• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.780-787
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine activities of daily living (ADL) of older adults admitted to Korean long-term care hospitals (LTCHs), and to explore the patient and organizational factors that have an impact on the ADL of this population. Methods: A secondary analysis of the Korean minimum data set (K-MDS) of patients (N=14,369) and of the profiles of LTCHs (N=358) from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service was done between January and July 2008. The outcome variable was ADL score 6 months after baseline assessment. Multi-level linear regression was employed to explore the patient and organizational factors that affected ADL scores. Results: Of the patients, 45.4% had a baseline ADL score of between 31 and 40, with a score of 40 indicating that the patient was entirely dependent for all items. None of the organizational characteristics were significantly associated with effects on the ADLs of older adults who had been in a LTHC for at least 6 months. However, patient characteristics, such as age, baseline ADL, frequency of physical therapy, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pressure ulcers, and having a tube or catheter, were significantly associated with ADL 6 months after baseline. Conclusion: In order to maintain and improve the ADL of older adults in LTCHs, we should develop strategies to prevent urinary and fecal incontinence, pressure ulcers, unnecessary tubes or catheters, providing adequate physical therapy. Additional studies should include more detailed information regarding nursing staff, including RN hours for direct care, education level and turnover.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3061-3064
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• 2012

Aim: An epidemiological shift has resulted in increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD). Unlike other NCDs which are easily and definitely preventable, the knowledge of cancer prevention is still limited at present. Various aetiological factors are difficult to control since those are habit forming. Hence an available remedy remains its secondary and tertiary prevention for which appropriate planning is of paramount importance. Evidence based planning requires careful analysis of data with a view to prioritize various cancers. Keeping in view the fact that the adaptation of smoking free status in Chandigarh city might have a far reaching positive effect on the cancer related morbidity of the people, the following study was undertaken to provide base line data to be used for future comparisons. Methods: The registers maintained in the Department of Radiotherapy were checked and those belonging to the years 1999 to 2009 were utilized to analyze the cancer morbidity in respect to age, sex, and year of presentation to health care facility. Results: A total of 4,600 cancer patients (males=2276, females=2324) demonstrated a gradual increase in the number of cancer cases from 150 in the year 1999 to 783 in the year 2009. The most common cancers amongst males were cancer of gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) and lung (including larynx) constituting 37.3% and 27.1% of the total, respectively. In females these were cancers of breast and cervix representing 33.3% & 17.6% of total cancer cases, respectively, and lung cancer constituted 5.3%. The maximum cases of bone cancer (53.8% of all bone cancers) were observed amongst children aged less than 20 years and lung cancer (48.2% of all lung cancers) among the elderly aged 60-69 years. The.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2009

Objectives : An appropriate sampling strategy for estimating an epidemiologic volume of diabetes has been evaluated through a simulation. Methods : We analyzed about 250 million medical insurance claims data submitted to the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service with diabetes as principal or subsequent diagnoses, more than or equal to once per year, in 2003. The database was re-constructed to a 'patient-hospital profile' that had 3,676,164 cases, and then to a 'patient profile' that consisted of 2,412,082 observations. The patient profile data was then used to test the validity of a proposed sampling frame and methods of sampling to develop diabetic-related epidemiologic indices. Results : Simulation study showed that a use of a stratified two-stage cluster sampling design with a total sample size of 4,000 will provide an estimate of 57.04%(95% prediction range, 49.83 - 64.24%) for a treatment prescription rate of diabetes. The proposed sampling design consists, at first, stratifying the area of the nation into "metropolitan/city/county" and the types of hospital into "tertiary/secondary/primary/clinic" with a proportion of 5:10:10:75. Hospitals were then randomly selected within the strata as a primary sampling unit, followed by a random selection of patients within the hospitals as a secondly sampling unit. The difference between the estimate and the parameter value was projected to be less than 0.3%. Conclusions : The sampling scheme proposed will be applied to a subsequent nationwide field survey not only for estimating the epidemiologic volume of diabetes but also for assessing the present status of nationwide diabetes control.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.127-138
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• 2014

