• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.513-538
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• 2013

As a childcare program of TaeHwa Christian Women's Institution in 1921, the childcare system in Korea was incepted. Since then, the political foothold of childcare system has steadily been advancing to provide high quality services to young children. In almost a hundred-year-history of public childcare in Korea, depending on the changes enforced on the related laws and regulations and varying perspectives over time, the administration office accountable for childcare policies has been authorized to the Ministries of Health, Social Affairs, Education, Labor, Home Affairs, Rural Development Administration, and/or others. But as of 1991, under the enactment of Infant and Child Care Act, it was changed to be administered by the unified authority of the Health and Social Welfare Ministry. Then, in 2004 and 2007, its statutory authority, respectively, transferred to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and back to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Staring of the Infant and Child Care Act in 1991, Korean childcare policies have been managed by the dual systems of the Education Ministry and the Health and Social Welfare Ministry each holding jurisdiction over kindergartens and childcare centers, respectively. Faced with the recent marked decline of birth rate, diverse childcare policies are currently implemented in the pursuit of finding means to enhance the quality of childcare and to develop policies for the restoration of the low birth rate. This study presented distinct features of current childcare policies and discussed about future directions and challenges of these policies.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.121-140
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to understand how the economic conditions and needs of single-parent families are different between single-mother and single-father families, and also how they are dependent on household composition. The data for this study were drawn from the 1st Korea Welfare Panel Study and analyzed by frequencies, means, ${\chi}^2$, t-test, F-test, and logistic regression with the STATA 9.1 program. The major findings are as follows: (1) Single-parent families are more likely to live in a three-generation household than married couple families. (2) The composition of a three-generation household of single-parent families is affected by sex, age, education, type of marital disruption, the type of employment of single parents and the age of the last-born child. (3) The income-to-needs ratio is not significantly different depending on the sex of the single parents and their household composition. However, material hardship is significantly low in three-generation household single-parent families. (4) There are differences between three-generation single-parent families and independent single-parent families in income sources: The ratio of public transfer to total incomes is higher in three-generation households than independent households, while the ratio of private transfer to total incomes is higher in independent households.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.19-30
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• 2008

This study has comparatively analyzed the primary success factors in smoking cessation among new enrollees and re-enrollees of a smoking cessation clinic in order to find out how to efficiently operate smoking cessation clinics at public health centers. The study was conducted with 262,837 smokers aged 19 or over who were provided with smoking cessation services for more than 6 months after being registered with the smoking cessation clinic at public health centers(250 clinics nationwide) from July 16, 2006 to July 15, 2007. After dividing smokers into re-enrollees and new enrollees of the smoking cessation clinic, the success rate of and success factors for smoking cessation over 6 months have been investigated. The success factors in smoking cessation have been compared between new enrollees and re-enrollees of smoking cessation clinics. The results can be summarized as follows: First, the success rate of smoking cessation for 6 months at smoking cessation clinics of public health centers was higher in new enrollees (46.3%) than in re-enrollees (41.1%). Second, the common factors that had an influence on the success of smoking cessation of both new enrollees and re-enrollees of the smoking cessation clinic included age, social security, service, frequency of counseling, number of cigarettes per day, and alcoholic problems. Third, compared to new enrollees, re-enrollees had a higher success rate of smoking cessation as they got older. In terms of the success rate of health insurance, on the contrary, new enrollees were better than re-enrollees. Fourth, the study showed a higher success rate in smoking cessation in both new and re-enrollees if they had no alcoholic problems. In particular, a higher success rate was observed in re-enrollees when there were no alcoholic problems. To efficiently operate smoking cessation clinics at public health centers, this study confirmed that counseling should be tailored depending on the types of enrollees in the program.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.33-52
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• 2009

Health promotion policies have needed to assess in detailed and evidence-based work to set a policy goal and clear future directions of health promotion in Korea. To identify the major factors related with health promotion, we assessed the associations between public health outcome (potential years of life loss, PYLL) and national health determinants. For this purpose, we used a pooled cross sectional time-series regression analysis with corrected fixed effect models involving sixteen member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development during the period 1970 to 2001. The PYLL was positively associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption (model 1 and 2) and calories intake (model 2 and 3) while the PYLL was negatively associated with GDP, fruit and vegetable intake (model 2), number of doctors (model 3), coverage rates of health care security, and elderly population rates (model 4). In conclusion, health behaviors related with tobacco, alcohol, and nutrition were significant health determinants for health outcome. Overall analysis results of this study will provide a guidance toward improved macro- and micro-policy development for future health promotion policy in Korea.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2020

This research explores the generational similarities and discrepancies of socio-demographic and housing statuses between young adult children leaving the parental home and their parents. Utilizing the 20th Korean Labour and Income Panel Study (KLIPS), this study identified a total of 609 households who have left their parent home from 1999 to 2017. Two-thirds of the adult children were married couples while the rest was singles. Children's educational level was higher, and their household size was smaller than their parents. Both generations were mainly headed by employed and married men. The vast majority of the adult children lived in the same area with their parents and lived as tenants in much smaller housing than their parents. On the contrary, most parents were homeowners of a large single-family home. The generational differences were clearly observed in housing tenure, housing structure, and housing size. Although leaving parents' home is part of a transition to adulthoods (depending on the stability of the labor market and the affordability in the housing market), that process was largely triggered by the employment status that can lead to economic independence rather than their marital status. Both housing and job opportunities are important factors to determine independent life.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.137-154
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• 2010

