• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.3 s.51
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• pp.640-650
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• 1995

After the introduction of National Medical Insurance in 1989, the medical demand has rapidly increased. The impact of increased medical demand was followed by an increase in the number of claims in need of review. We studied a new, fair method for reducing the number of claims reviewed. We analysed 90,583 outpatient claims submitted between September and October; claims were made for services given August of 1994. We finally suggested a screening system for claims review using a statistical method of discriminant analysis of the medical costs. The results were as follows. 1. In the cut-off group, age, days of medication, number of hospital or clinic visits, and total charge were significantly high. The cut-off rates according to the hospital-type and existence of accompanied disease were significantly different 2. According to ICD, the cut-off rate was highest in peripheral enthesopathies and allied syndromes(20.76%), lowest in acute sinusitis(0.93%). The mean charges were significantly different according to ICD and existence of cut-off. 3. We build discriminant functions by ICD with such discriminant variables as patient age, sex, existence of accompanied disease, number of hospital or clinic visits, and 9 detailed hospital or clinic charges included in claim. 4. We applied the discriminant function for screening those claims that were expected to be cut-off. The sensitivities comprised from 40% to 70%, and specificities from 70% to 95% by ICD. Acute rhinitis had highest sensitivity(100.00%) and other local infections of skin and subcutaneous tissue had highest specificity(98.45%). The expected number of cut-off was 17,762(19.61%). The total sensitivity was 49.62%, the total specificity was 82.57% and the error rate was 19.66%. We lacked economic analysis such as cost-benefit analysis. But, if the new method of screening claims using discriminant analysis were applied, the number of claims in need of review will reduce considerably.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.450-457
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• 2020

Background: The production of glass beads in Ghana is greatly impacted by the ingenuity of Ghanaian women. Preliminary investigations revealed the lack of interest on the part of women due to poor working conditions as a result of the influence of culture-specific silence. Therefore, the study investigated the poor working conditions faced by these industrious women with the ultimate goal of suggesting ways they can be empowered. Methods: A phenomenological study was conducted in two indigenous glass bead communities in Ghana. Data were solicited via direct observations, personal interviews and focus group discussions. Twenty-six purposively sampled respondents were recruited for the study. Data from the study were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: The results confirmed that the elderly women glass bead makers are much influenced by the Ghanaian culture of silence. This prevents the women from speaking about the challenges they are facing in their work. Also, the women are silenced because of the fear of losing their jobs as well as the reluctance of their male managers to remedy the challenges they encounter in the course of work. This has resulted in poor remuneration, lack of insurance packages for workers, certification, and absence of personal protective tools for the women. Conclusion: The study tasks the government of Ghana, the Legal Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in Ghana, the Ghana Trade Union as well as the Local Government Workers' Union to empower the women to sustain the glass bead industry in Ghana.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.130-137
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• 2022

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, appropriate management of sequelae and treatment of infectious symptoms became increasingly important healthcare issues. Although the practice guidelines and treatment cases based on the East Asian traditional medicine have been reported, there are rare studies on the use of Korean medicine in Korea. Therefore, this study aimed to present the progress of non-contact Korean medical treatment for infected patients at a local public health center using retrospective chart review. A total of 18 patients were prescribed with 5 days of herbal decoction and medicine extract covered by the national health insurance. With the questionnaire form, the progression and improvement of symptoms before and after treatment were evaluated using the numerical rating scale (NRS), and the treatment satisfaction and opinions were obtained. The symptoms such as cough (5.56±2.23 to 2.89±2.14), sputum (6.11±1,75 to 3.28±2.47), sore throat (6.06±2.70 to 1.47±1.62), anorexia (5.56±2.63 to 1.94±2.21), nausea (3.75±1.71 to 1.17±1.11), diarrhea (3.40±2.63 to 1.50±1.51), chest tightness (4.93±2.46 to 2.29±2.30) and fatigue (6.44±1.79 to 2.67±1.88) all improved according to the NRS, and the satisfaction with herbal medicine treatment on a 5-point Likert scale was 4.24±0.90. No side effects and adverse reactions were reported. Thereupon non-contact Korean medical treatment can be concluded that it effectively reduces the COVID-19 infection mild symptoms in restrictive extent. Since the retrospective data does not include a control group, the more confirmative data is needed by multicenter and large-scale controlled clinical study afterwards.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.260-263
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• 2018

