• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2010

Objectives: To quantify disability level in salespeople with concurrent low back pain (LBP) and to determine the relative associations between demographic, occupational, psychosocial and clinical factors and back disability. LBP is the most common cause of work-related disability in people under 45 years of age and the most expensive cause of work-related disability, in terms of workers' compensation and medical expenses. Evidence suggests high prevalence of LBP in salespeople. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in which 184 saleswomen with a current episode of self-reported LBP working in a large up-scale department store filled out a battery of 6 self-administered questionnaires and received a standardised physical examination. Results: Saleswomen with concurrent LBP had low disability levels. Factors significantly associated with disability were pain intensity, measured by a visual analogue scale, in the past week (p < 0.001), physical and mental health status (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively), fear avoidance scores for both work and physical activities (p = 0.031, p = 0.014, respectively), past history of LBP (p = 0.019), and self-reported frequency of pushing or pulling objects placed in high positions during work (p = 0.047). A significant level (45%) of the variance in disability status was explained by these variables. Conclusion: In clinical management of LBP workers who required prolonged standing, such as salespeople, clinicians should look for modifiable risk factors associated with disability. Specific measures need to be taken to prevent disability due to LBP among salespeople.

• KIEAE Journal
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.45-52
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• 2012

In recent years, the growing needs and the interest of the welfare for the disabled people has ignited the educational facilities for the disabled in Korea. This special schools are to be provide the disabled people with proper facilities to provide opportunities to participate in social life and to maximize the educational efficiency. However many special schools are not properly designed to educate the disabled because their design guidelines including legal planning standards. It is also true that these standards are not specifically categorized and specialized according to the kinds of disability. This study, therefore aims to suggest measures of the special school design guidelines especially for the mentally disabled people. The study first looks after the characteristics of the mental disability and the current situations of special schools in Gwangju. It, then examines the behavilr of the mentally disabled students in some of special schools in Gwnagju through observation and interview. The interview has done with the staff in the facilities regarding the usage patterns and behavioral characteristics of the mentally disabled students especially in convenience facilities in schools.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2018

In order to increase the accessibility of dental care for people with disabilities, National Health Insurance Service has implemented an additional point system of National Dental Insurance for dental treatment of patients with a special health care need (AID). The purpose of this study is to investigate the types and status of AID in Korea using data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2011 to 2017. The basic consultation fee is increased by 9.03 points (713 won) for brain disorder, intellectual disability, mental disability, or autistic disorder. From 2011 to 2015, the number of claims with a basic consultation fee increased from 90,456 to 141,179. Dental treatment and surgical treatment fee is increased by 100% of the defined insurance score for each of the 15 items. During the five years from 2012 to 2016, the number and amount of claims for each item increased steadily. Of the total claims for 5 years, endodontic treatment was highest, with 107,477 cases, followed by 51,641 cases of scaling. There are two types of dental safety observation fee, simple and complex. The simple safety observation fee is 10,370 won per day, and the complex safety observation fee is 20,750 won per day. Dental safety observation fees were charged 34 times in 2015, 14 times in 2016, and 41 times through May 2017. From 2011 to 2017, the number and amount of claims using AID for dental care for people with disabilities increased. However, considering that the number of registered dental users with disability was about 560,000 in 2016, the number of claims using AID is 1-20,000, which is less than 2% of registered dental users with disability. Therefore, it is necessary to expand dental services for people with disabilities including AID.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.240-247
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• 2001

