• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4653-4658
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• 2015

Background: Palliative therapies have an important role in increasing the quality of healthcare and in dealing with physical and psychosocial problems due to cancer. We here aimed to evaluate the managerial perspectives and opinions of the hospital managers and clinical directors about specialized palliative care centers. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in two large-scale hospitals in which oncology care is given with medical directors (n:70). A questionnaire developed by the researchers asking about demographic characteristics and professional experience, opinions and suggestions of medical directors about providing and integrating palliative care into healthcare was used and responses were analyzed. Results: Potential barriers in providing palliative care (PC) and integrating PC into health systems were perceived as institutional by most of the doctors (97%) and nurses (96%). Social barriers were reported by 54% of doctors and 82% of nurses. Barriers due to interest and knowledge of health professionals about PC were reported by 76% of doctors and 75% of nurses. Among encouragement ideas to provide PC were dealing with staff educational needs (72%), improved working conditions (77%) and establishing a special PC unit (49)%. An independent PC unit was suggested by 27.7% of participants and there was no difference between the hospitals. To overcome the barriers for integration of PC into health systems, providing education for health professionals and patient relatives, raising awareness in society, financial arrangements and providing infrastructure were suggested. The necessity for planning and programming were emphasized. Conclusions: In our study, the opinions and perspectives of hospital managers and clinical directors were similar to current approaches. Managerial needs for treating cancer in efficient cancer centers, increasing the capacity of health professionals to provide care in every stage of cancer, effective education planning and patient care management were emphasized.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.5133-5138
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers and a major public health problem in developing countries. However, early detection and treatment may be achieved by breast self-examination (BSE). Despite the importance of BSE in reducing the incidence of breast cancer and esultant deaths, the disease continues to be the most common cause of cancer death among women in Iran.This study aimed to determine the effects of self-care education on performance of BSE among women referring to health centers in our country. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental interventional study with pretest/posttest control group design was conducted on 168 women referred to health centers. The data were collected using a validated researcher-made questionnaire including demographic variables and trans-theoretical model constructs as well as a checklist assessing BSE behavior. The instruments were administered to groups with and without self-care education before, a week after, and 10 weeks after the intervention. Then, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software (version 19) and analyzed using independent sample t-tests, paired sample t-test, repeated measures ANOVA, Chi-square, and Friedman tests (p<0.05). Results: The results showed an increase in the intervention group's mean scores of trans-theoretical model constructs (stages of change, self-efficacy, decisional balance, and processes of change) and BSE behavior compared to the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: The study confirmed the effectiveness of aneducational intervention based ona trans-theoretical model in performing BSE. Therefore, designing educational interventions based on this model is recommended to improve women's health and reduce deaths due to breast cancer.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to suggest new direction for domiciliary care for elders provided by public institutions in rural areas. Method: The participants in the study were elders using one of 11 public health care institutions, of which 8 operated day care services exclusively, and 3 operated both day care and short-term respite care services. A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire that included items on general characteristics of the service users, conditions of the services, personnel, financial status, facilities, and perception of the tasks of the staff. Result: The service content of the day care centers included Western and Chinese medical service, physical services, activities of ADL, nursing care services, meal services and transportation services. Domiciliary care centers provided a wide variety of health and social welfare service for elders. Personnel consisted of 3 to 8 staff for day care centers and 7 to 10 for domiciliary care centers. Both types of centers rely on financial support from local government for operation. The perception of the staff was the need for operation of these centers by public health facilities such as public health centers and sub-centers. Conclusion: The result suggest a need to activate the function of public institutions to provide domiciliary care for elders. For this new change, the role as a social support system must be developed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.69-97
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• 2003

