• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.110-119
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• 2009

Medication compliance is essential to improve person's health status through pharmacotherapy. Since separation of dispensing and prescription has been implemented, the importance of pharmacist's role on medication counseling have been emphasized, especially among outpatients. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of patient's satisfaction with pharmacist's medication counseling on medication compliance among outpatients. We used the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey data to examine medication compliance of persons who visited pharmacy. Ordered logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess whether patient's satisfaction with pharmacist's medication counseling was associated with medication compliance. Overall, 86.17% of study subjects(5,494) reported to take the prescribed medicines correctly and 80.54% of respondents were satisfied with pharmacist's medication counseling. Logistic regression analysis presents patient's satisfaction with pharmacist's counseling is significantly associated with medication compliance after controlling patient's characteristics(proxy-measured by age, family income, educational attainments, comorbid conditions). Interestingly, even patients who are dissatisfied with pharmacist's counseling have slightly higher odds of better compliance to medication therapy than those without pharmacist's counseling. In addition, higher educational attainments and older age groups are associated with better medication compliance. In conclusion, pharmacist's medication counseling appears to be effective in improving medication compliance. Further research that assess medication counseling in detail needs to develop strategies to improve medication adherence.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was to ascertain whether there are differences in health care utilization and expenditure for Type I Medical Aid Beneficiaries before and after applying Copayment. Methods: This study was one-group pretest posttest design study using secondary data analysis. Data for pretest group were collected from claims data of the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation and data for posttest group were collected through door to-door interviews using a structured questionnaire. A total of 1,364 subjects were sampled systematically from medical aid beneficiaries who had applied for copayment during the period from December 12, 2007 to September 25, 2008. Results: There was no negative effect of copayment on accessibility to medical services, medication adherence (p=.94), and quality of life (p=.25). Some of the subjects' health behaviors even increased preferably after applying for copayment including flu prevention (p<.001), health care examination (p=.035), and cancer screening (p=.002). However, significant suppressive effects of copayment were found on outpatient hospital visiting days (p<.001) and outpatient medical expenditure (p<.001). Conclusion: Copayment does not seem to be a great influencing factor on beneficiaries' accessibility to medical services and their health behavior even though it has suppressive effects on outpatients' use of health care.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.8 no.9
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• pp.1391-1397
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• 2013

As Korea is expected to enter an aging society in near future, the number of patients who need a long-term prescription is expected to increase as well. In particular, Korea shows the highest in both the incident rate and the death rate among OECD member nations. The current situation requires more strict monitoring and management for patients' taking medicine, there are a few practical problems such as personnel expenses. In order to realize the efficient management of medicine administration, this paper proposes a smart pillbox that is developed based on IT technologies. Through the experiments in which actual patients participate, it is proved that the smart pillbox is beneficial to the patients taking medicine.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.65 no.7
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• pp.1257-1262
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether to take a medicine based on a measuring data using textile proximity sensor. We developed a proximity sensor of ring type using conductive textile, and acquired a data in accordance with the quantity of each pills. To evaluate our approach, we designed an experimental protocol that is counting pills subtracting the one which contains range of 0 T(Tablet, 4,100mg) from 20 T. And, The experiments were performed a nine times in the same way. In order to remove a noise and smoothen data, data preprocessing were performed using resampling method and moving average filter which has ten points. Then, we calculated a linear trend line equation, and analyzed a correlation between pill quantity and trend line equation. As a results, correlation coefficient was shown at 0.833 through using a Spearman's correlation method and we could be determined that data was continuos decreases when take a medicine.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2014

Objective: This study was conducted to compare the adherence, clinical and economical utility of fixed-dose combination tablets of sitagliptin/metformin with concomitant administration of sitagliptin and metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Adherence was measured as the medication possession ratio (MPR) of ${\geq}80%$, and MPR was calculated as the number of total prescription days divided by the total treatment period. Hemoglobin $A_{1C}$ ($HbA_{1c}$) differences between baseline and predetermined periods were analyzed. Proportions of patients who achieved $HbA_{1c}$ less than 6.5% for three or more consecutive times were compared. To evaluate cost-effectiveness, prices of sitagliptin, metformin and sitagliptin/metformin tablets were investigated. Results: More than 90% of patients showed adherence in both groups (92.0% in fixed-dose combination group vs 95.9% in concomitant administration group), and there was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.113). Proportion of patients with HbA1c less than 6.5% for three or more consecutive times tended to be somewhat higher in fixed dose combination group than in concomitant administration group without a statistically significant difference (32.6% vs. 28.0%, P = 0.344). Total price of metformin and sitagliptin was cheaper up to 222 KRW in the case of fixed-dose combination tablets compared to the case of concomitant administration. Conclusion: The sitagliptin/metformin fixed-dose combination tablet had a similar patient adherence and was not significantly different in efficacy to the concomitant administration of each component. In terms of drug prices, fixed-dose combination tablets were cheaper than concomitant administration of each tablet.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.178-185
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• 2017

