• Human Ecology Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.275-284
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to provide useful insights into community-level support services for family caregivers in Korea by comparing them with the services in the United States. Similar to most developed countries, life expectancy has led to rapid population aging in Korea over the last several decades. However, despite increased social needs of long-term care for the elderly, many elderly Koreans are still dependent on their family for the long-term care. Yet, existing support programs for family caregivers are very limited. As a result, family caregivers often suffer from a lack of financial resources and emotional support. In this study, we comprehensively review the extensive literature, including relevant studies and documents of community-level support services for family caregivers of the elderly at home in Korea and the United States. One of the most important differences is that compared to Korea, diverse services based on the law of NFCSP to support the family caregivers, such as counseling, organization of support group, and educating have been available in the United States since 2000. Additionally, the legal definition of family caregivers in the United State is broader than that in Korea, where family caregivers are limited to those who are related by blood or marriage. Therefore, more caregivers are eligible for support programs and benefit from the programs in the United States. The findings of the study suggest that policy makers in Korea should legislate for diverse and comprehensive services for family caregivers. Further, it is necessary to define legal terms for family caregivers more broadly to extend beneficiaries of the programs.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.152-165
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• 1998

Background : In this paper patient outcomes research is going to be reviewed and described, to be compared with relevant studies, and to consider the application in Korea. Methods : We compiled and reviewed the articles and materials related to patient outcomes research especially by PORT(Patient Outcomes Research Team) and rearranged them for seeking the main point and comparing with relevant studies. Results : Patient outcomes research emphasizes patient outcomes as well as conventional clinical outcomes. It is prospective study observing effectiveness in real situation instead of efficacy in ideal condition. Patient outcomes research comprises of 6 fields ; literature review and meta-analysis, use of claims data, decision modeling, outcomes assessment, cost of care, dissemination of research findings. SAA(small-area variations analysis), appropriateness study and clinical practice guideline are connected with patient outcomes research. Conclusion : In view of the fact that current medical policy in Korea is shifting its focus from accessibility to the improvement in quality and cost containment, and is stressing patient-based research, patient outcomes research is one direction for which the medicine is accountable and assessable. Considering that the number of patient receiving medical treatment in Korea is higher than the West, patient outcomes research has competitive power as against the West.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to, present basic data on the necessity of introducing assistant staff to support administrative tasks related to patient safety. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. The participants (n=103) of this study were nurses, working at general and long-term care hospitals in Korea. Data were collected using structured questionnaires on August 29, 2019 and analyzed with SPSS 25.0. Specifically, data analysis was conducted using frequencies, mean and standard deviation, independent t-test, and X²-test. Results: Assistant staff was needed to support patient safety tasks, but this required nurses who could fully perform patient safety tasks by supplementing their work experience rather than employees who only support administrative tasks. This is because the hospital's patient safety management activities are difficult to distinguish between administrative tasks and patient safety tasks, and even nurses with five years of work experience, must be aware of the basic concepts and should have knowledge of patient safety and have gained experience in managing the patient safety activities. Conclusion: Hospitals are calling for an improvement in the system that increases the number of workers in charge of patient safety affairs and lowers their work experience, rather than the introduction of assistant staff who help with patient safety work.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2020

This study was attempted to grasp the push-pull factors of urban to rural migrants in relation to services and infrastructure of rural welfare and culture. Online and offline survey were conducted for urban residents who were willing to return to the rural area and those who were already returning to the rural area. In the fields of health care, social welfare, and education, it was found that the satisfaction level of urban-to-rural migrants was relatively higher than those of latent urban-to-rural migrants. In the field of culture, leisure and sports, the level of satisfaction and concern were similar, so it was found that the expectations for the field were relatively high before returning rural area. As for the agreement degree to expand support, the demand for emergency medical facilities and dementia care program was the highest, and the demand for health care was found to be relatively high. The results of the survey on the top priority items indicate that latent urban-to-rural migrants require support of facility and space item and expansion of program item, and urban-to-rural migrants have high demand for expansion of program item in all field except healthcare field. The results of this study are expected to provide useful information for establishing the direction of the rural area development project in connection with the revitalization of policy of people return to rural area.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2007

Unprecedented amount of genetic information being generated from the result of Human Genome Project (HGP) and advances in genetic research is already forcing changes in the paradigm of health and disease. The ultimate goal of genetic medicine is to use genetic information and technology to develop new ways of treatment or even prevention of the disease on an individual level for 'personalized medicine'. Genetics is play ing an increasingly important role in the diagnosis, monitoring and management of common multifactorial diseases in addition to rare single-gene disorders. While wide range of genetic testing have provided benefits to patients and family, uncertainties surrounding test interpretation, the current lack of available medical options for the diseases, and risks for discrimination and social stigmatization may remain to be resolved. However an increasing number of genetic tests are becoming commercially available, including direct to consumer genetic testing, yet public is often unaw are of their clinical and social implications. The personal nature of information generated by a genetic test, its power to affect major life decisions and family members, and its potential misuse raise important ethical considerations. Therefore appropriate genetic counseling is needed for patient to be informed with the benefits, limitations and risks of genetic tests, prior to informed consent for the tests. Physician also should be familiar with the legal and ethical issues involved in genetic testing to tell patients how w ell a particular genetic risk factor relates with likelihood of disease, and be able to provide appropriate genetic counseling. Genetic counseling become a mandatory requirement as global standard for many genetic testing such as prenatal diagnosis, presymtomatic DNA diagnostic tests and cancer susceptibility gene test for familial cancer syndrome. In oder to meet the challenge of genetic medicine of 21 century in korean health care system, professional education program and certification board for medical genetics specialist including non-MD genetic counselors should be addressed by medical society and regulatory policy of national health insurance reimbursement for genetic counseling to be in place to promote the implementation of clinical genetic service including genetic counseling for proper genetic testing.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.789-797
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• 2021

