic disease patients, and as a result was favorable for efficient spending of health care funds. This study aims to estimate the continuity of care of Korean with diabetes and to identify factors affecting the continuity of care. Methods : This study used the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Database which includes E11 (ICD-10) as a primary or secondary disease as of 2006. Study population is 1,160,725 type 2 diabetics (20-84 years). Continuity of Care Index (COC), Modified, Modified Continuity Index (MMCI), and Most Frequent Provider Continuity (MFPC) were used as indexes of continuity of care. Results : The continuity of care in the study population was $0.94{\pm}0.10$ as calculated by MMCI, $0.91{\pm}0.16$ as calculated by MFPC and $0.86{\pm}0.23$ as calculated by COC. The lower continuity of care was shown in the patients who were female, 65 and over years old, Medical Aid recipients, 13 times or more visitors, hospital users as main attending medical institution, patients experienced hospitalizations or comorbidities. Conclusion : The continuity of care for adult patients with type 2 diabetes was high in Korea, and showed variation according to patients' characteristics. This result provides empirical evidence for policymakers to develop or strengthen programs for managing patients showing low continuity of care.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.132-144
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• 2013

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the medical expense change and influencing factors after introducing longterm care insurance system. The study period was 2 years before and after introduction of the system. Methods: We analyzed data collected from two divided group lived in Incheon. Four hundred and eighty-five elderly who received long-term care wage for one year were selected for experimental group. For control group, 1,940 elderly were selected by gender and age stratified random sampling. Difference-In-difference analyses was used for evaluating policy effectiveness. Also multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors associated with total medical expenditures. The control variables were demographic variables, economic status, diseases, and medical examination variables. Results: Difference-in-difference analyses showed that total average medical expenses among long-term patients has decreased by 61.85%. Of these, the hospitalization expenses have decreased by 91.63% and the drug expenses have increased by 31.85%. Multiple regression analyses results showed that total average medical expenses among long-term patients have significantly decreased by 46.5% after introducing the long-term care insurance. The hospitalization expenses have significantly decreased by 148.5%, whereas the drug expenses have increased by 53.6%. And outpatient expenses have increased by 10.4%, but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The results showed that total medical expenses and hospitalization expenses have decreased after introducing the long-term care insurance. These results could support the opinion that the health insurance spending among long-term patients will be reduced gradually by long-term care insurance through changing medical demand.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.51-65
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• 2011

Purpose : To figure out the degree of leisure satisfaction of elderly's life. Method : A total of 1,015 persons were randomly selected from cities. This survey was performed by college students from July 1 through October 31, 2008. Results : 1. The level of health status of the subjects was $8.58{\pm}0.24$ of 15 points(57.2points of 100 points). 2. The average satisfaction degree of leisure was $2.92{\pm}39$(58.8points of 100). Of the study subjects, females, a group over 65-69, singles, the persons spending petty cash over 1.1 million won a month, the persons living with 3-4 family members and the subjects living with children had higher degree of satisfaction than other groups. 3. The factors affecting the degree of leisure satisfaction by regression analysis were age, gender, marital status, amount of petty cash, education level, the number of family members, utilization of social service agency, current health status. The influence level of those variables was 36.1%. Conclusion : It is very important to develop special activity program for their pleasant leisure time. The recreation and leisure program for the elderly should be implemented to provide by the authorities concerned. Children should be encouraged to live with their parents. All elderly welfare related agencies such as government, NGOs and professionals have to work together to improve the health of the elderly.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.597-605
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• 2018

Objectives: This study examined the relationship between oral health symptoms and Internet usage of Korean adolescents for the purpose of identifying problems associated with Internet usage of adolescents and of preparing measures that can raise awareness on the importance of their oral health management. Methods: The data used in this study is from the 2015 Youth Health Behavior Online Survey (YHBOS). Data from all survey participants (n=68,043) were used in the final analysis, using SPSS Ver. 22.0. General linear models were constructed to analyze the relationship between oral health symptoms and Internet usage of adolescents. Results: In the relationship between Internet usage and oral disease symptoms, those who brush less than once a day during weekdays and weekend tended to use Internet at the highest levels: 72.5%, 78.3% (p<0.001). The following variables were found to be related with spending longer time at Internet: male students (p<0.001), students in lower grades (p<0.001), students with lower performance (p<0.001), and those from families of lower economic level (p<0.001). Moreover, those who brush their teeth less than once a day and those who experienced oral disease symptoms, such as pain during chewing, throbbing and shooting pain, and bad breath in the past year spent longer time at Internet. Conclusions: The above findings show that Internet usage and demographic characteristics of the adolescents are associated with their oral health management. Therefore, guidance and interventions are needed for adolescents with problematic Internet use, while continued education is also needed to raise awareness about the importance of oral health management during adolescence.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.145-166
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to offer information needed in developing mental health service programs which can help mental patients to improve their self-esteem. For that purpose, the difference and the interrelation between mental patients' characteristics, and their self-esteem, group consciousness and consciousness of right were examined. And also, in practice, I observed 374 patients suffering from mental problem, who live in Busan and in Kyeong Nam province. As the result, the several facts which could be got from this theoretical examination and practical observation are as follows: First, it is shown that what is meaningfully related to mental patients' self-esteem are their educational level, the families' monthly earnings, a feeling of satisfaction to family relationship, the time spending together with their friends, or a feeling of satisfaction to their friends Second, it is appeared that there was a significant interaction between group consciousness of mental patients, and whether they have got married and the time spending together with their friends. Third, it is found out that their feeling of satisfaction to family relationship and the time spending together with their friends have meaningful relation to consciousness of right which mental patients have. Finally, speaking of interaction among self-esteem, group consciousness and consciousness of right, it is understood that self-esteem has significant effect of group consciousness, and that group consciousness has confidential effect on consciousness of right.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1119-1128
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• 2001

This study was designed to identify degrees of self-esteem, health status, and life satisfaction in elderly women and investigate the relationship between these factors. The results will contribute to effective nursing intervention for promoting the quality of life for elderly women. Method: The subjects of this study included 129 elderly women. The data was collected through personal interviews using questionnaires from Nov. to Dec. of 2000. The measurement tools were the self-esteem scale developed by Rosenberg and translated by Byong-Je Jong (1974), the health status scale developed by Young Ja Lee(1989), and the life satisfaction scale developed by Jin Youn(1982). The data was analyzed by the SPSS computer program, and it included descriptive statistics, x2-test, t-test and the pearson correlation coefficient. Result: The conclusions of this study are summarized as follows: 1. There was a significant difference in age (x2=12.952, p=.000), religion (x2=6.140, p=.000), spending money (x2=.7.511, p= .000), living expenses load (x2=16.189, p= .000), and the major support provider (x2=6.539, p=.000), according to general characteristics in the existence elderly women. 2. There was a significant difference in self-esteem (t=7.05, P=.000), Health status (t=-10.09, P=.000), and life satisfaction (t=6.62, P=.000) between the two groups. 3. There was a significant positive correlation between self-esteem and health status (r=.406, P=.000), self-esteem and life satisfaction (r=.524, P=.000), and health status and life satisfaction (r=.504, P= .0000) in elderly women.