• 보건행정학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.111-125
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• 2000

To compare the differences in the recognition on hospital utilization and satisfaction, 368 hospital employees and 485 patients were selected in four hospitals in Seoul and Kyung-gi do. The survey was done using a constructed form of checklist from Apr. 30 to May 10, 1999. And the results are as follows: l. Gaining knowledge of hospitals available among hospital employees differed from that of patients. When finding out about sources of information concerning hospitals, direct visit to the hospital was recognized to be the main factor for the hospital employees in contrast to the patients' recognition which were mass media, personal involvement of job related workplace and recommendations from other hospitals. There was no difference between university and general hospitals. 2. The factors that concern which hospital to choose there was a difference between hospital employees and patients. Hospital employees recommended their own hospital solely based on the reason that it was their work place. On the other hand, the patients made a choice based on the type of medical staff, transportation available and whether it was a university hospital or not. There was no difference between university and general hospitals. 3. The recognition of employees concerning hospital image of a hospital between hospital employees and patients was different. In university hospitals, the employees recognized the name value of university hospital and cooperation as most important, whereas the patients thought convenience, kindness were the main factors. Patients considered general hospitals to be more convenient. There was some difference between university and general hospitals. For university hospitals employees' recognition was higher and for the general hospital patients' recognition is higher on hospital image. 4. The recognition of employees was different from that of patients' on hospital satisfaction. The patients' satisfaction was higher than that of employees'. There was no difference between university and general hospitals. Based on the above findings, the employees' recognition on hospital utilization and satisfaction was different from that of the patients, but there was no difference between university and general hospitals. In both groups choice of hospital was associated with satisfaction. Results showing difference between employees' and patients' recognition can be applied to implement customer-oriented attitude and be used as a baseline data for internal-external marketing planning of hospital management. The study may be limited in that the results cannot be generalized due to its small sample size and not being able to reflect demographic variables and life style. Further studies to investigate the difference of hospital utilization and hospital satisfaction will be necessary to define demographic characteristics and recognition of employees which influences patients' hospital satisfaction.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.25-39
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• 1985

도시 영세지역 주민의 이환 및 의료이용 양상을 파악하기 위하여 1984년 7월 한 달 동안에 대구시 중구 남산 4동 영세지역 468가구의 가구원 2,002명과 대조지역 374가구의 가구원 1,709명을 대상으로 가구원의 일반적 특성, 질병이환 및 의료이용 양상 등을 면담조사 하였다. 영세지역과 대조지역의 성별, 연령별 분포는 비슷하였으나, 경제수준, 교육수준, 주거밀집도, 의료보장 종류별 분포는 유의한 차이를 보였다. 15일간의 상병 이환율은 영세지역이 1,000명당 131로 대조지역의 71보다 유의하게 높았고, 연령이 증가함에 따라 이환율도 증가하는 경향을 보였으나 65세이상의 노인층에서는 오히려 감소하였다. 년간 만성병 이환율도 영세지역이 1,000명당 134로 대조지역의 89보다 유의하게 높았고 나이가 증가함에 따라 이환율이 증가하였다. 15일간의 상병은 영세지역과 대조지역 모두 호흡기계 질환이 각각 24.0%, 29.8%로 가장 많았고 그 다음은 소화기계 질환으로 21.0%, 20.6%였으며 손상 및 중독은 영세지역이 10.3%인데 비해 대조지역은 3.3%였다. 만성병은 영세지역과 대조지역 모두 소화기계질환이 22.1%, 21.7%로 가장 많았고 그 다음으로 영세지역은 근골격계 질환으로 12.3%, 대조지역은 신경통으로 14.5%였으며, 순환기계 질환은 대조지역이 11.8%로 영세지역의 5.6% 보다 더 많은데 비해 손상 및 중독은 영세지역이 10.8%로 대조지역의 4.6%보다 더 많았다. 15일간의 상병으로 활동제한을 받은 일수는 영세지역이 평균 4.0일로 대조지역의 평균 2.2일보다 유의하게 높았다. 15일간의 상병이나 만성병을 치료받기 위해 영세지역은 약국을 더 많이 이용하고 대조지역은 병의원 외래를 더 많이 이용하였으며, 특히 의료보장 종류별로는 의료보험 가입자는 병의원 외래를, 그리고 일반환자는 약국을 더 많이 이용하였으며, 미치료율은 의료보장 종류에 관계없이 15일 이환의 경우 영세지역이 17.9%, 대조지역은 11.6%, 그리고 만성병은 영세지역이 15.2%, 대조지역은 9.2%로 영세지역의 미치료율이 대조지역보다 더 높았다. 15일간의 상병이나 만성병 모두 경제적인 이유로 치료받지 않은 경우가 가장 많았다. 영세지역의 이환율이 대조지역보다 높은 것은 경제수준, 교육정도, 주거밀집도 등 여러가지 사회 경제적인 요소가 관련된 것으로 나타났으므로, 영세민을 위한 보건사업 계획에는 이러한 사회 경제적인 요소들을 개선하는 노력을 병행해야 효과적인 보건사업이 추진될 것으로 생각된다.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.67-81
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• 2011