The history of rehabilitation of disabilities in Korea began with the foreigners and missionaries who were interested in it after Korean War. In 1981, Disabled Persons Welfare Act was enacted and the 88 Paralympics brought the nations attention to the welfare and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. Since then, the facilities and the services for the disabled persons have expanded rapidly and the rehabilitation treatment and nursing intervention are drawing more attention. Against this background, the survey on the current status of disabilities, welfare service, facilities, and rehabilitation nursing was conducted. The results of this survey are as follows. 1. According to the 2000 census of disabilities, the number of persons with disabilities in Korea is estimated at 1,449,500, or 3.09% of the entire Korean population, 0.74% up from 2.35% in 1995. 2. Disability Types in 2000 The 2000 census showed that the persons with disabilities numbered 1,449,496 out of the total population and 1,024,371 persons are registered for disability, making up 70.7% of the estimated disabled population. Among them, physically disabled persons accounted for the largest 41.7% (605,127) and mentally retarded persons stood at the smallest 9% (13,481). 3. Percentage of Disability Presence The survey showed that more than 90% of disability were acquired. However, 44.8% of mental disability and 61.4% of hearing/speaking disability were not acquired after birth. This means that these disabilities happened by congenital cause or birth accident. 4. Yearly Figure of Registered Disabled Persons In 1989, 218,601 persons registered for disability and, in 2000, the number increased by 4.7 times to 1,024,371. These figures are different from the actual number of disabled persons. According to the 1995 census, 1,053,486 were disabled persons but only 378,323registered for disability. And, in the 2000 census, 1,024,371 out of the 1,449,496 of disabled persons registered for disability. 5. Welfare Service for Persons with Disability 62.6% of the total disabled people are registered and physically disabled persons accounted for the highest percentage of 96.7%. 26.5% of non-registered disabled people said that they didnt know the registration procedure. The rest of them replied that they didnt think they were disabled or that registration didnt seem to give any benefits. 6. Welfare Policies for Disabled Persons The welfare benefits given to the disabled are as follows: Issuance of disabled sign for car drivers, Permission to use LPG fuel, Communication fee reduction, Tax exemption related to cars, Reduction of public facility fees, Household allowance, Tax reduction or exemption, Medical allowance and education subsidy for children, and Housing. 7. Current Condition of Welfare Facilities by Disability Type The welfare institutions for disabilities numbered 188 in total and they can accommodate 16,823 persons. Categories of these institutions are physical disability(37), visual disability(10), hearing/speaking disability(14), mental retardation(59), and sanatoriums(68). 8. Human Resource of Rehabilitation of Disabilities Advanced education programs include rehabilitation nursing in its curriculum and this was selected as the program of Korean Academic Society of Nursing in 1990. In November 1997, Korean Academic Society of Rehabilitation Nursing was launched and many academic meeting and seminars were held. This organization is also making efforts to develop the education program for qualified rehabilitation nursing professionals and to develop the standards of rehabilitation nursing practice. In the professionals of the rehabilitation, there are rehabilitation specialist, physical therapist, speech therapist, occupational therapist. It is needed to come up with the measures to supply stable human resources following the demand of disabled persons and to recognize the private certificates for rehabilitation professionals as official ones after reviewing the education and training programs of private institutions. 9. Rehabilitation Nursing 1) Rehabilitation nursing was taught as an independent subject in 11 undergraduate programs and 9 graduate programs. 2) Research on rehabilitation nursing in Korea were 24 experimental research and 11 non-experimental research. The intervention of experimental research were mostly education and exercise rehabilitation programs. 3) In the three rehabilitation hospitals, nursing is divided into two categories, direct nursing and education & counseling. Direct nursing includes tracheostomy or nasogastric tube care, urination and defication, skin care, pain control, complication prevention and care, prevention of injury from a fall, etc.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.281-306
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• 2014

This paper explores the how the disability type, severeness and economic activeness affects marital satisfaction, and seeks to improve marital satisfaction among disabled by clarifying mediating effects of discriminatory experiences in everyday experiences. This research was done with 3,463 married disabled who were prone to everyday discrimination, among whom were enrolled in research database of Employment Development Institute of Korea Employment Promotion Agency for the Disabled. The research showed positive effects between marital satisfaction and everyday discriminatory experience except for unemployed people and severe among all the disabled type (external disability, sensory disability, mental disability, internal disability), disability severeness (severe and light), and economic activeness (paid workers, self-employed, home-worker, unemployed, not economically active). Also, relationship between disability type, severeness, economical activeness and marital satisfaction was partly mediated through everyday discriminatory experiences. Therefore, active movements to reduce everyday discrimination are strongly advised.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2020

Intellectual disability affects all spheres of the lives of people can be who suffer from it. Unfortunately, modern medicine cannot cure intellectual disability. However, the quality of life improved by means of physical exercise. In this study, we compared the health-related physical fitness, metabolic syndrome index and mental health between a game biking group(5 participants) and a brisk walking group(4 participants). This study used a between-subject design and verified by non-parametric test. The participants performed an exercise program with warm up and resistance training for 12 weeks. A game bike was used for the physically impaired, where the individual looked at a screen and pedaled. The fasters he pedaled the faster the object on the screen movies. We measured health-related physical fitness, metabolic syndrome index and mental health. We also measured their perceived exertion and interest during the exercise by a visual analog scale. The results before and after the exercise program showed that health-related physical fitness, metabolic risk factors, mental health level were improved in both groups. As we hypothesized before the study, the game biking group showed a statistically significantly different level on the Rating of Perceived Exertion than the brisk walking group and a higher level on the Rating of Exercise Interest during the exercise program. Our results lead to a conclusion that an exercise program with the use of a game bike improve motivation for exercise participation in intellectually handicapped participants.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.147-155
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between housing cost burden and the mental health status of middle-aged and older adults with disabilities, and to examine whether this relationship is moderated by social capital. To achieve this goal, a final analysis was conducted on a sample of 938 individuals aged 45 and above with disabilities who participated in the 16th wave of the Korean Welfare Panel Study. Moderated multiple regression analysis was performed using Stata 17.0. The results of the study are as follows. First, an increase in housing cost burden was associated with a decrease in the mental health status of middle-aged and older adults with disabilities. Second, among the multidimensional elements of social capital, social networks were found to be a factor that positively influenced mental health status. The relationship between housing cost burden and mental health status was moderated by social networks, a key element of social capital. Based on these findings, this study confirms the value of social capital as a protective factor for improving the mental health status of middle-aged and older adults with disabilities who experience housing poverty due to housing cost burden, and suggests implications for social welfare strategies targeting the development of social capital.

