• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.18-29
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• 2000

Back injury is frequent in industry workers and is a common cause of productivity loss. It has been reported that the insured of industrial accident insurance tend to stay in hospital longer than that of other types of insurance. The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting the length of hospital stay for the treatment of back injury in the workers under industrial accident insurance. The results of this study help insurers develop reasonable industrial accident insurance policy for back injury claims and prevention strategies of work-related back injury. A total of 2,949 patients whose industrial accident insurance claim has been approved for the treatment of work-related back injury from January to December 1999 were included in this study. Relationship between the length of hospital stay and characteristics of patient, work place, back injury, and hospital were assessed using ANOVA, t-test, simple linear regression and multiple resgression. The major findings of this study are as follows : 1. The average length of hospital stay(LOS) was 91.82 days, respectively. 2. Characteristics of Patient LOS of male patients was longer than that of female patients, there was positive correlation between age and LOS and between average wage and LOS. Working period was negatively correlated with LOS. Distance from resident to hospital was positively correlated with LOS and LOS was significantly different dependign on type of duty. 3. Characteristics of Work Place LOS was significantly different depending on types of industry and geographical region of work place. Size of work place was positively correlated with LOS. 4. Characteristics of Back Injury Occupational back pain required shorter LOS compared with back injury due to electric shock. Number of concomitant illnesses and severity of disability were positively correlated with LOS. 5. Characteristics of Hospital Patients treated in community hospitals required significantly longer LOS. Treatment in hospitals with rehabilitation program required decreased LOS. This was more prominent as number of physicians specialized in rehabilitation. 6. Multiple regression analysis revealed that distance form resident to hospital, geographical region of work place, size of work place, number of concomitant illnesses, severity of disability, and type of hospital were factors affecting LOS.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.45-53
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined the differences in the trunk impairment scores according to the levels of the gross motor classification system by evaluating trunk control in children with spastic cerebral palsy using the index of trunk impairment. In addition, the characteristics of trunk control disabilities were investigated according to the cerebral palsy type. METHODS: The subjects were 49 children (mean age 8.57±1.83 years, 11 with hemiplegia, 26 with diplegia, and 12 with quadriplegia) with spastic cerebral palsy levels I to IV under the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS). The coordination and balance of the children with cerebral palsy were evaluated using the index for trunk impairment. Statistical analyses were performed using a Kruskal-Wallis test, and Bonferroni analyses were used as a post-hoc comparison for any significant results. RESULTS: The median of the total scores of trunk impairment was 13 (range, 9-17), which was 56% of the maximum score. The total score of trunk impairment and subscales differed significantly according to the disease severity and type of motor disability. The scores for children with quadriplegia were the lowest compared to children with hemiplegia and diplegia. CONCLUSION: Trunk control function in children with spastic cerebral palsy was reduced, and varied according to the disease severity and types of motor disabilities. The degree of trunk impairment differed from the trunk control ability according to the degree of motor disability of children with cerebral palsy.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.314-322
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• 2024

Objectives: We describe the clinical course in a 53-year-old female patient admitted to a Korean Medicine Hospital with insomnia disorder accompanied by a herniated intervertebral disc and managed with Korean medical treatments. Methods: The patient was treated with herbal medicines, including Shihogayonggolmoryo-tang, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and Chuna manual therapy for 33 days. The therapeutic effect was evaluated based on the Insomnia Severity Index, Numerical Rating Scale score, Oswestry Disability Index, and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions Scale. Results: Post-treatment, the Insomnia Severity Index decreased from 21 to 6, the Numerical Rating Scale score decreased from 7 to 3, the Oswestry Disability Index decreased from 60 to 18, and the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions Scale increased from 0.35 to 0.85. Conclusions: Korean medical treatments improved the symptoms of this patient with insomnia disorder accompanied by a herniated intervertebral disc. Further clinical research on patients with insomnia disorder is needed.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.221-227
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• 2015

