• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2009

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical and polysomnographic characteristics of Korean patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), especially in relation to differences due to age and gender. Methods: All subjects were consecutive patients who were proven to have OSAS with nocturnal polysomnography. They were interviewed with a structured interview format including sociodemographic information, past medical history, medication, and sleep-related history. Simultaneously, they were also given Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to answer in order to check subjective sleep quality and subjective sleepiness. Results: Mean age of the 308 subjects was $49.5{\pm}$13.3 years, with 77.6% of the subjects being males and 22.4% of the subjects being females. The aging effects on the sleep architecture in Korean OSAS corresponded with normal aging, but with the effect of OSAS itself superimposed, the extent of aging effects was more marked than that of normal aging. The severity of Korean patients of OSAS was not correlated with age. When divided into age subgroups, significant correlation was found between RDI and BMI in patients of each subgroup of those in the 4th to 7th decades. The oldest subgroup (>70 years) described their subjective sleep quality as poorer than any other age subgroups, despite of less subjective drowsiness. The severity of OSAS and the change of sleep architecture of male subjects turned out to be severer than those of female ones. The female/male ratio of the subjects tended to increase with aging. Conclusions: The aging effect on the sleep architecture in Korean OSAS seems to be a mixture of the changes by normal aging and sleep disorder per se. The severity of OSAS was not correlated with age, but highly correlated with BMI. The severity of OSAS and the change of sleep architecture of male patients were severer than those of female ones.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.124-134
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• 2005

To investigate the exposure effect of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), we measured airborne total PAHs as an external dose, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) as an internal dose of PAHs exposure, and analyzed the relationship between urinary 1-OHP concentration and PAHs exposure. The study population contained 44 workers in steel-pipe coating and paint manufacture industries. The airborne PAHs was obtained during survey day, and urine were sampled at the end of shift. Personal information on age, body weight, height, eniployment duration, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption was obtained by a structured questionnaire. Airborne PAHs were analyzed by the gas chromatograph with mass selective detector. Urinary 1-OHP levels were analyzed by the high performance liquid chromatograph with ultraviolet wavelength detector. For statistical estimation, t-test, ${\chi}^2$-test, analysis of variance, correlation analysis, arid regression analysis were executed by SPSS/PC (Windows version 10). The mean of environmental total PAHs was $87.8{\pm}7.81{\mu}g/m^3$. The mean concentration ($526.5{\pm}2.85{\mu}g/m^3$) of workers in steel-pipe coating industries using coal tar enamel was the higher than that ($17.5{\pm}3.36{\mu}g/m^3$) of workers in paint manufacture industries using coal tar paint. The mean of urinary 1-OHP concentration ($51.63{\pm}3.144{\mu}\;mol/mol$ creatinine) of workers in steel-pipe coating industries was the higher than that ($2.33{\pm}4.709{\mu}\;mol/mol$ creatinine) of workers in paint manufacture industries. The mean of urinary 1-OHP concentration of smokers was the higher than that of non-smokers. There was significant correlation between the urinary concentration of 1-OHP and the environmental concentration of PAHs (r=O.S48, p<0.001), pyrene(r=0.859, p<0.001), and urinary cotinine (r=0.324, p<0.05). The regression equation between the urinary concentration of 1-OHP in ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine($C_{1-OHP}$) and airborne concentration of PAHs (or pyrene) in ${\mu}g/m^3$ ($C_{PAHs}$ or Cpyrene) is: Log ($C_{1-OHP}$)=-0.650+0.889×Log($C_{PAHs}$), where $R^2=0.694$ and n=38 for p<0.001.Log ($C_{1-OHP}$)=1.087+0.707${\times}$Log(Cpyrene), where $R^2=0.713$ and n=38 for p<0.001. From the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis about 1-OHP, significant independents were total PAHs and urinary cotinine (adjusted $R^2=0.743$, p<0.001). In this study, there were significant correlation between the urinary concentration of 1-OHP and the airborne concentration of PAHs. The urinary 1-OHP was effective index as a biomarker of airborne PAHs in workplace. But it was influenced by non-occupational PAHs source, smoking.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to find the status of health examination and health management of industrial companies located in Taegu and Kyung book areas. It will provide basic information for the provision of effective health management of industrial workers. 49 companies were selected as a study sample group, and data was collected by using a structured Questionnaire which was developed by the members of the Community Health Nursing Academy of Korean Nursing. The health managers of the companies filled out the Questionnaire. The data was gathered from Dec 20, 1992 to Jan 20. The results of the study was as follows : 1. The Study sample showed 85.7% manufacturing companies having 300 or more workers. 2. All the companies had health managers, and companies which had 1,000 or more workers had industrial physicians and nurses. Only 12.2% of the industrial physicians were full time employees, and almost all industrial nurses were full time employees. Except for industrial physicians and nurses, the proportion of hygienists (6.1%), nurses aids (4.1%), and environmental engineers (22.4%) with full time employment statuss was very low. The mean age of industrial physicians was 49.2 while that of industrial nurses was 27.2. The length of work experiences currently ranges for 1 to 3 years for all health workers: physicians, nurses, hygienists, and environmental engineers. 3. Health examination and follow up care 94.31% took general health examinations. Of those, the proportion of the workers, who were determined as C grade(in need of close examination) was 43.86%. The proportion of the workers who were determined as D grade was 22.19%. 13.28% of the workers evaluated at the D grade were taken as a gauge for temporary leave from work. While 8.7% and .09% of them were taken as gauge for a change in job, and or shortening work hours respectively. The proportion of workers who must have taken special examination was 65.04% and of those the proportion of the workers who actually took, the examination was 98.55%. 75% of the workers who were recommended for follow up care were given follow up care. The special examinations were done the most frequently to detect the effects of physical agents (59.2%). Direct notice to individual workers was used the most frequently as a method of notification after a special examination (61.2%). The length of time taken to receive the result of a special examination was less than 1 month (38.9%) and 36.7% had taken up to two months (36.7%.). Most results of special examination were obtained within 2 months. The referral rate of consulting special examination by health managers was estimated at 95.9%. 4. 89.8% of the companies had. their own company dispensaries and 75.5% of those. had separate dispensaries. 32.7% of the companies designated local clinics for health management of workers. Industrial nurses performed health examination the most frequently(1.4 points). Health appraisal for work places were. done the least(0.83 points).

