• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.37-52
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to understand home hospice care status and problem in Korea, and ultimately to develop the home hospice standard. This study was conducted as a part of a study on the institutionalization of the home hospice in Korea. A focus group interview with representatives of seven home hospice agency where have provided home hospice service for years was conducted. All of the participants agreed to the essential components for home hospice service including 24 hour on call service, multidisciplinary team visiting, and periodical team meeting. Visiting frequency was 1-3 times per week mostly by nurses. And they agreed requisitely to fulfill an office for home visiting nurses, storage space, and home visiting bags. The obstacles of providing home hospice were 1) no reimbursement system, 2) difficulties to change medication at home, 3) lack of inpatient beds for symptom control. Standardization of home hospice is critical to improve service quality and to develop reimbursement system. The findings of this study could be used as a basic data to develop home hospice standards and guidelines.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.510-516
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• 2020

This study investigated the characteristics and factors affecting inpatient infants, children, and adolescents who experienced falling, using NHDIS data from 2008 through 2017, The study analyzed data of 116 patients who were under 18 and who experienced injuries (KSCD, S00-S99) by falling (KSCD, W00-W19). Frequency analysis, cross-tabulations, and multiple regression analysis were conducted, using SPSS 23. There were more boys than girls, and most of the falls occurred at the ages of over one to under six years old. Most of the children had respiratory diseases, and most had open wounds or bruises due to falling. Also, most of the falls were related to the bed. In the factor analysis, age (β=.318), the main diagnosis (β=.231), and injury (β=.169) except gender affected falling. This suggests that it is necessary to conduct fall prevention education for children, considering the developmental stage characteristics and age group. It is necessary to screen the risk group such as children with a disease with relatively less restriction of activities or with a hyperactive disorder, and to develop a related manual. Hopefully, the results will be used as the basic data for fall prevention education and creating a fall prevention manual according to the characteristics of children's developmental stage for patients who need hospitalization, their caregivers, and the relevant medical team.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.435-445
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• 2017

This study was conducted to overcome the limitations of prior research on the equity of medical care performed by identifying simple differences in the use of medical care or using limited medical needs and medical utilization indicators. Specifically, we used activity limits, chronic diseases, and subjective health status as medical needs, and used outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services as medical uses. In addition, we used concentration index, concentration curve, and Le Grand factor to analyze the equity of medical use considering medical needs. The main results are as follows. First, the amount of medical care for the low-income class is higher than that of the high-income class when considering the concentration of medical use. In particular, the number of hospitalization days for low-income households and hospitalization fees were higher than the fees of outpatient medical consultation and emergency room usage. Second, medical needs were concentrated in the low income class. In other words, low-income group is not as healthy as the high-income group. Third, the Le Grand factor was calculated in order to confirm the fairness of the medical uses considering the medical needs. Even if medical needs are taken into consideration, the high-income earners will have a large amount of medical care. In addition, when considering the limitation of activity and the number of chronic diseases, the medical use of the high income class was more frequent. However, when the subjective health condition and the chronic illness were considered, medical use of the low income class was more frequent. This may be due to the underestimation of the medical needs of the low-income earners by neglecting their own health status and perception of chronic diseases.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.19-29
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• 2002