Background : Complementary and alternative medicine has bee used to cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, many hospitals have tried to integrate complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) with conventional medical approaches for patients with chronic diseases. Recently, the prevalence of the use of traditional Korean medicine(TKM) among patients with chronic diseases, expecially, hemiplegia patients after cerebrovascular accident is increasing in Korea. To date, however, there were only few studies addressing the patients' attitudes, and utilization of TKM, compared to the well-documented escalating use of TKM among consumers in Korea. Objectives : The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence of TKM use among hemiplegia patients after cerebrovascular accident and to determine what factors affect to use CAM among the patients. The study also aims to provide information on TKM and assist therapy selection among various CAM therapies for hemiplegia patients after cerebrovascular accident within health care system in which both practitioners of TKM and practitioners of modern Western medicine coexisted. Methods : The design of the study was descriptive cross-sectional, and data were collected using a 32-items questionnaire. The subjects were one hundred fifty nine patients with chronic diseases who visited or admitted to health care facilities in a hospital in Seoul Metropolitan city, Korea. Data were analyzed using 'SPSS Statistics 18.0 Network Version(on release 18.0.1 of PASW Statistics)' program. Various statistical methods were used to obtain a profile for participants and the therapies most frequently used by hemiplegia patients of TKM. Logistic regression analysis was employed in order to determine the predicting variables of TKM use. Results : The prevalence of the use of TKM was 51.6%. The most common TKM therapies used by the patients included acupuncture(93.2%), herbal medicine(64.8%), and cupping(37.5%). Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the variables significantly related with TKM use were gender, marital status, job, No. of visiting health care facilities/week. Conclusions : This study shows that the use of TKM among the hemiplegia patients is relatively high in Korea, this topic should be taken into account in the development of a holistic approach for patients with chronic diseases and an efficient chronic disease management system in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.721-732
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• 1996

