• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.5063-5069
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in most countries of the world. It is ranked first in females in Morocco (accounting for 33.4% of the total cancer burden) and more than 60% of cases are diagnosed at stage III or IV. During the last decade, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has become an important aspect of breast cancer treatment. The objective of this study was to describe self-reported HRQOL in patients with breast cancer and to investigate its associations with sociodemographic and clinical variables. Methods: A prospective study was carried out in the main oncology centers in Morocco. Quality of life was measured using the Moroccan Arabic versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C 30 (EORTC QLQ C30) and the Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-BR23). Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses. Results: A total of 1463 subjects were included in the study, with a mean age of 55.6 (SD. 11.2) years, 70% being married. The majority had stage II (45.9%) and a few cases stage IV (12.9%) lesions. The participants' global health mean score was 68.5 and in "functional scales", social functioning scored the highest (Mean 86.2 (SD=22.7)). The most distressing symptom on the symptom scale was financial difficulties (Mean 63.2 (SD=38.2)). Using the disease specific tool, it was found that future perspective scored the lowest (Mean 40.5 (SD=37.3)). On the symptom scale, arm symptoms scored the highest (Mean 23.6 (SD=21.6)). Significant mean differences were noted for many functional and symptom scales. Conclusion: Our results emphasized that the general HRQOL for our study population is lower than for corresponding populations in other countries. This study provided baseline information on the quality of life for a large sample of Moroccan women diagnosed with breast cancer.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.479-485
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• 2010

Objectives: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), a multicenter-based multi-cohort study, has collected information on body composition using two different bioelectrical impedence analysis (BIA) machines. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of whether the test values measured from different BIA machines can be integrated through statistical adjustment algorithm under excellent inter-rater reliability. Methods: We selected two centers to measure inter-rater reliability of the two BIA machines. We set up the two machines side by side and measured subjects' body compositions between October and December 2007. Duplicated test values of 848 subjects were collected. Pearson and intra-class correlation coefficients for inter-rater reliability were estimated using results from the two machines. To detect the feasibility for data integration, we constructed statistical compensation models using linear regression models with residual analysis and R-square values. Results: All correlation coefficients indicated excellent reliability except mineral mass. However, models using only duplicated body composition values for data integration were not feasible due to relatively low $R^2$ values of 0.8 for mineral mass and target weight. To integrate body composition data, models adjusted for four empirical variables that were age, sex, weight and height were most ideal (all $R^2$ > 0.9). Conclusions: The test values measured with the two BIA machines in the KoGES have excellent reliability for the nine body composition values. Based on reliability, values can be integrated through algorithmic statistical adjustment using regression equations that includes age, sex, weight, and height.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.165-175
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• 2013

Purpose: There was a global increase in the prevalence of oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses during the 2007-2008 influenza season. This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 influenza seasons among patients who were treated with oseltamivir (group A) and those that did not receive oseltamivir (group B). Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 321 pediatric patients who were hospitalized because of influenza during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 influenza seasons. Drug resistance tests were conducted on influenza viruses isolated from 91 patients. Results: There was no significant difference between the clinical characteristics of groups A and B during both seasons. Influenza A/H1N1, isolated from both groups A and B during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 periods, was not resistant to zanamivir. However, phenotypic analysis of the virus revealed a high oseltamivir $IC_{50}$ range and that H275Y substitution of the neuraminidase (NA) gene and partial variation of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene did not affect its antigenicity to the HA vaccine even though group A had a shorter hospitalization duration and fewer lower respiratory tract complications than group B. In addition, there was no significant difference in the clinical manifestations between oseltamivir-susceptible and oseltamivir-resistant strains of influenza A/H1N1. Conclusion: Establishment of guidelines to efficiently treat influenza with oseltamivir, a commonly used drug for treating influenza in Korean pediatric patients, and a treatment strategy with a new therapeutic agent is required.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.617-637
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• 2011