Objective: This study assessed whether both physical disability and perceived dependence relate to depression or whether perceived dependence in personal care activities, household activities, community mobility and recreational activities is an intermediate step in the relationship between physical disability and depressive symptoms. Methods: Data come from a cross-sectional survey of 209 women, aged 55 or older, with osteoarthritis (OA). Mediation analyses occurred in four step and included logistic regression analyses as outlined by Baron & Kenny. Results: The results from step 1 showed that greater difficulty with each domain of physical disabilities was significantly related to greater perceived dependence. In step 2, greater perceived dependence was significantly associated with greater depressive symptoms in all domains. Step 3 analyses showed that greater physical disabilities in each domain were significantly associated with depression. The final step testing mediation indicated that personal care activities, household activities and community mobility were fully mediated by perceived dependence. That was, once dependence was taken into account, the relationship between physical disabilities and depression was no longer significant. Partial mediation was found for dependence and recreational activity limitations. Conclusion: It is important to take into account the experience of perceived dependence as a mediator in understanding the relationship between disability and depression in the domains of personal care, household, and community mobility. To conclude, these findings point to the importance of taking into account an individual's reaction to their disability rather than just focusing on the severity of disability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.115-121
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• 2019

Background: Due to the diversification and advancement of research, researchers have become to deal with a variety of chemical and biological harmful materials in the laboratories of universities and research institutes and the risk has increased as well. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the social safety net for laboratory accidents by strengthening the compensation to the level comparable to that of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, when the researchers become physically disabled by laboratory accidents. The purpose of this study is to secure researchers' health rights and to create a research environment where researchers can work with confidence by strengthening the compensation to the level comparable to that of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service. Method: We analyzed the laboratory accidents by year, injury type, severity of accident and disability grade with the 6 year data from 2011 to 2016, provided by Laboratory Safety Insurance. Based on the analysis result, we predicted the financial impact on Laboratory Safety Insurance if we introduce a compensation annuity by disability grade which is similar to Injury-Disease Compensation Annuity of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service. Result :As of 2011, the insured number of Laboratory Safety Insurance was approximately 700,000. The Average premium per insured was KRW 3,339 and there were 158 claims. Total claim amount was KRW 130 million, whereas the premium was about KRW 2.3 billion. The loss ratio was very low at 5.75%. If we introduce a compensation annuity by disability grade similar to Injury-Disease Compensation Annuity of Korean Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, the expected benefit amount for 1 case of disability grade 1 would be KRW 1.6 billion, assuming 2% of interest rate. Given current premium, the loss ratio, the ratio of premium income to claim payment, is expected 41.4% in 2017 and 151.6% in 2026. The increased loss ratio due to the introduce of the compensation annuity by disability grade is estimated to be 11.0% in 2017 and 40.4% in 2026. Conclusion: Currently, laboratories can purchase insurance companies' laboratory safety insurance that meets the standards prescribed by Act on the Establishment of Safe Laboratory Environment. However, if a compensation annuity is introduced, it would be difficult for insurance companies to operate the laboratory safety insurance due to financial losses from a large-scale accident. Therefore, it is desirable that one or designated entities operate laboratory safety insurance. We think that it is more desirable for laboratory safety insurance to be operated by a public entity rather than private entities.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• 제68권3호
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• pp.73-103
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• 2016

In this study, it investigates the life of normal adolescents who have parents with intellectual disability and their difficulties which suggested social welfare meanings of this study. In order to conduct wide and in-depth analysis on cases by utilizing the characteristics of qualitative case studies, it describes and analyzes the intellectual disability parents' normal children in detail from the viewpoint of an insider through in-depth interviews, various sources and diverse data collecting methods. As for the subject of this study, both parents should be persons with intellectual disability and their child shall be non-disabled and at least a high school student or older. Through the intentional sampling, five late adolescents who were in high school, all males participated in the study. The data collection process had been conducted from January 2014 to May, which is commonly utilized for qualitative case studies, and comparative analysis between cases were practiced for analysis. For credibility of the research results, it obtained severity at each stage by meeting the standard. The analysis results were largely divided into "growth story of non-disabled adolescents" and "life of non-disabled adolescents". Nine upper categories analyzed the common features in each case. The nine categories were "no one tells me to study", "advance while learning the sense of academic achievement", "hide into my own space", "having to grown up early", "different parents but same love", "relatives raised me", "have a friend who accepts me as I am", "being pressed by poverty", and "standing on a knife edge of being hurt and taking heart". Based on the in-depth research on normal teens that have intellectually disabled parents, theoretically speaking, this study expanded the prospect of study on intellectually disabled to their normal, intellectual teenage children. As for practical significance, understanding their parents' intellectual disability, parenting technique training, case management from the community level is suggested. Rregular real condition research of the families, allowance system for economic support et al. is suggested in policy aspect.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.139-148
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• 2003

