• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 2020

Purpose: This study is a descriptive and secondary analytical study that uses panel data to analysis of unmet healthcare needs and risk factors for improving life care of osteoporosis patients. Methods: The subjects of this study were 941 patients who were diagnosed with osteoporosis using Korea Medical Panel 2015 data(β-version 1.0). Data analysis was performed using Chi-Square and logistic regression using SPSS/win 22.0. Results: The unmet healthcare needs of osteoporosis patients were 22.6%. The factors of unmet healthcare needs were education level and age in Model I of demographic factors, and eating problems, memory problems, activity limitation, and disability in Model II. In Model III, which added socio-psychological factors, eating problems, memory problems, Total family income, and pain/Discomfort were identified. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it should be considered in the planning of medical policies to improve the life care of osteoporosis patients, and it is necessary to improve access to medical services and to prevent and mediate realistically to reduce unmet healthcare needs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2014

Background: Bankrupted households have recently been increased due to excessive medical expenditure in Korea. They have not been protected from economic risk when household's member has severe diseases that need a lot of money for treatment. Purpose of this study examines policy effect by comparing unmet needs' change of policy object households and non-object groups. Methods: We used Korea Health panel 2nd 4th data collected by Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and National Health Insurance Service. Analysis subjects were 381 households (pre-policy) and 393 households (post-policy) that had cancer and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Since it was major concern that estimates benefit strengthening policy started by certain time, we setup comparing households which had diabetes, hypertension disease. Comparison subjects were 393,247 households, respectively and we evaluated policy effect using difference in difference (DID) model. Results: Although unmet needs of policy object households were higher than non-object groups, policy execution variable affected negative direction. But interaction-term which shows pure effect of policy was not statistically significant. We utilized multi-DID model to examine factors affecting unmet needs causes. Copayment assistance policy did not significantly affect households that responded to 'economic reason,' and 'no have time to visit' for unmet needs causes. Conclusion: The second copayment assistance policy did not significantly give positive effect to beneficiary households than non-beneficiary groups. When we consider that primary purpose of public insurance guarantee high medical expenditure occurred by unexpected events, it needs to deliberate on switch of benefit strengthening policy that can assist vulnerable people. Also, we suggest that government forward a policy covering non-reimbursable medical expenses as well as switch of benefit strengthening direction because benefit policy do not affect non-covered medical cost which accounts for quarter of total health expenditure.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.49-64
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate unmet healthcare needs due to economic or non-economic difficulties among the elderly aged 65 or older. Using Korea Health Panel Survey (KHPS) data from 2018, the elderly are classified into one of four groups (health insurance subscribers, non-take-up, lower income relief, and medical aid recipients) based on their level of medical vulnerability. For hospital or dental care, the prevalence rates of unmet healthcare needs due to economic and non-economic difficulties are 12.6% and 10.6%, respectively. The prevalence rate of unmet healthcare needs due to economic difficulty in the medically vulnerable group was much higher than that of the non-vulnerable group-that is, health insurance subscribers. After controlling for other influential factors, medical vulnerability has a great impact on the prevalence rates of unmet healthcare needs due to economic difficulties. Compared to health insurance subscribers, the non-take-up, the lower relief, and the medical aid recipients are 1.4 times, 3.3 times, and 2.4 times more likely to experience unmet healthcare needs due to economic difficulty, respectively. The results of this study can provide important policy implications for securing essential healthcare resources for the elderly.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.282-290
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• 2013

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a health needs assessment (HNA) tool for persons with brain disorders and to assess the unmet needs of persons with brain disorders using the developed tool. Methods: The authors used consensus methods to develop a HNA tool. Using a randomized stratified systematic sampling method adjusted for sex, age, and districts, 57 registered persons (27 severe and 30 mild cases) with brain disorders dwelling in Seoul, South Korea were chosen and medical specialists investigated all of the subjects with the developed tools. Results: The HNA tool for brain disorders we developed included four categories: 1) medical interventions and operations, 2) assistive devices, 3) rehabilitation therapy, and 4) regular follow-up. This study also found that 71.9% of the subjects did not receive appropriate medical care, which implies that the severity of their disability is likely to be exacerbated and permanent, and the loss irrecoverable. Conclusions: Our results showed that the HNA tool for persons with brain disorders based on unmet needs defined by physicians can be a useful method for evaluating the appropriateness and necessity of medical services offered to the disabled, and it can serve as the norm for providing health care services for disabled persons. Further studies should be undertaken to increase validity and reliability of the tool. Fundamental research investigating the factors generating or affecting the unmet needs is necessary; its results could serve as basis for developing policies to eliminate or alleviate these factors.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2018

Objectives : In this study, we used the data of the 2015 National Health and Nutrition Survey in its 6th Phase, and the total number of subjects included was 4,884. Methods : Frequency analysis, crosstab and logistic regression analysis were conducted to investigate unmet medical factors related to family members. Results : The subjects of the study were 10.3% single-person households and 89.7% non-single-person households. There were statistically significant differences in age, education level, marital status, income level, private health insurance, and subjective health status. Factors associated with unmet healthcare needs according to single-person households was subjective health status. Age, gender, marital status and subjective health status were the factors associated with unmet healthcare needs according to non-single-person households. Conclusions : It is necessary to establish health care policies that can expand the health education necessary for providing appropriate information on medical care and improving awareness of social illnesses and improving affordability and convenience.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2022