This study empirically analyzed the effects of the Top Management Team (TMT) on organizational performance. We verified whether the age heterogeneity, job heterogeneity (core career, core function and major), and process (communication and integration) of the TMT affect organizational performance (management performance and healthcare service quality evaluation level). We collected data about 473 members of the 2006 TMT in 81 medical institutions. We also utilized statistics of organizational performance from the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs and the Korean Institute of Hospital Management. Results of the study showed that the age heterogeneity of TMT exerted a negative effect on the healthcare service quality evaluation level, while the process exerted a positive effect. However, the age heterogeneity, job heterogeneity, and process had no influence on management performance. We discussed the implications of such outcome of the investigation in comparison with the former studies on TMT and organizational performance, and presented its restrictions and future plans.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.125-141
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of provider practice patterns in the difference in health expenditure between the two types of patients: Health Insurance and Medical Aid type 1. The study used the outpatient claim data for all Medicaid and health insurance patients of hypertension who received medical services from 8,454 primary care physicians during the first half of 2006. The data were stratified by patient's gender and age for the two groups of patients who received care from the same physician. The dependent variables were the differences in medical expenditure per case, patient days per case and medical expenditure per patient day between Medicaid patients and health insurance patients. Empirical results showed that physician characteristics, such as physicians under age 50, greater proportion of pediatric Medicaid patients, lower proportion of new Medicaid patients and the greater number of comorbidity of Medicaid patients are associated with the greater difference between the two types of patients (i.e., greater expenditure of Medicaid patients relative to health insurance patients). This study shows that factors associated with provider practice patterns need to be taken into account in Medicaid policy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.480-489
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors which influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korean Medicaid beneficiaries. The relationships among sociodemographic factors, health status, health behavior, and HRQoL were analyzed. Methods: Data from the 2007 survey on Health Services Use and Health Status of Medicaid Beneficiaries conducted by the Ministry for Health Welfare and Family Affairs were examined. To analyze the sample survey data, descriptive statistics, correlation and hierarchical multiple survey regression analysis with SAS 9.1.3 package were used with SURVEYMEANS and SURVEYREG procedures, which incorporate the sample design into the analyses in order to make statistically valid inference for the whole Medicaid population. Results: The HRQoL correlated with limitations in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (r=-.509, p<.001), stress (r=-.387, p<.001), depression (r=-.385, p<.001), alcohol consumption (r=.216, p<.001), and exercise (r=.293, p<.001). Significant factors that affect HRQoL of Medicaid beneficiaries were gender, region, limitations in ADL, stress, depression, alcohol consumption, and regular exercise. These variables explained 44.6% of HRQoL (F= 215.00, p<.001). Conclusion: The results indicate that to improve the HRQoL of Medicaid beneficiaries it is important to develop nursing intervention programs that focus on psychological health and health behavior and to give consideration to differences in gender and region.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.136-146
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of copayments for doctor visits and prescription drugs on health services utilization in the Type I Medicaid beneficiaries in Korea. Method: This study examined data from the 2007 survey on Health Services Use and Health Status of Medicaid Beneficiaries performed by the Ministry for Health Welfare and Family Affairs. To analyze these sample survey data, the SURVEYFREQ, SURVEYMEANS, and SURVEYREG procedures which incorporate the sample design into the analyses were used. Results: Findings of this study indicate that copayments for doctor visits and prescription drugs of Medicaid Type I beneficiaries have cut overall medical costs. However, although results should be interpreted very carefully because of the relatively low $R^2$, copayments have cut more health services utilization of people who need more health services because of their complex diseases and disability. In addition, besides copayment, several factors are affecting differences in health services utilization before and after copayments implementation. Conclusion: These results highlight the need to examine the effects of copayments more thoroughly according to the kinds of disease, the severity of disease, and the level of copayment.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.375-385
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• 2010

Purpose: This study examined the effects of case management (CM) for Medicaid on healthcare utilization considering the Medicaid system. Methods: Data were extracted from survey data on "Healthcare utilization and health status of Medicaid beneficiaries" conducted in 2007 and 2008 by the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. This study was designed to compare the effects on healthcare utilization between the CM group and the non-CM group. The subjects were 535 Type I Medicaid beneficiaries who utilized healthcare more than 365 days during 2006. Results: The outpatient days and medication days of the CM group decreased significantly more than those of the non-CM group with the copayment system. There were no significant differences of healthcare utilization between the CM group and the non-CM group with the designated doctor system. Conclusion: CM worked effectively on Medicaid beneficiaries' outpatient healthcare utilization with the copayment system. However, its effects on hospitalization, which is a major cause increasing the total expense, were not observed. Therefore, future studies are needed to develop strategies to reduce hospitalization and Medicaid beneficiaries outpatient healthcare utilization with the designated doctor system.