Objectives : Polyneuropathies are diseases of multiple peripheral nerves. They are usually characterized by symmetrical, bilateral distal motor and sensory impairment with a graded increase in severity distally. It is generally regarded that the natural courses are poor, so we wanted to study the effects of Oriental medical treatment on a patient with polyneuropathy. Methods : We treated by conservative Oriental medical treatment a woman of 68 years who was diagnosed as a polyneuropathy and was hospitalized at Seoul Oriental Hospital, Kyungwon University, from 12th Mar. to 31st May, 2003. Changes of functional disability were checked by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS), muscle atrophy was checked by measuring circumference of the thighs, calves, arms, and sensory impairment was checked by a sensory test. Results : 1. Functional disability caused by motor impairment was reduced after the Oriental medical treatment 2. Muscle atrophy was reduced after the Oriental medical treatment 3. Sensory impairment was reduced after the Oriental medical treatment Conclusion : We treated a patient who was diagnosed with polyneuropathy for over 80 days and recorded good effects of Oriental medical treatment on polyneuropathy.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.89-104
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• 2017

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to find the determinants for non-participation in health screenings among the disabled. Methods : We used 2014-15 Korea Health Panel data and analyzed 1,073 people with disabilities older than 19 years to investigate the two-year health screening participation rates. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to analyze the factors affecting non-participation in health screenings. Results : Of the 1,073 people with disabilities who were analyzed, 29.8% and 27.1% participated in NHI mass screenings and cancer screenings, respectively. In both screenings, non-participation rates were higher in people aged 19-49 and lower in people aged 50 -69 than those aged 70 or older; higher in people with lower education, higher in people with private health insurance; higher in people with fewer chronic diseases; and higher in people with severe disability ratings. Conclusions : People with disabilities should be provided with more appropriate preventive care services according to their disability types and severity compared to people without disabilities.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.343-351
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• 2017

This study intend to provide basic evidence needed to improve the life satisfaction of disabled children and youth by analyzing factors to influence on their life satisfaction. To accomplish this study's goal, raw data of Survey of Disabled People in 2014 conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare was utilized for multiple regression analysis to identify determining factors among family relation satisfaction, domestic violence, type of household, economical conditions, family relationship satisfaction, subjective health status, severity of disability, experience of discrimination, satisfaction on number of friends and school adjustment on 197 disabled children's life satisfaction. Results of the analysis are as follows. Domestic violence, family relationship satisfaction, subjective health status, and satisfaction on number of friends are influencing factors on life satisfaction of disabled children's and youth students. This results shows that strengthening family structure and function, expanding all family members participating program, implementing sociability improvement program and promoting health condition are needed to heighten the life satisfaction of students with disabilities.

• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.65-83
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to conceptually define "spatial inclusivity" and empirically examine the impact of disability severity and spatial inclusivity on social participation among individuals experiencing physical discomfort. The social and spatial environment of the residential area is crucial for individuals with disabilities who face limited activity range and complex barriers due to physical constraints. In this study, spatial inclusivity from the perspective of people with disabilities is defined as establishment of equal relationships with non-disabled individuals within the local community, as well as the availability of basic facilities and services in a safe urban space that allows for access and utilization. This concept consists of three dimensions: individual networks, social environment, and physical environment. The physical environment encompasses safety levels, natural environment, living environment, public transportation conditions, medical services in residential areas. We used the 2019 Community Health Survey to examine the relationship between disability severity, spatial inclusivity, and social participation using a two level regression model. The findings are as follows: Firstly, personal relationships at the individual level and the physical environment at the local level have a positive impact on social participation. Secondly, when identifying dividing the physical environment into five sub-factors, no significant influence of individual factors is found. Thirdly, trustworthy and friendly social environment at the local level has a negative impact on social participation. These results provide empirical evidence that spatial inclusivity has an effect on the social participation of individuals with disabilities and suggest implications for urban planning to create and enhance conditions for the social participation of individuals with disabilities.