• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.87-119
• /
• 1999

The main purpose of this research is to measure and analyze how productive the health centers are and how much inputs(or outputs) in the inefficient health centers should be decreased(or increased) for efficiency. The evaluation of the performance of health centers gives a strong incentive to improve resource allocation in regional health planning. It has been, however, implemented very rarely until now. In this regard, this paper measures the performance of the health centers with a single indicator for multiple-outputs in terms of productivity(technical efficiency), based on Data Envelopment method. The 20 Kyungnam health centers which provide clinic services and specific primary health care services were analyzed. The results show that 50.0% of 20 health centers were productive with respective to overall technical efficiency, 65.0% were productive for pure technical efficiency, and 50.0% for scale efficiency. The inefficient group includes Geoje, Mahsan, Miryang, Sahchun, Tongyoung, Gosung, Nahmhae, Euryang, Hahmahn, Hahbchun health centers. The worst case was identified as Tongyoung health center which represented a 47.5% efficiency, compared with productive health centers. The empirical results for input-output analysis indicates that the low-productive health centers have excessive manpower in administration department, producing low outputs in clinical services and vaccination program. These findings imply that a systemic evaluation of the performance of the Korean health centers and the subsequent structural reform are strongly required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.203-215
• /
• 1998

The purpose of this study is to inquire into the degree of health promotion activity in university students, and to find out the relationship between self-efficiency and health promotion behavior, Thus, we can offer basic data for developing an educational method or program for health promotion. For this research, data was collected from university men and women through a questionnaire from February 18 to March 20, 1998. A measuring instrument was based on lating reviews of health promotion behavior in chronic disease protection, perceived self efficiency, demographic factors, biological factors, and circumstatial factors. The content validity of the instrument was authenticated by two professors of nursing, and reliability was confirmed by 'cronbach' (${\alpha}^{\prime}$ after mortifying content through a pre-test on 30 students. 475 persons were analyzed in terms of average, percentage, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, and Multiple Stepwise Regression by 'SPSS-PC'. The analyzed data is as follows: 1. Higher self-efficiency, as a cognitive-perceptual factor, has a beneficial effect on health promotion behavior (r=.479, p=.000). The result of analyzing the differences among a low group, a middle group, a high group in terms of self-efficiency reveals that the relationship between self-efficiency and health promoting behavior is meaningful. 2. The degree of health promoting behavior is 3.26 out of 6. Other figuresrelating to health promoting behavior, are as follows. self-actualization area (4.62), interpersonal area (4.60), stress management area (4.01), nutrition area (3.68), responsibility of health area (3.11), liquid and cigaret area (2.85), and exercise area (2.33). 3. The degree of self-efficiency was 6.81 out of 10. Other figures relating to self-efficiency are as follows. interpersonal area (7.89), self-actualization area (7.84), liquid and cigarette area (7.72), exercise area (6.88), stress management area (6.84), responsibility of health area (6.35), and nutrition area (6.34). 4. The different lerels of health promoting behavior according to a subject's general factos are following: age (p=0.003), sex (p=0.000), health concern of parents (p= 0.000), taking health programs (p=0.007), case history of familes (p=0.048). Health promoting behavier is also positirely affeted by the following: higher age, social sciences focus, religion, living the relatives', and the higher health concerns of parents. 5. The difference of self-efficiency according to a subject's general factors is positirely affected by sex (p=.008), the health concerns of parents (p=.004), body indexes (p=.001), and the higher health concerns of parents. 6. As the result of analyzing major factors, the most powerful factor appears to be self-efficiency, 26.6% of health promoting behavior. Suggestions: 1. Results of this study point to self-efficiency as a major factor in the health promoting behavior of university students. It is crucial, therefore, to develop a health program to promote self-efficiency and to study how to promote prerention of certain diseases. 2. That health promoting behavior appears low in this study shows that health education should be taken into the university class, with a focus on the daily life of students as its goal.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.355-362
• /
• 2023

