• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.129-155
• /
• 2008

The rate of antibiotics prescription for an acute airway infection significantly varies depending upon the diagnosis type, specialty, and the location of the hospital along with many other related factors. The objective of this study is to empirically investigate the possible relationship between the antibiotics prescription rates for an acute airway infection and the degree of competition in the hospital market regions of mainly the providers of primary medical care services such as clinics, internal medicines, pediatrics and otorhinolaryngology department. Using the data from Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) regarding the hospitals' antibiotics prescription rates for the acute airway infection and controlling for selected variables of demand and supply sectors, this study tries to figure out that the degree of competition in the hospital market, regardless of what type of competition indexes we employed, has a statistically significant effect on the variations of antibiotics prescription rate of the clinics in local areas. This result implies that as an economic consideration itself, the change in the degree of competition in the hospital market can play a crucial role influencing the treatment behaviors of the medical doctors. More specifically, this study reveals that as the degree of competition increases the antibiotics prescription rate goes up. This result means that if the market becomes more competitive in a specific region so that it might cause a reduction in doctor's income, doctors with rational decision-making process, recognize that the benefit created from inducing patients' seemingly unnecessary demand for medical care (income effect) would be higher than the costs associated with sustaining their targeted income (substitution effect). It is because that the doctors are more likely to prescribe antibiotics which create relatively higher margins than other medical care services in order to sustain their targeted income when the hospital market competition becomes tighter. Even though this study empirically confirms that antibiotics prescription can be affected by the economic incentives, it still raises following issues as limitations of the study: first issue is about the representativeness of the hospital regions segregated for this study, which might be weak in explaining whether these regions are mutually exclusive in reality. Patients actually consider the quality of services, transportation cost, time costs, and any other related factors choosing the doctors or hospitals, and in that sense, this study rules out 'border-crossing' in using the medical care services. Second issue arises in capturing the data of antibiotics prescription rate. Since we use the average rate for each medical institution, we cannot figure out the average rate for each patient so that we are not able to control for the variation of patients' medical conditions. It is because of the unavailability of data regarding each patient's medical condition from HIRA. Thirdly, since this study mainly analyzes the medical institutions providing primary care such as clinics, internal medicines, pediatrics, and otorhinolaryngology department, it is skeptical of whether those institutions can represent the hospital market in respective regions and truly reflect the degree of competition. It needs to extend the study areas and disease types as well as any micro data for future studies.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 1989

