• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.2 s.53
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• pp.311-329
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• 1996

This study was designed to compare the level of medical utilization between the urban and rural areas of Korea and to explain the differences between the two regions. Data from the National Health Interview Survey performed by the Korean Institute of Health & Social Affairs in 1992 were used for this study utilizing a sample size of 21,841 people. The level of medical utilization such as the number of physician visits and the number of hospital admissions was compared between the regions with ANOVA. Various determinants for medical use were also compared by univariate analysis. Statistical models which included enabling factors, predisposing factors, need factors and region were constructed for bivariate analysis in order to further elucidate the level of medical utilization. The results were as follows: 1. There was greater medical use, both in terms of physician visits and inpatient care in the rural areas in spite of insufficient health resources. The particular reasons for higher medical utilization in rural areas were attributed to a higher number of initial physician visits as well as a longer the length of stay per hospital admission. Therefore, indicators representing the degree of met need (utilization/need) showed no significant difference between rural and urban areas in spite of the fact that the medical need is larger in rural areas. 2. Use of public health facilities received a significant portion of physician visits in the rural area. The government's effort to enhance primary health care through health centers, health subcenters and the nurse practitioner's post in rural areas has contributed to the increase of access to medical care in the rural areas. 3. There were some differences in the socio-demographic characteristics between two regions ; There were more elderly people over the age of 65: unstable marital status, less education and lower incomes also characterized the rural areas. Therefore, among rural people, there were more predisposing factors for medical use. Additionaly, need factors such as poor self-reported health status and high morbidity level were also high in the rural area. 4. In contrast it was learned that, the supply of health resources was mostly concentrated in the urban areas except for public health facilities. Therefore, geographical access to medical care was lower in the rural area both in terms travel time and travel cost. 5. The coefficient of the region variable was insignificant in the regression model which controlled the supply factor only. However, utilization was significantly higher in urban areas if the model included predisposing factors and need factors in addition to the supply factor. The results were interpreted as rural people have greater medical needs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.357-373
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to define the experience of nursing education in the Jinju area of Gyeongsang-Namdo from the 1940s to 1960s. Methods: An oral history study was done using personal interviews with 8 nurses who graduated in nursing in Gyeong Nam area during the period under study. Results: In this study, the individual's educational background before entering the nursing school, school life, and life as a nurse after graduating from nursing school were defined. Conclusion: For most of the respondents, their educational background before entering nursing school was middle school. They studied very hard in poor surroundings. After graduation from a nursing school, they worked in hospitals, public health centers, midwifery centers, and schools. Half of the respondents had experience as a midwife. Their income as a midwife was relatively high at that time. They all had positive identities and lived a life devoted to the individual, society, and the nation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.2 s.50
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• pp.487-496
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• 1995

This study was performed for the comparison of the therapeutic efficiency between 6-month (2HERZ/4HER) and 9-month (9HER) short-course chemotherapy under the programe conditions for pulmonary tuberculosis in terms of sputum AFB negative conversion rate, remedial interruption rate and cost effectiveness analysis. Two hundreds and ninty three patients treated with 9HER and 641 treated with 2HERZ/4HER had been discharged from 22 health centers in Seoul from May 1, 1993 to April 30, 1994. Seven hundreds and seventeen was subsequently analysed excluding 217 patients due to remedial interruption. The results : 1. Bacteriological negative conversion rate in 9HER regimen and 2HERZ/4HER regimen was 97.8% and 96.4% respectively(p>0.05). But the early treatment period, negative conversion rate in 2HERZ/4HER regimen was very higher than in 9HER regimen(p<0.01). 2. Remedial interruption rate for 9HER regimen and 2HERZ/4HER regimen was 34.1% and 13.6% respectively. The primary reason for the interruption was transfering to other clinics and this interruption was high within 3months. 3. Cost effectiveness for 2HERZ/4HER regimen was higher than 9HER regimen. The difference cost effectiveness ratio was 2.33 at the first sputum test and 1.69 at the last sputum test.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.128-138
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the wellness of call center employees. Methods: From December 2018 to October 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 155 workers recruited from the call centers in Seoul, South Korea. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaires were used to measure the following scales: Korean occupational stress scale, emotional labor scale, work-life balance scale and wellness scale. Using the SPSS 26.0 program, the descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were conducted. Results: The mean score of the wellness level of call center employees was 3.05 out of a maximum of 5.00. More wellness level of call center employees was associated with gender, psychiatric diagnosis, and call characteristics. A multiple regression analysis indicated that the total scores on the wellness scale were predicted by call characteristics, occupational stress and work-life balance, with an explanatory power of 42.2%. Conclusion: Study findings show that it is necessary to promote wellness in call center workers with differentiated strategies according to call characteristics, occupational stress and work-life balance. This implies that it is necessary to understand the call characteristics and patterns of workers and to provide an innovative wellness program tailored to individual characteristics for an effective management of the emotional labor and occupational stress.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the predictors of physical activity between urban and rural dwelling Korean older adults. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. A self-report questionnaire or face to face interviews were used to collect data from 336 older adults (urban: 129, rural: 207) who visited public health centers or welfare centers in 2008. Results: About half of the participants (urban: 50.4%, rural: 47.3%) were classified as the minimally active group. Cognitive function (odds ratio [OR]=1.106, p=.004) and loneliness (OR=0.965, p=.044) were predicting factors for physical activity in rural elderly. Age (OR=0.326, p=.037), gender (OR=2.841, p=.021) and depression (OR= 0.799, p<.001) were significant factors predicting physical activity in urban elders. Conclusion: These findings provide information that is relevant in designing interventions to enhance physical activity in older adults. There is a need to develop effective mutifaceted physical activity interventions that include reducing psychological barriers such as depression, loneliness.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.26-32
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• 2023

