• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.262-267
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• 2017

Objectives: The US ranks ninth in obesity in the world, and approximately 7% of US adults experience major depressive disorder. Social isolation due to the stigma attached to obesity might trigger depression. Methods: This paper examined the impact of obesity on depression. To overcome the endogeneity problem, we constructed pseudopanel data using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 1997 to 2008. Results: The results were robust, and body mass index (BMI) was found to have a positive effect on depression days and the percentage of depressed individuals in the population. Conclusions: We attempted to overcome the endogeneity problem by using a pseudo-panel approach and found that increases in the BMI increased depression days (or being depressed) to a statistically significant extent, with a large effect size.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.1041-1045
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• 2013

The xTAG$^{(R)}$ Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) is a multiplexed molecular test for 15 gastrointestinal pathogens. The sensitivity and specificity of this test were assessed in 901 stool specimens collected from pediatric and adult patients at four clinical sites. A combination of conventional and molecular methods was used as comparator. Sensitivity could be determined for 12 of 15 pathogens and was 94.3% overall. The specificity across all 15 targets was 98.5%. Testing for the pathogen identified was not requested by the physician in 65% of specimens. The simultaneous detection of these 15 pathogens can provide physicians with a more comprehensive assessment of the etiology of diarrheal disease.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.33-42
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• 2019

Purpose: many domestic welfare programs use the amount of health insurance premiums as a way of measuring individuals' income levels for administrative convenience. As health insurance reform has been made, we examines the income level is still appropriately measured by the health insurance premiums for the employment success package as one of domestic welfare program. Methodology/Approach: we investigate whether the upper limit of the premiums of the self-employed health insured is appropriate or not after healthcare reform, which currently calculated by multiplying the insurance premium of the employee based insured by the adjustment factor (1.2). Findings: we examined appropriateness of the adjustment factors by comparing the premiums before and after the healthcare reform by utilizing the national health insurance data as well as Korea Welfare panel data. We found that the new value of adjustment factor (1.0~1.1) is smaller than the current one (1.2). Practical Implications: to improve the equity between the employee and the self-employed insured after the health insurance reform, the adjustment factor should be lower.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.25-34
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• 2014

This paper examined the effects of private health insurance (PHI) on the use of endoscopy, sonography, CT, MRI, and PET among Koreans. The data used was the four waves of the Korea Health Panel (2008-2011), and the number of subjects was 141,862 visits. We employed a pooled logistic regression mode which was corrected with cluster errors. The results showed that PHI was positively related to the use of endoscopy, but not related to the use of sonography, CT, MRI, and PET. It is, however, recommended that health policy makers pay attention to the effects of PHI on the use of sonography, CT, MRI, and PET.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.81-93
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• 2015

This study investigated the prevalence of unmet needs for health care among Korean adults and related factors. Using data from the 2012 Korea Health Panel, 1,896 adults aged 65 and over and two age groups(Young-Old(66-74) and Old-Old($65{\leq}$)) were analyzed to identify these factors. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the main factors associated with unmet medical needs. According to the results of this study, the factors influencing unmet medical needs with regard to economic factors were Subjective Health Status(young-old), Disability(young-old), Activity Limitation(young-old), Education Level(old) and Economic Activity(old). The factors influencing unmet medical needs were factors of attitude, information, and disease. factors were Disability(young-old), Activity Limitation(young-old), Education Level(old) and Economic Activity(old). Therefore, further research that investigates unmet needs depending on age group in the elderly would suggest helpful policy implications.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.84-87
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• 2017