Background: Financial efficiency in monetary units and operational efficiency in non-monetary units are separately classified and evaluated. This is done to prevent the duplication of monetary units and non-monetary units in inputs and outputs. In addition, analyses are conducted to determine the factors that affect each aspect of efficiency. To prevent duplication of monetary and non-monetary units in inputs and outputs, financial efficiency, consisting of monetary units, and operational efficiency, comprising non-monetary units, are separately classified and evaluated. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted to identify the factors that affect each aspect of efficiency. Methods: This study conducted a panel analysis of 34 regional public hospitals and influencing factors on efficiency for 5 years from 2015 to 2019. Financial efficiency and operational efficiency were calculated through data envelopment analysis. Moreover, multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors that influence both financial efficiency and operational efficiency. Results: The factors that affect financial efficiency include the number of medical institutions within the treatment area and the ratio of patients receiving medical care. Additionally, operational efficiency is influenced by the type of medical institution, the number of medical institutions within the treatment area, and the number of nursing positions per 100 beds. Conclusion: In order for regional public hospitals to faithfully fulfill their functions and roles as regional base public hospitals, several measures are necessary. Firstly, continuous monitoring and reasonable support are required to ensure efficient operation and performance. Secondly, a financial support plan tailored to the characteristics of local medical centers is needed. Additionally, local medical centers should strive to enhance their own efficiency.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.199-218
• /
• 2002

This study was conducted to examine obese children's self-efficiency feeling and health promotion behavior in order to provide basic information on prevention of children obesity. Data were collected in June, 2001 from 349 normal weight children and 351 obese children, who were fifth or sixth graders at 14 primary schools located in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Ansan, chungju, and Gumi. The data were analyzed through using Chronbach's $\alpha$, frequency analysis, $X^2-test$, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. The results of this study can be summarized as follow. 1. The factor of children obesity was significantly different in the variables of sex, parents obesity, brother or sister obesity, father's occupation, level of living, health condition, and satisfaction level with their bodies. On the other hand, it was not significantly different in the variables of father's education level, mother's education level, mother's occupation, level of father's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. 2. In the case of normal weight children, dietary efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of level of father's concern about health and level of children's concern about health. In th case of obese children, the dietary efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of mother obesity, parents' education level, father's occupation, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, exercise efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of sex, level of parents's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the exercise efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of grade, brother and sister obesity, parents' education level, father's occupation, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, social efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of brother and sister obesity, parents' education level, level of parents' concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the social efficiency feeling was significantly different in the variables of parents' education level, father's occupation, level of living, the children's health condition, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. 3. In the case of normal weight children, personal hygiene was significantly different in the variables of sex, level of parents's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the personal hygiene was significantly different in the variables of parents' education level, father's occupation, mother's occupation, level of living, and level of parents' concern about health. In the case of normal weight children, dietary habit was significantly different in the variables of sex, level of parents's concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the dietary habit was significantly different in the variables of father's education level, mother's education level, level of living, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, exercise habit was significantly different in the variables of grade, sex, father's education level, mother's education level, and level of children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the exercise habit was significantly different in the variables of grade, mother obesity, parents' education level, father's occupation, level of parent' concern about health, the children's health condition, and the children's satisfaction level with their bodies. In the case of normal weight children, prevention of infectious diseases was significantly different in the variables of sex, father's occupation, level of parents' concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the prevention of infectious diseases was significantly different in the variables of mother's education level and father's occupation. In the case of normal weight children, prevention of accident was significantly different in the variables of mother's education level, level of parents' concern about health, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the prevention of accident was significantly different in the variables of brother and sister obesity and mother's occupation. In the case of normal weight children, mental health was significantly different in the variables of father obesity, brother and sister obesity, parents' education level, and level of the children's concern about health. In the case of obese children, the mental health was significantly different in the variables of parents' educational level, father's occupation, mother's occupation, level of living, and the children's health condition. 4. According to the correlation between self-efficiency feeling and health promotion behavior, the higher the self-efficiency feeling was, the higher the level of health promotion behavior was. 5. The children obesity was influenced by the factors of level of living, level of parents' concern about health, the children's health condition, level of the children's concern about health, the children's satisfaction level with their bodies, dietary efficiency feeling, exercise efficiency feeling, social efficiency feeling, personal hygiene, dietary habit, exercise habit, prevention of infectious diseases, prevention of accident, and mental health. From the results of this study, it is clear that obese children's self-efficiency feeling is closely related with health promotion behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen children's self-efficiency feeling in order to make children control efficiently obesity for themselves.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.9
• /
• pp.1288-1295
• /
• 2012

