• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.551-565
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a day care center model focused on public health institutions for the elderly residing in their homes. Method: Research design for this study was a mult-level research, which consisted of a related literature review, an Internet search for knowledge of the current situation at home and abroad, on-site interviews, questionnaires collected from a sample of residents in a rural area, and a key-informants approach. Results: 1) The subjects of service - Generalized service should be provided to the elderly, 65 years and older, regardless of their assets. 2) The contents of service - Providing pre-health oriented and post-social welfare service that can integrate and satisfy a wide variety of public health and welfare needs of the elderly would strengthen the health care service of a day care center for the elderly. 3) Delivery system - Basic-level local self-governments should become a central operating body, and establishing a properly adjusted delivery system to a rural area after considering the efficiency and the access of vulnerable rural areas is needed based on modification of 'a Special Law for Agricultural and Fishery Areas' (rural public health center>rural health sub-center ${\rightarrow}$ unified health sub-center ${\rightarrow}$ public health hospital (public health center) ${\rightarrow}$ public welfare office). 4) Facility - Public health facilities such as public health centers and sub-centers should be located in areas that can easily access the facilities. 5) Funding - For day care center for the elderly in local self-government, the central government should modify a relevant implementation of subsidy in and provide some facilities and service regardless of the degree of self reliance of local self-government. 6) Human resources - It is needed to guarantee the period of workers of a day care center for the elderly, at least 3 to 5 years, with considering their specialty on aged care and avoiding circulation based positions. Furthermore, appropriate specially trained personnel such as medical workers and social workers should be placed to take care of both health service and welfare through strengthening of 'rules of law of elderly welfare,' Conclusion: future research is needed to test the model through a demonstration study using a model which may be developed in the future and to standardize the appraisal criteria of people hoping to enter a day care center for the elderly.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2024

Predicting the spread of COVID-19 remains a challenge due to the complexity of the disease and its evolving nature. This study presents an integrated approach using the classic SIR model for infectious diseases, enhanced by the chemical master equation (CME). We employ a Monte Carlo method (SSA) to solve the model, revealing unique aspects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission. The study, a first of its kind in Korea, adopts a step-by-step and complementary approach to model prediction. It starts by analyzing the epidemic's trajectory at local government levels using both basic and stochastic SIR models. These models capture the impact of public health policies on the epidemic's dynamics. Further, the study extends its scope from a single-infected individual model to a more comprehensive model that accounts for multiple infections using the jump SIR prediction model. The practical application of this approach involves applying these layered and complementary SIR models to forecast the course of the COVID-19 epidemic in small to medium-sized local governments, particularly in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The results from these models are then compared and analyzed.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.46-55
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• 2022

Objectives Many studies have reported noticeable increases in the proportion of employees working either relatively short or relatively long hours. Such trends have been accompanied by an increasing concern that how much subjective mental well-being of employees would be influenced by their hours of work. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between work hours and clinically relevant depressive symptoms with demographic variables adjusted. Methods Participants were employees of a total of 56 private companies and local government organizations in Korea, aged 19 to 65 years. A self-report questionnaire that included items on working hour, job stress, levels of depression, and socio-demographic factors was administered to 15360 Korean employees, with 14477 valid responses. Hierarchical linear regression analyses, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, job related demographic factors, job stress, were used additionally to estimate the association between working hours and depressive scores. Results We found that working more than 40 hours per week correlated positively with the level of depressive symptoms after adjusting for demographic variables and the level of job stress. Furthermore, working 40 or fewer hours per week correlated negatively with the level of depressive symptoms. Being younger (β = -0.078, β = -0.099), being a female (β = 2.770, β = 1.268), and possessing a lower level of education (β = -0.315, β = -1.125) were significantly associated with higher level of depressive symptoms in all respondents. Conclusions Both of working excessively long or short hours is significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Establishing proper office hours for employees is critical to improving the quality of working conditions and maintaining good mental health in the workplace.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.41-54
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• 1995

The purposes of the study were to find out the basic needs of rural people and to get some implications for the integrated rural regional development. The data were gathered from 376 local government officers and change agents in 8 Provinces. Major results of study were as follows ; (1) Average income of rural households meet $90{\sim}100$ present of average income of urban households. (2) Most of respondents replied that average labor inputs should not exceed $7{\sim}8$ hours per a day. (3) Basic requirement of school career for the rural life was high school graduate. (4) Education expenditure should be less then 6 percent of total consumption expenditure. (5) Rural people should be able to access to basic public facilities such as school, hospital and drag store within thirty minitues. (6) Desirable housing space for rural life was $66{\sim}72.5m^2$. (7) Rural people should enjoy $3{\sim}4$ times of cultural activities and $3{\sim}4$ times of tours in a year.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2020

Various dental procedures, such as injection administration, surgical treatment, and endodontic treatment, can cause injury to the nerves. The most commonly injured nerves are the inferior alveolar and lingual nerves. This can manifest as altered sensation to the area of innervation of the injured nerve, such as the lower lip, chin, teeth, tongue, and mucosa. Altered sensations or loss of sensation are relatively infrequent complications in daily dental practice. Here, we report an uncommon case of altered sensation in the midfacial region caused by an endodontic procedure and discuss the need to consider local dental causes in the differential diagnosis of numbness in the facial region.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.17-21
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• 2010