생활수준과 교육수준이 매우 낮은 저개발국가에서의 임신분만 환경을 알아보고 건강관련 행위 실천(산전진찰, 시설분만, 제대기구소독)과 지식과 태도와의 관계를 알아보기 위하여 네팔 돌카 마을에서 지난 1년간(1994년 4월 13일$\sim$1995년 4월 12일)출산한 경험이 있는 산모를 대상으로 일반적 특성, 임신과 분만에 관련된 지식, 태도, 산전진찰률, 분만환경 등을 조사하였다. 이 지역의 임신과 분만에 관련된 지식수준은 낮은 편으로 대상자의 87.5%가 보건교육을 받은 경험이 없었다. 대상자의 29.6%는 임신시 흡연이 태아에 해가 없다고 하였으며, 42.8%는 임신시 음주와 약의 복용이 태아에 해가 없다고 답하였고, 17.1%가 제대절단시 소독하지 않은 기구를 사용해도 유해하지 않다고 응답하였는데, 교육을 받은 적이 없는 경우, 보건교육을 받은 경험이 없는 경우, 그리고 보건기관까지의 거리가 멀 수록 올바르지 못한 지식을 가지고 있었다. 응답자의 56.6%가 산전진찰이 필요없다는 태도를 보였고, 42.8%가 질출혈시 병원을 방문할 필요가 없다는 태도를 보였는데, 교육을 받은 적이 없는 경우, 보건 교육을 받은 경험이 없는 경우, 그리고 보건기관까지의 거리가 멀수록 바람직하지 못한 태도를 가지고 있었다. 또한 82.9%가 분만과정 자체가 불결한 것이라고 여기고 있었다. 한번이라도 산전진찰을 받은 경험이 있는 산전진찰 경험률은 28.3%였는데 교육을 받은 적이 없는 경우, 보건교육을 받은 경험이 없는 경우에 산전진찰 미경험률이 높았다. 시설분만율은 5.3%로 매우 저조하였고, 시설 외 분만인 경우 82.6%가 제대절단기구를 소독하지 않고 사용하고 있었는데 교육을 받은 적이 없는 경우, 보건교육을 받은 경험이 없는 경우, 그리고 보건기관까지의 거리가 멀수록 소독을 하지 않고 사용하고 있었다. 지식과 태도와의 관계에 있어서는 지식이 많은 군이 산전진찰의 필요성을 더 느끼며 질출혈시 병원방문의 필요성을 더 느끼고 있어, 임신과 분만에 관련하여 더 바람직한 태도를 가지고 있었다. 태도와 실천과의 관계에 있어서는 바람직한 태도를 가진 산모군이 산전진찰 경험률이 높았으며, 시설분만이 많아 실천율이 높았다. 다변량 분석에서도 지식이 태도에 양(陽)의 영향을 미치는 변수였으며, 태도는 실천에 영향을 미치는 유의한 양(陽)의 변수여서 실천을 위해서는 긍정적인 태도가 선행되어야 하고, 그러기 위하여는 먼저 올바른 지식을 가지고 있어야 함을 알 수 있었다. 이상의 연구결과로 볼 때, 저개발국가에서의 분만환경은 매우 열악한 편으로 모자의 건강수준 향상을 위해서는 예방적 기능으로서 보건교육 활동이 더욱 중요 성을 가지게 된다. 효율적 보건교육활동을 위해서는 보건교육을 보다 긴요하게 요하는 인구군이 어떤 계층이냐 하는 대상파악에 특별히 유념하여야 하는데 주로 교육수준이 낮고 생활이 어려운 인구층, 그리고 보건기관으로부터 멀리 떨어져 있는 사람들에게 중점적으로 교육을 시도하여야 하겠는데 이들 나라는 대부분의 국민이 교육수준이 낮고 생활수준이 낮은 편으로 보건교육시 단순한 지식의 전달에 그칠 것이 아니라 동기 유발을 가져와 행위변화를 할 수 있도록 보다 세밀한 연구노력이 필요하다. 또한 순회진료와 보건교육을 하는 의료캠프가 활성화되어야 하겠다. 향후 저개발국에 의료단을 파견하여 그 지 역의 보건문제 해결에 도움을 주기 위하여는 이와 같은 연구가 계속 진행되어 실천에 영향을 주는 요인들을 밝혀 지역보건의료 프로그램에 적극 활용해야 할 것으로 생각된다.

• 의료법학
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.75-103
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• 2020

