• KIPS Transactions on Computer and Communication Systems
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.197-208
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• 2014

In an information society, privacy protection is one of the most important ethical issues. In medical institutes in which personal medical information is collected and stored, in addition, a privacy breach can cause a serious damage on personal lives. This study attempted to develop privacy concern measurement tool in personal medical information to measure patients' concern on their medical information from medical service consumers' perspective and verify its validity. For this, privacy concern measurement tool in personal medical information was developed based on the results of previous studies. After performing Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA) on the measurement tool, its reliability and validity were verified. It appears that the measurement tool would be useful in developing decent privacy protection policy after investigating citizens' concern on the protection of personal medical information and domains they are interested in. For medical institutes as well, they would be helpful in coming up with a reasonable plan after figuring out problems in the protection of personal medical information and current status.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.730-737
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• 2018

With the increasing number of health consumers aiming for a happy quality of life, the O2O medical marketing market is activated by choosing reliable health care facilities and receiving high quality medical services based on the medical information distributed on web's blog. Because unstructured text data used on the Internet, mobile, and social networks directly or indirectly reflects authors' interests, preferences, and expectations in addition to their expertise, it is difficult to guarantee credibility of medical information. In this study, we propose a blog reading system that provides users with a higher quality medical information service by classifying medical information blogs (medical blog, ad blog) using bigdata and MLP processing. We collect and analyze many domestic medical information blogs on the Internet based on the proposed big data and machine learning technology, and develop a personalized health information recommendation system for each disease. It is expected that the user will be able to maintain his / her health condition by continuously checking his / her health problems and taking the most appropriate measures.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.463-470
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• 2019

Currently, the consumption process of Medical Marijuana is complicated, so it is necessary to provide patient-centered services. This study defined the consumption process of Medical Marijuana as three steps and five procedures for the user-centered consumption process direction study, and created a consumption journey map through user interviews with experience of purchasing Medical Marijuana to find the pain point in the consumption process. Then, based on the case studies of the United States and Canada, three scenarios applicable to Korea were presented according to the scope of implementation. It is meaningful that it is a user-centered study based on the experience of Medical Marijuana consumers and it is expected to be used as reference data in improving the consumption process in the future.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.327-337
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• 2006

The major purpose of this study was to develop the nutrition education contents and material through the basic data from the service provider and the consumer. And also, to find out the differences of attitude and needs between the service provider (SP breastfeeding specialist), present consumer (PC, pregnant or lactating women) and future consumer (FC, college women). There were types of questionnaires, which consisted of needs and attitudes toward child and maternal nutrition, as well as the personal characteristics of the study subjects. The subjects consisted of 113 breastfeeding specialists who served at medical related institutions, 197 pregnant or lactating women and 309 college women. The self-administered questionnaires from subjects were collected from October to November 2005 in Seoul and Kyunggi Province. The data was analysed by SPSS Win 12.0, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test. The results of this study were as following: 1) The most Important determining factors on breastfeeding was 'medical specialist's support' (3.51) and the next one was 'knowledge of maternity care practice' (3.39). And the importance score of determinating factors on breastfeeding was significantly different between each group (p < 0.001). The groups of consumer (3.50 at PC and 3.59 at FC) considered the service provider (3.32) more important. The service providers considered a more effective determining factor to be 'husband and family support' and 'peer support' than the others (p <0.001). 2) To compare the effective factors of breastfeeding practices between the three groups, the service providers were more significantly considered than the otters such as 'attendance of intervention program' (p < 0.001). But the PC group considered the most effective factors wis 'mother's job after delivery'. 3) The self-evaluated score of the breastfeeding knowledge was the most high in SP; the score was significantly different between groups. The knowledge score of nutritional aspects in human milk was most highly evaluated. But maternity care practice and public acceptance marked the lower evaluation score than other issues. 4) The desirable types of educational material was mass media, and the next was printed matter such as booklets. Two kinds if consumers preferred DVD or VCR tapes than and the service provider group (p < 0.001). 5) The priority contents of nutrition service PC group wanted the information about infant care more than maternal care (p < 0.05), but FC group's priority was significantly different compared with PC group (p < 0.001). The priority of SP group pointed out the information of practical child care methods. The results showed the needs of nutrition service, education channels, and perception toward effective factors on consumer behavior changes were significantly different between each group. Thus the result of this study may suggest that consumer oriented nutrition service programs must be developed.