This study focuses on the determinants of the community health service utilization. Theories suggest seven models for community health service utilization, which are divided largely into two groups such as Health Service Supply Model and Health Service Demand Model: Supply Model includes Medical Implements Model, Personnel and Budget Model, Management System Model, Staffs' Behavior Model, Service Quality Model; Demand Model includes Area Model and Clients' Characteristics Model. This paper tests how the above models influence on the community health service utilization. After interviewing some administrative staffs of the Community Health Service Center at Pusan, questionnaires were made and mailed to the staffs of 198 Korean Community Health Service Center as a universe, among which from 98 centers we got response. Analyzing the data from the questionnaires, we found "the number of personnels in the health service center" and "demands for medical service" as important variables to affect the utilization of the community health service center. These two variables are typical factors representing Supply Model and Demand Model each. However, the variables selected from Management System Model, Administrative Behavior Model, Service Quality Model and Area model are not significant in a statistical sense. The paper suggests that to recruit the personnels, especially nurses, and to make out the demands of the clients for health service be the precedent conditions to increase the utilization of the Community Health Service Centers in Korea.ce Centers in Korea.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2016

Background: Intention to leave was an important managerial issue among physicians working in public health centers. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between job participations and intention to leave among physicians working in health centers. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information about job participation, intention to leave and demographics among physicians (n=243) in public health centers in Korea. Job participation was measured by 15 items categorized 3 dimensions. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of job participation on intent to leave among physicians working in public health center. Results: Participation of medical treatment and administrative job were significantly associated with intention to leave adjusted for sex, age, income, working area, working duration, tenure, and overall job satisfaction. Therefore, physicians who actively participated in administrative job showed a lower turnover intention. Physicians who actively participated in medical treatment job had a higher quit intention. Conclusion: To retain qualified physicians in public health center, education should be reinforced to physician for administrative capacity building.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.28-47
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to assess the user's satisfaction of health care service in public health centers in Busan. The study respondents were 212, those who visited health centers for health care service. Data were collected in July 2002 by using SERVQUAL(comprehensive service quality measurement scale) and 3 open questions for more details about service satisfaction and the needs for health care service. SERVQUAL has 5 dimensions； tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. The results were as follows ： 1. The users reported more satisfaction at 'just service cost', 'convenient service procedure' and 'clean physical environment' at SERVQUAL. Among them the highest rated item was 'service cost'. And the less satisfaction items were 'understanding and individual concerns about service users', 'medical equipment' and 'health center facilities'. 2. There were no statistical differences by general characteristics except for the kind of services rendered. Those who visited for physical examinations and laboratory tests reported lower satisfaction than any other groups. 3. At the open questions, the respondents expressed that they were satisfied with the low service cost, kindness of employee and clean environment. But they criticized the old facilities and worn medical equipment, in addition to the less than kind attitudes. These strengths and weaknesses of health center's service could be applied for planning of customer­centered health care service.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.358-362
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• 2011

The National Emergency Management Agency of South Korea has established a Disaster Victims Psychology Support Center. The Disaster Victims Psychology Support Center can enable victims who got psychological damage from disasters to return to their daily lives through healing activity, field visits and advice of experts. The previous Psychology Support Center System managed the information of disaster victims through an independent database. However, this paper proposes a system that is developed to identify medical institutions and mental health centers within a distance of radius, based on the potential Hot-Spot areas of disaster victims using the GIS Systems. The proposed system can efficiently support selection of appropriate institutions for disaster victims using their location and age, classification of damage, and damaged parts of the body. Also, this spatial analysis can assist to decide on a policy based on the location of disaster victims and the extent of damage. Therefore, this paper can provide the required information to support decision making based on the concentrated areas for disaster victims.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2022