Objectives: It is crucial to detect and prevent oral problems early. Older adults, in particular, should go for regular dental checkups to maintain a healthy oral environment. This study identified the factors affecting regular dental examinations and unmet dental needs in older adults. Methods: This study analyzed 3,362 older adults aged 65 or over using the data from the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Frequency analysis was performed on general characteristics. In addition, chi-square tests were done to determine differences in regular dental checkups and unmet dental needs according to general characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was performed on factors influencing regular dental checkups and unmet dental needs. Results: Factors influencing regular dental checkups were statistically significant according to residential areas, level of education, household income, and levels of physical activity (p<0.05). Factors influencing unmet dental needs were statistically significant according to residential areas, level of education, private medical insurance, and levels of dental pain (p<0.05). Conclusions: National level policy strategies should be implemented to improve the oral health of older adults. These strategies should encourage regular dental checkups to effectively lower the rate of unmet dental needs.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.243-256
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to determine and facilitate provisions for the unmet dental needs of Koreans, stratified by time, influencing factors, and research trends, through a systematic review of related published studies since 2006. Methods: this review focused on previous studies published between January 2006 and November 2019 that analyzed influencing the factors underlying the unmet dental needs of koreans. We followed the guidelines set for each phase of research and selected the final 32 studies that met the selection criteria for the analysis. Results: The number of studies has rapidly increased since 2015 (22 studies, 68.7%). the were 68.9% in 2006, 25.9% in 2009, 41.3% in 2010- 2012, and 33.3% in 2013-2015 for adults and 27.9% in 2010, 24.6% in 2015, and 16.1% in 2017 for the rates of older adults. the rates of unmet dental needs related to economic factors, were 38.6% in 2006, 41.4% in 2007-2009, and 35.9% in 2013-2015 for adults and 50.5% in 2010 and 41.2% in 2015 for the older adults. There were common influencing factors for unmet dental needs. the rate of unmet dental needs was increased by with female gender, younger age, single marital status, low family income, low educational level, worsened subjective health condition, and the presence of chronic diseases. Conclusions: Standardized studies with more accurate definitions and assessment tools are required. however, our study emphasizes the need for a policy intervention that accounts for the characteristics of subjects to reduce unmet dental needs.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.117-129
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of demographic characteristics and oral health status on unmet dental needs among preschool children and to provide a basis for improvement of the dental care equality and accessibility using data from the $6^{th}$ National Health and Nutrition Survey. Methods: This study was performed using data collected from the $6^{th}$ National Health and Nutrition Survey. The subjects were 1,472 out of 22,940 people, who participated in the survey and under went oral examination. IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 20.0) was used for statistical analyses based on the complex sampling design. Frequency analysis was performed to determine the distribution of unmet dental needs according to the characteristics of the subjects. The Rao-Scott ${\chi}^2$ test was performed to examine the relationship of unmet dental needs with general characteristics and health- and oral health-related variables. Relevant factors were determined using binary logistic regression analysis. Results: The factors that had statistically significant relations with unmet dental needs included age, medical insurance, household income, limited physical activity, history of dental caries in deciduous teeth, and subjective health status. Logistic regression analysis of complex samples was conducted to determine factors related to unmet dental needs. The results of analysis showed that limited physical activity and history of dental caries in deciduous teeth were related to unmet dental needs. Conclusions: The results show the factors affecting, and the reasons for, the unmet dental needs of preschool children. Future studies are needed to develop national projects and oral health education reforms to address inequalities in preschool children's dental care.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.151-164
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• 2010

Objective:Korea has 3,170 islands with about 188,000 inhabitants. These inhabitants' needs for health services might go unmet because of geographic isolation, slimmer availability of health services, and higher proportion of the elderly compared with the mainland population. Unmet health service needs might result in serious health problems for these island residents. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate their unmet health service needs and related factors from population of Nowha island. Methods: The survey was conducted from July 30 to August 1 by trained interviewers. Target population were residents in Nohwa island and the sampling method was incomplete quota sampling. General characteristics, socioeconomic status, utilization of health service, and unmet medical service needs were investigated. First univariate and then multivariate logistic analyses were done for the statistical analysis. Results: 324 residents were surveyed and the proportion of unmet health services needs was 26.5%. People living alone and of female sex had increased health services needs based on univariable analysis. From the multivariate analysis, those living alone increased the health services needs. Self-determined low socioeconomic status and medical aid increased the proportion of unmet medical needs, but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion:In Nowha island, those who are elder, and of lower socioeconomic status had much higher unmet medical needs. The results suggest the need for more social support by qualified health services to solve this unmet medical needs problem.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.182-187
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• 2018

As the elderly population increases, they are increasingly affected by oral health problems. Therefore, efforts are being made to improve the oral health of older people, alleviate mental discomfort, and reduce unmet dental needs. This study was conducted to confirm the relationship between the National Health Insurance Elderly Denture Coverage and the unmet dental need for the edentulous elderly, as part of the protection policy. We analyzed the 2011 and 2013 Community Health Survey data of the edentulous elderly, aged 75 years or older, before 2012. In order to more precisely confirm the effects of the denture donation policy on unmet dental care, basic life recipients who were subject to the free elderly prosthetic project were excluded from the analysis. The final analysis included 20,400 subjects. According to our investigation of the factors that affect the unmet dental needs of the elderly, the National Health Insurance Elderly Denture Coverage did not affect unmet dental needs. The statistically significant variables that affected the unmet dental needs of the elderly were education and income levels, which are representative socioeconomic status variables. The lower the level of education, the unhealthier the dental care experience, and income levels showed a similar tendency. The elderly who have a low socioeconomic status are more likely to experience unmet dental needs because they lack the knowledge and socioeconomic ability to pay for dental care. Therefore, the policy for health protection of the entire elderly population should be continuously expanded. In addition, the socioeconomically vulnerable groups may have health problems due to the restriction of medical use, which may lead to quality of life deterioration.