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.84-95
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• 2012

Background: In Korea, private health insurance has neglected to induce externality on national health insurance by moral hazard. Therefore, we conducted this study in order to explore the influence of private health insurance on unnecessary medical utilization among patients with cervical or lumbar sprain. Method: The study examined a population of 449 patients (admission, 384; out-patient; 85) diagnosed with simple cervical or lumbar sprain without neurological symptoms at 20 small hospitals or clinics in Gwangju and Jeollanam provinces from Jul. 1 to Aug. 31 2008. The data were collected using structured, self-administrated questionnaire which collected information such as whether or not the patient was admitted (as a dependent variable), whether or not they had private health insurance (as a independent variable), and covariates such as socio-demographic characteristics, the factors related to the sprain, and characteristics of the insurance provider. Results: From hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis, it was found that the admission rate of patient with private health insurance was higher than that those without it (Odds ratio=3.31, 95% Confidence interval; 1.14-9.58), meaning that private health insurance was an independent factor influencing the admission of patients with these conditions. Other determinants of admission were patient age and physician referral. Conclusions: This study is the first empirical study to explore the influence of private health insurance on inducing moral hazard in admission services, specifically among patients with cervical or lumbar sprain. Regulation of benefits provided by private health insurance may be necessary, as the effect of this moral hazard may mean existence of externality.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.23-39
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• 2004

Background: It is important to provide health education to students to ensure a healthy life. Using the internet for health education may be a way to overcome the practical barriers to health education such as time and content. This study was conducted to investigate the demands for health education using the internet. Subjects and methods: Six hundreds and twenty-four and male female students in middle and high schools, who lived on Gyeongju-si and Seongju-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do province, were interviewed by means of structured questionnaires, from March 5 to March 28, 2003. Results: More than 90% of the subjects had their own computers, and nearly 38% of those possessing their own computers had accessed internet sites related to health and medicine. Middle school students and in particular, female students were more desirous for health education through e-mail. Regarding content, the three major topics which the respondents wanted to learn about were healthy lifestyles, growth and development, and disease prevention. In terms of the interval for providing educational materials, over half of the students wanted information once a week. Most of the students wanted to have the quantity of the material be one page. In addition, there were numerous additional topics requested by the students such as sleep and health, contraception and family planning, safety education, cancer prevention, emotional instability of juveniles, the utilization of medical care facilities, stress management, etc. Conclusion: The students had a desire for health education through the use of e-mail, and methods and materials should be developed for appropriate health education using the internet.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.307-331
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• 2008

