• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.98-103
• /
• 2018

This study aims to evaluate the status of Korean healthcare among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries and to monitor the trend of health care status since 2000. The position value for relative comparison (PARC) index was selected to gauge the level of healthcare status in demand, supply, accessibility, quality, and cost as per healthcare policy aspects. The Mann-Kendall test was conducted to allocate healthcare status of Korea since 2000. The PARC values indicate strength and weakness of Korean healthcare system by the mathematical comparisons. Korea positioned higher in demand, supply, accessibility, and quality. Yet, there are shortages in human resources and primary care. In conclusion, we suggest utilizing this study provides evidence to prioritize health care problems that can lead to establishing healthcare policy.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.143-156
• /
• 2003

The present study was initially designed to figure out the general condition of care giving system for the elderly women who need long term care and the level of their depression according to the conditions of care. And This research is intented to present appropriate policy that could help the establishment of supporting system for the fragile elderly women.1 used the data from <2001 National Study on the Needs for the Long-Term Care Elderly> by Korea Health and Population Institute. The results are as follows: First, Two third of all the respondents had serious problems (2-9 activities limits) in Instrumental Daily Living Ability(DAL). Most respondents reported “low” in satisfaction level related to receiving care, meaning the elderly had negative perception for the care from the family. The elderly expected their children to be as the primary care giver and mostly wanted to live with them in the future. Second, The majority of the long term care elderly women haven't used community service facilities very often and said they are not likely going to use the facilities in the future. Third, The respondents reported high in depression level as to lower satisfaction with their children's support, poorer health condition, more reluctant to use service facilities due to the cost, and fewer friends and neighbors resources around them. Therefore I could say that negative factors for the elderly women's psychological health were having unsatisfactory relationship with intimate people, developing physical illness, being in economic difficulties. That is, receiving less help from close family members, shrinking social network, and experiencing economic hardship would have negative effects on elderly women's psychological health. In the basis of these results, I suggest that in the mean time we shouldn't overlook the importance of the private support when we develop the public elderly support system.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.109-119
• /
• 2010

Purpose: This study was a part of a drive to develop a community health center-based hospice management model which is concerned with hospice care at a community health care setting and available resources of the local community. Methods: Development of a community health center-based hospice management model involved evaluation of existing hospice-related research, including literature review, and research on hospice facilities at the study site, as well as evaluation of model operation. The latter involved community health center-based hospice test operation, and evaluation of test operation by a research team, including of a nursing professor majoring in hospice care and staffs from a community health center in Busan metropolitan city, regional cancer center, and regional terminal cancer patient medical institute. The study was conducted in the 2008 calendar year. Results: The community health center-based hospice management model provides service linked with local community resources, focusing on the local community health center. Financial and administrative assistance is provided by the regional cancer center, with collaboration from academic health care professionals who guide the operation management. The community health center hospice nurse in consultation with a visiting nurse team registers terminally-ill cancer patients and, after assessment, the hospice team prioritize hospice care during team meeting. Care is delivered by staffs and volunteers. Conclusion: The developed community health center-based hospice operation management model maximally utilizes available community health resources to produce qualitative improvement of regional health and welfare policy through improving the lives of home-based cancer patients and their family who are in medical blind spot.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.335-340
• /
• 2012

The microalgae, Microcystis aeruginosa are able to proliferate in a wide range of freshwater ecosystem. M. aeruginosa was cultivated in 25 L and 240 L race-way reactor containing modified medium with added urea 0.2 g/L, increased $Fe^{+2}$, and decreased $Ca^{+2}$ion compared to BG11 medium. Sugar contents of M. aeruginosa grown in BG11 medium, and modified medium were 120 mg/mL and 140 mg/mL respectively. Fermentation was conducted with the extract of M. aeruginosa at $30^{\circ}C$ for 30 h, using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc), Pichia stipitis (Ps), Zymomonas mobilis (Zm), and mixed-culture of these strains (Sc + Ps + Zm). Pichia stipitis (0.7%) was found to be more suitable for producing bioalcohol from M. aeruginosa extract than other strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (0.45%) and Zymomonas mobilis (0.61%), while mixed-cultured of these strains showed higest productivity by 1.75%. Biomass of M. aeruginosa contains the potency to be the most renewable resource for bioalcohol fermentation.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.315-324
• /
• 2016