Background: The alar and nasal tip are important subunits of the nose. Determining the optimal procedure for reconstructing a cutaneous defect in a nasal subunit depends on several factors including size, location, and involvement of deep underlying structures. We treated cutaneous defects after tumor ablation in the alar and nasal tip with a local flap, using an S-shaped design and a modified V-Y advancement flap with a croissant shape. Methods: We analyzed 36 patients with skin tumors who underwent flap coverage after tumor ablation. Rotation flaps were used in 26 cases and croissant-shaped V-Y advancement flaps were used in 10 cases. The primary cause of the defects was skin cancer, except for one benign tumor. Results: The mean patient age was 71 years. The size of the defects ranged from $0.49cm^2$ to $3.5cm^2$. No recurrence of skin cancer was noted and all flaps lasted until the end of follow-up. Partial desquamation of the epidermis was noted in one case. The postoperative appearance for most patients was excellent, objectively and subjectively. Conclusion: For cutaneous defects of up to about $4.0cm^2$ of the alar and nasal tip, local flaps using our methods offered a good cosmetic and therapeutic result. The main advantage of our flaps is the minimal dissection required compared to bilobed and other local flap methods. We believe our flaps are a suitable option for alar and nasal tip reconstruction.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.79-88
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• 2018

Objective : Localized vibration has been shown to have a positive effect on recovery of upper-limb motor function in patients with hemiparetic stroke, but there has been little research on kinematic analysis for qualitative changes in movement. This study investigated kinematic changes in elbow motion during reaching after localized vibration in persons with hemiparetic stroke. Methods : This study used a one-group, cross-over trial design. Ten chronic stroke patients randomly received localized vibrations on the affected biceps brachii for 5, 10, or 20 min, at 70 Hz. Kinematic analysis of reaching was measured using a 3-D motion analysis system. Variables included peak angular velocity, time to peak angular velocity, and movement units during elbow motion. Result : Affected side elbow motion during reaching was faster, smoother, and more efficient after 20 min localized vibration. Peak angular velocity increased (p<0.05), and time to peak angular velocity (p<0.05) and the movement unit were significantly decreased (p<0.05) during elbow motion for reaching. Conclusion : Localized vibration can improve kinematic components during reaching motion in persons with hemiparetic stroke.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.73-83
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• 2020

Measured values may differ between Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP), Praat, and Time-Frequency Analysis software (TF32), all of which are widely used in voice quality analysis, due to differences in the algorithms used in each analyzer. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the values of parameters of normal voice measured with each analyzer. After tokens of the vowel sound /a/ were collected from 35 normal adult subjects (19 male and 16 female), they were analyzed with MDVP, Praat, and TF32. The mean values obtained from Praat for jitter variables (J local, J abs, J rap, and J ppq), shimmer variables (S local, S dB, and S apq), and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR) were significantly lower than those from MDVP in both males and females (p<.01). The mean values of J local, J abs, and S local were significantly lower in the order MDVP, Praat, and TF32 in both genders. In conclusion, the measured values differed across voice analyzers due to the differences in the algorithms each analyzer uses. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to analyze pathologic voice after understanding the normal criteria used by each analyzer when they use a voice analyzer in clinical practice.

• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.109-117
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to present our elderly welfare policy and welfare facilities for the elderly and to propose the future direction of policy for the elderly with comparison to that of Japan. The comparative study results of Korea and Japan are as follows: As the basis of elderly welfare, care insurance for the elderly is now fixated in the two countries. On the other hand, for quantitative expansion in Korea, the quality level has been gone down. Due to qualitative evaluation, the growth of facilities has slowed and material welfare providers was also a decline in the number of operators. Two countries in the field of community welfare in recent years has been actively promoting. It is the most important to solve the social welfare problem with local councils who know the area, which is a part of the future to focus and to support. Due to huge construction investment of facility, there is the burden of operators. This facility is appropriate for an extension of the home. However, it is in the hard economic times. Until now, the number of people in a room is at least four according to the legal standard of Korea, there are a few private rooms. On the other hand, in Japan, unit-care was phased since 2002 and private rooms have been expanded. In Japan, health center for the elderly plays an important role with special elderly nursing home among facilities for the elderly. Health center provides services that are recovering, nursing, and caring to support independence for the elderly after acute phase of treatment. As treatment and care, the aim of health center is to return the elderly to home. On the other hand, there are a few health centers for returning the elderly to home in Korea. Furthermore, in Japan, a project for preventive care has been begun. The project is needed in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.568-583
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• 1994

In the changing social and economic conditions, reorientation of the health care system is a process of rearranging health care resources keeping in mind the appropriativeness, relevancy, and efficacy of health care programs. Also it has been recognized recently that the CHP program is in need of review for the same reasons, that is to say, the ease in which health care facilities are available, the high rate of coverage with insurance and the development of an effective transportation system. Therefore there is a social inclination to think that there are no remote areas and to question the roles of public health facilities, health centers, health sub centers and CHP posts. This paper was done to review problems and to propose new directions for the CHP system. The findings of this study are as follows ; 1) It is necessary that primary health care should be simplified into three parts, medical treatment, preventive care services and the organization of administration and logistics. Also each department should be supplemented with the appropriate professional personnel in order to develop a task oriented system. The reorientation of the CHP system should be managed in keeping with that of other public health care systems. Therefore it is necessary to look at the CHP system problems as one aspect of the reorientation process of public health care systems, and to work to find new ways to address these problems. 2) The location of the CHP post should be decided by the needs of the community in both the medical and preventive areas. If the people have a minimum need, the location of the CHP post should be altered and the existing roles of the CHP should be modified to allow for flexibility according to the community needs. 3) Use of the problem solving method in regular team meetings will prove to be as efficient as continuing education programs in improving job competancy. 4) The supervision of CHP's activities should be made by the same type professional personnel, that is, senior CHPs or charge nurses in the public health center at the county level. 5) The operational expensies of CHP post should be supported by the administrative department of the public health center and should create working conditions that will allow the CHP to concentrate on community health service programs. 6) The organizations for community participation, working committees, community health workers and a number of the local assembly, should be activated to provide for participation in finding solutions to health related problems in the com-munity.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.158-161
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• 2012

Myopericytoma is a benign tumor that is composed of myoid-appearing oval to spindle-shaped cells with a concentric perivascular pattern of growth. The tumor is morphologically heterogeneous and can exhibit a broad histologic spectrum. We describe a case of multiple myopericytoma occurring in the head and neck skin region with involvement of the parotid gland where it is known to occur very rarely. A 40-year-old woman noticed multiple enlarging, painless, round-shaped masses on her left cheek. The patient had experienced a similar lesion of the same area 8 years earlier which was completely excised and the pathological diagnosis was spindle cell type myoepithelioma. On a computed tomographic image, one mass involved the superficial parotid gland and was well encapsulated. Excision of the facial masses and superficial parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation were performed. A diagnosis of myopericytoma was established in light of the immunohistochemical pattern with the histopathological findings. Over the 4-year follow-up period, there was no evidence of recurrence. As many perivascular myoid neoplasms share common morphologic features with myopericytoma, we should consider the differential diagnosis, and confirm the histological findings with appropriate immunohistochemical staining. After identifying myopericytoma, it should be treated with wide surgical excision to prevent local recurrence.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.771-780
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• 2001

The world has become interested in aging problems. We will have many problems also in the PT field. Japanese aging rate was as high as 16.7 percent in the year of 1999. Its PT has dealt with the aging problem in various ways. This research helps you understand the background and history of Japanese PT from the both clinical and literal sides, which attaches importance to exercise treatment and local rehabilitation, through the PT charge and its related law. Japan and Korea are the neighbors and history, society and culture of both countries have much in common. Korea will also face the aging society soon. I hope it is a good way for Korea to deal with such problems in the future to know of the Japanese PT and refer to it.