This study questionnaires 166 inpatients and outpatients with stroke in 8 hospitals, including Wonkwang University Gwangju Korean Hospital from July 2 to 31, 2001 in order to find out the influence of general nature, smoking, drinking, obesity, and perception of saltness of patients with stork on the outbreak of stroke and to examine important factors by dividing into hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. Finally, collected data is analyzed statistically, using SPSS 7.5 statistics package. This study reaches a conclusion as follows. 1. For general nature, 86(51.8%) patients have hemorrhagic stroke and 80(48.2%), ischemic stroke in the rate of 1.59:1(male:female), suggesting that male's outbreak is more than female's. Outbreak age is ranged from 20 years to 90 years in order of 60's, 50's, and 40's. 50's-60's accounts for more than half percentage. 2. For smoking, 73(71.6%) of male patients has smoking experience and their 562% has ischemic stroke. Their cross-analysis for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke shows significant difference with $x^2=3.90$(p<0.05). 48.6% of patients with smoking experience is ranged from 1 to 10 a day in smoking quantity. 3. For drinking, 90(88.2%) of male patients has drinking experience and their 53.3% has hemorrhagicstroke. Their cross-analysis for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke shows no significant difference with x2=3.40(p<0.1). 59.3% of patients with drinking experience is classified as a overdrinking group. 4. For obesity, low weight is 8(4.8%): normal, 111(66.9%): excessive, 40(24.1%), and obesity, 7(4.2%). In patients with hemorrhagic stroke, excessive weight and obesity are somewhat high(33.7%). The cross-analysis for male's hemorrhagic and ischemic stork by dividing BMI into more and less than 25 shows no significant difference with x=3.52(p<0.1). 5. For perception of saltness, 21(12.7%) patients eat flat: 76(45.8%) normally, and 69(41.5%), saltily. Many patients with ischemic stroke are classified as a group who eat saltily. The cross-analysis for male's hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke shows signifiant difference with x2=10.99(p<0.05). As this study has small sample and selects inpatient and outpatient in certain local hospital, it is difficult to generalize. But the cross-analysis of male's hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke shows signifiant difference in smoking and perception of saltness. Drinking and obesity are more important factors in hemorrhagic stroke and smoking and perception of saltness in ischemic stroke.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.45-56
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate medical care behaviors influencing accuracy of the payment based New diagnosis-related groups (DRG) compared to fee for service (FFS) in hospitalized patients with medical illness. Methodology: In order to estimate the difference in medical costs between New DRG and FFS depending on medical care behaviors, medical records and hospital claims data (n=4,232) were utilized, which were collected from a single public hospital during the first-half of 2018. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square test, and multivariate binary logistic regression. Findings: The average difference in medical costs between New DRG and FFS were KRW 506,711±13,945 with incentives and KRW -51,506±12,979 without incentives, respectively. Forty-four point two percent (44.2%, n=1,872) of total subjects were shown to have negative compensation in overall medical costs with New DRG compared to the costs with FFS. Medical care behaviors that affected on the negative compensation were the presence of severe bed sores on admission, medical consultations, death, operations, medications and laboratory or imaging tests with unit price over KRW 100,000, hospital-acquired complications or underlying comorbidities, elderly patients (≧65 years), and hospitalized for more than average inpatient days defined by New DRG (p<0.001). The difference in average medical cost between New DRG and FFS for a group with mild illness was KRW -11,900±10,544, whereas it was KRW -196,800±46,364 for a group with severe illness (p<0.0001). Practical Implications: These findings suggest that New DRG payment model without incentives may incompletely cover the variation of medical costs in real clinical practice. Therefore, policy makers need to consider that the current New DRG reimbursement should be focused and refined to improve accuracy of payment on medical care resources utilized in severe and complex medical conditions.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2001

Objective : To elucidate risk factors for coronary heart diseases among Korean males. Methods : A nested case control study was conducted among a Korea Medical Insurance Cooperation(KMIC) cohort composed of 108,802 males. The eases included 246 male patients who were admitted to hospital due to coronary heart diseases from 1993 to 1997 (120-25 by ICD) and whose diagnosis was confirmed by the protocol by WHO MONICA Project(1994). The control group was composed of 483 patients selected by frequency matching considering age and resident area from an inpatient care group without coronary heart disease during the same period. For study cases and the controls, the results of a health check-up in 1990 and a questionnaire on life style in 1992 were received through the KMIC. Some additional information was collected by telephone interviews during October 1999. Results : Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio(OR) of coronary heart diseases among past smokers and current smokers as compared to non-smokers were 1.94(95% CI : 1.14-3.31) and 2.20(55% CI : 1.35-3.59), respectively. The OR among persons who drank 4 cups or more of caffeinated beverages such as coffee or tea daily as compared to persons who drank one cup for 2-3 days was 2.50(95% CI : 1.07-6.12). The OR among persons with high normal BP and stage 3 hypertension against normotension were 2.51 (95% CI : 1.44-4.37) and 5.08(95% CI : 2.38-10.84). The OR among persons whose blood cholesterol were 240 mg/dL or mere against lower than 200mg/dL was 2.24(95% CI : 1.43-3.49). Conclusion : Smoking, drinking of excessive caffeinated beverages, hypertension and high blood cholesterol were proven to be significant risk factors for coronary heart diseases among Korean males.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate the usability of serious-game apps for robots that are being developed for hospitals to add familiarity to hospital life for hospitalized patients. We conducted a usability test of 10 experts and 12 elementary school students with inpatient experience. The usability evaluation of the developed apps was based on the professional (MARS) evaluation tool and the user (uMARS) evaluation tool. The results of the usability test of the serious game robot app were $3.67{\pm}0.342$ for professionals and $3.68{\pm}0.592$ for children. The expert group obtained the highest score in the aesthetics category, and the user group obtained the highest score in the functionality category. In the subjective comments, the experts pointed out the game layout and the consistency of the style. According to the children, the methods were easy to learn, and the screen movement was mainly described. Both groups received low ratings in terms of engagement through participation. This study will provide useful reference material when the functional game app is actually installed in the robot and the usability test is conducted again after the results obtained in this study are considered.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.220-229
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• 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of music therapy on depression and rehabilitation-motivation provided to stroke patients, thus achieving evidence-based music therapy as a nursing intervention method for patients. Thirty-three people who were hospitalized for stroke diagnosis at K-Hospital were required to listen to 10 pre-selected songs for three days before bedtime. According to the general characteristics, the proportion of male participants (25, 75.8%) was higher than female (8, 24.2%), and by age group, 6(18.2%) were in 40s, 19(57.6%) were in 50s and 8(24.2%) were aged 60 or older. The study data were analyzed using Wilcoxon-signed rank test. As a result, music therapy does not affect depression and rehabilitation-motivation. However, it was shown to be effective in reducing depression in MMSE group 1 (≤ 29) with low cognitive levels. It is expected that this study can be used as an evidence for music therapy which can be applied as a way to increase the effectiveness of nursing intervention.