This study employs qualitative approaches to examining geographical characteristics and patients' determinants of online referrals in terms of regionalization. In this light, I conducted interviews with 20 patients receiving online referrals in Choongbook, Korea, and investigated their behaviors regarding these referrals between July and August 2009. I found that many patients who suffered from various levels of illness preferred tertiary care centers outside of Choongbook and did not enjoy their experience with the local medical institutions as the online referral service sites. This result might be because patients choose online referrals for psychological considerations such as quality and level of health care services, personal stakes in online referral service sites, acceptability and credibility of good tertiary care centers, and easy access to and use of medical institutions. Meanwhile, immediate benefits with regard to the technological value of online referrals, such as convenience, utility, and original purpose associated with regionalization, did not influence patients' decision-making. Therefore, the social and public networks affiliated with online referrals plus the effect of Korean medical laws play hostage to private decisions made by citizens, who prefer high-level medical institutions. Accordingly, the technological contribution of online referrals does not halt the outflow of patients from local, tertiary care centers. Especially, the existing health care system and patients' behaviors are deeply related to referrals in the online system. To protect regionalization, the improvement of health care services from the present state of affairs is required.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.381-391
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to develop and classify district visiting nursing standards and to standardize visiting nursing service pathways. Method: This research was conducted as a focus group study and analyzed visiting nursing records. We surveyed 201 recipients at urban health centers, who were selected through convenient sampling, from April 2003 to November 2003. Result: First, visiting nursing service recipients were classified into four groups according to household and financial characteristics, existence of disease, ability of self-care, and existence of home care service needs. Standardized pathways of the selected items were assessment. nursing care plan, disease management and promotion of self-care ability for Level I (mean=12.2 visits). For Level II (7.3 visits) were offered assessment. disease management. health education. and health promotion services. For Level III (5.2 visits) were offered assessment. disease management. health education and health promotion services, and for Level IV (2.7 visits) were offered thorough assessment, education for self-care and health promotion. Conclusion: The visiting nursing service pathways identified in this research need to be developed further as basic materials applicable to quality assurance and agency evaluation. For this, we suggest repeated research and test to apply the derived standardized visiting nursing services pathways in visiting nursing programs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.369-377
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• 2018

Background: Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) occurs when medical expenditure of a household passes over a certain ratio of household income. This research studied the effect of gender on CHE based on Korea Health Panel data. Methods: This study implemented binary logistic regression model to figure out whether gender affects CHE and how different gender groups show pattern of CHE process. With gender, age, marital status, income level, economic activity, membership of private insurance, existence of chronic disease, and self-rated health were included in the model. Results: Results showed that females faced CHE 1.5 times more than males (odds ratio, 1.241). Also, main determinants of CHE in female groups were marital status, while age and economic activity status were significant in male groups. Subgroup analysis displayed that married female under 35 years old are located in intersectionality of CHE including pregnancy and delivery, multiple health risk behaviors, mental stress, and relatively vulnerable social status due to lower income. Meanwhile, both gender above 50 years old faced remarkably high chance of CHE, which seems to be caused by complex health risk behaviors and chronic diseases. Conclusion: Such results implied not only that gender is an important determinant of CHE, but also other determinants of CHE differ according to gender, which suggests a necessity of gender-based CHE support and rescue policy.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2023

Purpose : Although Korea's health insurance system and access to medical care are well established compared to other countries, the rate of non-fulfillment of dental treatment is high. Medical use rates can be affected by economic characteristics, individual heatlh condtions, health concerns, and health behaviors. This study was implemented to investigate the effect of the middle-aged elderly people's family living together on the dental examination rate and to use it as basic data for program development, research, and poicies to promote oral health. Methods : Raw data from the 7th national health and nutrition survey conducted by the Korea centers for disease control and prevention (2016~2018) were used and analyzed using SPSS 21.0 Version (IBM, United States). Results : As a result of the study family types accroding to general characteristics, the more women are (p<.001), the higther the age (p<.001), the lower the hosehold income level (p<.001), the lower the educational background (p<.001), the more people who live in Eup-Myeon (p<.001) It was fouend that the rate of living alone was high. The dental examination rate according to general characteristics was related to age (p<.001), income (p<.001), and educational background (p<.001), and the higher the examination rate was in the same (p<.001), and the higher the family living together (p<.001). Factors influencing whether or not dental treatment was not performed were in the following order: household income (p<.001), age (p=.001), and family type (p=.017). Conclusion : The above results confirmed the relationship between family membership and dental examination rates, and measures such as the development and operation of participatory programs to improve public oral health by resolving medical inequality and enhancing health equity, and it is believed that the development of professional manpower and the operation of education and programs for professionals are necessary.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.11-27
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• 2019