Objectives: This paper reviews the activities of health education specialist in public sector and the professional skills needed to perform the role. Results and Conclusion: Health education specialist is professional who educates individual, group, and community to practice voluntarily deeds beneficial to health and promotes to make healthy environment. Health education specialist works in public health center, hospital, workplace, and school to solve health problems. And also he can serve in health departments at central and local government. To do this, in addition to the basic skills health case management and health counseling skills are required. Health education specialist conducts health assessments on all aspects of life, and if necessary professional skills makes the connection. Ultimately, the main roles of health education specialist are primary health counseling related to living healthy lives and health coordinator.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.78-97
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to analyze activating factors of medical tourism at Busan, and then decide on priority on the factors. As research methods, this study deduced priority of specialists' opinions by AHP analysis technique through structuralized questionnaire on the medical tourism's factors having been suggested from existing prior studies. The analysis results were same as followings. First, as a result of analysis on the main criteria, relative levels of importance were appeared high such as 'competitiveness', 'policy assistances from the government', 'medical care's infrastructure', and 'connectedness with regions' in order. Second, as a result of integrated results analyzing detailed criteria on the main evaluation standards, relative levels of importance were appeared high such as 'medical quality', 'health-related institution's improvement', 'medical infrastructure', 'medical charge', 'tourism-related institution's improvement', 'convenience', 'medical cooperation possibilities', and 'local industry compliance' in order. In conclusion, it is judged that activation of medical tourism shall be propelled after considering relative levels of importance on many policies or activating factors same as suggested in this study.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.34.1-34.8
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• 2023

Background: Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic substance that humans can be exposed to occupationally, and cases of hydrogen sulfide poisoning of workers in industrial sites are commonly reported. However, there have been no cases of poisoning of the public due to an unauthorized discharge of wastewater, so it is important to describe this incident. Case presentation: In a small village in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, accounts of a terrible stench had been reported. A 26-year-old man who lived and worked in a foul-smelling area was taken to the emergency room with a headache, dizziness, nausea, and repeated syncope. A subsequent police and Ministry of Environment investigation determined that the cause of the stench was the unauthorized discharge of 9 tons of wastewater containing hydrogen sulfide through a stormwater pipe while the villagers were sleeping. The patient had no previous medical history or experience of symptoms. Leukocytes and cardiac markers were elevated, an electrocardiogram indicated biatrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy, and corrected QT interval prolongation. Myocardial hypertrophy was detected on a chest computed tomography scan, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was confirmed on echocardiography. After hospitalization, cardiac marker concentrations declined, symptoms improved, and the patient was discharged after 7 days of hospitalization. There was no recurrence of symptoms after discharge. Conclusions: We suspect that previously unrecognized heart disease manifested or was aggravated in this patient due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Attention should be paid to the possibility of unauthorized discharge of hydrogen sulfide, etc., in occasional local incidents and damage to public health. In the event of such an accident, it is necessary to have government guidelines in place to investigate health impact and follow-up clinical management of exposed residents.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.67-83
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to analyze the differences in the publicness indices depending on the environmental factors of regional public hospitals to derive the policy implications for improving management for regional public hospitals. The data of the 34 regional public hospitals from 2016 was used for the analysis. Major results of this study are as follows. First, the analysis of the differences in the scores of the medical safety net function showed significantly higher scores for regional public hospitals with a larger location, a larger number of hospitals in a unit area, a larger number of nurses per 100 beds, and the lower management fee ratio. Second, the analysis of the differences in the scores of the unmet healthcare needs showed significantly higher scores for regional public hospitals with a larger number of hospitals in a unit area, and a larger number of beds. Third, the analysis of the differences in the scores of the hospital-specialized services showed significantly higher scores for regional public hospitals with a larger location, a higher financial independence of the local government, a larger number of hospitals in a unit area, a larger number of beds, and a larger number of nurses per 100 beds. Major conclusions of this study are as follows. Consideration should be given to the appropriate number of nurses for each regional public hospital to maximize publicness by providing the appropriate amount of medical services, but not to incur unnecessary labor costs. In addition, efforts should be made to enhance profitability, which can be a means of strengthening publicness, by identifying the minimum administrative expenses required for efficient operation and reducing unnecessary administrative expenses. Finally, it is necessary to identify the appropriate number of beds to meet the needs of the customers and to create maximum profits.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2022

Background: Postoperative analgesia (POA) is an important determinant of successful treatment. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has recently gained attention as a promising adjuvant to local anesthetics (LA). The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levobupivacaine (LB) as an adjuvant during inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) in the extraction of lower impacted third molars (LITM). Methods: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blind, parallel-arm, and clinical study was performed on 50 systemically healthy participants who required removal of an asymptomatic LITM. Using a 1:1 distribution, the participants were randomized into two groups (n = 25). Group L (control group) received 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL normal saline (placebo) and Group D (study group) received a blend of 1.8 mL of 0.5% LB and 0.2 mL (20 ㎍) DEX. The primary outcome variable was the duration of POA and hemodynamic stability, and the secondary variable was the total number of analgesics required postoperatively for up to 72 h. The participants were requested to record the time of rescue analgesic use and the total number of rescue analgesics taken. The area under the curve was plotted for the total number of analgesics administered. The pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale. Data analysis was performed using paired students and unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The latency, profoundness of anesthesia, and duration of POA were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The differences between mean pain scores at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h were found to be significant (each P = 0.0001). Fewer analgesics were required by participants in group D (2.12 ± 0.33) than in L (4.04 ± 0.67), with a significant difference (P = 0.0001). Conclusion: Perineurally administered LA with DEX is a safe, effective, and therapeutic approach for improving latency, providing profound POA, and reducing the need for postoperative analgesia.