• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.594-602
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• 2016

This study was carried out to suggest hospital referral system improvements based on health insurance subscriber perceptions of the delivery of healthcare. Health insurance subscriber outpatients (n = 207) referred from a stage 1 medical institution to the S university hospital located in Seoul responded to the study survey. The study's item reliability is reliable as the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was greater than 0.7. This study results showed that 5.9% of patients were referred from a higher stage hospital to a same stage hospital. The main factor attracting patients to S university hospital were physician reputation and confidence. The highest factor ($4.40{\pm}.92$) was xxxx. In addition, survey respondents reported that the concentration of patients in extra-large hospitals in Seoul ($4.24{\pm}.97$) was an important issue, and the issue with the highest priority for improvement ($4.05{\pm}1.02$). A positive correlation was detected between the recognition and improvement of delivery of healthcare (p < 0.01). Based on the results, we suggest that improvements in the delivery of healthcare should focus on patients rather than suppliers of national health insurance or other insurers. Keywords: delivery of healthcare, health services accessibility, national health insurance, tertiary care centers, hospital referral.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

The Japan National Committee for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and UICC-Asia Regional Office (ARO) organized a Roundtable Discussion as part of the official program of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. The theme for the Roundtable Discussion was "Looking Toward the Realization of Universal Health Care 'UHC' for Cancer in Asia" and it was held on December 5, 2014. The meeting was held based on the recognition that although each country may take a different path towards the realization of UHC, one point that is common to all is that cancer is projected to be the most difficult disease to address under the goals of UHC and that there is, therefore, an urgent and pressing need to come to a common understanding and awareness with regard to UHC concepts that are a priority component of a post-MDG development agenda. The presenters and participants addressed the issue of UHC for cancer in Asia from their various perspectives in academia and international organizations. Discussions covered the challenges to UHC in Asia, collaborative approaches by international organizations, the need for uniform and relevant data, ways to create an Asia Cancer Barometer that could be applied to all countries in Asia. The session concluded with the recognition that research on UHC in Asia should continue to be used as a tool for cancer cooperation in Asia and that the achievement of UHC would require research and input not only from the medical community, but from a broad sector of society in a multidisciplinary approach. Discussions on this issue will continue towards the Asia-Pacific Cancer Conference in Indonesia in August 2015.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.459-468
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• 2022

This study searched and analyzed news and information on the Korea-U.S. Summit to explore which political agenda is spreading among Korean newspapers and social media. The result of the analysis revealed that, on the one hand, the conservative-leaning newspaper, Chosunilbo, covered the unresolved issue between two countries. The principal source of news was the opposition party. On the other hand, the progressive-leaning newspaper, Kyunghany Sinmun, highlighted President Moon's visit to the United States and described the visit to the United States as an achievement. In this paper, the principal source of news is the ruling party. Both conservative and the progressive newspapers did not present a negative view of the United States. In the case of Chosunilbo, it mentioned that foreign policy priority of President Biden is human rights in North Korea. If the two countries do not solve this issue, the relationship between Korea and the United States will not develop further. Second, I searched YouTube videos about the Korea-U.S. summit and conducted a network analysis to understand the influence of YouTube videos and explore their relationship the each other. The results of the analysis revealed that the 10 most influential videos portrayed the Moon government positively. These videos held the achievement of the visit to the United States in highly esteem and framed it positively, similarly to the progressive newspaper.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.332-345
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• 2002