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to analyze the state of hospital-based home care (HC) services annually and to provide basic information for research and policy regarding home care. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the yearly state of HC services from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Services from 2007 to 2012. Results: The decreased by 34.6%, from 214 agencies in 2007 to 140 in 2012. The annual average number of active home care nurses was 440, which included 6.7% of the licensed home care nurses until 2012. The annual average number of HC patients were 32,000, and this number decreased by 21% in 2012, compared to that of 2008. Of the HC patients, about 70% were over 60 years of age. The chronic diseases among HC patients have been decreasing steadily since 2007. Seventy to eighty percent of the home visits were made in general hospitals or higher level hospitals. The total medical cost for HC services was 21 billion won in 2007, which consisted of 0.06% of the national medical costs, and it was 22 billion won and 0.03% in 2012. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, further research on HC services is necessary to frame policies for the expansion of HC agencies.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.639-646
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• 1999

The dental care delivery system and the dental specialty system have a very close relationship each other. Compared to Korea. Western European countries with predominant public sector in dental service have recognized merely 2 or 3 dental specialties, while North American countries with predominant private sector, 8 or 9 ones. It is desirable to adopt the dental specialty system as soon as possible in Korea to encourage scientific development in various dental specialties and qualitative advance in dental service. We, however, have to establish equitable dental care delivery system which can use limited dental resources efficiently as follows. 1. clarifying the different roles in assignments between general dentists and specialists by the amendment of the related laws such as the Medical Act and establishing the organic patient-referral system. 2. adopting the dental specialty system and expanding personnel and equipments so that the dental college hospitals, especially dental divisions of general hospitals, night function as secondary care facilities with specialties. 3. determining the size of dental specialists according to the national needs for dental specialized service's, whose number is to be not more than 10% of the total dentists. 4. transferring the function of accredating dental specialists to the efficient, self-controlled professional organization such as the Korean Dental Association rather than putting it under the governmental control. 5. conducting a comprehensive review of specialty education and practice for re-recognition, and maintaining competence of specialists by re-accredating them periodically. I expect this article to contribute to further discussion about the dental specialty system in Korea in productive and practical way. I am sure that we can Establish this system in the near future when people in every walks of life-the academic circle, the press, the authority concerned, consumer groups and the Korean Dental Association-take part in the discussion with special concern.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.39
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• pp.23.1-23.8
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• 2017

Background: The aim of this study is to validate a new three-dimensional craniofacial stereophotogrammetry imaging system (3dMDface) through comparison with manual facial surface anthropometry. The null hypothesis was that there is no difference between craniofacial measurements using anthropometry vs. the 3dMDface system. Methods: Facial images using the new 3dMDface system were taken from six randomly selected subjects, sitting in natural head position, on six separate occasions each 1 week apart, repeated twice at each sitting. Exclusion criteria were excess facial hair, facial piercings and undergoing current dentofacial treatment. 3dMDvultus software allowed facial landmarks to be marked and measurements recorded. The same measurements were taken using manual anthropometry, using soluble eyeliner to pinpoint landmarks, and sliding and spreading callipers and measuring tape to measure distances. The setting for the investigation was a dental teaching hospital and regional (secondary and tertiary care) cleft centre. The main outcome measure was comparison of the craniofacial measurements using the two aforementioned techniques. Results: The results showed good agreement between craniofacial measurements using the 3dMDface system compared with manual anthropometry. For all measurements, except chin height and labial fissure width, there was a greater variability with the manual method compared to 3D assessment. Overall, there was a significantly greater variability in manual compared with 3D assessments (p < 0.02). Conclusions: The 3dMDface system is validated for craniofacial measurements.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.286-304
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• 1999

The purpose of the study was to analysis physician's prescribing behavior. Data was collected from 320 medical doctors of 10 general hospitals from August to September in 1996. The major findings are as follows; 1) Prescribing dosage: 74% of total selected middle dosage. Resident doctors used maximum dosage. 2) The number of similar antibiotics: 72.4% of total used 1 antibiotic. Surgery depts. and resident doctors selected 2, 3 antibiotics. Physicians to consider of insurance benefit or non insurance benefit used the number of antibiotics less than not to consider. Physicians to think over patient's economic state used less the number of antibiotics than that not to consider. 3) Used term of antibiotics: Total mean was 7.39 days. medical parts had 9.11 days but surgery used 6.41 days. Specialists consumed 6.57 days and residents applied 7.80 days. Physician to reflect result of claim used short term of antibiotics than that don't reflected. 4) Optional order of antibiotics: First antibiotics were selected 68% of total respondents, by medical depts, but secondary, tertiary antibiotics was used surgery depts. Tertiary antibiotics was used residents doctors, universal hospitals, fill beds and over. 5) The number of the items of oral drug : 3-4 the items of oral drug were used 76% of respondent Surgery parts selected 1-2 the items of oral drug, medical depts. selected five and over. Physician to reflect result of claim used less the number of the items of oral drug than that don't reflected. Physician to prescribe different of class of insurance used less the number of the items of oral drug than that don't prescribe different.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.58-75
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• 1998

