• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.335-346
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• 2020

Objectives: This study investigated the association between oral health and suicide attempts in adults aged 65 years or older using the 7^th Korea National Health and Examination Survey (KHANES, 2016-2018). Methods: Of the total 24,269 participants of the 7^th KHANES (2016-2018), 1,488 adults aged 65 years or older who had an oral health examination were selected. Variations in suicide attempts with demographic characteristics and perceived oral health status were analyzed using the χ² test, and the association between oral health and suicide attempts was analyzed using the logistic regression model. Results: The suicide attempt rate was higher among older adults with chewing (p<0.01) and speaking (p<0.05) difficulties. The odds ratio for a suicide attempt was 1.05 times higher among those with tooth loss (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our results showed that older adults with tooth loss had an increased risk of suicide. Thus, it is important to prevent tooth loss, in the first place, through proper oral health management. If tooth loss occurs, appropriate treatment should be prioritized to facilitate functional recovery. Finally, national support is required for older adults with limited access to dental care.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.273-294
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• 2023

Background: Most developed countries are working to improve their universal health coverage systems. This study investigates regional disparities in unmet healthcare needs and their causes in South Korea. Additionally, it compares the unmet healthcare needs rate in South Korea with that of 33 European countries. Methods: The analysis incorporates information from 13,359 adults aged 19 or older, using data from the Korea Health Panel. The dependent variables encompass the experience of unmet healthcare needs and the three causes of occurrence: "burden of medical expenses," "time constraints," and "lack of care." The primary variable of interest is the region of residence, while control variables encompass 14 socio-demographic, health, and functional characteristics. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis, accounting for the sampling design, is conducted. Results: The rate of unmet healthcare needs in Korea is 11.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.0%-13.3%), which is approximately 30 times higher than that of Austria (0.4%). The causes of unmet healthcare needs, ranked in descending order, are "lack of care," "time constraints," and "burden of medical expenses." Predictive probabilities for experiencing unmet healthcare needs and each cause differ significantly between regions. For instance, the probability of experiencing unmet healthcare needs due to "lack of care" is approximately 10 times higher in Gangwon-do (13.5%; 95% CI, 13.0%-14.1%) than in Busan (1.3%; 95% CI, 1.3%-1.4%). The probability due to "burden of medical expenses" is approximately 14 times higher in Seoul (4.1%; 95% CI, 3.6%-4.6%) compared to Jeollanam-do (0.3%; 95% CI, 0.2%-0.4%). Conclusion: Amid rapid sociodemographic transitions, South Korea must make significant efforts to alleviate unmet healthcare needs and the associated regional disparities. To effectively achieve this, it is recommended that South Korea involves the National Assembly in healthcare policy-making, while maintaining a centralized financing model and delegating healthcare planning and implementation to regional authorities for their local residents-similar to the approaches of the United Kingdom and France.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.51-79
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• 1990