It is a recent observation that about 80 per cent of the body's immune system is localized in the gastrointestinal tract. This explains to a large extent why eating right is important for the modulation the immune response and prevention of disease. In addition it is increasingly recognized that the body has an important digestive system also in the lower gastrointestinal tract where numerous important substances are released by microbial enzymes and absorbed. Among these substances are short chain fatty acids, amino acids, various carbohydrates, poly-amines, growth factors, coagulation factors, and many thousands of antioxidants, not only traditional vitamins but numerous flavonoids, carotenoids and similar plant- and vegetable produced antioxidants. Also consumption of health-promoting bacteria (probiotics) and vegetable fibres (prebiotics) from numerous sources are known to have strong health-promoting influence. It has been calculated that the intestine harbours about 300,000 genes, which is much more than the calculated about 60,000 for the rest of the human body, indicating a till today totally unexpected metabolic activity in this part of the GI tract. There are seemingly several times more active enzymes in the intestine than in the rest of the body, ready to release hundred thousand or more of substances important for our health and well-being. In addition do the microbial cells produce signal molecules similar to cytokines but called bacteriokines and nitric oxide, with provide modulatory effects both on the mucosal cells, the mucosa- associated lymphoid system (MALT) and the rest of the immune system. Identification of various fermentation products, and often referred to as synbiotics, studies of their role in maintaining health and well-being should be a priority issue during the years to come.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.111-121
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• 2019

In the revised 2019 Guidelines for Facility Safety and Maintenance, the existing safety-oriented facility evaluations have expanded from performance evaluations to added durability and serviceability. This expansion reflects the life cycle of facilities and the service abilities of facilities, which are becoming a global issue. However, since the performance evaluation of facilities is linked to repairing and reinforcement, the related researches such as the correlation of each performance and the target performance related to the decision on priority are necessary. In this study, through the analysis of historical data of existing facility safety evaluation results centered on the retaining earth wall installed in domestic road facilities, the appropriate target performance was suggested for the maintenance of the facility based on the revised performance evaluation. Also, the performances on the actual two retaining walls were evaluated for example and analyzed the verification of the target performance. Besides, new indicators were presented to add serviceability to the performance evaluation of retaining earth walls consisting of safety and durability.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

Day care center for the elderly is an alternative for community care for frail elderly who need social participation and physical cares and services outside the family. The purpose of this study was to identify the present situation of day care center for the elderly and to suggest desirable interior space plans for elderly day care center. Data were collected by two ways; a mail survey and case studies of existing day care centers. Five cases of day care centers were analyzed to find out Physical and space problems, available programs and services. Also, the staffs in 96 day care centers for the elderly in nationwide were selected for a mail survey and 68.8 percentage of all was collected and analyzed. From the result of case studies, narrow space and lack of accessibility features for wheelchair or other prosthetic devices were the major problems. From the result of a mail survey analysis, the elderly users were over 73 years old, and high proportion had suffered from dementia and apoplexy Also, staffing ration was 1:7 In other words, one staff was caring of 7 old people, and supporting staff was insufficient. Therefore, supportive, therapeutic environment Was more important issue to improve quality of care. Separate program room and outdoor space, lounging space, treatment room by gardening, separate counselling room, bedroom, a simple kitchen unit, staff office, separate physical treatment room, resting room for staff was indicated more necessarily. When priority of planning interior space was safety followed by accessability and convenience, it was also reported that sire of each room was generally narrow. The most serious problem in interior space was the lack and narrowness of space, and accessible features for mobility. Based on the literature review and the findings of this study, two types of floor plans for elderly day care center were suggested;‘a mixed type for the elderly with and without dementia’and‘a separate type for the elderly with dementia.’The main goals for designing interior space for two types of elderly day care center were to provide safe environment, encouraging environment for remaining abilities of users, sanitary environment, therapeutic environment, familiar environment, and socially-encouraging environment. The recommendations for further studies were suggested.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.1043-1054
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• 2018

Salmonellosis caused by chicken consumption has been a critical issue in food safety worldwide, including in Korea. The probability of illness from consumption of chicken was simulated in study, based on the recipe of Dakgalbi, a commonly eaten chicken dish in Korea. Additionally, the processing stage at slaughterhouses to decrease Salmonella concentration in broilers was modeled to explore its effect on the likelihood of illness. A Monte Carlo simulation model was created using @RISK. Prevalence of Salmonella in chickens at the retail stage was found to be predominantly important in determining the probability of illness. Other than the prevalence, cooking temperature was found to have the largest impact on the probability of illness. The results also demonstrated that, although chlorination is a powerful tool for decreasing the Salmonella concentration in chicken, this effect did not last long and was negated by the following stages. This study analyzes the effects of variables of the retail-to-table pathway on the likelihood of salmonellosis in broiler consumption, and also evaluates the processing step used to decrease the contamination level of Salmonella in broilers at slaughterhouses. According to the results, we suggest that methods to decrease the contamination level of Salmonella such as chlorination had little effect on decreasing the probability of illness. Overall, these results suggest that preventing contamination of broiler with Salmonella must be a top priority and that methods to reduce the concentration of Salmonella in broilers at slaughterhouses hardly contribute to safe consumption of Salmonella-contaminated chicken.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.99-108
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• 2010

