• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.44-60
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• 2011

Background : Surgical site infection(SSI) is one of the important nosocomial infections with pneumonia, urinary tract infection. SSI increases mortality, morbidity, length of stay, and costs for postoperative patients. The purpose of this study was to estimate length of stay(LOS) and health care costs from SSI using the large observational data. The ultimate objective was to show the effect of prevention of SSI. Method : This study used antibiotic prophylaxis evaluation data and claims data of the HIRA(Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service). The study population included 18,361 patients who underwent gastric surgery, endoscopic cholecystectomy, colon surgery, hysterectomy, cesarean section in nationwide hospitals from August to October 2007. SSI group and non-SSI group were matched according to propensity score resulted from logistic regression. The paired t-test was used to compare the difference of the LOS and health care costs between SSI group and non-SSI group. Results : The 598 cases of SSI were detected of total subjects, and the crude SSI rate was 3.3%. For each surgery, SSI rates were 5.5% for gastric surgery, 4.7% for cholecystectomy, 6.6% for colon surgery, 2.6% for hysterectomy, and 1.6% for cesarean section. The 596 cases of SSI and the 596 cases of non-SSI were matched by propensity score. The LOS of SSI group was longer than that of non-SSI group, and the difference was statistically significant. Health care costs of SSI group was more than that of non-SSI group which was significant. Conclusions : SSI increased apparently the LOS and healthcare costs. The economic loss might affect the cost of national healthcare as well as patients and hospitals. This study provided the evidence that the healthcare expenditure could be reduced by preventing SSI.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2019

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is being offered increasingly frequently to octogenarians. However, old age is known to be an independent risk factor in CABG. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) between octogenarians and septuagenarians. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 1,289 consecutive patients aged ${\geq}70years$ who underwent OPCAB at a single institution between 2001 and 2016. We compared the outcomes of 115 octogenarians and 1,174 septuagenarians. Using propensity score matching, based on preoperative clinical characteristics, 114 octogenarians were matched with 338 septuagenarians. Results: Propensity score analysis revealed that the incidence of acute kidney injury (14.9% vs. 7.9%, p=0.028) and respiratory complications (8.8% vs. 4.2%, p=0.040) was significantly higher in octogenarians. The early mortality rate (2.6% vs. 1.0%, p=0.240) and 1-year survival rate (89.5% vs. 94.4%, p=0.097) were not statistically significant between the groups. However, the 5-year survival rate (67.3% vs. 79.9%, p<0.001) was significantly lower in octogenarians. Previous myocardial infarction and a left ventricular ejection fraction ${\leq}35%$ were associated with a poor 1-year survival rate. Conclusion: Early and 1-year outcomes of OPCAB in octogenarians were tolerable when compared with those in septuagenarians. OPCAB could be a suitable option for octogenarians.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.75-87
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• 2013

Purpose: In this study effects of a paternal participation program during cesarean section on paternal infant attachment were investigate. The experimental treatment was an integrative nursing intervention to promote father to infant attachment. Methods: Study design was a non-equivalent control group posttest design. The program consisted of emotional support to spouse and father towards infant attachment immediately following cesarean birth. Participants were 66 men, partners of women with normal full term pregnancy having a cesarean section with spinal or epidural anesthesia, (experimental group, 34; control group, 32). The experiment was carried out from August 1 to October 30, 2010. Control group data were obtained from May 1 to June 30, 2012. Posttest was performed 72 hours after cesarean birth. A self-report questionnaire including a paternal attachment instrument was used. Data were analyzed using t-test, propensity score matching, and analysis of covariance with the SPSS/WIN 18.0 program. Results: Total score for paternal infant attachment in the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (p<.001). After matching, significant differences were found between the two groups through all subcategories. Adjusted mean score for paternal infant attachment verified experimental effects. Conclusion: Results indicate that this paternal participation program during cesarean section is effective in improving paternal infant attachment.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effects of visiting nursing services in long-term care (LTC) insurance on changes in health status and physical functions among the elderly. Methods: We analyzed survey data on the living status and welfare needs of the elderly from 2008 and 2011 using the difference-in-difference method with propensity score matching. Results: The subjects were 76 elders including 38 visiting nursing service users(intervention group) and 38 home-based LTC service users (control group). Results from DID analysis confirmed that the subjective health status level of the intervention group was 2.2 points higher (p=.044) and the depression level was 0.3 point lower (p=.039) than the control group. In addition, the intervention group's ADL score was 1.9 (p=.027) and IADL 3.9 (p=.030), showing that their health was deteriorated less. Conclusion: Visiting nursing service in LTC insurance was associated with delayed deterioration of subjective health status, depression, ADL and IADL. These findings suggest the need of rebuilding visiting nursing service programs focusing on prevention services, which will be more contributive to elderly health care and the reduction of social costs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.965-973
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a self-care program for elders with osteoarthritis managed by primary health care workers, Community Health Practitioners (CHPs), in rural Korea. Methods: The self-care program, consisting of 7 areas, was evaluated with a randomized experimental study for patients over age 60 with osteoarthritis in which 150 participants in the experimental group and 140 in the control group were compared. The self-care program was implemented for six weeks, 2 hours per week, at community health posts by CHPs. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire given by the CHPs and laboratory tests before and after the intervention for both groups. Propensity score matching analysis was done to test effectiveness after controlling for confounding variables. Results: The intervention group showed a significant decrease in the number of painful joints (p<.001) and a significant increase in self-care ability (p<.05) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Study results indicate that training and utilizing primary health care workers in rural areas is valuable in increasing the generalization and continuity of intervention programs. As arthritis should be managed life-long, CHP directed self-care programs are useful interventions for rural elders with arthritis to learn self-care management.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.53-77
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• 2011

