• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2011

Objectives: Public release of and feedback (here after public release) on institutional (clinics and hospitals) cesarean section rates has had the effect of reducing cesarean section rates. However, compared to the isolated intervention, there was scant evidence of the effect of repeated public releases (RPR) on cesarean section rates. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of RPR for reducing cesarean section rates. Methods: From January 2003 to July 2007, the nationwide monthly institutional cesarean section rates data (1 951 303 deliveries at 1194 institutions) were analyzed. We used autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time-series intervention models to assess the effect of the RPR on cesarean section rates and ordinal logistic regression model to determine the characteristics of the change in cesarean section rates. Results: Among four RPR, we found that only the first one (August 29, 2005) decreased the cesarean section rate (by 0.81 percent) and continued to have an impact period through the last observation in May 2007. Baseline cesarean section rates (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 3.1 to 7.1) and annual number of deliveries (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6 to 4.7) of institutions in the upper third of each category at before first intervention had a significant contribution to the decrease of cesarean section rates. Conclusions: We could not found the evidence that RPR has had the significant effect of reducing cesarean section rates. Institutions with upper baseline cesarean section rates and annual number of deliveries were more responsive to RPR.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 2016

Much of the data used in the analysis of environmental ecological data is being obtained over time. If the number of time points is small, the data will not be given enough information, so repeated measurements or multiple survey points data should be used to perform a comprehensive analysis. The method used for that case is longitudinal data analysis or mixed model analysis. However, if the amount of information is sufficient due to the large number of time points, repetitive data are not needed and these data are analyzed using time series analysis technique. In particular, with a large number of data points in the current situation, when we want to predict how each variable affects each other, or what trends will be expected in the future, we should analyze the data using time series analysis techniques. In this study, we introduce univariate time series analysis, intervention time series model, transfer function model, and multivariate time series model and review research papers studied in Korea. We also introduce an error correction model, which can be used to analyze environmental ecological data.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.297-314
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to analyze the trend of the number of nursing staffs and skill mix and to assess the effectiveness of hospital nurse expansion policies in Korea. Methods : The trend of the number of nursing staffs and skill mix were analyzed using time series data, which composed of yearly series data from 1975 to 2009. The impact of hospital nurse expansion policies was estimated by autoregressive integrated moving average(ARIMA) intervention model. Results : The number of general hospital and hospital nurses per 100 beds was decreased in late 1980s and late 1990s due to rapid growth of beds. As a result of the number of nurse aids per 100 beds decreased, skill mix became high in general hospital but nurse ratio among hospital nursing staffs was about 50%. Expansion of new nurse and revised differentiated inpatient fee were only effective in expansion of hospital nursing staffs. But they had no effect in general hospitals. Conclusion : In Korea, a few policies related to expansion of hospital nurses have an effect on increasing the number of hospital nurse. Nevertheless, level of hospital nursing staffs is inferior to that of general hospital.