• Smart Media Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2024

The Metaverse as a combination of physical and digital space, provides many consumers with a different process of search, evaluation, consumption, and disposal than before, based on hyper-connected and hyper-realistic services. Therefore, it is necessary to examine what kind of sensory experiences customers feel when performing various activities in the Metaverse and how these experiences affect customers' behavioral responses. This study measured the temporal and emotional experience of the Metaverse service environment felt during the Metaverse experience journey of customers experiencing medical tourism services. The results of the study showed that the emotional experience through Metaverse had a more positive impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty as the intensity of the Metaverse experience deepened. In particular, it was confirmed that the emotional experience at the end of the Metaverse service had a positive influence on repurchase behavior. These results show that, just as in the real world, customer experience in the Metaverse can provide important insight into understanding customers' post purchase behavior and how service providers can develop and implement effective customer experience strategies in the Metaverse environment.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.771-783
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• 2018

Objectives: This study aimed to identify methods that help medical consumers to be aware of relevant information regarding changes in dental health insurance policy. Methods: The following results were obtained from a survey regarding awareness and satisfaction with dental health insurance policy among the general public aged 20 years or older in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and other areas from August 1, 2017 to August 23, 2017. Results: The correlation between adults' awareness of and satisfaction with dental health insurance was 0.471, where satisfaction with dental health insurance was enhanced with increasing awareness of dental health insurance (p<0.001). Factors that significantly affected awareness of dental health insurance were marriage (married p<0.05), medical service (dental university hospital, p<0.01), and satisfaction with dental health insurance (p<0.001); these factors explained 29.2% of the variance. Factors that significantly affected satisfaction with dental health insurance were final education (high school graduation, p<0.05), medical service (dental hospital, p<0.05), and awareness of dental health insurance (p<0.001); these factors explained 27.8% of the variance. Conclusions: Importantly, awareness of the government's operation of dental health insurance and the benefits of such dental health insurance were low, suggesting that the government and national health insurance agency should improve the level of transparency in dental health insurance operations and continuously promote dental health insurance benefits to the public.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.151-164
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of timing of surgery on outcomes of spine operated patients for lumbar herniated intervertebral disc. The research design was cohort study and based on the data of claims for the medical expenses of health insurance. 21,475 cases who had primary spine surgery between January 1, and December 31, 2003, observed to conservative treatment period in the past two years from preoperative primary diagnosis to timing of primary surgery. According to one and five year follow up monitoring, the probability of occurrence of reoperation was not statistically significant with preoperative duration of symptom. Also one year follow up, the probability of occurrence of complication, was not statistically significant with preoperative duration of symptom. But five year follow up, groups who had one to two month preoperative duration of symptom decreased complication rate than less than a month(95%CI:0.594-0.927). Thus, from the onset of symptoms of back pain before primary surgery with enough and adequate time observation is required. Also, medical consumers or providers to choose surgery in determining prudence is required.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.51-60
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• 2016