Research on technical efficiency, an important dimension of market performance, had received little attention until recently by most industrial organization empiricists, the reason being that traditional microeconomic theory simply assumed away any form of inefficiency in production. Recently, however, an increasing number of research efforts have been conducted to answer questions such as: To what extent do technical ineffciencies exist in the production activities of firms and plants? What are the factors accounting for the level of inefficiency found and those explaining the interindustry difference in technical inefficiency? Are there any significant international differences in the levels of technical efficiency and, if so, how can we reconcile these results with the observed pattern of international trade, etc? As the first in a series of studies on the technical efficiency of Korea's manufacturing industries, this paper attempts to answer some of these questions. Since the estimation of technical efficiency requires the use of plant-level data for each of the five-digit KSIC industries available from the Census of Manufactures, one may consture the findings of this paper as empirical evidence of technical efficiency in Korea's manufacturing industries at the most disaggregated level. We start by clarifying the relationship among the various concepts of efficiency-allocative effciency, factor-price efficiency, technical efficiency, Leibenstein's X-efficiency, and scale efficiency. It then becomes clear that unless certain ceteris paribus assumptions are satisfied, our estimates of technical inefficiency are in fact related to factor price inefficiency as well. The empirical model employed is, what is called, a stochastic frontier production function which divides the stochastic term into two different components-one with a symmetric distribution for pure white noise and the other for technical inefficiency with an asymmetric distribution. A translog production function is assumed for the functional relationship between inputs and output, and was estimated by the corrected ordinary least squares method. The second and third sample moments of the regression residuals are then used to yield estimates of four different types of measures for technical (in) efficiency. The entire range of manufacturing industries can be divided into two groups, depending on whether or not the distribution of estimated regression residuals allows a successful estimation of technical efficiency. The regression equation employing value added as the dependent variable gives a greater number of "successful" industries than the one using gross output. The correlation among estimates of the different measures of efficiency appears to be high, while the estimates of efficiency based on different regression equations seem almost uncorrelated. Thus, in the subsequent analysis of the determinants of interindustry variations in technical efficiency, the choice of the regression equation in the previous stage will affect the outcome significantly.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-26
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze the quality of life (QoL) of elderly women and the effect of social support on their QoL. The data were used 'urvey on the Elderly in 2011', which was held from 'Ministry of Health & Welfare' and 'Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs'. Among the total 15,146 respondents, 3,880 of elderly women whose age was over 65, and who did not live together with their married children were included in the analysis. Multiple regression analysis and path analysis were used to analyze the research model. The findings were as follows. First, from the fact that the elderly women showed the highest mean in 'contact frequency with friends' among social support, it seemed that the elderly women contacted their friends more than their children in their old age. Among the support types from their children, elderly women received emotional support, physical support, instrumental support in order and irregular cash as a way of economic support. Second, from the regression results, the most critical factor that affected the QoL of elderly women was 'subjective physical condition level' and 'subjective standard of living' comes next. Third, the most important factor was 'subjective standard of living' from path analysis results, and 'subjective physical condition level' and 'total amount of annual income' in order. Also, social supports such as 'phone call contact frequency with children', 'emotional support from children', phone call contact frequency with relatives', 'phone call contact frequency with friends' positively affected the QoL of elderly women. Therefore, raising social supports from children, relatives, and friends positively contributes to improve the QoL of elderly women directly and indirectly. The results show that social supporters, which is a part of the structural aspects of social support, and types of social support, which lies in functional aspects, directly affect QoL of the elderly women and turn out to be factors that improve the QoL as mediating variables. It is concluded that the social supports can be the most important resources that make up declining personal and social resources in old age and maintain the QoL of elderly women.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.18-28
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• 2009

Both feasibility and accuracy of lumped approach to group 12 organic compounds in mixtures into a fewer number of pseudocompounds in sorption processes were evaluated using mixtures containing organic compounds with various physicochemical properties and low-surface-area mineral sorbents. The lumped approach for sorption to simulated mineral sorbents was developed by cluster analysis from statistics. Using the lumped approach, the sorption estimated from both reduced number of pseudocompounds and their sorption parameters (i.e., $K_f$, n) can approximate sorption behavior of complex organic mixtures. Additionally, the pseudocompounds for various mixtures to different types of low-surface-area mineral sorbents can be estimated a priori from the physicochemical properties of organic compound (i.e., ${\gamma_w}^{sat}$). Therefore, the lumped approach may help to simplify the complex fate and transport model of organic contaminant mixtures, reduce experimental efforts, and yet provide results that are statistically identical for practical purposes. Further research is warranted to enhance the accuracy of lumped approach using the multiple regression analysis considering the H-bonding capacity, site concentrations, functional groups for mineral sorbents.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.23-39
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• 1989