Catastrophic healthcare expenditure refers to out-of-pocket spending for healthcare exceeding a certain proportion of a household's income and can lead to subsequent impoverishment. The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of South Korean households that experienced catastrophic healthcare expenditure between 2006 and 2015 using available data from the Korea Health Panel, National Survey of Tax and Benefit, and Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Frequencies and trend tests were conducted to analyze the proportion of households with catastrophic healthcare expenditure. Subgroup analysis was performed based on income level. The results of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey revealed that around 2.88% of households experienced catastrophic healthcare expenditure in 2015 and that this proportion was highest in the low income group. Results also showed a statistically significant increasing trend in the number of households with catastrophic healthcare expenditure (annual percentage change= 0.92%, p-value < 0.0001). Therefore, the findings infer a need to strengthen public health care financing and to particularly monitor catastrophic healthcare expenditure in the low income group.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.263-277
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate levels of self-esteem and related variables among the elderly. The data is from the Korea Welfare Panel Study conducted in 2007. The data was gathered from 2077 elderly, over 65 years old, and was analyzed by Step multiple regression analysis. The major results were as follows. First, the overall level of self-esteem was in the middle range, with an average of 28.18 points. Second, self-esteem levels showed significant differences in terms of gender, age, education level, health, spouse, health insurance, job, monthly household expenses, national pension, assets, home ownership, satisfaction with spouse, satisfaction with leisure, satisfaction with social network, economic services, medical services, and other services. Finally, Model 1 showed meaningful influences from gender, age, education level, health, spouse, and health insurance. Model 2 showed meaningful influences from education level, health, spouse, health insurance, job, and national pension. Models 3 and 4 showed meaningful influences from education level, health, job, satisfaction of spouse, satisfaction with leisure, and satisfaction with social network. In other words, the factors that had the most significant impact on self-esteem were satisfaction.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.360-369
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Sexual Health Care Scale-Practice (SHCS-P) for oncology nurses to use in nursing care. Methods: Apreliminary version of the SHCS-P of 32 items was developed based on the literature and opinion of experts. A panel of eight experts reviewed the preliminary questionnaire for content validity and consolidated the instrument, which was, then, tested with data from 342 oncology nurses in Korea. Results: Exploratory factor analysis showed that the SHCS-P explained 70.49% of the total variance. The instrument revealed four factors that were named: (1) Practice for sexual function (8 items), (2) Practice for psychological factors (6 items), (3) Practice for social problems and records (4 items), and (4) Practice for reproductive care (3 items). Internal consistency was good, asassessed by the KR 20 value of 0.91. The coefficients for the sub-factors were between 0.81 and 0.93. Conclusion: This scale shows validity and reliability in evaluating the practice of oncology nurses in providing sexual health care and can be used to evaluate the level of practice well as test effects of educational interventions to improve sexual health care competency.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.332-341
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the Basic Old-Age Pension (BOP), which is a non-contributory pension, and depression in BOP beneficiaries in Korea. Methods: We used the second and third waves (2007-2008) of the Korea Welfare Panel Study to identify the effect of the BOP on mental health in the year of its introduction. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, applied in a Korean context, was used to evaluate mental health. To analyze the effect of the BOP, a difference-in-difference approach was used in analyses of all subjects and subgroups. Results: For this study population of 760 adults, the BOP did not have a statistically significant relationship with depression in its beneficiaries. After controlling for type of household, the BOP was still not associated with lower reporting of depression, either in single-beneficiary or double-beneficiary households, in the year of the benefit. Conclusions: The BOP policy had no significant relationship with the level of depression among recipients. However, this should not be interpreted as implying that income subsidy programs for older adults, such as the BOP, do not affect mental health, considering the importance of economic hardship in this population and the program's socioeconomic effects.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.109-115
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• 2019

Objectives: This study investigates lay beliefs about the etiology and treatments of tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome, as well as identifying sociodemographic and personality variables affecting these beliefs among South Koreans. Methods: In total, 673 participants (mean age $41.77{\pm}12.03$ years) completed an online survey regarding their beliefs about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome. The factors related to their lay beliefs about the disorders were analyzed, and the correlates were investigated. Results: Results indicated that lay people in South Korea held strong beliefs that the causes of tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome lie within the parenting/psychological and neurological/biological categories, compared to the dietary/environmental one. Among the sociodemographic variables, sex, age, and levels of subjective mental health knowledge were primarily associated with the aforementioned beliefs. Familiarity with tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome was also associated with these beliefs. Among the personality traits investigated, extraversion and conscientiousness had significant influences on the beliefs people had about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome. Conclusion: The results suggest that both policy makers and mental health service providers should adopt a strategic approach for developing and implementing health education interventions about tic disorder and Tourette's syndrome because individual sociodemographic variables, familiarity with the disorders, and personality traits are all associated with the beliefs about these disorders.