Due to the recent emergence of global warming concerns, the UN has made the issue of climate change its top priority. Accordingly, Korea has announced a new national master plan titled, 'Participation in global efforts in climate change through -Low Carbon, Green Growth-'. As part of the plan, the constructions of bicycle path networks are being pushed forward. Although the building of bicycle paths and infrastructure is being implemented, little consideration has been given for bicycle path signage. This essay is the study of methodology in the installation of signs on bicycle paths. The research includes a theoretical study of the standard and installation position of signs with consideration of the geometry of bicycles as well issues such as the distance required for the bicyclist to recognize and understand the road sign and to take actions like stopping, In addition, experimental verification of the test results has been carried out. Also, the test on height of signs by changing the installation heights according to a bicyclist's forward vision angle has been conducted.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.154-162
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• 2015

As there is no case study with current status, measurements or description on the state of actual site of rural area only, the delivery of actual conditions about such an area is significantly limited. The purpose of this study is to pinpoint issues with housing conditions of low-income family with disabled members in the rural area. For such a purpose, 25 households of disabled people have been visited for interview, on-site research and survey, of which results are summed up in this paper as following: First, average monthly income of such family turned out to be KRW 480,000, most of which is from the government subsidy. High ratio of such families has resided in a house with average size of approximately 56m2 for about 24 years. Secondly the most needed maintenance work with top priority was for the toilet, and many of the interviewees expressed their discomfort about small size of their bathrooms and inconvenient facilities therein. Thirdly, most of such houses had too high thresholds that posed danger and inconvenience. Such thresholds had average height of 13cm, which can be considered as completely inconsiderate of disabled users. Fourth issue was that these people needed safety handle that will enable them to stand up or to be in the standing posture in the living room and bedroom where they spend most of their time. Fifthly, they wanted finishing materials with waterproof functionality as well as replacement of finishing materials and wallpaper which were too old and caused hygiene issues. As these issues represent, current housing for disabled people in the rural area turned out to be poor and risky space rather than the place where difficulty of individual situation can be resolved or their disability can be complemented. Thus it can be determined that now is the time to arrange the solutions for such housing difficulties and to establish customized housing plan to ensure safety and convenience.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.146-159
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• 2001

Background : To propose effective strategies for successful implementation of QI in health care institutions, by identifying facilitating factors and barriers to conducting QI programs. Methods : In order to examine empirical evidence on the success factors or barriers to QI implementation in hospitals, a literature study was performed on the basis of MEDLINE search. Among the identified literature. 13 provided reliable findings and basis comprehensive discussion on this issue and thus were selected for in-depth analysis. A mailed questionnaire survey was conducted for hospital CEOs and QI directors of hospitals with 400 beds or greater to investigate what attributes of their organizations they perceived as success factors or obstacles to QI implementation. Result : The analysis of selected literature and survey results presented that the primary factors considered to be most important as successful implementation of QI were: strong support from hospital CEOs, setting higher priority for QI activities, continuous and persistent efforts in QI activities, and active participation of clinical staffs. The barriers identified in this study were : the lack of orientation and understanding of QI concepts, low level of interest and participation of physician in QI programs, the lack of evaluation and rewarding system for QI activities. Conclusion : By identifying factors that affect facilitation of QI, the study results will be of great use for either institutions being in the early stage of evolving QI or those looking for better strategies to achieve more active and persistent QI implementation in their institutions.