• 한국사회복지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.365-382
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to explore the concepts of health among people with mobility disabilities in order to develop a new holistic model of health and to identify implications for social work practice. A qualitative study based on face-to-face interviews with people with mobility disabilities was conducted. Nine consumers and nine social workers with mobility disabilities participated in the study. Social constructionism, heuristic paradigm, empowerment paradigm, and strength perspectives were used to form conceptual foundations to guide the study. Study participants' holistic descriptions of the concept of health encompassed five domains: biological/physical, mental/emotional, financial, relationships with others, and spiritual. Participants described health as harmony among these five domains. Harmony indicates that all five domains contribute to the concept of health, and that each domain is related to the others. Participants also viewed disability and health as an interconnected whole, not separate concept. The conceptual model developed in this study expands on the existing concepts of health by considering multiple factors at the personal and environmental levels, as well as interactions among the factors and between the levels. The personal level has five domains: biological/physical, mental/emotional, spiritual, financial, and relationships with others. The environmental level has also five domains: relationship with others, financial, social programs, social attitudes toward peoplewith disabilities, and physical environment. All factors under the personal and environmental levels also affect each other. The holistic concept of health for people with disabilities is not solely a part of the person, but rather is a function of the interaction between the person and their environment. The study demonstrated that people with disabilities have strength and resiliency, and health is an attainable goal for them, particularly when environmental and cultural barriers are addressed. The focus of social work practice should be the removal of those barriers encountered by their consumers with disabilities, as well as, the enhancement of internal factors that facilitate well-being.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2005

The purposes of this study were 1) to investigate the oral health problem of the disabled according to the handicapped types, 2) to collect the empirical data for developing and establishing the oral health policies for the handicapped, and 3) to find out the major obstacles against the dental services and oral health promotion. The handicapped subjects were collected by designed cluster sampling and interviewed with structured questionnaire in order to measure the oral health knowledge and behaviors. The subjects were attending the special schools and private or public welfare institutions for crippled disorder, encephalopathy disorder, mental retardation, visual disturbance, hearing defect, and developmental disorder. Oral examination was conducted by 13 trained dentists. 1,476 of handicapped people were finally surveyed. The results were as follows; The experiences of visiting dental office during the last one year in 18~64 year-old disabled people were 48.86% in crippled disorder, 52.50% in mental retardation, 58.24% in visual disturbance, 39.29% in hearing defect, respectively. To improve this challenging situation, we should find out the obstacles against the dental service and oral hygiene maintenance by the types of handicap, and develop the oral health policies which could support and advocate the Korean disabled.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.185-195
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• 2024

Background: Disabled people have particularly restricted access to health care. In response to this, the pilot project for the general physician (GP) system for disabled people was implemented in 2018, based on the rights of people with disability to the Health Act in South Korea. However, its participants were 0.2% among the total of those with severe disabilities in 2021. Therefore, this study examined the factors related to registering with a GP and the access level to its services to suggest implications for activating the participation of disabled people. Methods: We analyzed factors affecting the registration with a GP and the number of using the services among the participants of the GP system during May 2018 and December 2021 by conducting hierarchical logistic regression and hierarchical regression. The data were linked with the national health insurance data to examine various predictors, including disability types, socioeconomic status, health status, and GP registration. Results: As a result of analyzing the factors affecting whether or not to register for the pilot project, those with disabilities (physical disabilities, brain lesions, visual, intellectual, mental, and autistic disability) eligible for disability care (odds ratio [OR], 4.157) than other disability, and those living in metropolitan (OR, 4.330) or cities (OR, 3.332) than rural residences were highly likely to enroll the pilot study. Health-related variables also predicted the registration status of the pilot project. The predictors related to GP enrollment types (membership type: general health or disability care, GP's affiliation: clinics or hospitals) significantly influenced levels of access to services. Conclusion: It is necessary to develop the GP project for disabled people by considering the variation in types of disability, residences, and health. Further study will be needed to investigate the impact of GPs on the level of participation among disabled people.