Background : In Korea, the rational use of antibiotics are rarely controlled, and their patterns of utilization are not understood. In order to reduce the excessive use and to improve the appropriate use of antibiotics, it is necessary to accurately determine present uses of antibiotics in hospitals. Methods : Analysis of the use of prescription drugs was performed on NFMI(National Federation of Medical Insurance) 1994 medical expense claim data. A stratified sampling by types of hospitals, departments, and diseases was obtained from 1994 August data. Patients with secondary diseases were excluded. In this study, 2,697 adults with URI, 6,397 children with URI, 704 adults with bronchitis, and 1,838 children with bronchitis were included. Results : Most patients were prescribed medication (95.2-99.6%). Of the patients prescribed medication, more than 85% of URI patients and more than 91% of bronchitis patients were prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotics expenses accounted for 14% of total medical expenses in adults and 9% of total medical expenses in children. In adults with URI, antibiotics expenses accounted for 52% of drug expenses. Of the patients prescribed antibiotics, average number of antibiotics used was 1.6-1.7. For patients who are prescribed antibiotics, drug expenses were 62-97% greater than patients not prescribed antibiotics. When children were prescribed antibiotics, the highest price of drugs prescribed were 3.4-fold greater. In addition, the number of drugs prescribed also increased by more than one. Elderly patients, more than 60 years, were prescribed antibiotics less frequently. Children less than 10 years and elderly patients greater than 60 years old were prescribed fewer antibiotics than other patients. And they were prescribed medications for longer days than other patients. Conclusion : This study demonstrated that the average rate of prescribing antibiotics was higher in Korea than other countries. Measures to reduce overuse of antibiotics and to improve the appropriate prescription of antibiotics must be considered for cost effective treatment and overall health of people.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2021

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated a redistribution of resources to meet hospitals' service needs. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on a regional trauma center in South Korea. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed cases of polytrauma at a single regional trauma center in South Korea between January 20 and September 30, 2020 (the COVID-19 period) and compared them to cases reported during the same time frame (January 20 to September 30) between 2016 and 2019 (the pre-COVID-19 period). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included the number of daily admissions, hospital length of stay (LOS), and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS. Results: The mean number of daily admissions decreased by 15% during the COVID-19 period (4.0±2.0 vs. 4.7±2.2, p=0.010). There was no difference in mechanisms of injury between the two periods. For patients admitted during the COVID-19 period, the hospital LOS was significantly shorter (10 days [interquartile range (IQR) 4-19 days] vs. 16 days [IQR 8-28 days], p<0.001); however, no significant differences in ICU LOS and mortality were found. Conclusions: The observations at Regional Trauma Center, Pusan National University Hospital corroborate anecdotal reports that there has been a decline in the number of patients admitted to hospitals during the COVID-19 period. In addition, patients admitted during the COVID-19 pandemic had a significantly shorter hospital LOS than those admitted before the COVID-19 pandemic. These preliminary data warrant validation in larger, multi-center studies.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.356-371
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• 2020

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the working conditions of home health nurses in hospital-based home health institutions nationwide. Methods: A secondary data analysis study was conducted based on the survey data on the working conditions of home health nurses, jointly conducted by the Korean Home Health Care Nurses Association and the Academic Society of Home Health Care Nurses in September 2020. Results: Of the home health nurses respondents, 82.4% worked in tertiary hospitals and general hospitals. Most of the working hours of home health nurses were 40 hours a week. Traffic accidents accounted for a significant proportion of accidents experienced by the home health nurse while performing their duties. Most of welfare and benefits systems applicable to home health institutions were in place. The time allocated to provision of home health nursing services was usually more than 30 minutes but less than 1 hour. The type of position of the individual in charge of home health care differed according to the type of medical institution. Conclusion: It is recommended that continuous investigation and analysis be conducted in order to establish a direction for improvement of home health nurses' working conditions, based on the related accumulated data.