Exposure to bioaerosols causes various adverse health effects including infectious and respiratory diseases, and hypersensitivity. Controlling exposure to bioaerosols is important for disease control and prevention. In this study, we evaluated the efficacies of various functional filters coated with antimicrobial chemicals in deactivating representative microorganisms on filters or as bioaerosols. Tested functional filters were coated with different chemicals that included (i) Ginkgo and sumac, (ii) Ag-apatite and guanidine phosphate, (iii) $SiO_2$, ZnO, and $Al_2O_3$, and (iv) zeolite. To evaluate the filters, we used a model ventilation system (1) to evaluate the removal efficiency of bacteria (Escherichia coli and Legionella pneumophila), bacterial spores (Bacillus subtilis spore), and viruses (MS2 bacteriophage) on various functional filters, and (2) to characterize the removal efficiency of these bioaerosols. All experiments were performed at a constant temperature of $25^{\circ}C$ and humidity of 50%. Most bacteria (excluding B. subtilis) rapidly decreased on the functional filter. Therefore, we confirmed that functional filters have antimicrobial effects. Additionally, we evaluated the removal efficiency of various bioaerosols by these filters. We used a six-jet collision nebulizer to generate microbial aerosols and introduced it into the environmental chamber. We then measured the removal efficiency of functional filters with and without a medium-efficiency filter. Most bioaerosol concentrations did not significantly decrease by the functional filter only but decreased by a combination of functional and medium-efficiency filter. In conclusion, functional filters could facilitate biological removal of various bioaerosols, but physical removal of these by functional was minimal. Proper use of chemical-coated filter materials could reduce exposure to these agents.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.418-427
• /
• 2014

Purpose: Objectives of this study were to investigate the association between efficiency and quality of health care in Long-term Care Hospitals (LTCH) and determine related factors that would enable achievement of both high efficiency and high quality at the same time. Methods: Major data sources were the "2012 Korean Assessment of Propriety by Long-term Care Hospitals" obtained from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. Cost variables were supplemented by a National Tax Service accounting document. First, data envelopment analysis was performed by generating efficiency scores for each LTCH. Second, matrix analysis was conducted to ascertain association between efficiency and quality. Lastly, kruskal-wallis and mann-whitney tests were conducted to identify related factors. Results: First, efficiency and quality of care are not in a relationship of trade-offs; thus, LTCH can be confident that high efficiency-high quality can be achieved. Second, LTCH with a large number of beds, longer tenure of medical personnel, and adequate levels of investment were more likely to have improved quality as well as efficiency. Conclusion: It is essential to enforce legal standards appropriate to the facilities, reduce turnover of nursing staff, and invest properly in human resources. These consequences will help LTCH to maintain the balance of high efficiency-high quality in the long-run.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.44-57
• /
• 2017