The CEO and the Corporate Image is considered very important in the aspect of marketing. The fact that CEO image itself influences the company or value of the product directly and indirectly has been verified through many cases. Recently, the differentiation of products and services between companies became difficult because the disparity in technique between companies retrenched. As a result, the rate of people who decide to purchase or invest their money based on the corporate image or reputation has been increased. Also in the knowledge society like today, the talented employees are the company's customer and the company's necessity for managing those brains of marketing perspective on how to satisfy and attract the customers is being embossed. The Fashion industry is one of the most value-added industry and in those value-added businesses, the most important factor is the human resources' knowledge power. However the study of the relationships among the CEO image, the corporate image and employment brand value in fashion industry has not been carried out yet. This research considers that dynamic relationship exists among the CEO image, corporate image and employment brand value that affects a company's main goal of pursuing benefits and intends to investigate the relationships of the three concepts. The specific purposes of this study were, 1) to analyze the impact of CEO image on a corporate image, 2) to analyze the impact of corporate image on employment brand value, 3) to analyze the impact of CEO image on employment brand value, 4) to analyze whether corporate image plays a mediating role in the relationship between CEO image and employment brand value or not. A survey design with a structured questionnaire was employed for this research. A convenience sample of 398 subjects was selected from two groups, which are university students majoring in fashion and practitioners working in fashion industry. For the data analysis, descriptive statistic (i.e., frequency, percentage), factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis were used by utilizing SPSS 12.0 for Windows program. The results for this research are as follows, first, the study of the impact of CEO image (i.e., Managerial Competence, Reliability/Leadership, Personal Attractiveness) on corporate image (i.e., Product Image, Corporate Social Responsibility Image, Corporate Cultural Image) brought conclusion that the CEO image generally affected the corporate image in fashion industry. Managerial Competence and Reliability/Leadership affected Product Image, Corporate Social Responsibility Image and Corporate Cultural Image. However, while CEO's Personal Attractiveness affected Product Image and Corporate Social Responsibility Image, it did not affect Corporate Cultural Image. Second, the study of the impact of corporate image on employment brand value brought conclusion that corporate image (i.e., Product Image, Corporate Social Responsibility Image, Corporate Cultural Image) affected employment brand value. Corporate Cultural Image affected employment brand value the most and then the Corporate Social Responsibility Image and Product Image. Third, the study of the impact of CEO image on employment brand value brought conclusion that CEO image (i.e., Managerial Competence, Reliability/Leadership, Personal Attractiveness) affected the employment brand value. CEO's Reliability/Leadership affected the employment brand value the most and then CEO's Personal Attractiveness and CEO's Managerial Competence. Forth, the study examined whether corporate image plays a mediating role in relationship of CEO image and employment brand value and concluded that it does. Corporate image played a full mediating role between CEO's Managerial Competence and employment brand value while it played a partial mediating role between CEO's Reliability/Leadership and CEO's Personal Attractiveness. This study is meaningful in a sense that it examines the relationship among the CEO image, corporate image and employment brand value which has not been carried out yet in fashion industry. It will ultimately contribute to the success of a fashion company by providing useful information of establishing strategies for managing proper the CEO and the corporate image to the fashion company and operating the talented employees.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.145-155
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• 2019