Underserved area is a region that has a lack of healthcare resources. In the context of Korea, however, there are not enough detailed criteria for underserved areas. In this study, we aimed to develop indicators for underserved area through Delphi technique. We systematically reviewed the existing measure of underserved area. Sixty indicators were extracted as candidates across four domains in secondary medical care. Four domains are demand, medical resource, quality of care, and health outcome. To develop indicator, two round Delphi survey was conducted among 15 professional experts such as professionals and public administrators. In conclusion, 2 final indicators (accessibility, medical utilization) was determined as an appropriate measure in order to designate underserved area for secondary medical services. Using our criteria from Delphi technique, 36 areas were found as underserved areas for the secondary medical care.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.131-144
• /
• 2015

Objectives : This study investigated the health care utilization patterns and length of stay (LOS) determinants of fracture patients with workers' compensation insurance (WCI) and national health insurance (NHI). Methods : The discharge summary data of 4,394 WCI fracture patients were compared to 28,874 NHI patients. Health care utilization characteristics were compared with a logistic regression analysis, and the LOS determinants were identified with linear regression analysis. Results : The average LOS of the WCI fracture patients was 2.4 times higher than that of the NHI patients. WCI patients used more small or medium sized hospitals, and were more frequently admitted through the emergency room. Females, older patients and patients admitted through emergency room had a significant positive impact on LOS. Conclusions : Healthcare utilization by the WCI fracture patients may include medically unnecessary hospital stays. Therefore, policy makers need to respond appropriately to the inefficient use of health resources by WCI patients.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.234-242
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study tries to comprehend older adults' perspectives of community supports and health services in a South Korean city and identify important sociodemographic and health characteristics that affect their perspectives. Methods: 166 older adults were involved in this cross-sectional study. Questions on background characteristics and community supports and health services criteria (categorized as service accessibility, offer of services, voluntary support, or emergency care planning) based upon the WHO's Age-Friendly Cities Guide were used. The data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Results: emergency care planning was rated as the most important by the participants (mean age=76.24 years, 22.9% male), while its current level of performance was lowly appraised (p<.001). The rated importance for each category differed based on individual characteristics. Depression (p=.016), older age (p=.012), and restricted network type (p=.039) were significantly related to ascribing a higher degree of importance to community services. Conclusion: Community initiatives are warranted to optimize emergency care for older adults. This planning must be based on the unique characteristics of older adults in coordination with supportive resources. In addition, comprehensive assessments are warranted before implementing action plans to ensure that the multi-dimensional problems of older adults are incorporated.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.909-936
• /
• 2013

This study investigated definition of care farming in which advanced countries in agricultural industry such as Netherlands and Belgium increase their interest and investment, and established a strategy for settlement and development of care farming industry in Korea. For achieving purpose of the study, literature review was implemented to analyze policy, system, related law, workforce of advanced countries in care farming, and experts' conference which consists of 9 representatives such as professors, researchers in areas of agriculture, health, education, horticulture, animal-assisted therapy was implemented. Also survey was conducted targeting 165 people of practitioners in care farming industry. For the result, the concept of care farming in Korea was defined as 'Industry and activity which promotes psychological social physical cognitive health of every Korean people by utilizing agricultural resources(plants, livestock, rural environment, rural culture) or related activity and output', and the purpose, resources, targets of care farming was determined by the definition.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 1995

Health sub-centers, which have been established at myon areas by government policy, have provided a basic health care services for unfavorable rural conditions. Health sub-centers would be expected to serve for dweller's fundamental needs of primary health care services. But to accomplish it's function and role, the quality of physical facility should be enhanced as well as staff and financial resources. In this research, through the field survey of rural health sub-centers, the problems of facility planning and design were revealed. And then the basic data for architectural planning and design of health sub-centers were provided.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.470-481
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore self-management support experiences among breast cancer survivors. Methods: Individual in-depth interviews were performed for survivors who had treated breast cancer after completion of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Data were collected from April 2014 to July 2014 and analyzed using phenomenological method by Colaizzi. Results: Five essential themes were found as follows: 1) Need for continuous help and support to maintain self-management, 2) Need for professional resources to carry out regular exercise, 3) Overcoming psychological difficulties through others rather than health care professionals, 4) Disappointment with time with and circumstances of health care consultation, 5) Dependence on means of media for health related information. Conclusion: The results might contribute to an understanding of self-management support experienced by breast cancer survivors in Korea. It is suggested that evidence-based program for self-management support should be developed and applied to nursing intervention for breast cancer survivors.