BACKGROUD/OBJECTIVES: Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN) are providers of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to address health and chronic disease. Traditionally, RDNs have provided care in healthcare facilities including hospitals and private care facilities. The purpose of this study was to determine how RDN individualized MNT in the home impacted nutrition, physical activity, and food security. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This is a secondary data analysis. The mean age of the participants (n = 1,007) was 51.6 years old with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 34.1 kg/m². Individualized MNT visits were delivered by an RDN in the home setting from January to December 2019. Participants were referred by healthcare professionals or self-referred. Participants had MNT benefits covered by their health insurance plan (43.3% Medicaid; 39.8% private insurance; 7.9% Medicare, 9% other). Health outcomes related to nutrition care were measured. Outcomes included self-reported consumption of nutrition factors and physical activity. Our secondary outcome focused on food security. The changes in weight, BMI, physical activity, and nutrition factors were analyzed by a linear regression model or linear mixed model, adjusting for age, sex, baseline value, and number of appointments. Food security was summarized in a 2 by 2 contingency table. RESULTS: Baseline values had significantly negative impacts for all changes and number of appointments was significant in the changes for weight and BMI. Increases in physical activity were significant for both female and male participants, 10.4 and 12.6 minutes per day, respectively, while the changes in weight and BMI were not. Regarding dietary factors, the consumption total servings per day of vegetables (0.13) and water (3.35) significantly increased, while the consumption of total servings of whole grain (-0.27), fruit (-0.32), dairy (-0.80) and fish (-0.81) significantly decreased. About 24% (of overall population) and 45% (of Medicaid population) reported improvements in food security. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that home visits were a useful setting for MNT delivered by RDNs. There is a strong need for individualized counseling to meet the participants' needs and personal goals.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.513-521
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to suggest an anti-aging health care plan through a literature analysis of the life activity system of Oriental Medicine. The source of normal maintenace, development, and change of the natural world and the human body's life activity process is the dynamical cooperative equilibrium of the internal Shen-Ji's discipline that creates, grows, changes, makes differences and stores(生长化收藏) and external Qi-Li's process of change from birth to growth, maturity to old age and ending of life(生長壯老已). Therefore, it was analyzed that the natural and human life activity processes are normally maintained, developed, and transformed. As a result, when the natural healing power of Genuine-Qi, the source of the human vitality, rises with the 'breathing massage' that combines a static breathing method which is anti-aging health care method applying the lifting entering movement of Qi and a dynamic abdominal massage, and it harmonizes the Shen-Ji which is the life process system and Qi-Li so that it is believed to be helpful in prolonging a healthy lifespan.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.127-137
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to suggest the justification for social recognition of childcare staff through a review of Axel Honneth's recognition theory of childcare staff's caring work, the Constitution, the Infant Care Act, and the National Human Rights Commission Act. As a result of the study, first, the poor working environment of childcare staff was confirmed. Despite the continuous intervention of childcare policies to improve the working environment of childcare teachers, poor working conditions such as annual/monthly vacation and rest time guarantee were confirmed. Second, the human rights violations of childcare staff were confirmed. The installation of CCTV installed to prevent child abuse in childcare institutions confirmed not only the human rights violations of childcare staff but also the psychological pressure of childcare staff who are monitored 24 hours a day. Third, this study has significance in that it suggests the justification for social recognition of childcare staff through revision and supplementation of the current law for appropriate performance evaluation of childcare.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.328-335
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• 2019

Korea is entering into an "Aging Society" rapidly. In this currency, the Elderly Supporting Problems is emerging as a main issue of elderly welfare services policy. The study is based on the welfare panel data of 2016 (11th), and it is divided into the national selection group and the family selection group who are in charge of the elderly welfare services in terms of operation and delivery and financial burden. And analyzed the factors that affected the effect. As the result of the analysis, it is found that the higher the age of the elderly, the higher the age and education level, The more we experience welfare services, the more we receive public pensions, the greater the responsibility of the elderly, the greater the elderly spending. It is meaningful to provide basic data for solving the elderly supporting problem at the present time which is not sufficient for the elderly welfare system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.19-27
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine whether public services in rural areas performed the functions of public interest value that benefited all residents of rural areas. Therefore, the results were derived through spatial distribution and population characteristics analysis at the level of basic living service facilities. As a result, the status of spatial distribution in the Favorable and Vulnerable areas of rural villages and the status of population distribution in the vulnerable areas was analyzed for retail, child care and medical facilities. In the case of retail facilities, it was found that more than 80.0% of the country's farming villages were distributed in the favorable areas that could be reached within 15 minutes. In the case of child care facilities, 91.5% of the total number of favorable areas could be reached within 15 minutes, and the distribution of child care facilities nationwide was deemed proper. In the case of medical facilities, 90.8% or more villages could be reached within 15 minutes of travel time as a lawmaker, and in the case of hospitals and emergency medical services, 92.7% of hospitals and 68.2% of emergency medical services were analyzed as favorable areas. Through these results, the government intends to establish objective spatial data in rural areas to provide basic information on policy directions and contribute to planning.