The great sudenn change of circle of dental laboratory technology brought mary discord between the new growing environmental group and the old group, In order to know the satisfactory degree of dental laboratory heads about all dental College, This Study was conducted for 49 detal technicians who graduated from junior laboratory heads in Seoul and Kyoung Gi area. The results are abtained as follow- 1. By age The degree of Satisfaction of items about all graduate dental technician were "41$\sim$45 age" group 26.53%), "46$\sim$50 age" group 22.45%, "36$\sim$40 age" group 18.36%, "31$\sim$35 age" group 12.24%, "51$\sim$55 age" group and "56$\sim$60 age" group 8.16% 60$\sim$age group 4.08% in order. 2. By Job Career. The Highest degree item out of Satisfaction about all graduated dental dental technician was 21$\sim$25 years group 28.5%, 16$\sim$20 years 20.4%, 11$\sim$15 years group 12.24%, 26$\sim$20%, 6$\sim$10 years group 4.08%, below 5 years group 2.04% in order. 3. By managing term of respondent's dental laboratory. The Satisfactory degree of items about all gradate technician were 7$\sim$10 years group 36.73% over 15 years group 22.45%, 11$\sim$14 years group 20.41%, 3$\sim$6 years group 14.29% below 2 years group 6.12% in order 4. By dental technician number of respondent's dental laboratory. The satisfactory degree intems about man were as follow; 6$\sim$9 persons group is 42.86 % The Satisfactory degree items about woman were one persons group in 34.69% 5. By born place The dental laboratory heads mean of inters about all dental technician were Seoul group 20.64 %, Kyoung Gi 17.20 %, Jen Nam group 14.99 % Chung Nam 9.5%in order 6. The satisfactory degree of items about all graduate dental technician were neither good nor bad group 32.65%, bad 6.12%, By ability of adaptaton, The satisfactory degree items about man were neither good nor bad group 42.86%, bad group 40.82%. The satisfactory degree of items about woman were neither good nor bad group 40.82% bad group 36.73%. 7. By sincerity. The satisfactory degree of items about man dental technician who graduated from Junior College were neither good nor bad group 52.02%, bad group 4.08, The satisfactory degree about woman dental technician graduated from Junior College were neither good nor bad group 42.86%, bad group 6.12%. 8. By ability of basical of items about man were bad group 40.82 %. The satisfactory degree about woman were 46.94%. 9. By cooperation relation ship. The satisfactory degree of items about man were neither good nor bad group 42.86%, bad group 10.20%. The satisfactory degree about woman were neither good nor bad group 42.86%, bad group 10.20 %. 10. By ability of work. The satisfactory degree of items about man were neither good nor bad group 48.98%, bad group 4.08%. The satisfactory degree about woman were neither good nor bad group 42.86%, bad group 6.12 %. 11. By the curriculum of the dental technician. The satisfactory degree of items about man were neither good nor bad group 67.35%, bad group 2.04%, The satisfactory degree about woman were neither good nor bad group 61.22%, bad group 6.12%. 12. By occupational satisfaction. The satisfactory degree of items about all graduate dental technician were fatisfied group 14.29%. By the out look of employment. The satisfactory degree of items about man greduate dental technician were neither good nor bad group 34.69 %, bad group 10.20%, about woman graduate dental technician were neither good nor bad group 44.90%, bad group 10.20%, Their employment prospect is not so bright or oprimistic due to the glut supply by graduates in the job-seeking market 13. The satisfactory rate on the artificial dental manufacturing world in terms of effects produced by juror College graduate dental technicians shared good group 40.82% bad group 2.04% 14. By cognition of the number of graduate dental technician. The satisfactory degree of dental laboratory heads about man graduate dental technician were too many group 38.78%, few group 6.12% about woman graduated dental technician were neither good nor bad group 30.6% few group 10,20%, The employment opportunities for the artifical dental technicians are getting decreased because of their excessive cumber in supply 15. The opinion regarding the initial salary. ranging from \160,000 to \200,000 for the junior college graduate dental technicians shared 57.14%. The top ratio, while the satisfaction reate on the academic study period of "3-year" group shared 22%, also the top ratio. 16. The improvement policy and prblematic issues presonted by the owner and operatore of atriticial dental manufacturing plants are as shown below First; The viewpoint that they contribute to the improvement of people's oral health in terms of their mission as artificial dental technicians. Second: The cultivation of basic technical ability to cope with clinical practice upon graduation Third; They require guidance in study and research in their filed of profession, that tray may beable to estaclish a from theory.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.85-97
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate dietary habits related to weight reduction and snack intake habits of $4^{th}$ to $5^{th}$ grade elementary students located in Jeju-si, Jeju, South Korea. Methods: The $4^{th}$ and $5^{th}$ grade elementary school students (total n = 234, equally matched numbers of normal weight children and overweight/obese children (n = 117/group)) were surveyed using a questionnaire and a 24-hour dietary recall method in Oct 2015. Results: The percentage of students who experienced reduced food intake to control weight was 26.3% in the normal weight group (NG) and 77.6% in the obese group (OG). Most frequently answered meal for reduced intake was snacks in the NG and dinner in the OG. Percentages of daily calorie intake among subjects were 17.2% for breakfast, 33.8% for lunch, 29.7% for dinner, and 19.3% for snacks. Frequency of snack intake was 2.1 times a week in NG and 1.6 times a week in OG, which showed a statistical difference between body weight groups. Types of snack foods were distinctly different depending on where children consumed them, although no difference was observed between NG and OG. In addition, snack intake level of low energy and nutrient-dense foods was significantly lower in the OG compared to the NG, whereas snack intake level of energy dense and low-nutritive foods was not different between the OG and NG. Conclusion: Taken together, snack intake level with consideration of frequency and amount of snack intake showed that children in the OG consumed significantly less low energy and nutrient-dense foods compared to the NG. Therefore, nutritional education for choosing healthy snack foods for children regardless of body weight status is crucial based on family-school links.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.53-57
• /
• 2009