Dementia is major epidemic disease of the 21st century in the world. Dementia is one of the major issues in public health globally. Also in Korea, the estimated prevalence of dementia was 8.7%(0.47 million) in 2010, the number will reach the 1 million mark in 2024, it will become a 15.1%(2.71 million) by 2050. Among Koreans aged 65 or older, 725,000 are estimated to be suffering from dementia in 2017. Against dementia, Korea developed three National Dementia Plans in 2008, 2012, and 2016. The 1st plan was came into effect in 2008 and focused on prevention, early diagnostic, development and coordination of infrastructures and management, and improving awareness. The 2nd plan was launched in 2012, addressed the same priorities but had a stronger focus on supporting family members. In 2012 the Dementia Management Act established a statutory basis for organization of the National Dementia Plans. Under the Dementia Management Act, the government is required to produce a comprehensive plan for dementia every 5 years. The Act also orders that the government should register the dementia patients and collect statistics on epidemiology and the management of the dementia conditions. The Dementia Management Act of Korea required the operation of the National Institute of Dementia and Metropolitan/Provincial Dementia Centers to make and carry out dementia management plans throughout the nation. The Act also mandate to establish Dementia Counselling Centers in every public health center and the National Dementia Helpline. The 3rd National Dementia Plan of 2016 aims to build a dementia friendly community to ensure people with dementia and their carer live well. This plan focus on community-based prevention and management of dementia, convenient and safe diagnosis, treatment, and care for people with dementia, the reduction of the care burden for family care-givers of people with dementia, and support for dementia research through research, statistics and technology. In 2017, Moon's government will introduce the "National Dementia Responsibility System," which guarantees most of the burden caused by dementia. This plan include that the introduction of a ceiling on self-pay for dementia diseases, expansion of the application of dementia care standards through alleviating the support criteria for long-term care insurance for mild dementia, expansion of dementia support centers, expansion of national and public dementia care facilities. In the meantime, Korea has accomplished many accomplishments by establishing many measures related to dementia and promoting related projects in a short time, but there are still many challenges.

• Proceedings of the Korea Information Processing Society Conference
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• 2017.04a
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• pp.721-724
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• 2017

Designing the User-Based Voluntary Service Recommendation Program proposed in this study was motivated by the fact that it is not easy for volunteers to find a place for their services. Even though there are many volunteer centers or organizations, volunteers often experience difficulty in where and how they should apply for their work as those places are not well promoted. Thus, this program has been designed by applying the mobile push services along with location technology. The authors plan to introduce the program to the public as an open source by implementing the program with both Android and Python - hoping that the program will be useful to the users and volunteer organizations.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2005

In Korea, EMS Fund Operation seems to move the opposite direction to right way. The most initial EMS fund was consumed loan for some emergency patients without any particular results. Since 2002, the use of EMS fund also has shown a tendency to shift one side. By the results, it was 44.3% to support emergency medical centers, so called hospital EMS system and 28.4% to purchase ambulances and helicopters, and 1.6% to operate Central Medical Center, prehospital base in the EMS fund consumed in 2004. It was never supported for the environmental improvement and development of universities, colleges, and private EMS units having the primary responsibilities. The initial EMS fund using should be used for prehospital base, e.g., prehospital staffs, communications, and facilities and balanced development between public and private EMS units than any other fund using.