의료기술의 발전과 환자 진료 향상 등을 목적으로 빅데이터나 인공지능에 의료정보를 분석·활용하면 유전적 질병이나 암 등 특이 질병 등에 대비할 수 있어 의료정보가 공유되어야 한다는 목소리가 높아지고 있다. 환자의 개인정보에 관한 활용과 보호는 동전의 양면과 같다. 의료기관 또는 의료인은 일반 정보처리자와 다른 환경적 특수성과 민감도가 높은 개인정보를 처리함에 있어 신중하여야 한다. 대체적으로 환자의 개인정보는 의료인이나 의료기관에서 수집·생성부터 파기까지 개인정보를 처리하고 있으나 의료법의 개인정보에 관한 용어 사용의 혼재되어 있거나 적용 범위가 명확하지 않아 판례의 해석에 의존하고 있다. 의료법 제23조의 전자의무기록에 저장·보관된 개인정보는 고유식별정보만을 의미하는 것이 아니라 진료기록부 등 의무기록의 개인정보와 동일하며, 그 내용은 인적 정보, 고유식별정보, 진료정보, 재산정보 등을 포함한다. 의료인이나 의료기관 개설자는 의료법 제24조의4 진료정보가 침해된 경우 제23조의 개인정보와 동일하게 취급하여야 하는지에 대해 전자의무기록에 환자의 민감정보가 기록·저장·보관되어 있으므로 특별히 개인정보 중 진료정보만을 의미한다고 볼 수 없다. 의료법 제19조의 정보 누설 금지는 업무상 알게 된 '비밀'에서 '정보'로 개정되었으나 명칭만 바뀌었을 뿐 보호법익은 형법상의 비밀과 동일하여 환자의 개인정보자기결정권을 보호하고 있지 못하다. 개인정보보호법과 지역보건법은 '업무상 알게 된 정보'에서의 보호법익을 개인정보자기결정권으로 보아 누출, 위조, 변조, 훼손 등 개인정보 침해 행위에 대하여 동일하게 벌칙을 규정하고 있다. 의료법의 개인정보 보호 규정은 용어의 정의가 불명확하여 정보주체 및 정보처리자, 국민에게 적용 범위 등 혼란을 일으킬 수 있어 용어가 통일적으로 정비되어야 할 필요가 있으며, 개인정보 보호에 관한 특별법인 의료법과 일반법인 개인정보보호법의 규정 내용이나 범위가 일치하지 않아 해석상 혼란이 생길 수 있어 개인정보 보호에 대하여 일정한 한계를 보인다. 환자의 개인정보는 민감정보로서 그 활용과 처리에 있어 안전하게 보호되어야 한다. 개인정보 보호 원칙에 따라 개인정보를 처리하여야 하며, 정보주체인 환자나 보호자의 권리인 사생활의 비밀과 자유, 인격권, 개인정보자기결정권을 보장하여야 할 것이다.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.1-16
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• 2012