Purpose: Amendment to the Act on Decisions on Life-sustaining Treatment was recently enacted to designate long-term care hospitals as providers of hospice and palliative care. Despite its benefit of providing improved accessibility to end-of-life care, the amendment has raised concerns about its effect on quality of service. This study aimed to use information obtained from an expert group interview and previous studies to compare how cancer patients, family caregivers, physicians, and the general Korean population perceive the potential benefits and risks of this amendment. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study from July to October 2016. The included participants answered a structured questionnaire regarding the extent to which they agree or disagree with the questionnaire items indicating the potential benefits and risks of the amendment. Chi-square tests and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: Compared with the general population, physicians agreed more that long-term care hospitals are currently not adequately equipped to provide quality hospice and palliative care. Family caregivers found improved access to long-term care hospitals more favorable but were more likely to agree that these hospitals might prioritize profits, thereby threatening the philosophy of hospice care, and that families might cease to fulfill filial responsibilities. Compared with the general population, cancer patients were more concerned about the potentially decreased service quality in this setting. Conclusion: Although potential service beneficiaries and providers expected improved accessibility of hospice and palliative care services, they were also concerned whether the system can provide adequate quality of end-of-life care.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.463-471
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine the causes of career interruptions among dental hygienists, institutional measures required for their long service and ways of creating a stable employment culture for them in determine how to resolve labor shortage, create stable jobs, and step up the reemployment of idle manpower. In addition, the following suggestions are made for the establishment of a stable employment culture for dental hygienists by analyzing related literature, research materials, and information such as forums for establishing appropriate jobs for female dental workers. First, a system should be set up to prevent career interruption among dental hygienists. The work environment should be improved to prevent career breaks, and the wages, working hours, and working style should be efficiently structured to maintain the tenure of employees. Second, a plan should be devised to make use of idle manpower, and a variety of necessary programs should be developed. With respect to regular working hours, the time conversion system should be used, which reduces the amount of time one would want to work while receiving a national subsidy. Third, dental hygienists working in different occupations for marriage, childbirth, childcare, school and personal hygiene should make a way to return to the dental system immediately when they want. Fourth, the government should take institutional measures and offer down-to-earth support and benefits for women consideration their social characteristics to guarantee a balance between work and childcare.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.264-277
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• 1994

In Korea the concept of social support was first used as a research concept in nursing and has not had much application in the clinical field. Another problem is that research on social support has used a direct translation of the words “social support” into Korean as “sawhejuk jiji”. Three questions were posed to direct the re-search. 1) Is there a concept of social support in Korean society? 2) if so, what words or expressions are used to de-scribe it? 3) further, if so, how is social support structured and how does it function? In order to answer the research questions a three-step research methodology was used : The first step consisted of a literature review on re-search related to social support and on information on the background of, and the way of thinking re-lated to interpersonal relations among Korean people. The second step, which was done to identify whether there is a concept of social support in korean society, involved interviewing a sample of the population. The third step involved a panel discussion that included the members of the research team and three consultants, a sociologist, a philosopher and a scholor in korean literature. A review of the literature on interpersonal relationships in traditional korean society identified a four cirole structure that explains interpersonal relationships. The first circle with “me” at the center is the family but here “me” disappears into the “we” that is essential for a cooperative agricultural society. In the second circle are those close to “me” but outside the family. The third circle includes those with whom “I ” have infrequent but regular contact and with whom correct conduct is important. The last circle is all the people with whom “I” have nothing in common. They are excluded in interpersonal relationships. The literature on interpersonal relationships showed that within the traditional Korean society people lived in villages where most people were very familiar with each other. “Yun”, the social network established the connection and “Jung”, the feeling of affection increased with time as the connection was strengthened. In the traditional village psychological support was provided through “Mallaniki”, “Pumashi” and “Kae” with the latter two also providing material support. In modern Korea there are more informal and formal social networks, like social services and community activities on the formal level and cultural and leisure groups along with “kae’s on the informal level. But even with this modern variety of groups, most social support comes from informal networks that resemble the traditiorlal “Pumashi”, “Kai” md “Mallaniki”. The six member research team interviewed 65 people in order to identify whether there is a concept of social support and then analysed their responses. There were 20 different words describing the reception of the social support and these could be grouped into seven major categories : virtuous, fortunate, helped, supported, blessed, attached(receiving affection) and receiving (grace) benevolence. there were 27 words describing the act of social support which could be categorized into seven major categories : love, looking after, affection(attachment), kindness(goodness), faith, psychological help and material help. for the meaning of social support translated as “sawhe juk jiji” there were a total of 14 different answers which could be categorized into 3 major categories : help, agreement, and faith. In third step, the results of the literature review and the answers to the questions were discussed in a pannel. The results of the discussion led to the following definition of social support in Korea which is shaped like a the four sided pyramid on a base. Social support is the apex of the pyramid and four sides are made up of : “do-oom” (both emotional and material help), “jung” (connectedness, or relationship bound by affection, regard or shared common experience ), “midum” (faith or belief in), “eunhae” (kindness or benevolence). The research team identified “Yun”( the basic network of relationships) as the base of the pyramid and as such the foundation for the components of social support in Korean culture. On “Yun” rest the other four components of social support : “Jung”, “Midum”, “Do-oom”, and “Eunhae”, For social support to take place there must be “Yun”. This is an important factor in social support. In private social network “Jung” is an essential factor in social support. But not in the public social network. “Yun” is a condition for “Jung” and “Jung” is the manifestation of support.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.88-117
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• 1990