Heavy metal pollution may be one of the most serious challenges confront crop production and human health. Therefore, the selection of heavy metal tolerance cultivars which adapted to the contaminated fields will introduced a suitable solution for management this critical environmental risk. The objectives of this research is to assess human health risk using geochemical analyses and exposure assessment of heavy metals in rice cultivars. Risk for inhabitants in the closed mine area was comparatively assessed for As, Cd, Cu and Pb in 10 rice varieties as a major exposure pathway. The average daily dose (ADD) of each heavy metal was estimated by analyzing the exposure pathways to rice and soil. For the non-carcinogenic risk characterization, Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) were calculated using toxicity indices provided by US-EPA IRIS. The different rice varieties revealed a wide range of HI values from 23.6 to 34.3, indicating that all rice varieties have a high potential toxic risk. The DA rice variety showed the lowest HI value while the TB rice variety the highest. The probabilities of cancer risk for As via rice consumption were varied with rice varieties ranging from 2.0E-03 to 3.5E-03 which exceeded the regulatory acceptable risk of 1 in 10,000 set by US-EPA. The DA rice variety also showed the lowest value while the TB rice variety gave the highest value. Our results indicate that risk assessment can be contribute to screen the pollution safe rice cultivars in paddy fields affected by the mining activity.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.91-112
• /
• 2021

This study aimed to explore the influence of family characteristics on the work-life balance of early adolescents. A series of data analyses was conducted on adolescents' use of time in daily life on the basis of 2018 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS 2018). We found that the work-life balance of youth is related to their parents' health status, presence of older siblings, household income, parenting attitude, parent-child communication time, and mother's occupation. The work-life balance of the fifth graders is more likely to be influenced by family characteristics compared with that of the eighth graders. In particular, the fifth graders' sleep deprivation is affected by the mother's occupation, but there is no significant effect on the eighth graders' sleep deprivation. An important factor in skipping breakfast is household income, with adolescents from low-income families tending to skip breakfast more than five days a week. In addition, parents' health status and parenting attitude are significantly related to skipping of breakfast in early adolescents. Household income is related to the after-school private tutoring hours of both the fifth and eighth graders; however, parenting attitude and mother's occupation are also significant influencing factors of the fifth graders' after-school study. Mother's occupation is related to excessive cell phone use; specifically, the fifth graders whose mothers work white-collar jobs, sales and services or manufacturing are more likely to play with cell phones more than three hours a day than those whose mothers are full-time housewives. These results suggest that the work-life balance policies targeted at the family characteristics of adolescents can improve family environments in a manner that enhances adolescents' life balance, thus supporting the well-being of early adolescents and their families.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.629-647
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study was undertaken to develop a nutrition quotient for elementary school children (NQ-C) for evaluating the overall dietary quality and eating behaviors. Methods: The NQ-C was developed by implementing 3 stages: item generation, item reduction, and validation. Candidate food behavior checklist (FBC) items of the NQ-C were derived from systematic literature reviews, expert in-depth interviews, statistical analyses of the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, and national nutrition policies and recommendations. For the pilot survey, 260 elementary school students (128 second graders and 132 fifth graders) completed self-administered questionnaires as well as 24-hour dietary intakes, with the help of their parents and survey team staff, if required. Based on the pilot survey results, expert reviews, and priorities of national nutrition policy and recommendations, checklist items were reduced from 41 to 24. A total of 20 items for NQ-C were finally selected from results generated from 1,144 nationwide samples surveyed. Construct validity of the NQ-C was assessed using the confirmatory factor analysis, LInear Structural RELations. Results: Analyses of the exploratory factors of NQ-C identified that 5 dimensions of diet (balance, diversity, moderation, practice and environment) accounted for 46.2% of the total variance. Standardized path coefficients were used as weights of the items. The NQ-C and 5-factor scores of the subjects were calculated using the obtained weights of the FBC items. Conclusion: Our data indicates that NQ-C is a useful and suitable instrument for assessing nutrition adequacy, dietary quality, and eating behaviors of Korean elementary school children.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.383-397
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in the use of home meal replacement (HMR) and delivered foods and food habits of college students due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: A survey was conducted on 460 male and female college students in Chungcheong province in December 2020. Results: The methods of participation in classes in the 2nd semester of 2020 were 40.2% for '100% non-face-to-face' and 40.4% for 'more than 70.0% of non-face-to-face classes'. 52.8% of the subjects responded that their physical activity had decreased, while 36.1% of the subjects responded that their body weight had increased over the past 6 months. Regarding the use of HMR, 62.7% of the male students and 69.6% of the female students responded with '1-2 times a week or less' before the outbreak of COVID-19. After the outbreak, 57.4% of males and 46.7% of females responded with '3-4 times a week or more' (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). As for the use of delivered food, 58.3% of the females responded with '2-3 times a month or less' before the outbreak, whereas the rate of responding with '1 or more times a week' after the outbreak was 64.6% (p < 0.001). Negative changes in food habits caused by COVID-19 were in the order of irregular meals (56.7%), increased intake of delivered food (42.2%), increased intake of snacks (33.3%), and increased intake of processed foods such as HMR (30.4%). Conclusion: As mentioned above, many college students had non-face-to-face classes due to COVID-19. During this period, they experienced decreased physical activity, weight gain, and undesirable eating habits such as irregular meal time, and increased intake of processed foods, delivery foods, and snacks. Therefore, there is a high need for nutrition education and policy support for the prevention and management of health and nutrition problems of college students, which can be caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.199-210
• /
• 2021