In this study, we attempted to analyze the status of meal nutritional management at daycare centers and determine whether the need for improvement varies depending on their size. We divided into two groups based on the size of foodservice facilities. If meals for more than 50 people are provided at a time, they are classified as large-scale facilities (Large-scale group). If they are smaller, they are classified as small-scale facilities (Small-scale group). Dietitians visited each daycare center and checked 5 categories and 14 items. When comparing 5 categories, scores in the Small-scale group scored higher than those in the Large-scale group for 'Menu utilization' category. As a result of comparing the detailed 14 items, the scores of 'Indicate dietary information', 'Use menus suitable for those who are eligible for meals', and 'Posting menus by age in public places at foodservice facilities' were higher in the Small-scale group than in the Large-scale group. As such, there are differences in meal nutritional management according to the size of children's foodservice facilities therefore, it was found that customized education and management were needed according to the facilities' size.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.240-250
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• 2017

Purpose: In South Korea, suicide mortality has rapidly increased, so it has become a major public health concern. Multicultural adolescents are regarded as a high-risk group due to their situation. In this study, we compared the prevalence and risk factors of suicide ideation between Korean and multicultural adolescents. Methods: Data from the eleventh Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2015), collected by the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were statistically analyzed using the descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. The total participants were 63,376 in numbers. They were composed of 62,649 (98.9%) Korean and 727 (1.1%) multicultural adolescents. Results: I found that the prevalence of suicide ideation was significantly higher among the multicultural adolescents (15.8%) compared with those of Korean (11.3%). The risk factors of suicide ideation in the Korean group were co-residence without family, poor perceived health status, depressive mood, high stress level, poor perceived happiness level, and experience of violence. Conversely, the risk factors of the multicultural group were smoking, depressive mood, and experience of violence. Conclusion: These findings suggest that appropriate and practical prevention strategies should focus on psychological and environmental factors in order to prevent suicide ideation and reduce suicide behavior in Korean and multicultural adolescents.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of visiting laughter therapy on depression and insomnia in the vulnerable elderly. Methods: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used for this study. The participants were 87 elderly who were registered in the Tailored Visiting Health Program of public health centers. Data were collected from September to November 2010. The experimental group received visiting laughter therapy froma visiting nurse who had taken laughter training provided by laughter therapy experts. The experimental group received 10~15 min of laughter therapy once a week for 8 weeks. The instruments included Geriatric Depression Scale and Insomnia Severity Index to measure depression and sleep problems before and after the laughter therapy. Results: The results showed that visiting laughter therapy was effective in decreasing depression and insomnia among the vulnerable elderly. Conclusion: These findings indicate that laughter therapy may be an effective nursing intervention to improve depression and insomnia Further studies would be needed to identify the difference of effects according to time, interval, or period of visiting laughter therapy and to evaluate the lasting effect of visiting laughter therapy.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2005

Breast feeding can play a very important role in the development of strong, healthy children. Many studies over the years have shown that breast milk provides defense against common ailments of childhood such as otitis media, gastrointestinal distress, and atopic diseases (allergies). For these reasons the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breast feeding for at least the first twelve months of an infant's life. Goals of the Health People 2010 Initiative include that at least 75% of mothers will be breast feeding upon discharge from the hospital and at least 50% will be still nursing at six months post-partum. Currently, about 60% of new mothers initiate breast feeding and about 26% are still breast feeding at six months. However, research has shown that breast feeding trends are below these averages in rural areas of the United States. This may be due in part to lack of breast feeding knowledge and teaching in rural areas. Rural hospitals and birthing centers have not initiated many of the breast feeding promotional programs, such as the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and Best Start, that have been successful in improving breast feeding trends in urban areas. Often new mothers who live in rural areas do not have access to a lactation consultant to help them with proper follow up. This paper will examine these concerns and propose recommendations to improve breast feeding in rural areas.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine factors related with the maintenance of physical activity in Korean old adults with hypertension based on the social cognitive theory. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 300 old adults with hypertension from five public health centers in Korea was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire. Participants were designated as "maintainer" or "discontinuer" based on the reports to the Stages of Readiness to exercise Questionnaire. Results: One hundred seventeen participants (39%) were designated as maintainers. The predictors of the maintenance of physical activity were gender (OR=3.19, p=.049), education (OR=3.50, p=.049), outcome expectation (OR=1.21, p<.001), self-efficacy (OR=.22, p=.007), and physical activity planning (OR=1.19, p=.002). Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that nursing interventions to improve the maintenance of physical activity in the hypertensive elderly should focus on increasing outcome expectation, self-efficacy, and physical activity planning strategies especially on the female elderly with lower education level.