Objective: Because of communication difficulties, the hearing-impaired face many disadvantages throughout their lives. One of those is limited access to health care services, particularly medication service. Though they suffer from problems related to taking medication properly, there have been few studies on their actual condition of medication use in Korea. This study is to investigate any obstacles to properly taking medications and, therefore, to suggest preliminary evidence for policy measures to improve safe medication use among the hearing-impaired. Methods: Study participants consisted of hearing-impaired individuals living in Seoul. We also interviewed two sign language interpreters in order to illuminate health care state of the hearing-impaired. In-depth interview for each study participant was recorded and was translated into a written script for analysis. Results: Study participants were comprised of four women (66.6%) and two men (33.3%). There were one participants in 20's, two participants in 30's, one 40's, and two 50's. Sign language interpreters were all women. One was in her 30's and the other was in her 40's. Communication difficulties have been found to be key barrier to use medication safely. A negative image of pharmacists also hinders safe medication usage, lowering access to local pharmacy and leading discretional self-medication. This article provides pharmacists with solutions to promote adherence in this population. Conclusion: The hearing-impaired had limited access to medication-related information as well as using services in a hospital and local pharmacy due to their disability. Institutional improvement for safe medication usage among the hearing-impaired is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.197-205
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• 2013

Background: Many factors including drugs, dietary supplements, and food intake can affect the development and organ formation of fetuses. Because of this, subject tends to avoid consuming things like coffee, alcohol, or cigarettes due to the risks they pose during pregnancy. Therefore, analysis of drugs and favorite food consumption is needed and important to ensure safe health management for subject. Purpose: This study was conducted domestically to analyze these factors in South Korea. Method: The survey was conducted from pregnancy-related online communities for six days and the survey results were received via email for analysis. Result: A total of 127 subjects answered the questionnaire via email; the characteristics of subjects are widely varied in their ages, education levels, job statuses, and residences. The questionnaire included the intake of dietary supplements during pregnancy including vitamins and the result showed that the subjects took 2.23 different kinds of supplements on average. In order of highest frequency, 101 subjects took multivitamins; 79 subjects took an iron supplement; 30 subjects took analgesics; 20 subjects took prescribed antipyretic and medication for upper respiratory diseases; 12 subjects took antibiotics; 7 subjects took antiemetics. Their compliances were different in each medication categories. Only 8% of subjects answered that they had asked a pharmacist for medication information during pregnancy. In addition, 78% of subjects answered that they never counseled with anyone about pregnancy related medication use. Conclusion: In conclusion, many subjects took medication including dietary supplements. The role of pharmacists should be actively developed to improve subject care such as education about subject's medication uses and their food consumption behavior.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.9-14
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between the characteristics of the patients who received oral antihyperglycemic drugs and their medical adherence in Korea. The study method was a cross-sectional study using the patient sample data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service for 2016, and it was analyzed with 109 major components of diabetes drug. The medical adherence was slightly higher in male than female. The patriots & veterans(free) type had the highest medication adherence because they have low self burden to access medical institutions compared to other insurance types. It is expect that this study result will be used as a basic data to understand the burden of outpatients with health insurance and establish a policy to reduce of the self outpatients' burden with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.407-417
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of Highly active Antiretroviral therapy (HAART) adherence in Korean patients with HIV. Methods: A phenomenological methodology was used for the study. Data were collected from March to December, 2013 using open-ended questions during in-depth interviews. Participants were taking HAART for HIV, and were contacted through purposive techniques. Results: Four men and 4 women whose average treatment period was 5.9 years participated in this study. Seven themes emerged from the analysis using Colazzi's method: (a) Seizing life in a deep sense of despair, (b) Struggling with medication, (c) Facing harsh treatment from health care providers, (d) Spoiling healthy pattern, (e) Hungering for communication and emotional support, (f) Turning to accepting HIV, (g) Becoming adherent to HIV treatment. Conclusion: Prejudice from health care providers and lack of emotional support were barriers to HAART in Korea. Intervention strategies are needed to decrease prejudices from health care providers and to increase family support.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 2022

Purpose: This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of patients with diabetes provided with medication monitoring using an artificial intelligence-based smartwatch. Methods: Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological methodology was applied to collect and analyze data from November 9 to December 23, 2021. The study samples were recruited by convenience sampling, and even patients with diabetes participated in in-depth interviews via video conference and telephone calls or face-to-face visits. Results: Ten sub-themes and four themes were finally revealed. The four themes were as follows: journey with unfamiliar devices, a less-than-acceptable smartwatch, insufficient functions and content for patients with diabetes to use, and efforts for regular medication behaviors and daily monitoring of patient's health conditions. Conclusion: To effectively manage diabetic conditions using digital healthcare technologies, nursing interventions were needed to identify personal needs and consider technological, psychological, aesthetic, and socioeconomic aspects of wearable devices.