The purposes of this study are to delineate a profile of the state of a stroke patient's adaptation at 3 months after hospitalization and to explore the relationship between the level of adaptation and the variables which influence the adaptation of hemiplegic patients. To these ends, theoretical framework was derived basically from the stress adaptation model. The basic assumption underlying the level of adaptation is influenced by the presenting focal, contextual and residual stimuli. This group of stimuli is further operationalized and represented by a perception of stress. which is the perceived effect of the disability and by the mediating variables such as sociodemographic factors as an external conditioning variables and perceived social support and hardiness personality characteristics as an internal intervening variables. The dependent varibales in this study is the level of physical, psychological and social adaptation and is hypothesized to be a function of the interaction between 3 sets of variables namely, the perceived disability effect, external conditioning variables and internal intevening varibles. A total of fourty three subjects from 3 general hospitals in Seoul were observed and interviewed with the aid of 7 structured instruments. The data were collected twice on each subject : first at the pre-discharge period arid at 3 months post-discharge from hospital for the second time. The study was carried out for the period from February to August, 1988. The instruments used for the study include 4 existing scales and 3 scales developed by the researcher for this study. They are : 1) The ADL dependency scale and the scale of the clinical physical functions for the assessment of physical adaptation. 2) the SDS(self report of depression) to measure the level of psychological adaptation. 3) The scale for the amount of social activities for the measurement of the level of social adaptation. 4) The scale for the perceived effect of disability for the measurement of the focal stimuli. 5) The health related hardiness scale and the perceived interpersonal support self evaluation list(ISEL) for the measurement of the hardiness personality character and the perceived social support. The data obtained were analyzed using percentage, oneway ANOVA, Pearson coefficients correlation and stepwise multiple regression. The findings provide valuable information about the present level of physical adaptation at 3 months after discharge. The patient revealed a decreased ADL dependency and lowered limitation of physical function as compared with pre - discharge state. Psycholcgically, the average degree of depression at follow up was within normal range of depression. Socially, the amount of social activities was very low. The one way ANOVA and the correlational analysis revealed the relationship between the 3 sets of variables and the adaptation level as follows : 1) The perceived disability effect was related to the degree of the depression and the amount of social activities but was not related to the physical adaptation. 2) Among the sociodemographic variables, sex and education were related to the difference of ADL dependency and the change of physical function. These factors indicate that women more than men and educated more than the less educated were found more independent. The education was also related to the degree of depression suggesting that the higher the educational level, the more well adapted the patients were both physically and psychologically. Age, marital status and job state were not found to be related to the patient's adaptation level. 3) Among the internal intervening variables, the health related hardiness characteristic was related to the differences of ADL dependency, physical functions and the social activities, indicating that the higher the hardiness character the higher the level of physical and social adaptation. 4) The perceived social support, another internal intervening variable, was related to the degree of depression and the social activities. This data suggest that the higher the perception of social support, the better adapted the patients were psychogically and socially. In summarizing the results of the correlational analysis, the level of physical adaptation was influenced by sex, the years of education and the hardiness character. The level of psychological adaptation was influenced by the years of education, the perceived disability effect and the perceived social support. And the level of social adaptation was influenced by the perceived disability effect, the hardiness character and the perceived social support. The stepwise multiple regression analysis shows findings as follows : 1) The most important factor to explain the difference of ADL dependency was sex, indicating females were more independent than males. 2) The most important factor to explain the difference of physical function and the degree of depression was the patient's education level. 3) The strongest explaining factor for the amount of social activities was perceived self esteem(one of the subconcepts of perceived social support). Thus the most important factors influencing the level of adaptation were found to be sex, education, the hardiness character and self esteem. From the above findings, the significance of this study can be delineated as follows : 1) Corroboration of the assumed relationship between the various variables and the adaptation level as suggested in the conceptual model. 2) Support for the feasibility of the cognitive approach for nursing intervention such as hardness character training, counselling and teaching for self-care in the chronic patients.