Consumers who use mobile applications for their skin care are increasing due to increasing interest in skin care and smart phone use. A survey was conducted to select popular skin care mobile applications to be installed in the smart phone targeting 1,000 men and women in South Korea who are interested in their skin care. Questioned items included skin care awareness and recognition, skin care type, and the intention of using skin health care mobile services. The respondents thought the best skin as 'Flawless skin (52.3%)'. Also, 'Skin trouble' and 'Skin aging' were their major concerns. 47.1% of the respondents used mobile skin care applications, and 56.6% intended to try new mobile skin care services. The results on interesting field of skin care showed significant difference depending on gender, marital status, and annual average household income. Moreover, the results on effort made for skin care showed significant difference depending on age, gender, and marital status. They wanted the functions such as 'Review on cosmetic products by brand (23.8%)', 'Self skincare method (16.8%)', 'Continuous monitoring service (16.2%)', 'Information on cosmetic products (13.4%)'. The result of this study would be reliable as basic material for skincare mobile service area. Further studies could be focused on developing application in accordance with needs and how it should be applied.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.37-50
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• 2015

Objective : In order to understand the scale of medicinal expenditure in the Korean medicine, an analysis has been made of Korean National Health Account and statistic archives used to estimate the Korean National Health Account and also of such archives as are contributory to learn the scale of total health expenditures in the Korean medicine. Method : From the Korean National Health Account archives, an analysis has been made of National health insurance statistic annual reports, National health insurance non-payment items, Korean Economic Census (The Service Industy Survey), and Korea Health Panel data. Moreover, in order to know the sales of overall Korean medicine clinics, relevant data have been utilized and cited from investigations into National tax statistics, Korean medicine medical institutions and Korean medicines used, and current states of medicinal herbs and Korean medicine industry. Results : It is found that the average scale of each section of the medical expenditures archives in the Korean medicine in 2012 was KRW 3.5638 billion and that the average medical expenditures in the Korean medicine derived from Total Health Expenditure, The Service Industy Survey, National tax statistic, and Korean medicine industry are approximately KRW 3.3901, 3.4796, 3.7218 and 3.9634 billion. And the average expenditures derived from National health insurance patients and Korea Health Panel data are 2.5162 and 2.2292 billion won and those from the users and consumers of Korean medicines and herbs are 5.6,461 billion won. In order to verify the appropriateness of estimated medical expenditures in the Korean medicine included in the archives, an analysis has been made of uninsured costs which come from the aggregate sales amount surveyed minus health insurance treatment expenditures and it is found that the ratio of insured costs against total health expenditures in 2006 was 50.67% and 41.92% in 2012 and that the ratio based on National tax statistics and The Service Industy Survey was 52.19% and 49.28% in 2006 and 50.54% and 50.64% in 2012 and that the ratio of uninsured costs against Korean medicines and herbs and Korean medicine industry was 37.5% and 58.27% in 2013. Conclusion : It calls for the improvement of the accuracy of an investigation into Total Health Expenditure which comprise the actual conditions of health insurance and Korea Health Panel, the development of statistic schemes for understanding and classifying medical expenditures of all the Korean medicine medicinal institutions like medicinal clinics, and enhanced methods for independent panels to comprehensively collect and analyze the number of sampled Korean medicine medical institutions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.115-131
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• 2011

Several common issues are encountered by countries - Germany, Japan, and the United States - that adopted long-term care (LTC) system. First, the demand for LTC and its associated costs have steeply risen following the implementation of the LTC policy. Second, ensuring the quality of services have been difficult. Third, the coordination of services among providers and between LTC and medical care has been inadequate. Learning from their experience, we suggest ways to improve the LTC system in Korea. The basic approach aims for efficiency over equity in the system. This would require promoting provider competition and consumer choice. We propose several policy options according to the major stakeholders. For consumers, cash benefits at fixed rates and personal savings accounts are feasible options to self-contain the demand and cost of services. On the insurer's side, creating an environment of multiple insurers will engender competition, leading to cost savings and quality care. For providers, delivery of quality services through competition, cost-containment through capitated reimbursements, and coordination of services through integrated delivery system can be achieved. From the assessors' perspective, establishing an information system to monitor the activities of insurers and providers would be important, empowering consumers with information to choose cost-effective service providers. In summary, the suggested approach would provide cost-effective LTC services by guaranteeing consumer choice and promoting major stakeholder accountability. Further studies are needed to test the feasibility of this model in ensuring quality LTC in Korea.