• 한국노년학
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.1247-1263
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• 2011

The rapidly aging society entails the increases of medical service utilizations among the elderly. Medical services utilized by the elderly influence their life satisfaction. However, little is known about the effects of medical service utilizations on life satisfaction. Much less is known about whether the effects of medical service utilizations on life satisfaction tend to vary by the presence of chronic health conditions. Including 3,944 individuals aged 65 and over who participated in the 3rd wave of Korean Welfare Panel Study, the current study aims to examine (1) the relationships between medical service utilizations and life satisfaction and (2) whether the effects of medical service utilizations on life satisfaction vary by the presence of chronic health conditions. Data were processed through structural equation modeling(SEM) and multi-group SEM. Results indicate that (1) levels of both outpatient and inpatient service utilizations are related to life satisfaction, whereas levels of health monitoring service utilizations are not and (2) the effects of medical service utilizations varied by the chronic health condition status of the elderly. These results indicate that, in order to enhance levels of life satisfaction, medical services should be strategically utilized by the elderly depending on their chronic health condition status. Based on the findings, we discussed implications for practice and policy, suggesting future research directions based on the limitations of the current study.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.68-73
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore insomniac demographic characteristics and the type of consultation provided to hospitalized patients asked to the Department of Psychiatry for insomnia and to compare patient insomnia characteristics by consultation type. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of 4,966 patients who were hospitalized from August 1, 2005 to December 31, 2011 that received consultation in the Department of Psychiatry. Among them, 236 patients were referred for insomnia. We compared the differences in demographic characteristics and types of consultation between the insomnia patient group and other patient group. We also compared the difference between demographic characteristics and type of consultation by dividing total subjects into 'with reconsultation' and 'without reconsultation' groups. Results: Our results came from the analysis of 9,689 consecutive consultation requests. There were 4,966 patients that participated in the study over 6 years and 6 months. The overall consultation rate was 3.3% of all admissions and insomnia patients comprised 4.8% of those. The ratio of re-consultation for insomnia was 27.5%. There was no significant difference in mean age between the insomnia 'with reconsultation group' and the insomnia 'without reconsultation group', but the 'with reconsultation' group had significantly more male patients and medical patients than the 'without re-consultation' group. For insomnia patients, consultation types were in the order of Mending request (51.3%), Paralle request (36.6%), Complementary request (9.0%) and this composition differed from that of total admission patients. Conclusion: Hospitalized patients referred for insomnia showed a higher proportion of male patients, lower rates of re-consultation compared with other patients, and most of these were for secondary insomnia. Each doctor should be aware of the possibility of inpatient insomnia, conduct positive assessments and referrals as necessary, and psychiatrists who might be asked for consultation need to prepare an active intervention with initial diagnosis and treatment, as well as recommendations for the timing of reconsultation.