• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.472-478
• /
• 2021

Background: Early identification of patients who are highly likely to develop severe illness among confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) can be expected to lead to effective treatment. This study therefore aimed to determine whether the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has an impact on the exacerbation of COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: The study used the Korean National Health Insurance claim data for treatment of COVID-19 patients in 2020. NAFLD includes nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The outcome variables used were hospitalization and the use of medical devices. Hospitalization was defined by a length of stay exceeding one day and the use of medical devices was defined as one or more uses of a ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if there was a difference in the hospitalization and use of medical devices of COVID-19 patients depending on the presence of NAFLD. Results: The odds ratio of hospitalization was 1.059, indicating slightly higher odds of hospitalization for patients with NAFL or NASH compared to those without the conditions, but it was not statistically significant (0.969-1.156). On the other hand, the odds ratio of use of medical devices was high at 1.667 and was statistically significant (1.111-2.501). Conclusion: The study results found NAFLD to be a risk factor that can exacerbate symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify NAFLD patients through preemptive screening and provide them with appropriate treatments.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.131-154
• /
• 2010

This study tries to analyze what the most significant factors are in Brazil, where the Korean investing firms have to overcome and adapt to various difficulties, especially in terms of political environment. This main purpose of this research is to test empirically some relations of between the managing strategy of Korean firms and the environment factors of politics in Brazil while this is conducted in two stages. First, the research model is designed by reviewing relevant theories, previous studies, and the current investment conditions in local Brazil. Second, the survey of Korean firms engaged in investment activities in there is done by collecting questionnaires from them. with this survey, the strategic method of multiple regression is used to testing some hypotheses. At the result of Analysis, It is proved there haven been negative affecting political factors of law/regulation system and administrative operation service, and Korean firms have implementing the responding management strategies with reasonable adaptation to risks and human network reinforcement.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.388-419
• /
• 2010

The aim of the study is to create a theoretical model and hypotheses on competitive advantages of exporting SMEs. For this we have proposed an integrated model in which learning competences and dynamic capabilities should have an influence on competitive advantages of the SMEs. This study have examined the influence of integrating and reconfigurating capability respectively. As a result, the learning competences had positive influences in dynamic capabilities and to the cost and service competitive advantage. To integrating capabilities had positive influences in competitive advantage. Besides, dynamic capabilities playing significant intermediate role only for the cost advantage through the analysis of intermediate effects of learning competence to the dynamic capabilities.

• Annals of Coloproctology
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.299-305
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Korea has been increasing in recent years, but accurate statistics about operations for IBD are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the trends and current status of IBD surgeries in Korea. Methods: Using a national database from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we analyzed data from patients who underwent surgery for Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis from January 2009 to October 2016. Results: The mean number of patients who underwent surgery for Crohn disease was 791.8 per year. Colorectal surgery, small bowel surgery, and anal surgery were performed fairly often (31.2%, 29.4%, 39.4%, respectively), and laparoscopic surgery continued to increase, recently exceeding 30%. About 50% of Crohn patients used biologics before and after surgery, and those patients also underwent a relatively high rate of anal surgeries (44.2%). The mean number of patients who underwent surgery for ulcerative colitis was 247.6 per year. Colorectal surgery accounted for more than half of all operations, and laparoscopic surgery has been increasing rapidly, having been performed in about 60% of patients in recent years. The incidence of colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis was very high and increased rapidly during the study period, reaching about 80%. Conclusion: The number of patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for IBD in Korea has increased significantly. Biologics are actively used by patients with Crohn disease, with a high proportion of anal surgeries required. Many of the surgical indications for ulcerative colitis have shifted into colorectal cancer.

• Review of Culture and Economy
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.61-85
• /
• 2017

It is recognized universally that international cultural exchanges have the potential to weaken ethnic rivalries and conflicts and promote cultural diversity rather than commercial interests. However, there are often cases in which these exchanges are transformed into private businesses with a great success in markets due to changes in cultural consumption patterns. This research aims to analyze the performance of international cultural exchanges and to develop a policy model that can guide the overseas market performance for Korean traditional performing arts. This study analyzes domestic and foreign cases for comparison. The domestic case is drawn from the research report published by Korea Arts Management Service and the foreign case is Ireland's Riverdance. The results of this study indicate that the policy political model in which a traditional culture may be translated globally with innovative performing activities has the potential to raise market performance overseas.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2019