In this paper, the research and development aim to strengthen the digital accessibility of the elderly by developing a kiosk incorporating AI voice recognition technology that can replace the promotional signage currently being installed and spread in the elderly and social welfare centers most frequently used by the digital underprivileged. It was intended to develop a converged system for the use of bulletin board functions, educational functions, and welfare center facilities, and to seek ways to increase the user's digital device experience through direct experience and education. Through interviews and surveys of senior citizens and social welfare centers, it was intended to collect problems and pain Points that the elderly currently experience in the process of using kiosks and apply them to the development process, and improve problems through pilot services. Through this study, it was confirmed that voice recognition technology is 2 to 6 times faster than keyboard input, so it is helpful for the elderly who are not familiar with device operation. However, it is necessary to improve the problem that there is a difference in the accuracy of the recognition rate according to the surrounding environment with noise. Through small efforts such as this study, we hope that the elderly will be a little free from digital alienation.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.346-368
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• 2021

Background: Recalcitrant disc herniation may result in chronic lumbar radiculopathy or sciatica. Fluoroscopically directed epidural injections and other conservative modalities may provide inadequate improvement in some patients. In these cases, percutaneous neurolysis with targeted delivery of medications is often the next step in pain management. Methods: An evidence-based system of methodologic assessment, namely, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used. Multiple databases were searched from 1966 to January 2021. Principles of the best evidence synthesis were incorporated into qualitative evidence synthesis. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients with significant pain relief and functional improvement (≥ 50%). Duration of relief was categorized as short-term (< 6 months) and long-term (≥ 6 months). Results: This assessment identified one high-quality randomized controlled trial (RCT) and 5 moderate-quality non-randomized studies with an application of percutaneous neurolysis in disc herniation. Overall, the results were positive, with level II evidence. Conclusions: Based on the present systematic review, with one RCT and 5 non-randomized studies, the evidence level is II for percutaneous neurolysis in managing lumbar disc herniation.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.15-27
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• 2003

Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the medical care patterns of hypertensive patients between rural and urban areas. Methods: We selected one rural county(Region A where there were 19 public health centers; one health center, 8 health sub-centers and 10 community health posts) and two urban districts(Region B and C where there was no health sub-center and community health post) in Daegu city. Region B had similar socioeconomic characteristics with rural county A while region C had different characteristics. The medical insurance records of 14,422 incident patients (2,501 in region A, 4,873 in region B and 7,048 in region C) with diagnostic code of hypertension from September 1998 to August 1999 were reviewed. Incident patient was defined as a patient who had no record of medical fee claim for hypertension to the national health insurance corporation in past 6 months and visited a medical facility for hypertension for the first time. The data for annual visit days, annual prescription days and annual total medical expenses were abstracted. The medical care pattern was categorized by the number of annual visit days and prescription days. The most proper care group was defined as the patient who visited 6-15 days with 240 prescription days or more in a year. Results: The type of medical facilities for the most visit was clinics, 373.% and it was followed by general hospitals, 28.2%; public health centers, 24.7%; and hospitals, 9.8% in region A(p<0.05). In region B, it was clinics, 63.1% and followed by general hospitals, 27.6%; health center, 5.2%; and hospitals, 4.1%(p<0.05). In region C, it was clinics, 53.8% and followed by general hospitals, 35.0%; health center, 6.3%; and hospitals, 4.9%(p<0.05). Annual mean total medical expenses per patient was highest in region C(won195,993) and followed by region A(won191,683) and region B(won178,713). The proportion of the most proper care group was 7.7% in region A, 5.2% in region B and 6.7% in region C(p<0.05). According to the type of medical facilities for the first visit, the proportion of the most proper care group was highest(14.7%) in the patients of public health centers, and it was followed by general hospitals, 8.8%; clinics, 3.6%; and hospitals, 2.0% in region A(p<0.05). In region B, it was highest in general hospitals, 9.7% and followed by hospitals, 4.0%; health center, 3.6%; and clinics, 3.4%(p<0.05). In region C, it was highest in general hospitals, 10.1% and followed by clinics, 5.2%; hospitals, 4.1%; and health center, 3.1%(p<0.05). Conclusions: The proportion of proper care for hypertension was higher in rural area and it was attributed to the care of health center, sub-centers and community health posts which appeared to follow patients better than hospitals and clinics.