There have been a lot of considerable. discussion and debate surrounding the management model in the health insurance management system and opinions regarding the management operating cost. It is a well known fact that there have always been dissenting opinions and debates surrounding the issue. The management operating cost varies according to the scale of the management organization and component members characteristics of the insurance carrier. Therefore, it is necessary to examine and compare the management operating cost to the simulated management models developed to cover those eligible for the health insurance scheme in this country. Since the management operating cost can vary according to the different models of management, four alternative management models have been established based on the critical evaluation of existing theories concerned, as well as on the basis of the survey results and simulation attempts. The first alternative model is the Unique Insurance Carrier Model(Ⅰ) ; desigened to cover all of the people with no classification of insurance qualifications and finances from the source of contribution of the insured, nationwide. The second is the Management Model of Large-scale District Insurance Carrier(Ⅱ) ; this means the Korean society would be divided into 21 large districts; each having its own insurance carrier that would cover the people in that particular district with no classification of insurance qualifications arid finances as in Model I. The third is the Management Model of Insurance Carrier Divided by Area and Classified with Occupation if Largescale (Ⅲ) ; to serve the self-employed in the 21 districts divided as in Model Ⅱ. It would serve the employees and their dependents by separate insurance carriers in large-scale similar to the area of the district-scale for the self-employed, so that the insurance qualifications and finances would be classified with each of the insurance carriers: The last is the Management Model of the Multi - insurance Carrier (Ⅳ) based on the Si. Gun. Gu area which will cover their own self- employed people in the area with more than 150 additional insurance carriers covering the employees and their dependents. The manpower necessary to provide services to all of the people according to the four models is calculated through simulation trials. It indicates that the Management Model of Large-scale District Insurance Carrier requires the most manpower among the four alternative models. The unit management operating costs per the insured individuals and covered persons are leveled with several intervals based on the insurance recipients. in their characteristics. The interval levels derived from the regression analysis reveal that the larger the scale of the insurance carriers is in the number of those insured and covered. the more the unit management operating cost decreases. significantly. Moreover. the result of the quadratic functional formula also shows the U-shape significantly. The management operating costs derived from the simulated calculation. on the basis of the average salary and related cost per staff- member of the Health Insurance Societies for Occupational Labours and Korean Medical Insurance Corporation for the Official Servants and Private School Teachers in 1987 fiscal year. show that the Model of Multi-insurance Carrier warrants the highest management operating cost. Meanwhile the least expensive management operating cost is the Management Model of Unique Insurance Carrier. Insurance Carrier Divided by Area and Classified with Occupation in Large-scale. and Large-scale District Insurance Carrier. in order. Therefore. it is feasible to select the Unique Insurance Carrier Model among the four alternatives from the viewpoint of the management operating cost and in the sense of the flexibility in promoting the productivity of manpower in the human services field. However. the choice of the management model for health insurance systems and its application should be examined further utilizing the operation research analysis for such areas as the administrative efficiency and factors related to computer cost etc.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 1998