The last decade has witnessed a surge of research interest in differences between regular and irregular workers in employment forms. Recent studies on estimating wage differentials between the two types of workers in employment forms have typically used the linear regression analysis. Our study utilizes a new methodology to estimate wage differentials between the two types of workers: data matching. Our method can perform better than the ordinary regression analysis because it carefully addresses the selection bias problem. Our results indicate that there is no significant difference in wage between regular and irregular workers.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.3223-3231
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• 2010

For a long time, most of advanced countries have supported the innovative firms with various support methods such as tax credit, subsidy, human resource education, and so on. Tax credit for innovation is the most popular industrial policy in these countries including Korea. However, in Korea, the effect of tax credit policy has been rarely analyzed. On the other hand, a considerable number of studies discover that tax credit policy in other countries influences positively on invest of R&D expenditure. This paper shows that tax credit policy positively influences on firm's innovation performances in Korea. The evaluated innovative effect of tax credit policy in this paper is more persuasive because it introduces various innovation performance variables including patent application with Propensity score matching method(PSM).

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.63-91
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• 2013

This paper analysed the training effects on wage and employment security by the non-standard worker types by using Economically Active Population Additional Survey data. Through propensity score matching method, we found that the regular workers' training effect on wage was 4.2%, that was very higher than 2.7% of fixed-term workers. Logistic regression analysis showed that the training participation itself did not affect on the regular workers' regular position continuance, but training duration affected. Just in fixed-term workers among non-standard workers, both of training participation and training duration affected the transition from non-standard position to regular position. The result that both training effects on wage and on employment were positive just in the fixed-term workers might be interpreted owing to the clear employment contract relation between employer and employees.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.229-235
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• 2011

Background: Following major lung resection, patients have routinely been monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU). Recently, however, patients are increasingly being placed in a general thoracic ward (GTW). We investigated the safety and efficacy of the GTW care after lobectomy for lung cancer. Materials and Methods: 316 patients who had undergone lobectomy for lung cancer were reviewed. These patients were divided into two groups: 275 patients were cared for in the ICU while 41 patients were care for in the GTW immediately post-operation. After propensity score matching, postoperative complications and hospital costs were analyzed. Risk factors for early complications were analyzed with the whole cohort. Results: Early complications (until the end of the first postoperative day) occurred in 11 (3.5%) patients. Late complications occurred in 42 patients (13.3%). After propensity score matching, the incidence of early complications, late complications, and mortality were not different between the two groups. The mean expense was higher in the ICU group. Risk factors for early complications were cardiac comorbidities and low expected forced expiratory volume in one second. The location of postoperative care had no influence on outcome. Conclusion: Immediate postoperative care after lobectomy for lung cancer in a GTW was safe and cost-effective without compromising outcomes in low-risk patients.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.254-266
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• 2019

Background: Patients with cardiovascular risks are recommended to use statins and antiplatelet agents to prevent major cerebro-cardiovascular events (MACCE). Antiplatelet agents also possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, in addition to their inhibitory activity on platelets. The differences in clinical outcomes in ischemic heart disease (IHD) based on the type of antiplatelet therapy combined with statin treatment were investigated in this study. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic medical records of IHD patients from January 2010 to December 2014 at Ajou University Hospital. Patients on combination therapy of antiplatelet drugs and statins were grouped based on antiplatelet drug types: clopidogrel, cilostazol, or sarpogrelate. Propensity score matching was applied to balance the baseline of the groups of clopidogrel vs. cilostazol and the groups of clopidogrel vs. sarpogrelate. The incidence and risk of MACCE as primary outcomes were assessed between the groups of antiplatelet drugs. Results: Among the approximately 128,500 patients with IHD, 1,049 patients had taken a combination therapy of statin and antiplatelet agents. The cohorts of patients administered clopidogrel, cilostazol, or sarpogrelate were 906, 79, and 64, respectively. The incidence of MACCE was not significantly different among the cohorts (p=0.58), and there were no differences between clopidogrel vs. cilostazol (p=0.72) or clopidogrel vs. sarpogrelate (p=1.00) after propensity score matching. Conclusion: There was no difference in the incidence of MACCE based on the type of antiplatelet drug (clopidogrel, cilostazol, or sarpogrelate) in combination with a statin in patients with IHD.