Objective : To investigate the current status of prescription drugs in Oriental medical institutes and to draw up a future plan for the revitalization of Oriental medical health insurance, this survey has been performed. Method : The survey has been made with 321 doctors working at Oriental medical institutes in Daegu and Kyungbuk areas for a period of 3 month from June 1, 2010 until September 1, 2010. Result : 1. When it comes to the current status of the use of herbal drugs in Oriental Health insurance, most of doctors surveyed prescribe insurance drugs, and they prescribe insurance drugs to patients, who are less than 20% of total patients visiting their clinics. 2. The awareness of Herbal Health Care Drugs is investigated. When it comes to the understanding of the difference between insurance drugs(powder type drugs) and granular type drugs, doctors admit that they differ only in one aspect, whether or not their being covered by health insurance. Based on the survey results on the understanding of insurance coverage of granular type drugs, doctors, even though they long for granular type drugs to be accepted as insurance drugs, are worrying whether the number of outpatients might dwindle due to increased insurance co-payments. They also point out that the biggest obstacles in the expansion of the granular type drugs as insurance drugs are the lack of understanding of the government and the objection of the Health Insurance Review and Assesment service (HIRA) for fear of increased insurance claims. 3. Upon investigation on Oriental medicine doctors' understandings of herbal pharmaceutical industry, it is found that doctors' responses on pharmaceutical industry are not all positive ones('new product development and neglect of R&D infrastructure' and 'smallness of industry'). When it is investigated what area needs the greatest improvement in herbal pharmaceutical industry, 'securing sufficient capital, good manufacturing, and strengthening quality control', is the highest. 4. When it is asked what are the most needed in order to improve herbal health insurance medicine, responses such as 'the increase in the accessibility to and the utilization of Oriental medical clinics through the diversification of the means of prescriptions', 'the improvement of insurance benefits(cap adjustments)', 'increase the proportion of high quality medicinal plants', 'the ceiling of co-payments(deductible) at 20,000 won or more', 'expansion of the choices of formulations', 'formulational expansions of tablets and pills', and finally 'admittance and expansion of granular type drug as insurance drug' are the highest. 5. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the current status of the usage of Oriental health care herbal drugs, the followings are observed. First, the frequency of use of health insurance drugs by the doctors who use health insurance with general characteristics shows similar differences in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.001), average number of daily patients (p<0.05). Secondly, as to the willingness of the expanded usage of insurance drugs, similar differences are observed in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.05). 6. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the perception of Herbal health care drugs, the followings are observed. First, inspecting general characteristics and insurance claims due to increased co-payments(deductible amount) reveals similar differences in case of working period (p<0.01) and in case of total monthly sales amount (p <0.01). Secondly, inspecting general characteristics and the obstacles that hinder granular type drugs from being accepted as health care insurance drugs shows similar differences in case of working period (p<0.05). 7. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the understanding of Oriental Herbal pharmaceutical companies, the followings are observed. First, opinions on the general characteristics of pharmaceutical companies, when examined with variance analysis, shows similar differences in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.05). Secondly, when opinions are examined on general characteristics and the problems of herbal pharmaceutical companies, similar differences are found in case of working period (p<0.01) and in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.001). Lastly, opinions on the general characteristics and reforms of pharmaceutical companies, similar differences are observed in case of working period (p<0.001). 8. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the improvement of insurance Herbal drugs, the followings are observed. First, regarding general characteristics and insurance benefits, similar differences are observed in case of working period (p<0.05), in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.05), and in case of average number of daily patients (p<0.01). Secondly, opinions on the general characteristics and the needs for the improvement of Herbal insurance drugs are examined in 5 different aspects, which are the approval of granular type drugs as insurance drugs, the expanded practices of the number of prescription insurance drugs, the needs of a variety of formulations, the needs of TFT of which numbers of Oriental medical doctors are members for the revision of the existing system, and the needs of adjusting the current ceiling of the fixed amount and the fixed rate. When processed by the analysis of variance, the results show similar differences in case of average number of daily patients (p<0.01). Conclusion : From the results of this study the first measures to take are, to reform overall insurance benefit system, including insurance co-payment system(fixed rate cap adjustment), to expand the number of the herbal drugs to be prescribed matching with insurance benefit accordingly, and to revitalize herbal medicine insurance system through the change of various formulations. In addition, it is recommended to improve the effectiveness of herbal medicine by making plans to enhance the efficacy of herbal medicine and by enabling small pharmaceutical companies to outgrow themselves.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.279-286
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• 2008

Objectives: This study was performed to provide the basic data for establishing countermeasures for preventing injury by analyzing the incidence rates, the risk factors, the characteristics of the injury and the utilization of medical care for mild injury that lasted for two weeks. Methods: We examined the injury survey data among the National Health and Nutrition Survey data. The definition of mild injury that lasted for two weeks was that the injury that caused pain at least once a day for two weeks or the injury for which the usual daily activity of the injured person was severely affected. We used statistical analysis methods such as chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The incidence rate of injury that lasted for two weeks was 4.7 per 1,000 persons. On the multiple logistic regression, the children and adolescents (OR=3.80, 95%CI=1.63-8.84) had higher rates of injuries than the adults, and the middle and high school (OR=0.51, 95%CI=0.31-0.85) and college(OR=0.34, 95%CI=0.17-0.68) students had lower rates of injuries than the elementary school students. The unemployed (OR=0.39, 95%CI=0.20-0.73) and others (OR=0.38, 95%CI=0.21-0,70) had lower rates of injuries than the blue collar workers. The major causes of injuries were found to be falling and slipping, and the most prevalent place of occurrence was near or at home. Conclusions: A prevention program needs to be developed and continuous education must be offered to the children, adolescents and blue collar workers.