Objectives: To identify the cost effectiveness of early dementia diagnosis using the 2014 Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service-National Patients Sample (HIRA-NPS). Methods: The medical costs of dementia between Western medical care and Korean medical care were compared through the reimbursement and non-reimbursement item code for dementia examination. In addition, the medical expenses of patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment were compared and analyzed with respect to Western and Korean medical care. Results: There were 87,434 claims, of which 16,101 patients were diagnosed with dementia and 38,680,789,560 won was found to be the medical expenses. 12,881 patients (80.0%) with dementia, 3,144 patients (19.5%) with mild cognitive impairment, and 76 patients (0.5%) progressing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. The proportion of medical expenses was 97.6% for dementia patients, 2.3% for mild cognitive impairment, and 1% for patients progressing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. 86,070 claims (98.4%) were from Western medical care, with16,824 patients (98.2%), and the medical expenses was 38,546,895,400 won (99.7%). 1,361 claims (1.6%) were from Korean medical care, with 303 patients (1.8%), and the medical expenses was 133,894,160 won (0.3%). Conclusions: This study compared and analyzed the medical costs of dementia patients and the diagnosis of both Korean and Western medical care. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic research data for investigating cost effectiveness of developing early diagnosis of dementia.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.59-72
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the present condition of the Korean footwear industry, and its competitiveness through related precedent research. Research was done by analyzing data from the Korean Statistical Information Service, the Korea International Trade Association and advanced research about the footwear industry. Footwear markets all over the world are growing continuously. The main consumers are China, America and India. World footwear trade is showing a growth trend on the basis of cost and amount. The main exporting countries are China, Vietnam and Italy, while main importing countries are America, Germany and France. The domestic market and the export market of footwear in Korea are decreasing. The scale of exporting footwear is gradually decreasing, however the scale of importing footwear is increasing. Korea exports footwear to China, Vietnam and Japan and imports them from China, Vietnam and Indonesia. Studies concening the footwear industry implied that the competitiveness of Korea has been weakened both in the domestic and the export markets. To enhance the competitiveness of Korean footwear corporations, long-term support at the national level is needed. Especially, cultivating competitive experts is crucial to improve the competitiveness of designs and the quality of products. Furthermore, branding strategies using the Korean wave, Korean culture and the national image of Korea, as well as platform strategies to communicate with consumers globally and selling high-quality products are significant.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.213-221
• /
• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to confirm the efficacy and safety of the treatment of gastritis with 'Hwangryunhaedok-tang'. Methods : Total 20 people, between 19 and 65 years old, will be recruited to participate in a comparative clinical trial. All subjects will take 2 capsules of Hwangryunhaedok-tang (Redoxin Cap.), 3 times a day, 30 minutes after meals, for 8 weeks. Outcomes will be measured at the baseline, 4th week, and 8th week. Primary outcomes is the improvement rates of gastritis symptoms, such as heartburn, nausea/vomiting, abdominal bloating, anorexia, heartburn, and trim. Results : This trial was approved by institutional review board of Pusan National University Korean Medicine Hospital (registry number: 2018011), and registered in Clinical Research information Service, one of WHO. Recruitment opened in April 2019 and is supposed to be completed by December 2019. Conclusions : This trial will provide clinical information to determine the efficacy and safety of treatment of gastritis with 'Hwangryunhaedok-tang'.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.101-121
• /
• 2016

This research is purposed to analyze the effect of firms' current socially responsible management on the future corporate financial performance with specified areas of socially responsible management according to the beneficiaries. Tobin's Q statistic and return on assets are calculated and exploited as measures of corporate financial performance. as of empirical analysis results, we found that the social contributions in the consumer area and external social contribution at time t influence the Tobin's Q statistic at time (t+1) in the aggregate analysis. as it is revealed that there is no effect in the firms with the outstanding social performance to the future corporate financial performance, we understand that the capital market is very sensitive to the external social contribution including consumers of firms with the weak social performance rather than the social contribution of socially outstanding firms. This sensitivity of capital market can effectively enhance the social contribution of firms, in particular listed firms with the weak social performance.

• International Area Studies Review
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.81-100
• /
• 2016

In this study we analyze the performance of overseas subsidiaries of Korean multinationals with localization in sales, purchase, and employment. We use the data of 2,116 overseas subsidiaries in 61 countries between 2008 and 2011 provided by The Export-Inport Bank of Korea. As a result, analysis shows that the effect of localization on the performance is quite different by sectors and countries which the subsidiaries have entered. In the manufacturing sector, increase of local sales has positive effect only in China, while local purchase improves the performance of the subsidiaries in developing counties excluding China. However, the subsidiaries which had made a foray to service sector in advanced countries aquired better performance with localization of sales, purchase, and employment, whereas those in China had no merit except localization of purchase.