The objective of this study is to investigate financial integrity strategies for sustainable development of local public medical centers, and particularly focus on seeking ways to enhance its financial efficiency and publicness. The data which was collected from 33 local public medical centers was analyzed by Data Envelopment Analysis to measure its financial efficiency. Then, Matrix Analysis was used to examine the association of financial efficiency and publicness of local public medical centers with related factors. In the aspects of facilities and location, according to the results, the local public medical centers which have larger number of available hospital beds or located in bigger cities were examined to have higher degree of publicness. In the aspect of human resources, greater number of doctors made both financial efficiency and the degree of publicness decreased, whereas higher participation rate of educational program for doctors affects increasing its financial efficiency and publicness. Lastly, in the aspect of costs, higher labor, material, and administrative cost diminished financial efficiency, but enhanced the degree of publicness. Based on these results, this study concluded that enhancing the publicness of local public medical centers should be pursued by increasing the accessibility with better facilities and location, and also concurrently organizing rational expenditure structure with appropriate cost investment to the resources of local public medical centers. Also, it is necessary to enhance both financial efficiency and publicness simultaneously by improving the quality of health care services through the educational programs for medical staffs.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.58-84
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between the efficiency and its organizational determinants of tile Community Mental Health Centers(CMHCs). Data are obtained from 81 personnel of 27 CMHCs from Sept. to Oct. in 1999(19 in Kyunggi province, 7 in Seoul City and 1 in Chunchon, Kangwon province). Major findings of this study are as follows. 1. DEA is a mathematical programming technique that optimizes the relative efficiency ratio of inputs over outputs for each decision-making unit(DMU). It produces a summary scalar efficiency ratio for each DMU of CMHCs. It assessed multiple inputs and multiple outputs simultaneously, and compared to specific peer group of CMHCs. 2. Organizational determinants of DEA efficiency of CMHCs we proved as advertisement(＋), location of CMHCs(in public facility)(＋), area of facility(＋), period of operation(＋), job satisfaction(＋), clarity of work-role(vague), cohesion(－), rate of certified personnel(＋), number of referral(＋), and voluntary service time(－).

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.172-183
• /
• 2014

This paper measures and compares the efficiency of national health technology R&D programs focused on translational research program increasing importance using data envelopment analysis (DEA). Three input variables and three output variables are selected for DEA. Inputs are funds, researchers, and project period and outputs are SCI (E) papers, applied and granted patents, and impact factor. This study uses a three-stage approach. In the first stage, output-based DEA model is applied to evaluate the efficiency of decision making unit (DMU). In the second stage, based on efficiency scores of target diseases high-efficiency group and low-efficiency group are classified. And then strategic portfolio matrix of translational research program is composed of four dimensions combining research types. Mann-Whitney U test is then run to compare average efficiency scores among four groups. In the final stage, Tobit regression model is used to estimate factors likely to influence the efficiency. The results are expected to provide policy implications for effectively establishing investment strategy and managing performance of R&D program.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.292-301
• /
• 2021

Objectives: Wearing medical masks has been recommended since the declaration of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) as a pandemic disease. Certified medical masks are evaluated according to filtration efficiency and facial inhalation resistance. However, some people use non-certified common masks. This study aimed to evaluate various non-certified commercial masks based on the certification criteria for medical masks. Methods: Twenty mask products (three anti-droplet, three disposable dental, eight fashion, three cotton, and three children's masks) were selected. For performance evaluation, filtration efficiency and facial inhalation resistance tests were conducted. The evaluation method followed the certification method for KF-certified masks of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and the N95 respirator of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Results: None of the 20 masks met the KF94 certification standard set by the MFDS. Four and three masks respectively met the KF80 certification standard and the N95 standard of NIOSH. Filtration efficiency was significantly higher in three-layer masks than in single layer masks. Pleated-type masks had higher filtration efficiency than cone-type masks. There was no correlation between the structure of masks and facial inhalation resistance. Conclusion: While no masks complied with the KF94 certification standard, a few masks met the KF80 and the N95 certification standards of NIOSH. Although some people wear non-certified commercial masks, protection from aerosols is not guaranteed by such masks. Evaluation of the protection efficiency of non-certified mask against microbiological infection is needed for the prevention of infectious disease.