• 대한치과기공학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.161-171
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of parents knowledge on oral health status toward their children. This study was carried out to investigate and analyze the cognitive degree of dental subjects and general public who have an experience to be treated for their dental knowledge, operative dentistry, and dental prothesis in the oral health care through the questionnaires. The results are as follows : 1 : In questioning the frequency in the visitation of dental clinic, 68.8% usually go to see dentists, if children's teeth have trouble. It was the reason that economical standard and educational level were enhanced as before. 57.6% took a kind of medical measures. 2 : In surveying the preference of dentists’ age or gender, 56.9% preferred younger dentists to older or female dentists. On the contrary, 56.9% children want younger dentists, and 64.8% children want female dentist doctor. As a conclusion, the preference of dentists’ age or gender is relevant with a view to remove big horror, which can be evoked by dental measures. 3 : In questioning the possession amount of decayed teeth, 45.8% have more than four. Usually those parents who have children filled their decayed teeth with artificial or installed with dental prosthesis. As a conclusion, age is relevant in this study in p<0.05 level. 4 : In asking for efficient starting-year of tooth brushing, 42.6% said that 2 or 3 year age is the most efficient, and especially 80.6% teach children to learn brushing themselves. (P<0.05). As a conclusion, the voluntary brushing can be good behaviour for good dental health. 5 : In surveying the way they obtained dental information, 38.9% were given form mass media, but 90% were once not delivered with the education of dental health. Because parents have been known narrow and deficient information of dental health through mass media, experts in dental health have to deliver help their parents to be delivered with systematical dental information. The conclusion of this study can be summarized that parents' role is very important to their children's tooth health and the education program for systematical dental information should be delivered to their parents.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.9015-9019
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• 2014

The study aimed to compare the 2 main types of insurance used by colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in a university hospital in Thailand: universal coverage (UC) and 'Civil Servant Medical Benefit Scheme' (CSMBS) in terms of hospital expenditure and survival outcomes. CRC cases in stages I-IV who were operated on and had completed their adjuvant therapy in Songklanagarind Hospital from 2004 through 2013 were retrospectively reviewed regarding their hospital expenditure, focusing on surgical and chemotherapy costs. Of 1,013 cases analyzed, 524 (51.7%) were in the UC group while 489 (48.3%) belonged to the CSMBS group. Cases with stage IV disease were significantly more frequent in the UC group. Average total treatment expenditure (TTE) was 143,780 Thai Baht (THB) (1 US$ =~ 30 THB). The TTE increased with tumor stage and the chemotherapy cost contributed the most to the TTE increment. TTE in the CSMBS group was significantly higher than in the UC group for stage II-III CRCs. The majority of cases in the UC group (65.5%) used deGramont or Mayo as their first line regimen, and the proportion of cases who started with a capecitabine-based regimen (XELOX or $Xeloda^{(R)}$) was significantly higher in the CSMBS group (61.0% compared to 24.5% in the UC group, p-value < 0.01). On survival analysis, overall survival (OS) and progress free survival in the CSMBS group were significantly better than in the UC group. The 5-year OS in the CSMBS and UC groups were 84.3% and 74.6%, respectively (p-value < 0.01). In conclusion, the study indicates that in Thailand, the type of insurance influences resource utilization, especially the choice of chemotherapy, in CRC cases. This disparity in treatment, in turn, results in a gap in treatment outcomes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3173-3177
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• 2016

Background: The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in Lebanon provides cancer drugs free of charge for uninsured patients who account for more than half the total case-load. Other categories of cancer care are subsidized under more stringent eligibility criteria. MOPH's large database offers an excellent opportunity to analyze the cost of cancer treatment in Lebanon. Materials and Methods: Using utilization and spending data accumulated at MOPH during 2008-2013, the cost to the public budget of cancer drugs was assessed per case and per drug type. Results: The average annual cost of cancer drugs was 6,475$ per patient. Total cancer drug costs were highest for breast cancer, followed by chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), which together represented 74% of total MOPH cancer drug expenditure. The annual average cancer drug cost per case was highest for CML ($31,037), followed by NHL ($11,566). Trastuzumab represented 26% and Imatinib 15% of total MOPH cancer drug expenditure over six years. Conclusions: Sustained increase in cancer drug cost threatens the sustainability of MOPH coverage, so crucial for socially vulnerable citizens. To enhance the bargaining position with pharmaceutical firms for drug cost containment in a small market like Lebanon, drug price comparisons with neighboring countries which have already obtained lower prices may succeed in lowering drug costs.