This paper is based on the design and analysis computing model of oxygen saturation with the pulse oximeter using the integral ratio of pulsating components. In our proposed algorithm. we modeled the transmitted optical signal in fingertip or earlobe to DC component $A_{dc}$ pulsating component $A_a\;Sinwt$, noise component $A_{noise}$ and etc.. To separate the pulsating components and DC components efficiently, we defined the signal average to DC components. Also we presented the way to eliminate the noise using integral ratio. To acquire a linearity of correlation graph for pulsating components ratios and non invasive oxygen saturation. we intensively observed on the oxygen saturations in the range of 75-100% in consideration of the error range of simulator. Also, for real time processing we experimented on changing the period of area calculating cycle from 1 to 6. The functional evaluation of the algorithm is compared with the method using the amplitude ratio of pulsating components frequently seen with pulse oximeter. The result was that our algorithm with 4 cycles of area calculating cycle which considered to be best fit by 1% to the existing method. Moreover r , the decision coefficient showing the correlation of regression graph with real data, proved better result of 0.985 than 0.970.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.379-384
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Apolipoprotein A5 gene promoter region T-1131C polymorphism (APOA5 T-1131C) is known to be associated with elevated plasma TG levels, although little is known of the influence of the interaction between APOA5 T-1131C and lifestyle modification on TG levels. To investigate this matter, we studied APOA5 T-1131C and plasma TG levels of subjects participating in a three-month lifestyle modification program. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A three-month lifestyle modification program was conducted with 297 participants (Age: $57{\pm}8years$) in Izumo City, Japan, from 2001-2007. Changes in energy balance (the difference between energy intake and energy expenditure) and BMI were used to evaluate the participants' responses to the lifestyle modification. RESULTS: Even after adjusting for confounding factors, plasma TG levels were significantly different at baseline among three genotype subgroups: TT, $126{\pm}68mg/dl$; TC, $134{\pm}74mg/dl$; and CC, $172{\pm}101mg/dl$. Lifestyle modification resulted in significant reductions in plasma TG levels in the TT, TC, and CC genotype subgroups: $-21.9{\pm}61.0mg/dl$, $-20.9{\pm}51.0mg/dl$, and $-42.6{\pm}78.5mg/dl$, respectively, with no significant differences between them. In a stepwise regression analysis, age, APOA5 T-1131C, body mass index (BMI), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and the 18:1/18:0 ratio showed independent association with plasma TG levels at baseline. In a general linear model analysis, APOA5 T-1131C C-allele carriers showed significantly greater TG reduction with decreased energy balance than wild type carriers after adjustment for age, gender, and baseline plasma TG levels. CONCLUSIONS: The genetic effects of APOA5 T-1131C independently affected plasma TG levels. However, lifestyle modification was effective in significantly reducing plasma TG levels despite the APOA5 T-1131C genotype background.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4637-4642
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• 2014

Background: Hypoxia-inducible factor $1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) plays an important role in regulating cell survival and angiogenesis, which are critical for tumor growth and metastasis. Genetic variations of HIF1A have been shown to influence the susceptibility to many kinds of human tumors. Increased expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ has also been demonstrated to be involved in tumor progression. However, the prognostic value of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) inthe HIF1A gene remains to be determined in most cancer types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we sought to investigate the predictive role of HIF1A SNPs in prognosis of CRC patients and efficacy of chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: We genotyped two functional SNPs in HIF1A gene using the Sequenom iPLEX genotyping system and then assessed their associations with clinicopathological parameters and clinical outcomes of 697 CRC patients receiving radical surgery using Cox logistic regression model and Kaplan Meier curves. Results: Generally, no significant association was found between these 2 SNPs and clinical outcomes of CRC. In stratified analysis of subgroup without adjuvant chemotherapy, patients carrying CT/TT genotypes of rs2057482 exhibited a borderline significant association with better overall survival when compared with those carrying CC genotype [Hazard ratio (HR), 0.47; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.29-0.76; P < 0.01]. Moreover, significant protective effects on CRC outcomes conferred by adjuvant chemotherapy were exclusively observed in patients carrying CC genotype of rs2057482 and in those carrying AC/CC genotype of rs2301113. Conclusions: Genetic variations in HIF1A gene may modulate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery in CRC patients.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.921-930
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• 2013

Objective: After introduction of the Elderly Long Term Care Insurance, number of geriatric hospitals increased greatly. However, few studies were conducted on the satisfaction of the patients of the geriatric hospitals especially on the intention to reuse geriatric hospitals. Methods: The current study modified Sheth's consumption value model, useful for the development of an effective marketing strategy for geriatric hospitals, and tested it in Korean circumstances. The survey was conducted at two municipal hospitals and three private hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province between August 1 and September 30 of 2012. Data were collected from 472 inpatients who are 60 years or older. The structured research tool was developed and distributed. Factor analysis and hierarchical logistic regression analysis were conducted using SPSS(version 14.0) Results: The result of the research suggested that the satisfaction on rehabilitation services, which is a functional value, among the consumption values was the strongest factor on the intention to reuse geriatric hospitals. Impression of high-end luxury, reliability of care, and outside locus of control on health followed. Conclusion: It is recommended that geriatric hospitals ought to improve rehabilitation programs, facilities, and equipments and enhance kindness of staff to encourage intention to reuse geriatric hospitals.