Purpose: This study investigated the food consumption behaviors in Korean adults, according to the agrifood consumer competency index (ACCI). Methods: Data obtained from the 2019 Consumption Behaviors Survey for Food were analyzed. A total of 6,176 adults (2,783 males, 3,393 females) aged ≥ 19 years, were included in the study. Based on the score of agrifood consumer competency index, the subjects were classified into three groups. The dietary habits, eating-out and food-delivery/take-out behaviors, opinion of food labeling, and concerns for domestic products were compared among the 3 groups. Results: The ACCI scores of the male and female subjects were 63.6 and 64.8, respectively. Subjects of both genders in the highest tertile of the ACCI were more likely to have a higher education level and higher health concerns, as compared to subjects in the lowest tertile (p < 0.05). Male subjects having highest tertile of the ACCI reported significantly more exercise and alcohol consumption, as compared to subjects in the lowest tertile (p < 0.05). A higher score of the ACCI also portrayed a higher satisfaction in own diet and greater checking of the food label. Moreover, subjects with a higher score of the ACCI showed greater satisfaction and reliability in the food label, as well as increased concerns for domestic agrifoods, local foods, and eco-friendly foods. Subjects in the lowest tertile of the ACCI acquired their dietary information from acquaintances, whereas subjects in the highest tertile of the ACCI learnt the information from food labels themselves. Conclusion: These results are indicative of the food consumption and behaviors of Korean adults according to their ACCI scores, and provide basic data that will be useful for implementing an effective food policy.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.303-317
• /
• 2022

Climate change caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions can alter the natural ecosystem, including the pollination ecosystem and agricultural ecology, which are ecological interactions between potted insects and plants. Many studies have reported that populations of wild bees, including bees and wasps (BW), which are the key pollinators, have gradually declined due to climate change, leading to adverse impacts on overall biodiversity, ultimately with agribusinesses and the life cycle of flowering plants. Therefore, we could infer that the rising temperature in Korean Peninsula (South Korea) due to global warming has led to climate change and influenced the wild bee's ecosystem. In this study, we surveyed the distributional pattern of BW (Superfamily: Apoidea, Vespoidea, and Chrysidoidea) at 51 sites from 2017 (37 sites) to 2018 (14 sites) to examine the effects of climatic factors on the nationwide distribution of BW in South Korea. Previous literature has confirmed that their distribution according to forest climate zones is significantly correlated with mean and accumulative temperatures. Based on the result, we predicted the effects of future climate changes on the BW distribution that appeared throughout South Korea and the species that appeared in specific climate zones using Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). The distributions of wild BW predicted by the SSP scenarios 2-4.5 and 5-8.5 according to the BIOMOD species distribution model revealed that common and endemic species will shift northward from the current habitat distribution by 2050 and 2100, respectively. Our study implies that climate change and its detrimental effect on the ecosystem is ongoing as the BW distribution in South Korea can change, causing the change in the ecosystem in the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, immediate efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions are warranted. We hope the findings of this study can inspire further research on the effects of climate change on pollination services and serve as the reference for making agricultural policy and BW conservation strategy

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 2023

Objectives : This study investigated the level of sexuality knowledge and gender sensitivity and factors influencing on them among Korean high school and college students. Methods : 129 questionnaires from high school and college students with consent forms, collected from July to December of 2022, were analyzed. After identification of participants' gender, age, major, their report of the practicality of sex education, and their experience of violence or sexual assaults, participants' level of sexuality knowledge and gender sensitivity were compared. Results : Females showed higher gender sensitivity, regardless of age and group (p=0.004). The early adulthood group (≥19 years old) showed higher sexuality knowledge and gender sensitivity, compared to those adolescents (<19 years old). Among college students, those who majored in health science were identified with higher sexuality knowledge and gender sensitivity, compared to non-health science major students(p<0.001; p=0.005). Conclusions : This study revealed the significant differences in sexuality knowledge and gender sensitivity according to sex, age, and majors in adolescents and early adults. Therefore, it seems to be necessary to consider the differences in sexuality knowledge and gender sensitivity among age, sex, and majors when establishing public policy or legislation for sex crimes, including digital sex crimes.